Ask a Shiter

[Eddie Honda]

No, you're too early!

[hairymel]

Hullo

 

Welding my old master van up when I do the sills do I have to include a lip/ridge? Or can I just make them rounded ?

11 more patches to go.

 

as long as it performs the same function it doesnt matter.

 

although 1 big repair is a lot less work than 11 patches 

[phil_lihp]

I've just been speaking to a friend who owns a 1994 Toyota Carina E 1.6 petrol saloon - she inherited it about 10 years ago from her parents and loves it but that love doesn't extend to servicing...it hasn't been serviced once in 80,000 miles and 10 years!  It's of course been dead reliable, the only fault I've heard about from it is a knackered alternator earlier this year.

 

Quite astonishing really, I've been in it and it seems to run alright and goes pretty well considering, it uses oil and gets topped up when the warning light comes on (!) so it's at least not all the same thick black treacle from a decade ago.  Having got onto the subject, she was asking me whether it should be serviced - my immediate answer was yes, of course it bloody should but I'm wary of offering to do it, I'd worry that thinner new oil would kill it.  Certainly a new cambelt and some spark plugs wouldn't be the worse thing for it and I can't believe the oil filter's not rusted through yet.  

 

Should she leave it now?  I'm not going to get involved as I don't want to be the one who killed it but I'm curious as to what the best course of action is on something that's gone this long between oil changes!

[Jerzy Woking]

Years ago I was going out with this girl who had a ropey Mk3 Escort as it was all she could afford. It failed the MOT on sharp edges on the rear arches, so I offered to repair them. A wire brush, Kurust and a dollop of wob sorted them. I stupidly offered to service it as it hadn't been done in years. Oil was like treacle, and the oil filter was really bunged up. Thought I'd done her a big favour.

 

A week later the engine grenaded itself after "it was making a horrible noise". Didn't see much of her after that.

So my advice is to leave well alone!

[phil_lihp]

I agree with that, much as I'd like to help her out, there's no way I'm going to do it personally as I don't want the responsibility!  More curious as to whether it's better off left alone now, I remember someone (WilsonWilson?) had a 205 which exploded after receiving new oil for the first time in many years.

[DodgeRover]

I always service a vehicle when I get it, most have been neglected and none have ever died because of an oil and filter change.

[stephen01]

Have I missed the thread for this years calendars? I need a new one sharpish!

 

+1

[Alan_Green]

Right, we all know car covers can be a bad idea because they trap moisture and make things worse. But what's wrong with this idea?  Cling film. Genius or Jenius?

[KruJoe]

For trailering it to a show or whatever, I'd say it's a good idea. I wouldn't suggest it was ideal for protection from sun or rain for longer than a day or so.

[steveo3002]

yeah fine for a temp thing , would trap moisture same as  a cheapie cover

[spike60]

Is there any way of checking outstanding finance etc on a car for free? My son briefly owned a rough Astra about a year ago and his mam has had knock on door from a man asking for him regarding the Astra, won't discuss it with anyone else. Historical debt on car? Unpaid parking tickets after dozy son didn''t return V5? Don't know if he did but would be a fair bet.....

[Kiltox]

Anyone ever switched from trade insurance back to private? Could you find an insurer to accept your no claims bonus?

[Richard]

Is there any way of checking outstanding finance etc on a car for free? My son briefly owned a rough Astra about a year ago and his mam has had knock on door from a man asking for him regarding the Astra, won't discuss it with anyone else. Historical debt on car? Unpaid parking tickets after dozy son didn''t return V5? Don't know if he did but would be a fair bet.....

 

Totalcarcheck will do it for £8.99.

[stephen01]

​Vetech batteries from GSF, any good?

[MrDuke]

What's £scrap like at the moment?

[bub2006]

Around 55 a tonne last I knew.

[MrDuke]

  

 

Cheers!

[bub2006]

I've took some scrap to local place and its not been worth the paper the cheque is written on.

[scaryoldcortina]

I've been getting £120/tonne for mixed scrap recently.

[bub2006]

Shit. Area differences? I've been thinking of cutting kia up n weighing it in but doesn't seem worth it

[cort16]

Warning. Not old car alert!

I'm thinking of buying a 5 years old Citroen 2.0 DS5 diesel as my daily driver. Is this likely to result in financial and mental suicide?

[xtriple]

Warning. Not old car alert!

I'm thinking of buying a 5 years old Citroen 2.0 DS5 diesel as my daily driver. Is this likely to result in financial and mental suicide?

 

More than likely... but don't take any notice of me... I don't!

[cort16]

I'd get the side vents fitted to it later

[wuvvum]

I've been trying to work out whether there's any way of adjusting the clutch in the Getz.  It slips if I drive the car too enthusiastically.  The biting point is right at the absolute top of the pedal travel, so I was thinking I might get a bit more life out of it if I could adjust the pedal a bit.  Problem is that I can't see any obvious way of doing it - the pushrod from the slave cylinder doesn't appear to be adjustable (it's completely covered by a rubber gaiter but I can't see any sign of any adjustable bits).  I don't know a lot about clutches - is there likely to be anything else I can try?

[nacho man]

Are the ace cafe meets any good? I am down near the big smoke a week on monday, and there is a french night, might take my clio. Is it worth a late night home to have a smooch around?

[scdan4]

 I've been set a Wanted / What car challenge.

 

Car immediately required for freshly divorcing damsel in distress. 2 kids and a hatred of travelling light means it needs to be focus estate sized.

 

Absolute white goods motoring. Reliability and cheap to runness top of the list (after the big boot). 

 

A grand max, 700 quid better. 

 

Anyone got anything tucked away or any suggestions? Had a scan of the for sale tags and nothing immediately suggests itself.( In swindon or brissle ideally.)

[scdan4]

how do you hatch reg numbers out of ebay when they're hidden? I know it can be done. Want to check mot history on this one.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-FORD-FOCUS-LX-TD-DI-DIESEL-/222365258413

[DVee8]

There is a Citroen DS5 taxi around chester le street.As the old saying goes if ok for a taxi.

[Asimo]

I've been trying to work out whether there's any way of adjusting the clutch in the Getz. It slips if I drive the car too enthusiastically. The biting point is right at the absolute top of the pedal travel, so I was thinking I might get a bit more life out of it if I could adjust the pedal a bit. Problem is that I can't see any obvious way of doing it - the pushrod from the slave cylinder doesn't appear to be adjustable (it's completely covered by a rubber gaiter but I can't see any sign of any adjustable bits). I don't know a lot about clutches - is there likely to be anything else I can try?

Mostly nydraulic clutches are self adjusting: as slave piston's travel changes, more fluid is allowed into the master cylinder at the top of travel, which compensates thus keeping pedal travel similar. (Just like hydraulic brakes as the pads wear)

 

Pedal bite point gets higher though when the clutch disc has worn away so much the spring is almost at the end of it's travel. Clutch slip time too then.

[3VOM]

 I've been set a Wanted / What car challenge.

 

Car immediately required for freshly divorcing damsel in distress. 2 kids and a hatred of travelling light means it needs to be focus estate sized.

 

Absolute white goods motoring. Reliability and cheap to runness top of the list (after the big boot). 

 

A grand max, 700 quid better. 

 

Anyone got anything tucked away or any suggestions? Had a scan of the for sale tags and nothing immediately suggests itself.( In swindon or brissle ideally.)

I'm sure I've just seen a Focus diesel estate on here somewhere?