Ask a Shiter

[Tayne]

I've checked and a '98 dHSE is a ltd edition (the DHSE became a production model at the end of '99) or someone's been playing silly buggers.

 

Look for lots of wood (including the window switch panel) that all matches.

[Pete-M]

I realise the infinite number of variables in play here, but...

 

Range Rover 2.5DHSE auto, 98S, 186k, rebuilt motor, newish suspension bags, generally good nick - is £1800 fair?

 

I thank you.

 

No. The 2.5 diseasel 'powered' Rangie is an utterly gutless p.o.s and an insult to the Range Rover badge. That engine has issues pulling an Omega Estate along, add 600kg and 4wd and it's a recipe for disaster. They're normally all knackered by 100k anyway.

 

Check airbags, heater matrix leaks, electrical faults, the list goes on with P38s. 4.6s are lovely when they work, but that's pretty rare, which is why a good late Classic is worth quite a bit more than a P38. As the Classic was built for 25 years by half blind Brummies this kinda shows how badly they cocked up with the P38. Great idea, terribly executed. Heater matrices leak from a little 50p rubber grommet. It's a case of 12 hours to remove the dash to replace it if you don't want to take a chance with a circular saw trying to bodge a fresh one in. Then about eight hours to replace the dash afterwards. K-seal doesn't work.... tried that.

 

If you cannot afford / don't want a V8 one, don't buy one. Simples. That diesel BMW lump should never have been fitted to 'em.

 

I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee with LPG for less, and it'll do 90% of what the Range Rover does with 20% of the grief.

 

Oh, by the way, I adore Range Rovers, but the P38 is the one I'd avoid. Especially after owning one.

[Tayne]

I really, really, really hate diesels.

 

My one was fast enough ( i suspect it may have been chipped) and could touch 30mpg on a good day, the fact that this one is still going with this mileage means it stands a chance of being reasonable.

 

The p38s have a few faults (yes, I forgot about the heater o rings) but there almost all an easy fix making the car a bit of a bargain.

 

A diesel p38 is the ultimate autoshite Range Rover.

[barefoot]

 

 

Cars like the Beetle have vents on the floor, which do the square root of fuck all in the cold

 

Indeed. Anyone who's ever spent more than an hour or so on a winters day riding in the back of an old Type 2 will confirm that VW really didn't know jack shit about warmth in those days.

 

Air cooled Porsche 911s, on the other hand, have furnaces hidden somewhere. Heaters on those things are immense.

 

Type 2 heaters are pants - you can buy booster fans to blow the heat through further/warmer/quicker but still pants.

Type 1, if looked after, are amazing. They have heater channels - hollow sills - so the entire inner sill gives out warmth, and the vents at the front get red hot. I had a pair of Airwalk trainers with a melted side where I'd left the heating on in my 1303, driven to Newquay, and wondered what the smell was.

 

Sadly in any VW, the heat exchangers are pricey so it's one of the first things to get junked in a "restoration".

 

 

Sorry to be so late responding to this,

 

911 heaters are brilliant because the heat exchangers are made by Porsche,

My old Trabant had an amazing heat exchanger, because it was made by Sachenring

VW T2 heat exchangers are shit because they are reproduction parts made in Brazil where its not cold

and they don't get it & miss out half of the fins to save money - I hate trying to buy new bits for old air-cooled.

 

Here's my SFQ; where do I post all the pictures of the shite I've seen like todays Uno

 

 

& the two Chrysler Neons I saw in the same street as a Strada?

[M'coli]

^^^Start your own spotting thread!

[Pete-M]

I really, really, really hate diesels.

 

Not true. I'm not a huge fan of diesels, but the BMW 2.5 in a Rangie just doesn't work for me. Rangies should be quiet, comfy and refined, the P38 diesel is none of those things.

 

Some cars are great as diesels. V6 TDi Skoda Superbs are great. TDV8 Range Rovers are great. Even the S-type Jag diesel ain't bad. Xantias should pretty much all be turbodieseasel engined. Transits sound wrong if they're not diesel. Merc V6 diesels are acceptable.

 

I think it's mainly to do with the fact that the petrol P38s are so good, and the P38 diesel is so bloody awful. LPG is the way to run a Rangie if you're too skint to fuel one with petrol. Don't ruin the whole experience by running a gutless diesel one instead.

 

PS - I do between 1000-1500 miles a week in diesels.

[CreepingJesus]

Has anybody used this site - BuyPartsBy, and were they ok? Also, what online tyre suppliers have any of you used, that you rated well?

[Richard]

Has anybody used this site - BuyPartsBy, and were they ok? Also, what online tyre suppliers have any of you used, that you rated well?

 

I've used Buypartsby and they seem pretty good. I have only bought tyres online once and it was from Kwikfit. They are as cheap as anybody if you pay online, you print out a receipt and take it to your nominated branch. I was ready for a fight about them finding "dangerous faults" on the car but they just fitted the tyres.

[CreepingJesus]

^Thanks for that; I was impressed by the range of parts available, to the extent that I had a 'too good to be true' moment! I'd rather have an idea they were trustworthy before I go lashing my hard-earned.

[Tayne]

I've bought tyres from BlackCircles, their local fitter was a place I didn't know existed but I was very impressed when the torque wrench came out and the nuts were put on by hand.

 

Several people at work bought winter tyres from MyTyres. There were delays but the info was forthcoming and they turned up eventually.

[CreepingJesus]

^Again, thanks for those. Black Circles have a fitter close by, prices seem ok: the MyTyres site doesn't seem to want to play ball tonight! I was kinda hoping that one of them would be the place I've been using lately - they work outdoors in all weathers, do everything by hand/torque bar, and don't mind giving me a minute to inspect the suspension + brakes!

[Tayne]

You can just buy tyres and get your own people to fit them.

[barefoot]

Only bought tyres online once

 

http://www.tyremen.co.uk/index.html - apparently in Hull.

 

Absolutely no complaints, prompt delivery, as described, in stock & cheap.

 

I will use them again.

[CreepingJesus]

^Thanks, that Tyremen site looks promising. Might have to buy some BFG's and a white tyre paint pen...

 

You can just buy tyres and get your own people to fit them.

 

That was what I had in mind. I noticed a while back, that even Kwik-Fit had prices on the menu for customer-supplied tyres. I don't suppose they'd turn down some work, and I'd benefit from the saving.

[myglaren]

^Again, thanks for those. Black Circles have a fitter close by, prices seem ok: the MyTyres site doesn't seem to want to play ball tonight! I was kinda hoping that one of them would be the place I've been using lately - they work outdoors in all weathers, do everything by hand/torque bar, and don't mind giving me a minute to inspect the suspension + brakes!

 

Black Circles is a sister company to Tyrespot.

I found tyres on Black Circles then looked for a nominated fitter - all were Tyrespot.

Went to Tyrespot and got a discount off the Black Circles price when I mentioned it.

[CreepingJesus]

^Again, thanks for the advice. The one down the road from me isn't a Tyrespot - in fact I don't think there are any of those up this way. I do know the guys there, so maybe a quiet word would help

[chaseracer]

Did the site go down for a while about half an hour or so ago?

 

HGF, or did the coil overheat?

 

[hairymel]

Has anybody used this site - BuyPartsBy, and were they ok?

 

not used them for a while , but i have bought shocks , brake discs/pads , wishbones etc and all were good quality .

quick delivery and a fair bit cheaper than my favourite local motor factors also.

[Pillock]

Has anybody used this site - BuyPartsBy, and were they ok?

 

not used them for a while , but i have bought shocks , brake discs/pads , wishbones etc and all were good quality .

quick delivery and a fair bit cheaper than my favourite local motor factors also.

 

WINNER!! I'd forgotten about them, they're a sister company to SAF who are my local motor factors... they've got a deflection pulley for the aux belt on the BMW for £13+vat, EuroCarParts want £32!

[Richard]

It says Sutton Auto Factors on the receipt.

[outlaw118]

I've got a Sony mp3 player (just in case this is important) and want to transfer a tune to use as a ringtone onto the phone.

I haven't got a clue how to do it. Is there an easy way?

How about if I want summat off yootoob - I'm thinking Pork by Mr Weebl.....

[M'coli]

What type of phone is it, and do you have a cable to connect it to the computer?

[outlaw118]

Its a sony ericcson cedar, i can haz usbeee cable.

[M'coli]

Upload the mp3 file onto the computer from the mp3 player. Make sure the handset software is installed on the computer, and use this to store it on to the phone. Or, if the phone has a memory card and you have a memory card reader, copy the mp3 onto the card and install it into the phone.

[Negative Creep]

You don't even need the software installed, just open the phone directory when it's plugged into the computer and put the files in the music section

[barefoot]

Trailer question.

 

I am about to build a trailer.

I keep reading that trailers with an A shaped towing thing, tow better easier than one with just a single straight one.

Can anyone explain why this is, or what difference it makes etc?

[Rocket88]

At a guess, A bracket would be more stable.

[HillmanImp]

Trailer question.

 

I am about to build a trailer.

I keep reading that trailers with an A shaped towing thing, tow better easier than one with just a single straight one.

Can anyone explain why this is, or what difference it makes etc?

 

IIRC car trailors need to be SVA tested these days and cannot be built at home and just taken onto the road. However there is no real way of cheacking when it was built so if anyone ever asks you just say bought it/built it in 2003 or some such twaddle.

 

Onto my own stupid question now. If you have your foot fully depressed on the clutch and its not biting what damage does it do?

[wackywacerwill]

 

Onto my own stupid question now. If you have your foot fully depressed on the clutch and its not biting what damage does it do?

 

Ain't this what make release bearings go all wibbly.

 

A frame makes your trailer less flexi so more stable I reckons. If your building one suspension is worth a thought as wheel bearings last a whole lot longer due to the whole plot not bouncing around so much when unladen or carrying light loads.

[Negative Creep]

 

Onto my own stupid question now. If you have your foot fully depressed on the clutch and its not biting what damage does it do?

 

Ain't this what make release bearings go all wibbly.

 

A frame makes your trailer less flexi so more stable I reckons. If your building one suspension is worth a thought as wheel bearings last a whole lot longer due to the whole plot not bouncing around so much when unladen or carrying light loads.

 

Stretches the clutch cable as well doesn't it? I was taught by my Dad it was bad for the gearbox so I always put it in neutral when at the lights