The new news 24 thread

[lesapandre]

And a new book purchase - very good very comprehensive.

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, lesapandre said:

A poet's car. I came across this today.  Poet Philip Larkin writing about his cars in the 1960's.

Larkin went on holiday returning to locations in Dublin and on the west coast he had visited via slow steam trains from Belfast in the 1950s. He calculated that he would cover at least 2,000 miles and was looking forward to testing his new car. A month earlier he had exchanged his Singer Vogue for an Austin Princess Vanden Plas which he described to novelist Barbara Pym as:

‘an enormous 4-litre Vanden Plas Princess, with a Rolls Royce engine . . . love at first sight, one of the few cars I can bear the look of . . . huge and ponderous, like an old drawing room, and does 80 without turning a hair.’

He even took a snapshot.

Not huge by today’s standards though.  I drove into Richmond ( and back) today, an awful lot of congestion would go away if people had car sized vehicles not audi q7s and bmw beaver faces.

[richardmorris]

31 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Not huge by today’s standards though.  I drove into Richmond ( and back) today, an awful lot of congestion would go away if people had car sized vehicles not audi q7s and bmw beaver faces.

 

[stuboy]

On 09/05/2025 at 02:36, stripped fred said:

I pay £415 a year which is steep and I pay the same on my mk1 TT

mondeo £415 same but galaxy £315 

[stuboy]

On 09/05/2025 at 17:06, jonathan_dyane said:

Not sure whether this is a grump or a grin so I'll put this here.

I changed the headgasket on the 406 daily because increasingly terrible oil leak.

Imagine my delight after completing the job (which is a bit of a ballache, poor access, inlet and exhaust manifold studs need winding out by feel etc) and finding oil still pissing out.

I lay underneath with the engine running and I could see the oil running along between the head and block up the back of the engine. I was perplexed how I could have fucked the job up but resigned myself to having somehow done so.

I used the P4 for work a few times but it isn't ideal because I do loads of miles often in heavy traffic. In fairness the Rover handled it fine however for various reasons not least of which MPG it wasn't ideal.

So I bought this Golf which seemed to be the cheapest car available within a reasonable difference that wasn't totally fucked.

I had to replace the wing on the Golf because it was both accident damaged and totally rotten and the interior was pretty hanging but it isn't a bad car.

Meantime I had been ruminating about the 406 and trying to summon the energy to pull the head back off.

I did however have a thought, the vacuum pump is right by where all the oil is leaking and there is an oil gallery from the head which supplies it. It occurred to me that I could have fucked up fitting it somehow and the leak was in fact from that.

Pulled the pump off earlier (two bolts and a nut, quick and easy) and guess what! The o-ring that fits in to the pump body to seal the oil gallery was MIA! I fitted another o-ring, started her up and let her run up to full temperature. No more oil leak!

So now I have a spare car. Will have to mull over whether I should move one on (in which case which one!) or whether actually it makes more sense to keep a spare on the drive.

I might as well drive round in the Golf for the next couple of months and see how in behaves and how I take to it...

 

is the golf PD powered?

[junkyarddog]

Today's purchase. 

2015 Citroen Berlingo multispace wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Bought out of necessity,my 83 year old Dad has Parkinson's and due to a fall in February has ended up in a wheelchair. 

Living in the sticks means a wheelchair taxi would be hideously expensive,so this will hopefully make things a bit easier carting the poor old bugger about to various appointments. 

117k,1.6 diesel,with a 5speed.

No cruise,but working A/C.

Few marks here and there,but nothing I'm bothered about.

Let's hope it's a decent tool to do the job.

Sadly it means I'll probably have to sell my beloved Mondeo after 14 years!

[Wibble]

19 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

Today's purchase. 

2015 Citroen Berlingo multispace wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Bought out of necessity,my 83 year old Dad has Parkinson's and due to a fall in February has ended up in a wheelchair. 

Livingi n the sticks means a wheelchair taxi would be hideously expensive,so this will hopefully make things a bit easier carting the poor old bigger about to various appointments. 

117k,1.6 diesel,with a 5speed.

No cruise,but working A/C.

Few marks here and there,but nothing I'm bothered about.

Let's hope it's a decent tool to do the job.

Sadly it means I'll probably have to sell my beloved Mondeo after 14 years!

Sorry about the Mondeo but glad you’re looking after your Dad.

[jonathan_dyane]

26 minutes ago, stuboy said:

is the golf PD powered?

Yeah GT TDI 115

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

A poet's car. I came across this today.  Poet Philip Larkin writing about his cars in the 1960's.

Larkin went on holiday returning to locations in Dublin and on the west coast he had visited via slow steam trains from Belfast in the 1950s. He calculated that he would cover at least 2,000 miles and was looking forward to testing his new car. A month earlier he had exchanged his Singer Vogue for an Austin Princess Vanden Plas which he described to novelist Barbara Pym as:

‘an enormous 4-litre Vanden Plas Princess, with a Rolls Royce engine . . . love at first sight, one of the few cars I can bear the look of . . . huge and ponderous, like an old drawing room, and does 80 without turning a hair.’

He even took a snapshot.

A VDP 4 litre R is in my dream garage. I have a soft spot for any ADO16, the VDP widened the customer pool, but the changes were only cosmetic.

[lesapandre]

Only about 7000 made in four years - an absolute shame. And production stopped in 1968 with the Leyland merger. 

A stonking 175bhp from the RR-6 - poor fuel consumption though - but very nice inside.

Could it have continued in the 'small Rolls' role? Possibly.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Had a bit of a funny turn yesterday and I committed the annual feat of waxing and valeting some of the cars - even hoovered one of them out.
Then I tinkered with the latest purchase (finished a service/check over - all good other than a weeping rocker cover gasket) and took the wee thing for a a proper spin hoon.
Jings - this really is a hidden gem It's now - officially - my wife's weapon of choice but I have permission to borrow it from time to time so long as I maintain it.

[beko1987]

12 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Today's purchase. 

2015 Citroen Berlingo multispace wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Bought out of necessity,my 83 year old Dad has Parkinson's and due to a fall in February has ended up in a wheelchair. 

Livingi n the sticks means a wheelchair taxi would be hideously expensive,so this will hopefully make things a bit easier carting the poor old bigger about to various appointments. 

117k,1.6 diesel,with a 5speed.

No cruise,but working A/C.

Few marks here and there,but nothing I'm bothered about.

Let's hope it's a decent tool to do the job.

Sadly it means I'll probably have to sell my beloved Mondeo after 14 years!

At least it means you can take the old boy out as much as you can!

One of the small thought processes behind me trying a qashqai was it's tall-Ness. Both sets of parents and my grandparents find it much easier to get in and out of, so it means we can go out more 👌

When the ex's Nan was in her last year's of life I had an xm and it became her taxi after a while, even the ex begrudgingly drove it occasionally as we could raise the suspension right up for her to be helped in and out 😂

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Had a bit of a funny turn yesterday and I committed the annual feat of waxing and valeting some of the cars - even hoovered one of them out.
Then I tinkered with the latest purchase (finished a service/check over - all good other than a weeping rocker cover gasket) and took the wee thing for a a proper spin hoon.
Jings - this really is a hidden gem It's now - officially - my wife's weapon of choice but I have permission to borrow it from time to time so long as I maintain it.

Very nice cars. Very unappreciated. Bargains atm. That won't last for ever as numbers dwindle. Post 2002 ULEZ compliant.

[Split_Pin]

My SLK was great fun and I'd always wanted a silver one since having a model.of one in the late 90s. 2 seats aren't much good for me though 😞

[hairnet]

13 hours ago, richardmorris said:

 

 

 

you are arthur negus and i claim my 5 shillings

[SiC]

I was going to take the VP out to a classic meet this morning. For the life of me I couldn't find the keys for it. 

Then suddenly remembered they were in the 3-series ... which Mrs SiC had gone out in. Doh! At least nice weather for the Spitty.

Last time I went (last weekend?) there were only a few cars there. By the time I got there at midday (10 till 2)...

So had a quick look at Facebook for any other local meets. Frome had a craft show and classic meet on but that was a bit far. Farington Gurney farm shop had one starting at 9am. 

By the time I got there, there was only one (broken down?) Mini left.. 

Damn. Might have to find another Sunday meet! 

There is one on in Clevedon every second Saturday of the month - so would have been one yesterday. This gets very busy now but often always decent stuff there. I was planning to go yesterday but my dad needed me to help finish putting up their balustrades. So had a trip down to Sidmouth in the 3'er and Cayman. The Cayman is staying down there for a few weeks while it awaits it's MOT and service.

There is a decent view up top here - pretty much why my parents wanted a seating area up here.

For the free manual labour, my mum paid for us to have dinner at a local pub. There was this fantastic Bedford in the car park that looked like someone was fitting out as a camper.

Then off to Lyme Regis for an ice cream. Think it was around this time of year a few years back I took my BGT down. 

Winscombe Hill climb had a VSCC event on today. I was tempted to go back down to watch it but instead wanted to go to the classic meets today in the VP. That plan worked out well 😂

Oh well, gives me this afternoon/evening to do stuff at home instead and fiddle with the VP.

[bramz7]

Fleet update!

A2 is an absolute hero of a daily. I've done 1600 miles in it, averaging 62mpg now per fuelling. It's boring, but it does it so effortlessly I can't really justify getting rid of it. There are some creaks at the front end now, and the brakes aren't as sharp as I'd like, but otherwise, no issues. 

156 still at AutoLusso. They've had a few staff issues lately so it's been taking longer than anticipated. Not a big problem as it delays the bill being paid! Then it needs new tyres. 😶

Clio 172 has barely been used, I took it out a few weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. I have a feeling I'd regret letting it go as it seems like a car I'll never own again. But is that misplaced loyalty?

I also seem to be pining for a proper old car again, obviously not as a daily but another toy. Something 90s or older and square. And small. I can't have 3 toys though so that means one has to go and the 156 is never going, so the Clio...? But I don't want to sell it. I think? 

 

[SiC]

25 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Clio 172 has barely been used, I took it out a few weeks ago and it was a lot of fun. I have a feeling I'd regret letting it go as it seems like a car I'll never own again. But is that misplaced loyalty?

I never really enjoyed mine. I passed my test and owned a (brand new ! back when new small cars were 6.5k) Clio II 1.2 as my first car. So always really wanted the hot version. 

I just didn't like it. Drove fast but I didn't find it that fun. Engine sounded okay but still only a four pot. Could bite if you let off too much on a corner. Interior is gash. Seats too high up. 

While they might be great on a track, my seemly controversial view is that the Mini Cooper S R53 is a better car in pretty much everyway. Great handling, addictive super charger whine, actual nice comfortable interiors and has real character. Also not quite as fragile things. 

[aldo135]

@captain_70s there’s a woman looking for you

[wesacosa]

looks like the ex @andyberg, @RobTand @bramz7 Xedos is off on a European charity adventure 

 

[bramz7]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

I never really enjoyed mine. I passed my test and owned a (brand new ! back when new small cars were 6.5k) Clio II 1.2 as my first car. So always really wanted the hot version. 

I just didn't like it. Drove fast but I didn't find it that fun. Engine sounded okay but still only a four pot. Could bite if you let off too much on a corner. Interior is gash. Seats too high up. 

While they might be great on a track, my seemly controversial view is that the Mini Cooper S R53 is a better car in pretty much everyway. Great handling, addictive super charger whine, actual nice comfortable interiors and has real character. Also not quite as fragile things. 

I like the seats, but hate the rest of the interior. The soft touch has gone horrible.

I haven't felt it try to bite me but I probably haven't goaded it enough. 

Unfortunately I also absolutely hate the new Minis after having a few driving lessons in them, I'm pleased other people like them but they are definitely not my thing.

 

Anyone want a 172 in exchange for something actually old? 

 

Also yes as @wesacosasays, the trusty Xedos has been abroad. I speak to Craig a lot and he is probably planning on selling it soon. 

[andyberg]

8 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

looks like the ex @andyberg, @RobTand @bramz7 Xedos is off on a European charity adventure 

 

A bloody lovely car. One of my favourites, to have this and my Safrane would be rather nice 😁 

[andyberg]

16 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

 

 

Also yes as @wesacosasays, the trusty Xedos has been abroad. I speak to Craig a lot and he is probably planning on selling it soon. 

See above post🤣 swap for an X type 🤣🤣

[meshking]

4 hours ago, bramz7 said:

Fleet update!

A2 is an absolute hero of a daily. I've done 1600 miles in it, averaging 62mpg now per fuelling. It's boring, but it does it so effortlessly I can't really justify getting rid of it. There are some creaks at the front end now, and the brakes aren't as sharp as I'd like, but otherwise, no issues. 

 

 

Glad to hear about the A2! We’ve seen them everywhere recently, definitely one of those cars that appears everywhere despite not being that well known.

[richardmorris]

8 hours ago, hairnet said:

you are arthur negus and i claim my 5 shillings

I didn’t mean to include the cabinet picture. I think Arthur was a pottery guy. My moan stands- modern cars are too large if they have to mount pavements to let buses past ( peters ham road eg)

[lesapandre]

Arthur Negus (1903 –1985) specialised in English furniture. I suppose he's mostly forgotten now - but he did a lot to get people to look at old furniture and cherish it via his TV appearances - rather than throwing it away. 

Pottery - I think you are thinking of Henry Sandon who died in 2023 - who was a great pottery enthusiast on TV.

[EyesWeldedShut]

9 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Arthur Negus (1903 –1985) specialised in English furniture. I suppose he's mostly forgotten now - but he did a lot to get people to look at old furniture and cherish it via his TV appearances - rather than throwing it away. 

Pottery - I think you are thinking of Henry Sandon who died in 2023 - who was a great pottery enthusiast on TV.

Going For a Song was. TV staple in our house when I was a kid. Call My Bluff too - gosh, racy stuff.

[stuboy]

Usual car pub... honda nsx was very nice.. shame the rear spoiler was pineappled..

 

The alfa was gorgeous..

 

The Ferrari... was a BMW in an Italian designer frock..

 

The jensen was for sale..

 

And a R5 duracell powered beast

[richardmorris]

32 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Arthur Negus (1903 –1985) specialised in English furniture. I suppose he's mostly forgotten now - but he did a lot to get people to look at old furniture and cherish it via his TV appearances - rather than throwing it away. 

Pottery - I think you are thinking of Henry Sandon who died in 2023 - who was a great pottery enthusiast on TV.

Given that I was 12 when he died , yes. He’s a little before my Tv time.

[Wibble]

9 hours ago, hairnet said:

you are arthur negus and i claim my 5 shillings

Beautiful piece of furniture, we restored two very similar in my old job, shortly before we closed. Dutch iirc.