The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

Hasn't moved for at least six years means you'll have to go through all brakes, hoses and moving parts plus electrics to get it reliable. Too much money for that. Plus if it's starting to rust as well ....

[dollywobbler]

Cloud cuckoo land surely. I'm staggered that good ones are making that sort of money now. Mind you, that's probably because there are so few good ones around these days...

[DodgyBastard]

 

Exhaust fell off and the owner of the landrover kindly bodged it back on with some fence wire to get me on my way. The funny thing is I had just been looking at a 305 van that I first spotted 3 years ago and it had a new exhaust system in the boot...

 

 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[Supernaut]

I'm seriously considering a pre-MOT check on the snotmobile of irritation.

 

I replaced the handbrake cables yesterday with the help of my dad and the use of his neighbour's inspection pit. The left one still needs adjusted though.

 

However, I also discovered the right rear spring has snapped. That's the third spring that's snapped on this fucker! They ain't cheap either, £90 a pop because they're the sports springs (20mm lower than standard) and the only place I can find that stocks them is Audi themselves!

 

The front left is still making a horrific noise on right-lock when I hit bumps. Almost sounds like the wheel catching something, but no visual evidence of that. I even just replaced that corner's spring and CV joint recently.

 

The engine still pulls well (1.8T remapped to 211bhp) but the rest of the car just feels like it's falling apart around it. I feel much less confident in driving it enthusiastically now.

 

 

Basically, the pre-MOT check will confirm whether I'm justified in repairing it or flogging it for spares or repairs.

 

Anybody got a nice Peugeot 306 XUD turbo going? I miss mine.

[320touring]

I'm seriously considering a pre-MOT check on the snotmobile of irritation.

 

I replaced the handbrake cables yesterday with the help of my dad and the use of his neighbour's inspection pit. The left one still needs adjusted though.

 

However, I also discovered the right rear spring has snapped. That's the third spring that's snapped on this fucker! They ain't cheap either, £90 a pop because they're the sports springs (20mm lower than standard) and the only place I can find that stocks them is Audi themselves!

 

The front left is still making a horrific noise on right-lock when I hit bumps. Almost sounds like the wheel catching something, but no visual evidence of that. I even just replaced that corner's spring and CV joint recently.

 

The engine still pulls well (1.8T remapped to 211bhp) but the rest of the car just feels like it's falling apart around it. I feel much less confident in driving it enthusiastically now.

 

 

Basically, the pre-MOT check will confirm whether I'm justified in repairing it or flogging it for spares or repairs.

 

Anybody got a nice Peugeot 306 XUD turbo going? I miss mine.

I have one with mot til oct but needs a cambelt

[HMC]

Fleet news-

 

Did a few little jobs in some snatched time today. The ex-courtesy car cinquecento had an oil and filter change. Bought a job lot of fiat/alfa filters- the same part is shared by 166 v6, the 2 twinsparks and the fiat. I've sorned the range rover and have started dismantling the body forward of the A-pillar for welding; the front inner wings predictably are quite rotten, and will update its thread with some gory pictures. I also managed to take the GTV for a hoon which was fun.

[Dave_Q]

I just helped someone bump start a 13 plate Qashqai dCi.

[Ghosty]

I'm seriously considering a pre-MOT check on the snotmobile of irritation.

 

I replaced the handbrake cables yesterday with the help of my dad and the use of his neighbour's inspection pit. The left one still needs adjusted though.

 

However, I also discovered the right rear spring has snapped. That's the third spring that's snapped on this fucker! They ain't cheap either, £90 a pop because they're the sports springs (20mm lower than standard) and the only place I can find that stocks them is Audi themselves!

 

The front left is still making a horrific noise on right-lock when I hit bumps. Almost sounds like the wheel catching something, but no visual evidence of that. I even just replaced that corner's spring and CV joint recently.

 

The engine still pulls well (1.8T remapped to 211bhp) but the rest of the car just feels like it's falling apart around it. I feel much less confident in driving it enthusiastically now.

 

 

Basically, the pre-MOT check will confirm whether I'm justified in repairing it or flogging it for spares or repairs.

 

Anybody got a nice Peugeot 306 XUD turbo going? I miss mine.

 

We put Apex -40mm lowering springs on our A4, works out as a ~20mm drop from standard at about £60 a corner/£240 a set. When we bought the car it had hot rod stance because some silly person put standard height springs on the back.

[Bren]

Booked the A6 in for a service where it was MOT'd.

 

£150 + vat. It was the cheapest quote.

 

Parts will probably be from GSF but for that money i'm not bothered.

[Pillock]

Today I did something which is apparently a bit stalkery but I reckon you lot will appreciate it.

 

I saw a mk1 MR2 advertised locally. One owner from new, sounded pretty good, but a bit vague about MOT etc. And the number plates were blanked out in the advert. I emailed the seller, asking a few questions and asking if I could have the reg number to run through the MOT history. This was the response I got...

 

Hi the car is currently sorned until later in the spring , when it will be mot'd and taxed for 6 months , this has been the pattern over last few years , sorn'd thru winter , then mot , 6 months tax , for summer / autmn driving fun

 

at this stage i don't want to disclose reg ,  its g november 1989 , mine from new as my 21 st bithday present to myself , i am 47 now !

 

Normal people would now walk away. But I wanted to know more. So I punched his name into http://www.searchelectoralroll.co.uk/ and it came up with three people matching that name in the town he's in. A bit of Google Street View stalking later, and I found out where he lived.

 

 

Freak him out by replying with "Tapped your reg number into the MOT checker, blah blah blah, came and had a look around the car but I'll pass thanks". 

[For Fiats Sake]

Still working on Henry!

 

New rubber floor, dash roll and door cards fitted.  Rear seat in  and Alfa Romeo leather seats now in the front and my favourite autobianchi steering wheel is in place too.

 

Lost the battle for daylight due to when changing the front door cards investigating the very sticky and stiff

 winder mechanism, couldn't wind down the window more than half way.  Turns out the plastic end which holds the glass was twisting and catching .  I took the glass and mechanism out of the donor car which took ages as I'd never done it before.  The passenger window was as bad but turned out to be two retaining bolts had fallen off and the window was trapping itself inside the door track, whizzed on a couple of bolts and cleaned up the rubbers and very much improved.

 

Wanting a quick win I attempted to fit the Alfa seats, a member of the fiat forum had fabricated some sub frames to hold the seats using the original runners and bolt holes.  These seats had been fitted to the 4x4 and removed as they fouled the gear lever, I had another pair of seats and set about changing the subframes and original frames onto the alternative seats.  At this point my hands were getting seriously cold and the light was going.  I got the drivers side in and bolted down and it doesn't stop operation of the gear stick.  Changed the frames on the passenger side and got it lined up in the car but it was too dark to see what I was doing by then to bolt it down.

 

All that's left to do is wire in the stereo and speakers front and rear and make sure everything still works on the car after much dismantalage. 

 

Back at work tomorrow afternoon so hoping for a sunny morning and no more bloody spitting ice showers like today.

[barrett]

500 miles, 12 hours of driving, but I now haz Visa. It's great!

 

[Six-cylinder]

500 miles, 12 hours of driving, but I now haz Visa. It's great!

 

IMG_20160213_180036.jpg

Oh yes, I was surprised at how well my twin Pot drove round the M25!

 

What part of the country do you live?

[Lacquer Peel]

Jesus, early Visas are UGGERS. Is it a 4-pot one? Nice work Barrett.

[Jazoli]

Been visiting the Mother in Spain this week, have been bombing around in this again, a 2.0 16v Sport with added hailstone damage

I forgot how well these cars went, it's much much faster than my 115bhp focus, I managed 220kmh on a deserted motorway with plenty in reserve

I also forgot how expensive cars are over here, it's worth €3k, trying to find a newer bigger car for her and the prices are eye watering

[vulgalour]

I am called Dave and I have a 54 plate Corsa worth just over £4,500 according to the text and e-mail I got earlier today from two different companies.  Bit of an odd one that, because I'm not called Dave, I don't have a 54 plate Corsa and I've never used webuyanycar.  I should probably panic about someone else having hold of my phone number and e-mail address, I'm not going to, they're very easy to get hold of.  Could it be a spam/phishing attempt perhaps?

[Clanger]

Stop fucking around Dave and sell us yer 54 plate Corsa...

[DeeJay]

I am called Dave and I have a 54 plate Corsa worth just over £4,500 according to the text and e-mail I got earlier today from two different companies.  Bit of an odd one that, because I'm not called Dave, I don't have a 54 plate Corsa and I've never used webuyanycar.  I should probably panic about someone else having hold of my phone number and e-mail address, I'm not going to, they're very easy to get hold of.  Could it be a spam/phishing attempt perhaps?

17 and 27 please

[JohnK]

Was offered a cheap Transit yesterday from a guy I know.

'It's got a bit of MOT on it' - £300

 

Visible signs of welding on the sills.

 

Before I even popped the bonnet or looked underneath it I did the Vehicle Enquiry Service check - MOT expired 20/12/15

 

Check MOT site next - erm makes interesting reading...

 

FOUR failed MOT's since January for excessive rot, the later ones basically stating the repairs were inadequate.

 

If you fancy a laugh it's well worth a read...

 

NV53 YUX - Ford Transit.

 

Looking at it, suggests to me the guy has been taking it round different MOT stations until somebody passes it - different advisories etc...

[spike60]

When a tester puts the details into the computer doesn't it show him the previous test details? If another tester has failed it it'd be a bold statement passing the same work.

[JohnK]

When a tester puts the details into the computer doesn't it show him the previous test details? If another tester has failed it it'd be a bold statement passing the same work.

Not sure, i did find it amusing however that on the last MOT on 4/2/16 the actual areas of rot were written in CAPITALS to narrow the area down for the would be welder lol.

[richardmorris]

Not sure, i did find it amusing however that on the last MOT on 4/2/16 the actual areas of rot were written in CAPITALS to narrow the area down for the would be welder lol.

I think by the last mot fail sheet that the tester had had enough. He may as well write "stop taking the piss" as an advisory.

[barrett]

Jesus, early Visas are UGGERS. Is it a 4-pot one? Nice work Barrett.

Yeah its properly uggers innit. It's a twin for maximum points. Drives really well, much more civilised than any A series car, although I doubt it's much faster than an Ami in real terms. Acceleration is actually quite good though and despite conventional springs it's really comfortable.

We only got it because these early ones are known as the 'Groin' model in France, and that was too funny to pass up

[Skizzer]

Skizzer fleet news:

 

The Dedra has now passed on to a better place.

 

Don't fret, it's not dead - I swapped it for a cheese and ham toastie, and it's now residing with a fellow shiter and serial Lancia saver who is planning to fix its apparent HGF and recommission it back into regular use - which I'm very, very happy about. I am badgering him to put up a thread about it, but he doesn't post very much. We even took a Woolarding shot and everything.

 

The XJ-S is up and about and running well apart from a bit of exhaust blowing (one of the hangers is knacked) and I think the back brakes (handbrake?) are still binding a bit, so it's on short journeys only until I get that sorted.

 

The VX2300 is in fine fettle; Mrs S is back from holiday now and likes it very much. I'm getting the hang of cold starts, but they don't seem to be its strong point - maybe idling a bit low?

 

The Discovery battery doesn't seem to be holding a charge very well, so needed jumping off a spare battery again this weekend. It runs out of MOT this week too, which is annoying as I'm away working all week at the moment so it's a pain to get it done. Working does help with paying for stuff, though.

 

Apparently one of the wipers on the Audi 80 has eaten its brother. It's on loan to someone else at the moment, so I'm going to go over this afternoon to see if it just needs re-aligning or if the mechanism is fubarred. Anybody know if this is one of those cars where they start with a wiper motor and then build the car around it?

 

No other news. But thank fook it's stopped raining for a bit.

[Six-cylinder]

Yeah its properly uggers innit. It's a twin for maximum points. Drives really well, much more civilised than any A series car, although I doubt it's much faster than an Ami in real terms. Acceleration is actually quite good though and despite conventional springs it's really comfortable.

We only got it because these early ones are known as the 'Groin' model in France, and that was too funny to pass up

In fact so ugly when I wanted a Twin Pot I looked for a MK2 updated front but I couldn't do without the satellite dash and yours even has a clock!

[scaryoldcortina]

I think by the last mot fail sheet that the tester had had enough. He may as well write "stop taking the piss" as an advisory.

 

I had a transit in for test that someone had "restored". Fail looked a lot like that one.

 

The MoT computer doesn't give the tester any clues about previous tests unless it's a retest. It's easy enough now to just open another tab and run the MoT history checker though.

[skattrd]

Skizzer fleet news:

 

The Dedra has now passed on to a better place.

 

Don't fret, it's not dead - I swapped it for a cheese and ham toastie, and it's now residing with a fellow shiter and serial Lancia saver who is planning to fix its apparent HGF and recommission it back into regular use - which I'm very, very happy about. I am badgering him to put up a thread about it, but he doesn't post very much. We even took a Woolarding shot and everything.

 

 

This wouldn't be betaboy (inaugural shitefest host) would it?

[panhard65]

Looks like I have just bought a very tatty MX5. Very cheap mind considering it comes with a hard top.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX5-1-6-mk2-with-hard-top-running-spares-or-repair-/272133889590?

Anyone want to buy a hard top

 

[Supernaut]

We put Apex -40mm lowering springs on our A4, works out as a ~20mm drop from standard at about £60 a corner/£240 a set. When we bought the car it had hot rod stance because some silly person put standard height springs on the back.

That would be nice, were it not for the fact that the springs on it seem to be an arsehole to do (well, the rears are actually fairly easy) but the fronts... I took one look at them and threw it at a garage when one of them needed done.

 

Then there are the other problems with it, especially the mystery noise from the front left. I feel like I spend so much time just fixing this car as opposed to doing fun things to it. I used to love working on my previous cars because most of the work was by choice, 'improving' the cars to my taste. I hate working on this because it's simply fixing it over and over again.

Basically, I've lost the love for this car, big time. I'm already getting tempted by cheap barges on autotrader down near RantingYoof's neck of the woods. Saw a minty Pug 406 Coupe V6 manual with low miles and a low price too. Very tempting.

[Skizzer]

This wouldn't be betaboy (inaugural shitefest host) would it?

Good guess, but no, it was Dermist (who people might remember as the owner of the gorgeous R-reg red-brown Beta saloon at Shitefest 2014). It's no big secret, just that it's his story really rather then mine: I'm sure he'll post something when he gets around to it.