The new news 24 thread

[egg]

Not sure where to put these? I was linked to these Citroen Enterprise (2 seater) brochure pics on Twitterer. For your Sunday morning amuse bouche.

[lanciamatt]

The biturbo may be going up for sale as I've seen something else I fancy, might be fun trying to sell it, not exactly common place. 

[320touring]

Took the Toledo to a tartan Tarmac meet..

Met a shiter (Laurel owner), and mentioned here to the Dacia owner;)

Here it is with some other highlights

[beko1987]

Doesn't a hyundai ioniq modern make a din when the radar sensor gets blocked with snow! The 3 warnings on the dash stayed in for a good few miles too until it melted

[Aston Martin]

This guy custom made a mk1 style grille.

[loserone]

That's ace.  Makes it into something I'd drive.

[00833827]

Never had a clutch go on me before but a few months back i said to my missus after driving her car that the clutch bite was gone a bit high and also there was a bit of a vibration in my foot when driving it. So we were out for a spin and got home. I pulled up outside and was reversing in. Couldnt get it into reverse for a while and she was grinding when i tried. Then i got it in. Reveresed in and when putting the pedal in she still wanted to roll back. I switched it off. Put in neutral and started again. Cant get it into gear when its running. Can when its off.

So im guessing clutch is gone?

Its a 2005 1.4 petrol vw golf . 220000km on it and thats the original clutch

[N19]

In anticipation of a (hopeful) flat move soon, I'm thinking ahead and preparing stuff. For the garage I've picked up a screwfix shelving unit, and intend to use it for storage and workbench. The bench has 18mm ply to give it some strength, and a side panel of MDF to screw hooks for tools, socket rails etc on. Battery linked to some LED rope to provide illumination. Going to get some aluminium sheet and angle cut to size to top it. 

Plan is to do another and put them together at the back. 

Not beautiful carpentry by any stretch of the imagination, but very satisfying to have achieved something! 

[Andyrew]

Got to the workshop , 15mins in it was lesson time.

Did you know that a suzuki samurai metal  rear bumper leaned against the car bloody hurts when you walk past and stand on the other end by accident?

I do now .

The more you know!

[egg]

On 2/22/2020 at 10:34 AM, egg said:

After not starting the Mondeo for 36 hours, just checked resting voltage on the battery - 12.4v. So really it's on the cusp. I don't think there is a drain (nothing has changed) so time to pony up for a new one, I think.

I know you're all riveted by this story - but I didn't start it yesterday, and now down to 12.3v. It's had it. 

Anyone know of any good battery offers on at the moment? Probably want to avoid the real cheapy Lion ones etc.

Good job I'm not* squeamish Andy! That looks horrible. 

[Eyersey1234]

1 hour ago, 00833827 said:

Never had a clutch go on me before but a few months back i said to my missus after driving her car that the clutch bite was gone a bit high and also there was a bit of a vibration in my foot when driving it. So we were out for a spin and got home. I pulled up outside and was reversing in. Couldnt get it into reverse for a while and she was grinding when i tried. Then i got it in. Reveresed in and when putting the pedal in she still wanted to roll back. I switched it off. Put in neutral and started again. Cant get it into gear when its running. Can when its off.

So im guessing clutch is gone?

Its a 2005 1.4 petrol vw golf . 220000km on it and thats the original clutch

Yes sounds like the clutch has gone, its done well though. 

[Cookiesouwest]

Today I changed a manky indicator

For a Depo knock off

Little jobs can be satisfying

 

[jonathan_dyane]

Got back from holiday today and picked my 9-5 up from it’s LPG conversion.

First impressions are good, smooth running, no perceptible power loss and tidy job. Cost more than the car mind (and indeed the cost of conversion was well in excess of what I have paid for any car). I still feel pleased with myself though!

[Bren]

On 2/22/2020 at 4:41 PM, xtriple said:

I had  a double stack 280SE in silver with 'Mexican hat' wheels. I loved it, but... it was a 'tad' rusty (read: hanging!) and I entrusted it to a specialist to find/make and then fit new front wings, re-spray it and generally return it to me for a not inconsiderable amount of folding (back in the day when we actually used 'foldoing'!) in pristine condition. I was working lots and lots of hours and had neither the time nor the energy to do it myself.

After a few months, the specialist went silent. After a few more I was getting worried and sent a friend that llived local to have a word. It seemed yon 'specialist' had done a bunk and left my car in a layby! When I collected it, the wheels were gone, all the chrome (bumpers. grill etc) was gone and the car was stripped with no parts anywhere to be found.

I gave it to a breaker  

At least the bill was reasonable

[GBJ]

4 hours ago, 00833827 said:

Never had a clutch go on me before but a few months back i said to my missus after driving her car that the clutch bite was gone a bit high and also there was a bit of a vibration in my foot when driving it. So we were out for a spin and got home. I pulled up outside and was reversing in. Couldnt get it into reverse for a while and she was grinding when i tried. Then i got it in. Reveresed in and when putting the pedal in she still wanted to roll back. I switched it off. Put in neutral and started again. Cant get it into gear when its running. Can when its off.

So im guessing clutch is gone?

Its a 2005 1.4 petrol vw golf . 220000km on it and thats the original clutch

If the clutch was "gone" then there would be no drive.

The clutch actuating mechanism is gone.

[wuvvum]

6 hours ago, Andyrew said:

Got to the workshop , 15mins in it was lesson time.

Did you know that a suzuki samurai metal  rear bumper leaned against the car bloody hurts when you walk past and stand on the other end by accident?

I do now .

 

The more you know!

You are Sideshow Bob AICMFP.

[Bren]

Had a look at a 55 plate fiesta today that refuses to idle until warm. Purchased by a work colleague from the parents of another work colleague. Owned by them from around 18 months old with 60 k on the clock.

The air filter was minging - ditto the plugs. All motorcraft parts. I think they were fitted in the factory.

[HillmanImp]

OMG SNO KAOS in Shipley. 

Its the 1st time I've driven the Subaru in the snow. It was great. Loads of grip and felt very safe even on normal tyres and wide wheels. 

Thought, I'll be at the station in plenty of time to catch the Leeds train in this. Went round the corner and everyone was just parked there and some cars were already being abandoned.

Drove back up the hill past several cars that had got stuck after having the same idea and am back at home. 

So much for having a car that works in the snow if the roads are blocked by cars that don't. 

[Angrydicky]

Fuxake. People are such idiots! Tiny bit of snow and they get stuck, slithering about all over the place and holding sensible drivers up. Just glad we haven’t had any in Norfolk yet.

[BorniteIdentity]

15 hours ago, egg said:

I know you're all riveted by this story - but I didn't start it yesterday, and now down to 12.3v. It's had it. 

Anyone know of any good battery offers on at the moment? Probably want to avoid the real cheapy Lion ones etc.

Good job I'm not* squeamish Andy! That looks horrible. 

I took my mate’s advice on Lion batteries a few years ago. “They’ve all got Warranties - stop worrying”.

I’ve had a Lion on the Avensis for 4 years now - no drama. I always expect 5 years out of a battery so at £8 a year that’s fair enough. 

[egg]

Yep, I went for a Lion 075 with a three year warranty (£41), should be picking up from euro's later.

[HillmanImp]

9 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Fuxake. People are such idiots! Tiny bit of snow and they get stuck, slithering about all over the place and holding sensible drivers up. Just glad we haven’t had any in Norfolk yet.

Modern cars are just shite in snow aren't they. Big fat wheels offer no grip. Terrible gearing and overly sharp brakes (to offset the shite gearing) doesn't help when you get into difficulty either. 

[Cookiesouwest]

16 hours ago, egg said:

I know you're all riveted by this story - but I didn't start it yesterday, and now down to 12.3v. It's had it. 

Anyone know of any good battery offers on at the moment? Probably want to avoid the real cheapy Lion ones etc.

Good job I'm not* squeamish Andy! That looks horrible. 

Nowt wrong with lion. Had plenty in cars over the years. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Got to the garage this morning with the Golf Estate of Hate.  For context, garage did all the belts last week at no small cost.  When driving it home on Thursday I noticed a bit of a whooshing noise but ignored it thinking it was the wind in combination with motorway speed.  Didn't drive it over the weekend.  This morning, it was surging then losing power when the turbo was spooling up and making the whooshing noise (which it did a bit on Thursday - but I didn't join the dots properly) to the point where I sacked it in and drove there rather than to work.  Turns out I was right - boost leak.  In the garage, the clag it was pushing out was amazing with the revs up (the pipe links to the EGR).

The garage owner's face fell when he saw me (TADTS) and I explained.  He apologised, moved cars around and got it straight on the ramp.  Had a look at the bottom intercooler hose and the o-ring had stretched and was pushing out of the join, creating a small leak.  He said that because it went back together fine, he didn't notice - especially as it was on the top of the join, out of sight without a mirror.  Got it back in and wasn't interested in taking any payment for it.  Car now drives perfectly.

TLDR: Not his fault.  Fixed it straight away when I turned up unannounced as he opened (he actually got out of his car as he arrived to talk to me), fixed it in front of me, explained what had happened and wouldn't take anything for it.  Can't beat that.  Autobritalia are a great garage.

[yes oui si]

It's a way of doing business that is sorely lost on many. 

[Bobthebeard]

"The garage owner's face fell when he saw me"

My local friendly garage has the same response. The owner is polite and professional but his face says it all! 

 

[rmjbn1]

22 hours ago, 00833827 said:

Never had a clutch go on me before but a few months back i said to my missus after driving her car that the clutch bite was gone a bit high and also there was a bit of a vibration in my foot when driving it. So we were out for a spin and got home. I pulled up outside and was reversing in. Couldnt get it into reverse for a while and she was grinding when i tried. Then i got it in. Reveresed in and when putting the pedal in she still wanted to roll back. I switched it off. Put in neutral and started again. Cant get it into gear when its running. Can when its off.

So im guessing clutch is gone?

Its a 2005 1.4 petrol vw golf . 220000km on it and thats the original clutch

I would suspect slave cylinder. Is it leaking? Any clutch fluid in the reservoir?

[BorniteIdentity]

My colleague (who is a bang tidy MILF) has a MINI Cooper S Convertible on lease from BMW.  She likes it - that's fine.

I'm educating her on the servicing "costs" of Main Dealers atm.

Front brake pads?  £275.  Pagid pads seem to be about £45 online - an hour to fit by their own admittance, as they offered her a coffee and a chair to wait in.  They then call to say she needs her backs done (4mm) so total bill of £500.  

The final kick in her vag was the fact they charge £30 to stick it on the diagnostic machine to clear the brake pad warning.

Sorry (and I know it's fashionable around these parts to knock Main Dealers LOL) but in what world is acceptable to charge £30 to clear a code that they've already been paid to remedy? You can bet your bollocks to a barn dance that the diagnostic machine will already be plugged in as they desperately search out other work to bum her for.

I'm trying my best.  I doubt she'll ever smoke a Y2K Toyota Corolla, but I can at least try and save her a few (hundred) quid.

[artdjones]

I hate the main dealer business model too,but servicing and repairs are almost the only way they can make money.The margins on cars are very tight.Someone has to pay for all that plate glass and chrome.

Really,all you need to sell cars is a yard ,a portakabin,and a large shed to house the mechanics,but no-one who sells new cars can be allowed to do that anymore.

[egg]

Interrupting the partsman's* fag break, I picked up my Lion battery for the Mondeo from Euro's.

Fits fine, quite a bit taller though, so probably only just fits under that sleek low bonnet, lol. Which also meant more faffing than is desirable in this never-ending squally winter with the clamp. But hey ho, it's on and she starts.