Ask a Shiter

[sierraman]

Any thoughts on this or could it be something else. Astra Diesel 2004 1.7 DTi, oil lights on but enough oil in it. I’ve suggested it’s probably the pressure switch, hasn’t had the oil dropped in several years so that won’t have helped so to do that as well. Oil will be about the consistency of Marmite... I said you’d be as well scraping it out with something blunt than draining it.

[Talbot]

What has anyone used successfully in the past to clean up UV degraded Polycarbonate headlamps?  The Mercedes of Doom has failed it's ticket, significantly on headlamp beam pattern and reduced light output, which is a bit of a ball-ache.

[Tickman]

What has anyone used successfully in the past to clean up UV degraded Polycarbonate headlamps?  The Mercedes of Doom has failed it's ticket, significantly on headlamp beam pattern and reduced light output, which is a bit of a ball-ache.

I used the Meguires kit from Halfords but basically sandpaper of many grades and finish off with a polish like G3 should be the same as that is what the kit is. (or something like that)

[sierraman]

I used Autosol. About £3 from hardware shop, if it’s really bad it might want some 1200 wet and dry then something a bit more abrasive. You can get these kits for £15 but I’m a tightwad so resorted to the cheaper stuff and it worked. Took quite a while though.

[Guest Hooli]

Didn't someone on here do that job with toothpaste?

[Snipes]

Rot like you would not beleive on a car so modern.

 

The last proper BMWs were the E36 and E39.

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

 

E36s rot worse than anything and I use to be into Opel Mantas and old Nissans. Much better looking than an '46 IMO though. Plus Joe Winklehock;

 

[Kiltox]

Didn't someone on here do that job with toothpaste?

Regularly. Used to buy entire boxes of Tesco value toothpaste when I was trading.

[DodgeRover]

Didn't someone on here do that job with toothpaste?

Toothpaste or Farecla cutting compound works fine, but you really need the sealing stuff to polish it with to stop it being as bad again in 3 months

[Kiltox]

I offered a Cavcraft Certified warranty so that wasn’t much of a concern

[Stanky]

Yeah, the Toyota got a seeing to with Autosol and a foam pad in my drill, it improved things massively but ~6 months on and its noticably regressing. Whatever you need to seal it against future yellowing is worthwhile.

 

have a look at my fixerating thread for details of what I did - 90% fine but needs something to stop it returning.

[Bobthebeard]

Car wash question.

Our local auto car wash place has been refitted and upgraded. Special offer £1.70 for 'wash1' which is pretty basic but includes a spray of the car and wheels first. So decided to give it a go, as the Saab was very grubby. The chap lanced the whole car over from some sort of portable pump thing then off through the car wash.

The result was astonishing. ALL the baked on brake dust and general crud gone from the wheels, (crud that I could never completely remove by hand washing and using aerosol wheel cleaner) plus the car has never looked so clean and shiny. Not even when I painstakingly hand washed and polished it after purchasing from Barry Cade of this place almost a year ago....

Stupid question is, clearly some kind of fairly aggressive chemical cleaner must be involved. Is it likely to be so aggressive that it actually damages the alloy wheels and or the paintwork long term? No idea what the chemical is, but it works effectively and quickly. Too good to be true?

[Guest Hooli]

TFR.

 

Traffic Film Remover.

[Bobthebeard]

TFR.

 

Traffic Film Remover.

Assumed that was the stuff used, but also have heard that TFR is, or can be, very aggressive and actually damage alloy etc if used often. What is it? Some sort of acid or alkaline solution I assume?

[Guest Hooli]

No idea but most dealers I know of use it. Spray it on, wait a few mins & wash off. I don't think much of the car likes it staying on long term.

[Lacquer Peel]

Van insurance. Is it possible to get SDP&C cover with business use? I can't find any combinations that suit my current circumstances, which is commuting with a little business use (<1000 miles per year).

It'd be fine if it was my own business but it isn't.

[steveo3002]

you can get tfr in alsorts of grades of angryness , plus it comes neat and can be diluted to whatever taste you want

 

gets used by most places , but see what it can do to a solid red painted car 

[dave21478]

Van insurance. Is it possible to get SDP&C cover with business use? I can't find any combinations that suit my current circumstances, which is commuting with a little business use (<1000 miles per year).

It'd be fine if it was my own business but it isn't.

 

I believe Direct Line can do this. They used to at any rate.

[oldcars]

Assumed that was the stuff used, but also have heard that TFR is, or can be, very aggressive and actually damage alloy etc if used often. What is it? Some sort of acid or alkaline solution I assume?

Horrible stuff. Some folk use it i hate it. Mate has a paintshop and i have seen the state some cars come in that this stuff is used on a lot. Stains and marks trim and alloy wheels, and etches paint too. 

[DodgeRover]

TFR does the job it's supposed to do, strips of oil/ wax/ tar etc. you need to replace the oil/ wax etc after using it, unless you run a lorry.

[Lacquer Peel]

I believe Direct Line can do this. They used to at any rate.

Sort of, it's either business use or SDP&C but it seems to cover business use other than my own.

[captain_70s]

I've bought twin high/low horns for the Doloshite, because priorities.

 

Hows best to wire these up? Can I wire them in a series live to live, ground to ground or will I need to split the wires in advance?

[Guest Hooli]

Parallel is best, so they both get the full voltage.

 

I'd use the original horn feed to run a relay & then feed the horns from there.

[DVee8]

Is there anyway of finding old no claims bonus for a motor policy from around 10 years ago?

10 years ago the in-laws had 2 cars,A Xantia and a  Proton mpi auto.

They then dropped to 1 car,now the are looking to go back to two cars.

MiL thinks she won't have any NCB, She still should isn't it just suspended/paused?

She also can't remember who she was insured with is there any way of finding out,back tracking?

Any ideas..

[Guest Hooli]

Most insurers won't accept it after two or three years (depends on the company). What they should have done (too late now I know) is swapped who's name the single car was insured on every year so both their NCDs stayed live.

 

Mind you, as they are both on a policy with full NCD a lot of insurers will offer a discount equivalent to that in my experience. Or maybe they could go multicar & use their existing NCD on both cars? I'm not sure how that works though.

[The Moog]

Is there anyway of finding old no claims bonus for a motor policy from around 10 years ago?

10 years ago the in-laws had 2 cars,A Xantia and a  Proton mpi auto.

They then dropped to 1 car,now the are looking to go back to two cars.

MiL thinks she won't have any NCB, She still should isn't it just suspended/paused?

She also can't remember who she was insured with is there any way of finding out,back tracking?

Any ideas..

 

Normally only lasts for 2 years off a car so will be expired.  Some may take into account that you had it previously, obviously better if go through broker for that. 

[Kiltox]

Anyone used Hertz 24/7 for van rental? (The vans they have at Ikea / B&Q that you rent by the hour)

 

Interested to hear how it worked out - looks useful.

[oldcars]

Where has Cavcraft gone, not seen posts for a while. Come back please 

[The Moog]

Anyone used Hertz 24/7 for van rental? (The vans they have at Ikea / B&Q that you rent by the hour)

 

Interested to hear how it worked out - looks useful.

Yes. Easy to use all digital and can be booked from App.

 

Myself and Bucketeer availed the services of one to move sheets of plasterboard etc.

[The Moog]

Where has Cavcraft gone, not seen posts for a while. Come back please

As been mentioned elsewhere he is just having a small break.

 

Barbara Cartland Dog is on a Christmas book signing tour so he is driving her around in a ropey red transit with copies of her latest thriller "Viva las Transit- an in-depth view of the rise and fall of Griffin badged motoring".

[HH-R]

Is there anything that particularly causes calipers to stick? I usually get this problem with every car I own, regardless of age or make. I used to blame it on doing sub 5k miles a year and braking lightly but I do 20 miles a day minimum 5 days out of 7 now and it still happens.

 

I get the car serviced every 6k, am I doing anything wrong? Still cleaning the stains off the seat from today when my front brake was binding on and I didn't know until it was like trying to brake on black ice. One front wheel was red hot so I'm assuming it's binding on.