Project Memoirs: Mini on the Move.

[Hendry]

It was imported from Malta a few years back it says somewhere in the advert.

 

Re: front plate. Can you still do the V888 check to find out the original selling dealer?

Alas no, the V888 thing stopped a while ago so I’ve been told.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

That's only about 30 miles from me. And I'm usually in Craigavon for work shit once or twice a month

 

Sadly I don't have £2 let alone £2k

 

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[richardmorris]

Alas no, the V888 thing stopped a while ago so I’ve been told.

Something to do with the new GDPR (data protection regulations) according to the latest Citroen club mag.

[Ghosty]

That's nice. That blue D-reg one is up for less though and higher spec so perhaps it'll be around a while yet - after all that one's taking a bit to sell. I doubt there's much of a market for 1.3 Sierras.

 

I'd love a mk1.

[Datsuncog]

Old car prices in NI can be a bit on the salty side generally, probably due to fewer examples to choose from and the extra cost of bringing a car over from the UK mainland. Old Fords tend to attract substantial scene tax, as culchies here seem to have a bit of a thing for them (see also: Toyota AE86 Twin-Cams). There are two facelift Sierra 2.0 hatches local to me fitted with full STANCEYO! mod pack including daft exhaust and air suspension.

 

Having learned to drive in a Sierra estate I've kinda had a nostalgic hankering for another, but a quick flick through classified ads indicates they're already massively out of my price range, even for a horribly rough example. Rust, bangering, and stuffing every known Sapphire into an unconvincing Cosworth frock (and then straight into a hedge) appear to have done for nearly all of them a decade ago, in the same way the Mk1 Mondeo is rapidly becoming a rare sight.

 

If this car has lived most of its life in Malta and is rot-free and unmolested, I really don't think it's massively overpriced. Not a popular spec, but hopefully someone with deeper pockets than mine will appreciate its charmingly limited performance and equipment.

 

And, after all... if it were being knocked out for £500, chances are it woulda been raided as a panels and trim source by the aforementioned 'I Love Bass' SC3N3 lads before I even got my boots pulled on to go and look at it. In this case, a high-ish price might be its saviour.

[BorniteIdentity]

Nail. Head. That was always the danger with the bASe; at £750 it was fair kop for hitting the oval.

 

I’m rather fond of this little thing, but it’s not for me sadly. Two red, shit Fords would be a divorce.

[BorniteIdentity]

That's nice. That blue D-reg one is up for less though and higher spec so perhaps it'll be around a while yet - after all that one's taking a bit to sell. I doubt there's much of a market for 1.3 Sierras.

 

I'd love a mk1.

 

Danny Hopkins' estate?  That's a decent buy as he's pretty much spent the asking price on bits over the last few months.  It just does nothing for me - not even in a perverse, masochistic way.  Even he says he prefers jumping in the Austin Maestro which is in the car park!

[Hendry]

Surely if we're talking about Sierras on autoshite it has to be this beige one:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-FORD-SIERRA-1-6-GL-GENUINE-16000-MILES-IMMACULATE/332534688649?hash=item4d6c9cab89:g:tnEAAOSwxg9ZbLcO

 

Although it is a decandent 1.6 GL. 

[egg]

@Datsun -yup, my Sapphire Ghia was snapped up by some lads from Northern Ireland 10 years ago, and they came over to Bromley in Kent to get it! Sorry for OT.

 

Anyway, I think the Maltese motor is fairly priced.

[fordperv]

@Datsun -yup, my Sapphire Ghia was snapped up by some lads from Northern Ireland 10 years ago, and they came over to Bromley in Kent to get it! Sorry for OT.

 

Anyway, I think the Maltese motor is fairly priced.

I keep getting messages from a chap in ireland trying to buy my saph to take back with him, he got my number off a guy i know who used to break sierras, ive had photos of stacks of cash saying name my price and all sorts those lads are crazy

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Sounds about right... I honestly don't know where these fellas get the money from.

 

 

Sierras in NI invariably end up looking rather like this, complete with 'Powered by Buckfast' stickers, CB radio aerial and rear tyres worn through to the cords from pulling donuts for hours at a set of rural crossroads outside Stranocum.

 

Hey ho.

 

[danthecapriman]

I keep getting messages from a chap in ireland trying to buy my saph to take back with him, he got my number off a guy i know who used to break sierras, ive had photos of stacks of cash saying name my price and all sorts those lads are crazy

That sort of thing starts to piss me off after a short while.

If I wanted to sell it I'd advertise it!?

I've had people bothering me for all mine. I had one Irish guy come to the door for my old Granada, offering me cash and no bother sale, then trying to lecture me about how the Granada was unsuccessful car for Ford!?! Twat!

The Capri is the same. Everyone seems to want it or want to offer me whatever for it.

It's not for sale for any amount. Please sod off!

 

Anyway, that Sierra 1.3 looks good to me, price isn't bad I don't think.

[Ghosty]

I was thinking of this one actually:

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F312018984901

[fordperv]

That sort of thing starts to piss me off after a short while.

If I wanted to sell it I'd advertise it!?

I've had people bothering me for all mine. I had one Irish guy come to the door for my old Granada, offering me cash and no bother sale, then trying to lecture me about how the Granada was unsuccessful car for Ford!?! Twat!

The Capri is the same. Everyone seems to want it or want to offer me whatever for it.

It's not for sale for any amount. Please sod off!

 

Yep I know that one not a week goes by without someone knocking trying to buy one of them, at least the ones by message you can just laugh and say no thanks pal

[Captain Furious]

Seller now accepting offers on the 1.3

 

Line up with your broken xboxes, galaxy S3's and rare new £5 notes

[BorniteIdentity]

Had a bit of time to mess about with shite old cars earlier.

 

 

The Sierra needed to be reawoken from its winter slumber for internal photographs. Honestly, this classic policy MAY be cheap, but I’m surprised they’ve not asked for a photo of the heater matrix.

 

Anyway, took it for a quick storm and everything was tickety boo, apart from the usual drama of not having any choke.

 

 

 

The mould has returned again. Fortunately we’ve got a £2000 carpet machine in the family, so it’ll get properly done soon for hygiene reasons.

 

Onto the little 190. It’s such a charming thing, and I’ve come to the conclusion it’s far too good to be subjected to the hostility of the m25 each day. So it’s going to be my little Friday car, and the Sierra can put in a few shifts too from next month.

 

That sticker tho. Wow. It really ruined the clean lines and lack of badging on the back, so it had to go.

 

 

I did the same thing to that Audi, and didn’t ruin anything - so feeling quite confident I cracked on.

 

 

This is the most use this gym membership has been in 3 months. This is also quite a special hairdryer by all accounts, but I’ve no business using one these days.

 

 

It came off in one ffs. Boom! Quick bit of petrol on a rag to remove any residue - then wash and wax. Done in 5 mins.

 

 

 

What a lovely old thing.

 

 

 

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[BorniteIdentity]

I don't know.  I think cars are making me a bit sad atm.  There's so much I want to do with the Sierra, but I have little talent and even less motivation when it's pissing down with rain, and 5 degrees even when it's not.  I'd love to take it to work and just crack on, but with the new heater matrix in a box and salt still on the road - it's not happening.  I've also got a new rad, some new plumbing and a few other bits to fit - but having just touched my toes for the HMRC, it'll be a while until the garage get it to sort.

 

The plucky Avensis is soldiering on, but is crying out for the (now overdue) timing belt kit. A bearing is hammering away in the idler, and obviously threatening to let go imminently.  This is a £275 plus vat gig at a garage - which is fair enough - but with the MOT up in May and about 10 advisories last time, really I need to get it MOTd before spaffing out on long term items.

 

The Granvia needs a proper good service, and I feel guilty for using it until this is attended to.  Same things apply though - it's bloody cold and I'm also a bit nervous about cracking open the sump plug.  It's been repaired twice now, so I'm probably better leaving it to the guys who repaired it.  I've got a Pela pump but it won't fit FFS!

 

Then there's the Mercedes.  So lovely that I feel bad subjecting it to the winter roads.  The tyres also aren't that brilliant - so I do prefer to jump in the FWD Avensis with CrossClimate tyres on.  

 

And yet, despite all this, I'm constantly distracted by other cars.  Anything approaching cheap gets me fully engorged, even though deep down I know it's not a good idea.  A bit like plain chocolate digestives - I fucking love them, but they don't love me.  Really, I should have just three that I really truly want - but whether I can ever be faithful, I don't know.

[Captain Furious]

I’ve made extra effort to get the Granada out the last two weekends to get some jobs sorted that I’ve put off for the last two seasons

 

Been defeated by weather both times. So all I really accomplished was a McDonald’s breakfast and driving it through a load of gritted roads. Still, never let it be said she is a sunshine queen

 

[BorniteIdentity]

I've come to the conclusion that, ultimately, I like driving cars more than I like fixing them.  It's satisfying changing the oil and doing the simple tasks, but I have little to no interest getting much more involved than kicking a full pan of 10w40 all over my block paving.

 

With this in mind, the 190 was treated to a wash and a wax and a bloody good drive this weekend. It's a lovely old Hector, especially with the sun up and the windows down.  Following RobT's recommendation of the Autoglym bumper gel, I've 'blacked up' the bumpers, door mirrors and handles - and they've come up pretty well!

 

My Mercedes 190. by Bornite Identity, on Flickr

 

My Mercedes 190 by Bornite Identity, on Flickr

[Tadhg Tiogar]

^^^ Sounds about right... I honestly don't know where these fellas get the money from....

 

Probably a question best not asked.....

[nacho man]

That 190 is LUSH. 

 

I am deffo in the same boat of not being arsed at the moment to get on and actually do any tinkering. I would rather just drive them. I literally have two shelves worth of bits to go on my Clio that I am farming out. 

[danthecapriman]

Lovely job on your Benz BI, I might get some of that bumper gel for the Volvo.

 

I’m the same this time of year with cars. I can’t really be arsed! Call it winter blues!

Still, winters almost done now and I always perk up once spring starts. Nothing worse than cold and wet weather for killing ones mojo.

[HMC]

+4 on the car mojo loss- I currently own ONE

[BorniteIdentity]

YOU’VE CHANGED.

 

Judging by last year’s memoirs, things pick up about the time the clocks go forward- and that’s a month now. Won’t be long.

[SierraMikeHotel]

That comment about the choke on the Sierra brought back a childhood memory. Apparently the automatic chokes never worked and the one we had when I was little had been converted by a previous owner to a manual one.

 

I can only have been about six or seven, how on earth do I remember this rubbish?!

 

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[BorniteIdentity]

Alright y'all?

 

It's time for a bit of rationalisation at mine.  I've just bought the wife a camp little Fiat 500 convertible to buzz around in, so I'm taking on her Focus.  That means I need to find a new home for my Avensis (the most reliable car I've ever had) and perhaps one other from the pile of heaps littering my driveway.  Nothing's off the table; The 190 is probably too nice for me, the Sierra will never be quite what I want it to be, the Granvia is smoking like a working man's club in 1972.

 

Before doing anything rash, let's talk about the Avensis.  I'm not overstating it - this car is the best car I've ever had at being a car.  221,000 - serviced religiously (I service it every 6-9,000 miles) with 10w40 oil, filter and new air filter every time.  I should probably keep this and sell the Focus, but the Ford was a wedding gift to my wife and is probably a better prospect for me over the next 5 years.  Time will tell I guess.

 

It has MOT until May - and it received a bloody hard test last time.  I would say that the chances of another pass are 70/30 in its favour.  The indicator stalk needs to be used lovingly rather than karate chopped to work going left, although I've got a replacement sourced already.  The timing belt needs replacing, but it's a non interference engine so you can play cambelt roulette indefinitely should you wish.

 

Tricky one to price this, as AS is the place that perfectly good cars change hands for £150.  To the man on the street, this is just an old Asian taxi with not a lot in its favour.  But it's been my trusty and faithful friend for 5 years now, and I feel like a Judas selling it on.

 

What the hell do I do? It'd export pretty easily - maybe that's best? It doesn't really make much financial sense attempting a new MOT at £45 or whatever, as it's still a shite old saloon car that's very nearly at the moon.

 

Any help appreciated greatly.

[Angrydicky]

I'd trust it a lot more than a Focus to get you where you need to go. Sorry.

[Parky]

I'd take the Avensis over the Focus too. Swap the indicator stalk and cambelt so it's a bit more "complete" and take it to 300,000! Plus you will always be able to do minicabbing in it

[BorniteIdentity]

I'd take the Avensis over the Focus too. Swap the indicator stalk and cambelt so it's a bit more "complete" and take it to 300,000! Plus you will always be able to do minicabbing in it

 

I'm very conflicted, but this is a mess of my own making really.  The Avensis is the one to go, sadly - which is fair enough.  The biggest problem is this.

 

1) I've had a gut full of dealing with the sort of people who buy cheap cars.  I know my phone will be ringing off the bloody hook when i advertise a £200 Toyota Avensis, and I'm not sure I've the appetite for it.  (See the episode last month when a gentleman called Balbir from Stanmore tried to buy my Mercedes)

 

2) I've not got the heart to scrap it.  

[binbag]

You must do what your guy instinct tells you.

There are no right or wrong answers,whatever desision you make at the time is the right one.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing etc.