The new news 24 thread

[Daniel R25]

Hi,
great news: My dad bought a 1998 Grand Espace V6 converted to manual gearbox and LPG for 750 Euros.

I was going to buy it but he took it off me when we went looking at it. It's a non-runner. Hats off, as he's 73 years old I was undecided but he wanted it. It must be in the genes. Here is us picking it up. Sorry, for the shite pic:


 

daniel
 

[anonymous user]

 

Sorry it's come out sideways, often see this around, it was at Tesco earlier

[egg]

As mentioned earlier, I hired a brand new Insignia CDTI for two days, due to general fleet borkage.

 

Anyway, let's not lie (all modernz etc), it pisses all over my Mondeos - it's effortlessly fast, amazingly efficient for a large car, solidly built, capacious and handles well enough. The Stereo is great and the heating toasty.

 

 

and yet, and yet...

 

It annoyed the hell out of me. Seats are too hard of course.

 

Electronic parking brake is just a faff, it does work automatically, and you would get used to it, but it takes away a control from the driver somehow.

 

The nanny state is in full operation - the car is either a bully or has TEH FEAR you are about to hurt it - put your seatbelt on, put some ad blue in (in 1000 miles time!), it dings all the time if you get near anything, it tells you about traffic miles ahead (or far too late), it's icy, so slow down, you must press the clutch before you start me etc etc. All distractions that eventually you'd come to rely on, but make you a lazier less alert driver.

 

But most of all, the stop/start is verging on dangerous - you have to drive round it (like a fault on an old car) to avoid moving at slow speeds with the engine off and no power steering! It's a pain.

 

Visibility is poor when you have such a bulky car, rear window narrow, high sided etc.

 

Its a perfectly decent car, and feels very Vauxhall, and that's not necessarily a bad thing! But would I want to rock around in one, no thank you...

[Spottedlaurel]

Sorry it's come out sideways, often see this around, it was at Tesco earlier

 

A very good find. Those Japanese-built U11-series Bluebird saloons had a short life in the UK, being replaced prematurely by the T12/T72 Stanza-derived model.

 

Richard Bremner included the U11 in his Dogs series in Car, which is a pretty good recommendation for anything we need to appreciate on here.

[Kiltox]

As mentioned earlier, I hired a brand new Insignia CDTI for two days, due to general fleet borkage.

 

Anyway, let's not lie (all modernz etc), it pisses all over my Mondeos - it's effortlessly fast, amazingly efficient for a large car, solidly built, capacious and handles well enough. The Stereo is great and the heating toasty.

 

thumbnail.jpg

 

and yet, and yet...

 

It annoyed the hell out of me. Seats are too hard of course.

 

Electronic parking brake is just a faff, it does work automatically, and you would get used to it, but it takes away a control from the driver somehow.

 

The nanny state is in full operation - the car is either a bully or has TEH FEAR you are about to hurt it - put your seatbelt on, put some ad blue in (in 1000 miles time!), it dings all the time if you get near anything, it tells you about traffic miles ahead (or far too late), it's icy, so slow down, you must press the clutch before you start me etc etc. All distractions that eventually you'd come to rely on, but make you a lazier less alert driver.

 

But most of all, the stop/start is verging on dangerous - you have to drive round it (like a fault on an old car) to avoid moving at slow speeds with the engine off and no power steering! It's a pain.

 

Visibility is poor when you have such a bulky car, rear window narrow, high sided etc.

 

Its a perfectly decent car, and feels very Vauxhall, and that's not necessarily a bad thing! But would I want to rock around in one, no thank you...

Is it automatic or manual? I’ve never experienced stop start that I would describe as “dangerous” in either but it is a bit uncomfortable in an auto given it just cuts out when you stop.

 

Not sure what you’re on about when you talk about moving with the engine off though - sounds like you’re doing something wrong.

[Royale80]

Put an outside socket under the carport today. Saves having the garage side door partially unlocked when trailing a cable out. Here it is in action with my Aldi or Lidl smart charger being used on my Range rover.

 

 

Steve

[egg]

Is it automatic or manual? I’ve never experienced stop start that I would describe as “dangerous” in either but it is a bit uncomfortable in an auto given it just cuts out when you stop.

 

Not sure what you’re on about when you talk about moving with the engine off though - sounds like you’re doing something wrong.

 

It's manual, and I accept I may well be doing it wrong, because at very low speeds I have a tendency to flick in to neutral, and of course that can stop the engine if you are moving very slowly.

 

I didn't expect the shut off to be instantaneous - which means in stop/start M25 traffic you are constantly starting the engine, which seemed a faff to me.

 

Could well be user error, but I didn't feel comfortable with it.

[Kiltox]

Definitely user error - I would come to a stop in gear with the clutch down and then either select neutral and raise the clutch if I’m waiting (stops the engine) or select first and wait to move off (engine keeps running)

[egg]

Ah ok, just not the way I drive, I probably coast too much with clutch up in netural.

[SiC]

Ah ok, just not the way I drive, I probably coast too much with clutch up in netural.

I always got taught not to do that when learning to drive. If someone shunts you up the rear, if you're in gear you invariably let go of the clutch and so kill the engine. Out of gear, you're likely to shoot forwards - possibly into the other lane.

 

The Aldi stop-start won't stop until completely stationary. It'll restart if you try moving the wheel or run out of brake boost.

[egg]

That is true. I'm sure I was taught the same, just a 'bad habit' I suppose I've picked up.

[Asimo]

  It did its not-responding-to-the-throttle thing a bit when I first set off, and then again quite badly through Milton Keynes after I stopped for a piss, but wasn't too bad the rest of the way.

 

 

Could this be a clue from a useless advert for an old VAG?

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/29606-ebay-tat-volume-3/page-3879

 

[matt27]

Hey,

 

Sitting here, off work ill for a few days, feeling miserable and reading Autoshite - I've decided I should stop lurking and actually contribute something. I figure this might hold me accountable for some of the jobs on the cars that needs doing, but that I generally neglect!

 

If you guys aren't interesting in an badly running R8 coupe with a dented front wing, peeling lacquer, wet boot and a split rear spoiler then I'm on the wrong forums 

 

There is a bit of a list of work mounting up....so here is my not quite new years resolution list:

 

Coupe - Should be the priority as its my wife's car!

 

Fix engine running issue - revs waaay too high at idle as IACV fully opens - unplug and it runs ok although difficult to start in the cold. ECU also faulty, can't connect to read faults. Replacement ECU only seems to run engine on 2 cylinders!

Find replacement front wing

Fix or replace rear spoiler - keeping cutting my fingers on the split fibreglass

Treat rust on rear arches

Fix exhaust - one of the aftermarket sections is too short and pulls everything so the back box bangs on the ARB

Repair heater which intermittently turns on and off

Repair headlamp mounting bolt with no head

 

Rover 75

 

Front wishbone mount needs replacing, one side done, other side was just about ok and it was too cold to sort...

Sort (very) cloudy headlights - both the Coupe and the Mini are better!

Sort out handbrake - assume compensator has stretched

Fix aircon and reversing sensors (first world problems!)

Leaking boot

 

Mini

 

Actually fit my electronic ignition anolld make up engine wiring loom

Remove engine, replace crank oil seals

Trim arches and fit properly

Set up suspension

Rolling road session

Fit new rear seats and miscellaneous trim

 

Plus, whatever I have forgotten, whatever else goes wrong and the usual servicing etc!

[Cavcraft]

Hey,

 

Sitting here, off work ill for a few days, feeling miserable and reading Autoshite - I've decided I should stop lurking and actually contribute something. I figure this might hold me accountable for some of the jobs on the cars that needs doing, but that I generally neglect!

 

If you guys aren't interesting in an badly running R8 coupe with a dented front wing, peeling lacquer, wet boot and a split rear spoiler then I'm on the wrong forums 

 

There is a bit of a list of work mounting up....so here is my not quite new years resolution list:

 

Coupe - Should be the priority as its my wife's car!

 

Fix engine running issue - revs waaay too high at idle as IACV fully opens - unplug and it runs ok although difficult to start in the cold. ECU also faulty, can't connect to read faults. Replacement ECU only seems to run engine on 2 cylinders!

Find replacement front wing

Fix or replace rear spoiler - keeping cutting my fingers on the split fibreglass

Treat rust on rear arches

Fix exhaust - one of the aftermarket sections is too short and pulls everything so the back box bangs on the ARB

Repair heater which intermittently turns on and off

Repair headlamp mounting bolt with no head

 

Rover 75

 

Front wishbone mount needs replacing, one side done, other side was just about ok and it was too cold to sort...

Sort (very) cloudy headlights - both the Coupe and the Mini are better!

Sort out handbrake - assume compensator has stretched

Fix aircon and reversing sensors (first world problems!)

Leaking boot

 

Mini

 

Actually fit my electronic ignition anolld make up engine wiring loom

Remove engine, replace crank oil seals

Trim arches and fit properly

Set up suspension

Rolling road session

Fit new rear seats and miscellaneous trim

 

Plus, whatever I have forgotten, whatever else goes wrong and the usual servicing etc!

 

Welcome along.

[SiC]

The thread title has changed?!

[Guest Hooli]

The thread title has changed?!

 

And it thinks it's may 2016 again.

[SiC]

And it thinks it's may 2016 again.

I glad it's not just me it's been happening to! Incredibly frustrating and makes it hard to determine where you last were. Why does the forum keep doing this?

[beko1987]

Thank God it's not me, I got confused for a second back in May 2017...

[Guest Hooli]

I glad it's not just me it's been happening to! Incredibly frustrating and makes it hard to determine where you last were. Why does the forum keep doing this?

 

Something to do with merging threads, probably why the title has changed too.

[SiC]

I wish it stopped happening.

[beko1987]

They've let the toilet building bloke loose on the dB again!

[DeeJay]

I got punted on to the first post.

Father Ted? He's been missing for a while.

[Guest Hooli]

I blame Beko's NT4 box, we've been hit by a delayed millennium bug!

[matt27]

Welcome along.

 

Thanks, not sure if this post ended up here on purpose or not - I started a new thread, got a server error and it popped up here....oh well!

[richardmorris]

Thanks, not sure if this post ended up here on purpose or not - I started a new thread, got a server error and it popped up here....oh well!

 

Hello where ever you meant to be!

[Negative Creep]

Went car shopping with my Dad today. For some reason he had it in his mind he was going to buy a nearly new Focus ST. No idea why since he never drives anywhere quickly, but I was all for it since it means I might have been able to borrow it. In the end he came away with a 2 year old Mondeo, which I have to say looks pretty nice inside and out. £14k as well, which is a hell of a lot of depreciation.

[fordperv]

Put a deep spanner/ratchet with socket, on the centre bolt of the tensioner and move it out of the way like that

[dollywobbler]

I always got taught not to do that when learning to drive. If someone shunts you up the rear, if you're in gear you invariably let go of the clutch and so kill the engine. Out of gear, you're likely to shoot forwards - possibly into the other lane.

 

The Aldi stop-start won't stop until completely stationary. It'll restart if you try moving the wheel or run out of brake boost.

 

Actually, when my 2CV got punted up the arse, my foot came off the clutch and my 2CV drove off with me sprawling about in the back of it. In second gear. So that theory is crap.

[SiC]

My biggest question to that is ... How did you end up in the back?

[Guest Hooli]

That's how he got hit up the arse