HMC- Mr Chowdhury’s Mercedes

[Tayne]

The batteries have an 8 year warranty and seem to be capable of lasting well beyond 100k.

Also, a main dealer battery pack replacement may be 4 hours labour and £7500* whereas an EV specialist battery repair/reconditon may be 7 hours labour and £750* as they will pull the pack to bits and replace the faulty modules.

Kiltox's van is going to Celvely for something like this, its got a trifling 180k on the clock.

 

 

*example numbers but you get the idea.

 

[Schaefft]

3 hours ago, Tayne said:

The batteries have an 8 year warranty and seem to be capable of lasting well beyond 100k.

Also, a main dealer battery pack replacement may be 4 hours labour and £7500* whereas an EV specialist battery repair/reconditon may be 7 hours labour and £750* as they will pull the pack to bits and replace the faulty modules.

Kiltox's van is going to Celvely for something like this, its got a trifling 180k on the clock.

 

 

*example numbers but you get the idea.

 

The problem I always see with replacing single cells is that it is impossible to know when the next cells might fail. It will fix the pack, but Im really wondering for how long.

[somewhatfoolish]

Cell analysis is quite well developed now, identifying the runts and replacing them is straightforward enough accepting that removing the pack to do it is a right palaver needing hoists etc. AIUI cell failure is a separate process to the relatively linear loss of capacity through use; unless the cells are a bad batch one failure is not generally indicative more are about to pop, or so I have read.

[Boycie]

On 29/09/2024 at 21:16, HMC said:

Safrane has been sold on, as has the Acclaim.   The GS also has (the latter 2 to shiters, and the GS to a person interested when it was  first offered up in the summer.)

The Samara is due to be on the road by the end of this week. Its not my only car though….

Going from an acclaim to a xk8....... Doubt you'll notice a change in driving experience ...... 

[Boycie]

16 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

It's prob already on someone's else's drive , he goes through cars like a drug dealer goes through mobile phones ...

[HMC]

Acclaim gone…

Was great to meet you,  @calebaaront and @Weird Car !

[Weird Car]

5 hours ago, HMC said:

Acclaim gone…

Was great to meet you,  @calebaaront and @Weird Car !

Great to meet you too, sorry if it felt like I was hurrying to leave, as @Rust Collector can attest, once I get started talking about cars I’ll go on for hours 😆

 

the mighty Triumph made it back to Portsmouth without drama, its idling very rough, though swapping the plugs has helped, I reckon it wants the carbs adjusting which I’ll look at doing tomorrow 

 

[HMC]

13 minutes ago, Weird Car said:

Great to meet you too, sorry if it felt like I was hurrying to leave, as @Rust Collector can attest, once I get started talking about cars I’ll go on for hours 😆

 

the mighty Triumph made it back to Portsmouth without drama, its idling very rough, though swapping the plugs has helped, I reckon it wants the carbs adjusting which I’ll look at doing tomorrow 

 

Glad you got back ok. Sorry to see it go but glad its going to get used and enjoyed 😊

[HMC]

Yesterday seemed the last dry and warm-ish day for a while.

Using a 27yo Jag convertible as my daily heading into winter triggered some guilt, and encouraged me to get it off the ground, and wire brush/ dynax it, including injecting box sections. 27 years old. Thats like dailying a ‘61 E-type in 1988; assuming it hadnt dissolved 10 years previously.

I knew it wasnt a disaster zone as I looked at it on a lift before i bought it. Suprisingly solid- these dont have the best rep for rot resistance. 

The fruity exhaust appears to be because the rear back boxes have been deleted.

No pics as i has a 3 hr window to do it in and got “in the zone” AKA hot and partially rustproofed myself in the process.

[Broadsword]

I know they rot and have various issues, but I still love the XK8. The looks, interior and general ambiance do it for me. Handling, yeah, not so good as they are all tired now, but I didn’t feel the 4.0 V8 was that slow. The last one I had benefited from the restrictive rear sections of the exhaust being straight-piped. Although a little too loud (could have done with the back most boxes putting back in), it went better and did 30 mpg on a run.

[cbowditch]

17 hours ago, Broadsword said:

I know they rot and have various issues, but I still love the XK8. The looks, interior and general ambiance do it for me. Handling, yeah, not so good as they are all tired now, but I didn’t feel the 4.0 V8 was that slow. The last one I had benefited from the restrictive rear sections of the exhaust being straight-piped. Although a little too loud (could have done with the back most boxes putting back in), it went better and did 30 mpg on a run.

Older Jags have a non linear throttle response that makes them feel lethargic, i.e. at 80% throttle you get 20% power. Only when you mash the accelerator into the carpet does it finally start moving faster.  Mine was an XKR model which has a Mercedes 5 speed box. The XK8 has a Jaguar box. The mercedes box is a non AMG box that takes 2 seconds to kick down as well which doesn't help. I've not tried an XK8 perhaps the gearbox responds better

[lesapandre]

Like Mercedes.

It was to avoid Wilber and Myrtle driving into the bunker on the 18th hole of a Maimi golf course - which is where most of these cars went - Maimi and California.

[HMC]

Agreed on the xk8 responsiveness- when you floor it seems lively enough- ive had an S-Type R with its blown, later 4.2 and by comparison im not disappointed by the standard engine relatively speaking.

I find it makes me drive in a very relaxed way, probably arriving later to places than I anticipate.

[HMC]

Been using the xk8 for donkey work and a general runabout whilst the lada awaits electrical and fuel pump related sorting at my local shite friendly garage. Ive told them to do it as and when so its been shoved in a corner for a while due to me not chasing things up.

So what faults are present on a bargain bucket xk8 drop top? 

If you let it idle in drive in heavy traffic  when its fully warmed up  (say 20 minutes into a journey) at a standstill for more than 10 mins it throws a gearbox fault and goes into limp mode. This is cleared if you flick the ignition off and on. If you put it into park when standing in those circumstances it never does it. Why?

Also the passenger window motor is tired.

But the best bit is the rear back box delete as it sounds muted but purposeful.  The standard exhaust must be really subdued.

[Yoss]

45 minutes ago, HMC said:

Been using the xk8 for donkey work and a general runabout whilst the lada awaits electrical and fuel pump related sorting at my local shite friendly garage. Ive told them to do it as and when so its been shoved in a corner for a while due to me not chasing things up.

So what faults are present on a bargain bucket xk8 drop top? 

If you let it idle in drive in heavy traffic  when its fully warmed up  (say 20 minutes into a journey) at a standstill for more than 10 mins it throws a gearbox fault and goes into limp mode. This is cleared if you flick the ignition off and on. If you put it into park when standing in those circumstances it never does it. Why?

Also the passenger window motor is tired.

But the best bit is the rear back box delete as it sounds muted but purposeful.  The standard exhaust must be really subdued.

I've never left autos in drive in traffic. I usually knock them into neutral a second before you stop as it's easier on the brakes. It might not  be the handbook way of doing things but it's what I've always done.

Also because the idle speed is obviously lower whilst you're in drive too and I'm worried they're going to stall. Admittedly I've never had an auto new enough to have a gearbox light or even an ECU. 

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Been using the xk8 for donkey work and a general runabout whilst the lada awaits electrical and fuel pump related sorting at my local shite friendly garage. Ive told them to do it as and when so its been shoved in a corner for a while due to me not chasing things up.

So what faults are present on a bargain bucket xk8 drop top? 

If you let it idle in drive in heavy traffic  when its fully warmed up  (say 20 minutes into a journey) at a standstill for more than 10 mins it throws a gearbox fault and goes into limp mode. This is cleared if you flick the ignition off and on. If you put it into park when standing in those circumstances it never does it. Why?

Also the passenger window motor is tired.

But the best bit is the rear back box delete as it sounds muted but purposeful.  The standard exhaust must be really subdued.

I assume you are knocking it into neutral in stop/start traffic and holding it on the brake or foot brake.

If you are holding it in D. I think it's going to try to protect the gearbox from overheating.

I'm not sure but in idle in N.  left for 10 minutes I think again the ECU is trying to protect the engine and box.

What does the handbook say?

Remember these cars are designed for an 80 year old on the way to the golf club in Florida and may well have these fail-safes inbuilt.

I'd anyway put it into P. in heavy traffic - it protects you in the case of a big shunt up the rear 

Nice car. 

Hood down - Led Zeppelin on the hifi...who needs to move in traffic when you can spend time attracting attention  😺 miow...an old Jag is the cats pyjamas.

Jeff Lawson's finest design.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Lawson_(designer)

He died sadly age 54. If he, Malcolm Sayer or Sir William Lyon's son had not all died young - the Jaguar story might be very different today.

[HMC]

xk8 news- ive added fuel, and its rewarded me by the passenger window regulator- which was slow to operate- its fixed itself (? with use)

Its lovely an comfortable, with some of its legacy XJS DNA being that the cabin is snug, despite the length of the car. Ive had 2 adults 2 kids in, but its only big  enough for 3 adults with the one in the back wedged in sat sideways across the car and one front seat occupant having their seat quite far forwards to create some (minimal) leg room. A 2+1 with an agile and understanding rear seat +1

[loserone]

A Clio 182 MPV it ain't, that's for sure.

[2flags]

It's a lovely car though. Note to self, you cannot afford it. Stop looking on e-bay and marketplace! 😁

[HMC]

I was guilty of leaving the lada at my local shite friendly garage and forgetting about it….

As did they as it got shoved in a corner for a while but its sorted, mot’d and back…

Who said it was modern cars that were guilty of excessive lightage?

Fastback coupe it is not- but it is the lightest shell, paired with the largest engine (with a cylinder head massaged by porsche of all people)

[wesacosa]

Love it.   much want. Is it as miserable to drive as reports would have you believe?

[Sigmund Fraud]

3 hours ago, wesacosa said:

Love it.   much want. Is it as miserable to drive as reports would have you believe?

They are miserable by modern standards (slow, heavy steering, poor brakes), but no worse than a base model Escort or Astra from the 1980s.

[2flags]

3 hours ago, wesacosa said:

Love it.   much want. Is it as miserable to drive as reports would have you believe?

Yes, they are. I made the unfortunate mistake of buying one new in the late '80's. Steering was okay, suspension was crap, interior was utter shite, the seat has a bar on it that digs into your lower back. Work the seat out in 28,000 miles. Hated that car so much I cycled everywhere in preference. Had it four years then chopped it in for a Skoda Favorit Estate. Now that was a nice little car. 

[Peter C]

When I started my first job, at the age of 25, therefore 25 years ago, I had to commute from Perivale (west London) to the City and the first leg of my journey involved a 10 minute drive to the tube station.

At the time I was smoking around in a mint Jag XJ40 Sovereign, which I didn’t want to leave at the station car park too often, so for £100 I bought a 3 door 1.5 Samara, the same as yours but in faded red. It had about six months MoT and tax and I kept it until everything expired, then sold it on for £50. It never let me down and the wheelspin and understeer kept me entertained on route to work. 

I have fond memories of that car. I hope you enjoy yours.

[Markeh]

I think I've said this here before, but a Samara saved my mum's life.

She had one new in the early 90s, someone was on the wrong side of the road and smashed her into a traffic light which then came down on top of the car. She was injured but okay. The police at the time told her that if she'd been in a Fiesta or a Metro, she'd have been killed.

Annoyingly for her, it was a year and a week old, so she was a week too late for it to be replaced new-for-old on the insurance. I'm not sure of the exact timeframes and what she replaced it with, but there's a strong chance it was a Polonez.

[Yoss]

8 hours ago, HMC said:

I was guilty of leaving the lada at my local shite friendly garage and forgetting about it….

As did they as it got shoved in a corner for a while but its sorted, mot’d and back…

Who said it was modern cars that were guilty of excessive lightage?

Fastback coupe it is not- but it is the lightest shell, paired with the largest engine (with a cylinder head massaged by porsche of all people)

Porsche would hang around with anyone in those days. They also sorted out the suspension on the Škoda Favorit and I'm sure they did something on the mk1 Seat Ibiza 

[Sigmund Fraud]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

Porsche would hang around with anyone in those days. They also sorted out the suspension on the Škoda Favorit and I'm sure they did something on the mk1 Seat Ibiza 

Correct ! They were responsible for the "System Porsche" engine, best known for not* being a Fiat OHC with a slightly modified cylinder head :

[alf892]

13 minutes ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

Correct ! They were responsible for the "System Porsche" engine, best known for not* being a Fiat OHC with a slightly modified cam cover:

FTFY

[HMC]

9 hours ago, wesacosa said:

Love it.   much want. Is it as miserable to drive as reports would have you believe?

I havent driven it all that much yet, but a breif test drive showed it to be pretty swift for what it is. Certainly I wouldnt want more power to contend with from my quick whizz around some rural b roads. 

I quite like this period road test by Brock Yates in car and driver - 

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a60370315/1989-lada-samara-archive-test/

[IronStar]

2 hours ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

Correct ! They were responsible for the "System Porsche" engine, best known for not* being a Fiat OHC with a slightly modified cylinder head :

I’d like to try one if that cam cover didn’t command a stupid premium on the price.

Anyone on here driven one? How is it?

Samara was a clean-ish breakaway from previous Ladas, and much more modern car than what came before. I remember seeing them as kid, along with Alekos, and neither ever oozed “inspiring” and always had that Russian car stench. Godawful final fit and finish inside. Often found with those awful wooden balls or sheep skin seat covers, belching smoke behind them from carbs begging a rebuild.

All these years later, I’d love one, but with Alfa Twin Spark inside. Original engines that came in it are just way too tainted in my head.