The new news 24 thread

[wuvvum]

New caliper and disc fitted to the Eos, so that should now be usable again.

It could do with one more bleed as the pedal is still slightly soft but I need to top the brake fluid up before I bleed it any more, and the reservoir is a twat to get to and I ran out of daylight before I had a chance to dig out a clean funnel so that's a job for tomorrow.  

I got the caliper put together yesterday (kept the original carrier as that's just a lump of pig iron so can't really go wrong, but fitted new sliders), but the disc didn't get delivered until today so I couldn't complete the job at the weekend. 

I also couldn't fix the Visa as the part that was delivered was wrong, so I spent most of what was a rather lovely Sunday taking various fleet members for a quick spin.  The Volvo and the Innocenti were both on the button, somewhat to my surprise given how long both have been stood up.  The Toyota, Rover and Maxus all needed assistance from a jump pack although none of them was completely flat.  I even dug my bike helmet out and took the electric scooter for a quick run round the block, which was enjoyable.

The Merc has been doing daily duties since the Ampera got hit up the arse, and it's doing a decent enough job although the battery is a tad weaker than I'd ideally like - it's not failed to start yet but it's had me nervous a couple of times.  Also in the cold and damp it really struggles to get the power down at low speed, and I've had a couple of instances where I've gone to boot it out of a busy junction only for Mercedes' trademark nannying ESP to kick in and kill it dead, which is annoying.  It's fine at higher speeds though, and having the grunt to get past dawdlers quickly is a bonus.

[Crackers]

16 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Some changes at the back.

New plates courtesy of @Kiltox, an absolute fucking bargain at £12 delivered. 

The car also came with replacement '95' and 'Aero' badges so on they went. I'm not a fan of the debadged look and metal pressed plates even less so, so I am happy with this.

Also included with the car were a pair of brand new 'Saab Scania' badges which I'd love to fit but the ones on the car are new and look nice so I'll leave them for now.

Just need to remember to do the admin side of things before I drive it again!

Those are the original 95/Aero letters which I removed after accidentally jetwashing the "5" off and couldn't be arsed to replace it. 

The bonnet and boot badges on the car are genuine Saab items I put on to replace very damaged originals - keep them on it IMO.

The Saab-Scania ones I bought thinking it'd be cool but they're repros and actually quite poor, OEM Saab-Scanias are NLA sadly 😕

You're owner no.3 to be on the fence on the metal plates, I never changed them as I'm a tightwad too, but ended up quite liking for some reason. 

Can I have first dibs when your time is up with it pls? 

[Split_Pin]

25 minutes ago, Crackers said:

Those are the original 95/Aero letters which I removed after accidentally jetwashing the "5" off and couldn't be arsed to replace it. 

The bonnet and boot badges on the car are genuine Saab items I put on to replace very damaged originals - keep them on it IMO.

The Saab-Scania ones I bought thinking it'd be cool but they're repros and actually quite poor, OEM Saab-Scanias are NLA sadly 😕

You're owner no.3 to be on the fence on the metal plates, I never changed them as I'm a tightwad too, but ended up quite liking for some reason. 

Can I have first dibs when your time is up with it pls? 

To be fair the plates were stuck on WELL 😅 I managed not to bend them though!

Yes you can have first dibs although no plans to sell any time soon! My intention is to sort a few suspension rattles in the coming weeks.

[MorrisItalSLX]

I had to make a difficult decision with the Corolla. Spend more than the car is worth on new suspension or put it out to pasture and buy something else (a modern).

There was only one sensible option.

I have opted to go for the non-sensible completely stupid option, obviously.

[Crackers]

36 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

To be fair the plates were stuck on WELL 😅 I managed not to bend them though!

Yes you can have first dibs although no plans to sell any time soon! My intention is to sort a few suspension rattles in the coming weeks.

Glad to hear it's getting plenty of love! It's definitely worth it... I still think about this car every day (be still my beating heart ♥️) 

[richardmorris]

Advisory for perishing tyres. And mot for car number two booked for tomorrow in a very poor scheduling £ wise.

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Advisory for perishing tyres.

Last year a local tyre centre did not want to reseat a tyre for me that had a slow leak because it was more than 15 years old with no cracking. This was a year ago and they wanted to sell me a new tyre that would now have used 20% of it life and has not even been on the road yet

[richardmorris]

18 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Last year a local tyre centre did not want to reseat a tyre for me that had a slow leak because it was more than 15 years old with no cracking. This was a year ago and they wanted to sell me a new tyre that would now have used 20% of it life and has not even been on the road yet

I'll keep an eye on them, but the tread is ok. four year old Falken - which isn't a brand I've seen for sale.

[richardmorris]

All of 750miles last year.

[Lord Sterling]

Kin 'ell, what a day.

It's literally 3pm and I'm now at home chilling. However, what a week. 

Since I dropped off the Jag, I fell ill again with some form of mild flu which got me on half way through my 3rd day at work, everyone noticed my lack of enthusiasm (for some reason, depsite being an absolute introvert, I'm usually the loud funny guy at work cracking jokes and doing accents) and I looked so tired, so I went home and booked a couple of days off work so I can at least get paid. The flu is still lingering but is slowly peeling away. 

The noise in the wheel of the Jag is still there so I'm trying not use it, which means that Vectra is on daily duties anyway.

Ma_Sterling decided a tip run was needed, as Bankruptingham City Clowncil still retains a booking system for tip runs, I usually take the rubbish and use my local area recycling centres that you can still drive into.

Whilst in Birmingham today, the power steering failed on the Vectra rendering it like a tank to steer, some of the junctions I had to turn into where a tad scary as you're reminded that the steering no longer has assistance. 

I spoke to the garage MoT-ing the Vectra tomorrow and advised me to bring it down today so they could have a look at it. I loaded up the car with the rubbish and checked into a Bromsgrove recycling centre, I thought I'd try my luck and it worked, they let me in despite not having a permit.

Rubbish got rid of and I hooned it down to the garage, remembering to book a taxi to get me out of there, I really didn't fancy adding to my poor health woes, so back home now awaiting results of Power Steering and MoT, hopefully I'll actually get over this bastard flu malarky, this is the third or forth time I've had it since September last year.

[wuvvum]

Got a phone call yesterday morning from the accident management company saying they were going to arrange for the Ampera to be collected.  Then got a text from their contractor (a fairly reputable local recovery firm) saying they'd be with me just after 2pm.  Two phone calls to say they were running late later, the truck turned up at 9.30pm (!).  Anyway, the car's now gone off to be stripped down and the damage assessed - I await the results with bated breath...

[EyesWeldedShut]

Front flexis on a FreeLander 1 - just what size is the flats on that union? 3/8"?
Nevermind, all the steel bits are shagged so, off they come - the grumpy bit is the nearside one (not shown) rust goes all the way up through a funnel shaped grommet and comes out under the battery and ECU box - that'll be a twenty minute job taking two hours tomorrow then  (assuming Craddocks get their fingers out and send the parts).
MoT expires 14th Feb .......

[captain_70s]

Electricity level = 0.

Bums.

[richardmorris]

6 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

Electricity level = 0.

Bums.

I thought the plate read BUM before I put the glasses on. Good luck.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Front flexis on a FreeLander 1 - just what size is the flats on that union? 3/8"?
Nevermind, all the steel bits are shagged so, off they come - the grumpy bit is the nearside one (not shown) rust goes all the way up through a funnel shaped grommet and comes out under the battery and ECU box - that'll be a twenty minute job taking two hours tomorrow then  (assuming Craddocks get their fingers out and send the parts).
MoT expires 14th Feb .......

Happy Valentines!

[SiC]

Spotted this near the Bristol BBC wildlife and old top gear offices on the way to the train station. 

 

[Joey spud]

My Granvia after sitting since Xmas has decided not to charge it's batteries anymore. 

Its original alternator started draining the electrical system and getting smelly back in the summer and I found a nearly new recon one on the internet and once fitted I found the charge warning light wasn't coming on but fortunately it was self exciting and charging fine until the other day.

I checked the alt multi plug and warning lamp circuit which was all good.

The cheapest 'recon' unit I could find was £149 far to salty for me so went for plan B.

Rectifier,regulator and brush pack for £56.

Annoyingly the positive post on the rectifier was misaligned stopping me fitting the nylon insolation collar over it. I didn't want to try bending it straight so I cut a bit of alternator body away instead. 

I'll bung it back on later and hopefully get it back on the road.

I've used this guy before when i fitted new solenoid contacts to the Granvia starter motor he has a decent eBay shop and delivery is quick too.

[calebaaront]

New member joined the fleet yesterday. I’ve always fancied an X-Type. It’s got the 2.0 D so it’s a bit tractorish but is still a comfortable car and drives good. Not sure how long it’ll be staying for but the Mrs seems to like it and it goes very well with my Audi A6 

[Split_Pin]

A medium-sized haul of Saab 9-5 spares was offered to me for £0 a while ago, I collected them last night - delighted!

 

[EightMegs]

On 04/02/2025 at 08:56, MorrisItalSLX said:

I had to make a difficult decision with the Corolla. Spend more than the car is worth on new suspension or put it out to pasture and buy something else (a modern).

There was only one sensible option.

I have opted to go for the non-sensible completely stupid option, obviously.

Where did you order these from, out of curiosity? I've been finding it really hard to find spares for my Carina outside of Japan and the US.

[320touring]

Just been out to try running a jumplead from the alternator body to the neg terminal on the Oxford. To see if it's an earth issue causing it not to charge.

Fuel pump working, engine spinning freely, battery a bit tired. Then nae even an attempt to fire.

Back in noo, battery on charge. Wonder if the points are grumpy.

It started ok on Tuesday 🤣

 

Cars: NO EVEN WANST

[beko1987]

7 minutes ago, 320touring said:

Just been out to try running a jumplead from the alternator body to the neg terminal on the Oxford. To see if it's an earth issue causing it not to charge.

Fuel pump working, engine spinning freely, battery a bit tired. Then nae even an attempt to fire.

Back in noo, battery on charge. Wonder if the points are grumpy.

It started ok on Tuesday 🤣

 

Cars: NO EVEN WANST

Now hook the oxford up to the leaf, wake it up a bit 😂

[320touring]

6 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Now hook the oxford up to the leaf, wake it up a bit 😂

That'd be hard on 2 counts..

 

1. I don't have a full set of jumpleads here

2. @Dave_Q now owns the leaf🤣

[richardmorris]

[Dave_Q]

1 hour ago, 320touring said:

That'd be hard on 2 counts..

 

1. I don't have a full set of jumpleads here

2. @Dave_Q now owns the leaf🤣

So how did the fire occur sir?

Well, a man on a forum suggested I use the 400v traction battery of my EV to jump start my car....

[richardmorris]

1 minute ago, Dave_Q said:

So how did the fire occur sir?

Well, a man on a forum suggested I use the 400v traction battery of my EV to jump start my car....

I'm imagining the Delorean burning tyre tracks in back to the future. 

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, 320touring said:

That'd be hard on 2 counts..

 

1. I don't have a full set of jumpleads here

2. @Dave_Q now owns the leaf🤣

Sorry, yes it's a zoe now isn't it! Would need to be a long set of leads indeed for Dave to help but equally if it were possible his drive home would have been far easier for him 😂

[beko1987]

37 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

I'm imagining the Delorean burning tyre tracks in back to the future. 

That whole scene could have been done in 3 seconds flat with a bigger fireball at the end 😂

[Tayne]

The 12volt battery on an EV doesn’t have to crank an internal combustion engine so will have a lower amperage. EVs are, paradoxically, almost no use for jump starting another car.

[lesapandre]

18 hours ago, SiC said:

Spotted this near the Bristol BBC wildlife and old top gear offices on the way to the train station. 

 

What is a Kuwait registered mildly customised 80's Nissan 280ZX doing parked on double yellow lines in Bristol of a February afternoon?

Has there been some rupture in the space time continuum?

Very odd spot.

They sold quite well in the UK but really rusted - and most long gone.