Ask a Shiter

[Sigmund Fraud]

You will need a sphere removal tool and a large, no, fucking huge hammer to shift them.

 

I've always used a chisel instead of the sphere tool, but then again I've never intended to re-use the spheres. Absolutely agreed on the hammer, the bigger the better.

[TimothyClaypole]

What Ah battery should my Astra have in it?

 

2003, 1.7 CDTI Estate etc.

 

It has some naff looking 56Ah in it which went flat Saturday, I've charged it back up and ordered a new battery tray after snapping the retaining bolt off using my arms of steel but want to

get a new one then I know it's not knackered when it's -18 o C outside etc.

[red5]

70Ah  if my memory serves me correctly.

[willswitchengage]

I'm in Reading but will be driving to Yorkshire at xmas, so anywhere in between. Will self change suit a spaz? I just wanted a garage to minimise the chances of things going wrong (I'd want all five doing).

[Spiny Norman]

What type or brand of anti freeze is dark green?

The Merc's coolant tank is a solid black and while I've checked the level often enough I've never actually taken some out and examined it, and it turns out it's a colour I've never seen before.

It's a dark green, about the colour of some washing up liquids, way darker than the almost luminous greeny-yellow stuff you get and it's not blue,a nd I don't think it's a mix of the two either. It's quite clear, not at all cloudy, and tastes very strong, I think it's quite recent.

[Station]

Green antifreeze is high in silicates which causes cavitation (abnormal wear) to the water passages in aluminium blocks, cylinder heads, radiator, water-pump impellers, bearings and seals. 

 

Your silicate laden antifreeze will turn black eventually *if you have an aluminium block, cylinder head, water-pump and radiator. *No modern Japanese cars come from the factory with green silicate antifreeze! 

 

 

Are you sure the coolant reservoir isn't just grimy? Probably worth a change as winter comes, I don't think coolant comes in dark green?

[Spiny Norman]

Cheers, I saw that quote as well, but dismissed it as bollox because it came from Yahoo Answers...

 

The AF was changed just before I got the car a couple of years ago and there's no evidence of any contamination, it looks very clean and 'new'.

I don't think it needs changed, just curious to know was what brand it might be to top it up should it ever be necessary. (Hasn't yet in 2 years of ownership)

Bit of Googling just now suggests Motorcraft stuff is that colour so maybe that's it.

[cobblers]

So my van is sorned and has no MOT, but it's insured. If I park it on the road outside my house while I change the wheels (drive is too steep to jack it up) and the plod drive past and ANPR pings up, what'll I end up copping for?

 

I'm asking on here because someone has bound to have done similar in practice.

[KruJoe]

No tax or MOT.

 

Just trap an old rag in the bonnet, and bootlid/back wiper to partly cover the plates. Easy.

[Pillock]

Won't the cops get a bit suss that you've deliberately covered the plates up?

 

I'd be surprised if you got a fine, if you were actively working on it for a very short time. Just don't leave it out there.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Can you park it up against something like another car or a tree? Just to innocently obscure the plates in a non obvious way. 

[HillmanImp]

Can you park it up against something like another car or a tree? Just to innocently obscure the plates in a non obvious way. 

 

[cobblers]

I'll put another car in front of it and leave the oil filler flap down which'll obscure the back number plate. Makes sense I suppose.. Nobody dob me in, I'm not going down the line for this.

[Angrydicky]

I have vague recollections of the DVLA announcing, maybe a year or so ago, that soon owners of historic cars could apply to have their registration numbers made non-transferable. Does anyone know what came of this?

[Angrydicky]

Another question. I really need to get a unit to store my cars in, and am thinking of going halves on one with a friend. Would this be exempt from business rates? It's being hawked as commercial property, but is on a farm - currently being used as a vineyard.

 

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-to-let/property-39847366.html

[Jim Bell]

If it's zoned as a commercial property, buisness rates tend to apply, even if you're not running a buisness. Though I would check with the agent.

Makes finding decent storage for shite quite difficult.

[panhard65]

At the moment we still have small business rates relief and haven't had to pay any rates for the last few years. It does depend on square footage though. You do have to ask for it though as most councils try not to publisise that it is available to all small businesses

[trigger]

Just thinking aloud here but what are old car magazines worth?, I thinking of selling on my collection 

 

They take a lot of space up in my garage and I'd sooner collect car brochures now, I have pretty much every issue of CAR from 1966, 1000's of Motor and Autocar mags from 1955 to 2000ish and quite a few What Car? mags. I hate to think what they owe me!

 

I still need to make up my mind but all I seem to do with them is buy them, read them once, scan the tests to Flickr and then stick them in the garage, they I can get a decent amount of money back for them then I'd be tempted.

[Felly Magic]

You thought about a free advert in the back of Craptical Plastics & other such mags Trigger? Count roughly how many mags there are, set your self a price each per mag, and have a crack. It won't cost you owt, so what do you have to lose?

[trigger]

I'd sooner sell the lot as a job lot I think, I must have 2-3000 magazines, if not more now, I need to have a count up really.

[Wilko220]

If you've got that many, what about a stall at an autojumble, or classic car show? Might be worth a shot...

[trigger]

That's a thought, The trouble is I hate the thought of people damaging them whilst looking thou them on the stall or getting made stupid offers on them!

[Felly Magic]

I know you probably wouldn't get as much, but you are going to the NEC, there are bound to be traders who would probably buy the whole lot off you in one go, and pick them up from Trigger Towers. so have a chat with a few there, can't hurt doing that either

[Timewaster]

Who would buy 3000 magazines in one lot?

 

Only you Trig, and you already own them!

[trigger]

That's the trouble!

[tooSavvy]

... driving down the A1 today.... totally random 'Beappppp' from the dash and the RED CIRCLE with ! in the centre (handbrake/brake fluid) comes on, for about 5 seconds, then goes.

 

Nothing else.... and the van is 6months old and brake fluid is up to mark. Caddy 1.6Tdi

 

Only 14k so not, surely, a disc/pad wear light??

 

EDIT* I'm waiting for AA atm... wheres the brake fluid gone

 

Bit of a shock .... and totally unlike staring at that poor pheasant running right to left, our eyes met for a second, as it disappered under the front n/s wheel...OOH SO close!! poor sod........

 

tooSavvy

[Station]

The person who 'bought' my Impreza on ebay. I came to leave him bad feedback (ie neutral due to ebay's bizarre feedback system). It left him positive (FFS). Can I revert this, or shall I instead attempt to withdraw blood from the nearest stone?

[The Moog]

I have put an offer on a place out in the country. it is an ex farm cottage so about a mile up rutted tracks to get to it. Would a xantia with decent winter tyres be up to the task especially in omgsnokaos? or should I plump for a 4 x 4.

 

My missus has got a job with 10 mile commute as a CFO, so not getting to work isn't an option.

[Lacquer Peel]

My Xantia with part worn Kumho winter tyres was great in the snow.

[MrDuke]

Can't comment on snow, but mine deals with farm tracks admirably, clearance is good and it soaks up more rough stuff than you'd think.

 

Unless you live on an actual farm, and have to drive across fields, decent tyres are a far better investment than a 4x4 - maybe worth getting a spare set of steelies with proper snow tyres 'just in case'.