The new news 24 thread

[Sigmund Fraud]

What do we think?

 

 

Sorry.

[busmansholiday]

Had the 180 hp tsi lump in the Fabia VRS, drank oil faster than petrol. Still, looks nice, think an MGB looks better.

[BorniteIdentity]

I’ve driven one. Briefly. They are unimaginably, unfathomably and unbearably small inside. Just thinking about the experience is making me feel a bit claustrophobic.

 

I don’t go in for all the standard pub talk, AS regurgitation of VAG hating - but I just didn’t fit.

 

Hope it works out for you tho.

[SiC]

I'm 5ft 10in and 11.5 stone. One of the few advantages of being short is that you fit into most stuff. I kinda like the enclosed feel too.

 

Maybe a Boxster is going to be less of a liability...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Ah, so the thing is borked already. Thought so!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Ok now it's broken I ought to reveal it, as I now need any knowledge to figure out what the problem could be and how much is it likely going to cost to fix!

This is not it, but looks identical to this:

2l tfsi lump (200bhp or something like that), full heated leather, navigation, DSG gearbox and for added potential borkage, Magneride suspension (Not a rare technology ... on Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Range Rovers).

Not Quattro. I only realised after I agreed that on Audis that means FWD - I thought it was RWD.

I don't really like Audis but I kinda still want it. Even if it's currently a bit broken. Would be a decent thing to buzz around the city in. It does mean two black Audis on my drive too.

Hopefully it's just a snapped droplink or spring. Google says that duff steering racks on the TT Mk2 and Golf Mk5 is a thing though.

What do we think? Anyone experienced with these things?

One of my brothers bought a lovely A4 estate with the 2.0 TFSi lump in it about 18 months ago, only done 70k but had a £4000 odd bill for a rebuilt engine.

A year later it started misfiring...

After spending £300 to get it diagnosed, it went on eBay with a ' slight misfire , possibly injector fault'

Yes, the rebuilt TFSi was fucked again within about 16,000 miles .

When it comes to Audis stick to V6s and V8s.

[Sigmund Fraud]

On a less unhelpful note...

 

TT front suspension isn't particularly complicated, and is shared with a million other VW products, so it shouldn't be too bad to fix.

 

Early DSG boxes were a disaster zone, but they're supposedly better now. They're also brilliant when they work properly.

 

What would keep me awake at night is the TFSI engine and the magnetic dampers... Both can go expensively wrong, and do so more often than the "Vorsprung durch Technik" fanboys like to admit.

 

 

Despite their well-documented problems, a first-generation Boxster would be a far, far more sensible option.

[Guest]

There is a Boxster along the road from me, been sitting well over a year but looks OK. Do you think I could go all Mike Brewer and get it for less than a grand? It looks alright too, keep hoping to catch the old guy that owns it and have a chat.

[alcyonecorporation]

 

 

Fitted the correct year wheels to my Impreza. The sadness hath taken me.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Don't know if it's everywhere , but my local Tesco garage is selling Emegency Bulb Sets for £1.25 , they're usually £5.00 which is still one of the cheapest ways to buy a headlight bulb. But £1.25 is a barg, hence me now having 6 sets!

[Kiltox]

Single headlight bulbs can be had for much less than £5 but that’s a megabarg for a useful little set that will get you out of the shit

[cort16]

I’ve driven a couple of them tt’s and liked them . Both the engine and gearbox are great when not broken of course .

[angle]

(200bhp or something like that), full heated leather, navigation, FWD

So...a more expensive, smaller, more broken version of the Laguna?

[SiC]

So...a more expensive, smaller, more broken version of the Laguna?

... with 2 less cylinders and 10 bhp less.

[busmansholiday]

Wouldn't getting the MGB sorted be an easier option. Especially for someone who panicked about oil pressure who's now buying one of these.

[wuvvum]

Well today has not been a great day from a chod point of view.  The weekend had started off so well too - I got the post-cat Lambda sensor on the C4 changed in about 5 minutes, I thought it was going to be a complete twat of a job.

 

The Perodua then went and failed its MOT this morning.  The emissions were catastrophically out - HC over double the limit and Lambda somewhere down near 0.7.  I immediately suspected the aftermarket "universal" Lambda sensor, as a lot of these are very cheap and appear to be pants.  However when I went to unplug it, two of the wires just fell out where they were joined - they hadn't been soldered at all, just (badly) crimped.  I rejoined the two wires in question using a slightly more solid connection, and checked that the other two were still firmly connected (they were).  It's early days but I think it may have done the trick - it hasn't thrown the P0130 code back up, and it seems to be running more cleanly and smelling less fumey.  I'm just hoping that running mega-rich like that won't have fucked up the cat - being mechanically Japanese a replacement cat will not be cheap.

 

It also needs both front droplinks (which wasn't a surprise as they have been rattling) and a track rod end ball joint dust cover (I'll probably replace the whole TRE for the sake of 9 quid).  The other thing that has annoyed me somewhat though is that it also needs the OSR brake pipe replacing as a short section near the flexi has rotted - but of course it's one pipe all the way from the ABS pump to the flexi, and the pipes run up the nearside of the car with the offside pipe then heading to its brake drum over the top of the fuel tank, which means that's got to come off as well.  I'm also going to have to buy a new reel of brake pipe as I'm going to need to make up a pipe about 13' long and I haven't got that much pipe left on my current reel.  So more bloody expense.  Good job the car was cheap.

 

I then started to have a look around the ex-Brammy 205.  It looks like the non-functioning horn is a wiring problem in the vicinity of the fuse box, as a quick Google search revealed that it shares its fuse with the lighter and the HRW, both of which are also dead.  The fuse itself is fine, so I'm going to have to remove the glovebox and then pop the fuse box out for a better look.

 

Next job I attempted was the track rod end.  To my surprise (given how rusty everything was), the ball joint nut came undone with no problems.  However getting the TRE to undo from the track rod is proving to be more of a challenge as it is not showing the slightest bit of interest in unscrewing, despite liberal application of GT85 and a blowtorch (not at the same time obvs).  I'm going to wire brush it and lube it up some more and then have another bash tomorrow - if I still can't get it undone then I'll leave it and the car can sit around until I have enough spare pennies in the shite fund to take it to my local garage, which could be a wee while as I seem to be far better at acquiring cars than I am at divesting myself of them.  If it does go to the garage I'll leave them to sort out the horn and the rear brake as well - neither of which are jobs I am particularly relishing.

 

I did manage to trowel some gun gum into the hole in the exhaust though, so there's that I suppose.  It's not really bandageable or weldable as it's right behind one of the hangers, so if the gun gum doesn't work it'll be a new centre section - which is going to be fun as it's one pipe from turbo to rear silencer from what I can see.

[andy18s]

 

 

Fitted the correct year wheels to my Impreza. The sadness hath taken me.

Just watched the Mighty Car Mods do their Subarute.....giving me ideas now though lol

[Kiltox]

Wouldn't getting the MGB sorted be an easier option. Especially for someone who panicked about oil pressure who's now buying one of these.

Don’t think he’s replacing the MG with it - his daily Civic was written off in an accident

[SiC]

Don’t think he’s replacing the MG with it - his daily Civic was written off in an accident

Yeah this ^^

 

Also would like Vulgs Austin 1100, but that's a separate conversation.

 

So I've been chatting to him and I think he's just panicking and stressing about nothing. As he's selling it to a friend, he really doesn't want it sell it broken, so hearing every little noise and freaking out. The clicking on the steering is so quiet that its not picked up with a camera phone microphone. The resistance when turning the wheel is when its around the bit it clicks you can apparently feel a very, very slight resistance - but he's not sure if he's just imagining that. I don't think its the rack, I think its probably just some knackard bush.

 

Of more of a concern is that there is a metallic clicking in the engine bay. Could be the N80 EVAP valve (emissions canister solenoid) or something more worse... I'm getting him to check with a garage to make sure its nothing worse. I just want to make sure its not the cam follower on the fuel pump. Easy part to replace but if it wears, it does a lot of expensive damage. If its a serious internal engine issue, I said the best place will be WBAC.

 

Bare in mind I'm getting this car cheap. Even if I spend £600-800 on it'll still be cheap and I can get my money back if I shifted it privately (I'd rather not though). However I want to avoid engine rebuilds and the like, as it will get expensive very quickly (and my experience is never runs the same again).

 

This all sounds a bit Pistonheads and not usual AS, but I'm still spending a fraction that many, many people spend on a brand spanking new car over a finance term. Well my man maths calculator has figured its passed due diligence...

[MarvinsMom]

Mr SiC, you have my deepest condolances at buying an Aldi Titty......even if it was bloody free this would be too expensive for me. tfsi engines, aren't those the ones where the piston rings like to break up while the engine is running?

 

in other news, we've been and played mini's again today. and we've even got it back onto its wheels and moved under its own power.....

 

the indicators now work! as do the sidelights which is nice

 

we've put a new voltage stabiliser onto the back of the speedo clock, and the tempreture gauge now working, petrol gauge still doesn't though. tried a new sender on the back of the wiring, and still nothing so we are going to try a new gauge and see what if anything changes.

bled the brakes again and we had a pedal so we took the car for a run around the unit and the yard, only for the brakes to disappear with some use. now either we are sagging air into the car, or, we have dislodged an airlock from somewhere. shit.....

and the "new" numberplates are fitted.

annoyed about the brakes working and then not working. we are close, so flippin' close to been ready for the MOT. little bastard thing.

[Kiltox]

Couple of aging but still modern Audi in the family might see SiC working towards king of the modern section though

[SiC]

Couple of aging but still modern Audi in the family might see SiC working towards king of the modern section though

Nah I'm only doing what tens of thousands of people are doing up and down the country really. Its not quite like Wack buying a modern fucked RR and having the engine swapped. Or like dome is doing by running a very hot Audi estate that was and still is a formidable weapon.

 

The A4 is your average family car nowadays with your average family car engine that is used in millions of vehicles. The TT is basically a Golf GTi in a coupe frock and with improved NVH.

 

I just seem to always end up buying cars pre-broken before I buy them. Even when not intending to.

[SiC]

Mr SiC, you have my deepest condolances at buying an Aldi Titty......even if it was bloody free this would be too expensive for me. tfsi engines, aren't those the ones where the piston rings like to break up while the engine is running?

 

Ssssh! Don't tell me these things. I rather not know!

 

Its likely that I've paid less for it than what your classic mini will be worth when it's finished and back on the road.

[Kiltox]

Nah I'm only doing what tens of thousands of people are doing up and down the country really. Its not quite like Wack buying a modern fucked RR and having the engine swapped. Or like dome is doing by running a very hot Audi estate that was and still is a formidable weapon.

The A4 is your average family car nowadays with your average family car engine that is used in millions of vehicles. The TT is basically a Golf GTi in a coupe frock and with improved NVH.

I just seem to always end up buying cars pre-broken before I buy them. Even when not intending to.

The thing that sets you apart is knowing what you’re getting into and doing it anyway - you’re not buying them on YesCarCredit at 42,000% APR

[artdjones]

Well today has not been a great day from a chod point of view. The weekend had started off so well too - I got the post-cat Lambda sensor on the C4 changed in about 5 minutes, I thought it was going to be a complete twat of a job.

 

The Perodua then went and failed its MOT this morning. The emissions were catastrophically out - HC over double the limit and Lambda somewhere down near 0.7. I immediately suspected the aftermarket "universal" Lambda sensor, as a lot of these are very cheap and appear to be pants. However when I went to unplug it, two of the wires just fell out where they were joined - they hadn't been soldered at all, just (badly) crimped. I rejoined the two wires in question using a slightly more solid connection, and checked that the other two were still firmly connected (they were). It's early days but I think it may have done the trick - it hasn't thrown the P0130 code back up, and it seems to be running more cleanly and smelling less fumey. I'm just hoping that running mega-rich like that won't have fucked up the cat - being mechanically Japanese a replacement cat will not be cheap.

 

It also needs both front droplinks (which wasn't a surprise as they have been rattling) and a track rod end ball joint dust cover (I'll probably replace the whole TRE for the sake of 9 quid). The other thing that has annoyed me somewhat though is that it also needs the OSR brake pipe replacing as a short section near the flexi has rotted - but of course it's one pipe all the way from the ABS pump to the flexi, and the pipes run up the nearside of the car with the offside pipe then heading to its brake drum over the top of the fuel tank, which means that's got to come off as well. I'm also going to have to buy a new reel of brake pipe as I'm going to need to make up a pipe about 13' long and I haven't got that much pipe left on my current reel. So more bloody expense. Good job the car was cheap.

 

I then started to have a look around the ex-Brammy 205. It looks like the non-functioning horn is a wiring problem in the vicinity of the fuse box, as a quick Google search revealed that it shares its fuse with the lighter and the HRW, both of which are also dead. The fuse itself is fine, so I'm going to have to remove the glovebox and then pop the fuse box out for a better look.

 

Next job I attempted was the track rod end. To my surprise (given how rusty everything was), the ball joint nut came undone with no problems. However getting the TRE to undo from the track rod is proving to be more of a challenge as it is not showing the slightest bit of interest in unscrewing, despite liberal application of GT85 and a blowtorch (not at the same time obvs). I'm going to wire brush it and lube it up some more and then have another bash tomorrow - if I still can't get it undone then I'll leave it and the car can sit around until I have enough spare pennies in the shite fund to take it to my local garage, which could be a wee while as I seem to be far better at acquiring cars than I am at divesting myself of them. If it does go to the garage I'll leave them to sort out the horn and the rear brake as well - neither of which are jobs I am particularly relishing.

 

I did manage to trowel some gun gum into the hole in the exhaust though, so there's that I suppose. It's not really bandageable or weldable as it's right behind one of the hangers, so if the gun gum doesn't work it'll be a new centre section - which is going to be fun as it's one pipe from turbo to rear silencer from what I can see.

We fitted a couple of Delphi universal lambda sensors at work and I seem to remember that the instructions said the connections had to be crimped, soldering was not allowed.And their design of crimped connection was rubbish.After that we went over to using exact fit sensors, usually NTK.Even though the universal sensors were cheaper,by the time you added half an hour of labour for making a connection that didn't fall apart easily the difference wasn't so great.

[Noel Tidybeard]

I'm 5ft 10in and 11.5 stone. One of the few advantages of being short is that you fit into most stuff. I kinda like the enclosed feel too.

 

 

you WILL bang your head on the rear of the roof- ask me how i know

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Today, oi arr been mostly in the eirr:

 

[trigger]

I've been looking for a larger second car for a few weeks now to replace my immaculate but too small Fiesta, a Focus 1.8TDCi has been top of the list but having viewed a few and watching them every day on da web most of them are either high miles, rough looking or too expensive then today a Focus 1.6 Zetec petrol came up for sale near Norwich, I only do about 4-5000 miles a year so a petrol isn't a bad option and i fancied taking the Rover for a drive so I took the 50 min drive to view it.

 

 

 

 

It was being sold by the brother of the Ford dealers next door where it was a traded in and he sells the best part ex's from his house, the car was spotless and looked really smart in Tango Red, 88000 miles but you wouldn't know, the trader was all over my Rover mind you!

 

It had gone through the garages workshops by his son who had put a new Gates cambelt kit on it and water pump, given it a full service, is putting a new MOT it and 3 months warranty, it was up for £1995 and I offered £1700, he laughed and said look you seem like a nice lad and I love your Rover so I'll do it at £1800! I'm well chuffed with that.

 

Now i need to sell my Fiesta, if anyone is interested it's a 2004 1.4 TDCi Zetec, genuine 35000 miles, my mum had it before me from 2008/6000 miles. It's mint apart from a small crease on the rear bumper and its had a new cambelt, front springs and full service history etc. £1650ono, which is fair for a low mileage TDCi in this condition plus its £30 a year road tax.

 

 

 

 

[Talbot]

needs the OSR brake pipe replacing as a short section near the flexi has rotted - but of course it's one pipe all the way from the ABS pump to the flexi, and the pipes run up the nearside of the car with the offside pipe then heading to its brake drum over the top of the fuel tank, which means that's got to come off as well.

Just put a join in the brake pipe. I did this on my merc for it's recentish MOT for exactly the same reasons as you've outlined. The MOT man spotted it and said "you cheat!". But it's fine for the MOT.

 

Use a tube nut on the old section of pipe with a single conical flare, then a tube bolt (standard end fitting) on the new bit with a fold-over flare as standard. The foldover flare then fits perfectly in the conical flare and you do the whole lot up tight until it stops leaking. I'll get a picture if it helps, and if you want the tube bolt/nut pair, I have a whole box full and will send you one in the post. Lots easier than changing an entire perfectly good pipe.

[17-Coffees]

Charged the LS400's battery last night at work and fired her up again today, forgot how nice it sounds. 

 

Having space to work on it now and the summer months approaching means I'll hopefully get round to fixing it up this summer! Added to that I've been given a date for my brothers wedding next year, so plan to have it properly done by then. (Because Luexbarge)