The new news 24 thread

[fordperv]

With the successful collection of the v6 French barge, our ever reliable but dull Astra may be up for sale. Providing the gooner doesn't shit itself in the next few weeks... It's become a bit like the spare car on Top Gear challenges - dull, boring, but something you can rely on to get you somewhere. We've never really gelled with it but it's never let us down.

 

However I really don't know what to price this thing up for...

Its an Astra 1.6 16v club. 2 previous owners - the last was my fiancee Grandad who owned it for 10years, we've pretty much owned it for a year ourselves now. Done 64500 miles (he only did 1k p/a on average), cambelt done last year by a garage and it's had yearly oil changes for all the time it's been in the family. Even the aircon fully works!

 

Garaged the time he had it, which explains why the lights & paintwork haven't faded.

 

When I got it, I sorted a bunch of things like rusty rear shocks, replaced rad (weeping), thermostat, new tyres (originals were original - 13yrs old!) and few other bits. Hence last clean MOT.

 

A few, usual giffer scuffs on the paintwork - front plastic bumper (which he badly tried to respray with hammerite) and a dented rear door.

 

What do you guys reckon I should consider pricing it at for eBay + gumtree?

The other ones out there have their prices are all over the shot.

 

IMG_20160423_191628.jpg

 

IMG_20160423_191640.jpg

 

IMG_20160423_191854.jpg

 

IMG_20160423_191818.jpg

Where bouts in the country are you? My neighbour was looking for a car

[ruffgeezer]

That (lovely) Astra wants to be around sort of £450-550 I reckon. I'd try at £595 and see what happens, it does look a treat and the 16Vs are better than the 8V ones imho.

 

 

In other news, the FIAT Punto looks to have found a new home. And in other other news it looks like I've won another eBay car and should have another two coming this week.

 

How the hell do you do it? I've been trying to offload my Picasso now for weeks and you'd think I'm offering baked dogshit. (Shush!) I've got it outside now with £175 in the screen with 6 weeks test left.

[DVee8]

I had a hospital run from work this afternoon.We walked over to security to collect a car,what have i got i asked? A set of key's tossed in my direction,the Leaf!.oh is it charged i asked,yeah been on charge all day,heared that one before.

 

Walked over to the car pressing the fob,nothing,tried the door still nothing.

 

Right which car lights up? A Quashqai lights, a 16 plate quashqai now we have our oily stinking uniform and a brand new car,oh well need to get this lad to hospital.

 

Grey metallic,grey trim,black dash with a splash of crome,black and grey door trims and black carpets.Lots and lots of buttons.

Foot on the clutch,foot on the brake(as i am told to do by the car it flashes on the dash) press the starter button,the car fires up and the door mirrors unfold,were is the handbrake? it's a button! electric handbrake,i didn't need to press it as it goes off as you pull away.

 

Slot it into gear,the clutch is like stepping on a cushion,so light and with no feel.And electric power steering with no feel at all.It is worse than a punto with the girly button on.

So heading out of the car park and on my way into Sunderland the lights on the dash telling me when to change gear.

 

Then heading down a slip road to join a duel carriageway,there is nothing around so i just pull over and it starts beeping and flashing and vibrating.I then need to pull over to the outside lane to turn right at the round about still nothing behind so i just move over again.It starts beeping and flashing and vibrating again,Like what the fuck then i dawn's on me lane departure system.Now i have been driving 28 year,i can make my own decisions when to change gear and if i need to indicate to change lanes.

 

Now the car is very very easy to drive,but the control are just to light for me.I felt the power was on or off 1.5 dci it went well enough but seemed to run out of puff,but only 1500 miles on the clock.

 

I can see why Nissan sells so many but in 10-20 years when they are £1500 will all these gadgets still work? Or are the just bridge fodder?    

[HillmanImp]

Just picked up my new car, sorry there was no collection thread. What does everyone think?

 

 

Been looking for something like this for ages that reflects the fact that I am on a low income and don't like foreigners but is also not a Vauxhall as I might be ignorant but I ain't stupid.

 

Its been tough to find a car that fitted the bill but I think this does the job quite well.

[Lord Sterling]

Just picked up my new car, sorry there was no collection thread. What does everyone think?

 

IMG_20160424_131105.jpg

 

Been looking for something like this for ages that reflects the fact that I am on a low income and don't like foreigners but is also not a Vauxhall as I might be ignorant but I ain't stupid.

 

Its been tough to find a car that fitted the bill but I think this does the job quite well.

 

Yo, first dibs on this please. Ma_Sterling is actively looking for a new car (Micra might be coming my way, another car, joy) something like this at this age might be enough for her to part with her money.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Been looking for something like this for ages that reflects the fact that I am on a low income and don't like foreigners but is also not a Vauxhall as I might be ignorant but I ain't stupid.

 

Its been tough to find a car that fitted the bill but I think this does the job quite well.

 

5/10 for your effort - needs more "VOTE LEAVE" stickers.

[Bren]

Started work on the side skirts for my A6. A bit of fettling with a file so they fit together without a step.

 

Stay tuned for a masterclass in how to fuck fibreglass up.

[tooSavvy]

I have been considering this a while....

 

My Partner van, when you stop on a hill, if you take your foot off the brake it holds still >> brakes locked >> for 3 or 4 seconds ??

 

This is plenty to feed in the clutch and move off... seems the brakes give as soon as it moves....

 

I really don't have to use the HB lever at all - Except to park up (if not in gear).

 

Anyone want to guess if this is 'intelligent brake pressure management' bollokks?? Suits me all the same....

 

 

TS

[loserone]

Impreza has the same clever* gizmo, means you don't need to yank on the handbrake for traffic lights on up hills.

 

Except the biting point and the point where the brakes are released are different..

[Richard]

I filled the 850 up today, more than two months on a tank. That's the longest a tank of fuel has ever lasted me on a car that isn't broken.

[Asimo]

Subaru now has a starter button, can you see it?

 

No more sulking immobiliser roulette.  Only 3 self tappers and two mushroom clips left over.

While I was in there I cleaned the pollen filter. Dirtiest one I have ever seen, but it was washable.

Sure that I have paid for that to be changed a couple of times. Thieving swines. But what a job to get to it though!

 

If you want a Legacy, go for a grey import without the UK market security bollocks.

[Cheggers]

Is that it in the bottom of the cubbyhole? - If so it's a really neat job 😀

[anonymous user]

I was involved in a road-rage minor exasperation incident on my visit to B and Q; while changing lanes on the roundabout a car tried to come up the inside and hooted at me. I carried on and he followed me into the B and Q car-park stopping behind me when I parked. he jumped out of his car and shouted "You want to watch where you're going" I thanked him and said I usually do and, by the way, he might want to check out the road markings and signage at the roundabout as he had tried to go straight on using the left-turn only lane. He jumped back in his car and drove off. No swear words exchanged, I feel let down.

[loserone]

Pretzel auction ended at £560 quid  - not counting any chickens like, but the guy wants to collect tomorrow and was one of only two to actually ask any questions about it.  

 

EML on the Toledo was temperature sensor / thermostat.  Changed out the temp sensor since the local VAG emporium had one in stock, and had a mate with some SnapOn kit clear the fault.  Stat seems more likely since the temp goes down when cruising, so hopefully I'll have some more cash this week and can go back and order a stat in.

 

Mate seemed quite impressed with the Toledo; he used to run a 25th Ani Golf with the same engine and showed me lots of places where they go wrong and what to look out for.  Now I'm going to be paranoid till I've fixed em all!

[ruffgeezer]

Picasso sold, thank christ.

[trigger]

EML on the Toledo was temperature sensor / thermostat.  Changed out the temp sensor since the local VAG emporium had one in stock, and had a mate with some SnapOn kit clear the fault.  Stat seems more likely since the temp goes down when cruising, so hopefully I'll have some more cash this week and can go back and order a stat in.

 

That's a new one on me?. I never had a problem when i had it!

[loserone]

That's a new one on me?. I never had a problem when i had it!

 

I think it was alright all the way back home too, my weekly commute does seem to be a hard test on a car!

[Ghosty]

Someone's got a bargain on that Impreza at £560.

 

Speaking of which I found an ad for Dink's WRX wagon on Auto Trader @ £1395 - I'm guessing the ad just hadn't been removed?

[Skizzer]

I'm glad it was Drive It Day, because it sure as shit wasn't fix it day.

 

Vauxhall:  Still running like an apoplectic racing tractor:

•  Very reluctant to start (wherever you put the choke), will eventually fire if you floor the throttle.  
• Then needs revs to maintain idle, otherwise the engine bounces around its bay trying to shake the car to bits (and given that the exhaust tailpipe is wobbly and bangs on the towbar mounting, it sounds like it's doing a fair job) and soon stalls.  
• The engine will keep running once it's warmed up, and only tries to shake itself to bits rather than the whole car.

I took a plug out and it's very sooty:

Sooty spark plug by Skizzer, on Flickr

 

This suggests to my simple brain that it's over-fuelling, so I leaned off the carb a bit.  Then a lot.  Made naff all difference.  Ho hum.

 

Discovery:

 

Battery won't hold a charge.

 

Definitely needs one front tyre for the MOT and the other isn't far off either, so I'll take the wheels off and take them home so my friendly mobile tyre chap can change them in the week while I'm away.

 

Oh no I won't - the 'decorative wheel nut covers' need a special tool to remove them, which is of course missing.  Special tool is bloody right - what business does a shitty old Land Rover have with decorative bloody wheel nuts FFS?  World's gone mad.

 

It's a little bit of plastic which costs £3.90 from John Craddock but FIVE POUNDS POSTAGE.  That can FRO, I'll get one from the Bearmach shop some time.  Except I won't, because I'm working all the hours it's open (and then some).

 

Audi:

 

is still waiting for Autoglass to replace the windscreen, 9 weeks on.  You might recall me moaning that I drove 200 miles down from London a couple of weeks ago especially to be here for them, but they didn't turn up so I had to drive all the way back again.  Apparently the screen has been in stock for weeks but somehow they are incapable of arranging an appointment to fit it.  I'm at a loss:  isn't this what they do?  Like, all day?  What the fuck is going on there? 

 

 

Bit fed up with all this, if I'm honest.  Some of these cars will be for sale as soon as they're fixed - if I can ever get that to happen.

[cms206]

I got married on February 4th. On February 6th I agreed to buy the Shitpeas 406 diesel estate. In March I collected a beige Peugeot 205. It is now April, and still will be when I collect another silver 406 diesel on Thursday. I'd assume my divorce papers will come with it.

[RobT]

 

Bit fed up with all this, if I'm honest.  Some of these cars will be for sale as soon as they're fixed - if I can ever get that to happen.

I'm finding my fleet clearout quite cathartic, so hopefully it'll do the same for you Martin. Five is too many for me, and now I've decided the Daimler is going I feel a weight has been lifted. Just need to sell the bugger now!

[catsinthewelder]

I have a full fleet of English built broken cars. The pug failed it's test on the brake balance valve which appears to be completely FUBAR, for added fail the brake pipe has rounded off so a garage can sort that out unless anyone on here wants to. I thought I'd sorted out the Disco but a test drive earlier saw it spluttering to a halt outside the local pub. Helpfully a lad I sometimes drink with popped out and diagnosed a knackered lift pump. After a pint of Stairway it fired right up and drove home fine but is staying there until a new one is fitted.

[captain_70s]

I'm glad it was Drive It Day, because it sure as shit wasn't fix it day.

 

Vauxhall:  Still running like an apoplectic racing tractor:

•  Very reluctant to start (wherever you put the choke), will eventually fire if you floor the throttle.  
• Then needs revs to maintain idle, otherwise the engine bounces around its bay trying to shake the car to bits (and given that the exhaust tailpipe is wobbly and bangs on the towbar mounting, it sounds like it's doing a fair job) and soon stalls.  
• The engine will keep running once it's warmed up, and only tries to shake itself to bits rather than the whole car.

I ran my Dolomite 1850 like that for the entirety of the time it actually ran. I assumed this was how all 1970s cars were supposed to be?

[Junkman]

Vauxhall:  Still running like an apoplectic racing tractor:

 

You know what they say about Vauxhalls, don't you now?

[wuvvum]

I'd been running the CX on petrol recently as the LPG was getting low and I didn't want to run it out completely.  On the way into Norwich this morning I managed to run it out of petrol on the way round the ring road, so had to switch onto gas - it had enough left to get to the nearest LPG-equipped petrol station, but I'd forgotten how much slower it is on gas.  It's actually quite nippy on petrol, but overtaking when running on gas takes some forward planning.  It behaved itself though, and for some reason the rear wiper has now started working - making it the first of the many CX estates I've owned to have such a feature.

 

The Volvo fired up easily enough this afternoon, as it always does, but the rattling noise from the front of the engine had got worse.  Further investigation revealed major play in the water pump bearings - enough that the viscous fan blades are catching on the radiator shroud, hence the noise.  Cheapest water pump I've found so far is about £80, which seems like a lot - and also makes it even less likely that the old heap will see the road again this year.  Which is annoying.

[Angrydicky]

I do feel bad about the problems you've had with the Victor, Skizzer. Honestly, it was running beautifully the whole time I had it and it was only in the couple of days before you collected it it started becoming spluttery when starting from cold but I assumed (wrongly as it turned out) that I had used too much choke and flooded it, because it always did get rough if you overdid the choke (more than half) as I informed you.

 

I'm not sure what the problem is but it's nothing to do with the tuning of the engine because it's in perfect tune. Whatever it is is something that has failed quite suddenly or got loose and gone out of adjustment. Could it possibly be the choke cable itself? Is it possible to start the car from cold by manipulating the choke at the carb?

 

Stand back and have a look at the tailpipes from the back of the car. Are they level? You will have seen Dollywobbler's road test video, when I bought it a clamp had failed and the whole exhaust system had twisted around and was banging on the passenger's floor. I welded the pipe in place but I suppose it could have broken there. I don't remember the backbox knocking when I had it.

 

Sorry

[rantingYoof]

The S60 is going to my local friendly garage tomorrow.

 

When applying the brakes at speeds greater than 60mph, you get the most almightly steering-wheel vibration. It's quite something.

 

Under 60mph the vibration is barely noticeable, and under 40mph you cannot tell. The car stops like a beast - the front discs are dinner-plate hyooooge - but it does feel like a warped disc, which would be really sucky as I imagine two discs aren't going to be cheap.

 

The Internet says that knackered drop-links can cause this too although I'm not sure how.

 

Either way, first bill of any sort in six months, which is pretty good going.

[cort16]

Skizzer that sounds really like my P6 when it had the mutha of all vacuum leads on the inlet manifold. I'd squirt some carb cleaner around the carb base and inlet manifold and see if it evens out.

[Angrydicky]

Skizzer that sounds really like my P6 when it had the mutha of all vacuum leads on the inlet manifold. I'd squirt some carb cleaner around the carb base and inlet manifold and see if it evens out.

That's a thought - there's a takeoff on the inlet manifold (can't remember what for) but the stub had been repaired with chemical metal when I got it. The chemical metal could have failed/cracked?

 

Edit - I've just remembered that was where a heater pipe attached, so unlikely.

[derskine]

Sounds like my Cortina too Skizzer.