Ask a Shiter

[somewhatfoolish]

If you look at the car in the pic the number plate plinths are the same; painting rear panels black makes them at least 5.83mph faster as eni fule kno.

[AMC Rebel]

If you look at the car in the pic the number plate plinths are the same; painting rear panels black makes them at least 5.83mph faster as eni fule kno.

 

 Agreed (like the Molesworth ref btw) - having been around at the time, it was very popular to paint things matt black in places - see also Brabham Viva, BAC 1-11 etc

[scdan4]

Ford Galaxy just got written off thanks to someone running a red light

 

What is the longest lasting hardest wearing estate (or mpv) under £2000?

  

That's easy--Saab 9-5.

Not in my experience. Something Almost Always Broken

 

If you want an estate, buy a Volvo.

[The Moog]

Probably a rather retorical question in my opinion but do any of these miracle-cure products actually work in the real world? All the general vibe on various sites etc indicates minimal success overall, leading me to believe they are a waste of time & money.

 

Reason I ask is that the Rover 214 has done the usual K-series thing and started to do its H/G, not too badly as its not getting into either the oil (clean, no mayo) or the engine (no 'washed' plugs or exhaust steam) but is getting oil into the coolant, a HGF tester I used showed no exhaust reaction.

 

It goes fine and has done for the last 1500mls and to be honest I'm content to run it to destruction or MoT expiry (end July) whichever comes first but if someone can suggest a product that will help, I'll give it a try.

 

Before anyone says 'Fix it' - yes, I would but the parts bill including all gaskets, stretch bolts etc., to do it properly is going to be £200 or so and I'm not interested in the car enough neither is it worth spending this money (and the time) on something so valueless (I was going to move it on soon anyway). Yes, I can possibly just fit a new H/G but from what I've learnt about them, K-series motors need to be fixed properly & do not take kindly to shortcuts/bodging so the problem will soon return and I CBA to waste time doing this for the above reasons. (If it were an A-series then no bother, a mornings work, we wouldn't be even discussing it). 

[BorniteIdentity]

 

Probably a rather retorical question in my opinion but do any of these miracle-cure products actually work in the real world? All the general vibe on various sites etc indicates minimal success overall, leading me to believe they are a waste of time & money.

 

Reason I ask is that the Rover 214 has done the usual K-series thing and started to do its H/G, not too badly as its not getting into either the oil (clean, no mayo) or the engine (no 'washed' plugs or exhaust steam) but is getting oil into the coolant, a HGF tester I used showed no exhaust reaction.

 

It goes fine and has done for the last 1500mls and to be honest I'm content to run it to destruction or MoT expiry (end July) whichever comes first but if someone can suggest a product that will help, I'll give it a try.

 

Before anyone says 'Fix it' - yes, I would but the parts bill including all gaskets, stretch bolts etc., to do it properly is going to be £200 or so and I'm not interested in the car enough neither is it worth spending this money (and the time) on something so valueless (I was going to move it on soon anyway). Yes, I can possibly just fit a new H/G but from what I've learnt about them, K-series motors need to be fixed properly & do not take kindly to shortcuts/bodging so the problem will soon return and I CBA to waste time doing this for the above reasons. (If it were an A-series then no bother, a mornings work, we wouldn't be even discussing it). 

 

 

I had a great result with Tec2000 Stop Leak on a K series.

 

You can get it on ebay - mine held out for 10,000 miles before starting to go again.  Another bottle went in and worked AGAIN before the car sailed off into the sunset with someone else at the wheel.

[Bobthebeard]

Not in my experience. Something Almost Always Broken

If you want an estate, buy a Volvo.

Not having ever had a Volvo I can't comment. However a properly sorted Saab 9-5 can be pretty reliable and cover vast mileages. Properly sorted being serviced regularly with fully synthetic oil and sump drop and clean/breather system upgraded.

[Felly Magic]

Could a shiter do us a check on a Cat D motor I'm interested in? It's reg is Y373FHJ, it's a Skoda Fabia mk1 in green, thanks muchly ta

[oldcars]

I have tyres on the 75, 6 months and the edges of the front ones have little cracks on them. Set on the caravan that sits and are 3 years old are like new. Any ideas why?

[sierraman]

Avons really prone to cracking.

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Yup, I fitted both the silver Laguna and Mrs DC's Yaris with new Avons all round a few years back, as they were 'premium' tyres on special offer at our local independent fast-fit.

 

They had to be replaced long before the tread wore down, due to horrendous sidewall cracking.

 

Never again.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

If you look at the car in the pic the number plate plinths are the same; painting rear panels black makes them at least 5.83mph faster as eni fule kno.

 

 

 Agreed (like the Molesworth ref btw) - having been around at the time, it was very popular to paint things matt black in places - see also Brabham Viva, BAC 1-11 etc

 

 

I painted the rear panel on the 635 matt black and it became more unreliable. 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

I have tyres on the 75, 6 months and the edges of the front ones have little cracks on them. Set on the caravan that sits and are 3 years old are like new. Any ideas why?

 

Dunlops crack really early too along the tread. It's the only thing that will put me off them really. 

[PiperCub]

I had a great result with Tec2000 Stop Leak on a K series.

 

You can get it on ebay - mine held out for 10,000 miles before starting to go again.  Another bottle went in and worked AGAIN before the car sailed off into the sunset with someone else at the wheel.

 

Well looked that up on ebay - for £8, WTF - I'll give it a go. Might cure the slight weep in the corner of the rad too!

[Mr A Lawrence]

Lad passed his test and as usual is getting arse raped trying to insure cheap car such as a corsa 1.2.

 

2k plus which is frightening! 

 

Question is......

 

I've just had a quote for a 2004 corsa with him as a named driver for £880. 

 

I have full ncb but in the quote I left it at zero. 

 

Is it possible to do that?

 

I want to help him out but don't want to buy him a cheap car so a substantial discount on his insurance would be better.

[AMC Rebel]

It depends.  Pretending it's your car that you will drive most and he's only using occasionally is called fronting and is frowned upon.  

 

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/money-made-easy/why-fronting-for-your-child-could-cost-you-dear/

 

If you are being 100% straight about what is happening can't see the harm.

 

My partner's daughter has a 1.2 Corsa - insurance was cheap (by current outrageous standards for learners) as she has a black box fitted.

[Guest Hooli]

Tried it the other way, ie add you as a named driver?

You can do it your way, but then you earn a second NCD (with luck) and he doesn't. Of course a lot of companies now ask who is the main driver & once you admit it's him the policy goes back to much the same level as in his name.

[Kiltox]

It’s really dodgy to do that these days (how often do you really drive that Corsa sir?) plus if he has a smash YOU’LL need to declare to insurers at renewals for any of your polices - YOU will have had a claim (so will he)

 

Source - crashed my mum’s car 5 days after passing my test. Got shit about her increased insurance premiums for AGES.

[666jjp]

is there a way to find out what made a particular vehicle a CAT C.

I am looking at a freelander on our favourite auction site that says 'previous cat c' but cannot see anything obvious in the pics.

[omegod]

Try googling the reg number, sometimes brings up salvage for sale pics

[omegod]

Just advertised a fiesta on ebay classified and facebook marketplace, is autotrader worth a go these days ? I don't think I can contemplate gumtree at the mo as fuse is quite short 

[Dave_Q]

Had some success on auto trader with sub £1000 heaps (therefore free), not sure if I would pay though.

[New POD]

Can we have a NEW NEWs 24 thread VOLUME 2 thread, cause the current one is too many pages.  

Ditto Ebay Tat Volume 3 - can we move to Volume 4

[New POD]

Just advertised a fiesta on ebay classified and facebook marketplace, is autotrader worth a go these days ? I don't think I can contemplate gumtree at the mo as fuse is quite short 

 

I sold a perfect Astra 1.6 54 reg a couple of years back on gumtree. Priced right with no particular faults and 12 months MOT with an honest advert, I had the perfect buyer in 2 days and at least 2 other people disappointed.

[dave21478]

Can we have a NEW NEWs 24 thread VOLUME 2 thread, cause the current one is too many pages.  

Ditto Ebay Tat Volume 3 - can we move to Volume 4

Aye calm down, Satan. After the recent conniptions over renaming one thread, you want to change two popular ones?  I can just imagine the reactions.

[New POD]

Aye calm down, Satan. After the recent conniptions over renaming one thread, you want to change two popular ones?  I can just imagine the reactions.

 

I'll take it as a no.

[HillmanImp]

I don't get the too many pages thing. I only look at the last few. Does it take longer to load on some systems or something?

 

I wouldn't mind a 'foreign ebay tat' thread though. I have to say I don't like the mix of both and we are getting a lot of them on the tat thread these days but am not sure what everyone else thinks. 

 

I like the foreign ones but would prefer to peruse them in a foreign thread.

[Guest Hooli]

So a Scottish ebay thread then?

[New POD]

Lad passed his test and as usual is getting arse raped trying to insure cheap car such as a corsa 1.2.

 

2k plus which is frightening! 

 

Question is......

 

I've just had a quote for a 2004 corsa with him as a named driver for £880. 

 

I have full ncb but in the quote I left it at zero. 

 

Is it possible to do that?

 

I want to help him out but don't want to buy him a cheap car so a substantial discount on his insurance would be better.

 

Oh beware being accused of fronting :

 

When my daughter (aged 17) passed her test she had been learning to drive in my wife's BINI cooper, and we wanted to add her as a named driver. Initially they declined then eventually it was an Extra £2000, after I threatened Aviva with moving all 3 cars and house insurance to another vender. 

They were not happy that my wife had a second car she could use (the MX5), when my daughter was using the BINI, but as wife had had 2 cars for more than a couple of years they were persuaded that the BINI wasn't bought just so daughter could have a car.  I was very aware of being accused of fronting, and this all meant that my daughter couldn't ever use it for college, or for attending any work placements.

For the last 8 months, she's had her own insurance with us as named drivers, but the keeper is still my wife.  There was some phone discussions with the insurer which were followed up by email, before taking out the policy.  Where is car kept? 26 weeks of the year - L37 26 weeks of the year Cardiff.

Is she using it to get to university ? No - she's using it to drive to her rented house close (1 mile) to university and she walks because parking is expensive and it would take longer in a car.

You need to pick a car that only giffers would drive, that never get crashed - like a Honda jazz, or something equally unfashionable to young people. A 1.2 corsa is probably the most likely car to be in accident.

[The Moog]

I don't get the too many pages thing. I only look at the last few. Does it take longer to load on some systems or something?

 

I wouldn't mind a 'foreign ebay tat' thread though. I have to say I don't like the mix of both and we are getting a lot of them on the tat thread these days but am not sure what everyone else thinks.

 

I like the foreign ones but would prefer to peruse them in a foreign thread.

Why not start one? Or ask whoever started the Bulgarian one to rename it to be foreign Tat

[3VOM]

SVM?

How do you remove the centre console cubby box armrest thing in a 960 to get to the handbrake adjustment? One website says there's a panel in the bottom of the storage with two screws behind it, others are talking about clips and screws behind ashtray which I can't see.