The new news 24 thread

[EssDeeWon]

Update of events at Greengartside towers.

 

Well....not a lot really. The Zafira is still awaiting an M.o.T but that will be happening quite soon. Looks like the list is a new cat, N/S wishbone and coil spring, adjustment / repair of rear brakes, new N/S handbrake cable and possibly a new tyre on the front O/S. I've replaced the blown main beam bulb and put a set of correct sized front wiper blades on. Now I can see out of the windscreen okay.

 

Also I'm thinking of selling my little Fiesta, I need a bigger car so I'm looking for a 4/5-door. I've narrowed it down to Mk5 Astra, Mk4 Golf GT TDi (post-02 plate with the comfier recaro seats) and maybe the Rover 75 tourer Diesels. I also have my eye on the local garage's Skoda Fabia 1.4 but I don't think they will be selling that any time soon. I love my Fiesta but I've well and truly scratched the itch now so I want someone else to have some fun with it.

 

The Fiesta, is it a tec s?  These in nice standard condition are starting to creep up now, no?

[DodgyBastard]

Peugeot 305's by srblythe, on Flickr

 

It got here in the end, £110 for the car and £150 to transport it so overall not too bad.

[ruffgeezer]

What engine is it?

I think it's a 1.3 from memory.

[cros]

As I passed through Bourne this sunny afternoon there was a mini-skirted girl outside the Esso with lots of writing tattooed high up all round her very ample thighs. How considerate, I thought, to provide a bit of reading material for some cunning-linguist as they labour away.

The main news is that the Sherpa coupe I was in seems to have developed some play about its rear wheel, possibly a bent halfshaft. I look forward to investigating when I put the other 2 tyres on.

[xtriple]

Bentley is in for a service and MOT tomorrow. Yep more or less a year since I got it and it has been a 'pleasure' to own!  However, it has done less than a 1000 miles in that time and most of those by someone else being driven to and from Exeter (some benefits to Bentley ownership - the dealers come to you!) so it hardly seems worth it... but, I need to keep up the service history. I need to keep up the history for ME not the next owner as it'll probably be my son after I'm dead, but my paranoia/ocd would go into overdrive if I failed to get it done.

 

Also, they will take it to the garage they use for the MOT so I trust that the person doing it will be used to these heaps and their quirks and foibles, and of course, if it fails (it'd better fucking not!) it'll be going to Specialist cars for repairs anyway... So, a 'C' service (glorified oil and filter change, top up fluids, inspect and report is £330 plus VAT and an MOT is what, £45? I have also asked them to change the diff oil as it is the only thing that hasn't been touched so may as well be.

 

Any guesses on how much this will actually cost?

 

After this, I hope it behaves itself for a few months/years and I can save a few quid up to put back in readiness for the next big bill (whatever that may be and when) because I am fucking skint! I have spent more money this year than I ever imagined any car could cost over a decade. My wallet shrivels up and starts to shake whenever the Bentley is near and it is getting... tiresome !

[captain_70s]

Your entire Bentley escapade reminds me of James May's first bit on new Top Gear where he points out your could buy a Bentley for Mondeo money and shouldn't because it'll ruin your life like his has.

[purplebargeken]

Ooooooh, Mk3 Golf!

 

The indicator/fake light covers, sunroofless/decent headlining and an intact passenger door mirror are on my shopping list Mr RuffG.

[beko1987]

I'm surprised the plastic fuel cap hasn't started to rust...

 

Asda have 5l bottles of veg for £3.50 a bottle, 70ppl... I just got a £25 asda voucher from work for my birthday so can get 7 bottles/35l...

 

Dunno wether to spend it on fuel or not though, Amy gets paid tomorrow so can just get her to buy it on the online shopping order...

[320touring]

I'm surprised the plastic fuel cap hasn't started to rust...

 

Asda have 5l bottles of veg for £3.50 a bottle, 70ppl... I just got a £25 asda voucher from work for my birthday so can get 7 bottles/35l...

 

Dunno wether to spend it on fuel or not though, Amy gets paid tomorrow so can just get her to buy it on the online shopping order...

4 bottles veg and rest on beer FTW

[beko1987]

I can get Amy to buy the beer anyway... Going to pop over after work and see if they have any on the shelves, and if so not tell amy and get her to give me fuel money...

 

Can only buy 5 bottles at a time online, which sucks as they will bring it to the garden that way, I haven't got to lug it to the car myself

[beko1987]

What was the consensus re veg vs sunflower oil again?

[Bobthebeard]

No 'during' pics sadly. But will take some 'after' pics tomorrow.

Edit. The new metal spring

 

And the old composite broken monoleaf

 

 

[twosmoke300]

That ka fuel cap rust is prob technically an mot fail as it must be damn close to 300mm from the top strut mount . Most testers I know dont fail them because its a totally seperate panel but I have heard of testers failing them . Its like disco alpine light rust and corsa 3drs cracking on the b pillar

[Slappy]

Whilst the missus was snaffling around the bargain bin section of the local big Tesco, I spotted a wiper blade hiding at the back, 22" aero £2.36 from £7... Perfect, as the other one of mine has started to judder half the time so I effectively picked up a pair for £value.

 

Only thing wrong was the display hook loop had been ripped off....

[tooSavvy]

Skip raffled a Weedol pushy handle pump sprayer...

 

Nice array of 'bitz n bobbz' to add to my current undercar protection project

 

 

TS

[beko1987]

Skip raffle, love it!

[tooSavvy]

Skip raffle, love it!

 

well... No ticket >> Just luck in passing lol

 

TS

[Spottedlaurel]

News on my own fleet is all cooling related. The 1200 was running hotter each time I used it and when I touched the radiator it felt like only a third of it was getting properly hot. It's been sent away for a recore, so fingers crossed that's all it is. Drained it of some rather filthy, brown looking liquid, just hoping I don't discover HGF on that when I get the radiator refitted.

 

Then, having used it for work on Thursday, the Laurel decided to spew most of its coolant out and send the needle to the top of the gauge. Not sure yet what the problem is there, when I refilled it there was no immediately obvious leak - investigation required. Again, just hoping no further issues caused.

 

Recored radiator for the 1200 has been delivered, waiting for me to fit. Unfortunately when I removed it from the front panel all three of the remaining bolts sheared off in the captive nuts (the fourth was already like it from a previous repair) so I’m going to have use slightly smaller nuts and bolts once the remnants of the old bolts have been drilled-out.

 

So far, on a ratio of money/effort to mileage covered the 1200 isn’t doing very well. The poor running issue is still raising its head every so often, it’s all a bit frustrating for what should be such a simple, reliable car.

 

As a result of minor despondency over that, I couldn’t face investigating the problem on the Laurel. Ideally I need to before Saturday as it’s going in for an MoT and service – perhaps I’ll just refill it, get it round there and let them see what’s up with it.

[xtriple]

Of course the fucking heap of shit Bentley failed its MOT.

 

Fog light switch faulty. Anti roll bar link rubber boots perished. That's it... however, Bentley do not sell the fog light switch separately so it's the complete panel (5 switches) and they don't sell the rubber boots either so £135 each. But, factors sell rubber boots so they are going on and the switch is being stripped with a view to getting it working... which it did perfectly the other day.

 

Also, apparently my front brake hoses are going as there's a delay in the front brakes releasing, I do like good brakes....  and ones that are NOT going to lock on one day when I least expect it as they are breaking up inside, and advisories for cracking on three tyres.

 

Just waiting for Paul to ring back with a price for the new hoses and fitting and thinking about buying a new set of tyres! Michelin Latitude sport 3 come highly recommended and have a really good rating and they are quiet and £130 each. The 'correct' Avon things are £400 each, noisy, have lousy wet grip and lousy on fuel efficiency.

 

£372 to change the front hoses as a worse case I have just been told. Everything on this car is ridiculous!

 

Good news is: it got serviced with no bother and the diff oil was straight forward!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

372 for a pair of new hoses??? WTF

[Supernaut]

You're a fucking masochist, xtriple.

[Spottedlaurel]

Of course the fucking heap of shit Bentley failed its MOT...........

Reading that, I don’t feel so bad about my old crocks now.

[xtriple]

372 for a pair of new hoses??? WTF

That's including fitting and vat so MUCH better!

[Bobthebeard]

Of course the fucking heap of shit Bentley failed its MOT.

 

Fog light switch faulty. Anti roll bar link rubber boots perished. That's it... however, Bentley do not sell the fog light switch separately so it's the complete panel (5 switches) and they don't sell the rubber boots either so £135 each. But, factors sell rubber boots so they are going on and the switch is being stripped with a view to getting it working... which it did perfectly the other day.

 

Also, apparently my front brake hoses are going as there's a delay in the front brakes releasing, I do like good brakes.... and ones that are NOT going to lock on one day when I least expect it as they are breaking up inside, and advisories for cracking on three tyres.

 

Just waiting for Paul to ring back with a price for the new hoses and fitting and thinking about buying a new set of tyres! Michelin Latitude sport 3 come highly recommended and have a really good rating and they are quiet and £130 each. The 'correct' Avon things are £400 each, noisy, have lousy wet grip and lousy on fuel efficiency.

 

£372 to change the front hoses as a worse case I have just been told. Everything on this car is ridiculous!

 

Good news is: it got serviced with no bother and the diff oil was straight forward!

i

 

Sort of reminds me of when I had a Rover P6 3500 when I was 18. I could afford to buy it, but running, insuring and fixing it was financial ruin. I loved that car, but was scared to park it anywhere and the petrol costs were terrible. Hence it only got driven rarely. Kind of begs the question why? I sold it and bought something less cash dependent!

[beko1987]

Fuck me, here's me worrying about the mot on the xantia, but worrying over a £100 bill... If the tester quotes £360 at me for repairs he will have the keys thrown to him with a 'your problem now m8' shout over my shoulder...

[captain_70s]

I'm worrying about the Civic's MOT, plus it is due a service and my recent 1000+ mile road-trip has taken it's toll and it no longer pulls at low rpm it just coughs and splutters like it's not getting fuel. 

 

Its still new enough and carrying enough value that I want to look after it well enough that it won't be utterly worthless by the time it comes to sell it but my fairly long commute, bumpy farm roads and the local climate are taking their toll on the thing.

 

I'd much rather sell it and buy something worthless to chug about it, something I can just replace outright with another shitter if it goes wrong or can DIY/bodge as required but am limited by the fact I didn't buy the Honda in the first place. It was bought by my parents when the Dolly 1300 broke down just before it's MOT was due so I could get to/from work without relying on them for a lift, so it's technically a free car but I'm having to deal with the fact it's getting to that sort of age where it's going wrong in potentially expensive ways for the first time. I daren't think about DIYing the thing 'cause it's newish and I risk rendering it deaded for much monies. They also paid £2.5k for it from a dealer so there is no way I can sell the thing and give them the money back because it'll be worth £1.5k at the very best.

 

There is also the fact I have no interest in it at all, it is the carest of cars, it does everything moderately well and excels at nothing while doing nothing particularly wrong either. It's just tedious and dull unless you thrash the living shit out of it and then it depreciates faster and breaks. I resent spending money on it, the Triumphs were costly and shit but I could cope with that because I liked them, the Civic is just a drag. I look at it and it doesn't feel like my car, it feels like a car I'm using, much the same as my old Corsa D did.

 

Meh, I'll pay it through this upcoming MOT and then keep working towards getting a Triumph back on the roads and entering raffles for naff AS chariots...

[Richard]

 

 

Meh, I'll pay it through this upcoming MOT and then keep working towards getting a Triumph back on the roads and entering raffles for naff AS chariots...

 

Step right this way http://autoshite.com/topic/25666-driver-for-a-fiver-1996-vw-polo-19d/

 

In all seriousness it would get you through the winter no bother, and at 50mpg. It even has winter tyres.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Of course the fucking heap of shit Bentley failed its MOT.

 

Fog light switch faulty. Anti roll bar link rubber boots perished. That's it... however, Bentley do not sell the fog light switch separately so it's the complete panel (5 switches) and they don't sell the rubber boots either so £135 each. But, factors sell rubber boots so they are going on and the switch is being stripped with a view to getting it working... which it did perfectly the other day.

 

Also, apparently my front brake hoses are going as there's a delay in the front brakes releasing, I do like good brakes....  and ones that are NOT going to lock on one day when I least expect it as they are breaking up inside, and advisories for cracking on three tyres.

 

Just waiting for Paul to ring back with a price for the new hoses and fitting and thinking about buying a new set of tyres! Michelin Latitude sport 3 come highly recommended and have a really good rating and they are quiet and £130 each. The 'correct' Avon things are £400 each, noisy, have lousy wet grip and lousy on fuel efficiency.

 

£372 to change the front hoses as a worse case I have just been told. Everything on this car is ridiculous!

 

Good news is: it got serviced with no bother and the diff oil was straight forward!

This is what happens when you let specialists* MOT your Bentley. I bet if you'd gone to a local garage this would have sailed through with maybe an advise on the switch.

Brake pipes breaking up inside? WTF ? Have they got X-Ray eyes. This sort of bollocks is why I got rid of mine. If you were doing thousands of miles a week at high speeds then maybe and then only maybe it would be worth worrying about cracks in tyres or a possible fault in a brake pipe.

These fuckers are like Pikey's knocking on an old ladies front door and systematically robbing her life savings by telling her the roof needs doing or the chimney needs pointing. If you told them, that's it I've got no more money until 2018, I bet it would miraculously not need any of these Special Bentley* things doing.

Sorry for the aggressive tone , but it pisses me off to see someone having the piss taken out of them.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'll do the hoses for £370 all-in if you like Xtripe. The parts themselves are a tenner each seemingly

 

http://brakeparts.co.uk/#!/shop/ROLLS%20ROYCE/SILVER/65-/SILVER%20SHADOW,WRAITH,SPUR%20&%20SPIRIT/Brake%20Flexible%20Hoses

[dollywobbler]

I reckon the hoses fault is utter tosh myself. It's a Citroen hydraulic system, and they're always a little low to release the pressure.