The new news 24 thread

[Cavcraft]

WA, and indeed HEY, my lad has just sorted his first car insurance out. We went through one of those places that fit a box to the car to monitor his driving, shit loads cheaper than 'normal' insurance. Now it's only* just shy of two large but he's happy to pay that and itching to get out in his car!

[skattrd]

I'm back from Shropshire after an uneventful collection of the RVR. I was going to do a collection thread on it but have no pics and it was quite dull.

Caught train to Telford

Owner picked me up from station

Handed over cash and collected motor - drove 120 miles home.

 

If anyone's interested I'll do a thread on the motor as it is an odd thing, it's like evo meets people carrier with a hint of delica. I haven't decided whether I like it or not, so far all I can say is I don't hate it. I'll use it for work for a couple of days and see how I get on with it.

[skattrd]

I'm back from Shropshire after an uneventful collection of the RVR. I was going to do a collection thread on it but have no pics and it was quite dull.

Caught train to Telford

Owner picked me up from station

Handed over cash and collected motor - drove 120 miles home.

 

If anyone's interested I'll do a thread on the motor as it is an odd thing, it's like evo meets people carrier with a hint of delica. I haven't decided whether I like it or not, so far all I can say is I don't hate it. I'll use it for work for a couple of days and see how I get on with it.

[Pete-M]

I've had a few Sierra XR4x4s. The 2.9 in that spec is a nice thing to drive, and that looks like a nice one. Expect 18 mpg in cities, anything up to 32ish on a run.

[Pete-M]

I've had a few Sierra XR4x4s. The 2.9 in that spec is a nice thing to drive, and that looks like a nice one. Expect 18 mpg in cities, anything up to 32ish on a run.

[dollywobbler]

More nice weather, so I've fitted a better stereo to the BX and replaced the shite, comedy door speakers. Needs moar speakers really, not sure what to do about that.

 

Am halfway through raising the ride height of the Maverick. On checking, there was quite a difference between the front ride height left to right and it's much lower at the front than the rear. Am aiming for a 20mm difference between front and rear rather than the 60/70mm difference it did have. Bloody exhausting winding those torsion bars up, and it was a hell of a job to free off the lock nuts. Would probably be easier if I took the weight off the front suspension but that then means having to drop it every time I want to check the measurements. Might do it just to see what difference it makes...

[dollywobbler]

More nice weather, so I've fitted a better stereo to the BX and replaced the shite, comedy door speakers. Needs moar speakers really, not sure what to do about that.

 

Am halfway through raising the ride height of the Maverick. On checking, there was quite a difference between the front ride height left to right and it's much lower at the front than the rear. Am aiming for a 20mm difference between front and rear rather than the 60/70mm difference it did have. Bloody exhausting winding those torsion bars up, and it was a hell of a job to free off the lock nuts. Would probably be easier if I took the weight off the front suspension but that then means having to drop it every time I want to check the measurements. Might do it just to see what difference it makes...

[Cavcraft]

Bastarding bollocky wankbreath. Having put a new exhaust, discs, pads and wiperblades on the Corsa, it paid us back by failing the MOT today

Hole in the front subframe right where the steering tack bolts through, and ball joints or something like that. It's a sub frame job out to weld it up so we're getting a second hand one, and also it was advised on an oil leak (rear crank seals I think), the clutch is a bit shit and a couple of other bits and bobs. Too much of a PITA to do at home with no ramp so we're getting the whole shebang sorted at a local garage at a decent rate.

I'm more pissed off for my lad than anything, he's just got insured on it and was looking forward to being on the road today.

 

We even took the horrible alloys off and swapped them on to the Cavalier to keep the insurance happy, so now my car looks even wankier-but that's no big deal I suppose. Cleaned the 306 for the first time in ages, chucked in my new choice of fuel (i.e cheaper than previous!) and realised it's going to be an absolute bastard to start in the morning due to the cold weather.

[Cavcraft]

Bastarding bollocky wankbreath. Having put a new exhaust, discs, pads and wiperblades on the Corsa, it paid us back by failing the MOT today

Hole in the front subframe right where the steering tack bolts through, and ball joints or something like that. It's a sub frame job out to weld it up so we're getting a second hand one, and also it was advised on an oil leak (rear crank seals I think), the clutch is a bit shit and a couple of other bits and bobs. Too much of a PITA to do at home with no ramp so we're getting the whole shebang sorted at a local garage at a decent rate.

I'm more pissed off for my lad than anything, he's just got insured on it and was looking forward to being on the road today.

 

We even took the horrible alloys off and swapped them on to the Cavalier to keep the insurance happy, so now my car looks even wankier-but that's no big deal I suppose. Cleaned the 306 for the first time in ages, chucked in my new choice of fuel (i.e cheaper than previous!) and realised it's going to be an absolute bastard to start in the morning due to the cold weather.

[skattrd]

Cavette - To aid starting in cold weather I dilute the fuel in the boring with 5-10% petrol

[skattrd]

Cavette - To aid starting in cold weather I dilute the fuel in the boring with 5-10% petrol

[Cavcraft]

Cheers but that sounds like it will involve spending money. FUCK THAT for a game of soldiers

To be honest with a higher percentage of diesel in it it'll be fine, I'm just too tight to lob more in so have to put up with three or four minutes of arsing about in the morning then smoke screening the neighbourhood!

[Cavcraft]

Cheers but that sounds like it will involve spending money. FUCK THAT for a game of soldiers

To be honest with a higher percentage of diesel in it it'll be fine, I'm just too tight to lob more in so have to put up with three or four minutes of arsing about in the morning then smoke screening the neighbourhood!

[Caffiend]

I am job-hunting. Information governance (think of it as ISO27001 with added data protection, freedom of information, records management etc geekery, I mean goodness). If any organisation out there is aiming to grab a slice of the NHS pie, I'm yer gal for IG compliance, I know dat shizzle.

 

Long shot I'm well aware which is in the next county but one to anything resembling sensible job-hunting (which I am also doing), but yes, I'm desperate

[Caffiend]

I am job-hunting. Information governance (think of it as ISO27001 with added data protection, freedom of information, records management etc geekery, I mean goodness). If any organisation out there is aiming to grab a slice of the NHS pie, I'm yer gal for IG compliance, I know dat shizzle.

 

Long shot I'm well aware which is in the next county but one to anything resembling sensible job-hunting (which I am also doing), but yes, I'm desperate

[vulgalour]

Tonight I got to work on the Maestro front passenger wing with the clay bar, some G3 cutting/polishing compound and some Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I'm thoroughly impressed by this clay bar (thanks again, loserone), it really does turn the paintwork around in short order and once it's had a quick go over with some G3 by hand, finished off with the Autoglym, also by hand, it now looks like I fitted a new wing. No pictures at the moment, I'm tired and cba fighting with technology, but wow, what a difference!

[vulgalour]

Tonight I got to work on the Maestro front passenger wing with the clay bar, some G3 cutting/polishing compound and some Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I'm thoroughly impressed by this clay bar (thanks again, loserone), it really does turn the paintwork around in short order and once it's had a quick go over with some G3 by hand, finished off with the Autoglym, also by hand, it now looks like I fitted a new wing. No pictures at the moment, I'm tired and cba fighting with technology, but wow, what a difference!

[Lankytim]

Spent this evening moaning about the selfish wanker whose car alarm keeps going off- doesn't everybody love a good moan? I do. I then was told by the neighbour that it's actually my Saab making the noise. Looks like the alarm module needs new batteries and capacitors. Out with the soldering iron again!

[Lankytim]

Spent this evening moaning about the selfish wanker whose car alarm keeps going off- doesn't everybody love a good moan? I do. I then was told by the neighbour that it's actually my Saab making the noise. Looks like the alarm module needs new batteries and capacitors. Out with the soldering iron again!

[wackywacerwill]

Car alarms really get on my wick, we had one going off in the street pretty much non stop for a few days late last year. The police weren't keen at getting involved at first though my neighbor whose house it was outside was very un-pleased and even though it was muffled from our place I was fairly vexed too. Couldn't trace an owner knocking on doors up and down the street so I had a look to see if I could disable it which I couldn't. We did consider bricks and molotov though my good christian neighbor said she thought that was a bit much. I think if it had been directly outside my place I'd off dragged the arse end into the road to block the bus route aiding it getting towed away by the fuzz. Luckily the boys in blue shifted it on the 3rd day so no direct action was needed. TBH even a short blast of alarm has me seeing red, moderns who bleep when you lock/unlock, leave the lights on or run out of some fluid bring out the killer instinct too

 

On a lighter note ICANHAZCARAVAN

Looks a treat on the back of the tranny dontchathink

[wackywacerwill]

Car alarms really get on my wick, we had one going off in the street pretty much non stop for a few days late last year. The police weren't keen at getting involved at first though my neighbor whose house it was outside was very un-pleased and even though it was muffled from our place I was fairly vexed too. Couldn't trace an owner knocking on doors up and down the street so I had a look to see if I could disable it which I couldn't. We did consider bricks and molotov though my good christian neighbor said she thought that was a bit much. I think if it had been directly outside my place I'd off dragged the arse end into the road to block the bus route aiding it getting towed away by the fuzz. Luckily the boys in blue shifted it on the 3rd day so no direct action was needed. TBH even a short blast of alarm has me seeing red, moderns who bleep when you lock/unlock, leave the lights on or run out of some fluid bring out the killer instinct too

 

On a lighter note ICANHAZCARAVAN

Looks a treat on the back of the tranny dontchathink

[Pete-M]

Took the rescued Golf for the MOT today. Advisory for a pin-hole in one CV gaiter, but it failed because my exhaust bodge didn't make it the full 13 miles to the MOT station. New back box will be fitted in the morning and that should be that.

 

It actually drives quite well, pootled down the East Lancs at a happy enough cruising speed, isn't that noisy (well, wasn't until my bodge failed), quite smooth and seemingly quite good on fuel. Suspension is soggy as a soggy thing but that's how they are. It'll do Lu for a year or so.

 

Total cost so far is around £220 including the new back box and MOT.

[Pete-M]

Took the rescued Golf for the MOT today. Advisory for a pin-hole in one CV gaiter, but it failed because my exhaust bodge didn't make it the full 13 miles to the MOT station. New back box will be fitted in the morning and that should be that.

 

It actually drives quite well, pootled down the East Lancs at a happy enough cruising speed, isn't that noisy (well, wasn't until my bodge failed), quite smooth and seemingly quite good on fuel. Suspension is soggy as a soggy thing but that's how they are. It'll do Lu for a year or so.

 

Total cost so far is around £220 including the new back box and MOT.

[barefoot]

Had a bit of a grumpy on today.

You may remember that I had a smidge of welding done on Scirocco for MOT.

Well, I've not driven it much since, but there's been a bit of a strange banging from the front o/s.

Checked the oil & water today & found that the macpherson top bolt was only done up finger tight.

Arse - he won't be getting any more welding or anything else from me.

Tightened up using my big spanner has resulted in a lovely bang free ride.

[barefoot]

Had a bit of a grumpy on today.

You may remember that I had a smidge of welding done on Scirocco for MOT.

Well, I've not driven it much since, but there's been a bit of a strange banging from the front o/s.

Checked the oil & water today & found that the macpherson top bolt was only done up finger tight.

Arse - he won't be getting any more welding or anything else from me.

Tightened up using my big spanner has resulted in a lovely bang free ride.

[cort16]

I'm just back from my drive to Barcelona. It was brilliant especially coming back over the pyrenees. I also snapped a fair bit of quality old chod I'll post up later.

[cort16]

I'm just back from my drive to Barcelona. It was brilliant especially coming back over the pyrenees. I also snapped a fair bit of quality old chod I'll post up later.

[dollywobbler]

I've spent the entire afternoon fitting dashboard bulbs to the BX. What a hateful task! Worse, when it was all back together again, the one bulb that had been working had now blown. I thought I'd replaced it (made sense to) but it was lurking under another panel. Also, the speedometer no longer works. I fear my adventures may have finished off the already-ticking cable. Bah!

[dollywobbler]

I've spent the entire afternoon fitting dashboard bulbs to the BX. What a hateful task! Worse, when it was all back together again, the one bulb that had been working had now blown. I thought I'd replaced it (made sense to) but it was lurking under another panel. Also, the speedometer no longer works. I fear my adventures may have finished off the already-ticking cable. Bah!

[Cavcraft]

Dash bulbs are a bastard on a BX. From memory non-working speedo means the head isn't quite lined up properly where the clocks drop in to the bit behind them. Just undo-ing them then piddling about for a few minutes does the trick and I think you can test it works before bolting everything back together.