The new news 24 thread

[Bren]

Finished.

[stuboy]

4 hours ago, Bren said:

Finished.

Bill?

[stuboy]

Another 3 days of driver training..

 

Can be fun with people whom never driver a ford transit..

[barefoot]

On 14/04/2025 at 17:05, barefoot said:

The shadowy figure behind the UK's largest Comb & Paper festival, author of the staggeringly popular 'barefoot chef' column and editor of both Volkswagen Camper & commercial and VWBUS T4&5+ magazines is thrilled to reveal that his second book will be available on 'the Amazons' by the end of this week. 

Amongst more than a millionty tips, you too could learn how to pitch up a campervan; from levelling blocks to relaxing with drinks & amuse bouche in less than seven minutes. Change your approach to camping life for just fifteen quid.

I'll post up a link just as soon as it goes live

I've never made much of this on here before, but I've not always been into the manky old cars thing and was once a man of the cloth. As a minister of the 'Church of the Barefoot Way' I used to promise eternal life or three times your money back.

My new book comes with a similar assurance that if it doesn't make you laugh, you probably won't live forever either.

Get a copy bought and learn the sort of ace camping skills that will impress women, lead to lots of outdoor sex and make your holidays far more fun than you'd ever imagined. Or your money back, ...probably.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F6DTHS4H/ref=sr_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aItCIKyiY_N3HzbrUg4_Z1_hbZmoE3Vl241S3r3mtflhoQhmMKmqE8rzFNA0oxYQ41vDsKGoC0QUotoMDjWJsBUYNSuGWMN3pHSuaR_KTMXSQVm_vM_wwKaB8lW7zOwXWqKgfXMeMdCdzgola2Qih__t8qy0fpQRsicLljpoq3y-Ru-goBNv9xUoG5-ZDOWqJw8oAkMbjJ4pXiqAjlRqs5fRH1jZjWWgUv5PgJgf5K4.lY_nx9hNs98TqGJaR9n1OATzw-iL8-8aqfiYf-url84&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+campervan&qid=1745613176&sr=8-9

[ruffgeezer]

5 hours ago, Bren said:

Finished.

Aren't those diagonal braces meant to be the other way up? 

[adw1977]

7 hours ago, brownnova said:

Local classic car meet last night: 

Arrow series in Singer Vogue flavour is a bit of a rarity and the most successful front styling of all of them IMO. 

[reb]

46 minutes ago, barefoot said:

I've never made much of this on here before, but I've not always been into the manky old cars thing and was once a man of the cloth. As a minister of the 'Church of the Barefoot Way' I used to promise eternal life or three times your money back.

My new book comes with a similar assurance that if it doesn't make you laugh, you probably won't live forever either.

Get a copy bought and learn the sort of ace camping skills that will impress women, lead to lots of outdoor sex and make your holidays far more fun than you'd ever imagined. Or your money back, ...probably.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F6DTHS4H/ref=sr_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aItCIKyiY_N3HzbrUg4_Z1_hbZmoE3Vl241S3r3mtflhoQhmMKmqE8rzFNA0oxYQ41vDsKGoC0QUotoMDjWJsBUYNSuGWMN3pHSuaR_KTMXSQVm_vM_wwKaB8lW7zOwXWqKgfXMeMdCdzgola2Qih__t8qy0fpQRsicLljpoq3y-Ru-goBNv9xUoG5-ZDOWqJw8oAkMbjJ4pXiqAjlRqs5fRH1jZjWWgUv5PgJgf5K4.lY_nx9hNs98TqGJaR9n1OATzw-iL8-8aqfiYf-url84&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+campervan&qid=1745613176&sr=8-9

This is the suggested item amazon has given me with it:

I'll buy it over the weekend.

Your book, not the forklift safety thing.

[brownnova]

38 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

Aren't those diagonal braces meant to be the other way up? 

Only if it’s a Citroen gate

[brownnova]

15 minutes ago, adw1977 said:

Arrow series in Singer Vogue flavour is a bit of a rarity and the most successful front styling of all of them IMO. 

One of 7 left apparently 

[High Jetter]

40 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

Aren't those diagonal braces meant to be the other way up? 

Maybe aesthetically, but any practical difference?

[High Jetter]

18 minutes ago, adw1977 said:

Arrow series in Singer Vogue flavour is a bit of a rarity and the most successful front styling of all of them IMO.

Estates even rarer.

[SiC]

As per about two weeks ago now, my 330i decided to do a typical BMW thing and start pissing out coolant. 

I managed to limp it home with a petrol can full of water and a 2 litre pop bottle a friendly car parts store gave me.

Thankfully being a top hose, it was nice and easy to get to. An Amazon Febi order later had a new pipe arrive the day after. Brilliant!

Easy peasy job to install.

I did remove the air box entirely for better access.

This was the old pipe. Broke off entirely without too much effort. Definitely not long left for the world. A bit shite it can fail like this.

All went swimmingly ... 

Except this bastard pipe that goes from the hose to expansion tank broke off. A stupid hard pipe that's like a foot long. Pretty sure it only exists to save BMW a few cents of extra rubber hose.

Problem is, there is a brass insert that gives it robustness when clamped down on. I did put the hose on the bare plastic bit and chucked another jubilee clip on. However I didn't have too much faith it would hold and not leak.

So I ordered a replacement. Febi didn't do one and tbh not many manufacturers did one either. Found one on eBay that was some cheap generic brand. 

Except after a week and a half I hadn't received it. eBay status was set to sent but no tracking number. I contacted the seller and got the response "oh sorry the post must have lost it". Bollocks - you didn't have it in stock and was going to drop ship from China once you had enough orders. Anyway I got a refund but that meant loosing the ability to give negative feedback. eBay is such a pile of wanks nowadays.

Fast forward to a few days ago when a Gates branded hose arrived from a big eBay seller (ace auto parts). Still got messed around as DHL said it was out for delivery but then an hour later messaged to say it was going to be the day after. But only a few more hours later it was deposited through my letter box...

It really felt like this car didn't want to be fixed!

5 min job to fit. Slightly different design as the old one had two bits of rubber pipe not one long hard line. Thankfully the hardline on this had enough flexibility that it could bend enough to reach the expansion tank. When it heats up, it does become softer though. So I imagine it reshapes once the hot coolant flows back through.

Speaking of which, bleeding this car was the easiest I've ever done. Because it's a BMW and unnecessarily complex, it has a fully electronic water pump. No mechanical pump whatsoever. What this means is that it can be bled without the engine running. And get this, it doesn't even need any diagnostic tools! Crazy for a German car. Basically ignition on, climate control to max temperature and push+hold accelerator pedal to max for 10 seconds. Then it spends 10 mins cycling the water pump to fully bleed to system automatically. Neat!

Also finally arrived after two weeks from Autodoc (including Evri temporarily loosing the separate oil bottle), a genuine ZF filter+mechatronics seals have arrived. Again being messed about with this and usual Autodoc shenanigans, it felt like the car didn't want to be repaired.

 

Gearbox oil I'm not going genuine ZF. At £18 per litre bottle and needing 8 to 9 litres of it, it was a bit too pricey. Others have had good experience with Mannol but I didn't trust it for this - a bit too cheap and Mannol quality can be variable.

Instead I bought 10 litres of RAVENOL 6HP for £100. This is the correct grade and they proudly claim it's completely correct formulation without any genericness about it. Mannol is half the price but claims can be used on many other boxes. So I didn't fully trust it.

This filter and seals were over £100 alone...

So the plan is to hopefully drop the pan and mechatronics unit this weekend/Sunday. Then refill. Just waiting for a torque wrench to arrive - 8nm on the mechatronics unit fixings and you really don't want to strip any of those bolts.

Not a job I'm looking forward to. ATF is going to get everywhere (including on my face) and it's a lot of faff working underneath the car in awkward angles. Even the second stage refilling requires doing it while the engine is running. You need to be quick as once the fluid is above 35c, you have shut it down and wait to cool back off before continuing...

All this and I hope it does sort the gearbox and not make it worse! The big gamble with high mileage autos, like the rest of an old BMW is. I've owned it a year in a few weeks though so I feel like I've got most of my money back now. I'm at about £2.8k in with these latest bits (£1.6k purchase price) and I know I wouldn't get my money back going by what these sell for (saloon is least desirable in 3'er pecking order). Tbh I'd probably only get around my purchase price back given there is zero history with the car and people don't like buying zero history BMWs unless cheap.

Anyway hopefully I'll get a super smooth box and not a spares+repairs car after this weekend.

[Eddie Honda]

4 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Maybe aesthetically, but any practical difference?

Yes. 

 

[Split_Pin]

4 hours ago, SiC said:

As per about two weeks ago now, my 330i decided to do a typical BMW thing and start pissing out coolant. 

I managed to limp it home with a petrol can full of water and a 2 litre pop bottle a friendly car parts store gave me.

Thankfully being a top hose, it was nice and easy to get to. An Amazon Febi order later had a new pipe arrive the day after. Brilliant!

Easy peasy job to install.

I did remove the air box entirely for better access.

This was the old pipe. Broke off entirely without too much effort. Definitely not long left for the world. A bit shite it can fail like this.

All went swimmingly ... 

Except this bastard pipe that goes from the hose to expansion tank broke off. A stupid hard pipe that's like a foot long. Pretty sure it only exists to save BMW a few cents of extra rubber hose.

Problem is, there is a brass insert that gives it robustness when clamped down on. I did put the hose on the bare plastic bit and chucked another jubilee clip on. However I didn't have too much faith it would hold and not leak.

So I ordered a replacement. Febi didn't do one and tbh not many manufacturers did one either. Found one on eBay that was some cheap generic brand. 

Except after a week and a half I hadn't received it. eBay status was set to sent but no tracking number. I contacted the seller and got the response "oh sorry the post must have lost it". Bollocks - you didn't have it in stock and was going to drop ship from China once you had enough orders. Anyway I got a refund but that meant loosing the ability to give negative feedback. eBay is such a pile of wanks nowadays.

Fast forward to a few days ago when a Gates branded hose arrived from a big eBay seller (ace auto parts). Still got messed around as DHL said it was out for delivery but then an hour later messaged to say it was going to be the day after. But only a few more hours later it was deposited through my letter box...

It really felt like this car didn't want to be fixed!

5 min job to fit. Slightly different design as the old one had two bits of rubber pipe not one long hard line. Thankfully the hardline on this had enough flexibility that it could bend enough to reach the expansion tank. When it heats up, it does become softer though. So I imagine it reshapes once the hot coolant flows back through.

Speaking of which, bleeding this car was the easiest I've ever done. Because it's a BMW and unnecessarily complex, it has a fully electronic water pump. No mechanical pump whatsoever. What this means is that it can be bled without the engine running. And get this, it doesn't even need any diagnostic tools! Crazy for a German car. Basically ignition on, climate control to max temperature and push+hold accelerator pedal to max for 10 seconds. Then it spends 10 mins cycling the water pump to fully bleed to system automatically. Neat!

Also finally arrived after two weeks from Autodoc (including Evri temporarily loosing the separate oil bottle), a genuine ZF filter+mechatronics seals have arrived. Again being messed about with this and usual Autodoc shenanigans, it felt like the car didn't want to be repaired.

 

Gearbox oil I'm not going genuine ZF. At £18 per litre bottle and needing 8 to 9 litres of it, it was a bit too pricey. Others have had good experience with Mannol but I didn't trust it for this - a bit too cheap and Mannol quality can be variable.

Instead I bought 10 litres of RAVENOL 6HP for £100. This is the correct grade and they proudly claim it's completely correct formulation without any genericness about it. Mannol is half the price but claims can be used on many other boxes. So I didn't fully trust it.

This filter and seals were over £100 alone...

So the plan is to hopefully drop the pan and mechatronics unit this weekend/Sunday. Then refill. Just waiting for a torque wrench to arrive - 8nm on the mechatronics unit fixings and you really don't want to strip any of those bolts.

Not a job I'm looking forward to. ATF is going to get everywhere (including on my face) and it's a lot of faff working underneath the car in awkward angles. Even the second stage refilling requires doing it while the engine is running. You need to be quick as once the fluid is above 35c, you have shut it down and wait to cool back off before continuing...

All this and I hope it does sort the gearbox and not make it worse! The big gamble with high mileage autos, like the rest of an old BMW is. I've owned it a year in a few weeks though so I feel like I've got most of my money back now. I'm at about £2.8k in with these latest bits (£1.6k purchase price) and I know I wouldn't get my money back going by what these sell for (saloon is least desirable in 3'er pecking order). Tbh I'd probably only get around my purchase price back given there is zero history with the car and people don't like buying zero history BMWs unless cheap.

Anyway hopefully I'll get a super smooth box and not a spares+repairs car after this weekend.

Good luck with the fluid change. I bought a Meyle kit for mine when the box was changed over. It cost almost as much as the part itself! 

[auntiemaryscanary]

I posted about this tiny bus before (can't find my post tho). This video shows it in action with the owners giving some detail on it inc it's 25mph top speed.

A very impressive little thing nevermind their reasons for doing it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cx2741yjlqgo

[stripped fred]

Trying to decide what to do with my 2004 S type diesel. I've realised that the brake servo isn't serving as much as it should and that might be the reason for the 'DSC unavailable' warning. Took me ages to find a garage with the right diagnostic software. They quoted 6 hours labour (because it was a horrible job) and whatever Jaguar would charge for a service, master cylinder wtc. I've had a look online and although I doing the bolts to the servo is painful I can source second hand parts for about £150.

The car drives very well with no other issues. There are a couple of things that don't work as is typical for an older car but nothing major; boot unlock button doesn't work on the dash and I think the temp sensor for the climate control isn't working as it shows a high temp when it's not.

The other issue is bodywork as it's starting to go on the front of the rear arch and the front wing. Also, someone kindly scratched one of the rear doors the other day, probably as it was parked outside their house in the street. It's on the drive now.

My insurance runs out on 5th May so decision time. Do I fix the servo and run it u til the next MOT in December? I really like driving this car but I don't really need it as also have a CMax, a MK1 TT, a K11 Micra, and my wife's MG4. I also don't really want to let it go.

The final issue is that no-one wants a slowly rusting old diesel jaguar. I listed it in the for sale section on here and on gumtree. Not a sniff of interest. I've still not removed the sill covers yet to look at the sills. Maybe that will be the decider. If it's not too bad then I'm tempted to 'save' her.

Anyone else been in a similar situation and what did you do? There are other cars I would like to try at some point but that doesn't make it any easier. Would appreciate any advice, condolences, or straight talking.

[Andyrew]

52 minutes ago, stripped fred said:

Trying to decide what to do with my 2004 S type diesel. I've realised that the brake servo isn't serving as much as it should and that might be the reason for the 'DSC unavailable' warning. Took me ages to find a garage with the right diagnostic software. They quoted 6 hours labour (because it was a horrible job) and whatever Jaguar would charge for a service, master cylinder wtc. I've had a look online and although I doing the bolts to the servo is painful I can source second hand parts for about £150.

The car drives very well with no other issues. There are a couple of things that don't work as is typical for an older car but nothing major; boot unlock button doesn't work on the dash and I think the temp sensor for the climate control isn't working as it shows a high temp when it's not.

The other issue is bodywork as it's starting to go on the front of the rear arch and the front wing. Also, someone kindly scratched one of the rear doors the other day, probably as it was parked outside their house in the street. It's on the drive now.

My insurance runs out on 5th May so decision time. Do I fix the servo and run it u til the next MOT in December? I really like driving this car but I don't really need it as also have a CMax, a MK1 TT, a K11 Micra, and my wife's MG4. I also don't really want to let it go.

The final issue is that no-one wants a slowly rusting old diesel jaguar. I listed it in the for sale section on here and on gumtree. Not a sniff of interest. I've still not removed the sill covers yet to look at the sills. Maybe that will be the decider. If it's not too bad then I'm tempted to 'save' her.

Anyone else been in a similar situation and what did you do? There are other cars I would like to try at some point but that doesn't make it any easier. Would appreciate any advice, condolences, or straight talking.

Is this a 2.7 diesel and Do they fill the servos with oil like the range rovers? 

If so have you sucked out any oil via the vacuum ninlet hole?

[stripped fred]

25 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Is this a 2.7 diesel and Do they fill the servos with oil like the range rovers? 

If so have you sucked out any oil via the vacuum ninlet hole?

It is a 2.7 diesel and the mechanic said that the servo likely had oil in it. I didn't realise it could possibly be drained. I will look into that, thanks!

[Andyrew]

2 minutes ago, stripped fred said:

It is a 2.7 diesel and the mechanic said that the servo likely had oil in it. I didn't realise it could possibly be drained. I will look into that, thanks!

My friends Range rover sport did this. The pedal progressively got a "wooden" feel to it.

We popped the vacuum pipe out and stuck a cable tie in as a dipstick to find it with about an inch of oil on it. So shoved my oil vacuum extractor in and stucked it out. Which made it work fine. It did fill up again over time and we repeated the occasional vac out but it was a "temp" fix to while he was fighting with land rover to warranty it, they didn't and we ended up changing the lot in the end.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

2004 S type diesel

 

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

horrible job

 

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

no-one wants a slowly rusting old diesel jaguar

 

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

I really like driving this car

 

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

Anyone else been in a similar situation and what did you do?

I've cherry picked quotes as I think you already know. 

Reality is, no one is going to buy it and repair it. If it was an easy and cheap job then maybe - but you'd already would have done it. It comes down to whether you're prepared to fix it and do you like it enough to do so?

A modern Jag S-Type diesel is neither desirable (at least yet) nor rare. It's well past what most manufacturers consider end of life. Most people would see it as an old car now. But if you like it enough, then it's worth chucking the money at it to keep it going. 

It's the quandary for most of us on here who are dailying 20+ year old cars. For me, as a recent example, I like my 2005 330i enough that I'm prepared to chuck money and time at it to get the gearbox working how it should be, while hopefully allowing it to last a lot longer. 

[stripped fred]

12 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

My friends Range rover sport did this. The pedal progressively got a "wooden" feel to it.

We popped the vacuum pipe out and stuck a cable tie in as a dipstick to find it with about an inch of oil on it. So shoved my oil vacuum extractor in and stucked it out. Which made it work fine. It did fill up again over time and we repeated the occasional vac out but it was a "temp" fix to while he was fighting with land rover to warranty it, they didn't and we ended up changing the lot in the end.

Ill give that a try!

[stripped fred]

4 minutes ago, SiC said:

 

 

 

 

I've cherry picked quotes as I think you already know. 

Reality is, no one is going to buy it and repair it. If it was an easy and cheap job then maybe - but you'd already would have done it. It comes down to whether you're prepared to fix it and do you like it enough to do so?

A modern Jag S-Type diesel is neither desirable (at least yet) nor rare. It's well past what most manufacturers consider end of life. Most people would see it as an old car now. But if you like it enough, then it's worth chucking the money at it to keep it going. 

It's the quandary for most of us on here who are dailying 20+ year old cars. For me, as a recent example, I like my 2005 330i enough that I'm prepared to chuck money and time at it to get the gearbox working how it should be, while hopefully allowing it to last a lot longer. 

Thanks, i've not decided yet and not had chance to fix it but I will do, armed with the info from Andyrew. At least drive it until December and see what the MOT throws up.

A 330i is a nice thing. Don't blame you for wanting to fix it.

[comfortablynumb]

MK2 son has the ex @MVX11V diesel S type, due MOT on Tuesday, he can't get it mot'd until Wednesday.

Place bets now. It's been a pretty reliable, if thirsty old beastie, but the day of reckoning is nigh😱

[MVX11V]

3 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

MK2 son has the ex @MVX11V diesel S type, due MOT on Tuesday, he can't get it mot'd until Wednesday.

Place bets now. It's been a pretty reliable, if thirsty old beastie, but the day of reckoning is nigh😱

I reckon something will be said about the rear frame but a tenner on the passenger seat seems to make that go away. Front brakes too, if you haven't changed those yet. Check all the lamp operations just before it goes into the test centre, especially the number plate ones.  These here Jagwars have been known to blow bulbs on the way to the test 😆

[MVX11V]

4 hours ago, stripped fred said:

Trying to decide what to do with my 2004 S type diesel. I've realised that the brake servo isn't serving as much as it should and that might be the reason for the 'DSC unavailable' warning. Took me ages to find a garage with the right diagnostic software. They quoted 6 hours labour (because it was a horrible job) and whatever Jaguar would charge for a service, master cylinder wtc. I've had a look online and although I doing the bolts to the servo is painful I can source second hand parts for about £150.

The car drives very well with no other issues. There are a couple of things that don't work as is typical for an older car but nothing major; boot unlock button doesn't work on the dash and I think the temp sensor for the climate control isn't working as it shows a high temp when it's not.

The other issue is bodywork as it's starting to go on the front of the rear arch and the front wing. Also, someone kindly scratched one of the rear doors the other day, probably as it was parked outside their house in the street. It's on the drive now.

My insurance runs out on 5th May so decision time. Do I fix the servo and run it u til the next MOT in December? I really like driving this car but I don't really need it as also have a CMax, a MK1 TT, a K11 Micra, and my wife's MG4. I also don't really want to let it go.

The final issue is that no-one wants a slowly rusting old diesel jaguar. I listed it in the for sale section on here and on gumtree. Not a sniff of interest. I've still not removed the sill covers yet to look at the sills. Maybe that will be the decider. If it's not too bad then I'm tempted to 'save' her.

Anyone else been in a similar situation and what did you do? There are other cars I would like to try at some point but that doesn't make it any easier. Would appreciate any advice, condolences, or straight talking.

Unfortunately it only has value in some parts, once broken. The engine is liked by LR owners and the rear subframe if by some way of a miricle is in a sellable condition, is worth a few quid, most external trim, front lights, window mechs, windscreen and any suspension with any life left in it can be sold cheaply. 

The rest is for bean cans. Swap it or keep it, they were a car ahead of their time and you get a lot for the money.

[straightSix]

I couldn't give my dad's old A type away, even some scrap men didn't bother to come and collect it

[stripped fred]

21 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

MK2 son has the ex @MVX11V diesel S type, due MOT on Tuesday, he can't get it mot'd until Wednesday.

Place bets now. It's been a pretty reliable, if thirsty old beastie, but the day of reckoning is nigh😱

Good luck! Mine is not too bad on a run at 40+mpg but around 30 when used for short journeys. All time record below.

[stripped fred]

15 minutes ago, MVX11V said:

Unfortunately it only has value in some parts, once broken. The engine is liked by LR owners and the rear subframe if by some way of a miricle is in a sellable condition, is worth a few quid, most external trim, front lights, window mechs, windscreen and any suspension with any life left in it can be sold cheaply. 

The rest is for bean cans. Swap it or keep it, they were a car ahead of their time and you get a lot for the money.

I did think about stripping it for parts but from past experience with a 2001 A4 Avant, it's a lot of work.

I suppose many S types are at the same stage so getting scrapped or parted out and worth very little with plenty of cheap spares around. Shame as they are a nice car to waft around in.

[MVX11V]

Jaguars are easier to strip that audis. I know this is a fact. 😁

[HMC]

2 blue saloons……