The new news 24 thread

[Dyslexic Viking]

5 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

 Out and about I spotted this Maxus e-delivery van in for repair. Looks to my untutored eye very crude under the skin. Note the plastic wheel arch liner is just that - there is nothing behind it.  

These are a bit unusually made, this below shows the underside among other things for the few interested. 

 

[brownnova]

22 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

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

Had this happen on the 9000 during the last frozen snap. It was the back doors, I fiddled about, sprayed shit tons of stuff on it and still couldn’t work it. So I just left it on the drive. Mrs_b tried again in the daylight whilst I was at work and got it to close.

Back about 2009 I had a VW Polo Classic which used to freeze the door lock mechanism (not the lock) so you couldn’t open them at all in freezing weather. We had a cold snap about minus 10 all week and I couldn’t get to work because I literally couldn’t get into my car! 

[brownnova]

With the 4x4 conveniently broken when it would be most needed the bad weather commuting has been done in the Saab this week. Floods on Monday, Snow on Tuesday and heavy frosts the rest of the week… 

The handbook gives very severe warnings about operating the roof below 5C. I opted to test this out at 3C when I set off from work. No bother. The fact it was minus 1 when I got home worried me slightly, but no nuns or kittens died… glorious to bask in the sun zero temps with the heated seats on! 

 

Also this week (my passenger) took the most annoying photo ever! 

Just missed 123456 clicking take as it clicked over. 

[RichardK]

Took the Insight for the first long drive after resetting, checking and charging it. 110 miles to collect a Mac PowerBook G3 I'd stupidly bid on and no-one outbid me (it's fine, it was cheap enough but not dirt cheap and it's a bronze keyboard, so doesn't have the desirable combo of interfaces that some G3 PowerBooks have - I have a Wallstreet one but it's scruffy and I;'d hoped this would let me improve it a bit).

The Insight behaved perfectly, aside from an occasional clonk at the back on bumps suggesting a bush or spring rubber might be a bit tired. It's bloody cold and part of taking it instead of the HR-V was to get it warmed through and not sitting like Jack Nicholson at the end of the Shining (spoilers) glaring through the ice.

Naturally I was offered a 2001-ish Ford Dorchester hearse with 36,000 miles. I've asked for more info if anyone's tempted by the idea of a 22ft long greenhouse on wheels.

[beko1987]

It's probably warning about the fabric snapping 😂 Won't it all defrost and thaw in the bit it folds away in too? Or is that well drained anyway? 

I'm amazed it moved at all. My front windows won't work for 5/6 miles until the car's got a bit warm, once they didn't defrost at all and I had to get out of the car to put my pass to the work car park barrier then hurriedly get back in and through before it came back down 😂

[grogee]

On 05/01/2025 at 20:06, aldo135 said:

Sad times @320touring @jaypee @Split_Pin

Ah, the E60 'easter egg'. Well done for finding it. 

[lesapandre]

Fleamarket bag this freezing morning - eight early 60's 'Car Mechanics' mags - 25pee each. These will cover works to 30-50's type cars owned by the economy motorist of the era. All those long departed Freds and Stans.

Now I can learn how to get 30mpg from a Humber Hawk etc.

[Kiltox]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

 Out and about I spotted this Maxus e-delivery van in for repair. Looks to my untutored eye very crude under the skin. Note the plastic wheel arch liner is just that - there is nothing behind it.  

Can’t say I’m surprised tbh, the T90EV is pretty fucking janky underneath. 

[aldo135]

34 minutes ago, grogee said:

Ah, the E60 'easter egg'. Well done for finding it. 

My local garage had it in on Thursday and it’s missing again, the only codes were for its other issues of brakes and tyres!  He thinks if I get them fixed and the faults clear that will be it, but I’m in that catch 22 of spending money and it does it again next week 🙈. That was my plan before this fault beeped onto the screen, as they were advisories on its recent MOT pass. The Mechanic’s advice for now is to put miles on it and go back in a week or 2. Will see what happens 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Die ya b'stad!

Finally! Happy days!
#everytrickinthebook

[artdjones]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Fleamarket bag this freezing morning - eight early 60's 'Car Mechanics' mags - 25pee each. These will cover works to 30-50's type cars owned by the economy motorist of the era. All those long departed Freds and Stans.

Now I can learn how to get 30mpg from a Humber Hawk etc.

Back in the days when men wore suits and ties everywhere. My dad would dress like that on family days out. As a big concession, on beach trips he didn't bother bringing the tie along. In case you're wondering, he wasn't a chartered accountant, but a trolley bus conductor.

[mat777]

13 hours ago, brownnova said:

With the 4x4 conveniently broken when it would be most needed the bad weather commuting has been done in the Saab this week. Floods on Monday, Snow on Tuesday and heavy frosts the rest of the week… 

The handbook gives very severe warnings about operating the roof below 5C. I opted to test this out at 3C when I set off from work. No bother. The fact it was minus 1 when I got home worried me slightly, but no nuns or kittens died… glorious to bask in the sun zero temps with the heated seats on! 

 

Also this week (my passenger) took the most annoying photo ever! 

Just missed 123456 clicking take as it clicked over. 

I had a choice this week with the snowmageddon: Struggle to work with the Prius or let the Discovery do what it was born to do....

Except, the Prius didn't struggle at all. I'm not sure how much of this was down to being able to drive properly unlike the majority of wankpuffins out there, and how much was was to do with having proper all season tyres instead of rock-hard low profile summer compound hoops. But it matters not, it coped admirably whilst many others floundered. Which is lucky really, because my red car is now literally white from the amount of salt. The Discovery remains safely on my driveway, had I used it this week I suspect my hitherto pristine chassis would be doing a good impression of an Alka seltzer tablet .....

 

In other news, I was informed when buying it that the long term pre pre penultimate owner of my breaker P38 was a garage who had at some point replaced the engine. I'm beginning to wonder just how good a garage it was, because after last week's butchered ECU wiring I spent part of today removing the exhaust manifold. 1 stud was missing entirely, and 2 studs were snapped and glued back into place.... Good job the block is already scrap!

[Lord Sterling]

This week has been absolutely freezing (as if you didn't know). For the first 2 nights at work, I used the Vectra as I often do, but as I had not gone anywhere during my days off, I decided to use the Jag for the last 2 days to at least give it a small run out. Glad I did as it turned over slower than normal but fired up straight away.

I had this cover way back when Inwas using the Micra for a few months when my old red Jag needed some MoT remedial work. I bought for literally a couple quid, it covered the Micra nicely, not so much the Vectra, but it fitted the Jag just perfect. I had to peel it off after the big freeze we had a couple of days ago. This morning though, the cover and car were nice and dry again. 

[bramz7]

Took the newest fleet member to work today.

It drives very well for the miles, cruise down the A303 was lovely and even on the absolutely terrible sections of the A343 it was also fine. 

Niggles? Yeah, starting it is a massive pain in the arse. It took 2 minutes of faff this morning as either the clutch switch is duff, or the car isn't sending a signal immediately to the fuel pump (judging by the lack of noises). I can sense this becoming very annoying very quickly. I've found a very well regarded BMW specialist in Salisbury who I may take it to for MOT and service, and probably that issue too. 

It feels absolutely gigantic too. Which is no great issue, but I don't think it's a good commuting car for me due to this. But I won't be selling it as I'm always pining for an estate car....

[BorniteIdentity]

On 09/01/2025 at 15:34, Yoss said:

The place we bought it from had some odd stuff in stock. The oddest being this. 

A convertible ute! It's a Chevy SSR apparently. No me neither.

As owned by Richard Hammond. He drove a yellow one in one of the final Grand Tour episodes and bought it from the production company afterwards.

They strike me as the answer to a question that absolutely nobody has ever asked. For that, I like them. 

[Split_Pin]

All cleaned inside and out. Great condition.

 

[Cookiesouwest]

New rubber mats for the CRV

 

[lesapandre]

15 minutes ago, Cookiesouwest said:

New rubber mays for the CRV

 

Oh that's smart. Did you cut it yourself? ✂️📏📐

[Cookiesouwest]

1 minute ago, lesapandre said:

Oh that's smart. Did you cut it yourself? ✂️📏📐

My cutting skills would not end with a result like that !

Got them off Ebay pre cut to size.

[Stinkwheel]

Fitted an ‘Accuspark’ stealth electronic ignition kit to the mini. 
It’s stealth because the only bit externally you can see extra is an extra wire coming out the dstributor to the coil switched +

For 39.95 it’s a no brainier purchase. 
 

The difference in spark from the points set up is insane. Big fat sparks at every plug every time now. Starts easier and idles much better from cold. No current pics so an old one to fill space / attention 

 

[JakeT]

Lovely day for it. New front caliper on mums Fiat 500. Normally I’d have told them to book it in with my father in law, but after dad’s X5 expired in the summer it’s their only car. Until dads new one arrives. Had to go to the dreaded euronobheads but they actually had the right part in stock! That’s a shock.
 

[PhilA]

Ain't snowing but the weather's not nice. 

Onward and upward.

[PhilA]

Still raining. 

Need new wiper blades. Every part of the car that can, leaks.

[Bren]

Had a tooth out this morning. Dentist had established it was broken on a previous visit - it came out in two pieces - almost a mirror image.

The anaesthetic has now worn off and ibuprofen were required 😪

[richardmorris]

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Yes please, if money was no object I would have one of these.

V16 and so good looking.

(Please keep your window cleaner!)

[Six-cylinder]

DVLA strikes again, in November we changed 13 PLG cars that were not on the road to historic tax class. We did not go to the post office to get them taxed because they were not fit to drive on the road and most were not insured. The V5Cs were posted to DVLA who changed them to Historic tax class, but they also came back taxed that we had never asked for. As they were unfit for the road and mostly uninsured  I SORNed them as soon as we got the new V5Cs.

Today we got a letter from the DVLA asking why we had taxed a car that had no insurance. Turns out 1 of the 13 new V5Cs had not arrived and therefore I could not SORN it and did not realise I even needed to as I did all the new V5Cs I got sent.  Explaining this today has resulted in us receiving a £25 fine as replacement V5C cost for not reporting the missing V5C within 6 weeks.

 

[DVee8]

39 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

DVLA strikes again, in November we changed 13 PLG cars that were not on the road to historic tax class. We did not go to the post office to get them taxed because they were not fit to drive on the road and most were not insured. The V5Cs were posted to DVLA who changed them to Historic tax class, but also came back taxed that we had never asked for. As they were unfit for the road and mostly uninsured  I SORNed them as soon as we got the new V5Cs.

Today we got a letter from the DVLA asking why we had taxed a car that had no insurance. Turns out 1 of the 13 new V5Cs had not arrived and therefore I could not SORN it and did not realise I even needed to as I did all the new V5Cs I got sent.  Explaining this today has resulted in us receiving a £25 fine as replacement V5C cost for not reporting the missing V5C within 6 weeks.

 

This morning I received a £50 for the Daimler not being on sorn, I'm sure it is.

The DVLA are saying it isn't insured so there for must be sorned , but it is insured it's on laid up. Apparently, according to my insurance company, the dvla doesn't receive notice of laid up.

Another one to fight.

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Yes please, if money was no object I would have one of these.

V16 and so good looking.

(Please keep your window cleaner!)

I am the window cleaner. It needs doing now but was -2C today! The black with tan looked smart. There's been one in 2cv charleston colours too, but they seem to split the body panels a bit. Not that I'd turn one away!

[comfortablynumb]

DVLA lost the logbook for the range rover of too many wheels.

Because it was already registered to me, I didn't bother paying their £25 for a new logbook, I didn't need one, and I baulked at paying for their mistake.

Then all those blank logbooks ' went missing ', and when they reissued them, I got a new logbook 🤣

Of course, now that's gone back to them for historic tax class, what's the betting they 'lose' it again?