The new news 24 thread

[Split_Pin]

I regularly still see several different Megane Is trundling around my local area.

I'm a big fan of those cars, one of the best all-rounders I ever owned. Stupendously roomy and comfortable as well.

[Schaefft]

9 hours ago, SiC said:

Original advert with more photos here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126903826427

To be honest, going by such a poor advert, I think the only reason I saw it was from my search of BMWs under £5k sorted by distance eBay search. 

That's a crazy bargain, I'm surprised he'd even consider taking less than it was advertised for. Easily worth double the money, especially once you've put some decent seats in it 

[Yoss]

1 hour ago, Schaefft said:

That's a crazy bargain, I'm surprised he'd even consider taking less than it was advertised for. Easily worth double the money, especially once you've put some decent seats in it 

Those seats are selling it for me. Why would you replace these with some rank leather (or probably pleather). 

Still don't understand why people think leather is an upgrade. Most of them look and feel much worse than a good quality cloth, which these certainly look like. 

[Metal Guru]

On 28/01/2025 at 07:34, beko1987 said:

That looks like the world most expensive urine sample 😂

Pretty much what Adblue is.

[New POD]

Just now, Metal Guru said:

Pretty much what Adblue is.

There's a secret* involved in the manufacture of jet engine turbine blades which needs synthetic urea to make (stronger) the ceramics used as the mould/pattern for the cooling tracks inside the single crystal titantium alloy castings. 

(This is then removed and what is left is a hollow section which cold air is piped into) 

Apparently a Rolls Royce Plc owned company based in Trentham were raided by Environmental Protection officials and Defra after dead fish at Trentham Gardens had been traced back to used Urea being poured inadvertently into the storm drains which led to the river trent. 

It's not a defence to say "We bought the building with a set of plans which says the pipe we connected to is a soil pipe and we therefore thought it would lead to the sewerage works, but it seems the plans are wrong. No thats right, we are part a a multi-billion £ turnover company but we didnt bother to check. Sorry. " and they had a proper big fine. 

The environment agency were happy once they did connect to the sewage outflow. 

[JakeT]

47 minutes ago, Yoss said:

Those seats are selling it for me. Why would you replace these with some rank leather (or probably pleather). 

Still don't understand why people think leather is an upgrade. Most of them look and feel much worse than a good quality cloth, which these certainly look like. 

My 328ci was about my favourite car I’ve owned. I pulled it out of a field, recommissioned it, and took it from 102k to 138k before selling it. Rear subframe mounts failed, which is common on pre February 2000 cars. Cloth rocks, and mine was silver with green. Took it all round Europe and ie never let me down. I did replace a lot of parts. Full suspension, cooling system and got the AC working. Comfortable cruiser, and went round bends well. Some pics, with a very green cloth. I loved it, and sports seats were comfortable. It was always a shite one, but looked fine clean. I took it to clients and never had an issue with it .

 

[Split_Pin]

26 minutes ago, JakeT said:

My 328ci was about my favourite car I’ve owned. I pulled it out of a field, recommissioned it, and took it from 102k to 138k before selling it. Rear subframe mounts failed, which is common on pre February 2000 cars. Cloth rocks, and mine was silver with green. Took it all round Europe and ie never let me down. I did replace a lot of parts. Full suspension, cooling system and got the AC working. Comfortable cruiser, and went round bends well. Some pics, with a very green cloth. I loved it, and sports seats were comfortable. It was always a shite one, but looked fine clean. I took it to clients and never had an issue with it .

 

I was about to say cloth seats in a BMW look shite,  good only for inverted snobs. 

But those look ace.

[SiC]

Cloth seats are so much nicer in the summer than any leather (including perforated) seat. It's why I haven't changed them in my Z4 despite a leather seat upgrade being an incredibly cheap thing to do. 

[Schaefft]

Cloth seats can be nice, but grey cloth doesn't scream anything other than lowest cost spec available to me😄

[artdjones]

Nicest is Leather with cloth centre panels.

[SiC]

2 hours ago, Schaefft said:

Cloth seats can be nice, but grey cloth doesn't scream anything other than lowest cost spec available to me😄

This is why memory seats is a bit weird. Iirc not a standard option and someone must have paid extra to tick that box. Hence why to me it feels a bit like Vegan/Vegetarian spec.

My late grandfather was a life long Vegetarian. He always tried to get the highest spec but no leather. So often he'd go for a lower spec but tick all the boxes to make the same spec as top that only came with leather. Often this would end up with a vehicle more expensive than if he just chose top spec!

[Cookiesouwest]

7 hours ago, JakeT said:

My 328ci was about my favourite car I’ve owned. I pulled it out of a field, recommissioned it, and took it from 102k to 138k before selling it. Rear subframe mounts failed, which is common on pre February 2000 cars. Cloth rocks, and mine was silver with green. Took it all round Europe and ie never let me down. I did replace a lot of parts. Full suspension, cooling system and got the AC working. Comfortable cruiser, and went round bends well. Some pics, with a very green cloth. I loved it, and sports seats were comfortable. It was always a shite one, but looked fine clean. I took it to clients and never had an issue with it .

 

Those seats are bloody amazing

[Boycie]

22 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

It’s funny timing, but just last night I was looking at the last pic I took of my 328ci, and thinking how much I missed it… despite the fact that it was one of the neediest cars that I have ever owned.

In typical fashion, I spent ages fixing faults, and then sold it when it was running nicely rather than actually keeping the bloody thing.

Sold it locally, and still see it driving around the village that it lives in.

It's like the pretty but high maintenance girl u went out with when u were young , she was difficult ...she was a pain .....but .....

[dome]

Speaking of e46s @Split_Pin is your Rover 75 airbag light the same problem as those have? If so the resistor trick mentioned earlier works, you can even buy them plug and play online. 

They seem to be getting sold as airbag resistors for testing on eBay, have a look at the BMW ones and see if any use the same plug.

[Split_Pin]

Mine is just the connectors under the seat. It even changes over which side is going to play up from year to year as well! I'm going to try the 3 ohm resistor suggestion, has to be better that fiddling with the wires every 364 days or so 😂

[SiC]

Won't that just disable the airbag?

Why not chop and solder the wires together?

[Schaefft]

13 hours ago, SiC said:

This is why memory seats is a bit weird. Iirc not a standard option and someone must have paid extra to tick that box. Hence why to me it feels a bit like Vegan/Vegetarian spec.

My late grandfather was a life long Vegetarian. He always tried to get the highest spec but no leather. So often he'd go for a lower spec but tick all the boxes to make the same spec as top that only came with leather. Often this would end up with a vehicle more expensive than if he just chose top spec!

The Japanese prefer pretty much anything over leather so many cars from there come with great cloth/Alcantara/wool options in often interesting colors, including a few E39s/E38s in some incredibly rare specs. The issue is that here in the UK people often just stick with the typical company car spec grey/black which doesn't compare. That the previous owner ticked memory seats with those particular seats is very odd considering the millions of fabric options he had.

[SiC]

On 14/12/2024 at 20:03, stuboy said:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/29/chester-woman-stand-trial-accused-displaying-threatening-bumper-sticker

🫣

[Split_Pin]

Well fuck.

I have just found out I'm being made redundant in the spring.

2nd time in 5 years.

Anyone want a house and 4 motors lol.

[loserone]

Don't be quiet about shouting up if you want help in getting onto a new job.

[Split_Pin]

3 minutes ago, CGSB said:

What do you do?

I work as a Risk Manager for a financial website and mobile app.

[loserone]

Focussed on financial risk I assume?

[Split_Pin]

22 minutes ago, loserone said:

Focussed on financial risk I assume?

Yes but from a customer outcomes lens,if that makes sense.

[JakeT]

58 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I work as a Risk Manager for a financial website and mobile app.

Shyte. My employer has some risk openings currently. Financial services. Send me a PM, and I’ll send you the website.

[vulgalour]

It's taken me damned near a month but I'm finally just fresh fluids away from first start on the Princess after the Christmas Day OMGHGF.  Once I know she's working properly again I can switch attention to getting the van MoT'd.

[320touring]

Got bored at work and went out to fit the new alternator bracket and alternator to the Oxford.

All going well until the new bracket will need some filing to line up with the holes in the block.

Good news is it looks like it will all work!

[Split_Pin]

Just to add to my earlier post, the doofleshanker no longer wanted to sense the oxygen in the E46. Car also went into limp mode.

At least thats an easy fix and the gearbox still works perfectly.

 

[louiepj]

Rear spring on our megane Ⅱ broke, so I bought and fitted new springs and dampers, and on the road test, the springs are making a funny boing/rubbing noise....
Check to see if i fitted them correctly and got the correct ones, and nope, I fitted mk3 rear springs, which have a wider diameter to them.
I now regret spraying underbody waxoyl over everything.

[richardmorris]

[hairnet]

singer or tuthill?