The new news 24 thread

[Bren]

59 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Not to state the bloody obvious, and I do wish you the best of luck selling it, but with petrol averaging £1.50 per litre and the cost of just existing right now being extortionate, it's no wonder a V8 BMW isn't selling easily.

Hell, I'll be SORNing my 323i for an indefinite period starting in September.

I agree. However where I live I have noticed lots of V8's on the road - old chrysler 300's, jaguars  and audi's right up to later mercedes.

Another thing I have noticed is the amount of super cars you see - ferraris and Lamborghinis. I joked to a colleague thst maybe people are remortgaging?

[Schaefft]

Tbf, 3 grand probably is right around market value for a 545i I would say. Would be a very different story if it was a manual though.

[Bren]

32 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

Tbf, 3 grand probably is right around market value for a 545i I would say. Would be a very different story if it was a manual though.

If you look in the classifieds at what e60 you would get for £3k most of them are approaching the end of life. In fact some have so many issues and mileage over 200k -  they really are parts donors. Mine is a beaut.

I will treat it to a new set of plugs which look a pig to change.

[grogee]

14 hours ago, wesacosa said:

queue of needy cars outside the house whilst the Estelle hogs the drive and my free time

At least two likely to have departed the fleet by this time next month 

Well I like three of them so that's good news for me. I suspect the blue Fav is staying though 

[wesacosa]

17 minutes ago, grogee said:

Well I like three of them so that's good news for me. I suspect the blue Fav is staying though 

I really can't decide.. clearly I don't want to sell any but need to be realistic.. The Favorit is going to be the hardest one to drum up interest in I think. As I previously mentioned it does qualify for Khan's £2000 bribe but don't think I can bring myself to do it.   Citroen most likely to go as its my daily so to keep would relegate it to show/weekend toy but already done 2 FoTU , one Bromley and one Citroen National show in it.  Its fucking glorious to look at and cool to drive though, and needs a few bits doing if I was to get decent money I think 

[RayMK]

I'm developing withdrawal symptoms because my '94 Tipo has been away since 17th July.  On that nice, sunny day I drove it to Fawsley to soak up the warmth in pleasant surroundings.  The drive over there was uneventful, typical of the way the car has reliably operated since we bought it just over ten years ago.  I parked, ate a packed lunch and read a car magazine.  About 2 hours later, I decided to head home.  Turned the key and the starter kicked the engine but instead of it immediately firing as it normally does, it just carried on churning.  There wasn't the slightest cough during my three or four 5 sec bursts on the starter.  Funny, I thought (a Peter Cook and Dudley Moore phrase).  I checked under the bonnet for loose connections, broken wires, leaks or anything untoward.  Tried starting  again.  Same.  The symptoms were very no sparkish,  so I disconnected the king lead at the distributor end and lodged it on the block where I could see and hear a spark if there was one.  Nothing.  As mentioned, the weather was glorious and the scenery pleasant. I sat in the car and contemplated my predicament for a few minutes. I recalled that my son and I had joint membership of the AA.  An attempted phone call to my son to see if our membership was still current revealed that I was in a poor signal area judging by the conversation which went something like 'Hello.  Hello. Hello??'  when he answered.  I managed to squeeze a text message to him through the airwaves, giving my location and asking him to call the AA.

A perfectly reasonable hour later a nice AA man arrived, listened to my brief description of symptoms, ran several tests which confirmed power was getting to the coil but no spark coming out.  The crank sensor was pulsing and the fuel tank was 3/4 full. After a few more tests which drew blanks, he decided to dolly the Tipo to a garage of my choice.  I texted my son and got a ride home in his luxurious BMW.  

Since then, the Tipo has been given attention at the garage on a 'filling-in job' basis.  I've got another car, so there's no urgency and I know the garage chap well.  No problems with the wait.  So far, a new coil has been tried but that had no effect. A new crank sensor will be tried next before more head scratching occurs.  The car has standard electronic ignition with a non-points type distributor and has single point fuel injection - which will be investigated next.  I don't think it has a diagnostics port but does of course have an ECU.  Fortunately the ECU does not sit in a drainage channel like some cars.

I am thus missing the old Italian chariot.

 

[sdkrc]

My old commute for dropping my boy off to nursery. Anywhere up to 2hrs15mins when schools were open.

New commute is a 6min walk each way. Total commute time is 30mins per day  including waiting and regardless of traffic. An extra hour each day, fuck yeah

[andy18s]

3 hours ago, RayMK said:

I'm developing withdrawal symptoms because my '94 Tipo has been away since 17th July.  On that nice, sunny day I drove it to Fawsley to soak up the warmth in pleasant surroundings.  The drive over there was uneventful, typical of the way the car has reliably operated since we bought it just over ten years ago.  I parked, ate a packed lunch and read a car magazine.  About 2 hours later, I decided to head home.  Turned the key and the starter kicked the engine but instead of it immediately firing as it normally does, it just carried on churning.  There wasn't the slightest cough during my three or four 5 sec bursts on the starter.  Funny, I thought (a Peter Cook and Dudley Moore phrase).  I checked under the bonnet for loose connections, broken wires, leaks or anything untoward.  Tried starting  again.  Same.  The symptoms were very no sparkish,  so I disconnected the king lead at the distributor end and lodged it on the block where I could see and hear a spark if there was one.  Nothing.  As mentioned, the weather was glorious and the scenery pleasant. I sat in the car and contemplated my predicament for a few minutes. I recalled that my son and I had joint membership of the AA.  An attempted phone call to my son to see if our membership was still current revealed that I was in a poor signal area judging by the conversation which went something like 'Hello.  Hello. Hello??'  when he answered.  I managed to squeeze a text message to him through the airwaves, giving my location and asking him to call the AA.

A perfectly reasonable hour later a nice AA man arrived, listened to my brief description of symptoms, ran several tests which confirmed power was getting to the coil but no spark coming out.  The crank sensor was pulsing and the fuel tank was 3/4 full. After a few more tests which drew blanks, he decided to dolly the Tipo to a garage of my choice.  I texted my son and got a ride home in his luxurious BMW.  

Since then, the Tipo has been given attention at the garage on a 'filling-in job' basis.  I've got another car, so there's no urgency and I know the garage chap well.  No problems with the wait.  So far, a new coil has been tried but that had no effect. A new crank sensor will be tried next before more head scratching occurs.  The car has standard electronic ignition with a non-points type distributor and has single point fuel injection - which will be investigated next.  I don't think it has a diagnostics port but does of course have an ECU.  Fortunately the ECU does not sit in a drainage channel like some cars.

I am thus missing the old Italian chariot.

 

My last Tipo was an L reg 1.4i 3dr in black.

Bought for the Mrs as she found it easier to get our daughter in and of it than a 5dr Astra she had.

It coil was a constant failing on it,a square item on the bulkhead iirc.

I assume they've checked the new coil ?

[RayMK]

1 minute ago, andy18s said:

My last Tipo was an L reg 1.4i 3dr in black.

Bought for the Mrs as she found it easier to get our daughter in and of it than a 5dr Astra she had.

It coil was a constant failing on it,a square item on the bulkhead iirc.

I assume they've checked the new coil ?

I'll have a chat with the garage on Friday to see how they are progressing.  It seems the old coil (mounted on the front bulkhead near the headlight)  was receiving 12Vdc but it was lacking any electronic triggering pulse despite the crank sensor checking out ok.  There is an electronic control module near the headlight which is also part of the digiplex ignition system which may require replacement (or checking if possible). I'm not at all at home with electronic ignition and my experience with any cars which have significant electronics is that they are ultra reliable.  However, unlike old-fashioned points and condenser ignition systems which are fine, albeit with regular servicing, the more modern stuff when it fails ends up being a game of replacing components until the magic is restored, requiring not necessarily just one visit to the garage.  This applies to main dealers with all the specific diagnostic equipment as well.  It's not exactly confidence inspiring.  Nissan and BMW dealers have both provided endless entertainment* when trying to exterminate error codes and/or faulty operation of engine and systems.   Touching wood, my two experiences with Mitsubishi and more with Hyundai have had no such problems.  Anyway, I'm prepared to throw a bit of money at the Tipo because I've grown to like it.

[Cavcraft]

Just dawned on me that going flat out down a steep by-pass hill on a Yamaha 50  achieved the grand total of just 3mph faster than I did it on a push bike.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

Just dawned on me that going flat out down a steep by-pass hill on a Yamaha 50  achieved the grand total of just 3mph faster than I did it on a push bike.

Where you lighter then, though?

[RoverFolkUs]

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

[LightBulbFun]

19 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

What?! LOL

and thats a genuinely LOL, not at you but at the DVLA dropping the post office

because there are certain things which you can more or less *only* do at a post office, case in point putting a vehicle into the historic vehicle taxation class

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/apply-for-vehicle-tax-exemption

so I wonder how they are going to deal with that for example...

(ok there is a way to do this directly with certain DVLA forms, but it involves a lot more paperwork then the post office method)

[RoverFolkUs]

2 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

What?! LOL

and thats a genuinely LOL, not at you but at the DVLA dropping the post office

because there are certain things which you can more or less *only* do at a post office, case in point putting a vehicle into the historic vehicle taxation class

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/apply-for-vehicle-tax-exemption

so I wonder how they are going to deal with that for example...

(ok there is a way to do this directly with certain DVLA forms, but it involves a lot more paperwork then the post office method)

Yes that's what I was thinking, especially when they currently say things like "you can't transact online for 5 days if you make a SORN" .. so I guess they're going to have to change all those processes

With the DVLA still firmly stuck in the 90s I think they're slightly out of their depth trying to digitise things when so many processes are still quite archaic!

Not sure why it hasn't been announced more, but the contract expires on the date above and it doesn't sound like they're having any joy renegotiating a new one. The same article suggested that the 6 million post office transactions cost the govt more than £3 million per year, so it's presumably a cost cutting exercise. If you were to Google DVLA axing post office services then there will be more info for you to peruse

Maybe post offices won't exist any more and this is one nail for the coffin... peculiarly, as a side note, it's now cheaper to send a parcel if you book and pay for it online and opt for collection rather than PO dropoff. Madness!

[Zelandeth]

59 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

Can't say it surprises me.  Last time I went to try to change a car's tax class to historic it took me either three or four post offices before I found one where they had the foggiest idea what I was talking about.  Last time I wanted to tax a car there, the local (now closed) one told me you couldn't do it using the new keeper slip but needed the whole V5...

If that's the sort of quality of service they've been getting on average from the PO on what are really simple matters, I'd not be wanting to renew the contract either.  It's only a small sample size, but it's all I've got to go on.

In contrast dealing with the DVLA directly, it took a fair while of telephone tennis to get through to the right department, but they were actually knowledgeable and efficient in sorting the issue I had - the actual nature of which is now completely eluding my memory and is probably going to bug the hell out of me now.

Plus so many post offices around here have over the last year been vastly cutting back their opening hours it's been making them far less viable as an option if I do need something sorted there and then anyway because they're not open.

[GeordieInExile]

The C6 is going in for the MOT on the 30th. Will it pass first time? Last time it did work a few advisories which I believe have been sorted since.

 

Mad respect to whatever maniac got a clean MOT out of it, did 20,000 miles in a year then managed to get another clean MOT!

[cort16]

3 minutes ago, GeordieInExile said:

The C6 is going in for the MOT on the 30th. Will it pass first time? Last time it did work a few advisories which I believe have been sorted since.

 

Mad respect to whatever maniac got a clean MOT out of it, did 20,000 miles in a year then managed to get another clean MOT!

When are you getting it?

[Lankytim]

The Laguna is wearing out the inside edge of one of the front tyres and pulls under acceleration so I’ve taken it to be tracked up. After 5 minutes the thing that every shiter dreads happened… the guy came  walking back in to the waiting room with a serious look on his face and told me the tracking was pretty much spot on…. Dammit! It’s had a replacement used strut on one side and there’s a possibility it’s the wrong type. To cancel out the disappointment I papped a couple of lovely old motors parked outside. They’re both fabulous! 

[Lankytim]

11 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems to have been kept fairly quiet, but it looks like DVLA are axing their contract with the post office from 31st march 2024.. great! 🙄

With an apparent 6 million customers accessing their services via the post office, it makes you wonder how the DVLA are going to cope with an extra 6 million people transacting directly with them..

I was listening to a R4 program about that Horizon scandal in the PO that resulted in a load of innocent post masters getting jailed, apparently it was hushed up for so long because big ticket contracts like the DVLA would be spooked if they found out the software used was unfit for purpose/shit.

[GeordieInExile]

39 minutes ago, cort16 said:

When are you getting it?

Saturday September 2nd at 2.30pm.

[artdjones]

35 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

The Laguna is wearing out the inside edge of one of the front tyres and pulls under acceleration so I’ve taken it to be tracked up. After 5 minutes the thing that every shiter dreads happened… the guy came  walking back in to the waiting room with a serious look on his face and told me the tracking was pretty much spot on…. Dammit! It’s had a replacement used strut on one side and there’s a possibility it’s the wrong type. To cancel out the disappointment I papped a couple of lovely old motors parked outside. They’re both fabulous! 

There's two numbers listed for hub knuckle and wishbone. Also the top mount may be movable. Otherwise it sounds like something bent. Did they check for camber?

[Lankytim]

10 minutes ago, artdjones said:

There's two numbers listed for hub knuckle and wishbone. Also the top mount may be movable. Otherwise it sounds like something bent. Did they check for camber?

I don’t think they checked camber, as for the other stuff I’ve no idea. The guy did say it could be an issue with the gearbox/diff putting too much torque to one wheel. There’s vibration at idle from what I think could be a dodgy engine mount so maybe the engine is moving to one side under acceleration. It’s been remapped up to 200bhp (apparently) so it might be just good old fashioned torque steer. 

[egg]

On 20/08/2023 at 21:09, Ghosty said:

^I was talking to the lass that runs the Favorit FB group last week. She's mental, but good mental.

Do you mean Corrie? Proper Favorit fan!

[artdjones]

48 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

I don’t think they checked camber, as for the other stuff I’ve no idea. The guy did say it could be an issue with the gearbox/diff putting too much torque to one wheel. There’s vibration at idle from what I think could be a dodgy engine mount so maybe the engine is moving to one side under acceleration. It’s been remapped up to 200bhp (apparently) so it might be just good old fashioned torque steer. 

Pardon me, but the tyre guy sounds like he's talking from some other part of his body than his mouth.  I'd like to hear his explanation as to how the diff could make one tyre edge wear. I could do with a laugh 

The car needs a proper check of all bushings and joints in the front suspension and a careful physical examination of the shocks and hubs to make sure they aren't bent, followed by a proper alignment with a camber and castor check. The top mount is probably movable and may have been put back in a different position. 

For an engine mount or diff to affect a tyre it would have to be capable of moving the suspension out of line, and could only do that if there's play or movement in some part of it.

 

[Cavcraft]

Imagine going for an early morning ride on a  moped and it breaking down. Then imagine pushing the bastard a mile or so, before it re-starting and struggling to get to your destination. Then imagine buying new plugs and a plug spanner, CBA changing them and struggling home again.

 

The imagine coming home, going to put your new spare plugs and plug spanner into the side panel and finding the other new plugs and plug spanner you put in it months ago.

 

Well, that.

[egg]

Proof that i10's are white goods.

Twice in the last 6 months neighbours have said 'new car' to me as I've been fiddling with something, I say 'oh we've had it a while'....

...3 years next month, seems some haven't even noticed its existence

(and it sits outside or near our house 97% of the time)

[beko1987]

Fighting for time this month but the mot is up on the 3rd sept so I've got it booked in for Thursday now I've been paid from YouTube! (bloody 5 week Months 😢). 

Going to give it a good vacuum out to help it's chances in a bit then it's on its own! Front brakes should be fine, an advisory at most and their priority one to sort next along with the yearly oil change which is 2 months later than last year, although that won't kill it, anything else found will be new and exciting *

[Lankytim]

3 hours ago, artdjones said:

Pardon me, but the tyre guy sounds like he's talking from some other part of his body than his mouth.  I'd like to hear his explanation as to how the diff could make one tyre edge wear. I could do with a laugh 

The car needs a proper check of all bushings and joints in the front suspension and a careful physical examination of the shocks and hubs to make sure they aren't bent, followed by a proper alignment with a camber and castor check. The top mount is probably movable and may have been put back in a different position. 

For an engine mount or diff to affect a tyre it would have to be capable of moving the suspension out of line, and could only do that if there's play or movement in some part of it.

 

In his defence the tyre guy was referring to the pulling under acceleration rather than the wear on the inside edge of a tyre, presumably that’s a totally different issue. I’ve driven it a bit since and after swapping the worn NSF tyre with the NSR it does feel quite a bit better. The strut was replaced on the OSF just to add confusion to the matter, surely any camber issues would show themselves on that side?

 

In other news, Yesterday I took the 145 fuel tank into the local old skool radiator repairers to see if he could solder a new pick-up pipe after I snapped the old one off. Collected it today and it turns out he’s literally soldered a pipe to the side of the tank so it can’t draw fuel up from the bottom. I’m sure he’ll put it right but I explained to the guy about a million times when I dropped it off so it’s still pretty annoying. 

[artdjones]

1 minute ago, Lankytim said:

In his defence the tyre guy was referring to the pulling under acceleration rather than the wear on the inside edge of a tyre, presumably that’s a totally different issue. I’ve driven it a bit since and after swapping the worn NSF tyre with the NSR it does feel quite a bit better. The strut was replaced on the OSF just to add confusion to the matter, surely any camber issues would show themselves on that side?

 

In other news, Yesterday I took the 145 fuel tank into the local old skool radiator repairers to see if he could solder a new pick-up pipe after I snapped the old one off. Collected it today and it turns out he’s literally soldered a pipe to the side of the tank so it can’t draw fuel up from the bottom. I’m sure he’ll put it right but I explained to the guy about a million times when I dropped it off so it’s still pretty annoying. 

Why would he do that. As regards the Laguna I'd look very carefully at the rear wishbone bush on the affected side. Maybe it looks ok but has gone soft? They are horizontal bushes aren't they?

[Lankytim]

3 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Why would he do that. As regards the Laguna I'd look very carefully at the rear wishbone bush on the affected side. Maybe it looks ok but has gone soft? They are horizontal bushes aren't they?

Yes, horizontal bushes. The wishbones look quite new but might not be top quality.