The new news 24 thread

[320touring]

My brother got me a gift for the ML

A unicorn air freshener

Smells braw

[richardmorris]

First spot of the day. Spectacular Spanish car.

[Lord Sterling]

10 hours ago, Mrcento said:

Currently trying to work out what "modern" daily i'm buying, it's down between 2, a 406 hdi estate and a vec c v6 diesel estate. Both have pros and cons but both will do the motorway cruise and lug car parts, skip run and furniture moving thing/generally being "an car" no bother. Both is probably the correct answer but nowhere to keep both, sadly.

Vectra is cheaper to buy, more spacious, quicker, better on the motorway (in terms or engine and wind noise), plentiful spares, more easily upgradeable, more useful toys (cruise control being the big one), more modern, but less economical, more expensive to tax and insure and being the V6, has its own potential fuel pump could go at any moment worries. Also has a shorter MOT, but still 6 months, so not bad, Always liked the C estates in SRI spec and really not too many around here, let alone for sale.

Not tried a Vectra C V6 Diesel myself but the advice from someone in the know is to run away and keep on running. I suppose one with high mileage would show that it has been lookee after and proven to be able to keep on going.

1.9CDTi is pretty good.  Had no problems at all with it bar the spring and rear brake pipes and it is nearly at 200k:

As a modern daily with loads of space I love it. 

Watch out for flywheel problems, springs and make sure all works. Some of the facelift ones came with a SatNav (model known as Vectra CDTi 'Nav pack' or summat)

[xtriple]

Reset all the #adaptives# the other day, faster throttle response and a fresh gearbox. Thought while I was doing all that I'd ask how much to have the gearbox fluid and filter changed at the local (very good) transmission specialists.

£400 plus VAT!

Er, fuck that! I like the car and have no problem wasting money on tat I can look at but £400 for something I can't even see? No chance. If I'm spending that much I want some evidecne of the spend, something sparkly/bling/chavy.

Oh yeah, I also ordered from Amazon (or possibly eBay wasn't paying attention!) soem stuff called Gumme Pflegge or something close to that to do all the seals on the doors and roof. The Mercedes club/forum swear by it.  Not expensive so I bought two 'roll on' tins for £14 delivered. When it gets here I will brave the weather and go do all the rubber bits on the car as it did leak fractionally the other day by the edge of the drivers side mirror. Mind you, the rain was torrential and the wind blowing at 70mph so I think I would have leaked.

[Bren]

V6 Vectra did you say? Don't bother. Engine is a lemon. They have SCV problems but the biggest killer is HGF. £300 a year road tax, low twenties around town.

Ours is still on the road but I suspect the repair consisted of k seal - it was dropping 400 ml of coolant a day. I know an excellent tech who did the head gaskets on his - £800 in genuine parts and the repair lasted 20k.

They are a nightmare to work on - " not something we want to get involved in" became a common utterance at garages. Parts are extortionate because isuzu.

A 406 is a better proposition but they are like b5 passats - lots of knackered shit and good ones command a premium. The only mechanical issue with the pug is the gearboxes get a bit crunchy.

I would rather put my dick in a blender than have another car with the isuzu engine.

You haz been warned.

[Spurious]

The C5 has been travelling this week, trip back over to Ireland.

Averaging 42mpg on a motorway/rural work occasionally fully laden.

Comfortably and trouble free.. Not bad for a car bought cheaply 2 years ago.

[Spurious]

The C5 has been travelling this week, trip back over to Ireland.

Averaging 42mpg on a motorway/rural work occasionally fully laden.

Comfortably and trouble free.. Not bad for a car bought cheaply 2 years ago.

It does need a very good wash tbh, inside and out.

Going potholing/caving usually involves manky damp gear so the soap and water will be out soon. Alongside the hoooover.

[Mrcento]

1 hour ago, Bren said:

V6 Vectra did you say? Don't bother. Engine is a lemon. They have SCV problems but the biggest killer is HGF. £300 a year road tax, low twenties around town.

Ours is still on the road but I suspect the repair consisted of k seal - it was dropping 400 ml of coolant a day. I know an excellent tech who did the head gaskets on his - £800 in genuine parts and the repair lasted 20k.

They are a nightmare to work on - " not something we want to get involved in" became a common utterance at garages. Parts are extortionate because isuzu.

A 406 is a better proposition but they are like b5 passats - lots of knackered shit and good ones command a premium. The only mechanical issue with the pug is the gearboxes get a bit crunchy.

I would rather put my dick in a blender than have another car with the isuzu engine.

You haz been warned.

Cheers. I think that pretty much confirms i'm right to be wary of the Vec and right to hold out for a 1.9 if i was to have one. Problems is the only ones that come up nearish me are all with f*cked DMF's. The pull for the 406 is stronger, reckon if i can get the price down a bit more it'll be a goer.

[Cavcraft]

If you're going Vectra then the 150 is a hoot to drive, but the 120 seems more reliable.

[Mrcento]

1 minute ago, Cavcraft said:

If you're going Vectra then the 150 is a hoot to drive, but the 120 seems more reliable.

I'm pretty familiar with the engines mechanically being a Fiat tickler by night.... Well that's what the judge accused me of anyway.

There's just never any decent working ones for sale near here, i've genuinely seen more Maserati bi-turbos for sale locally than working Vectra estates of any flavour.

I'm not even exaggerating, there's 3 for sale near me right now v 1 Vec estate, that V6 CDTI. Next nearest working one seems to be Bradford.

[Bren]

The 120 is not as lively as the 150 obviously plus the glow plugs on the 120 are a PITA to get at.

[Bren]

21 minutes ago, Mrcento said:

I'm pretty familiar with the engines mechanically being a Fiat tickler by night.... Well that's what the judge accused me of anyway.

There's just never any decent working ones for sale near here, i've genuinely seen more Maserati bi-turbos for sale locally than working Vectra estates of any flavour.

I'm not even exaggerating, there's 3 for sale near me right now v 1 Vec estate, that V6 CDTI. Next nearest working one seems to be Bradford.

Birmingham seems to have more cheap cars than anywhere. Buying stuff like this is fraught with risk - I was surprised how much people are asking for tired cars with hardly any MOT. The price of old cars seems to be going up - not sure if it is because it is harder to get credit or because it's all people can afford.

[richardmorris]

Thumbs up for ECP trading as carpartsaver on eBay. A pair of front indicator lenses, the correct ones, arrived by DHL this morning at 10am. £15.50 with free delivery. Ordered at 5.30 on Friday.

[wuvvum]

10 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

ECP

 

10 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

the correct ones

[clayts450]

Up early to collect keys to new council garage from their offices. In and out in five minutes. As quick thought I'd go and check the new pad out.

Keys bear no resemblance whatsoever to the lock fitted, way too small.

Either that or I was at the wrong garage.

I'll sort it out next week, couldn't be arsed, and had to shoot off to work anyway.

Knowing my luck they evicted the last tenant and he just stuck his own lock on there in revenge.

[Mrcento]

12 minutes ago, clayts450 said:

Up early to collect keys to new council garage from their offices. In and out in five minutes. As quick thought I'd go and check the new pad out.

Keys bear no resemblance whatsoever to the lock fitted, way too small.

Either that or I was at the wrong garage.

I'll sort it out next week, couldn't be arsed, and had to shoot off to work anyway.

Knowing my luck they evicted the last tenant and he just stuck his own lock on there in revenge.

A couple of years back, i went up to my council lock up and got the surprise that none of keys i had fitted any of the locks on it anymore.

The thickos at the council changed the locks on the wrong one and didn't even inform me. Probably because they couldn't find anyone to explain that they'd effectively destroyed my locks and broken into my garage before locking me out of it.

When i phoned them up, they were extremely apologetic and somebody ran round late at night to put the new keys through my door.

[lanciamatt]

I worked for vauxhall for 13 years now, the 1.9 150bhp is a great engine, it's just the shit that's bolted to it. I love the V6 diesel, only problems we had with them was fuel pumps, which are quite a job to change, but later in the engines life there was a TSB fetched out by vauxhall to just change the solenoids on the back of the pump, which you can do without taking the pump off . Nice vectra estate with v6 mated with auto, flying machine. 

[320touring]

Faux by faux VS 4x4

[Floatylight]

I worked for vauxhall for 13 years now, the 1.9 150bhp is a great engine, it's just the shit that's bolted to it. I love the V6 diesel, only problems we had with them was fuel pumps, which are quite a job to change, but later in the engines life there was a TSB fetched out by vauxhall to just change the solenoids on the back of the pump, which you can do without taking the pump off . Nice vectra estate with v6 mated with auto, flying machine. 

@lanciamatt if you know the 1.9 150 engines well perhaps you can give a bit of advice, low power, code P0234, fitted in Saab 9-3, what are the most likely failure points, I'm guessing a hole in an intercooler pipe somewhere but any guidance to a quick fix welcome!

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[17-Coffees]

Had two nice letters from the DVLA while I was on holiday, informing me I've not tax'd two of my cars...

The Morris (Not taxed since May...) and the Golf (1st September) so put them both on SORN, then seen the nice wording when putting them on SORN saying '"DVLA's enforcement section may be in touch about the gab in tax".

Considering how one of them is due the DVLA £0, and the other is just under 2 months out, How fucked am I? ? 

And yes, none of them have been on the road while un-taxed. 

 

[Mrcento]

Just now, 17-Coffees said:

Had two nice letters from the DVLA while I was on holiday, informing me I've not tax'd two of my cars...

The Morris (Not taxed since May...) and the Golf (1st September) so put them both on SORN, then seen the nice wording when putting them on SORN saying '"DVLA's enforcement section may be in touch about the gab in tax".

Considering how one of them is due the DVLA £0, and the other is just under 2 months out, How fucked am I? ? 

And yes, none of them have been on the road while un-taxed. 

 

You should be ok, worst case, they'll probably want the 2 months tax backdated.

The big problems only really start if your car gets spotted/reported parked on the road whilst untaxed and you get clamped.

[wuvvum]

2 hours ago, 320touring said:

Faux by faux VS 4x4

Tsk tsk, you haven't got the hang of the Merc SUV ownership thing yet, have you?  What's all this parking in one space malarkey about?

[stuboy]

On 10/26/2019 at 7:57 PM, Saabnut said:

As I entered the town I passed 4 red/white UK registered 2CVs all wearing Deux Cheveaux Challenge plates. Despite me being in a RHD UK registered car, and flashing the headlights, all 4 completely ignored my waves,

le snobs de paris

[New POD]

9 hours ago, 17-Coffees said:

Had two nice letters from the DVLA while I was on holiday, informing me I've not tax'd two of my cars...

The Morris (Not taxed since May...) and the Golf (1st September) so put them both on SORN, then seen the nice wording when putting them on SORN saying '"DVLA's enforcement section may be in touch about the gab in tax".

Considering how one of them is due the DVLA £0, and the other is just under 2 months out, How fucked am I? ? 

And yes, none of them have been on the road while un-taxed. 

 

They'll be around to crush them both on your drive.  Then the TV licence people will come to check that you have the correct permissions and the RSPCA will be checking later to check all.pets for chips. The Social workers will be watching, and HMRC are currently checking your eBay purchases and sales. 

Once the authorities notice you that's it....

On the bright side you'll be getting a free smoke alarm and advice about loosing weight. 

[320touring]

8 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Tsk tsk, you haven't got the hang of the Merc SUV ownership thing yet, have you?  What's all this parking in one space malarkey about?

I was out in my onesie with my rollers in

[wuvvum]

I'm not going to ask where you had the rollers in...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

15 minutes ago, 320touring said:

I was out in my onesie with my rollers in

 

7 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I'm not going to ask where you had the rollers in...

The onesie I can accept, but the rollers are a step too far!

[Yoss]

On 10/24/2019 at 3:17 PM, Andyrew said:

Hmmm I'd say "all new" is a bit far, reskin-d favorit really, if you take the top of the dash it's just a favorit dash under a cover. 

Yes, it always annoys me (I get annoyed too easily, I'll admit) when I see adverts saying the Felicia is just a Polo underneath, with the vendor trying to say this is a good thing. You don't have to look very far to see it's a Favorit. Though having both an early Fav and late Felly it's surprising how different they feel considering the similarities. 

[Spurious]

On 10/20/2019 at 12:29 PM, Spurious said:

Because I'm easily distracted, I bought something this morning. It's made in a country that no longer exists.

Can't pick it up for about 10 days or so. Sadly.

But there shall be a collection thread soon. Oh yes.

It's on. I'm very giddy. 

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

Saw a car this morning that was exactly what I wanted and the owner was after a swap.

Unfortunately but unsurprisingly he was not attracted to a Clio 172, and he had also valued his car at quite a bit less than mine.

Ho-hum!