The new news 24 thread

[cort1977]

Had some reasonable car progress lately.

Passat has gone to a local home and will hopefully see it around occasionally.

MX5 failed the MOT last week but only on a caliper, damper and bulb.  Bulb was just a loose connection, new caliper sorted that issue and bleeding was trivial.  Had a slight issue with bloody Hermes delivering a replacement damper, it still hasn't arrived, but on the recommendation of @gm I called a company called Autolink (www.autolinkmx5.com) who are a Japanese car breaker.  Ordered at 11.00am Friday and it was at my house above the Arctic circle before noon the next day which is fantastic service.  Got the brake and shock replaced yesterday with a minimum of fuss and it's in for retest today.  Then it will be up for sale as being replaced with a 4 seat floppytop.

The i3 has had an annoying issue with error codes occasionally popping up the last few months.  Despite dire warning that it wouldn't restart and to drive to the nearest dealer it always did so i just ignored it.  Eventually, domestic management escalated the complaint so I took it to the only HEVRA (electric car association) garage in Aberdeen and got an MOT at the same time.  MOT diagnosed one broken spring but also that there was a recall for the car.  I had an idea that this might be related to the error so got BMW to collect the car (it was only over the road) and do the recall.  Went to pick it up on Friday and seems like they have fixed it, blissful silence on the way back.  So the i3 keeps on for another year, crossing fingers the beep of doom doesn't reappear.

All this means I am running out of excuses to procrastinate working on my Sierra so hoping to get some mojo back for that this week.  @supernaut and I did put the anti roll bar back on it a couple of weeks ago with not too much trouble, they can be very awkward sometimes apparently.  Need to put new brakes on both sides, bleed them, new battery and then see about an MOT.

[Talbot]

Regarding going into a dealer to ask for parts for a >15 year old car, it seems to depend on the actual dealer rather than the marque. I've been into Merc dealers to ask for £7 worth of seals before now and been offered a cuppa, had a nice little chat about "That's a great old bus, they don't make 'em like that any more" etc. etc. and left very happy.

I've also been to Merc dealers that have a properly nasty attitude who look down their nose like you're shit on their shoe.  I usually take the opportunity to get my own back, especially with the snotty sales staff by saying "actually, that's only one of a few Mercs I own.  I was considering changing one of them for something like this *points at horrifically expensive car in showroom* but with an attitude like that, I think I'll go elsewhere"

The look of "ah fuck, lost a decent sale there" as you walk out is absolutely priceless.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Alison performed really well on the first long(ish) drive since having quite a bit of work done last year. 

Norfolk Broads, Snetterton and I must say I'm glad that the A\C was repaired earlier this year! 😎

[goosey]

OMFG !!!!!!!

the new Renault Alpine..........it’s here !!!!!

[Split_Pin]

Oh.

This is oil of some sort being thrown up. Inside the nearside wheelarch of the TD Cav.

Subframe dripping on the opposite side to the engine, which is bone dry.

Ah.

Run dry. Fuck.

Hose had sufficient length for me to just cut it off and reattach.

New fluid and the steering still works fine with no untoward noises. A lucky escape!

[reb]

Unfortunately my plan to fit a TD lump to the pug has been scuppered by the loss of storage by the owner of the potential donor before I've been able to clear space for it on my end. Thus starts the journey of trying to reinstate the original engine, starting with identifying what has gone missing in the 2 years(!) since I took it out. The engine seems to still be in useable condition despite having been sat outside for quite a long time, it is now safely in my unit though at least! The majority of things missing are just nuts and bolts and such, I think at least. I'll also need a complete set of coolant pipes as I may have rather stupidly cut them in order to remove the engine in the first place.

Thread incoming probably this evening.

[loserone]

Good call.  Need to get that back on the road

[reb]

I've owned it for 5 years this year and it's been off the road for various reasons for most of that! It's by far my favourite car I've owned, so it's really important to me that it makes it back onto the road, no matter what!

[puddlethumper]

6 hours ago, Lankytim said:

The switchgear is semi-intact. I tried to remove a couple and I think they've been effected by damp ingress. When I go back ill take them all out and have a look. 

The interior is all there but again, decades of damp have badly effected it all. 

Any trim bits are worth having. Hardest to get. Not relevant for me in this case but I've been looking for about 2 years for chrome windscreen trim for a PC Cresta. Nothing yet and I'm not holding out much hope.

[OM646]

21 hours ago, Bren said:

I didn't even enquire - and i'll tell you why.

The car suffered with a burst hose which I knew would be main dealer only. When I rang up my local dealer and told them the model and age they stated they had little to do with them anymore. In fairness they got me the part - forty odd quid - but you can see they are about selling finance and throwing a BMW in. I felt a bit embarassed getting a part for a 17 year old car.

Meanwhile you can still ring Mercedes and buy half a W203. Both BMW and Audi are lacking in that unfortunately

[richardmorris]

Letter today reminding me my photocard licence is due for renewal in August. Fair enough, but unlike the passport you don’t get 10years from the renewal date, but from when they process the application. Why? 

[Cord Fourteener]

Hurray for safety glasses!

I was strimming weeds from under an electric fence with a brush cutter blade for a customer when the blade kicked a stone the size of my first two knuckles right at my left eye of my safety glasses, and therefore not my eyeball. 

There was a good thunk and much hurraying to myself for being sensible. 

[Shite Ron]

Latest addition to the fleet in front of what it will hopefully replace with some expert* numberplate obscurification. No jokes about the old dog.

[Fumbler]

3 hours ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Micra ran great for 24hours, then back to all over the place on the idle.  

I give up, it's in the local mechanics tomorrow if they cannot sort it, they can squash the ungrateful little shit box.  

Apologies if this has already been tried and done, but has the ECU been interrogated? There's the LED strip on the side and the OBD1 port as well to approach it. Also, MAF sensor, but I'd expect this was already done.

[Fumbler]

3 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Laptop I had I was forced to part with recently, so no it has not been, the garage it's going to handles all the work for a K11 softtop (yes it's a thing) so I am hoping they can handle the problem.  I suspect it may end with another throttlebody as it seems k11 consumes them like bloody petrol. 

Of course finding one for a N-CVT is interesting as afaik they are unique and different from the manual versions.

I'm rather surprised it's lasted so long its shat its throttle body as opposed to its gearbox. My HBOL showed what light combos on the LED strip meant what. The MAF suggestion was from my dad's experience with the family K11 which went all kangaroo when the MAF went on one journey. Reading into it a bit, the fact your car sounds fine when revved suggests something else though.

Don't give up on the wee thing just yet. There aren't many really early K11s bimbling about anymore. Besides, yours has just been welded so has a much better chance of surviving the weather.

[Fumbler]

2 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

 

It's off to a local shop tomorrow as it's downright irritating to drive, with a rattling calliper and this idle issue.  They fix a soft top K11 so I have some hope they can sort this.   

And knowing we never got soft top K11s, I'm willing to bet it's an auto as well. I remember seeing a JDM import for sale last year.

[barefoot]

On 6/7/2021 at 10:40 AM, barefoot said:

This morning I have entered the Scirocco into the show n shine at the upcoming Camper Jam fest. I know the concours judge & the other judge so I'm hoping that a teeny bit of very light hearted, meat pie based bribery will go an awfully long way towards coming home with best in show.

...or possibly not.

I've completely re-arranged my trophy cabinet in anticipation of at least a 'Best Scirocco' trophy & that fat bumbling bastard Johnson has only gone & caused the fucking show to be cancelled!

[Cord Fourteener]

10 minutes ago, barefoot said:

I've completely re-arranged my trophy cabinet in anticipation of at least a 'Best Scirocco' trophy & that fat bumbling bastard Johnson has only gone & caused the fucking show to be cancelled!

Boris Johnson Carrots 100. In Welsh.

[N19]

Bought some new calipers last month, trying to return the old ones for surcharge refund.

Can't take them to the shop myself, as they're "closed due to covid - mail order only".

Tried to post them, can't. "It's all privatised now and they won't take car parts". What if I described it as a metal casting? "Well if it goes on a car we won't take it".

Maybe I could turn up to the shop wearing a hi vis and headphones and grunt "courier" and chuck it at them...

[3VOM]

15 hours ago, Cord Forteener aka Tim_E said:

Hurray for safety glasses!

I was strimming weeds from under an electric fence with a brush cutter blade for a customer when the blade kicked a stone the size of my first two knuckles right at my left eye of my safety glasses, and therefore not my eyeball. 

There was a good thunk and much hurraying to myself for being sensible. 

A good friend of mine explained in one sentence why council workers and similar maintainers of open spaces always wear visors: "Nothing beats the taste of freshly strimmed dog shit."

[Supernaut]

I can't find the shitely thread so I'll post here.

Tomorrow I shall be driving from Tamworth to Northampton, then to Preston.

Thursday will involve Preston - Biggar - Aberdeen.

All to be done in a modestly sized mid-2000s 5 door hatchback (can't reveal the car before the collection thread).

If anybody does need anything not too ridiculously large moved along that route, let me know. Said car is sans parcel shelf at the moment, and it will be parked overnight in a Travelodge car park in central Preston, so security is a bit eeeeeeeh.

[cobblers]

2 hours ago, 3VOM said:

A good friend of mine explained in one sentence why council workers and similar maintainers of open spaces always wear visors: "Nothing beats the taste of freshly strimmed dog shit."

It is with great sorrow and massive regret that I can say with authority that cat shit is quite a bit worse. 

[andyberg]

the ex @Cookiesouwest vectra continues to surpass its vauxhall status. MOT pass today with  minor advisories for slightly perished Chinese ditch finders on the rear, small split in one wiper blade, rear brake pads about 75% used and some very slight play in a lower anti roll  bar linkage. Nothing structural so happy days.

[Ghosty]

Halfords declined to hire me, citing 'other applicants with skills and experience more in line with what we're looking for' - probably as I have no sales experience. They did give vaguely positive interview feedback though. 

[cobblers]

What job did you apply for? On the bikes? I worked at Halfords for years and at no point did I have a single colleague with any "skills or experience". Something must have changed!

[SRi05]

Coming home from work to a @worldofceri delivery, woo !

Thanks again man, that's the neighbour's hedge btw 🤣

[Ghosty]

50 minutes ago, cobblers said:

What job did you apply for? On the bikes?

It was a sales advisor job, it didn't specify but it did transpire to be a position on the bikes, and I think they were looking for someone primarily to sell and assemble bikes. 

[richardmorris]

7 hours ago, Cord Forteener aka Tim_E said:

Boris Johnson Carrots 100. In Welsh.

Moron boris Johnson cant?

[Ghosty]

38 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Moron boris Johnson cant?

 

[Lacquer Peel]

No pics but that's yer Volvo 850 diesel's timing belts changed, it was a bit of a pain in some ways - the crank sprocket came away with the crank pulley when it was not at TDC but it started first time once we got it retimed and all done up, albeit with the fuel pump timing seriously retarded, it was smoking out the neighbourhood. It's closer now and running well. I also changed the hydraulic valve lifters and rebuilt the brake vacuum pump recently so it's about as un-tappy as one of these can be. Fuel pump timing still needs adjustment but really chuffed it's done. Thanks to @Split_Pin and @juular for their assistance.