The new news 24 thread

[Bren]

Next car purchase plan is up in the air after a deal fell through. So, I'd like to find either a Citroen XM or Rover 600 for sale pretty much now! Hoping to deliver the Rover to its new home on Wednesday. The game is afoot!

If you come back with a 623 gsi it will mark you as a player.

[dollywobbler]

I shall start a thread I think.

[Jon]

Walking down our street in fancy dress the other night (on a way to a friend's 30th party), I was merrily chatting to Mrs_Jon when something stopped me in my tracks, which I knew I'd be claiming on the way back home:

 

 

We live on a cul-de-sac with about 30 houses and this had obviously just been fished out of someone's garden and propped against the wall. I can categorically state that there aren't any MG Metros locally and I bet this had been sitting in a bush a good few years, so it'll be adorning my garage wall instead. Don't ask me how many MG Metros were sold over here but I'm guessing not a lot.

[Shep Shepherd]

You must of done something wrong SS -  As getting old parts off an old car is supposed to be a complete PITA that should take much longer than anticipated, with the new part not quite fitting properly.

 

RWD Volvos are pretty easy to replace parts on as their fixings tend not to seize and access to virtually everything on them is superb

[DVee8]

Just spent the weekend in Milan celebrating Mrs V8's 40th birthday.For a country that is supposed to be in the shit,there was very little shite.

Mainly new audi,bmw,mercades and cashcows they were all over and smart cars.The only shite of notice was a CX,a late Uno parked next to a punto,and a mk1 golf.Most of the taxi's were hybrid or electric.

[The Moog]

Intake gasket came for the Saab but is wrong. It is exhaust gaskets. Bumhats.

 

Instead I have taken rear bumper off to start installing rear parking sensors. I am going to remove the towbar and flog it. We will never use it.

 

Pics later as run out of time.

[Skizzer]

For a country that is supposed to be in the shit,there was very little shite.

 

I think that might be a Milan-specific thing.  I've spent quite a bit of time working there and been very disappointed with the lack of the interesting Italian rammel (rammelli?) you'd expect - but Bramm77's Flickr feed from Rome suggests the rest of Italy is a different story.  I do miss Brammy on here.

[wuvvum]

Aye, Rome had a fair amount of chod when I was there last summer.

[TagoraSX]

I'm looking for a little help from a French speaker please.

[drum]

My A4 has been misbehaving lately. It feels like it is losing boost for a second or two when driving with a steady throttle. Like being hit face on by a gust of wind.

 

I followed some advice by new member JBH110tdi and had a go at cleaning the inlet fanny mould.

 

It was dirty

 

Very dirty

 

I got busy with a toothbrush and some degreaser. In hindsight, I should have used some Mr Muscle oven cleaner and the steam cleaner.

 

This two inch rubber pipe has a crack in it. I think it's coming from the intercooler. I'll try and get a replacement but meanwhile I've put some inner tube round it as a temporary bodge.

 

A quick test drive later and the problem didn't appear so maybe I've fixed it.

Might make a blanking plate from aluminium for the EGR valve.

[Asimo]

Heard a sound like a huge coke can getting stomped. A few minutes later a white bumper Simca 1301 (Alpine) drove into view, near side wing crushed and flapping. I hope it gets fixed.

 

Happier news from hols in the Pyrenees: my Sis has loaned me a 21 year old Twingo for the week!

 

It really is frog-chod central down here; as well as the sad Alpine, fun spots today include Mehari, 304 est., 505 (lifted!), some lovely R4s and Visas, a couple of Amis and an immaculate Toyota Liftback, in yellow!

 

Pics. will have to wait till I get home. Oh and it is hot and sunny.

[Essex V6]

Bathurst race day today, and the lads have been practicing .

 

1.jpg

Epic race to the flag in the end wasn't it!

[brickwall]

Aye, a proper car race.

[barefoot]

I've just received notification of this superb* glossary of motoring terms app you can buy!

 

http://veloce.co.uk/newsletter/webpack/AV240.html

 

Do think I'll be able to get my money back if it can't understand gopping, chod or OMGHGF?

[tooSavvy]

I've just received notification of this superb* glossary of motoring terms app you can buy!

 

http://veloce.co.uk/newsletter/webpack/AV240.html

 

Do think I'll be able to get my money back if it can't understand gopping, chod or OMGHGF?

SavvySpeak in there??

 

 

TS

[The Moog]

Fitted rear parking sensors in the Saab today. When I ordered them I didn't realise they were from China. Naturally as soon as they were installed they decided to be a bit patchy. I am half tempted to rip them out and replace them with better ones. But cant be arsed right now, so will live with it until my missus complains enough.

 

Pic mid install

 

Still waiting for inket gasket so I can put the engine back together.

 

Job for tomorrow is to try and fix rear heated screen

[Bren]

Mate took me out in his focus - a 1.0 ecoboost.

 

It went surprisingly well, and had the added bonus of sounding like a V6.

 

Future shite.

[The Moog]

Peugeot 405 is tougher than Land rover. Phact!

 

Guy just dropped around the cash for the accident on sat evening. Apparently it bent front bumper and creased the wing on the landie so was quite surprised that pug got away so lightly.

[skattrd]

I had one of those ecoboost things as a rental and was pleasantly surprised as well.

1l turbo, just like Daihatsu were doing 20+yrs ago.

 

Note to self, must buy a GTti before they are extinct.

[Pillock]

I had an Ecoboost Fezzer hire car and it went like a greasy turd off a Teflon shovel. And made chuff noises too.

[trigger]

Ecoboost Fords are the future. The FormulaFords run 1.6 Ecoboost engines now and go like shit of a shovel.

[Timewaster]

Unfortunately the 1.0 ecoboost Focus makes Tharsh Me noises and goes well when you do.

 

I say unfortunately because thrashing it kills the mpg, which was the whole point of it in the first place.

[mat_the_cat]

I needed to do a bit of shopping this evening, and as it was a nice day I took the Stellar to enjoy the drive in the evening sunshine. And I'm a sucker for sunsets, so I thought I'd go the long way round to Tescos, via the beach and get a photo.

 

 

(Really must sort out that rear wing...)

 

But it's now cracked over 1000 miles since getting it on the road this summer, and only needed recovering once!

[dollywobbler]

Took the Rover for examining the XM. About 170 miles on a round trip and it has managed to do it on about £18 of fuel. I didn't do a fill-up as I'm flogging it tomorrow, but I reckon I probably managed to get it to crack 40mpg. On the last full day of ownership. Typical.

 

Actually, it's a great car to hyper-mile. Bags of low down torque (discovered it will pull, happily, from 25mph in top) and it sounds nicely muted below 3000rpm. More than that just seems to make it louder but not actually much quicker than if you downchange. Rather than desperately trying to overtake trucks, I just sat back and enjoyed the astonishing views the Welsh borders have to offer. And I'm doing it all again tomorrow in a different white car. Fabulous.

[drum]

I've been spannering again, this time on the wife's alfa 147.

 

It has been clonking from the front and I noticed, when changing the exhaust the other day, that the front nearside wheel was wobbling like it had a collapsed bearing! Traced the play to the upper wishbone bushes.

 

As well as two bushes, the wishbone has a ball joint so I splashed out and ordered two new wishbones.

There's a good guide on the alfaworkshop website, but while it has the job done in five easy steps, the reality of rusted nuts and bolts is rather different. Ball joints to split and I don't have a splitter tool. Seized Allen screws for added fun*

 

Basically took me all night to do both sides.

 

Dunno if this vid will work. Shows the play on the bushes.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy60/drumlisden/autosh/th_IMG_1475_zpsf3peoxzr.mp4

 

Shiny new wishbone

[vulgalour]

With the Xantia providing sterling daily service and the Princess languishing in the aisles because I can't progress with any of the work she needs I'm left looking for a project again.  Thoughts turned to the little Renault 6.

 

Last I heard, back in June, MrDuke was setting off into self-employment, the 6's engine was in bits in his shed and I'd sent him the gubbinz to rebuild it and get it running.  But then my world got turned upside down, I didn't chase it, and now I've heard nothing since.  I'm a bit worried about the Duke household in all honesty but since I found his number late tonight when looking for it I'm hoping I can get in touch and put my mind at ease.

 

By extension, I'm also worried about the 6.  MrDuke and I effectively co-own the Renault, this helped me out of a bit of a spot and secured his involvement in the project.  Now I've worked out the costs involved in transporting the car home and paying him back I'm very keen to get the car here and put it through the unit to give it the once over it deserves.

 

But really, is there any point to this?  I don't need a third car and it would only be used for occasional jollies to shows at best, I can't see what role it would fulfill that the Xantia and Princess don't.  Obviously, I'm emotionally invested in it, which is very silly indeed.  I doubt I'll be making any fast moves on this one, there's too many other financial responsibilities to sort out first.

 

[dollywobbler]

With Mike's business, you are at least in some position to give the 6 the attention it deserves. I can't help thinking it's just scrap otherwise. That'd be a crying shame given how well it managed to survive in a wet, Welsh field. On the other hand, too many projects is rarely a recipe for happiness. Unless you're as crazy as RatDat.

[stuboy]

got mondeo back last night... still not seen it in daylight for 2 weeks

[Cavcraft]

I taxed the Vectra yesterday: £99 for six months, deal with that one, suckers!

[Craig the Princess]

Drove home from that there London last night. Left my Mum's house at 8 and the car decided to set to the alarm (it seems to arm if you lock the passenger door with the key then open the driver's door) which I don't think impressed her landlady.

 

So I needed to disconnect the battery, put the ignition key to position 2 and reattach the battery. In doing this I seemed to knock the wiper arm which stopped the passenger side wiper from working in the pissing rain. Then on the way home the dipped headlight bulb blew and the washer fluid ran out.

 

Also there is now an annoying drone between 60-65 mph. Relax, it's a Rover.