The new news 24 thread

[wuvvum]

I had to fit a heater blower unit to that one - the advert said it didn't work, but when I looked it wasn't there at all.  

I'll have a look at the resistor pack, but normally if that goes the fan will still work on the highest setting (or at least it does in Rovers) - mine doesn't work at all at the moment.  Useful to know re the Focus part as genuine LDV ones are surprisingly expensive.

 

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Today I are be mostly helping out a lady with her Panda. She's scared witless by a few advisories on her MoT so has asked me to quote for her. In the process of measuring up to make sure I order the right bits, it's occurred to me that these jobs don't need doing at all. 

Advisories were:

Scored discs F&R

Rusty rear springs 

Tyre cracked

I agree with the tester about the tyre and actually it could do with two new ones. But the brakes are Absolutely Fine in my opinion. And the rear springs - meh, bit of surface rust but hardly worth mentioning. 

Anyway I said her money would be better spent on two tyres and a service, and if she still wants to do brakes before next MoT I'll happily change them. 

I can see why they put an advise on the discs, though as you say, they wouldn't worry me until they were considerably thinner. And shirley scored discs should have a greater surface area and thus work better? Is that a bit of flawed physics? 

But the springs? GTF, they look nearly new. 

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

One in.

No.2 sister is going to be using her partner’s leased Nissan, and no longer needed “Ella” so rather than see it scrapped or run into the ground she’s donated it to the Hughes retirement home for unloved old cars.

Mot up shortly, but hopefully it shouldn’t need anything for another one.  It’s a bit modern for me; it’s the first car I’ve owned on the ‘new’ registration system, but it’s great fun to drive. I think they’re really underrated.

It was mint when she got it, as it was previously owned by a gifferette who kept it garaged, but has picked up a few parking scuffs and scrapes from Croydon where it’s latterly been living.

I’m hoping to be able to tidy it up a bit, first port of call will be some genuine wheel trims for it as the current ones are awful.

 

Can't go wrong with a 3-pot Daihatsu*.

[grogee]

50 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

That's what she wants you to think. Could be like the wee lady from the Golf advert.

I don't watch adverts, which is ironic because I may well be starting work at a PR firm soon

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, grogee said:

I don't watch adverts, which is ironic because I may well be starting work at a PR firm soon

 

[grogee]

1 minute ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

 

I'm sold. 

Weirdly that looks like quite a modern ad apart from the mk3 Golf

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, grogee said:

Weirdly that looks like quite a modern ad apart from the mk3 Golf

I believe it's quite modern, but I don't know exactly when it was made.

[High Jetter]

11 minutes ago, grogee said:

I don't watch adverts, which is ironic because I may well be starting work at a PR firm soon

Sounds like you're an ideal candidate!

[chancer]

Getting a bit fed up lately having broken cars and vans lying about. Currently considering replacing everything with a modern van, alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car. Reserved a newish van this afternoon at Arnie Sharks, and will consider over the next 48hrs whether to proceed. Possible fire sale of shite in the coming weeks

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, chancer said:

alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car.

Solid choice. Our 2010 Auris got part-exed for a 2019 pre-reg Duster Essential 1.0. Shifts well, a little slower than the Auris, but it is 30bhp down in comparison.

[chancer]

Just now, AnnoyingPentium said:

Solid choice. Our 2010 Auris got part-exed for a 2019 pre-reg Duster Essential 1.0. Shifts well, a little slower than the Auris, but it is 30bhp down in comparison.

Bought our duster this time last year. Its a 2015 1.5dci Laureate with the optional 4WD. Apart from replacing the battery its been absolutely spot on. Only thing that let it down was the stereo, which was upgraded using a Pioneer DAB unit with android auto. Totally transformed the dash and feel of the car as the original unit was a bit bland looking

[Agila]

On 1/17/2022 at 9:43 PM, JJ0063 said:

The look on his face was that as if he genuinely thought he’d ‘beaten’ me in his 1.4 petrol..

No shame in getting smoked mate. Happened to the best of us. He's probably telling all his mates 335d are shit now because of you 🤣🤣🤣

No boost lag in 1.4 pez. 372bhp my arse 🤣

[Spurious]

8 minutes ago, chancer said:

Getting a bit fed up lately having broken cars and vans lying about. Currently considering replacing everything with a modern van, alongside the Dacia Duster as the family car. Reserved a newish van this afternoon at Arnie Sharks, and will consider over the next 48hrs whether to proceed. Possible fire sale of shite in the coming weeks

Nearly bit the bullet on a DCi Clio this afternoon in Stockport. Said I'm going to sleep on it. 

Very nice, pulls well for about 90bhp. Trip computer reckoned it did 68mpgees over the last 900 miles which is frugal going. 

3,000 miles on the clock, no timing belt to worry about for a long long time. Nothing about to break. No MOT to worry about. 4 decent tyres without the usual 4 mismatched ling longs which I usually end up on cars when I buy them. 

I know this is against the very ethos of this site but I'm tired of the price of petrol and the cheap end of the market is getting expensive with the same risk of something being borked down the road. 

[JJ0063]

4 minutes ago, Agila said:

No shame in getting smoked mate. Happened to the best of us. He's probably telling all his mates 335d are shit now because of you 🤣🤣🤣

No boost lag in 1.4 pez. 372bhp my arse 🤣

Haha yeah he absolutely had me. Bugger! 😂

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 minutes ago, chancer said:

Bought our duster this time last year. Its a 2015 1.5dci Laureate with the optional 4WD. Apart from replacing the battery its been absolutely spot on. Only thing that let it down was the stereo, which was upgraded using a Pioneer DAB unit with android auto. Totally transformed the dash and feel of the car as the original unit was a bit bland looking

Seems good. We've (My Granda) has a Sandero Stepway that's a 2014, and if the head unit is the same then it's not great, but it's also only got two speakers, being a bASe Ambiance.

[chancer]

3 minutes ago, Spurious said:

Nearly bit the bullet on a DCi Clio this afternoon in Stockport. Said I'm going to sleep on it. 

Very nice, pulls well for about 90bhp. Trip computer reckoned it did 68mpgees over the last 900 miles which is frugal going. 

3,000 miles on the clock, no timing belt to worry about for a long long time. Nothing about to break. No MOT to worry about. 4 decent tyres without the usual 4 mismatched ling longs which I usually end up on cars when I buy them. 

I know this is against the very ethos of this site but I'm tired of the price of petrol and the cheap end of the market is getting expensive with the same risk of something being borked down the road. 

I doubt we are alone in this. My trusty wee van was bought for 1k 11 years ago and was supposed to last me 6 month. Its still going strong, but there is nothing left of the padding in the seats, and im getting tired of spraying gloss white paint over rust and replacing gaffa tape on the arches. Im getting old and grumpy and just want a bit of comfort and a heater that works 😂

[Spurious]

10 minutes ago, chancer said:

I doubt we are alone in this. My trusty wee van was bought for 1k 11 years ago and was supposed to last me 6 month. Its still going strong, but there is nothing left of the padding in the seats, and im getting tired of spraying gloss white paint over rust and replacing gaffa tape on the arches. Im getting old and grumpy and just want a bit of comfort and a heater that works 😂

The Audi is my hobby, I don't mind working on it, tinkering with it and trawling for obscure parts on eBay. I don't even mind paying for 97octant E5 as I enjoy driving it. 

I resent being under the work/dailies after 4 night shifts as the nearside caliper sticking again or diagnosing a bad misfire.  I just can't be bothered. 

[FakeConcern]

Not quite sure the best place for this, so here will have to do...

 

Over on the Bookface Volvo C30 Crew uk page a guy called Andy Plumb who has a C30 revealed that he designed the Reliant Robin Mk3 and has a book about it out now...

This is what he said

Quote

I own a C30 D2, but also design cars for a living, the last Reliant Robin being one of them. I have written a book about its design, which has won "Motoring Book of the Year" Award from the Royal Automobile Club, and has got great reviews from Octane Magazine, Motor Sport Magazine and Practical Classics. My book is called Tipping Point- Designing a Great British Underdog and is available online. Here is a picture of the book and my other car, a Robin.

 

[somewhatfoolish]

Saying he designed it is a bit of a stretch; it was a facelift.

[FakeConcern]

7 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Saying he designed it is a bit of a stretch; it was a facelift.

Agreed, still interesting though!

[crad]

2 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

I believe it's quite modern, but I don't know exactly when it was made.

i think it was early 2010s, least thats when i remember seeing it on the interwebz, but may well be wrong

[AnnoyingPentium]

Unidentified squeaking coming from the passenger side of the Fabia. Solution: turn the radio cassette up a bit.

I'll deal with it when I can be arsed.

[SiC]

6 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Unidentified squeaking coming from the passenger side of the Fabia. Solution: turn the radio cassette up a bit.

I'll deal with it when I can be arsed.

TADIS I think. Mine is especially squeaky when cold over bumps. Some of them seem quite alarming. But they go away once you've done a few miles. 

My colleague, who's partner has owned several MK1 and MK2, reckons Skoda must have almost designed it in as TADIS.

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, SiC said:

Mine is especially squeaky when cold over bumps.

I'm the opposite, being squeaky when warm over bumps. It's due to my wishbone console bushes. I have a set of polyurethane bushes there ready to go on. It's also a common issue due to the way the OEM ones were made to just die.

This is a new noise, and is almost continuous when the car is running, initially thought it was a tape so I stopped the stereo and it was still making the noise. Thinking it could potentially be exhaust related this time, such as a loose something or other.

[SiC]

The Civic keeps pinging up auto stop warnings and disabling the system. It's warning message is a picture of a battery, so presumably it upset that it's going a bit weak.

So bought a (apparently not) quality Yuasa and chucked it in. Being a Honda, it was fuss free job. They don't even need any coding or the like to notify the systems it's a new battery. Wish the German cars were like that.

Annoying that I had to do it, but the warranty isn't likely to cover it as it's a consumable. Going back to the dealer will cost more in fuel than this battery.

Also got the tracking realigned so it drives straight. I picked this up on the test drive but forgot to mention when I got back. Again could argue but CBA. Cost £48 from a local tyre place.

No matter how much you spend on a car, they always seem to need something just after buying. Even if it's just new wiper blades.

Ironically I think the Fabia is the car that has had the least needed since buying, despite it being the cheapest. £20 in oil+filter and a £4 car aerial.

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 minutes ago, SiC said:

Ironically I think the Fabia is the car that has had the least needed since buying, despite it being the cheapest. £20 in oil+filter and a £4 car aerial.

They're not the worst, cost for most parts is pretty reasonable too. My air filter was only £4.65 or there abouts. I'd buy another one, probably.

[SiC]

4 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

They're not the worst, cost for most parts is pretty reasonable too. My air filter was only £4.65 or there abouts. I'd buy another one, probably.

Actually that figure wasn't entirely correct. I put a new pollen filter (fiver) and drop link (£20 iirc) on it shortly buying it too. 

Fabia isn't anywhere near exciting enough for me to buy another. Plus I try to never buy the same model + generation twice of a car.

Pretty much every car I buy, the first thing I change is the pollen filter. Many garages don't bother changing them. Apart from putting extra strain on the blower motor, they also go stinky. Especially smelling a lot like the last owner.

The Civic filter was pretty filthy. I remember when I last got a dealer service at a Honda garage, they wanted £80 to change one of these on the 7th and 8th gen Civic. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

9 minutes ago, SiC said:

Pretty much every car I buy, the first thing I change is the pollen filter. Many garages don't bother changing them. Apart from putting extra strain on the blower motor, they also go stinky. Especially smelling a lot like the last owner.

I had mine out to check, it's not bad but I'm planning to do the "big service" since it'll be hitting 60k soon.

[HillmanImp]

Coincide on Facebook today. 

[JJ0063]

Norfolk Police have just advertised a vacancy for a trainee crime scene investigator.

Id bloody love to do something like that as awful as it sometimes must be.  My problem is that I shoot myself in the foot with self doubt so think what’s the point in the effort of applying as il never stand a chance. 
 

Perhaps I’ll talk myself into at least applying tomorrow.