Sold Not Dollywobbler's Proton - Collected

[Mrs6C]

They do group policies as well, so you might like to get a quote for all of yours together and see if it comes out any better than all of them individually... then you can just add more cars to the same policy if and as you get them, for an additional sum (think it's calculated on a fixed % per £1k?) and an admin. fee. It makes life easy.

[Heidel_Kakao]

I went for the normal insurance from Lancaster at £212.73, partly because I think it's about time I built up some no claims and partly because I couldn't be bothered to do the whole ringing round thing and repeating the same details multiple times. I work in a call centre so after spending all week on the phone I try and avoid calling anywhere else if possible.

 

You raise an interesting point that it should qualify on age alone. It seems like they dont go by an arbitrary criteria like age when deciding if something is a classic anymore.

[Heidel_Kakao]

  On 12/10/2017 at 20:24, Mrs6C said:

They do group policies as well, so you might like to get a quote for all of yours together and see if it comes out any better than all of them individually... then you can just add more cars to the same policy if and as you get them, for an additional sum (think it's calculated on a fixed % per £1k?) and an admin. fee. It makes life easy.

That may be a plan for the future. Do they require the cars to be garaged as I have fallen foul of that previously when getting quotes.

[dollywobbler]

No. I've had group policies (and do right now) with no garage requirement, though perhaps it depends on postcode...

 

(2CV is insured as driveway, even though it is mostly garaged. It isn't exclusively garaged, so driveway seems safer).

[Six-cylinder]

Hagerty are happy with driveway for lower value cars but do insist on garaging for some.

 

For Hagerty you must have use of a car on normal insurance to get classic on others.

[chaseracer]

I should look at combining the Dyane and 205 onto one policy.

[Zelandeth]

  On 12/10/2017 at 22:50, Six-cylinder said:

Hagerty are happy with driveway for lower value cars but do insist on garaging for some.

 

For Hagerty you must have use of a car on normal insurance to get classic on others.

That's quite interesting, and come renewal time something I may have to look into. I'm with Adrian Flux at the moment, and reckon I'm paying way over the odds...however with everything else on my plate at the start of this year it just wasn't a priority to investigate.

 

Do Hagerty offer insurance services for a "normal" vehicle as well? The 107 is the car I'd obviously stick on that policy, but I'd really prefer to do everything through the one company if at all possible - which is why I ended up with Adrian Flux in the first place many moons ago as they were happy to insure both classics and non-classics from one phone call.

 

Minimum values on policies are getting to be a right pain these days, especially on short term insurance. Found that in particular when I went to pick up my Xantia a few years ago, eventually found one that would provide cover for a £300 car, but it took a lot of hunting.

 

I guess you could put any number you want in there...but I have a long history of getting kicked in the teeth by Murphy's Law the moment I so much as use a blue pen where I should have used a black one...so I tend to try not to take chances!

[Heidel_Kakao]

I just rang Lancaster as they wanted to clarify a few points and it turns out that they have given me a classic policy I didn't know you could get classic insurance via the comparison websites and had just assumed it was a regular policy.

 

Not sure what to do now, I could maybe beat Lancaster's classic quote by ringing around but I was intending to have normal insurance and start building up some no claims.

 

Edit- Just looked on the comparison website and the details for the Lancaster quote I went with say it comes with protected no claims discount which is why I believed it was a normal policy.

[dollywobbler]

You think you've got problems? I've got this Proton here that was misfiring so badly I could barely get it up the ramps. Trying to trace an exhaust leak - it's very fruity around what looks like a catalyst, but presumably isn't one. Odd.

 

I reckon the misfire is just damp, because it's been sitting for so long. Last on the road 31st August, though it's had one run up the driveway since then. I've just run it up to temperature, and it got a bit better, plus the electric fan kicked in, which is always reassuring when the temp gauge is stuck on hot (even when cold, even when turned off). I will be taking it for a road test to make sure it's ok before its trek to the West Midlands tomorrow. 

[dollywobbler]

Well, I've not managed to improve the exhaust much, but it doesn't sound too bad. It's running better too after I had the plugs out for a clean. A set of new ones should help it a treat. 

 

It's an entertaining thing out on the road and actually pretty nippy.  Feels a lot more lively than the Bluebird did. I'm starting to miss it already...

[dollywobbler]

There we are then. I shall drive this car no more. I shall miss it.

 

If I hadn't had the Bluebird, I would have been filled with more enthusiasm for the Proton, because there's a great little car just waiting to burst out of it. It needs far less to improve it than the Bluebird did, and is far perkier to drive. It's actually really good fun, in a way that Colt automatic (which was basically the same car with the same engine transmission and PAS aside) really wasn't.

 

On the other hand, the driver's window can't be wound down, the sunroof doesn't seem entirely watertight and I got laughed at by a group of young folk as I drove past them earlier. It's Grade A Autoshite and I hope Heidel has a great time with it. Still, I'm feeling pangs of regret, and that's unusual. I'm usually immune to such pangs.

[Heidel_Kakao]

I hope I can do this fine car justice! I have not had something properly shite since my Allegro so bring it on. If you are not being laughed at by young folk then your car is not shite enough.

[chaseracer]

Driving back out of Cov this afternoon, a small boy in the car ahead was fascinated by the 205.  Shite status may have been achieved.

[beko1987]

  On 14/10/2017 at 16:03, Heidel_Kakao said:

I hope I can do this fine car justice! I have not had something properly shite since my Allegro so bring it on. If you are not being laughed at by young folk then your car is not shite enough.

You will! Next FoD open weekend, bring it and we'll clean it!

[dollywobbler]

Noooooo! You'll destroy its character!

[bramz7]

  On 14/10/2017 at 16:03, Heidel_Kakao said:

I hope I can do this fine car justice! I have not had something properly shite since my Allegro so bring it on. If you are not being laughed at by young folk then your car is not shite enough.

 

Agreed, but the last car that had people laughing at me was the ropey blue BX I had. BXs get tons of attention don't they?!

 

I think I probably got a laugh or two when the Tipos rear window surround tried to escape on the M4 last week too.

 

 

Interesting to see what the future holds for this Proton. I love French dross but feel I am missing out by sticking so religiously to it.

[Heidel_Kakao]

  On 14/10/2017 at 19:35, dollywobbler said:

Noooooo! You'll destroy its character!

I was thinking of going for a vibe of cared for but with giffer repairs. So clean but also badly bodged and still with all the mismatched panels.

 

I will have to make a judgement call on do not wash once I have seen it and spent some time with it. It's almost similar to the Sierra base in terms of a preservation project, does that get washed?

[dollywobbler]

  On 14/10/2017 at 19:42, bramz7 said:

Interesting to see what the future holds for this Proton. I love French dross but feel I am missing out by sticking so religiously to it.

 

Yes. This was the biggest problem when I had my BX phase. I wondered what I was missing out on. BXs are dynamically superior to a great many 1980s and even 1990s cars, but I truly believe that variety is the spice of life. After all, it's nice to experience interiors that aren't falling apart and electrics that just work... (well, mostly).

[bramz7]

  On 14/10/2017 at 19:51, dollywobbler said:

Yes. This was the biggest problem when I had my BX phase. I wondered what I was missing out on. BXs are dynamically superior to a great many 1980s and even 1990s cars, but I truly believe that variety is the spice of life. After all, it's nice to experience interiors that aren't falling apart and electrics that just work... (well, mostly).

 

I sat in a Volvo 440 in a scrapyard earlier and was actually quite surprised how much I liked the seats. And spotted a 2.5 V6 Honda Legend on Auto Trader and started doing sums in my head to see if I could....there is hope!

[dollywobbler]

This is now Heidel's story to tell. Safe trip back!

[Heidel_Kakao]

Newtown has been reached! It's pretty fun to hustle along Welsh roads The tape deck works but no auto reverse Also the stuck temp gauge is a bit disconcerting but I am sure it's fine. Going to crack on for home now so await a fuller report!

[richardmorris]

I would love to know how this compares to an XM.

[ProgRocker]

  On 14/10/2017 at 15:46, dollywobbler said:

and I got laughed at by a group of young folk as I drove past them earlier.

 

Brilliant!

[Heidel_Kakao]

 

Safely back home now and dumped outside the defunct pub. This little motor is great fun I am going to start a new thread to document my adventures with it and other kars wot iz knot est8s.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/29794-h-ks-kars-wot-iz-knot-est8s/ - See the further adventures of the Proton right here!