The new news 24 thread

[reb]

The Corsa courtesy car that's replaced the MG3 is on less than 6000 miles. It has a gearbox fault. Aren't moderns wonderful?

[Spottedlaurel]

Verdict in on Miss SL's Yaris:

Nothing too worrying. I drove it there and was reminded what a fun little thing it is.

Yet more work on the house, very productive. Several weeks ago we removed some trellis and overgrown bushes which were edging this bit of the driveway. Had a friendly groundworker round yesterday, after he'd removed some roots and stripped the topsoil Master SL got involved with some compacting:

Note drink in hand. Then whacking the top layer of stone:

So by early PM I coud do this:

Just some 20mm stone to move from the back garden and lay on it now, but at least it's functional. Should be ample room for the Yaris when it comes back.

What I hadn't considered is how much easier it makes getting parked-up - we can just drive in off the road forwards then back into this area, rather than the complicated reverse in backwards and manouevre around the gatepost that we were having to do (which was getting less fun on dark evenings).

It might also mean there's room for something else in the future.....

[wuvvum]

Now setting off westward on a combined collection and delivery mission.  Doing a lot of driving this weekend...

[Six-cylinder]

10 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Now setting off westward on a combined collection and delivery mission.  Doing a lot of driving this weekend...

You can hardly travel east from where you are without a good boat!

[Supernaut]

22 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Now setting off westward on a combined collection and delivery mission.  Doing a lot of driving this weekend...

Don't bother. Nothing will top yesterday's collection!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

11 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

You can hardly travel east from where you are without a good boat!

"Harwich for the Continent. Frinton for the incontinent."

[wuvvum]

A11 is closed.   That's a good start...

[MorrisItalSLX]

19 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Collectioned. 

Wish me luck...

You are Sharon Strzelecki AICMFP.

[Cord Fourteener]

13 hours ago, brownnova said:

The fella who had the 75 I viewed today also had this…. 

Hnnnnngggggg

And you didn't buy this when you turned the 75 down? I'm disappointed!

[Cord Fourteener]

Friggin Sunday morning drivers. 

One farmers limo nearly slid into the back, some twonk pulled out in front of me on a 60 mph section then cut the corner and drove towards me in my lane before pulling over. Idiot.

Then some twonk doing 20mph on a hill road that's also 60mph, causing all sorts of trouble with people wanting to get past. 

Now I have to take my 7 year old home, I hope they have calmed down. I nearly have. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

20 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Collectioned. 

Wish me luck...

You'll be amazed* at a Mazda, etc.

[grogee]

@Cluffyand I spent this morning wrestling with his Corrado gearbox. It came off after the requisite amount of swearing, sweating, grunting and pulling. 

In the end we decided the 'Falling Onto Something Soft' was the best way to get it out completely. 6 layers of foam floor stuff plus some rolled up carpet did the job, although I don't think that's the approved HBoL method. 

His task list includes new chains and guides, plus a new clutch because why wouldn't you when you're balls deep? Head is off to the specialist for skimming and stuff. 

Job#1 is Spring so we're hopeful it'll be back together by then. 

[brownnova]

20 minutes ago, Cord Fourteener said:

And you didn't buy this when you turned the 75 down? I'm disappointed!

It wasn’t for sale… I did ask 😂

[grogee]

13 hours ago, reb said:

The Corsa courtesy car that's replaced the MG3 is on less than 6000 miles. It has a gearbox fault. Aren't moderns wonderful?

Mrs Grogee had a brand new Europcar Corsa, quite high spec. The electronic handbrake switch broke off. Driver aids were downright dangerous on the country lanes and it smelled of McDonalds. Think it was list price £20k+.

The radio was alright though. 

[wuvvum]

Stage 1 complete. 

[reb]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Mrs Grogee had a brand new Europcar Corsa, quite high spec. The electronic handbrake switch broke off. Driver aids were downright dangerous on the country lanes and it smelled of McDonalds. Think it was list price £20k+.

The radio was alright though. 

Mums found the same with the driving aids, she tasked me with figuring out how to switch them off. The manual shows a completely different car!

[wuvvum]

Stage 2 commencing. 

[stuboy]

Well the standard 8 is sold, but wanted to drive it away, but sadly after sorting out dodgy King lead, grimey oily plugs, it fires over but fuel pump is past its best but she runs when fuel down the carbon, so next week they coming back with a new pump , fit it and drive it away.

 

[loserone]

19 hours ago, wuvvum said:

heap

Dibs? Has it got a proper full size sunroof?

[Timewaster]

50 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Stage 2 commencing. 

Is that a vinyl roof?!

[C3C3]

Got the bASe mk3 escort estate back on the road, bought an entire donor back end for £40 shocks n all. Got plenty of spares now. Replace all of the rubbers on the front end. Looks like the back tie bar sheared in half because of the rubbers being rock solid, flexing the bar so the rest is history. Dug around the box of rubbers in the garage and found two brand new ones. Had a poke around the drivers side sill and found a nasty bit of rot where the screw driver went straight through. Yikes. 

About to give the ute its final polish. It's pretty much done and looking for a new home if anyone is interested. 

[Cord Fourteener]

Easy peasy, one rear seat with child seat is still up and there's wiggle room even with bass and amp.

Very impressed. 

[EightMegs]

10 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Verdict in on Miss SL's Yaris:

Nothing too worrying. I drove it there and was reminded what a fun little thing it is.

Yet more work on the house, very productive. Several weeks ago we removed some trellis and overgrown bushes which were edging this bit of the driveway. Had a friendly groundworker round yesterday, after he'd removed some roots and stripped the topsoil Master SL got involved with some compacting:

Note drink in hand. Then whacking the top layer of stone:

So by early PM I coud do this:

Just some 20mm stone to move from the back garden and lay on it now, but at least it's functional. Should be ample room for the Yaris when it comes back.

What I hadn't considered is how much easier it makes getting parked-up - we can just drive in off the road forwards then back into this area, rather than the complicated reverse in backwards and manouevre around the gatepost that we were having to do (which was getting less fun on dark evenings).

It might also mean there's room for something else in the future.....

Don't even think about asking a Toyota dealer for new bushes, they won't sell them to you on their own and will instead try to charge you €400 for two new arms. Go directly for aftermarket bushes, I've had good luck with Borg & Beck.

[Spottedlaurel]

Just now, EightMegs said:

Don't even think about asking a Toyota dealer for new bushes, they won't sell them to you on their own and will instead try to charge you €400 for two new arms. Go directly for aftermarket bushes, I've had good luck with Borg & Beck.

Ta. I'm seeing the person responsible for sorting it tonight, I'm sure he'll sort it out in a sensible manner and I'll mention that option to him.

[grogee]

3 hours ago, reb said:

Mums found the same with the driving aids, she tasked me with figuring out how to switch them off. The manual shows a completely different car!

Did you manage it? I didn't find an option but I didn't resort to RTFM

[reb]

11 minutes ago, grogee said:

Did you manage it? I didn't find an option but I didn't resort to RTFM

There's a button for the lane assist on the centre console in front of the gear stick, you need to do it every time you start the car. That is assuming it's the same generation of Corsa, I can't remember what gen this one is, I think it's the current one though.

[Pete-M]

This week I finally decided to buy myself an R53 Cooper S.

Spent quite some time looking for one with the spec I wanted, and finally found one with all the bits I was looking for - leather, climate, nav, cruise,  xenon, chili pack, sport suspension, pre-facelift, Cooper S only colour (Electric Blue). 

It is bloody good fun. The R53 Cooper S is 20 years old next year. Don't see many like this anymore. 

Only modifications to it are R56 rear trailing arms (stronger), non-runflat Bridgestones and polybushes. 

 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

A good opportunity came up last weekend to upgrade my trailer. I’ve had the Erde 142 since we moved in 2015 and bought purely to move most of our shite to MiL’s to make our house look as minimal and as big as possible. I sold it to an Italian from Bedford for £150 and gave £notmuchmore for this.

I love it. It’s an Erde but for maximum AS points it’s a grey import. My friend bought it in France from a dealer about 10 years ago. It’s been all over Europe and been given a life of adventure I can only dream of, living all over - including Skye. It features gas struts on the lid, a Runrig sticker that I’m having preserved and advertising for his Ill-fated foray into self catering accommodation in France. 
 

The best bit is I can actually see it! I didn’t realise how good I actually was at trailer parking. Before, when guessing blind, I found it doable but difficult. Now it’s a doddle. 

First tip-trip complete and we’re looking forward to some serious campin’ (no G) next year. 

[wuvvum]

Mission complete. 

That's quite enough driving for one weekend. 

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

A good opportunity came up last weekend to upgrade my trailer. I’ve had the Erde 142 since we moved in 2015 and bought purely to move most of our shite to MiL’s to make our house look as minimal and as big as possible. I sold it to an Italian from Bedford for £150 and gave £notmuchmore for this.

I love it. It’s an Erde but for maximum AS points it’s a grey import. My friend bought it in France from a dealer about 10 years ago. It’s been all over Europe and been given a life of adventure I can only dream of, living all over - including Skye. It features gas struts on the lid, a Runrig sticker that I’m having preserved and advertising for his Ill-fated foray into self catering accommodation in France. 
 

The best bit is I can actually see it! I didn’t realise how good I actually was at trailer parking. Before, when guessing blind, I found it doable but difficult. Now it’s a doddle. 

First tip-trip complete and we’re looking forward to some serious campin’ (no G) next year. 

Your tip has a roof? 😯 That's well posh