The new news 24 thread

[BavarianRetro]

 

If i had that bloke's money......,.

He may well be penniless, overdrawn and only just making the huge monthly payments/mortgage/school fees/gym membership etc.

 

Most of these things are, in effect, "rented".

[gordonbennet]

However he runs his finances he's doing a bloody sight better than i am and good luck to him, i'm just surprised people seem to put up with shoddy kit if its got the right badge, something i can't get me head around.

 

Just reminded me, on holiday at a Caravan Club certified site some years ago, the site owners had friends coming and they were well late, their brand spanking new XK Jag gearbox had shit itself so car AA Relayed to the destination, Jag brought out another car for them to use next day, the new car owner was quite nonchalant about it, ''just one of those things'', i ventured i wouldn't have quite been so forgiving and would have been off to the Lexus dealer to arrange a car that wouldn't shit its gearbox on the first trip...maybe its how the rich are dunno but then i've never had lots of money to piss up the wall so if i buy something expensive and new (not cars as such cos i hate new cars but do spend out on quality when required) with my hard earned it had better bloody work or they can stick it up their collective arses.

 

On that subject my mate's Mrs is on her 4th top range Bini, each and every one has shit its timing chain or top end or turbo or supercharger, the timing chains must be on fuckin wing nuts they're on and off so often, daren't own a bastard out of warranty...i ask him just WHY?

[xtriple]

I had a brand new Speed Triple (part of my user name!) and it shat itself by mile 7. I was most unamused... the dealers couldn't have been less helpful and it was months before it was finally back. In that time, I had had the use of about 6 different bikes and almost told them to keep the poxy Triumph.

[Tetleysmooth]

My thoughts are with the people in the northern half of the country tonight.

To be flooded out just before Christmas, or any time come to that, must be bloody heartbreaking.

 

We've had a few puffs of wind down here, but not a spot of rain.

So soft, us southerners.

[trigger]

Boring post with no photos but had my dad round today so made use of him in helping me do some jobs on the Ex_LOBSTER Toledo today, replaced the squeaky rear caliper with a new one and adjusted the rear brakes and it's now nice a quiet, found that the radio was popping and farting at me because the old one was shagged (Looked like some coke had ran out of the can holder above and filled the radio up). 

 

I fitted my USB jobby CD player which even matched the dash when the lights are lit, It was a right faff fitting the cage for it mind you and then replaced the front door speaker with some new aftermarket speakers so i know have pumping sounds for the first time.

 

I have to say I really am enjoying this car, I'm amazed no one else jumped on it when he put it up for sale on here, It's drives bloody lovely and goes like a train, I'm quite tempted to get it chipped next year which will bring it up to about 215bhp but I'll see how it goes first. I just love the whole unstated way it looks, just like a boring family car with no sporty bits other than some 16" alloys but it's basically a Skoda Octavia VRS or Golf GTi Anniversary.

 

Added photo!

 

[Eddie Honda]

USB jobby

For viewers in Scotland:

 

[Lord Sterling]

4x4?

Just had a blat about on the 'net about this. 'Tis indeed a 4x4, a system also found in the Vauxhall Insignia.

[tooSavvy]

**FLASH**... Corporate director says " No, no.. Don't put youself in harms way"

 

Cancells me having to drive to Grangemouth, Glasgow & Dumfries today (from Tyneside) whilst half the roads are underwater.

 

- - - Monday, likely

 

 

TS

[dollywobbler]

Trig - goes like a train really isn't a compliment where I live! Glad you're enjoying it though. Fine looking cars.

[fordperv]

Well i don't get these moderns at all, got a call from father fp and his 2003 mondeo was playing silly buggers running on 3 when the headlights were switched on and the speedo was bouncing up and down the eml was lit, i popped around his armed with my multimeter and tool kit, i suspected it may be a voltage fault but the battery was reading correct when the engine was off and it was charging fine when the engine was on, without the lights it was smooth with no miss fire but I thought I'd do the old pull a lead as I suspected it may be a coil pack fault, guess what no2 cylinder wasn't firing, i put a replacement on,cleared the fault codes and it purrs like a kitten safe in a nuns arms again.

[trigger]

I've had a fun day making the most of the dry weather here today by taking the Dolly for a drive, I joined my mates with the Marina and had a mini photoshoot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that we nipped to the pub for lunch

 

 

I also went to show the in laws the car for the first time, even their neighbours came out to take a look and said how good the car looks! I had a quick check on the Cortina whilst i was there but i didn't have time to start it or drive it sadly, I'm seriously considering selling it in the new year.

 

 

It's sounds daft but I am really enjoying this little Dolly for now, I'm starting to get bored of Fords!

 

[r.welfare]

The bodywork of that Dolomite is a credit to your hard work and skill, well done.

[Jazoli]

I won't bother with the flood pics as I have posted them elsewhere but after the water receded we collected the xmas tree this afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Considering the 1300 came out 6 years before the Marina , the Dolomite looks so much more modern and upmarket and I don't think it's just down to a few stickers and some shiny Spitfire wheels.

Makes you wonder what BL could have done if they'd backed the right company for their mid market rep mobiles.

[vulgalour]

Satisfying that the repmobiles there only have two side mirrors between them.

[lincolndanny]

That Dolly is lush. MEGAWANT

[Six-cylinder]

I have been to the Midlands section Citroen Car Club Christmas Dinner today and one of the members turned up in his daily driver, a RENAULT!

[Slartibartfast]

I won't bother with the flood pics as I have posted them elsewhere but after the water receded we collected the xmas tree this afternoon

 

That car looks pretty damn nice, it has to be said.

[vulgalour]

It's okay, but I think they lost it a bit with the optional wood trim.

[Bren]

Considering the 1300 came out 6 years before the Marina , the Dolomite looks so much more modern and upmarket and I don't think it's just down to a few stickers and some shiny Spitfire wheels.

Makes you wonder what BL could have done if they'd backed the right company for their mid market rep mobiles.

Marina wheel trims are for winners though.

[DeeJay]

 

 

Is that a GM pineapple.

[wuvvum]

I went to see a mate yesterday afternoon and ended up doing a slightly convoluted deal with him, as a result of which he now has the Swift and the Vectra (Swift is a sweetie but needs too much weldage for me, Vectra is still being a pain and he has more chance of sorting it than I do), and I'm the proud owner of a Y-reg MGF in BRG metallic with a tan leather interior.  (I did take a pic, but it came out shit, so I won't post it.)

 

Never driven an F before, but I'd driven TFs so knew more or less what to expect.  This one's an 1800 but without the VVC - it still goes bloody well though, doesn't have the VI's mad rush for the redline but has more midrange pull (although that's probably due to lighter weight).  It's comfy, if a little bit bouncy, and I find the top of the windscreen a little on the low side, but nothing reclining the seat a bit won't cure.  My mate had had it for a few months but not really been anywhere in it beyond the odd quick run round the block.  I drove it home, temp gauge steady just below half, heater blowing nice and warm, but then I pulled up outside my house and switched off and it was pissing out coolant. 

 

You can probably guess what my immediate thought was.  The stream of coolant soon subsided though, so I popped the hood and gingerly removed the expansion cap.  Nothing.  Not even a "pfft".  The reason for that became apparent when I got the cap off and found the pressure valve flopping loosely around in the top.  So I nicked the cap off the Rover of Doom (which won't be needing it in the immediate future), and without wanting to tempt fate, initial indications are that it's sorted.  I've done 20-odd miles in it today and it behaved fine.

 

In other news, I celebrated the 25's MOT pass by treating it to a stereo (it didn't have one when I bought it) and a less embarrassing set of wheeltrims.  Scuffs aside, it's actually quite a smart looking car I reckon - the desperate facelift is growing on me...

 

This afternoon I wandered back up to the house after spending a happy half hour crawling around under the CX looking for grot, to find the Innocenti's headlights blazing away.  Which was odd, as they certainly weren't on half an hour earlier, and the back lights weren't on either.  It looks like the headlight flasher had somehow activated itself and then become stuck on.  Weird.  Some pissing about with the light switches eventually persuaded them to turn off, but I've removed the battery earth lead to avoid a repeat performance.  I love Italian wiring...

[xtriple]

I had a faff with the BBR yesterday, taking my life in my hands with the bloody wind. I scraped off the flaking lacquer under the rear windscreen, it just gadb;t adhered at all as the paint below was pristine! I assume that there was something on that bit when they sprayed it which stopped the paint sticking. ANyway, scuffed it up and laid a few coats of clear on from a touch up pen bought from Halfords. Not perfect, but much, much better and after a few more coats over a few days, I will sand it and polish it and it will be spot-on! It's only a small spot anyway (about two inches long and curved down to a max of an inch) but it should stop any water getting under it.

 

Also had a good look at the car, checked the inside of the wheelarches (found that Specialist cars did a proper job and not just blasted wax everywhere) and then noticed that on the passengers side rear arch, the plastic.rubber trim at the base to stop stone chips is fooked! It looks like it's been off before and glued back on (no idea how it's fitted properly, probably unicorn jizz) and it has a glued up split in it. To be honest, it's not really all that noticeable but, well, you guys know what I'm like by now...

 

So, I priced them up. 6 inch long bit of rubber/plastic to protect from stones, pennies right?

 

Wrong.

 

£150 ish each! The ones it has can stay!

[barefoot]

I've had a fun day making the most of the dry weather here today by taking the Dolly for a drive,

I joined my mates with the Marina and had a mini photoshoot.

Much as I like manky old cars, these two both look shit for exactly the same reason as chaps Audi 200 Turbo looked shit.

& I had a C2 turbo and maintain to this day that it was the finest motor car ever produced, but it's the pillars.

Bizarrely the seemingly endless little upright pillars between the A & the B - to support the crackingly useful quarter light

somehow, now looks completely shit.

& when there's another in the back window, we know what it's for and all the advantages it offers...

it still looks and makes the car look shit

odd, or what

 

all things, inc endless window pillars considered, both look ok, 

my personal favourite is

the

[Six-cylinder]

I won an H Van in a raffle yesterday!

[fordperv]

I won't bother with the flood pics as I have posted them elsewhere but after the water receded we collected the xmas tree this afternoon

 

The new pine fresh magic tree

[doobietoo]

Drove the PT to the garage today.... after filling the water up properly using the bleed valve.... not only did it not over heat on the 5 mile run but the heater also worked.... it was a bitch to start though so I still think the OMGHGF is the most likely reason for the overhesating. First impressions are it drives quite nicely in a wafty cruisery sort of way which at my age is a pleasure.

Also happened into another PT owner at the garage who spent 20 mins extolling the virtues and climbing all over mine to see what was different ..... think I am going to like driving this around .....

[mercrocker]

I won an H Van in a raffle yesterday!

That's got to be worth a few quid to the five-quid coffee goaties on the showgrounds next year.

[MarvinsMom]

I have been to the Midlands section Citroen Car Club Christmas Dinner today and one of the members turned up in his daily driver, a RENAULT!

 

has the offender been excommunicated yet for this crime?

[xtriple]

My stereo has started working properly after three sleeping coppers gave it three good bumps: first bump, sound, second bump, dead. third bump sound and it's stayed that way since.

 

But, to balance things out, the air con has started playing up - dodgy switches.

 

Also, it is filthy and I am going to wash it, just waiting for it to start raining again so I don't have to carry buckets to rinse it. It is currently sunny, so should be pouring with rain in about 11 minutes!