The new news 24 thread

[Borsuq]

My Caro came back from the body shop, so I drove it to work today. Happy to have it back. Painted areas look pretty good as long as you don't look too closely at reflections.

Also, I found a cool Transit while taking the scenic route home.

[bramz7]

Just this minute got a response for a quote for a cat back Powerflow exhaust for the Laguna. £425. Which is happily exactly what I expected. 

 

 

[stuboy]

insurance renewel with the aa £700... stuff that..... hastings direct £391..... just need them to confirm few details over the phone

[clayts450]

AA shafted me this year on the Coupe, citing the 'you got an introductory rate' routine.

Did a Money Supermarket on their asses, and off to Tesco I went for half the price. 

Ker-ching.

[stuboy]

11 hours ago, stuboy said:

insurance renewel with the aa £700... stuff that..... hastings direct £391..... just need them to confirm few details over the phone

Just rang up Hastings direct and added mondeo onto galaxy policy as multicar for extra 22quid a month, so both cars now 58 quid a month

[anonymous user]

Following on from the disappointing news that Ineos is no longer interested in building its Grenader in Wales there are rumours that a German company is in talks to open a factory in North Wales to build a retro city car. If it comes off they will be producing the Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwryndrobwllllantysiliogogogogogomobil.

The nearby car badge manufacturer has already taken on more staff in anticipation.

[High Jetter]

^^ which reminds me, I saw the local green Gogomobil out and about today - too quick to get a pic, sadly.

[richardmorris]

Had the day off today for the crown to turn off the gas and change everyone’s meters. Sadly this did not happen as they hadn’t told everyone! So off at 8.40 and back on again at 8.45.

did the weekly shopping and trip to the bank. Pumped the tyres up on the Mercedes - all low despite looking ok, and blew a seal on my foot pump. £8 from Halfords twenty years ago! Then decided to start the 2cv for the first time since Easter. Battery a little slow turning the motor over, but once the fuel pumped through it started up ok. Not enough juice to power the indicators though until the revs were up from idle. I think I’ll take it to work one day next week for a run. 

I’m also getting the occasional burning oil smell in the Mercedes when stationary - seems to happen after braking to a stop when the engine is hot. Not all the time though, perhaps once every couple of journeys. My mechanic friend is coming to work on Monday to take a look. I’d guess that there’s a little oil leak from somewhere that is pooling and then dripping onto the hot exhaust. It’s not billowing smoke and there’s 7litres of oil in the engine so I’m not too worried.

[cort16]

How do you get a big car in a small garage?

With great FUCKING difficulty.

 

[N19]

After yesterday's fun, with clear weather, simple task to put the new starter in, right? 

Oh. No, it's not. Spot the difference. Dammit wrong parts... 

[Borsuq]

Took the Transit out for the first time in months today. Old girl is retired and doesn't have to work for to make a living anymore, but still needs her legs stretched every now and then.

Got to compare it with the Polonez as I took the exact same scenic route from work as I did with the FSO yesterday. Seems to me like the suspension in the Transit is a bit more sporty.  Definitely reacts quicker. Steering is also more direct.

That said, the Polonez, despite being ridiculously floaty (or maybe partially thanks to that), is a more peaceful drive.

Obviously couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a photo with the old Transit rotting on the side of the road. Hopefully that sight will scare some reliability into our Ford.

[N19]

The ebay seller said the part was correct. Indeed, part numbers are the same, but mounting points totally different. Am I going loopy?! 

[Borsuq]

Just now, N19 said:

The ebay seller said the part was correct. Indeed, part numbers are the same, but mounting points totally different. Am I going loopy?! 

I had a similar problem with the crankshaft mounted pulley for my 126. Idenitcal part number, yet the pulley everybody seemed to stock had differently spaced notches for ignition timing. Thought I'd go mad. Ended up having to shop calipers in hand to make sure I got the correct part.

[N19]

1 hour ago, Borsuq said:

I had a similar problem with the crankshaft mounted pulley for my 126. Idenitcal part number, yet the pulley everybody seemed to stock had differently spaced notches for ignition timing. Thought I'd go mad. Ended up having to shop calipers in hand to make sure I got the correct part.

Eyeing other ones on ebay which seem to be correctly oriented. Not sure if it's worth kicking up a fuss over 25 quid, if the part numbers are the same then the guy has supplied it in good faith, even if it's the wrong part...

 

Oh well, got it back together with the old starter for now. It works, but needs percussive persuasion from time to time. A therapeutic couple of hours spannering, so went for a spin down the country lanes. 

[Jamie]

Off to Whitehaven tomorrow to pick up this little project ?

[LabRat]

Whoever designed air wrenches and then thought it would be a clever idea to sell them to the knuckle dragging apes in fast fit tyre fit centres wants shooting for crimes against humanity. 

Not that I've thrown my back out trying to get the front wheels off the mg6 or anything... 20 stone of fat bastard swinging off a scaff bar and the fuckers are still solid, I've not even thought about touching the locking nuts.

[Eyersey1234]

48 minutes ago, LabRat said:

Whoever designed air wrenches and then thought it would be a clever idea to sell them to the knuckle dragging apes in fast fit tyre fit centres wants shooting for crimes against humanity. 

Not that I've thrown my back out trying to get the front wheels off the mg6 or anything... 20 stone of fat bastard swinging off a scaff bar and the fuckers are still solid, I've not even thought about touching the locking nuts.

I'll get my ex boss to come and give them a disciplinary for you, he's not done one for a couple of years since his dad sold up to Go Ahead Group ?

[barefoot]

Fuelly tells me that the fair wife & I have done 7,000 miles in the Rover 75 since last September.

MPG's not too bad for a 2.5 litre V6 auto.

[barefoot]

And a partial fleet shot too.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Answered a phone call whilst at the FoD. It was Garage Dubois-Loizou. They'd been having a hard time of flushing CX engine and cooling system until they remembered Finish, a popular brand of dishwasher cleaner (other dishwasher cleaner products are available). Apparently I now have the freshest smelling coolant in North London.

And some of the other hoses are not far off looking fucked as well. Plus the nearside radiator fan has lost its mountings, so they will have to fashion new ones.

I can't wait to see what happens next. 

[Bobthebeard]

Well..... Hiya. Been off here for a while due to a nasty virus which has infected some people in hospital and some other folk apparently. Ho Hum. Anyway....... Anyone want a free car? Tax (VED) is silly, £48 per month, but car is FREE.

2007 Chevrolet tacuma auto 2.0

[loserone]

Hope you are feeling better Bob.  

No thanks to the Tacuma.. ?

[andyberg]

Apart from the tax, I can recommend the Tacuma as an car. I may* be biased mind? I love mine.

[paulplom]

Saab has just turned high mileage.

[Royale80]

Picked up the sons new car yesterday.

Due to bat flu he's had two driving tests cancelled and being in fucking Wales still means no driving lessons or tests-behind England again. Wasn't planning on buying till he passed test but needed to get him out on road. 

Better car than my first- a Mk5 Cortina 2.0GL when I was 21- not a Fiesta Zetec S when I was 17. Must be bloody mad.

[Mally]

I'm sorry, but no Fiesta will never be better than a 2.0 Mk5 Cortina.

[Supernaut]

A Zetec S! Nice!

When I was learning to drive I got to learn in a Xsara Picasso HDi, then was let loose in a SIII Land Rover once I had my licence.

[paulplom]

Some nice views of the A1 today on a decent cycle ride. Can you guess the junction?

 

[gm]

I reckon you were standing on this bridge ?

 

You're quite far from home there, must be a decent mileage done 

[ruffgeezer]

Been working on this today... 

Doing some tidying at my father in laws when we went to lift a pallet of wood and the big yellow bitch burst a hose. 

It's in this lot somewhere...

 

With the pipe brackets removed, some with a tickle from the 9" grinder, I ran the engine up to see which pipe was failed...

 

As a temporary repair, I've used one of the pipes from the auxilary ports at the front to re-pipe the boom, as we never used those and we need it up and running asap.

 

I just need to find a suitable cap for this for the time being, the union was 22mm.