#Blingo99 in MOT FAIL shocker...

[chaseracer]

I had a feeling this would be the year, and I was unmistaken.  Still, 13 years and 141000 miles is pretty good going for its first major ticket refusal, and it remains a solid and reliable old Hector.  

 

 

The rear axle bearings have gone, knackering the camber angle and allowing the tyres to touch the inner wing occasionally; new bearings alone can be fitted, but a new or refurbed axle is the better way to go.  The price difference between new and refurb is only about forty quid, so a brand new unit is winging its way towards Tame Mechanic's glamorous* modern* premises as we speak.  It also needs a front wishbone, one headlight adjusting and the brake compensator valve degaussing.

 

So, appropriate levels of folding (hitherto known as 'the Dyane fund'...) will be thrown at it because... well, L'Oreal.

 

[Lacquer Peel]

How much is a new or reconditioned axle out of interest? The camber on mine seems okay even though it's older and has covered more miles.

[chaseracer]

http://www.imaxle.co.uk/axles/citroen/berlingo-multispace

[dollywobbler]

How much is a set of wheeltrims?

[Cavcraft]

You're clearly a man of extreme good taste.

[Richard]

How much is a set of wheeltrims?

 

A king's ransom the last time I looked.

[dollywobbler]

A king's ransom the last time I looked.

 

Pffft! They're not that expensive!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x14-Wheel-trims-hub-caps-Citroen-C1-C2-C3-Saxo-flowers-pattern-ladies-pink-/152139028280

[Supernaut]

Pffft! They're not that expensive!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x14-Wheel-trims-hub-caps-Citroen-C1-C2-C3-Saxo-flowers-pattern-ladies-pink-/152139028280

Those are spectacular!

[chaseracer]

If it wasn't running 15s, I'd go for those!  It normally wears a set of Halfrauds' finest, but the winter wheels are on ATM and I CBA, M8.

 

[chaseracer]

For that price, these had better be REAL carbon fibre... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Hub-Caps-15-Inch-Wheel-Trims-Covers-Run-Carbon-Dark-carbon-schwarz-for-Citro-/381782905810?fits=Model%3ABerlingo&hash=item58e408d3d2:g:CiYAAOSwmfhX48lL

 

 

But I suspect not.

[ruffgeezer]

I put the winter new winter tyres on Mrs Ruff's Berlingo last week.

 

Guess what got a massive lump of glass through the tread yesterday?

[Lacquer Peel]

It looks good with the bare steelies, the erroneous Peugeot hubcaps on mine are going to be flung soon.

Rear axles are surprisingly cheap!

[Matt]

Pffft! They're not that expensive!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x14-Wheel-trims-hub-caps-Citroen-C1-C2-C3-Saxo-flowers-pattern-ladies-pink-/152139028280

 

You would have to pay me £36.99 per wheel trim to drive around with those on my car.

[Dave_Q]

Trimz belong in binz.

[Richard]

You would have to pay me £36.99 per wheel trim to drive around with those on my car.

 

I'll sponsor one trim, any takers for the other three?

[Dave_Q]

PS, am dreading the axle going on mine as it will probably write it off. MOTs haven't been too bad, few brake pipes and put a new compensator on last year.

[Matt]

I'll sponsor one trim, any takers for the other three?

 

I'll take £150 to have some wheel trims that wouldn't fit

[Braddon81]

Nearly 200k on mine after 12 years. Only advisories in that time have been a leaky rear silencer and a bit of mildue on the rear seatbelts. Rear beam currently behaving itself too. Amazing cars.

[Richard]

I wanted to get one about ten years ago but they were all £££ so I plumped for the world's worst Xantia instead.

[chaseracer]

...am dreading the axle going on mine as it will probably write it off...

 

No reason why, if the rest of the car's good.  Better to spend the money on a known quantity than risk picking up someone else's problems.

[bub2006]

I did Xsara axle in around 6 hours on a driveway on my back. Never done one before but knowing how relatively simple it was I'd do another if I had to. Speaking of which, I have a slight camber on a wheel on the van

[Lacquer Peel]

C15 has a similar setup but with horizontal coil springs instead of torsion bars I believe.

[bub2006]

Apparently a special tool is required. But also apparently the 306 estate is the same beam. It's not bad,only a slight camber

[ruffgeezer]

305 estate is the same beam, 306 are totally different.

[Dave_Q]

No reason why, if the rest of the car's good.  Better to spend the money on a known quantity than risk picking up someone else's problems.

 

Ahh you've found me out. I've actually got a hankering for one of these:

 

 

Yeah I know, instant expensive death, but the Blingo is actually getting a bit small for all the shite a family of 4 need to take on a camping holiday.

 

I just can't justify replacing it anytime soon though, it just keeps plodding on doing everything | ever ask and costing me very little. A medium size bill could be used as man-justification for an upgrade innit.

[chaseracer]

305 estate is the same beam, 306 are totally different.

 

Citroen has rear-beam form here, then: C15/305 estate, Blingo/405 estate.

[bub2006]

If you need a hand with it I'll help..

[HMC]

I seem to be sitting on the fence when it comes to the question of blingo trimz....

[Cleon-Fonte]

I like it with no wheeltrims. Nothing looks better than an unadorned steel wheel.

 

Apparently a special tool is required. But also apparently the 306 estate is the same beam. It's not bad,only a slight camber

 

You shouldn't need any special tools, the arm bearings on the BX (with the same axle) have only needed a selection of sockets, a breaker bar, hammers and a drift pin. Although I did farm out the removal of the old bearings as they proved to be a pain to get out, but your C15's bearings have probably spent at least a decade less rusting themselves into place.

[chaseracer]

If you need a hand with it I'll help..

 

Bless you, Daz - but you know how utterly shit I am at things practical!  Just ask FPB7...

 

No, it's being handed to Tame Mechanic for open-wallet surgery next week.