The new news 24 thread

[Split_Pin]

My Dad, who unfortunately isn't in the best of health of late, phoned and asked if I could come over this evening and change the wheel on his V40 as it has a fairly fast puncture. No bother at all said I however what a war to get the wheel off. Big hammers, wood and a drop of WD40 finally got it shifted. I was amazed that this could happen on a 67-plate car.

 

Also, looks like our first family car has died. I chopped it in for the Duster 2 years ago. Untaxed/insured since 20th December. The engine was tapping loudly when cold though.

 

 

 

[DodgeRover]

Got the first quote on getting the suspension pipes done on the BX. An exact quote couldn't be offered because, understandably, there's more that can and does go wrong when you do a job like this. Realistically, even though the starting quote was £320 (the vast majority of this is labour), I'd be sensible to budget £500 for anything else that might need fixing and the associated labour at the same time. It could spiral quite a lot further than that. I haven't deep enough pockets for that sort of expenditure, and I wouldn't want to mess the garage about so I suspect I will be DIYing this.

 

I can't see another garage charging substantially less AND doing the job right. I do wish I could afford to just throw my cars at professionals and pay them sensibly, it irks me that I can't.

Could SOC fit it in between other jobs? If he doesn't already have half a yard full of stuff to fit between jobs....

[DodgeRover]

It is. I just want someone else to do it for me because I'm being mardy.

Much like - The world needs more people outside of a few square miles of Derbyshire/ South Yorkshire to use the word mardy in its correct context. Keep up the good work.

[vulgalour]

Have you ever tried to explain 'mardy' to an American?  It's a challenge.

[dollywobbler]

Have you ever tried to explain 'mardy' to an American?  It's a challenge.

 

Presumably the parents of tennis play Mardy Fish didn't know either.

[vulgalour]

That's not a real person, you're making that up!

[brownnova]

Llanberis you say? Quite a lot of Wales has been entirely broken because of snow today, with more due tomorrow. Joy.

Not my bit of Wales... it’s Snowless...

[dollywobbler]

That's not a real person, you're making that up!

 

Even worse. Mardy Simpson Fish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardy_Fish

[skattrd]

W203 - bulb warning lights and traction control should go out on their own if they are fixed.

ESP/ABS could be dodgy/dirty sensor, no traction control with that light on.

The bulbs were replaced with std ones or canbus friendly LED weren't they? If the wing mirror indicator isn't working that's probably why the error is still showing.

Apologies if I'm treating you like an idiot but the Indicator stalk has 2 stages, light flick, courtesy 3 flashes, push further for standard, which on both my w203 have moved up then auto cancelled.

 

The wing mirror replacement isn't difficult. it's easier on the 4 door than a 2 door koop (I've done both). I didn't disconnect the battery, you do need long torx though. I ended up dashing to screwfix for some. All nuns/kittens survived.

 

I've used w203 Mercs in snow before, no problems whatsoever, but I did have winter tyres or cross-climates.

[DodgeRover]

Even worse. Mardy Simpson Fish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardy_Fish

Probably could have been worse, his surname could have been Bum.....

[dome]

That is the frustrating part - I have a shed full of usable MOT/Tax exempt vehicles, but this is the NE of Scotland and SALT!

What you need is a small aluminium Audi winter beater. I'll give the l200 a home too to make things easier* for you...

[binhoker668]

W203 - bulb warning lights and traction control should go out on their own if they are fixed.

ESP/ABS could be dodgy/dirty sensor, no traction control with that on.

The bulbs were replaced with std ones or canbus friendly LED weren't they? If the wing mirror indicator isn't working that's probably why the error is still showing.

Apologies if I'm treating you like an idiot but the Indicator stalk has 2 stages, light flick, courtesy 3 flashes, push further for standard, which on both my w203 have moved up then auto cancelled.

 

The wing mirror replacement isn't difficult. it's easier on the 4 door than a 2 door koop (I've done both). I didn't disconnect the battery, you do need long torx though. I ended up dashing to screwfix for some. All nuns/kittens survived.

 

I've used w203 Mercs in snow before, no problems whatsoever, but I did have winter tyres or cross-climates.

 

You're a good man Skattrd - being treated like an idiot is just what I need at this stage of investigations!

 

Many thanks.

 

Did you have the door card off etc?

[Lacquer Peel]

Even worse. Mardy Simpson Fish. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardy_Fish

I would like to hear that name in a Chris Morris news anchor voice.

[skattrd]

You're a good man Skattrd - being treated like an idiot is just what I need at this stage of investigations!

 

Many thanks.

 

Did you have the door card off etc?

 

I had the door card mostly off, not completely, there's quite a few connectors in the door card, including a tweeter by the wing mirror.

Putting the door card back was easier on the Merc than a mk4 Golf type thing, those I find a pain.

[Amishtat]

OMFGSNOKAOS 2/10

[Floatylight]

OMFGSNOKAOS 2/1015488348877934989426334685039790.jpg

I raise you OMGSNOKAOS

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[wuvvum]

Last night I had quite a vivid dream that I was walking to a mate's through 10' drifts of powder snow. The reality this morning is slightly different.

 

[egg]

None at all here. Were the papers hyping it up? Never!

[bramz7]

None here either, but plenty of ice.

 

The Audi lights up it's front wheels remarkably easily so I suspect the tyres need doing more urgently.

[wuvvum]

It's not overly impressive, is it?  You can guarantee I'll still get stuck behind some cretin doing 8mph on the way to work though.

[wuvvum]

None here either, but plenty of ice.

 

The Audi lights up it's front wheels remarkably easily so I suspect the tyres need doing more urgently.

The Audi was spectacularly shit during the Beast from the East last year.  I think the front tyres might be going hard with age - I'd try swapping front to rear to see if that helps (although you might then get lift-off oversteer instead...)

[bramz7]

The Audi was spectacularly shit during the Beast from the East last year. I think the front tyres might be going hard with age - I'd try swapping front to rear to see if that helps (although you might then get lift-off oversteer instead...)

 

I will probably just get fresh ones.

 

Does the temperature gauge work? It doesn't seem to shift from 50....

[dozeydustman]

The OMGSNOKAOS for my area of West Sussex yesterday and today has so far amounted to 3 minutes of light sleet at 8pm yesterday. -99/10

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Some snow around Folkestone and Dover this morning.  I'm taking an alternative route to work at the moment (thanks to housing developers being greedy bastards and trying to renege on putting a new roundabout in, thus delaying it for three years, being forced to put it in too late and there now being major backing up of traffic due to temporary lights) and it was absolutely fucking lethal.  Not a lot of snow really but my route was mostly untreated and due to heavy rain yesterday, thick ice under the snow.  Even light braking was kicking my ABS into overdrive.

 

That'll teach me for taking the single-track lane to work.  Fortunately I left early and was treated to some lovely views.

 

 

Car was still quite snowy in parts by the time I got to work - despite clearing the roof and bonnet.  Didn't get above freezing on the whole way in.

[egg]

One of the best parts of Kent that, and a bit underrated. Take care chap.

[mrbenn]

3" of snow here in Cheshire East.

 

Seems the Council may have forgotten to grit one section of the local bypass, with predictable results. Airport runways closed, schools closed, trains delayed or cancelled. It's not like it wasn't forecast...

[binhoker668]

Progress today (whilst at work, and therefore getting paid for the job)...

 

 

 

 

And so, I shall be spending all spare time today scrubbing my parts.

 

 

Happy wee results! Just need sandpaper and Titanite red now for the mirror shroud.

[dollywobbler]

Yesterday after I'd brushed the cars down.

 

This morning.

 

Just enough to be annoying, and for our local gritter to get stuck. 

 

Also, today's DPD delivery seems rather late. I wonder if it'll turn up at all? I hope he doesn't try driving down our driveway as he won't get back out again...

[wuvvum]

Does the temperature gauge work? It doesn't seem to shift from 50....

It does, but the car does run cool, especially in this weather.  If you sit in traffic on a warm day the gauge will eventually get up to just under half.  Never bothered me as the heater works well enough.

 

Did you get the choonz working?

[alf892]

It's car insurance time and as usual I can't really be arsed.

 

However I did just run it on the meerkat site.......amazing as I usually run out of arsed when it comes to typing in details.

 

Existing company £405.......with Saga(I'm old!) via the meerkat £205. Car is 2005 3.0 litre S type

 

Voluntary excess was £350.......now £0

 

I now feel entitled to loaf for the rest of the day. Or maybe seek out X350s......