Cavcraft 2017: Another day, ANOTHER Rover!

[Sir Snipes]

  On 15/08/2017 at 17:46, Hendry said:

Aye but they are the sort of car you just wouldnt trust to jump in and do a 500mile journey without anything going wrong causing an FTP, this is fine on an older car but not something so modern they were still on sale until 6years ago.

 

Astras get a bad press, a lot of people dont like them, but they have their plus points in that they are largely cheap to run, cheap to repair, reliable, no fuss, dependable transport, the 1.9 CDTI just ruins everything, hateful pieces of shite that ruin an otherwise decent if bland car. They are to Vauxhalls what the pre-2011 1.6 TDCI is to Fords IMO.

I'm the last one to defend a Diesel engine but I knew two geezers that had 150bhp 1.9 CDTi SRI Vectra Cs (one who properly neglected it) and both ran fault free for the 4 years I knew them.

[mk2_craig]

  On 14/08/2017 at 18:16, Cavcraft said:

'Always buy the best example you can' ...said somebody else.

 

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I had one of these for a bit, got to say I preferred the torque of the twin cam Sierra that replaced it, rather than the VTEC style power delivery of the ST engine.

[New POD]

Wjhen I bought the astra (that made me cry with pain on long journeys) in 2015, I started looking at ST170's as I think the Mk1 focus is a nice looking car in 3 door and always liked the ST170.  But having rung a few sellers, I started to get cold feet, and changed the plan.

[mk2_craig]

I might have an estate if I could find a decent one, rumour has it there were only a couple hundred right hand drive examples built.

[Brodders]

Saw this yesterday and thought of this thread. These are getting pretty cheap, especially when you consider it won't be that long before Ford scene tax will kick in.

 

[Matt]

  On 16/08/2017 at 23:07, Brodders said:

Saw this yesterday and thought of this thread. These are getting pretty cheap, especially when you consider it won't be that long before Ford scene tax will kick in.

 

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Someone forgot to tax their car... MOT history isn't bad.

[Hendry]

  On 15/08/2017 at 17:56, Rusty Sills said:

I'm the last one to defend a Diesel engine but I knew two geezers that had 150bhp 1.9 CDTi SRI Vectra Cs (one who properly neglected it) and both ran fault free for the 4 years I knew them.

 

I cant disagree with you, for some reason they were very troublesome in Astras but seemed more reliable lumps in Vectras. Im not entirely sure why on anything except the gearbox, the Vectra used F40 (i think) rather than M32 box which was more durable and had none of the issues that way. Also possibly due to better gearbox it used a better or more durable clutch and flywheel, certainly if the 1.9 DMFs were anything like the one on my old mans 2.0 DTI Vectra C they will take 140K of abuse before chucking it, Astras dont. 

 

The possibly used a different EGR valve on the Vectra from the Astra and its probable they used a different alternator on the Vectra too. Possibly even a different turbo. Only fault they both shared really was the inlet manifold swirl flaps. it was more the ancillaries of the 1.9 Astras really that were the problem than the 1.9 lumps themselves. 

[UltraWomble]

  On 15/08/2017 at 17:52, Cavcraft said:

I harboured stupid thoughts about driving it to London like it is for a laugh, but don't think it'll come about.

In the same way I harbour thoughts of popping one of these over the chainsaw engine of a certain RSW and then taking it over the Gatescarth Pass

[Cavcraft]

Well, another day, another couple of sterling* motor vehicles have been purchased.

 

First up, thought not collected yet, is this...

 

 

 

...which (fingers crossed) will be ok. Collecting it later in the week, possibly Sat morning if I don't go on the piss Friday night.

 

 

Oh yeah, there was also this, which I have collected. It's f*ck*ng horrible (which is obvs. because it's a Focus and a diesel) and the seller said 'the wheel bearing is a little bit noisy so just turn the radio up.'  Unfortunately, this sage advice was anything but, because I reckon if you invited AC/DC to play a live concert inside the sodding thing, you'd still hear the bastarding wheel bearing droning. What the seller didn't say, however, was that the gear stick is extremely stiff, though when I mentioned it 'oh yeah, it's ok it gets better when the car's warmed up'. Natch, it didn't. And the battery's bollocksed, but I have a spare one. It pulled ok though. Pretty sure the illegitimate love child of Dynamo and Paul Daniels couldn't conjure a buyer (or profit) out of this car, but let's just see, aye?

 

 

 

 

[UltraWomble]

Its probably very wrong to like the Focus.

But I do.

 

Could be worse.

[bub2006]

I like a focus too. Doubt id habe another but my ghia auto wasnt bad. Thirsty and the sill literally fell off but you cant have it all. Then it played dashboard bingo

[Cavcraft]

  On 21/08/2017 at 20:42, UltraWomble said:

Its probably very wrong to like the Focus.

But I do.

 

Could be worse.

 

Even I'm stumped to think how.

[strangeangel]

I actually like the Clio. Not enough to own it, mind.

[Split_Pin]

I wonder if changing the gearbox oil with one of those Pela doofleshankers would help?

 

The Clio is a fine looking little thing, these just get prettier with age.

[Pillock]

If you scrap the focus, the front fog lights I think are worth coin.

 

Clio looks very pleasant, I like those decent spec early models.

[KruJoe]

Forget the bloody Focus, an early Clio is fantastic looking thing, even if it is silver.

[bramz7]

Ohhh is that Clio the Liberte one from t'bay? I was tempted, I'll admit.

 

Hope it turns out to be a good one,I might want it when you're done....

[Cavcraft]

  On 21/08/2017 at 21:10, bramz7 said:

Ohhh is that Clio the Liberte one from t'bay? I was tempted, I'll admit.

 

Hope it turns out to be a good one,I might want it when you're done....

 

Yep, that's the badger. 

[Supernaut]

If the Focus is a diesel, why does the tachometer go so high, and why is there no redline marked on it?

Oooh, just bounce it off the limiter until it explodes?

 

The Clio is lovely though.

[theorganist]

I had one eye on that Clio Liberte too, they are growing on me.

[bub2006]

  On 21/08/2017 at 21:33, Supernaut said:

If the Focus is a diesel, why does the tachometer go so high, and why is there no redline marked on it?

Oooh, just bounce it off the limiter until it explodes?

 

The Clio is lovely though.

Variable rev limit. Cost saving so all models get same dashboard. My petrol had same dash yet would hit limit at 6k

[Ghosty]

Early? I spotted an H reg Clio the other week

[KruJoe]

Well, it's the earliest (and prettiest) generation of Clio I've ever seen. They do look their best in a dark metallic colour though.

[oldcars]

Can you take the sills from one Focus and attach to the other?

[chaseracer]

  On 21/08/2017 at 21:00, IainL said:

The Clio is a fine looking little thing, these just get prettier with age.

 

True - and they're disappearing rapidly.  Last one I saw was abandoned kerbside in Balsall Heath with the airbags hanging out...

[Hendry]

  On 21/08/2017 at 22:45, bub2006 said:

Variable rev limit. Cost saving so all models get same dashboard. My petrol had same dash yet would hit limit at 6k

 

So you dont know where the limiter is until you actually bounce it off it?

 

I knew Ford were cheapskates back then but not even putting a redline on the clocks or producing different clocks for diesel/petrol, thats a new one on me!

[bub2006]

Pretty much but i cant see folk who do not understand engines on flooring it to find the redline and folks who do wil more than likely know a diesel will rev lower than a petrol. Saves on costs i guess? Mk4 ford fiesta didnt have a redline on the 51 reg 1.6 freestyle we used to own nor on my friends t plate 1.4 ghia

[Cavcraft]

It's got a towbar fitted, could come in handy...

 

 

...perhaps not, then.

[Pillock]

Looks like it's done it's job of preventing bumper damage.

 

Isn't that a sway bar attachment? Does that mean someone towed a full size caravan with a 90hp diesel focus? Fffff.......

[Cavcraft]

Focus sold! Scrap yard having it.