The new news 24 thread

24,930 · February 5

All of 750miles last year.

14,068 · February 5

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.

64,757 · February 5

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...

10,902 · February 5

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 .......

21,586 · February 5

Electricity level = 0.

Bums.

24,930 · February 5

6 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

Electricity level = 0.

Bums.

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

16,771 · February 5

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!

40,709 · February 5

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

12,778 · February 6

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.

3,132 · February 6

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

35,279 · February 6

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

February 6

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.

27,517 · February 6

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

27,632 · February 6

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 😂

27,517 · February 6

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🤣

24,930 · February 6

29,006 · February 6

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....

24,930 · February 6

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.

27,632 · February 6

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 😂

27,632 · February 6

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 😂

21,481 · February 6

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.

1,273 · February 6

Wife's Ypsilon failed MOT on a leak where hose meets caliper (had somehow got unscrewed) and an indicator bulb that wasn't orange enough. Central Edinburgh MOT garage (i.e. the chancer at the reception desk) was keen to supply a new hose, caliper and bulb for at a cost including the MOT of £705 - SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIVE POUNDS! 3 HOURS labour and £220+VAT for a caliper wtf. Needless to say I told them to fuck off. £80 for new caliper, hose and bulb on fleabay and Amazon plus some new pads because why not. Fail side took me 40 minutes and other side pads 20 minutes and about 15 minutes for a spot of preventitive rustprofing, old caliper & pads were shite. Weren't too friendly when I took it back for retest and I'm tempted to copy this to the grumpy forum - so glad I'm a spannerer as can't imagine how stressful it would be to be at the mercy of commercial repair places.

25,128 · February 6

Ticked over 220,000 today…

Doesn’t look too bad considering!

I bought this as a 6 month stop gap 7 1/2 years ago. It was the gateway into dailying shite!

35,279 · February 6

Audi has FTPd. Black smoke and stalling but there's no DPF.

13,804 · February 6

7 hours ago, EightMegs said:

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.

Australia.

I'm struggling to find parts here too. The major car parts chain business often have very few parts available, or indefinite back orders, or simply discontinued basic parts.

I ordered these parts online as no physical shops around me had anything in stock or could even guarantee me they could order them in.

February 6

Just now, MorrisItalSLX said:

Australia.

I'm struggling to find parts here too. The major car parts chain business often have very few parts available, or indefinite back orders, or simply discontinued basic parts.

I ordered these parts online as no physical shops around me had anything in stock or could even guarantee me they could order them in.

AutoDoc was great until a couple of years ago when they stopped stocking old Japanese stuff, RockAuto is alright for now, hopefully yank politics don't get in the way.

7,503 · February 6

I haven't posted much lately. A case of not much going on and CBA ness. Circus finished the end of last October and after a couple of weeks Stourbridge way I buggered off to Dorset for a month. I was then asked to go to Norwich to keep an eye on the circus stuff over the Xmas and new year while everyone was either at the NEC or in Holland. Three weeks pay and £180 fuel bill from Weymouth that gets paid as well. I think it works out at about 11mpg. Which isn't too bad to move my house and shed, although it's only in the back of the Mazda that's used as a shed. The car itself is definitely not a shed. I've had it 2 years now and apart from a few bits of ignition stuff, (leads, ignition module and rotor arm,) about £45 and a full exhaust which cost £76 I've not done much else to it. Mot coming up next month but I can't think of anything it needs. It's been a damn fine machine so far. Always the oldest car on the Mways I've been on. Although a couple of weeks ago I caught up with an M plate red 405 so I slowed down to have a good look and it was being driven by a bloke in a turban so I gave him a thumbs up which he returned. It was in excellent condition.

As I've been sitting on the Norfolk Showground ,boring, since before Xmas I'm going to bugger off for a few weeks the end of next week and go visit a couple of friends and then head for my Mot man in Brierley hill. So keep an eye out for these.

35,279 · February 6

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Audi has FTPd. Black smoke and stalling but there's no DPF.

Also the E46 went into limp mode again, EML, ABS light and yellow handbrake light.

Oh and the boot button stopped working.

Just what I need right now.

40,709 · February 7

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Also the E46 went into limp mode again, EML, ABS light and yellow handbrake light.

Oh and the boot button stopped working.

Just what I need right now.

I know the feeling. It doesn't just rain, it fucking pours.

23,194 · February 7

2 hours ago, SiC said:

I know the feeling. It doesn't just rain, it fucking pours.

Probably out of the wiring harness.

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