The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

I'm visiting a Merc specialist tomorrow, so might ask if they can suggest a sensible approach. Probably not good enough for them to consider a commission sale, but they may have contacts.

[messerschmitt owner]

I'm actually of a mind to try and get it properly sorted. I need to find out why it leaks so much oil, which may be related to the boost issue. Why the change of heart? Because in my opinion, there's very little to match a BX in terms of comfort AND handling. Naturally, there are cars that do both better, but I don't think there are many that do both so well.

 

Now it has new spheres, it glides like a Rolls-Royce but you can still punt it into a bend at a good lick. It has responsive steering and if you keep your speed up, you can stay in fifth and not worry about going anywhere near the clutch.

 

The ride spoils you. Jump into something modern and you notice just how jiggly the ride can be, even on smooth tarmac. Its only failing is badly broken road surfaces, where it bangs around a bit (similar to the 2CV).

 

Perhaps I'm not ready to give up the world of BXs just yet.

As I keep telling you, there is a car that does it better and in more comfort. And it is still a Citroen.

 

Buy an XM. Given the choice the Xm wins for me every time, even when I had the choice of xm or bx on the driveway.

[Lacquer Peel]

I think the 1.9 and 2.0 are both PD's it's just VW made a big thing about it on the 1.9 as it was one of the first to do that high pressure common rail pish.

The 2.0 seem to be distinctly more unreliable but I think that's mainly to do with DMF issues. My old A6 had the 2.0 TDi with 170bhp and I felt like it had all the bad points of a diesel with none of the good points (no torque).

My old 130 PD TDi 1.9 A4 always felt like it could pull a house down. I bet next to each other the A6 would muller it but the A6 never felt quick.

 

The timing belts just one of those things. I assumed that A4 had, had the belt done given the mileage on it when I bought it and I strung it out to 92k until my nerves gave way. The guy who changed it said it was so worn it was starting for fray. I was probably about 3 weeks from valveageddon.

 

PD stands for pump duse, which is unit injection in English, not common rail. Land Rover TD5 and some lorry engines use a similar setup. It's basically a pump for each cylinder. The 1.9 versions do seem long-lived.

 

My 2000 Skoda has a DMF, seems okay so far...

[Cavcraft]

PDs don't like veg, probably why I always thought they were common rail. 

[dollywobbler]

As I keep telling you, there is a car that does it better and in more comfort. And it is still a Citroen.

 

Buy an XM. Given the choice the Xm wins for me every time, even when I had the choice of xm or bx on the driveway.

 

An XM is too big. The BX is great because it's about as big as a car needs to be. Massively practical and comfortable but you don't have to worry about parking spaces being too small and it's far better for threading down narrow country roads than anything bigger. The Merc is too big, the CX was too big so an XM is definitely going to be too big.

[messerschmitt owner]

An XM is too big. The BX is great because it's about as big as a car needs to be. Massively practical and comfortable but you don't have to worry about parking spaces being too small and it's far better for threading down narrow country roads than anything bigger. The Merc is too big, the CX was too big so an XM is definitely going to be too big.

a bx may be big enough for you but every weekend I have 700kg in the back of an Xm. They are exactly like a bx but more refined, better equipped, quicker and with better handling even if they are a wee bit bigger. Mine manage well in our forest roads, which are narrow and twisty but with the added benefit of trees up to their edges.

[greengartside]

Finally bought some French tat. 2001 Pug 206 1.1 LX with 104k, needs a bonnet as the lacquer has peeled badly but comes with tax until next month but a Feb '14 M.o.T, all for 400 notes

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Sounds fairly hellish

[wuvvum]

Aye, the little 1124 was proper out of its depth in the 206.

[greengartside]

It's not the most quickest thing but it will do to get me to work and back and it's not too shabby on fuel either...

[Cavcraft]

I think they're actually pretty reasonable. Obv. not going to win many races but not quite as slow as you'd think.

[dollywobbler]

Visited a Merc dealer for work related reasons earlier. A chap from the Mercedes-Benz Club did a diagnostic on the Merc, checked the induction side of things for air leaks (none) and adjusted the mixture to where it should be. Not a massive change (as I'd already weakened the mixture myself) but a definite improvement! Well chuffed. Was a nice day out in the Merc actually - over 200 miles - but it still has to go. It really is bloody hopeless on tight, twisty mountain roads.

[HMC]

Replaced the clutch master cylinder on the jag. Big difference afterwards! gear changing much easier. I'd been putting the crappy gear change down to the moss box (slated even in period road tests where they were usually respectfully polite about such things)  but half of it was a master cylinder on the way out. I did it myself, which for some of you would be a walk in the park, but quite an achievement with my lack of experience in matters mechanical.

 

[dollywobbler]

We all have to start somewhere! There's a lot to be said for having a go. Rewarding.

 

Anyway, I'm quite pleased because the one concern with tweaking the Merc's mixture was that it may highlight a cold start problem. In other words, some idiot had tweaked the mixture for some reason - did they do it because the cold start gubbins wasn't working? It was impossible to do a cold start yesterday, so I just headed out to see how it behaves. Beautifully is the answer!

 

I'm now trying to figure out how to earn more money to see if I actually can keep the fleet as-is. If I can up the income, then the pressure to sell one is greatly reduced. It's a big 'if' though...

[panhard65]

Just got my hotchkiss back from the fabricators next door. He has built a new rear bulkhead so I can move the seat back and actually be comfortable when driving it. Not the most inspiring design but it is functional and only cost me an old discovery I had been using for spares. It is off to have a quick paint job to keep the rust out whist I plan how to finish the rear buck. It will probably just be wooden sides again as cash flow is tight and that Lotus of breadvan's keeps winking at me. So far I have resisted a trip to the bank to see if there is enough spare cash around. Anyone fancy some proper Renault roulette I have an '03 Laguna estate 1.9dci up for grabs. A sound car but not anywhere near mint. It has had a front end smack. Not very hard but bent the bonnet enough to crack the bottom of the screen. Does have a good engine and 6 speed box so almost worth the asking in bits. New cam belt and water pump last month as well. Just £795 I might even be able to put a basic warranty on it for an extra £100

[Wilko220]

As the resto nears its completion, the Sceptre passed its MOT today!

 

Not only that, but for the first time I can ever remember with any car I've every owned...

 

 

Yay!!

 

More info to follow in the coming days.

[Mike D]

I did my CBT today! So I've been out on the DT for a celebratory ride. Bikes are fun

 

[phil_lihp]

Well done, I loved doing my CBT and that's a nice looking bike! 

 

As a coincidence, tonight was the maiden voyage of the back-from-the-dead CG125, a few smooth miles completed without incident and I managed to fiddle the idle controls until it started easily and idled smoothly but after a decent run up to temperature it's very apparent that the bottom end's knocking pretty badly, reckon that'll be one of my days off next week put to good use swapping my good motor in then!

[vulgalour]

I've been getting a dark stain in the passenger footwell carpet on the Princess that's steadily been getting bigger.  It looks for all the world like the carpet is redying itself.  Extra strange is that there has been no accompanying odour or wetness and no water ingress to suggest why this is happening.  Dad and I lifted the carpet and the underlay and found a thin sheen of oil that you couldn't see but if you rubbed your hand on the underlay and floorpan it came off on your fingers.  Stranger still because there's nothing that would allow oil into this part of the car.

 

Eventually, I found the cause of it.  The outer A pillars have been given a coat of old engine oil poured in from the top of the wing by a previous owner, smells exactly like scrapyards used to and is unnecessary.  On a hot day this oil gets thin, runs down the A pillar to the tiniest pinhole in the sealant where floor pan and A pillar meets, soaks through and into the cabin and is then very slowly wicked up by the underlay and eventually into the carpet.  I don't really know what to do about this, in all honesty, as there's no obvious signs of massive rot, bubbling or other structural problems and the oil is coming through in such tiny quantities and over such a long period of time that I'm not sure it'll ever be a problem.  I guess I'll just live with it for now, but it's the strangest oil leak I've ever encountered.

[maxpower]

Fairly certain that's what Paul Burrell must have thought.

LOLZ

[retrogeezer]

Is that a late 80's DT Mike D?

[Mike D]

It's as late 80s as you can get '89

[Cavcraft]

My lad's mate has got a DT just like that. It sounds mega (but we all know 2Ts are for winners anyhow) and seems to go well enough. I'm hoping he gets bored of it/runs out of money so I can get it off him cheap.

[Junkman]

Sad news:

 

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/news/general/800023032/

 

Despite not being the #1 fan of the car, I stand here with my bowler taken off and a tear in my eye.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Taking my newly acquired, scrap-value 760 for an MoT tomorrow... Had a poke around this afternoon, and I'm pretty sure it will fail.

 

But this is Autoshite, so taking MoT tests is not about passing. It's about finding out how many failure sheets the garage can print for your shiteheap before they run out of paper  

[Lacquer Peel]

I don't know, my scruffy old Volvo 940 passed its MOT test recently with no major issues. These old Volvos are built to last.

[Sigmund Fraud]

My 740 only required a sidelight bulb for its last MoT, despite its 220K miles, but I don't think I'll be as lucky with the 760

[RobT]

Brief update on my shite.  A few weeks ago I used the Sierra to shift a huge welsh dresser.  It was given to us free, only snag was we had to carry it down six flights of narrow stairs.  Did my back in a bit but was worth it to save a few bob. 

 

 

And last week did 500 miles on holiday averaging about 30mpg, with no problems apart from the leak from the bottom of the radiator getting a bit worse.  I just made sure I carried loads of water!

 

I also picked up this Rover Vitesse earlier in the week.  Ebay mong-style blurry photo taken from my front room (couldn't even be arsed to open the window):

 

 

Will do a proper thread on it soon.  Was cheap with lots of T&T and is a bit of a beast.  It also has significant money pit potential. First thing it needs is two front tyres as fuck knows how the OS one passed the MoT - aren't borderline ones atleast meant to show up as an advisory?

 

 

[Wilko220]

Yes, the photo is rubbish - but that 800 looks absolutely fan-blooming-tastic in that colour.

MOAR PIKX PLS

[Lord Sterling]

WOW Rob! Welcome to the 800 fold!!!!!

 

I've heard about this car before and I'm glad you bought it. Although values are not exactly high on them, they are great cars to just cruise about in.

 

I can't remember if this car has any mats but I have a set somewhere you can have for free. Any other parts you might need I shall try and help you with.