Ask a Shiter

[skattrd]

I was considering saying fuck it and buying a Porsche recently, but then I got a bit more sensible and bought a fast Volvo instead.

It's probably making me grin as much as a Porka would but I've spent a lot less money.

 

I'd say go for it if you must, but be sensible about it and get a car that should sell easily should you want/need the money for something else.

[xtriple]

I did it. So I say..... think hard before hand, weigh up the pros and cons and then go do it! But not a 996 as they are supposed to be the ones that blow up and cost several fortunes to rebuild.

 

They don't give a warning either!

[andrew e]

All cars blow up, just get it bought!

[spike60]

Is possible to a door lock barrel changed to fit the original car key?

I have bought a new handle with lock for the Audi [only need the lock] and its come with a new key.

I only really want 1 key and didn't know if it was easy/quick/cheap to do?

Does it involve the little cams and springs in the barrel?

Did you get the lock from Audi or is it Ebay tat? If it's aftermarket the key is likely a different design, no chance of ever fitting,. I asked Merc recently about an ignition barrel for an 80's S class to fit my existing key. No problem, that'll be £82 says Merc. I now have 2 different keys.

[Sigmund Fraud]

The question is should I blow all my meagre savings on a porky Porsche (996 Flavour) and say Fock the world? If I do this I'll have nothing in the rainy day fund.

 

Don't do it !

 

A work colleague recently bought himself a Boxster for £peanuts, so I did some homework on them to see if he had really gotten a bargain. As you would expect, he didn't.

 

The M96/97 engines have the kind of design/manufacture problems that you would expect from an early '00s Renault : leaky seals, exploding bearings, cracking cylinder liners.

 

The difference is that you won't get a used, running Porsche engine for 99p on ebay. We're talking a couple of thousand pounds as a minimum, and nothing tells you that the new engine won't blow up in a week's time.

 

You can get some fairly decent "midlife crisis" cars for under £1K, and most of them can be run on an AS budget. A 996 will cost £8-10K to buy, won't be any more fun to drive and can go wrong in some very expensive ways. Plus, people will think you're a tosser.

[gm]

I've owned a couple of Porsche 944s, neither made me as happy as my mk1 mx5 - test drive one of those and try not to smile

 

rough examples are around for a few hundred, mint condition fresh imports are currently available for £4-6k

[Lacquer Peel]

My friend's 1999 Merc C250 turbo diesel is overheating, it sounds like the coolant is grim and the heater matrix is blocked. What's the best way to flush these things? The plug on the bottom of the radiator won't come out but could I just pull the bottom hose off the radiator?

[dave21478]

That will drain it fine, but oif you flush it with a hosepipe you ideally want the thermostat out.

[Lacquer Peel]

The coolant is pretty disgusting, but the radiator looks newish and ran clear after 30 seconds, we removed the thermostat, which tested okay in the pan of boiling water, put everything back together without the 'stat, flushed it again, refilled with water, but the heater's still running cold and it overheats. No oil in water or vice versa.

 

Could it be a bust impeller on the water pump? It's plastic apparently.

[skattrd]

Do the pipes get hot all round the engine LP?

[Lacquer Peel]

Do the pipes get hot all round the engine LP?

 

Not as hot as I'd expect, that's why the water pump seems likely.

[dave21478]

Water pump sounds like a possibility. Is there a way to flush just the heater matrix....easily accessible feed and return pipes?

[Lacquer Peel]

I think so, there are heater matrix-y looking pipes near the bulkhead but it's dark and pissing it down for the umpteenth day in a row.

[phil_lihp]

I've an odd problem with the Rover 214, when started from cold it catches straight away but then the revs drop instantly to almost stalling, then pick up to a fast idle (about 1200RPM).  The idle then slowly drops to about 1000RPM as it warms up.  Revving the engine causes the revs to drop back to about 1200 before sinking back to 1000.  Pulling away from cold it tends to bog down and feels reluctant for a couple of minutes and gradually improves as it warms up.

 

This all seems rather odd and makes it sound a bit frantic, plus it's not ideal when parking.  I'm also fairly sure it's not running 100% smoothly at idle, the exhaust note has a slight hint of a misfire about it although it has new plugs, leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm and pulls really well with no hint of a misfire in normal driving.

 

It runs slightly cold and I have a new thermostat to go in as soon as I get time but I can't see this having an impact.

 

It's done 85,000 miles and had a new head gasket in the recent past apparently, I've seen reports of issues like this caused by the timing being one tooth out, is there a way to tell if that was the case?  I am doubtful if it's this though as it drives really well in all other respects.

 

My other suspicion is the idle control valve, if I unplug it at cold idle it makes absolutely no difference but I'm not sure if it should!  I might pull it apart to see if it needs a clean as per Vulgalour's 414 thread.

 

Any thoughts?

[Crusty Sills]

Did you get the lock from Audi or is it Ebay tat? If it's aftermarket the key is likely a different design, no chance of ever fitting,. I asked Merc recently about an ignition barrel for an 80's S class to fit my existing key. No problem, that'll be £82 says Merc. I now have 2 different keys.

Yep Ebay shite, thought about calling Audi but me thinks it will be more than I care to spend, which is as little as possible!

So I'm thinking I will enjoy 2 keys as well.

[cort16]

With those water cooled boxer porsches most of the engine failures will have happened if it's going to happen. The cranks seal is a definite issue and is categorised under  "they all do that', which is pretty shit given the original cost of the car and porsches supposed reputation for quality. They do seem quite fragile. I guess it's down to it being their first water cooled range of boxer engines. I'd risk 3 grand on a boxer but 10-12 grand on a 996. I'm not sure. I'd take the safe bet and buy a Maserati GT.

[artdjones]

I don't keep up with modern motor cars, so one of the many things I need explaining is the Vaneo. I'm assuming that it wasn't a great success but can't fathom why they bothered to make the thing; I'm guessing it was hopelessly out of its depth, not least because of its name. I'm not remotely interested in owning one, just nosey.

I hired one for three days in Germany in 2006.It was horrible.High revving , no power and high fuel consumption. Ironically I only got it because I'd ordered a Focus with satnav,and they gave it to me as an upgrade* as it was the only car with navigation they had.

[cros]

I looked at new price, can't fathom why anyone would have bought it. More money than sense probably, same as with that motorised telephone booth they sell.

[cobblers]

My mates parents bought one brand new and traded it in at three weeks old for a 5 year old Rav 4 and put money towards the deal.

[scdan4]

It appears I'm going to be paint spraying soon, so I need to buy a gravity fed conventional or air assisted airless spraygun of reasonable quality and capacity. Does anyone have any recommendations as i no nuttin.

 

I'll also need a compressor (hurrah, finally, no workshop is complete without etc) but am assuming i'll either (probably) get a second hand one on fleabay or (probably not) just go to machine mart and buy one with a warranty.

 

All advice received gratefully.

[cros]

My mates parents bought one brand new and traded it in at three weeks old for a 5 year old Rav 4 and put money towards the deal.[/quote

 

That must have tightened the old sphincter muscles.

[steveo3002]

whats the score with scrap cars these days ?

 

will shortly have a mk4 polo minus its engine and any nice bits ...will someone take it away and pay me , or will have to pay them ?

 

what sort of moneys are we talking either way 

[D Spares & Tyres]

Worth £20 if you take it in

 

If you are near a scrappie you may get free collection but doubt they will pay you anything

[steveo3002]

right so i cant tow it or drive it ....what will a local ish place charge to hiab it away?

 

or i guess i could offer it on ebay for 99p?

[Des]

Drag it to the kerb where it becomes your local councils problem.

[Bobthebeard]

The offside dipped headlamp on the daily Honda Accord has suddenly decided to blow bulbs. On the third bulb in a month now. Not poundland bulbs either, three different types of decent makes. Have been careful fitting them. Not touched the bulb with bare fingers etc...

Any ideas?

[Lacquer Peel]

whats the score with scrap cars these days ?

 

will shortly have a mk4 polo minus its engine and any nice bits ...will someone take it away and pay me , or will have to pay them ?

 

what sort of moneys are we talking either way

Does it have the pre-facelift dashboard? I could find a home for the gearstick gaiter, headlight switch and wiper stalk.

[steveo3002]

Does it have the pre-facelift dashboard? I could find a home for the gearstick gaiter, headlight switch and wiper stalk.

will report back at a later date ...

[HillmanImp]

whats the score with scrap cars these days ?

 

will shortly have a mk4 polo minus its engine and any nice bits ...will someone take it away and pay me , or will have to pay them ?

 

what sort of moneys are we talking either way 

 

I put a washing machine outside the house at 10pm last night and by 7.30 this morning it had gone so someone is still colecting.

 

However, I was speaking to the chap who came to mend ours the other day  and he says he goes around picking up washing machines and mends them so it might have been someone fancying their chances there (they will have been dissapointed it was well borked)*.

 

 

*EDIT* I just thought, it might have been him that said it was borked and has popped back to pick it up for free and fix it up.

 

*DOUBLE EDIT* Actually if he had wanted it we would've probably just let him take it so if he was talking bollocks he could've just taken it there and then anyway so it probably is borked.

[Cavcraft]

On my 306 both dipped beams work fine, but when I use the headlight 'flasher' or switch to main beam, the dipped bulb on the nearside goes out and the main beam on the offside illuminates.

WTF? Because French? I did wonder whether one of the bulbs has different (wrong) soldered bits at the bottom or was in wrong somehow. Any thoughts, please?