The new news 24 thread

[Zelandeth]

Went to fill the van up with fuel prior to the long trip tomorrow.  Ah, yes...I'd forgotten precisely how much of a pain in the ass that is because the tank vent is restricted.  When trundling around locally I've just stopped bothering putting more than half a tank in because of that...but with the best part of 400 miles to cover tomorrow I'd rather start out with as much in the tank as possible.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

23 hours ago, Ghosty said:

There's a lovely 306 cabby in a dealer in Wembley. 
Low miles and fantastic colourway. 
But it has no MOT and the ad doesn't mention one being provided, and it's in the ULEZ (1998 car, charge payable). ...

Er....Wembley is mostly outside of ULEZ. Is to the North of the A406, so would be outside the Khan Zone.

Inside of the NCR and therefore in the Khan Zone is Harlesden, Willesden, Neasden and Park Royal.

[Cord Fourteener]

13 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Lots of cars moving about today, I think they wanted the one right at the back of the warehouse.

Looks like the camera was moving too, possibly with excitement. 

[Cord Fourteener]

So I bought a car with the number plate V33DJF 

It doesn't mean anything to me so I could either remove it for £80 but then I realised that instead it would be cheaper to change my name to David John Fowlis or something...

[catsinthewelder]

On 11/1/2021 at 10:06 PM, Ghosty said:

There's a lovely 306 cabby in a dealer in Wembley. 
Low miles and fantastic colourway. 
But it has no MOT and the ad doesn't mention one being provided, and it's in the ULEZ (1998 car, charge payable). Ad says they won't negotiate on the phone. 

Obviously I can call them and enquire but it's all a bit difficult. How could I acquire said car?

 

They might not negotiate the price on the phone but they should clarify whether they are planning to MOT it or not.  £12 ULEZ charge is bugger all in the general scheme of traveling 200 miles to buy a car.

[barefoot]

What a fucking shambles.

After spending hours over the weekend trying to get brake pads online for Billy & failing...

Do you know, it simply doesn't appear in any of the drop down boxes, 'Year - 02', 'Clour - blue'  Dah! But no sign of a Billy anywhere. Hopeless. And it's the same at ECP, GSF everywhere I tried, so yesterday in absolute desparation, I popped into Halfords...

'Do you have a set of brake pads for an '02 Billy please', I asked.

Chap looked at me, with a look that can best be described as 'askance'.

'Billy?' Says he.

'Yes, Billy' says I.

'Is that Billy?' he asked pointing out into the carpark and directly at Susie.

'Are you on crack?' I retorted, 'It's not even blue!'

'Have you had no training?' I ejaculated. 'Do you have no love? No enthusiasm for your job?' I continued as I was ushered forcefully, yet surprisingly gently away from the counter & back outside by a couple of uniformed security officers...

 

It would appear that even Halfords think that naming cars is for utter twats.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, catsinthewelder said:

....  £12 ULEZ charge is bugger all in the general scheme of traveling 200 miles to buy a car.

Wembley isn't even inside the ULEZ, so I don't see what the problem is. 

[N19]

I'm usually in Wembley during the week, if it's any help.

[TheOtherStu]

Ah fuck. Failed on lambda, so changed both O2 sensors, fixed a slight gap in both the intake and the exhaust. Replaced the MAF. Reset the EML, took the battery off so that the ECUs also reset. Ragged the absolute fuck out of it.

 

Lambda is now over twice as bad. It was 1.05 on Monday. Today? 2.61. Acceptable limit is 1.03.

Fortunately, it's under warranty. Bad point, needs to be taken to Birmingham. It's going in tomorrow.

 

It's due on the stand at the NEC next Thursday evening and I'm assured that it will be not only through, but avec MOT.

[richardmorris]

Moving day today, everything is off to rmsothebys for saturday’s auction.

[High Jetter]

14 hours ago, barefoot said:

It would appear that Halfords think

That's news to me.

[Zelandeth]

460 plus change miles covered by the van today.

Honestly thought I was losing power on the new Aberdeen bypass (first time I've been on it), though now I think it may just be a couple of those really *are* 3rd gear hills in a 2.8 tonne brick with 78bhp and a headwind.

My "hotel" for the next couple of days.

Really is quite roomy when you're by yourself.

So far cable ties to stop the skylight making horrible banging noises above 65mph and a second pillow are the only things I'm aware of having forgotten.

I really do need to see if I can do something to tame the exhaust noise a bit.  Not being able to hear yourself think gets wearing after six hours.

Currently it's 6C and tipping it down outside... I'm quite happily listening to it on the roof and am just as warm and comfortable as I would be in a real hotel room.    Heck, every single hotel I've been in in living memory I've had to take my own extension lead with me so I could charge my phone near to the bed... I've got four accessible USB charging points here and an extra two if I open a locker up.  Take that Premier In...

[JJ0063]

Quick fleet photograph whilst waiting for the bike to be collected for its MOT and service. 
 

Fingers crossed it MOT’s ok as I want my bargain bike to stay a bargain!

[loserone]

Ideal winter fleet in the deep south.

[JJ0063]

1 minute ago, loserone said:

Ideal winter fleet in the deep south.

I’ve decided if it snows I’ll just stay at home 😂

[stuboy]

Someone hit missus car whilst she parked at brownies, luckily missus saw it, lady stopped luckly and I've looked today and needs another grill.. any hints how to change it?? 2014 seat leon.

[New POD]

On 02/11/2021 at 13:03, HillmanImp said:

I'm going to chuck the Imp and a wad of cash at some other fucker to sort out. It's been sat in my garage for about 3 years now, with me not doing anything to it since these phots were taken. Something needs to be done and it ain't gonna be me.

Gonna have to find somewhere that is half decent to have a crack at it which is probably a big ask on it's own.

If anyone has any recommendations fire away. I'm based in Yorkshite but can travel.

Yorkshire is a big place. 

[mintwth]

30 minutes ago, stuboy said:

any hints how to change it??

1) Get replacement grill

2) Ignore it

3) Ignore it some more

4) Repeat 3 until the nagging gets too much or the car's about to be sold

Did it damage the number plate surround too? Or is it meant to look dented over the 4 to the M?

[Stanky]

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

any hints how to change it?

https://www.seatcupra.net/forums/threads/how-to-replace-the-grill-on-the-leon-mk3.400741/

That is scant of detail other than to say the front bumper wants to come off. Looking at pics of the actual black plastic grille insert it does look rather a lot more complicated than I thought/it really needs to be!

Its a lot larger than the visible bit - there is probably as much plastic behind the skin of the bumper as there is actually on show

 

[JJ0063]

5 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

Quick fleet photograph whilst waiting for the bike to be collected for its MOT and service. 
 

Fingers crossed it MOT’s ok as I want my bargain bike to stay a bargain!

All good bar the front tyre so gone for 2 new Michelins 

he said it’s a really clean bike, oil needed doing but he said I got an absolute bargain. 

[Split_Pin]

75 performed faultlessly around the Lakes and back home today. It's just as much at home soaking up the bumps on twisty A and B roads as it is bowling up the motorway. The seats make covering 250 miles in a weekend feel like only 10.

I also finally got the exhaust today. We were out when the courier finally arrived and my wife was trying to communicate with him via the Ring doorbell. They could hear each other fine but neither of the 2 chaps in the driveway spoke any English at all and didn't understand that they were to leave it in front of the Civic as we were less than an hour from home.  I was worried they were just going to take it away again.

Dropped it off at the garage with the centre and cat. He hummed and hawed again as he didn't know how he was going to get it over the rear axle. He said he might need to cut it and would have to get a sleeve. Not to let him down, I said there is a sleeve plus a plethora of other fixings in a box in the car. He hopes to fit it tomorrow. 

[cort1977]

I'm doing the Mechanics badge with my Scouts tonight.  It covers things that sound easy but are an absolute pain in the aris on moderns like changing bulbs front and rear.  Luckily I have a nice Saab to demonstrate with.

All Vauxhalls being shit is not in the requirements but I will try to slip it in somewhere.

[TheOtherStu]

25 minutes ago, cort1977 said:

I'm doing the Mechanics badge with my Scouts tonight.  It covers things that sound easy but are an absolute pain in the aris on moderns like changing bulbs front and rear.  Luckily I have a nice Saab to demonstrate with.

All Vauxhalls being shit is not in the requirements but I will try to slip it in somewhere.

I'm a Scout leader too.
I do some of the stuff on the MR2, but light bulbs involve taking the bumper off so sod that. My company Jalopy was a BMW and had plastic covers on plastic covers, which is annoying. We use one of the other leader's good old off-road Defender for the bulb bit.

We do the tyre change on mine though. I'm not getting involved in changing huge great boots! Last time, we did a full oil change, which was intriguing for them (had it all setup and ready to go).

 

Tonight, we will be going round the town's various chip shops doing a "chip shop survey". I love doing it.

[Split_Pin]

34 minutes ago, cort1977 said:

All Vauxhalls being shit is not in the requirements but I will try to slip it in somewhere

Please do man, we need to teach people interested in becoming a mechanic that holding an nonsensical automotive prejudice is an absolute prerequisite. 

Don't forget to tell them that if they're taking tea in the workshop and are offered sugar then they need to reply with ' sweet enough thank you'.

[barefoot]

55 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

Tonight, we will be going round the town's various chip shops doing a "chip shop survey". I love doing it.

What the actual fuck is involved in this?

[TheOtherStu]

4 minutes ago, barefoot said:

What the actual fuck is involved in this?

So basically, we go to chip shops. They have a piece of paper which has the following headings:
Shop name
Portion size

Cost

Taste

Notes

We then return to the hall and decide who wins. We then get them to design a certificate which we take to the chip shop in question. Next time you're in a chip shop, have a look around. They covet these 😂

[reb]

I remember doing chip shop surveys when I was a Scout (well, actually never did them until I was an Explorer) and somehow always ended up getting stuck with the Chinese that did frozen chips with no salt.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

19 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

....we go to chip shops. They have a piece of paper which has the following headings:
Shop name
Portion size

Cost

Taste

Notes

....

I'm getting visions of pretentious chip-tasting sessions, woody, vinegar notes....

[Barry Cade]

Sad to see the lorry that went off the overpass near Perth today. I drove that road nearly every day, and would have been on shift today if I was still on recovery.  Thoughts are with the drivers family.

People need to have a bit of respect and decorum. Pictures of it were all over Facebook just after it happened. 😔

 

[stuboy]

22 hours ago, mintwth said:

1) Get replacement grill

2) Ignore it

3) Ignore it some more

4) Repeat 3 until the nagging gets too much or the car's about to be sold

Did it damage the number plate surround too? Or is it meant to look dented over the 4 to the M?

5) side track her by pinking up the outside