The new news 24 thread

[Schaefft]

2 hours ago, NigeT said:

RIP noble Thor. Hope his engine gets to roar again in another body. 

Shame, what killed it? Rust?

[bramz7]

Recently acquired the Getz CRTD, and had been slowly learning to enjoy it but on the way home today it sounded horrible. I assumed a flat tyre, so pulled over. Nope. Then thought...is that a broken spring sound? 

Nope. 

 

Nursed it home with the noise getting worse and worse and this is what it was:

Grease everywhere on the NS front, so that's a failed CV joint. Never had one properly go on the move, it didn't even come up on the MOT last week so that's mystifying. Old cars eh. 

 

Edit:

No clues it was going to fail prior so methinks the mobile mechanic who replaced the lower arm on the MOT last week for the previous owner disturbed it somehow and it's gotten loose, and flung it's contents everywhere. Lol oh well. NS driveshafts seem hard to get too. 

[IronStar]

Picked up the new HID bulb for Bravo

Very confidence inspiring box.

HID conversions are already dodgy in my book, even when done right.  Surely it’s going to be alright and I’m not going to blind the oncoming traffic with these high quality items as they’re going into projector lamps?

This is looking so ridiculously dodgy I’m considering ripping it all out in favor of standard halogen items. Let’s see if people are going to flash at me. 

[trigger]

So... I seem to be spending money like it's going out of fashion at the moment, I pulled the trigger on a new hood for my Escort Cabriolet, the current one is original and is starting to split and crack badly now and spoils the car to me, a local man who specialises on interiors and hoods has quoted me £720 to supply and fit a new one and as I do actually enjoy this car I've agreed to go for it.

This is the only grey they can get, I was hoping for a darker grey but I think it will still look good?

Next up my MK2 Escort has gone off to have it's welding done, there's a small hole on the floor and both rear arches have pop rivited cover arches fitted so that's been stripped back and rewelded properly 

So obviously with my funds stretched at the moment the logical thing to do would be to agree to buy another car which I haven't got room for, that's been loaded up ready for delivery tomorrow, more to follow then...

[Sunny Jim]

12 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

Bore da! Beautiful morning here in Eryri - sunrise over Elidir and a cloud inversion.

And to round off the day the hound and I took in the sunset over the lake on Cefn Du.

[JakeT]

Went to look at a car as a stopgap for my dad. As a back story, His X5 expired in July after 270,000 faithful miles. He’d ideally like a Porsche Macan EV but wants to save it for his retirement. He was thinking about buying a 2-3 year old X5 45e, but with the depreciation of a new car we thought it prudent to buy an older car. He does about 5k per year.

It’s for sale from a nice person in a nice area, and had six new injectors in January, so the big one is sorted. We’ll see how it is, but it should be fine for a year or so. Even if he throws it in the bin afterwards it’s cheaper than a newish X5, and can be used for tip runs and going to the golf club like it should.

 

Rocking up at the sellers house it was looking good. Car was relatively tidy and such. But I take a notebook with me to write observations. They’re as follows:

Coolant low

PAS reservoir leaking

Belt tensioner failing

Misfire and idle up and down from cold

AC hiss (low on gas)

Oil on minimum

Sunroof rattle

Budget rear tyres (not a negotiation thing, just for my own notes)

 

This has the BMW ‘N53’ engine. They’re direct injection and complex. Those six injectors were £3,000 in January. But I couldn’t buy it for dad. He has never bought a used car and I know that it wouldn’t be good for him. And at £5,000 it’s too much money. Maybe at £2,000 but I suppose not. That approved used X5 is looking more tempting…

[Split_Pin]

The low fluids and budget tyres alone would make me walk! Well dodged!

[SiC]

On 23/03/2025 at 09:42, BorniteIdentity said:

Some silly cunt started doing burnouts in his Cozzeh and had it seized! People on Facebook then start blaming the crowd for egging him on, rather than the amoeba behind the wheel. 

While I agree with you, it did make for a great Max Power era style photo 

 

[stuboy]

Back too work after a lovely week off relaxing and catching up on job!!

 

I asked why have we have ambulances from other bases that not gone back, has anyone started them... no

 

It was dead as...grr

[wuvvum]

13 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

Beautiful morning here in Eryri - sunrise over Elidir

I didn't realise you'd moved to Middle Earth.

[Sunny Jim]

Tolkien spoke both medieval and modern Welsh, Elidir is an old Welsh name.

[andy18s]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

While I agree with you, it did make for a great Max Power era style photo 

 

 

[SiC]

30 minutes ago, andy18s said:

 

While I can't condone his stupidity, given the cost pressures public services are under, was this not massively over resourced waste? I bet those 30 odd officers were on overtime too. 

All they needed is a pair of officers filming the incident, note down the reg and the individual inside. Then follow up with a knock on the owners door. It's not as if it's 1990 when a Cossie was a couple of grand banger that gets burnt out. They're a £60k+ car now and quite valuable. Unlikely the owner will be doing a runner. 

[JakeT]

8 hours ago, Tayne said:

When did he buy the X5, 1971?

2003. He did more miles up to covid, and then it dropped right off. Some years would be 20k or so, but it spent most of its time parked at Heathrow.

[Supernaut]

Sod it, I'll post it in here too.

Before (2013):

 

After (today):

It won't stay in high range and the seats are still away being reupholstered but it moves!

[comfortablynumb]

That's lovely @Supernaut, well done!

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

34 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

It won't stay in high range

Nice!

Is it selecting Hi and pops out soon as you drive

or not going into Hi ?

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

Nice!

Is it selecting Hi and pops out soon as you drive

or not going into Hi ?

Going into high then popping out.

Weirdly, it's more likely to stay in when 4WD is on. It's still not a guarantee though.

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

1 hour ago, Supernaut said:

Going into high then popping out.

Weirdly, it's more likely to stay in when 4WD is on. It's still not a guarantee though.

First thing I would check is that the boot on the red knob lever is allowing the lever to go fully forward.

Undo the screws holding it to the floor, push it up the lever a bit and try.

If that does not stop it jumping out of gear, then drivers side floor up , check the lever can move OK.

Take the Selector Shaft cover off, sometimes muck or rust inside the cover stops proper engagement.

 

[Supernaut]

20 minutes ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

First thing I would check is that the boot on the red knob lever is allowing the lever to go fully forward.

Undo the screws holding it to the floor, push it up the lever a bit and try.

If that does not stop it jumping out of gear, then drivers side floor up , check the lever can move OK.

Take the Selector Shaft cover off, sometimes muck or rust inside the cover stops proper engagement.

 

Good shout! Already got the floor panels completely out and it's made no difference.

[junkyarddog]

Just found this pic of my Corolla from last Sunday's Cars and Coffee meet!

[artdjones]

On 22/03/2025 at 14:09, clayts450 said:

One can only dream of those MPGs the way I drive in the Combo/Doblo. I actually spoke to my main 'customer' (a local indie same day company) about possibly moving over to either a Fiestavan or Corsavan or even a wafty estate barge, and they were fine with that given my luck with the Doblo of Doom. Most of their stuff is small and easily transportable - to be fair most of the consignments would fit in a Citybug.

Gr8 figures - I iz impressed

Doblos don't give fantastic mileage for a 1.3.

Mine have given about 42mpg, as I only do about 7k per year that's no problem, but if I was doing big mileages it would make a difference.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

First thing I would check is that the boot on the red knob lever is allowing the lever to go fully forward.

Undo the screws holding it to the floor, push it up the lever a bit and try.

If that does not stop it jumping out of gear, then drivers side floor up , check the lever can move OK.

Take the Selector Shaft cover off, sometimes muck or rust inside the cover stops proper engagement.

 

Proper parts diagram, that.

[brownnova]

First ‘in’ of 2025. A new family runaround acquired. 

We’re close to the mileage limit on MrsB’s pcp car so we decided to get a cheap to run stopgap as she says the XC90 is too expensive for her to run. Criteria was cheap to run. Three seats (preferably three isofix) across the back. Didn’t expect to get what to me is a brand new car! Dull as, but seems decent enough. 

[ruffgeezer]

13 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Sod it, I'll post it in here too.

Before (2013):

 

After (today):

It won't stay in high range and the seats are still away being reupholstered but it moves!

I must say I prefer the colour before, perhaps as it is a little more unusual, but that's only personal preference. You've done fantastic work there!

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, ruffgeezer said:

I must say I prefer the colour before, perhaps as it is a little more unusual, but that's only personal preference. You've done fantastic work there!

It was a fairly rubbish paint job.

The RAF blue is the correct colour. It got repainted by my dad in the late 70s / early 80s after my mum rolled it. It ended up with a couple of panels from a Post Office vehicle, then got the bright blue over the top.

[artdjones]

4 hours ago, brownnova said:

First ‘in’ of 2025. A new family runaround acquired. 

We’re close to the mileage limit on MrsB’s pcp car so we decided to get a cheap to run stopgap as she says the XC90 is too expensive for her to run. Criteria was cheap to run. Three seats (preferably three isofix) across the back. Didn’t expect to get what to me is a brand new car! Dull as, but seems decent enough. 

Once you've had a few weeks of 1.5DCi mpgs you may find it difficult to let go.

[vulgalour]

This isn't exactly a grump or a grin, and it's not car related... but I've posted about it in here before so here's the end of the story, kinda.

Finally found out why I've had health issues and been unable to hold down a regular job for the last twenty years.  Officially diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  Neurologist was of the opinion I've been living with this for twenty years undiagnosed and apologised on behalf of the medical community for letting me down so badly.

I have... feelings... about this.  Very mixed feelings.  There's no treatment, no cure, it's just how it is.  My life doesn't really change, I just rather hoped I'd find out it was something else so I'd be free of it.  Recovery rate is incredibly low and given I've gone so long with this, very unlikely in my case.  It will probably get worse as I get older.

I'm just going to live the best life I can for now.  Maybe it'll get the Job Centre off my back.  Maybe I can claim PIP and still continue with my self employment (the only job I've ever been able to hold down as I can fit it around my bad days as needed).  I don't know.  All I know is I'm not giving up.  It feels a bit like finding a user manual I didn't know existed.

[Supernaut]

14 hours ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

First thing I would check is that the boot on the red knob lever is allowing the lever to go fully forward.

Undo the screws holding it to the floor, push it up the lever a bit and try.

If that does not stop it jumping out of gear, then drivers side floor up , check the lever can move OK.

Take the Selector Shaft cover off, sometimes muck or rust inside the cover stops proper engagement.

 

Found the problem!

See that? The high-low lever was smacking into a bolt that holds in its own bracket!

Just spent far too long turning it the other way around. Now the excess thread points harmlessly out the other end, and the bolt head is shallower than the nut.

It goes into high with a much more positive clunk now. Just having a cup of tea before trying it again.

[wuvvum]

23 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

This isn't exactly a grump or a grin, and it's not car related... but I've posted about it in here before so here's the end of the story, kinda.

Finally found out why I've had health issues and been unable to hold down a regular job for the last twenty years.  Officially diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  Neurologist was of the opinion I've been living with this for twenty years undiagnosed and apologised on behalf of the medical community for letting me down so badly.

I have... feelings... about this.  Very mixed feelings.  There's no treatment, no cure, it's just how it is.  My life doesn't really change, I just rather hoped I'd find out it was something else so I'd be free of it.  Recovery rate is incredibly low and given I've gone so long with this, very unlikely in my case.  It will probably get worse as I get older.

I'm just going to live the best life I can for now.  Maybe it'll get the Job Centre off my back.  Maybe I can claim PIP and still continue with my self employment (the only job I've ever been able to hold down as I can fit it around my bad days as needed).  I don't know.  All I know is I'm not giving up.  It feels a bit like finding a user manual I didn't know existed.

My aunt has had ME for the last 40 years.  She was diagnosed fairly quickly, which was unusual as it wasn't as well understood back then as it is now.  She's just carried on with life as best she can - she's not found it easy as like everyone on my mum's side of the family she's naturally a workaholic, but she's managed to get a fair bit done over the years.