The new news 24 thread

[Snake Charmer]

10 hours ago, Brodders said:

Being an automatic 1.6 8v it isn't going to set the world alight, but is quite a relaxing thing to drive around in

I had a new Merit estate as a company car and it certainly would struggle against big vans in the outside lane. No chance if they had been chipped.

[chaseracer]

On 12/01/2026 at 23:19, wuvvum said:

If I'd been doing it "fully" properly I would have bought an 019 for the Merc and then stuck the 096 from that in the Rover, but am I bollocks going to manoeuvre an 019 into the cramped battery housing buried deep at the back of the engine bay under the cabin filter.  Getting the old 019 out nearly put my back out...

Does your Merc not have a 'service position' for the bonnet, alligator-style?  The C180K has a little red button on the nearside strut, allowing the bonnet to open wider to near-vertical.  Made it a hell of a lot easier* getting a 20kg 110 in.

[Split_Pin]

Happy birthday @Wibble!!

[mercedade]

Happy birthday to @Wibble, here's to a decent 2026

[Lord Sterling]

Happy Birthday @Wibble!!! 🎂 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Due to some excellent* planning on my side, both my moderns* (aged 21 and 25) will be going for their MoTs tomorrow morning.

I have complete* confidence* in both of them passing with flying colours... So much so, that I am already perusing the "for sale" section of the forum for something I can collect over the weekend and drive to work on Monday morning.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

Due to some excellent* planning on my side, both my moderns* (aged 21 and 25) will be going for their MoTs tomorrow morning.

I have complete* confidence* in both of them passing with flying colours... So much so, that I am already perusing the "for sale" section of the forum for something I can collect over the weekend and drive to work on Monday morning.

If only you'd bought something else in the last week or so, you could have spent the weekend fixing that relaxing instead! 😀

Fingers crossed for a Fantastic Friday.

[The Vicar]

I bought this recently to save it from an almost inevitable fate on the scrap heap. The plan is it tidy it up and sell it, and top of the to do list are the rusty wheels and faded plastics. What’s the best thing to bring up faded plastics on these?

[comfortablynumb]

7 minutes ago, The Vicar said:

I bought this recently to save it from an almost inevitable fate on the scrap heap. The plan is it tidy it up and sell it, and top of the to do list are the rusty wheels and faded plastics. What’s the best thing to bring up faded plastics on these?

Does the blowtorch trick work on those?

[Wibble]

6 minutes ago, The Vicar said:

I bought this recently to save it from an almost inevitable fate on the scrap heap. The plan is it tidy it up and sell it, and top of the to do list are the rusty wheels and faded plastics. What’s the best thing to bring up faded plastics on these?

Maybe try Owatrol? Recommended by Chops Garage. Others may suggest heat gun but this can give patchy results.

[High Jetter]

53 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Maybe try Owatrol? Recommended by Chops Garage. Others may suggest heat gun but this can give patchy results.

Christ, are they still around? Good stuff, years ago

[SiC]

So true! 😂

That chime is probably the final straw that put @cort16 off buying any more BMWs forever. 

[Cheezey]

11 hours ago, Wibble said:

Maybe try Owatrol? Recommended by Chops Garage. Others may suggest heat gun but this can give patchy results.

I bought and used this about three years ago for my aunt’s 2004 Clio. I don’t rate it. It isn’t actually soaking into the plastic but leaving a thin layer. For the last year or so it has been flaking off like lacquer. Maybe I put it on too thick. I keep meaning to hit it with the pressure washer to get it all off. 
I’ve been thinking about getting one of those dye kits like this for next time:

https://ebay.us/m/8sXuel

[Wibble]

1 hour ago, Cheezey said:

I bought and used this about three years ago for my aunt’s 2004 Clio. I don’t rate it. It isn’t actually soaking into the plastic but leaving a thin layer. For the last year or so it has been flaking off like lacquer. Maybe I put it on too thick. I keep meaning to hit it with the pressure washer to get it all off. 
I’ve been thinking about getting one of those dye kits like this for next time:

https://ebay.us/m/8sXuel

You have to apply, then buff off the excess. I’ve not experienced any flaking.

[artdjones]

I've had good results on a MK1 Combo with vegetable oil, which was quick to apply.

[davehedgehog31]

On 21/01/2026 at 23:33, Wibble said:

In half an hour, I’ll be 56 years old. Does that bother me? Yes and no. Grateful to still be here, sorry to not be where I thought I’d be. I think I’ll concentrate on the still being here!🙂

Happy birthday @Wibble, hope you have a great day. 

[Sigmund Fraud]

17 hours ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

Due to some excellent* planning on my side, both my moderns* (aged 21 and 25) will be going for their MoTs tomorrow morning.

I have complete* confidence* in both of them passing with flying colours... So much so, that I am already perusing the "for sale" section of the forum for something I can collect over the weekend and drive to work on Monday morning.

The MoT man just called to tell me both have passed !

Proof*, if any was needed, of the high* standards of fleet maintenance here at Fraud Garages.

[cort16]

12 hours ago, SiC said:

So true! 😂

That chime is probably the final straw that put @cort16 off buying any more BMWs forever. 

Even when brand new that stupid  yellow triangle is on after about 25 minutes .

[junkyarddog]

I thought Boiled Linseed Oil was the AS go to for faded plastics?

[mk2_craig]

Picked up four wheels with decent tyres from a recently imported 1991 ROVER METRO as the guy has upgraded to GTA alloys. I figured that some usable 13 inch rubber would be handy for when the ones on the Renner 19 eventually stop holding air, even if they’re not quite the same size. 

No idea what I’m going to do with the wheels themselves. Came with two of each wheeltrims, anybody want them? 

[comfortablynumb]

14 minutes ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

The MoT man just called to tell me both have passed !

Proof*, if any was needed, of the high* standards of fleet maintenance here at Fraud Garages.

Surely to celebrate this, you must buy another car? 😀

[Sigmund Fraud]

29 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

Surely to celebrate this, you must buy another car? 😀

Fair point... "Buy another car" is the standard Autoshite solution to all possible motoring scenarios, after all !

[reb]

1 hour ago, junkyarddog said:

I thought Boiled Linseed Oil was the AS go to for faded plastics?

I have a bottle of it I've used on a few cars to great success.

I've also used it to refinish a few wooden tool handles, can't stand how the poly lacquer they often come with feels so i scrape it off and refinish them

[Rustybullethole]

Upon hearing the sort of noise you might expect them to make these bits fell out from under the drivers side dash of the Berlingo whilst driving the other day. 

No ill effects have been noticed so its business as usual.

[Stinkwheel]

1 minute ago, Rustybullethole said:

Upon hearing the sort of noise you might expect them to make these bits fell out from under the drivers side dash of the Berlingo whilst driving the other day. 

No ill effects have been noticed so its business as usual.

Looks very much like peugeot/citroen accelerator cable bits and bobs that go where the cable passes through bulkhead. Or possibly the self adjuster mechanism of a peugeot/citroen clutch cable. Its cable related for sure

[ruffgeezer]

Yeah that's the clutch pedal spring by the looks of it.

[Rustybullethole]

Cheers chaps i had a feeling it might be though my desire to contort upside down into the footwell/pond to find out is low. In my mind keeping a check on free play and where it bites should suffice. Maybe. 

[comfortablynumb]

" if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" @Rustybullethole🤞 

Edit- or a version I saw on freiburgers channel with Derek Bieri the other day.

" It's broken but it works"

[Stinkwheel]

3 minutes ago, comfortablynumb said:

" if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" @Rustybullethole🤞 

Edit- or a version I saw on freiburgers channel with Derek Bieri the other day.

" It's broken but it works"

Its not fixed but its working

[Brigsy]

Use Cerakote ceramic trim wipes on the plastics @The Vicar , they are amazing. I even restored the colour in my composite front door with them as it had faded due to south facing. Its lasted 18 months and still looks great.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cerakote-Trim-Coat-Kit-Gloss/dp/B07SHJVK4G/ref=asc_df_B07SHJVK4G?mcid=350f62694ba33125aa7ff0e2bf7fc037&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697277611171&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14807351517180800018&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007010&hvtargid=pla-828196943686&hvocijid=14807351517180800018-B07SHJVK4G-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1&th=1

 

 

Front door before and after using the cerakote wipes.