The new news 24 thread

[tooSavvy]

My 'GovUK' autoMOT reminder has just bongged.... 😀

7th Sept

.... my, how time flies  ⏰✈️

[Yoss]

3 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

That looks more like an E34 than an E39 to me 

My mistake. I couldn't see all of it but that's no excuse. 

[SiC]

14 hours ago, SiC said:

Like many on here, I have a cheap car eBay saved search. While I wanted a TT, this came up "locally" for £550. So I did a quick hit of the buy-it-now button before anyone else did.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195269718822

Despite it only being 30 miles away, it ended up being a 1hr45 round trip over the Mendips and back. Nice road though and a pleasant journey.

Current owner had his two sons use it over the last 8yrs. Youngest has gone travelling so they decided to get rid of it.
Paint work is absolutely shite. Looks like the lacquer is flaking off. Might attack it with some G30 or whatever that polishing compound is. No paper service history and the current owner has never done the cambelt. Last serviced 2yrs/12k ago. Also only one key. MOT is only 38 days away too.

On the plus side it drives really well and it even managed nearly 47mpg on the way back. Not bad from a petrol engine. No warning lights, brakes well and drives straight. Everything works bar the air conditioning. It's had an alternator recently and I think a new battery too.
The house was in a nice area just outside Frome and the chap was a honest guy who basically just wanted to get rid of an old unused car from his drive.

I don't think I did too badly in the current market for £550 buy-it-now. It's worth £280 scrap, so technically a £270 car?





My first Ford product that I've owned and it's a decent steer. Not very exciting but as a tool to save miles being racked up on the Civic running around locally and saving the Boxster getting dented, it will serve that perfectly.

I might treat it to an oil and filter change. Probably get it through an MOT first though.

It should tide me over until I find a reasonable TT that has been relatively looked after. 

Had a look at this in the light of day. Paint looks to have lost its clear coat and then sun or polish has taken the rest off?

Fuel light is on but the gauge isn't reading minimum. I suspect the stop point is wrong looking at the gauge sweep.

 

Gauge looks like someone has been in there and fiddling with it 

 

Best thing of all is the engine cover the previous owner made. Iirc these suffer water in the spark plug tubes problem and ford didn't fit a cover, unlike Volvo. Anyway top marks for effort on this. 

 

 

[Cookiesouwest]

3 minutes ago, SiC said:

Had a look at this in the light of day. Paint looks to have lost its clear coat and then sun or polish has taken the rest off?

Fuel light is on but the gauge isn't reading minimum. I suspect the stop point is wrong looking at the gauge sweep.

 

Gauge looks like someone has been in there and fiddling with it 

 

Best thing of all is the engine cover the previous owner made. Iirc these suffer water in the spark plug tubes problem and ford didn't fit a cover, unlike Volvo. Anyway top marks for effort on this. 

 

 

You have done well. These are good cars

[Timewaster]

That looks like a excellent car to just use.

IMO any time / effort / money spent on the paintwork would be wasted.

Engine cover - Genius!

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

 

 

155mph out of a 1.6 petrol Focus is pretty impressive.  You might not want to hold that speed for too long though, the engine is getting a bit warm...

[SiC]

The cover is held on by bolts that have been drilled into the camcover


Had a quick poke around.
Battery is new (with the alternator)


Air filter is filthy

Cambelt is cracked. Probably the most major issue it has. Debating whether to DIY this or get my local garage to do it. Kit is about £50. 3hrs labour so £150 labour. But if I DIY I need a locking kit - £12ish off eBay and the hassle of doing it.
Given it's cracked, I think its far too risky to cambelt roulette for any length of time.


Went to check the pollen filter. Tried getting this cover off but couldn't. Then realised the thing inside was metal and definitely not the cabin filter 🫣


Had a Google and found its the otherside. Not particularly easy to get to still and I removed the glove box and the fuse box (GEM?)


Filter was disgustingly dirty. Had this Honda Civic filter to hand. A bit bigger and thinner.


But it kinda fitted. Enough to work and better than nothing. It won't be going in the Civic anyway as I prefer activated carbon filters in there because of hayfever.


Quick code scan saw a few error codes.


Engine code was the smart alternator. I cleared it and the code went away. Presumably why the alternator was replaced.
Instrument Cluster code was no CAN communications. Cleared that and it went away.
GEM code was B1217 horn relay coil failure. Clearing that didn't get rid of it. Horn works fine. Googling says that code is for the alarm siren. So I guess it's failed or been disconnected. I can live with that.

So I think I'll chat with my local garage and get it in for an MOT. If it passes then have a cambelt done. Oil+filters I'll do myself and maybe even chuck a set of new plugs in it too if I'm feeling generous.

Aircon has no gas whatsoever. I don't have much hope of that ever working again to be honest.

[SiC]

39 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

155mph out of a 1.6 petrol Focus is pretty impressive.  You might not want to hold that speed for too long though, the engine is getting a bit warm...

More worrying would be the fast approaching houses at that speed and the brake warning light on.

[richardmorris]

I’ve been down to goodwood circuit this morning to cycle round the track. I’ll have had the new TIPO exactly a year this week, and the ungrateful thing threw up its first ever error message on the hogs back. “Check tyre pressures, system fault, reset required”. No actual tyre pressure problem - it said all four were flat which was clearly a lie so I ignored it. I’ve had to wait until I got back home to check the manual for the procedure as I didn’t have my reading glasses and the font is 2point! Have done it now ( basically press a button I didn’t know was there for two seconds).

its also saying a service is due in four days or 2980 miles, so that’s about 6,000in twelve months.

[ProgRocker]

The 2003 Nissan Almera 2.2 dCi that I owned up to last year (traded in for the i10) ran out of MOT on 22nd July. Seems like it's now at the end of road sadly.

i10 now has complete working daytime running lights and new windscreen wipers.

[Longbridge Apologist]

Now tooling around in my sadly departed Dad's Mk5 Golf:

1.4TSI with a 7 speed DSG. Sensible nice riding 15" alloys. Practical 5 door. 2008 but he and mum only ever done 42,000 miles in it.

I can't bring myself to move it on, so have decided it will be my reliable, comfy modern daily. It's a very relaxing thing to tool around in, even if it is of course not a sexy or desirable model.

One thing concerns me with it though and that's the DSG. At either 40mph or 70mph, gently applying revs gets it into a bit of a tizz. It'll pop down from 7th to 6th, but then almost labour like an old manual slipping the clutch under load?

Are these DSG's sealed units or need an oil change?

(Time to find a good VAG specialist somewhere nearby in SW London/N Surrey, if anyone could recommend one...)

[richardmorris]

I can recommend a general garage in weybridge. Not vag specialists though. More on the French side.

grovegarageweybridge.co.uk

 

[Snake Charmer]

14 minutes ago, Longbridge Apologist said:

Now tooling around in my sadly departed Dad's Mk5 Golf:

My Stepson had a diesel Mk5, I drove it a couple of times and thought it felt a better than a Mk4. 

[Longbridge Apologist]

29 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

My Stepson had a diesel Mk5, I drove it a couple of times and thought it felt a better than a Mk4. 

It's must closer (in a good way) to the MK1 Focus in being a bit more dynamic than the MK4 I think, but not as YESSPORTFIRM.

[paulplom]

Met up with the famous @treehugger(decent chap) at Whitby steam, traction rally. Saw tractor pulling for the first time. 

I feel a bit off it was red hot and I've burnt my napper.

[JJ0063]

Got this brand new sealed for £5 off the car boot, should be handy for van related adjustments 

[SiC]

Well the Focus now has a big crease in the door and wing mirror bent after someone directed some roadrage at me while filling up with fuel. 😒

A guy approached me and was staring at me. I asked if he needed help. Apparently I parked to close. I said I don't think so as there isn't a big gap where I'm stood near the petrol pump. He then flipped, opened his door and started smashing it against mine, then lent on the wing mirror. He got in his car just fine and drove off, so can't have been that close?!

After he drove off, someone else parked up at the pump, got out and filled up okay too.

I've reported it to the coppers and petrol station have told me they have footage. I didn't catch the reg, only a picture of him in the car. Probably should report it to the insurance too, even if I'm not claiming as its all on record?

I hope this car isn't like the Astra G I had about 5 years ago, where it provoked random aggression towards when driving!

[Schaefft]

This is probably good news as the guy will need to pay for the damage, which probably equals or exceeds what you paid for the car.

[tooSavvy]

He wasn't Ronnie Pickering, so likelies got off easy M8

Bttardd 😟

[SiC]

4 minutes ago, MrGTI6 said:

I agree with @Schaefft that this is good news. Go through his insurance, let them write it off for about a grand, then buy it back for about a hundred quid. It will be recorded as a Cat N but you'll have a free car while the nutcase's premiums will likely double. That's assuming that he was insured of course...

Problem is, its then the hassle of having to declare that on every insurance renewal for the next five years. I know you're supposed to declare all accidents even if you don't claim, but this was malious and certainly not an accident. I've not found non-fault claims to cause my insurance to go up but I know others have had.

However its all now on record and I imagine the police will be in contact with my insurers anyway as its not showing up on the MID just yet.

Stupid thing is, he had a relatively new looking Mondeo Mk5 on a private plate. He ended up bending his door edge in and taking the paint off the edge too. So caused far more expensive damage to his own car than he did to mine.

[reb]

I'm at my unit for the first time in a while. Not sure if I'll actually get anything done, but it's nice to get up here and plan things.

It's also a ridiculously nice view.

 

[Fumbler]

In Kentucky with friends. This is our fine steed for the week-

[paulplom]

Nice and I'm jealous but yplac.

[Popsicle]

3 hours ago, Longbridge Apologist said:

Now tooling around in my sadly departed Dad's Mk5 Golf:

1.4TSI with a 7 speed DSG. Sensible nice riding 15" alloys. Practical 5 door. 2008 but he and mum only ever done 42,000 miles in it.

I can't bring myself to move it on, so have decided it will be my reliable, comfy modern daily. It's a very relaxing thing to tool around in, even if it is of course not a sexy or desirable model.

One thing concerns me with it though and that's the DSG. At either 40mph or 70mph, gently applying revs gets it into a bit of a tizz. It'll pop down from 7th to 6th, but then almost labour like an old manual slipping the clutch under load?

Are these DSG's sealed units or need an oil change?

(Time to find a good VAG specialist somewhere nearby in SW London/N Surrey, if anyone could recommend one...)

From memory I think the DSG's need a filter and oil service every 3/4 years/40k. Different models have differing schedules.

[RoverFolkUs]

5 hours ago, SiC said:

Had a look at this in the light of day. Paint looks to have lost its clear coat and then sun or polish has taken the rest off?

Fuel light is on but the gauge isn't reading minimum. I suspect the stop point is wrong looking at the gauge sweep.

 

Gauge looks like someone has been in there and fiddling with it 

 

Best thing of all is the engine cover the previous owner made. Iirc these suffer water in the spark plug tubes problem and ford didn't fit a cover, unlike Volvo. Anyway top marks for effort on this. 

 

 

Probably had an instrument cluster repair hence the historical code and dodgy placement of the fuel gauge needle. 

Lol at the engine cover 🤣 the correct fix is to seal the washer jets or simply buy a Volvo rocker cover as it will fit! 

Power steering fluid level all ok? That's the only real other common issue on them. 

Looks like the 99bhp non Ti lump to me. Fuel averages 38mpg for me but late 40's is entirely possible on a run as you have found.

Being the non Ti-VCT the cambelt is pretty straightforward. If you're careful enough, you can do a cambelt on them without the cam locking tool. But they're floating pulleys and if you cock it up you will have to buy the tool to put it right. 

Would suggest doing the water pump as well, even though it's not cambelt driven, one of the bolts is for the cambelt tensioner pulley so cambelt would have to come off again if you needed to do the water pump. 

The biggest pain with the cambelt is actually getting the stretch aux belt back over the double crank pulley. Realistically you will need the special tool for this. It can be done without the tool on a two poster from underneath with lots of lever bars and faffing but I doubt it at home.

[Split_Pin]

I went to the Glenisla Classic vehicle Club Annual Barbecue today. It was a brilliant event and the first since 2019. Everybody looked so happy to be there and mingling with cars and people, including me!

Quick stop for a photo outside Kirriemuir on the way up.

The sun came out not long after 9.30 and split the trees most of the day.

This was car of the show for me, it was superbly 1983.

Next I rode shotgun with @Tam in his Defender on the 4x4 run. I've never been in a Land Rover and certainly haven't been off road before. Fantastic fun, great views and some lovely old Land Rovers.

This is Tam's TD5 one, I was surprised at how fast it is!

The tractors came too.

Lots of other interesting cars.

This has 25000 miles on it.

A supercharged Riley Elf!

My Cavalier was the only one there until another turned up at the end. 90s stuff seems to generate a lot of interest these days.

Estate Consul 315

After years of meaning to do so, I finally stopped off at the (remains of) last Little Chef in Scotland, at Balhaldie on the A9 just north of Dunblane. Not much to see unfortunately.

No food here today.

It was a fantastic event, bacon rolls, burgers and coffee were on offer. Very generous of the Club.

I also spent ages nattering to another Vauxhall You Tuber about Vauxhall shite which was great!

 

[SiC]

36 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Probably had an instrument cluster repair hence the historical code and dodgy placement of the fuel gauge needle. 

I was trying to remember if these age were affected by the instrument cluster issues. Would make sense if it was repaired and not put back together the best. 

36 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Power steering fluid level all ok? That's the only real other common issue on them. 

Yeah looks it. Past MOT history of leaking rack but then it disappears. So perhaps it was fixed at some point?

37 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Looks like the 99bhp non Ti lump to me. Fuel averages 38mpg for me but late 40's is entirely possible on a run as you have found.

Being the non Ti-VCT the cambelt is pretty straightforward. If you're careful enough, you can do a cambelt on them without the cam locking tool. But they're floating pulleys and if you cock it up you will have to buy the tool to put it right. 

Would suggest doing the water pump as well, even though it's not cambelt driven, one of the bolts is for the cambelt tensioner pulley so cambelt would have to come off again if you needed to do the water pump. 

The biggest pain with the cambelt is actually getting the stretch aux belt back over the double crank pulley. Realistically you will need the special tool for this. It can be done without the tool on a two poster from underneath with lots of lever bars and faffing but I doubt it at home.

I'm 99% sure this is the non variable valve timing lump. Despite its paltry 99bhp, it actually isn't too bad. 

I've only done two cambelts before on cars. One was an E28 which was a piece of cake. My first was a Clio 172 which, despite its reputation, actually wasn't too bad a job.

The guides on this Focus make it look reasonably straight forward. Did read about the stretch belts. It says you need to cut them off but iirc you can get tools to remove as well as put on? The aux belt does put me off a bit doing it though. Tools don't look that expensive for the belt removal and timing belt locking, but it does all add to the cost.

But if I don't do it, I don't think it'll get done. Hard to justify having a garage do it on a 146k petrol with really shit bodywork and paint. Even if the rest of the car seems okay. However if I get the belt sorted, apart from maybe the clutch, there is no reason why it wouldn't live for a fair bit longer. Think I'd struggle to get my money back if I got a garage to do it though.

[RoverFolkUs]

14 minutes ago, SiC said:

27 minutes ago, SiC said:

I'm 99% sure this is the non variable valve timing lump. Despite its paltry 99bhp, it actually isn't too bad. 

 

Yes that's correct, it will be non VCT. Few ways to tell- 

- The design of the inlet manifold. The air box duct on the VCT unit goes between the 2nd + 3rd bank, on the non VCT unit it's between 1st + 2nd. 

- There are no solenoids on top for the dephaser pulleys, or whatever you may wish to call them 

- The VCT unit is 115bhp, the non VCT is 99bhp. 

(Yes, I have come to know these cars inside out. Suppose that's what happens when you own two of them!) 

27 minutes ago, SiC said:

I was trying to remember if these age were affected by the instrument cluster issues. Would make sense if it was repaired and not put back together the best. 

Pretty much 2004-2012 models is where the dash cluster failure is commonplace. The issues were pretty much ironed out in 2012 for the MK3. 

28 minutes ago, SiC said:

Yeah looks it. Past MOT history of leaking rack but then it disappears. So perhaps it was fixed at some point?

It's usually the pipe union at the pump that fails. It's a total pain in the ass! They all tend to have a tiny weep around the rack, both of mine do, as long as the fluid level doesn't drop then all good

28 minutes ago, SiC said:

The guides on this Focus make it look reasonably straight forward. Did read about the stretch belts. It says you need to cut them off but iirc you can get tools to remove as well as put on? The aux belt does put me off a bit doing it though. Tools don't look that expensive for the belt removal and timing belt locking, but it does all add to the cost.

You can use the tool to get them off but I usually just use a lever bar in the conventional way that you would normally remove a stretch belt. The advice is to not reuse them but it's absolutely fine to reuse the old one if its still in good nick. 

29 minutes ago, SiC said:

But if I don't do it, I don't think it'll get done. Hard to justify having a garage do it on a 146k petrol with really shit bodywork and paint. Even if the rest of the car seems okay. However if I get the belt sorted, apart from maybe the clutch, there is no reason why it wouldn't live for a fair bit longer. Think I'd struggle to get my money back if I got a garage to do it though.

I suppose it'll depend on what you want from the car. Well worth spending out for the long term I'd say as they're excellent at being "an car" and just, work! 

I wouldn't be surprised if that belt is original. The interval is 100k / 8 years but I rarely see them snap. As @sierraman would say it's usually the tensioner that gives up first. 

I paid just over £700 for my '06 plate one about 3 years ago, and the same again for my '08 plate one last year. Both have wanted for pretty much nothing in the time I've had them, they just soldier on if you keep up with the normal consumables. 

[cpjitservices]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I went to the Glenisla Classic vehicle Club Annual Barbecue today. It was a brilliant event and the first since 2019. Everybody looked so happy to be there and mingling with cars and people, including me!

Quick stop for a photo outside Kirriemuir on the way up.

The sun came out not long after 9.30 and split the trees most of the day.

This was car of the show for me, it was superbly 1983.

Next I rode shotgun with @Tam in his Defender on the 4x4 run. I've never been in a Land Rover and certainly haven't been off road before. Fantastic fun, great views and some lovely old Land Rovers.

This is Tam's TD5 one, I was surprised at how fast it is!

The tractors came too.

Lots of other interesting cars.

This has 25000 miles on it.

A supercharged Riley Elf!

My Cavalier was the only one there until another turned up at the end. 90s stuff seems to generate a lot of interest these days.

Estate Consul 315

After years of meaning to do so, I finally stopped off at the (remains of) last Little Chef in Scotland, at Balhaldie on the A9 just north of Dunblane. Not much to see unfortunately.

No food here today.

It was a fantastic event, bacon rolls, burgers and coffee were on offer. Very generous of the Club.

I also spent ages nattering to another Vauxhall You Tuber about Vauxhall shite which was great!

 

I really wish my Cav wasnt off the road, debating selling it.

[captain_70s]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I went to the Glenisla Classic vehicle Club Annual Barbecue today. It was a brilliant event and the first since 2019. Everybody looked so happy to be there and mingling with cars and people, including me!

I was considering going to this, but then opted for being hungover and not getting out of bed till gone midday...