The new news 24 thread

[Matt]

On the way back from picking up the Volvo I got 27mpg on the motorway. Not bad. 

 

Been using it as a daily hack for a week and I am getting 18.18 mpg. 

 

Ouch.

 

 

The 300E got 32mpg out of the last tank; bimbling around Staffs, blast to THAT LONDON, trip to Oswestry today.  I had to check my arithmetic twice, but switching to super unleaded and adjusting the timing seems to be paying off.

 

And here's me sitting here disappointed that I got 48.4 MPG from my last tank.

 

Edit: Oh feck off, my Fuelly average dropped below 50.

[Jerzy Woking]

The 300E got 32mpg out of the last tank; bimbling around Staffs, blast to THAT LONDON, trip to Oswestry today.  I had to check my arithmetic twice, but switching to super unleaded and adjusting the timing seems to be paying off.

 

After a few fill ups showed consumption to be 24 mpg in my 300E, as slight misfire caused me to replace the ignition system (distributer cap, rotor arm, plugs and leads) which cured it. As a bonus, the last two fill ups have calculated out at 31 mpg and 32mpg.

[jonathan_dyane]

In Slovenia today and just spotted a Volvo 340 diesel! Never knew that existed!

[cros]

In Slovenia today and just spotted a Volvo 340 diesel! Never knew that existed!

Could it be Renault powered?

[cms206]

Could it be Renault powered?

One of the lads on the V3M has a 340 diesel; they did come in RHD but only for Ireland. IIRC they're an n/a 1.6 diesel.

[stripped fred]

Sitting waiting for an MOT on my mk1 MR2. I had a panic when the immobilise fob was missing from my keyring but managed to find the other one in the attic. I had the immobiliser fitted 10 years ago when some locals were spotted eyeing it up when parked on the street.

 

Jump started it off my Alfa and it started first turn after no use in the last 6 months although it is in a rented council lockup. The sticking clutch pedal also seems to have fixed itself. Felt fine on the short run to the mot station. Much nicer to drive a smooth revvy petrol than my usual diesel car even though the 2.4jtd in the Alfa's not a bad one as oil burners go.

 

I don't expect it to pass although it is in overall good condition. They usually find something such as a suspension bush or ball joint and the brakes often need freeing off as the calipers can stick. Why do I always feel nervous when waiting for the verdict?

[stripped fred]

Sitting waiting for an MOT on my mk1 MR2. I had a panic when the immobilise fob was missing from my keyring but managed to find the other one in the attic. I had the immobiliser fitted 10 years ago when some locals were spotted eyeing it up when parked on the street.

 

Jump started it off my Alfa and it started first turn after no use in the last 6 months although it is in a rented council lockup. The sticking clutch pedal also seems to have fixed itself. Felt fine on the short run to the mot station. Much nicer to drive a smooth revvy petrol than my usual diesel car even though the 2.4jtd in the Alfa's not a bad one as oil burners go.

 

I don't expect it to pass although it is in overall good condition. They usually find something such as a suspension bush or ball joint and the brakes often need freeing off as the calipers can stick. Why do I always feel nervous when waiting for the verdict?

Just had a quick look under while it's on the lift and the tester pointed out a couple of areas that will need welding. Bugger.

[Lukas]

Mrs. Lukas bought a british car. 

 

I got a bit white round my nose when she told me.  But now I feel a bit better. Why? Because it´s ugly and Made in Britain, but thankfully not a british car. 

 

 

Drives a lot better as it looks. Very relaxing and comfortable, very spacious inside. Not very frugal as a 2.0i AT though. 

[Bobthebeard]

I found this out some time ago from research but also found genuine JIS screwdrivers, or bits, hard to come by. Where did you get them?

Bought from ebay. £19 for a set, but they came from Alaska! Only took a few days to arrive though.

[320touring]

Big grown up job interview just done..

 

Now we wait

[cms206]

Volvo's 88th birthday today. I'm having a hotdog from Ikea to celebrate.

[castros_bro]

For your edification and delight there follows the question you have always*  wanted an answer for....

 

 

castros_bro

April 14, 2015 at 2:01 pm

Hi,

I have car insurance which has “driving other carsâ€Â. Would I be insured to take a friend's SORNed car for a pre-booked MOT and back?

 

 

Bogface The Insurance Knowall    

  April 14, 2015 at 2:47 pm

Hi there,

Unfortunately, no. The SORNed car needs to be un-SORNed and covered with a policy of its own, thanks to Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) regulations.

[Six-cylinder]

I have been in the Land Rover Dealer in Milton Keynes today with a friend who wants a lightly used Evoque but I was drawn to a new Black Range Rover at £92,000 that gave me the surprise of my life when I opened the door and it folding out a step for me!

 

I have text Mrs cylinder with my urgent request for £92,000 but no reply so far…..

 

 

Meanwhile back in the real world my Visa has a new MOT today, with just a bulb and a clean of the washer pump.

 

 

Sunshine, so I went to position my Audi Convertible at the head of the drive ready for a trip out tonight but the battery was totally flat. Phew I have time to charge it.

[chaseracer]

Does this sound reasonable, or have I completely lost the plot?

 

Have you forgotten where you are?

 

[Lord Sterling]

I'm still without a car! Mahmoud is finding it impossible to find a genuine waterpump for the 280, he has tried all the places that were suggested to me and that he can find, he will try one more place and then will have to take off the old one and see whats what. Merc has been at his for 2 weeks, previous to that it was sitting here for a week or so and before that it was at Steves getting worse and worse. So that's 4 weeks without my car. Not that it bothers me right now, in fact I went out for a walk today with Sis_Sterling into town.

[Coprolalia]

I can haz Scirocco back!

The DVLA and the man from the ministry have all got their pennies worth.

Whole new ignition system fitted (whole dizzy, coil, leads, plugs etc etc).

Runs MINT. Treated her to some Momentum 99 for being such a good girl.

[loserone]

There doesn't seem to be an "AS WEDDING CARS" thread, so since it was touched on in the PUG309RESCUE thread, I'll just drop this in here.  Internet points for identifying the chauffeur-driven-vehicle taking us the the registry office.

 

[dollywobbler]

Here's the car we got married in. Well, more like on really. She has become a garage recluse.

[richardmorris]

Boo hiss to the locked away 2cv

 

The chassis is galvanised? What are the engine and gearbox like? Ditto brakes, suspension arms?

 

Wings fall off anyway, so presumably the main problem is body floors and sills? Was the bulkhead done for the re chassis? Oh and the bonnet hinge condition?

 

Could you just need a donor shell?

 

A friend is currently building a burton and got rid of a shell before Christmas but this basically folded in on itself so was probably as bad as yours.

 

I hate to see a loved car languising- obv. Money is a major consideration, but shells to restore aren't too outrageous usually. I think my local specialist has a couple of cars in the yard that may be worth saving ( chassis' shot). Let me know and I'll pm you the number.

[Richard]

When we got married in 1993 our wedding cars were Mk2 Granada white platers, both on their third time round the clock.

[dollywobbler]

Mechanically, she's not bad - though I may need to properly sort the tie rods and knife edges out, and the suspension cans are a bit groany. She's running beautifully bar a rotten exhaust tailpipe (the one bit I didn't replace last August). Re-chassis was 13 years ago now. Bulkhead has since rotted out and been welded up again. Main issues this time are sills, floors, rear sweeps, rear seat box, C posts, rear light panel, boot floor, upper windscreen panel, joint above the driver's door and the panels between front door and wing are a bit iffy. The rear work alone would be very costly, as it almost all needs cutting out.

 

She also needs new bumpers, wings, doors, bonnet, headlamp bar and headlamps (shells and lenses). The bootlid is pretty good.

[richardmorris]

Hmmm. Perhaps the time has come then? I did the same with mine in 2001- px d it for the cx dtr.

 

Rear sweeps, sills floors plus the rest. As much as iit pains me to think, it could be financially silly to repair what you have. Mehari etc are a reasonable re body but not cheap obviously. Just don't go for a deauville kit for gods sake.

[FakeConcern]

Changed the oil in the c4 & took the XM for a blast, so a productive day!

[dollywobbler]

Hmmm. Perhaps the time has come then? I did the same with mine in 2001- px d it for the cx dtr.

 

Rear sweeps, sills floors plus the rest. As much as iit pains me to think, it could be financially silly to repair what you have. Mehari etc are a reasonable re body but not cheap obviously. Just don't go for a deauville kit for gods sake.

 

Oh financially, it makes no sense at all. But if car purchases were based purely on financial sense, the classic car world wouldn't exist. Certainly, restoration cases would just be binned instead!

[richardmorris]

Oh financially, it makes no sense at all. But if car purchases were based purely on financial sense, the classic car world wouldn't exist. Certainly, restoration cases would just be binned instead!

Very true. My sister has now owned " our" 2cv for 19 years. Several times its value has probably been spent, but c'est un art de vivre as the sticker says.

[phil_lihp]

Here's the car we got married in. Well, more like on really. She has become a garage recluse.

 

Just read your blog article, nicely written, it's a genuinely sad moment!  Doesn't look too terrible in the photos, but then they never do.  Could you learn to weld and do the repairs yourself?  Probably one of the better cars to work on I'd imagine (whilst knowing nothing about welding).

[dollywobbler]

Just read your blog article, nicely written, it's a genuinely sad moment!  Doesn't look too terrible in the photos, but then they never do.  Could you learn to weld and do the repairs yourself?  Probably one of the better cars to work on I'd imagine (whilst knowing nothing about welding).

 

2CV's are pretty tricky to weld, but very easy to blow holes in. I don't really have anywhere to work on the car, as the garage is part of the house. Which means any stinks from the garage end up filling the whole house. I forgot to mention the rotten rear inner wings - one is largely aluminium tape. The first rule of restoration is to cut back to good metal. I'm really not sure where you'd find any!

[phil_lihp]

Ah, hadn't seen your earlier post on this page, that's quite a list.  

 

In that case, there's really only one option.

 

http://www.pembleton.co.uk/index.shtml

 

Joking aside, as kit cars go that's quite pretty.

[Inspector Morose]

2CV's are pretty tricky to weld, but very easy to blow holes in. I don't really have anywhere to work on the car, as the garage is part of the house. Which means any stinks from the garage end up filling the whole house. I forgot to mention the rotten rear inner wings - one is largely aluminium tape. The first rule of restoration is to cut back to good metal. I'm really not sure where you'd find any!

Not beyond, and definitely not that scary. Must admit, the metal is perilously thin even when good. My old one was sills, rear inner wings, rear floor, bottom of bulkhead and rear window bottoms. Not easy but if I can do it...

[320touring]

Sitting in the waiting room at the station and there is a chap who is Woollarding 'sans voiture'

 

Je suis discombobulamtant