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Today I are be mostly helping out a lady with her Panda. She's scared witless by a few advisories on her MoT so has asked me to quote for her. In the process of measuring up to make sure I order the right bits, it's occurred to me that these jobs don't need doing at all. 

Advisories were:

Scored discs F&R

Rusty rear springs 

Tyre cracked

I agree with the tester about the tyre and actually it could do with two new ones. But the brakes are Absolutely Fine in my opinion. And the rear springs - meh, bit of surface rust but hardly worth mentioning. 

Anyway I said her money would be better spent on two tyres and a service, and if she still wants to do brakes before next MoT I'll happily change them. 

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50 minutes ago, grogee said:

Today I are be mostly helping out a lady with her Panda. She's scared witless by a few advisories on her MoT so has asked me to quote for her. In the process of measuring up to make sure I order the right bits, it's occurred to me that these jobs don't need doing at all. 

Advisories were:

Scored discs F&R

Rusty rear springs 

Tyre cracked

I agree with the tester about the tyre and actually it could do with two new ones. But the brakes are Absolutely Fine in my opinion. And the rear springs - meh, bit of surface rust but hardly worth mentioning. 

Anyway I said her money would be better spent on two tyres and a service, and if she still wants to do brakes before next MoT I'll happily change them. 

IMG_20220119_114844575.jpg

IMG_20220119_114226201.jpg

IMG_20220119_114230812.jpg

IMG_20220119_113459829.jpg

Those discs look pretty scored to me. Obviously i would get another 2 years out of them, but for peace of mind for the lady I would have swapped them over for her. Hardly gonna break the bank

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One in.

No.2 sister is going to be using her partner’s leased Nissan, and no longer needed “Ella” so rather than see it scrapped or run into the ground she’s donated it to the Hughes retirement home for unloved old cars.

Mot up shortly, but hopefully it shouldn’t need anything for another one.  It’s a bit modern for me; it’s the first car I’ve owned on the ‘new’ registration system, but it’s great fun to drive. I think they’re really underrated.

It was mint when she got it, as it was previously owned by a gifferette who kept it garaged, but has picked up a few parking scuffs and scrapes from Croydon where it’s latterly been living.

I’m hoping to be able to tidy it up a bit, first port of call will be some genuine wheel trims for it as the current ones are awful.

 

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21 minutes ago, chancer said:

Those discs look pretty scored to me. Obviously i would get another 2 years out of them, but for peace of mind for the lady I would have swapped them over for her. Hardly gonna break the bank

They look worse in the pics than they feel with my finger.

We've agreed to have another look at it/them before next MoT in the autumn. That way, at least she gets a bit more use out of what's on there - pads have loads of life. 

She barely does any miles, just trundles about locally. Hardly high stress stuff.

More pressing for me, mechanically, us that she never services it and I'm the one who will be phoned when it breaks. My thinking being, if she wants to spend money, get the tyres sorted and the engine reliable, as they seem to be the priorities. 

It's a bit annoying as it's a 2010 4wd dizzle Panda which is a bit unusual/interesting/desirable so I don't want to see it just expire. 

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On 1/18/2022 at 1:12 AM, wuvvum said:

I've been having a poke around my newly acquired Maxus over the last couple of days.  There were a couple of quick and easy fixes - the offside dipped beam had stopped working, so I fitted a replacement H4 I had in the kitchen drawer (bit of a fiddle as the battery is in the way but not the worst I've done) and the driver's side wiper blade had completely lost its rubber lip and so was doing very little - Roys of Wroxham supplied a replacement 22" blade for the princely sum of £2.79.  The passenger side blade could do with replacing as well, but I didn't want to go on too much of a spending spree - the driver's side blade is the important one.

The non-latching bonnet catch turned out not to be seized at all - it was stuck due to the fact that when the previous owner popped the bonnet to change the battery, the end of the cable sheath by the bonnet release had popped out of its guide and was sitting on the end of the guide, with the result that it was effectively shortening the cable to the point that the catch mechanism couldn't go back to its "closed" position.  So that was another easy fix - of course I found this out after I'd removed the whole mechanism from under the bonnet...

The van does have a bit of grot - it's the first Maxus I've owned with structural rust.  It's not too bad but it is going to need a patch on the rear of the offside sill before the next MOT.  Bodywork is a bit scruffy but not too banged about by Maxus standards, although the rear doors are going to need replacing at some point - the latch mechanism packed up so the previous owner cut holes in both doors and had been securing them with a padlock and chain through said holes.  Which is less than ideal.  The side loading door doesn't want to unlock for some reason, so I'm going to have to remove the plywood lining at some point and see if I can see what's going on there.

It has a few gadgets that previous Maxuseses I've owned didn't have - aircon for one (although I have no idea yet whether or not it does anything), and also a factory fit reversing siren with a button on the dash to turn it off.  It also has ABS, although the ABS light is on at the moment - that's going to need sorting for the next MOT, which could be interesting trying to find someone with a code reader that will talk to a Maxus.  It also has alloy wheels (the spare has a brand new tyre still with the label on it) and front fogs.  I didn't notice until I went to check the tyre pressures that it also has these amusing valve caps.

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The one thing it still needs to be properly usable at this time of year (now that it has working headlights and wipers and a locking bonnet) is the heater blower sorting - that doesn't do owt on any of the speed settings, not sure if it's a wiring issue or the blower itself packed up.  Over the weekend I'll take the glovebox out and try running a live feed to the fan motor to see if that does anything.  The heater does get warm and at motorway speeds there's enough warm air trickling through to take the chill off, but it won't be a lot of use around town or for demisting.

 

In other news, I got the bus to Norwich on Sunday afternoon to retrieve the Daihatsu, and I spotted this parked up outside a carpet shop:

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First one of these I've seen in the metal outside of London.  They're an ugly bugger, but as the last of the proper Bentleys (i.e. ones that don't have a VW engine) I quite like them - if my numbers ever come up I'd probably have one.

The one I bought from you did the same with the heater.

I put a ford focus hedgehog in there I think, I'm sure it was a focus one and it was a direct replacement, I could be going mad mind you.

 

Edit. It was a focus one but not sure about direct replacement, some wiring had to be cut and spade connectors crimped on.

Pretty easy if you Google it.

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I had to fit a heater blower unit to that one - the advert said it didn't work, but when I looked it wasn't there at all.  

I'll have a look at the resistor pack, but normally if that goes the fan will still work on the highest setting (or at least it does in Rovers) - mine doesn't work at all at the moment.  Useful to know re the Focus part as genuine LDV ones are surprisingly expensive.

 

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2 hours ago, grogee said:

Today I are be mostly helping out a lady with her Panda. She's scared witless by a few advisories on her MoT so has asked me to quote for her. In the process of measuring up to make sure I order the right bits, it's occurred to me that these jobs don't need doing at all. 

Advisories were:

Scored discs F&R

Rusty rear springs 

Tyre cracked

I agree with the tester about the tyre and actually it could do with two new ones. But the brakes are Absolutely Fine in my opinion. And the rear springs - meh, bit of surface rust but hardly worth mentioning. 

Anyway I said her money would be better spent on two tyres and a service, and if she still wants to do brakes before next MoT I'll happily change them. 

IMG_20220119_114844575.jpg

IMG_20220119_114226201.jpg

IMG_20220119_114230812.jpg

IMG_20220119_113459829.jpg

I can see why they put an advise on the discs, though as you say, they wouldn't worry me until they were considerably thinner. And shirley scored discs should have a greater surface area and thus work better? Is that a bit of flawed physics? 

But the springs? GTF, they look nearly new. 

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1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

One in.

No.2 sister is going to be using her partner’s leased Nissan, and no longer needed “Ella” so rather than see it scrapped or run into the ground she’s donated it to the Hughes retirement home for unloved old cars.

Mot up shortly, but hopefully it shouldn’t need anything for another one.  It’s a bit modern for me; it’s the first car I’ve owned on the ‘new’ registration system, but it’s great fun to drive. I think they’re really underrated.

It was mint when she got it, as it was previously owned by a gifferette who kept it garaged, but has picked up a few parking scuffs and scrapes from Croydon where it’s latterly been living.

I’m hoping to be able to tidy it up a bit, first port of call will be some genuine wheel trims for it as the current ones are awful.

 

4E53A567-04EB-4019-9777-1C7A226F1562.jpeg

86176A46-C52E-4CA8-9805-C6E3237EC9A9.jpeg

Can't go wrong with a 3-pot Daihatsu*.

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Getting a bit fed up lately having broken cars and vans lying about. Currently considering replacing everything with a modern van, alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car. Reserved a newish van this afternoon at Arnie Sharks, and will consider over the next 48hrs whether to proceed. Possible fire sale of shite in the coming weeks

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1 minute ago, chancer said:

alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car.

Solid choice. Our 2010 Auris got part-exed for a 2019 pre-reg Duster Essential 1.0. Shifts well, a little slower than the Auris, but it is 30bhp down in comparison.

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Just now, AnnoyingPentium said:

Solid choice. Our 2010 Auris got part-exed for a 2019 pre-reg Duster Essential 1.0. Shifts well, a little slower than the Auris, but it is 30bhp down in comparison.

Bought our duster this time last year. Its a 2015 1.5dci Laureate with the optional 4WD. Apart from replacing the battery its been absolutely spot on. Only thing that let it down was the stereo, which was upgraded using a Pioneer DAB unit with android auto. Totally transformed the dash and feel of the car as the original unit was a bit bland looking

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On 1/17/2022 at 9:43 PM, JJ0063 said:

The look on his face was that as if he genuinely thought he’d ‘beaten’ me in his 1.4 petrol..

No shame in getting smoked mate. Happened to the best of us. He's probably telling all his mates 335d are shit now because of you 🤣🤣🤣

No boost lag in 1.4 pez. 372bhp my arse 🤣

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8 minutes ago, chancer said:

Getting a bit fed up lately having broken cars and vans lying about. Currently considering replacing everything with a modern van, alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car. Reserved a newish van this afternoon at Arnie Sharks, and will consider over the next 48hrs whether to proceed. Possible fire sale of shite in the coming weeks

Nearly bit the bullet on a DCi Clio this afternoon in Stockport. Said I'm going to sleep on it. 

Very nice, pulls well for about 90bhp. Trip computer reckoned it did 68mpgees over the last 900 miles which is frugal going. 

3,000 miles on the clock, no timing belt to worry about for a long long time. Nothing about to break. No MOT to worry about. 4 decent tyres without the usual 4 mismatched ling longs which I usually end up on cars when I buy them. 

I know this is against the very ethos of this site but I'm tired of the price of petrol and the cheap end of the market is getting expensive with the same risk of something being borked down the road. 

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6 minutes ago, chancer said:

Bought our duster this time last year. Its a 2015 1.5dci Laureate with the optional 4WD. Apart from replacing the battery its been absolutely spot on. Only thing that let it down was the stereo, which was upgraded using a Pioneer DAB unit with android auto. Totally transformed the dash and feel of the car as the original unit was a bit bland looking

Seems good. We've (My Granda) has a Sandero Stepway that's a 2014, and if the head unit is the same then it's not great, but it's also only got two speakers, being a bASe Ambiance.

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3 minutes ago, Spurious said:

Nearly bit the bullet on a DCi Clio this afternoon in Stockport. Said I'm going to sleep on it. 

Very nice, pulls well for about 90bhp. Trip computer reckoned it did 68mpgees over the last 900 miles which is frugal going. 

3,000 miles on the clock, no timing belt to worry about for a long long time. Nothing about to break. No MOT to worry about. 4 decent tyres without the usual 4 mismatched ling longs which I usually end up on cars when I buy them. 

I know this is against the very ethos of this site but I'm tired of the price of petrol and the cheap end of the market is getting expensive with the same risk of something being borked down the road. 

I doubt we are alone in this. My trusty wee van was bought for 1k 11 years ago and was supposed to last me 6 month. Its still going strong, but there is nothing left of the padding in the seats, and im getting tired of spraying gloss white paint over rust and replacing gaffa tape on the arches. Im getting old and grumpy and just want a bit of comfort and a heater that works 😂

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10 minutes ago, chancer said:

I doubt we are alone in this. My trusty wee van was bought for 1k 11 years ago and was supposed to last me 6 month. Its still going strong, but there is nothing left of the padding in the seats, and im getting tired of spraying gloss white paint over rust and replacing gaffa tape on the arches. Im getting old and grumpy and just want a bit of comfort and a heater that works 😂

The Audi is my hobby, I don't mind working on it, tinkering with it and trawling for obscure parts on eBay. I don't even mind paying for 97octant E5 as I enjoy driving it. 

I resent being under the work/dailies after 4 night shifts as the nearside caliper sticking again or diagnosing a bad misfire.  I just can't be bothered. 

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Not quite sure the best place for this, so here will have to do...

 

Over on the Bookface Volvo C30 Crew uk page a guy called Andy Plumb who has a C30 revealed that he designed the Reliant Robin Mk3 and has a book about it out now...

This is what he said

Quote

I own a C30 D2, but also design cars for a living, the last Reliant Robin being one of them. I have written a book about its design, which has won "Motoring Book of the Year" Award from the Royal Automobile Club, and has got great reviews from Octane Magazine, Motor Sport Magazine and Practical Classics. My book is called Tipping Point- Designing a Great British Underdog and is available online. Here is a picture of the book and my other car, a Robin.

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