The new news 24 thread

[Datsuncog]

Despite our combined best efforts over the weekend, the rattlecan Mk3 Cortina belonging to adammcc failed to achieve an MOT pass yesterday afternoon... apparently I'd left so much residual mess after changing the hoses and bleeding the lines that the examiner couldn't be sure they weren't leaking, despite showing good enough force and balance on the rolling road test. Shoulda gone over everything with kitchen roll. Oh, and a duff indicator bulb.

 

 

VIN plate check came back, though - Dagenham build car from February 1973. I'd heard tell that cars with Décor badges were Belgian-built strikebuster specials - am I wrong to assume that, or has the car just picked up a random bootlid badge from somewhere?

[Ghosty]

IMG_20180327_160734172 by max_burton, on Flickr

 

 

Put an Allen head socket on my 3/4 drive and used that to manually crank the sunroof. There was a bang, and it freed off. Pulled a couple of broken bits of plastic out of the mechanism and it now works fully.

[SiC]

The biggest question is ... does it close again?!

[SiC]

Civic is being delivered back on Thursday. I'm hoping, just hoping they haven't fucked around with it and ruined it.

 

My in-laws seem keen to take it on once I get it fixed and sorted. Which would mean I'd have to dispose of their Corsa C (I bloody hate Corsa Cs). Anyone got any clue what a 2004 1.2 example is worth? Pretty low mileage iirc - I think under 60k.

 

The Aldi TurboTart is also being driven up on Thursday too. So looks like I need to get this hire car out of the way asap, plus get the Civic turned around quick. Also maybe finally put the MGB up in the garage that I've been renting for ages!

 

The most exciting thing is that I'm having a proper mains feed put into the garage. This will replace the dodgy twin+earth that comes out of conservatory, disappears into the ground and re-appears into the garage. As whoever put it in didn't seal the hole, its full of earth and water, rotting out the back of the socket.

 

I dare not attempt to put too much load through that socket, overheat it and catch the polystyrene insulation that the previous owner also skimmed over. So hopefully with this new feed, I can safely* start to learn to weld.

[BavarianRetro]

Well that took a while. Two blokes came down from Newcastle in an 11-plate Modus to look at it, fella says he's just sold a Scimitar and wanted a bigger classic.

 

He spent two hours(!) looking it over. Was really taken with how tidy it is, happy with the way it drives but he's suspicious there's early signs of HGF, the cambelt is due on age and the front brake discs need replacing.

 

Still, he said he wants to buy it and he'll offer £875 and collect next Weds if his more knowledgeable Volvoist friend says it won't be hard to sort (of course it won't). That's fine by me, and I'll know by the end of the day.

 

You'll never hear from him again.

[Ghosty]

The biggest question is ... does it close again?!

Yes, it does!

[alcyonecorporation]

OK, does it leak?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo ghosty, if you wanna flog the Volvo I would change the cambelt. it's a piece of cake to do on those and wipes out probably the most-used price-chipping technique from 'buyers'. I always change the belt on owt I'm selling just to avoid discussing it with people. ("it'll cost me £200 straight off to get that changed" etc etc)

[r.welfare]

I concur, I'm a hamfistes fool and a 740 timing belt change is one of two that I have done successfully, it's a cinch and takes less than an hour. Discs also a piece of cake.

[Ghosty]

OK, does it leak?

Doesn't do that either.

[BorniteIdentity]

I’m having hankerings atm. I’m as regular as clockwork - 10-12 weeks and I find myself sharking around.

 

I was behind a Hyundai XG30 last night coming out of Cambridge. Actually, it looked really cool. There are a lot of ‘try hards’ around these parts - but this somehow looked effortlessly cool.

 

And shite.

 

It’s like a bunch of 9 year olds were shown the back of a Maybach, then plied with recreational drugs for their entire play time, and then asked to try and draw what they recalled.

 

I reckon I’ve got to have a go on one before it’s too late. Has anybody here owned one?

[twosmoke300]

IMG_20180327_160734172 by max_burton, on Flickr

 

 

Put an Allen head socket on my 3/4 drive and used that to manually crank the sunroof. There was a bang, and it freed off. Pulled a couple of broken bits of plastic out of the mechanism and it now works fully.

 

Christ a 3/4 drive to open a sunroof - must have been proper seized

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I’m having hankerings atm. I’m as regular as clockwork - 10-12 weeks and I find myself sharking around.

 

I was behind a Hyundai XG30 last night coming out of Cambridge. Actually, it looked really cool. There are a lot of ‘try hards’ around these parts - but this somehow looked effortlessly cool.

 

And shite.

 

It’s like a bunch of 9 year olds were shown the back of a Maybach, then plied with recreational drugs for their entire play time, and then asked to try and draw what they recalled.

 

I reckon I’ve got to have a go on one before it’s too late. Has anybody here owned one?

Nope but I can definitely understand the appeal.....

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[Fat_Pirate]

My neighbours kindly allowed me to park the Berlingo on their drive, as I've got myself into some excessive-car-ownership bother.  Unfortunately it's disgraced itself by dumping the contents of it's radiator... it's rotted out at the base.

 

It gets worse - John (neighbour) went with my Mrs to collect a new rad from ECP, where the usual blundering incompetence was in full swing and they had to wait nearly 90 mins for the bloody thing.

[trigger]

I collected my new Focus this afternoon

 

 

And that's where my troubles started, once I got on to the busy A140 I noticed it kept spluttering under load and when i tried to get into the A14 it really struggled and even the EML kept flickering, once home I found the breather pipe had a hole in it from where it had been rubbing on the rad, I've taped it up and so far so good, the biggest problem though is that the front end it's really bouncy, to the point that the garage assistant at the petrol station I stopped at even commented at how much it bounced.

 

I can't believe it passed the mot yesterday being that bad, and it was done at the Ford dealers too, pricing up new struts and springs comes too £150, would it be fair to ring the dealer back up and see if he will fix it or compensate it for?

[RobT]

A mate had the exact same issue with a Focus he bought at auction. Really jittery ride despite passing the MoT. New shocks and springs and I can't see much difference to be honest. But if yours is really bad can't hurt going back to the dealers and mentioning it.

 

Nice car otherwise although the gearing is short, so 5th is a strain on long trips.

[Ghosty]

Well, the guy called me back and the Volvo is now sold pending collection on Weds next week.

[trigger]

I've noticed that with 5th, at 70 it's about 3200 rpm but it's pretty quiet, not sure about the MPG yet, it goes well though, get it up to 4000 rpm and it feels a bit like a VTEC.

[The Moog]

Well, the guy called me back and the Volvo is now sold pending collection on Weds next week.

That's excellent news and proves we know nothing

[phil_lihp]

My gradual migration into non-shite motoring continues. 

 

 

It seems like a good one, the seller runs a specialist Ford garage and owns a spotless Escort Cosworth, seems like a genuinely honest chap.  It's not perfect but its known issues are trivial. Sadly, I'm very excited as I've always liked these despite my old one years back being an over-geared 1.6 which had suffered a lot of neglect and abuse from previous owners.  I know the ST170 is often criticised for its shortcomings in the performance stakes but I'm not bothered, I'm not planning on racing it,

 

Picking it up on Friday, got a fairly fun collection day, albeit only 70 miles away, using my Dad's Nissan Leaf which I've borrowed for the weekend, a known patchy charging network (Taunton Deane services are ideally situated but seldom have working charge points I'm told) and I've a mate who is very keen to pilot the Focus back home for me.  Might as well make a day of it.

 

The Leaf has only done local trips and been charged at home so far, so this will be the first time we've tried a longer trip requiring public charging.  Should be interesting, I'm hoping that if the Taunton chargers really are useless then I can rely on the Wellington Nissan dealer.

[dollywobbler]

Assume you've got the necessary cards or apps to access the public chargers?

[phil_lihp]

I will get the apps sorted, I have plenty of advice being handed down by my ex-boss who now owns a Tesla Model S in that regard.  There will probably be some element of winging it, as ever.

[dollywobbler]

My top tip for getting mileage out of an EV. Momentum is your friend, letting it actually slow down going uphill can save a fair bit. Avoid using that lovely acceleration.

[phil_lihp]

Good advice.  Big hills on the A361 to Tiverton too, lots of regenerative braking available.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Why do I never post in this thread?

 

 

Anyway as I don't seem to use it enough and think it's been about a week since it moved I took the Fiesta out for a tiny drive today.

 

Started and the third turn with very minimal choke. Was OK to start with but being damp weather it did its usual not firing right at one point. I should change all the plugs and stuff as I've no idea if they've ever been done but I'm also of the mindset that if it works don't fix* it. Tbh it needs some proper work doing but I worry that if I start it'll never get finished.

 

Been driving the Frontera a lot instead. It's only 5 years newer than the Fiesta but is so different in every way and shit on petrol.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Diagnosing cars by phone for the wife is great* fun

 

Phone call one

The qashqai steering wheel is vibrating like mad above 40 and again while braking. What could it be?

 

OK come home I'm off I'll look at it

 

Phone call two

It's gone away now and it's fine at 70. What could it be?

 

Erm, come home and ill look at it

 

Phone call three

I braked and its back, its vibrating really bad and there's a burning smell. Is my engine about to fall out?

 

She's actually coming home this time

 

I know one of the front tyres is fairly low and a terrible brand so potential balance issue.... But she's added a burning smell into the mix. Sticking front caliper perhaps? Or maybe a wheel bearing.... But there's no noise...

 

I'll get it jacked up and if there's nothing obviously wrong I'll fire two front tyres on and see.

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[Lord Sterling]

EXCITING NEWS.

 

I fitted some new rubber mates to the Starlet.

 

They look absolutely horrible, but they're nice and tough, and might even help quieten the little thing down a bit. Bought them to keep and swap between cars rather than stay with the car. Lord Sterling will be crying at the mere sight of them...

Ach! That is tingling at my OEM senses! However I see your point. It does help to keep the carpet clean and dry and there isn't many options for Toyota Starlet rubber mats. I'm guessing they are not as easy (or cheap) to obtain as K11 mats were (or used to be)

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Diagnosing cars by phone for the wife is great* fun

 

Phone call one

The qashqai steering wheel is vibrating like mad above 40 and again while braking. What could it be?

 

OK come home I'm off I'll look at it

 

Phone call two

It's gone away now and it's fine at 70. What could it be?

 

Erm, come home and ill look at it

 

Phone call three

I braked and its back, its vibrating really bad and there's a burning smell. Is my engine about to fall out?

 

She's actually coming home this time

 

I know one of the front tyres is fairly low and a terrible brand so potential balance issue.... But she's added a burning smell into the mix. Sticking front caliper perhaps? Or maybe a wheel bearing.... But there's no noise...

 

I'll get it jacked up and if there's nothing obviously wrong I'll fire two front tyres on and see.

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

And the verdict is in

 

Badly badly seized front calipers.......torn dust boots and corrosion on the pistons.

 

 

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[Datsuncog]

And the verdict is in

 

Badly badly seized front calipers.......torn dust boots and corrosion on the pistons.

 

Yow. How old is the Qashqai??

 

I know there's been a helluva lot of salt dumped on the roads this winter, but that's scary stuff. Glad all concerned made it home okay.

[Hertz]

Well, the guy called me back and the Volvo is now sold pending collection on Weds next week.

 

Cool. Has he sent you a dipper?