The new news 24 thread

[Tamworthbay]

Thanks for the help everyone. My immediate reaction was that £4k was about right. Now I've just got to work out how to drag it here from the Cotswolds...

sorry to pee on your fireworks but I fear that is very strong money. I am one of the mods on the mini forum and keep an eye on the prices so I can help in the valuations section. For a Mayfair auto to reach £4K it would need to be absolutely mint with low mileage, low/ one owner and a following wind. It's it's in good useable condition with 12 months mot then £2-£2.5k is closer to the mark, if it needs a bit of work then take £500 off that. They can also look really nice on the surface but be properly fooked in the vital bits so make sure you get pics up under the wings, rear heel board ends, bulkhead, sills (over sills will put off a lot of people so hopefully it doesn't have them) rear closing panel and inside the rear bins. The prices are based on trawling eBay for cars that have sold (as opposed to dreamers prices) and contacting members who have sold cars through the forum.

 

No harm in asking more but if it doesn't sell you will at least know why.

[For Fiats Sake]

Finally got the drive widened, tow bar fitted to modern so was able to collect this from Stockport today:

 

 

1993 Rapido pop top, so in period for use with the older pandas.

 

Couldn't put it on the drive tonight as the fucknugget who drives a british gas van decided to park it across the end of my garden.  Obviously he did not take kindly to  me parking three cars at the bottom of the road whilst I moved the fleet about.  

I did go out and move the maestro out of "his" way, but then an hour later though fuck it and added it to the uno and donor panda stack.

 

Very annoying after my first domestic tow, which was great, very easy going and no wobbles just a bit of bobbing up and down on rougher surfaces.  The large hill up to the village was taken with relative ease.

Best bit is as the caravan is same width (or a little less) than the panda so can thread it through roadworks with confidence.

Now all I need is somewhere good to go with a bit of nice weather!

 

 

 

 

[stuboy]

Anyone a framing renault scenic with range rover today on the a260? Near eastry

[andrew e]

I was nearly run over by a black MG6 this morning - do I win a prize?

[Ghosty]

I was nearly run over by a black MG6 this morning - do I win a prize?

 

Your life, and a more dignified and successful departure when the time comes.

[gnorwebthgimi]

I was nearly run over by a black MG6 this morning - do I win a prize?

I was crossing the road once and a car pulled up abruptly at the crossing, the driver did nothing wrong but it was enough to get my attention. It was none other than local mp Ben Gummer, in his* ford focus. Imma just sayin' there could be less dignified ways to shuffle the mortal coil.

[saucedoctor]

Going to an (house clearance) auction viewing tomorrow, in the catalogue is a 1998 Hyundai Coupe only 8600 miles on the clock, but no MOT since 2013.

 

Am I mad to even consider this? WCPGW?

 

Not much goes wrong with those IIRC. 1.6 is a bit gutless, 2.0 is pretty good. I think 1998 is too early for the 2.7 V6 option, but they're not worth having anyway - barely faster than the two litre, and very thirsty. Noisy as well. If the car's cheap enough I reckon it could be worth a punt. Seen a few crashed ones in breakers, never seen one with much grot.

[twosmoke300]

They do rust tho !

[Rusty_Rocket]

Hyundai Coupe does rust- my friend's 1999 one had had patching to both inner and outer sills.  Otherwise this particular car has been totally, utterly reliable, putting all the 'quality' marques to shame.  It sees next to no maintenance either, much to my disgust.

[Kiltox]

FiL's car was smacked up the arse a couple of days ago as per my previous post - he is insured TPFT but it's a non fault claim so the insurer have referred it to their legal services company

 

He's being asked to get 2 quotes for the repair - car isn't legally driveable because the tailgate doesn't shut any more and the number plate is on the tailgate (I suppose it could be tied down but that's not the point really)

 

How the fuck is he expected to get it to multiple body shops for estimates? Should he be expected to?

[garbaldy]

If the car was not moted when it was shunted then I wouldn't rock the boat just get the quotes in and take the payment.

[holbeck]

Going to an (house clearance) auction viewing tomorrow, in the catalogue is a 1998 Hyundai Coupe only 8600 miles on the clock, but no MOT since 2013.

 

Am I mad to even consider this? WCPGW?

 

Went to see this earlier although I forgot my camera.

 

It looks tidy enough although the steel sunroof is going rusty and the leather interior is mouldy.

The auction house told me that it had arrived on a transporter and had not been started. The last tax disc expired in Dec 2011.  The service book had nothing in it except the 1000 mile service back in '98, although the fluids look clean enough.

The tyres are matching Michelins, so I presume it's original set.

 

So, I reckon I'm out 'cos It's going to need trailering away then oil / coolant / brake fluid / belts / tyres &  battery, all doable but I don't think there's a lot of upside in it and I don't really want it as a daily.

[Kiltox]

If the car was not moted when it was shunted then I wouldn't rock the boat just get the quotes in and take the payment.

It has a MoT - previous reference to MoT-less cars is my Scenic

[garbaldy]

Oh right well call them and tell them to sort it out,

[Skizzer]

I prepped my Audi for its MOT by putting new wiper blades on it (as well as glueing the rear view mirror back on, but that's another story).  I fitted the correct size - the old ones were an inch smaller.

 

...which OF COURSE means it's now failed on 8.3.1d having a windscreen crack in the swept area (zone B ). 

 

 

So I'm now back to my 4-month battle to get fucking Autoglass to come and fit a new windscreen - or I could buy some smaller wiper blades.

[xtriple]

Just had a call from Specialist cars, the ignition switch box has returned from testing with : 'no fault found'.  Ideas now seem to be centred around the alarm ecu which is being removed and sent away for more tests.

 

So many things have been changed on this car now it is far beyond 'funny' anymore. All the relays (including hidden ones behind fuse boxes and so on) all the wiring checked/cleaned, starter motor checked, ignition switch box...

 

Once again, it's costing a FUCKING FORTUNE! Sick to death of it but, when it's here and going, it is sooooo nice to drive.

[purplebargeken]

You need to get rid of it, get a more reliable car that doesn't cost the price of a small island to fix. 

How about a Citr....... haha, fooled ya. 

[wuvvum]

The fleet reduction operation is continuing apace. I am currently sat on the 17 30 to Liverpool Street on my way to collect my latest purchase. In first class so free (if slightly shit) wifi. Spoke to the seller last night and he sounds like a decent bloke so fingers crossed it'll go smoothly.

[tooSavvy]

Obviously, I'm scanning the Sanderos 'for sale'.....

 

I find about 16 16V 'old Clio engine' ones then 1 Turrbo 0.9TCe.

 

 

HowMany explains some of this....... 1300 0.9TCe against 7800 16V 1.2.

 

 

.... then again, praps they find the 16V a bit $hite..??

 

 

still lookkinn

 

TS

[fordperv]

I just got weirded out whilst Replacing the fuel pipe on my saph, an ambulance driver stood at the end of my drive and said "hi mate are you Steven?" I replied yes I am, he then asked for the keys to someone's house down the road who I don't actually know, I explained this to him and he said well Margaret at number xx said to come to Steven at xx and get the key. He got both my name and house number correct, I've never heard of this lady and never had the key to her house and I'm wondering how she knows me. I'm bloody weirded out

[anonymous user]

It's time travel again. You don't know her yet, but when you do you'll look after the spare keys to her house. The ambulance man is about two years early

[wuvvum]

Well I made it out of Bethnal Green alive.  I even managed to not get hopelessly lost - pretty much unheard of for me in London. 

 

Here is a shit photo of what I've bought.  It's a "fake" petrol station shot as the car came with nearly half a tank so I haven't had to put any in yet.

 

 

It's in what I'd call London condition - solid and relatively low mileage, but dented and with a high clutch biting point suggesting lots of time spent in traffic. 

 

It drives well and covers ground nicely - I managed to lop 11 minutes off the satnav ETA despite having to extricate myself from central London on a Friday evening.  Close ratio 'box means it's slightly undergeared on the motorway though.  Performance is strange - pootling round at low revs it could be a 1.6S, but get to about 4,000 revs and it suddenly picks up its skirts and also develops a bit of a snarl - almost VTEC KICKED IN YO, although I don't think these engines have variable valve timing.  It doesn't feel quite as quick as the Rover, but then it only has 7 more horsepower for quite a lot more weight so that's understandable. 

 

Handling is superb though.  It's very planted on the road and the steering is quite firm, which makes it feel quite a heavy car, but it can be slung into corners at what are quite silly speeds for a family hatchback and it just goes round with no fuss or understeer at all.  In fact if anything it feels like the back end might come round if you overcook it, although not in the sudden-oversteer manner of a 205 GTI or Perodua Kenari.

 

It's got a few issues, like aircon and stereo not working and ABS and airbag lights on, but it's tested for nearly 10 months so I don't need to worry about any of those things straight away.  Mileage is quite low for its age - in fact it rolled over 90K as I pulled into Norwich - so it should be mechanically quite strong.

 

 

I bought it primarily so I'd have something quick, cheap, fun and non-overheaty to use on track days, and initial impressions are that it should fulfil that role admirably.  It also has a massive boot and seems reasonably good on petrol so far, so it might even see a spot of daily duty.

[HH-R]

Obviously, I'm scanning the Sanderos 'for sale'.....

 

I find about 16 16V 'old Clio engine' ones then 1 Turrbo 0.9TCe.

 

 

HowMany explains some of this....... 1300 0.9TCe against 7800 16V 1.2.

 

 

.... then again, praps they find the 16V a bit $hite..??

 

 

still lookkinn

 

TS

I've read a few reviews and some say the 1.2 is fine but others say it's slow. 14+ seconds 0-60... I couldn't be bothered with that any more.

 

The TCe is a moar respectable 11.1.

[Guest Hooli]

Primera GT?

[omegod]

Primera GT?

 

If so, are the inner sills still there ?

[wuvvum]

Yes and yes.

[Spottedlaurel]

I bought it primarily so I'd have something quick, cheap, fun and non-overheaty to use on track days, and initial impressions are that it should fulfil that role admirably.  It also has a massive boot and seems reasonably good on petrol so far, so it might even see a spot of daily duty.

 

Good thinking. Marham have already announced dates for September....

[Slappy]

Replaced the duff rear foglight after water got into the cluster over winter, contacts now all cleaned up. Though I'm intrigued as the cap had 2 bayonets approximately 1/3 and 2/3 around, and just those 2, what's that about? Doesn't quite fit the slot, but it's in contact and works, so bodge bodged...

 

Oh and a sidelight. With no swearing, no misplaced screws or washers, and utter confidence. Getting the hang of this maintenance lark

[Timewaster]

If the pins are in the wrong position then it's the wrong bulb!

 

There are some which have the pins at ten to two. Get yourself to a decent motor factors and get the right one.

[Kiltox]

Scenic is getting prodded by a man from the ministry now - nervous!