The new news 24 thread

[HillmanImp]

Kind of thinking I might sell the Porsche. Fancy a Saab 900 again. Or a Mercedes C32 estate. Not sure. 

Just ain't got on with it properly.

Imp Jr will be gutted and I'm worried it will do the same as that 912 I nearly bought for £4k in 2001 that was worth £40k three years later but I'm just not using it enough or when I do I'm not enjoying it properly. 

[wuvvum]

Today [technically yesterday now] started off on a bit of a low note as I took the Rover of Doom on its final drive to the rainbow bridge.  Eight years I've had that car, and it's been bloody good to me for most of them, but it really was too far gone to be worth doing.  Cartakeback gave me 100 quid for it and I paid 350 when I bought it so I think I've had my money's worth...

Next job was to see if I could do the CV boot on the Maxus.  I was initially going to do it semi-properly and fit a stretch boot, but that plan fell at the first hurdle when I couldn't get the cap that goes over the hub nut to come off.  No amount of twatting with hammers, levering with screwdrivers, yanking with pliers or heating with a blowtorch would persuade it to move.  So I bought a split boot - I wasn't sure it'd fit, and initially it didn't look like it would as the driveshaft was too fat for the thin end to go around, but then when I moved the existing boot out of the way (I didn't initially cut it off in case I needed to put it back), the driveshaft within the boot was slightly slimmer, and I was just about able to get the boot to stretch around.  I overdid the glue a bit on the first part, but it seems to be holding together so far.  I even managed to get the poxy CV boot clips to hold, which was a relief as I don't think there would have been clearance for a jubilee clip at the CV joint end.  Not sure how long it'll last, but first priority is to get the van through the MOT so it's road legal again - I can worry about other stuff later. 

I also finally got the seized heater valve out of the Renault 6.  It's currently soaking in a bath of diesel to see if it'll free up.  Plan B if it won't is to replace it with a length of copper pipe of the same diameter, then fit a universal valve to the inlet hose somewhere under the bonnet.  Less than ideal but a lot better than no heater at all (or a heater which is on all the time come to that).

I then jacked up the front of the recently purchased V70 to see if I could find out what is clonking.  The wheels were evidently last refitted by some Kwik Fit gibbon with an air ratchet, as I had to jump up and down on a 2' breaker bar to get the bolts undone.  As far as I could see the only bit with any significant play in it was the drop link - it's going to be a right twat to replace though, it's rusty as feck so no way the nut is going to come undone, and because of the design of the strut where the drop link attaches it's impossible to get in there with either a nut splitter or an angle grinder.  I can see some swearing on the horizon.  I also gave the inside of the rear screen and rear side windows a bloody good clean - the previous owner had dogs who I think must have enjoyed licking the windows as the rear screen was disgusting - with the sun shining on it it was pretty much opaque.  It's a lot better now.  It smells a bit doggy inside, but not as bad as some I've had - the advantage of leather seats I suppose...

[MondeoBlues]

Volvo's head gasket's just gone. Not a total surprise given that it's had magical mystery disappearing coolant since not long after I bought it but I put that down to a leaky rad and topped the coolant up every other drive with a view to replacing the rad and associated hoses this week. 

I just hope the head isn't warped. 

[kfsgo]

18 hours ago, mrbenn said:

That seems awfully early for snow, even in Canada!

Anywhere within an hour or two of the Rockies has very severe climate schizophrenia this time of year. Witness Calgary this week:

 

 

[gadgetgricey]

4 hours ago, wuvvum said:

 the previous owner had dogs who I think must have enjoyed licking the windows as the rear screen was disgusting - with the sun shining on it it was pretty much opaque.  

That's an image\description I'm not going to be able to shift for a while. ?

Glad its sorted now though.

[BorniteIdentity]

13 hours ago, brownnova said:

I bought myself a little present...

A copy of Motor magazine from 7th September 1985. 

The article that interests me is the best cars for under £3500...

Why? Because it features a head to head between a Panda, a Mini, a Skoda Estelle a Lada, oh and...

A Citroen 2CV and a Yugo 45!! 

Any magazine featuring two of my fleet is absolutely worth it! 

That is also how my Mini should look - Cinnabar red with the black bumper and grille.

Lovely!

[Split_Pin]

I've been thinking about selling my Corsa for the past few weeks but I'm rather torn about it.

It's been in my possession for the past ten years and in that time I have replaced just about every nut and bolt. It's been a brilliant little four wheeled friend in that time. There was a bit of a hiccup in 2016/17 when the engine developed a knock from the small end of piston number 3 but there followed an rather epic and defiant engine replacement. This was very successful and the car has been running and driving great ever since.

However it is now ostensibly a car I take only to shows and having recently become very disillusioned with the car scene, I won't be returning to any. As such I now rarely drive it, favouring my 172 or Audi as they provide a broad spectrum of driving experiences.

On one hand I'm quite attached to it and worry that I'd immediately regret selling it but on the other hand I was in the same position with my Astra Coupe which I owned for 13 years and never missed it when I moved it on. I think this was down to buying a worthy replacement for it.

Unsure how to proceed.

 

[Spottedlaurel]

14 hours ago, brownnova said:

I bought myself a little present...

A copy of Motor magazine from 7th September 1985.

Always pleased to see magazine content. What was the verdict?

[320touring]

5 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I've been thinking about selling my Corsa for the past few weeks but I'm rather torn about it.

It's been in my possession for the past ten years and in that time I have replaced just about every nut and bolt. It's been a brilliant little four wheeled friend in that time. There was a bit of a hiccup in 2016/17 when the engine developed a knock from the small end of piston number 3 but there followed an rather epic and defiant engine replacement. This was very successful and the car has been running and driving great ever since.

However it is now ostensibly a car I take only to shows and having recently become very disillusioned with the car scene, I won't be returning to any. As such I now rarely drive it, favouring my 172 or Audi as they provide a broad spectrum of driving experiences.

On one hand I'm quite attached to it and worry that I'd immediately regret selling it but on the other hand I was in the same position with my Astra Coupe which I owned for 13 years and never missed it when I moved it on. I think this was down to buying a worthy replacement for it.

Unsure how to proceed.

 

For what it's worth, I think it's an Ace car - looks just right on white 5 spokes and harks back to my yooof. I know it's well kept too, and gets whatever it needs.

How about you try and use it one day a week even just during summer months? Gets you some use out it without hammering it?

It's the reason I use the GSA as a daily - more fun and unusual (your Corsa will be a rare sight too!) But also great fun to drive..

 

[SiC]

22 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I've been thinking about selling my Corsa for the past few weeks but I'm rather torn about it.

It's been in my possession for the past ten years and in that time I have replaced just about every nut and bolt. It's been a brilliant little four wheeled friend in that time. There was a bit of a hiccup in 2016/17 when the engine developed a knock from the small end of piston number 3 but there followed an rather epic and defiant engine replacement. This was very successful and the car has been running and driving great ever since.

However it is now ostensibly a car I take only to shows and having recently become very disillusioned with the car scene, I won't be returning to any. As such I now rarely drive it, favouring my 172 or Audi as they provide a broad spectrum of driving experiences.

On one hand I'm quite attached to it and worry that I'd immediately regret selling it but on the other hand I was in the same position with my Astra Coupe which I owned for 13 years and never missed it when I moved it on. I think this was down to buying a worthy replacement for it.

Unsure how to proceed.

 

The Corsa B is still in the cheap banger territory and haven't quite reached the state in the market that the Nova (Corsa A) now is in. You just know that if you sold that right now, it'll get ragged to death by a kid. A year or two in those hands will render it as scrap. 

[Split_Pin]

16 minutes ago, 320touring said:

For what it's worth, I think it's an Ace car - looks just right on white 5 spokes and harks back to my yooof. I know it's well kept too, and gets whatever it needs.

How about you try and use it one day a week even just during summer months? Gets you some use out it without hammering it?

It's the reason I use the GSA as a daily - more fun and unusual (your Corsa will be a rare sight too!) But also great fun to drive..

 

Sage advice, I definitely enjoy a car more as long as I am using it, when it falls out of service, that's when I start to wonder why I have it

Re what you say , SiC,  it's probably the only car I have ever owned where I actually do have a care what may happen to it if I were to sell it. Likely it would end up with a 'ridtap' for 6 months and then burst for parts...

[beko1987]

I've always been torn with corsas. On the one hand their utter shit, devoid of any emotion or character (the corsa c anyway) 

But on the other hand I drove one for 6 months as it was cheaper on fuel than my puma, and it was alright, winding it up to speed on the back roads then keeping it there... 

Can't say I'll never have one, but it wouldn't be my first choice

[Skizzer]

7 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Today [technically yesterday now] started off on a bit of a low note as I took the Rover of Doom on its final drive to the rainbow bridge.  Eight years I've had that car, and it's been bloody good to me for most of them, but it really was too far gone to be worth doing.  Cartakeback gave me 100 quid for it and I paid 350 when I bought it so I think I've had my money's worth...

I’m going to hold a minute’s silence for the Rover of Doom.  God rest its overboosted soul.

[brownnova]

2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

That is also how my Mini should look - Cinnabar red with the black bumper and grille.

Lovely!

So we have the 2CV, the Yugo and the Mini for the recreation... just need to find the Panda, Lada and Skoda now...

[BorniteIdentity]

6 minutes ago, brownnova said:

So we have the 2CV, the Yugo and the Mini for the recreation... just need to find the Panda, Lada and Skoda now...

I dare say you’re in the right place... ?

[loserone]

Sad times to hear of the demise of the rover of doom.

 

I'm slightly with Beko on the Corsa; you'll enjoy it more if you drive it, but I imagine that low it's harsh as well as uninspiring in the bends, especially in comparison to the Clio.  So your frustration may continue.

The problem is that you have bought better cars; either you need to move them on or the Corsa will continue to be a weight on you.

 

I think it's a similar space I was in with my 323f GTi.  Fast, practical, great.  But the lack of engagement in corners meant I used the scruffy MX5 instead for every journey, and it became unloved

[Spottedlaurel]

Banger World Final achieved. Mild disappointment with the sound of a lot of the cars, due the widespread fitment of the Ford 2.3 '4', just not right in some big old American barge.

It's interesting to see what they move onto as the years go by, I was surprised to see a couple of Jaguar XFs:

Cheapest I could find on AutoTrader were non-runners at around £2500.

[SiC]

11 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Banger World Final achieved. Mild disappointment with the sound of a lot of the cars, due the widespread fitment of the Ford 2.3 '4', just not right in some big old American barge.

It's interesting to see what they move onto as the years go by, I was surprised to see a couple of Jaguar XFs:

Cheapest I could find on AutoTrader were non-runners at around £2500.

Don't many banger racers have connections to the scrap metal business? They can always pick up to use the shell after all the useful bits are stripped when a CoD has been issued. 

Or spend £2.5k and know you can get a lot more back from selling most of the parts.

[Spottedlaurel]

1 minute ago, SiC said:

Don't many banger racers have connections to the scrap metal business? They can always pick up to use the shell after all the useful bits are stripped when a CoD has been issued. 

Or spend £2.5k and know you can get a lot more back from selling most of the parts.

I'd imagine it's pretty much the former, I doubt they're coming into the yard at £2500. Maybe high mileage/tatty trade-ins that no one wants to sell on, or insurance write-offs? As you say, sell bits off them and it's probably cost neutral.

[Mally]

8 hours ago, SiC said:

Don't many banger racers have connections to the scrap metal business? They can always pick up to use the shell after all the useful bits are stripped when a CoD has been issued. 

Or spend £2.5k and know you can get a lot more back from selling most of the parts.

I'm not sure you get this racing thing.

When you are in the Banger World Final, you want the best car, best paint, best engine you can get, and you are prepared to pay whatever.

I know for a fact that Dom Davies' charges are very reasonable, but you might think them excessive for a bit of paint and some letters, that might last less than 5 mins in a race.

 

[Split_Pin]

38 minutes ago, loserone said:

Sad times to hear of the demise of the rover of doom.

 

I'm slightly with Beko on the Corsa; you'll enjoy it more if you drive it, but I imagine that low it's harsh as well as uninspiring in the bends, especially in comparison to the Clio.  So your frustration may continue.

The problem is that you have bought better cars; either you need to move them on or the Corsa will continue to be a weight on you.

 

I think it's a similar space I was in with my 323f GTi.  Fast, practical, great.  But the lack of engagement in corners meant I used the scruffy MX5 instead for every journey, and it became unloved

Well put and it certainly rings true.

The Corsa is actually really good on the bends as a couple of years ago I managed to get some brand new FK shortened dampers for about £20 or something for the back and PIs for the front. I also fitted new Nankang tyres to the front and Toyos to the back before having the tracking set up accordingly. If a constant speed were to be maintained, it would leave the Clio standing in the bends! The Clio is also harsher as it has coilovers however it has that raw, raucous character and the tremendous acceleration.

So still doesn't make my decision any easier! The Corsa isn't eating a piece in my garage so it can stay there till spring. Getting out in it one day a week to start off will be the plan I think.

[bramz7]

Had quite a nice time in Mulhouse and Basel in the last couple of days. Spotted loads of tat too, happily the French still seem happy driving around in various old 'voitures'.

I spotted an early SV 605 this morning and it's made my lust return. Anyone want a 305 for a 605? Nah thought not. 

 

 

[Fumbler]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

So we have the 2CV, the Yugo and the Mini for the recreation... just need to find the Panda, Lada and Skoda now...

If you rustle up £5650 you can get a Riva with delivery miles on it. Hell, I'll chip in too!

[mrbenn]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I've been thinking about selling my Corsa for the past few weeks but I'm rather torn about it.

Sometimes we just reach the end of the road with a car in a mental sense. You sold the Astra after 13 years and I seem to remember you had a Vectra for a long time? So you know can do it, and you'll be alright.

I'd be asking myself what I planned to do with the garage space. Is there something else you fancy? Do you need the room? Perhaps sorn it for a bit so you can't drive it, then see if you find yourself wanting to.

Have to say a Corsa B is one of those cars that gets me excitedly pointing and taking pictures when I see one. I had an R plate 12v as a courtesy car for 3 months 20 years ago and I still remember it very fondly.

[Split_Pin]

Whatever happens, I'm currently at my 4 car limit and if one were to go I would certainly continue to maximise it!

[tommotech]

Definition of failure and success in one shot;

Having four major jobs to do on eldests 207 I decided powertrain removal was the easiest option, Wheel Bearing, Clutch, Head Gasket and Timing Belt to do. Just tightening on the final sequence and the b*satard snapped.  

Luckily I have spare bolts, but I don't have another Head Gasket.

[richardmorris]

Off to France. 

[HMC]

Bon Voyage!

[vulgalour]

It rained a lot last night and, happily, the bits I sealed up yesterday on the BX have stayed sealed up.  That means the water - much less than expected this time - is getting in elsewhere.  Tip off from Blackpopracing over on the blue forum that it might be the membranes behind the door cards, a fault of Mondeos, and having now removed all the door cards it looks like that's the problem.  There's various points along the bottom of all the membranes where the glue has failed and water is just sitting there.  This is an easy fix, at least, the hardest thing is going to be getting the lid off the tin of contact adhesive.

[egg]

I'm in the keep the Corsa camp. I like seeing updates on it for one thing