The new news 24 thread

[stuboy]

Ðay 3 and last day of driver training at ebbsfleet football club.. the renault business drives well and no slouch but.. radio is trash, too high pitched speakers.... HAVC controls are in the wronĥ g place as too low..door panels are as thin as tin foil... 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Yoss said:

The place we bought it from had some odd stuff in stock

These two look very close outside:

[Yoss]

1 hour ago, plasticvandan said:

Love the up exclamation mark,I've hankered after one for a while,but keep reading how they grenade gearboxes,which pits me off a little

Well the fact this only has 33k on it hopefully means it'll be OK for a couple of weeks. 

 

1 hour ago, chadders said:

Our oldest one is 13 years old with no gearbox troubles, the newest 8 again with no troubles. Both are manuals so maybe it's an auto issue?

I'd have another in a heartbeat.

To be honest I didn't even realise there was an auto until a couple of days ago when I started comparing them all to ours. Is it like a mini DSG or is it a proper auto? 

A friend of mine, who pointed the advert out to Mrs Yoss in the first place loves them. He's the sort who chops his cars in even before the three years is up (he leases them all). He tries other things from time to time if he can get a stupidly good deal but always come back to these. Now you can't buy them new any more I think he'll be sticking to the two he has. He's had loads, of all three badges but currently has an Up! in that nice pale blue and a white Up! GTI with bronze Ronal Turbos on it.

He's never had any gearbox troubles but most of his are nearly new. 

I've never seen another car with only three parking sensors, but then it doesn't really need any. 

 

[Yoss]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

These two look very close outside:

I'll assume the Panda is one of theirs or else that is a bit cheeky. Parking wasn't great there and the showroom was full so they had a couple of there stock out in the road. 

[comfortablynumb]

Sorry @Yoss, the Triumph beats the others hands down 😁

[Yoss]

Just now, comfortablynumb said:

Sorry @Yoss, the Triumph beats the others hands down 😁

I won't disagree with that. I'll have had it 30 years in November so it's not going anywhere. I'll probably be buried in it!

It drives surprisingly well. It doesn't feel that different to a modern car which is not something you can say about all 60 year old designs.

The steering is a bit heavy at low speeds, mainly because I have a smaller Mountney steering wheel and slightly wider tyres on the Sprint wheels but the steering is surprisingly direct and high geared. It's a 1300 TC so has the Spitfire spec engine with a few weeks on top. 

I've been using it as my daily since I broke blue Favorit about a month ago. The only thing that dates it is that in warm weather with the roof and windows open I come home smelling of exhaust fumes but that's OK isn't it? 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Did some coppering.....

 

[wesacosa]

8 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

So, the same as when they were new then 😉

not sure if the lucas EPIC pump helps but mine starts perfectly and without clag on even the coldest UK days

[Rust Collector]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

not sure if the lucas EPIC pump helps but mine starts perfectly and without clag on even the coldest UK days

Mines ok with two cycles of the plugs. One cycle and no joke it fills the whole front garden with a cloud of clag. I can’t believe I haven’t had a neighbour complain yet.

My two BX’s with the 1.7td and Lucas pumps both started after what felt like a single crank of the engine, and were smoke free, so I did wonder if my expertly* bodged rebuilt Bosch pump is the culprit.

[Split_Pin]

10 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

The temperature here, whilst balmy compared to the rest of the UK, has dropped to the lowest I think it has been so far this winter. I decided to see how the XUD powered XM started with just one cycle of the cheapest eBay glow plugs rather than the standard* two cycles that it needs to get going in the cold. Scenes from my driveway this morning were similar to this:

Think I best get some proper glow plugs.

So that's why my neighbour's flight was cancelled.

[barefoot]

31 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Mines ok with two cycles of the plugs. One cycle and no joke it fills the whole front garden with a cloud of clag. I can’t believe I haven’t had a neighbour complain yet.

My two BX’s with the 1.7td and Lucas pumps both started after what felt like a single crank of the engine, and were smoke free, so I did wonder if my expertly* bodged rebuilt Bosch pump is the culprit.

Sorry to be thick, but I've never owned a diesel. Do you mean that you let the glow plug light go out, then switch it off and on again for it to do the glow plug thing twice before cranking it?

[Rust Collector]

6 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Sorry to be thick, but I've never owned a diesel. Do you mean that you let the glow plug light go out, then switch it off and on again for it to do the glow plug thing twice before cranking it?

No worries, you’re not being thick at all - that’s exactly what I’m doing. Turn the key to the ‘on’ position for the first time, wait for the glow plug light to go out, turn it off, turn it back to the ‘on’ position a second time, wait for the glow plug light to go out a second time, crank the starter and it fires straight up.

I’ve heard of another school of thought that you should crank the starter just before the glow plug light goes out the first time, as the glow plugs will be hotter, but it makes no difference on my XM.

[wuvvum]

I often find the glow plug light goes out before the glow plugs switch off - I've had a number of cars where the relay has clicked out several seconds after the light has gone off.  I think in some cars the light goes off as soon as the plugs are warm enough for the engine to start (calculated on time vs engine temp - obviously can't compensate for knackered plugs).

[Rust Collector]

13 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I often find the glow plug light goes out before the glow plugs switch off - I've had a number of cars where the relay has clicked out several seconds after the light has gone off.  I think in some cars the light goes off as soon as the plugs are warm enough for the engine to start (calculated on time vs engine temp - obviously can't compensate for knackered plugs).

I think that a lot of relays run the plugs for a while after the light goes out, but having taken a measurement with a multimeter it looks like the XM doesn’t function that way. I do wonder if a glow plug relay with that functionality could be swapped in.

[AnthonyG]

On 05/01/2025 at 09:14, GrumpiusMaximus said:

There’s another forum that I’ve been on since I turned 16.  I’m now 36.  20 years.  And I DO remember the early Internet as I was first online in 1995…

According to that ‘who’s posted the most’ link I found out I first joined this forum on the 7th February 2006, so only another year and month to go…😮

[Steve79]

Didn't the felica 1.9d glow plug relay kick in as soon as the drivers door was opened?

[High Jetter]

I've only had 3 dizzles - 87 2.0 Bluebird from new, '94 ZTT from 170 odd k miles, 2011 Vx Combo from 110k miles. Get in, seatbelt on, turn key and it starts, no delays - light on or off.

[Pete-M]

On 05/01/2025 at 15:38, artdjones said:

Why, I don't know, but the average poster on here doesn't give off the vibe of being a Facebook enthusiast. 

The beige page here is the original.  The Facebook one was a later thing, different vibe. 

[lesapandre]

Out and about in Chelsea today. Amazing amount of posh shite about and parked. XJ-S went by - used as an everyday car. And then I came across this parked outside the Conran Shop in Sloane Square...

No idea what it is - Fiat 500 maybe by the engine note.

When I came back a Bridget Jones look-alike was just driving off.

(Portholes are fake - may be a reference to 'A Yellow Submarine'?)

[It's a Ferves Ranger - Italian]

[Metal Guru]

On 07/01/2025 at 10:13, barefoot said:

Back in the year 2019bc, (before covid), I used to buy bog rolls in bulk. Today marks the day that I shall open my final packet of old time shite wipes.

Still wrapped in polythene!

 

Clearing out my mother’s house just now as she died just before Xmas. Let’s just say, I’ll not be buying any bog roll this year.

[chadders]

11 hours ago, Yoss said:

Well the fact this only has 33k on it hopefully means it'll be OK for a couple of weeks. 

 

To be honest I didn't even realise there was an auto until a couple of days ago when I started comparing them all to ours. Is it like a mini DSG or is it a proper auto? 

A friend of mine, who pointed the advert out to Mrs Yoss in the first place loves them. He's the sort who chops his cars in even before the three years is up (he leases them all). He tries other things from time to time if he can get a stupidly good deal but always come back to these. Now you can't buy them new any more I think he'll be sticking to the two he has. He's had loads, of all three badges but currently has an Up! in that nice pale blue and a white Up! GTI with bronze Ronal Turbos on it.

He's never had any gearbox troubles but most of his are nearly new. 

I've never seen another car with only three parking sensors, but then it doesn't really need any. 

 

I'm pretty sure that it's a DSG.

[Pete-M]

9 hours ago, Steve79 said:

Didn't the felica 1.9d glow plug relay kick in as soon as the drivers door was opened?

That's the fuel pump. Lots if VAG stuff does it. 

[beko1987]

8 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Out and about in Chelsea today. Amazing amount of posh shite about and parked. XJ-S went by - used as an everyday car. And then I came across this parked outside the Conran Shop in Sloane Square...

No idea what it is - Fiat 500 maybe by the engine note.

When I came back a Bridget Jones look-alike was just driving off.

(Portholes are fake - may be a reference to 'A Yellow Submarine'?)

[It's a Ferves Ranger - Italian]

I've not often though an invacar would seem a nicer, safer, warmer place to be than something else other than a moped yet here we are 😂

[lesapandre]

Yes Bridget Jones did not seem at all worried and there was a very suave  man with her too - she was driving.

Chelsea and Notting Hill are home to some very interesting chod - we'll worth a walkabout. 

[Rust Collector]

In today’s episode of ‘XM versus mildly cold weather’, I dared to open the driver’s door at 7am in order to get the ice scraper out to use on the Clio.

Obviously* this act cannot go without punishment, and so the driver’s door no longer latches closed.

Ive had to disconnect the battery, and leave the bin propped against the door to keep it shut.

‘Which one is the bin?’ etc.

[catsinthewelder]

I remember doing the school run in a BX in that state using the seatbelt to hold the door shut (kids were loaded through the drivers door first).  It was fine once it defrosted.  Learnt my lesson about pouring hot water on the lock and put loads of grease on the mechanism.

[lesapandre]

9 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

In today’s episode of ‘XM versus mildly cold weather’, I dared to open the driver’s door at 7am in order to get the ice scraper out to use on the Clio.

Obviously* this act cannot go without punishment, and so the driver’s door no longer latches closed.

Ive had to disconnect the battery, and leave the bin propped against the door to keep it shut.

‘Which one is the bin?’ etc.

Laughing but in sympathy. I once owned one of these.

[Split_Pin]

14 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

In today’s episode of ‘XM versus mildly cold weather’, I dared to open the driver’s door at 7am in order to get the ice scraper out to use on the Clio.

Obviously* this act cannot go without punishment, and so the driver’s door no longer latches closed.

Ive had to disconnect the battery, and leave the bin propped against the door to keep it shut.

‘Which one is the bin?’ etc.

I've had to put bins against all 4 doors in the 75 because they wouldn't latch closed 😂 very common problem with them and really irritating.  I took all the doorcards off, dried out the frozen internals with a heat gun, chased out the moisture with WD40 and then sprayed fuck out of all of it with silicone, like an angry bumble bee with a shotgun. Never happened since.

[Rust Collector]

12 minutes ago, catsinthewelder said:

I remember doing the school run in a BX in that state using the seatbelt to hold the door shut (kids were loaded through the drivers door first).  It was fine once it defrosted.  Learnt my lesson about pouring hot water on the lock and put loads of grease on the mechanism.

Now you mention it, I’ve definitely had this happen before with my driveway ornament BX! Must have a similar latch or linkages.

6 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Laughing but in sympathy. I once owned one of these.

It made me laugh too, I’m well past the point of this car being able to upset me now.

3 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I've had to put bins against all 4 doors in the 75 because they wouldn't latch closed 😂 very common problem with them and really irritating.  I took all the doorcards off, dried out the frozen internals with a heat gun, chased out the moisture with WD40 and then sprayed fuck out of all of it with silicone, like a an angry bumble bee with a shotgun. Never happened since.

I’d run out of bins before doors 🤣 heat and then spraying various fluids into the doors is on the cards, once my mrs is back from the airport run and can take over the child wrangling. I had suggested that I do it in the XM to save her the drive, but she wisely chose to stick with relying on the Clio 🤣

[Kiltox]

My local Nissan main dealer has started importing parts from 1973