The new news 24 thread

[HMC]

My Volvo S60 is excelling at being a functional, uneventful car. I love it’s total competency. Ok maybe aside from the ocean liner turning circle.

[Zelandeth]

41 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Been having a poke around the Iveco today - first time I've seen it in daylight.  It's just as scruffy in the light as it is in the dark.

To be fair none of it is unexpected for a 24-year-old Iveco.  I have a feeling the most recent MOT test may have been somewhat lenient - the cab steps in particular are looking a little crunchy in places - but I suspected that would be the case so it's no surprise.  As is usual with these, the RSJs which make up the chassis are rock solid.

Opening the bonnet reveals a rather different state of affairs, and suddenly the 63K recorded mileage becomes more believable.  I don't think I've ever seen an old van engine that clean.  I do still struggle with the fact that something that size only makes the same amount of power as the 1-litre triple in a VW Up, but there you go.

It has these high-security Yale type locks on all the doors, and a (presumably dealer fit) immobiliser, so I don't have to worry too much about it being nicked by Cavcraft in the middle of the night.

In the back is pretty big.  I can stand up straight without banging my head.  I measured the load bay and it's actually 12' long and 5'6" wide, so the Innocenti would fit in - unfortunately the rear doors are only 5' so that might be a bit tight unless I take the mirrors off.  I will have to do some more measuring.  And then work out how the feck I'd get the Innocenti up there.  It would be useful to have the garage space though - I really don't like the Renault 6 living outside in the winter.  Alternatively I could sling a mattress, a gas burner and a Porta Potti in the back and become one of these Van Life wankers.

The indicators decided that they were going to work fine today - not sure what they were playing at yesterday.  I am still going to invest in an electronic flasher relay though as the hazards are still dodgy.  The main beam turned out to be a relay issue after all - there are two separate main beam relays, one for the flasher and one for the main beam proper, and the latter had failed.  I've swapped them over for now, but I'll buy another relay in due course.  Everything else seems to work fine.  I've also temporarily bodged the hole in the exhaust with gun gum, which has quietened things down a bit.

It's definitely a heap, but so help me I do actually rather like it.  It's been a while since I've had a van which is nothing like driving a car whatsoever, and I do enjoy having something you have to actually "drive" rather than letting it do most of the work.  It really is basic - no electric windows, no central locking, no airbags, no ABS.  It doesn't even have PAS, which is unusual for one of these - although the steering is surprisingly manageable, much better than a non-PAS LT35 or LDV 400.  The gearbox takes a bit of getting used to with its dogleg first and oddly spaced ratios.  To my mind though that's how a commercial vehicle should be.  A little extra power wouldn't go amiss ( @BeEP's LDV400 would leave it behind in a drag race) but even then that makes you think ahead and conserve momentum so it's all good.  Overall a quite satisfactory purchase.

 

Nice.

To me driving a van which doesn't have a dogleg first, huge steering wheel and a driving position so high you feel like you're sitting on the roof just feels wrong.

This is just how things are meant to be arranged.

[barmatt]

On 12/18/2020 at 9:35 PM, wuvvum said:

And home.

 

I'd love to stealth camper something like this, although I'd like a tad more than the 75hp this had from the factory.

What are / were the external power sockets for? 

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, barmatt said:

What are / were the external power sockets for? 

for charging the Electric Tippen Delta @wuvvum plans to keep inside the van obvs...

[stuboy]

It looked like a good idea ... so I purchased 1... supposedly good if u can't get the earth clamp on. It u know in 2021 when I might use it

[TooManyPeopleMovers]

I found out today my house mates have a Nissan Primera P11 wagon...and one with over 330,000 kilometers on it!

I had a quick drive - my first in a P11 - it's a surprisingly rorty car. Still on the original engine and clutch too. I can see why people like P11's. Not bad to drive at all.

It seems really solid - asides from a worn through carpet in the drivers footwell and a squishy steering wheel, it feels like has at least 150,000 kilometers less. Even the drivers seat bolster (seats trimmed in luscious velour) isn't worn through.

[Minimad5]

8 hours ago, wuvvum said:

 

 

 

Can you drive these things on a normal car license, as that looks to have a twin axle ?

Do need a van, as it's a pain trying to fit full size plasterboard / sheets of ply etc into an estate or on the roof (of which it then starts raining)

[wuvvum]

8 hours ago, barmatt said:

I'd love to stealth camper something like this, although I'd like a tad more than the 75hp this had from the factory.

What are / were the external power sockets for? 

They did them with outputs up to 122bhp - those actually go pretty well.  The sockets are now disconnected but I believe they were something to do with the mobile catering business the previous owner ran.

1 hour ago, Minimad5 said:

Can you drive these things on a normal car license, as that looks to have a twin axle ?

Yep, it's 3.5 tonne.  Twin wheels on 3.5-tonners used to be more common back in the day.

 

Just realised I'm posting this on page 2445 and the Iveco's engine is 2445cc.  Heh.

[wuvvum]

Another day, another collection mission. 

The journey down is going to be rather more convoluted than Friday's trip, because Sunday, but hopefully the drive home will be more relaxing - today's purchase actually has exactly the same bhp as the Iveco but a small fraction of the weight. 

I and the vehicle both reside in Tier 2, but I have to venture through Tier 4 to get there.  As I understand it, as long as I get through as fast as I can, don't talk to anyone and don't make eye contact, it's legal.  Or something. 

[omegod]

24 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Another day, another collection mission. 

The journey down is going to be rather more convoluted than Friday's trip, because Sunday, but hopefully the drive home will be more relaxing - today's purchase actually has exactly the same bhp as the Iveco but a small fraction of the weight. 

I and the vehicle both reside in Tier 2, but I have to venture through Tier 4 to get there.  As I understand it, as long as I get through as fast as I can, don't talk to anyone and don't make eye contact, it's legal.  Or something. 

You also need to hold your breath for the entire transit through T4, good luck and I doubt any kittens will die as a result !

[Supernaut]

28 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Another day, another collection mission. 

The journey down is going to be rather more convoluted than Friday's trip, because Sunday, but hopefully the drive home will be more relaxing - today's purchase actually has exactly the same bhp as the Iveco but a small fraction of the weight. 

I and the vehicle both reside in Tier 2, but I have to venture through Tier 4 to get there.  As I understand it, as long as I get through as fast as I can, don't talk to anyone and don't make eye contact, it's legal.  Or something. 

Bloody hell, man! You're a collecting machine!

[wuvvum]

Bit quieter than Friday. 

#Tier4

[hairnet]

11 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Bit quieter than Friday. 

#Tier4

shi

tole

[stuboy]

My mondeo don't have any dealer stickers, anyway of finding who supplied it?

[wuvvum]

Train cancelled due to a derailment, diverting to Waterloo.  50 minute wait for a connection so thought I'd take a stroll down to the south bank (daily exercise innit occifer).   It's pretty much deserted here too, considering it's a nice sunny Sunday.  Although a middle aged woman has just jogged past in an elf costume.  Because London. 

[wuvvum]

Even the old Bedford is closed. 

[wuvvum]

Never seen Westminster Bridge without crowds of tourists before. 

[wuvvum]

H van is open though. 

[wuvvum]

Not a model I'm familiar with. 

[Jamie]

Always time for one last one before the years out right? 

[wuvvum]

Ooh, I do like those. 

[beko1987]

Pretty! What's wrong with it... 

[wuvvum]

Due to having to take a different route I'm still in Tier 4.

[Jamie]

22 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Pretty! What's wrong with it... 

No MOT as of tomororw 

Drivers, door handle ripped off 

Front bumper held on with cable ties

Slave cyl on clutch is weak 

But drives pretty well an goes well for a vectra engine! 

[Ghosty]

3 hours ago, stuboy said:

My mondeo don't have any dealer stickers, anyway of finding who supplied it?

Didn't you say it was a press car you're decimating at some point? 

Probably didn't go through one. 

[beko1987]

22 minutes ago, Jamie said:

No MOT as of tomororw 

Drivers, door handle ripped off 

Front bumper held on with cable ties

Slave cyl on clutch is weak 

But drives pretty well an goes well for a vectra engine! 

Doesn't sound too bad, front bumper sounds like it's fixed already! And it's got a passenger door... 

[MikeR]

Rapid sober up this morning , answered the doorbell to 2 ladies dressed in police uniform , thought a early Xmas present had arrived , but no , big kick off in the street in the night and I slept throu it , they wanted the footage from the CCTV ...  ... 

[ruffgeezer]

Giving serious consideration to roffling the mercedes at a loss, since finding the handy work of the last garage that saw it, I've kind of lost any enthusiasm for it. 

Bodgy stuff pisses me off, and I haven't the time or inclination to go parts chasing just now. 

[MarvinsMom]

the new battery on the Avensis has made not one jot of a difference, 

it still won't go.

we did manage to jump start it off the Rover, but that is all we have achieved with it.

and i am through with it.  we bought it in a piss and a panic cos we needed another car, and having run about in it for the last 6 weeks i can now positively say that i don't just dislike it. i really, do not care for it at all, in fact i hate it, hate it almost as much as the shitty job i'm doing that it was bought for.

it is the dullest, dreary, deathly dullest thing i have ever owns.

i've driven worse, mitubishi "carisma" comes to mind as been worse, but that was a company hack that i didn't give a flying shit about.

and i feel exactly the same about that turd sat oitside!

so frankly the ball is now in kerrys court, i'll help get it going tomorrow, but that isall, if she wants to take it home, then all well and good, i would sooner put it over the weigh bridge at marske metals, or take it down to Morgans and let them have it.

piece of shit, i won't be having another one of them!

[wuvvum]

Collectioned. 

No pez shot as it's still got over half a tank.