Project Beko's ZX 1.4 of Temptation - Fin.

[loserone]

Just now, SiC said:

I'm going to be all boring and adult like, but put it in a separate account as savings for if something goes wrong. Especiallyas the ZX looks like it will last at least another year with minimal expenditure. 

This is totally the answer.  Car purchase fund, keep the ZX going for now.

[SiC]

I know you said you're not good with money and tend to spend whatever comes in, but now maybe a good time to start changing for the better with money. A way to escape the trap of the cycle. We all like new shiny things especially short term, but sometimes it's better to help yourself longer term. 

If something happened to your family and you needed to rush up but don't trust the ZX, grab a hire car and do it. That sort of money should easily get one at a moment's notice. 

[Scruffy Bodger]

As a free test to see if the gear linkages are really worn and are the source of the jangling/dodgy gear shift try popping one of them off, get a foil crisp packet and place it over the ball joint and pop it back on. If really bad you may need to double it up. This bodge can last a couple of months and will tighten up the gearchange more than you may think. It's surprising how much it helps mentally to have an old car with a good gearchange instead of feeling like an old fucked one.

Sic's suggestion sounds like a good one, the ZX may well have a few more miles in it yet without major expense so put a few pennies aside for a suitable replacement. 

[loserone]

Is there someone you would trust to look after it for you, but hand it back at a moments notice if required? I'm thinking a parent not someone from on here

[Kiltox]

17 minutes ago, SiC said:

I'm going to be all boring and adult like, but put it in a separate account as savings for if something goes wrong. Especiallyas the ZX looks like it will last at least another year with minimal expenditure. 

This. 

<cunt car dealer> I do know of a diesel Rover 75 Tourer that will be for sale soon though</cunt car dealer>

 

[beko1987]

Most of the above matches with what my head normally says, keep the ZX and spend a bit on it. Will price everything up over the next few weeks and see what happens.

My main fear is doing all the work and then still not liking it. I went through it with the XM, although that had the slight difference of I couldnt afford to run it, rather than not liking it. Not 100% loving it but appreciating it's an good car and being cheap to run should be easier to justify.

@SiC it's not even being fully shit with money, it's just that there's not enough! Enough to live on but not much more.

[320touring]

I'd not spend much on the zx. If it gives you 6 months you're winning.

 

[sierraman]

You can do the DIY, I’d spend a few quid fixing the shocks, wouldn’t bother changing the oil, sometimes new oil in old gearboxes makes bearings suddenly start singing. Genuinely don’t think you’d be any better off in an old Mondeo diesel, most that are left are old hen houses smoking their bollocks off. Spend £20-30 here and there then pension it off if/when something big goes. Save the £400 for when it packs in towards another car. 

[SiC]

14 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

 

@SiC it's not even being fully shit with money, it's just that there's not enough! Enough to live on but not much more.

There never is enough money for most of us. If there was, none of us would be working!

For me, it makes it even more important to treasure money when you get decent sized lumps of it in. It's that 20l container of water in the boot for when you breakdown in the desert. 

7 minutes ago, 320touring said:

I'd not spend much on the zx. If it gives you 6 months you're winning.

 

^^ this. Resist the temptation to make it 100% perfect! 

[beko1987]

Everything it both needs and I want to give it comes to £200 (based on 5 minutes eating my lunch on ebay, proper actual hunting should knock a fair bit off the price)

Could knock the balljoints off, wait for ECP to have their daily sale for the oil and filter (air filters wont need doing yet) and maybe discs and pads. £200 max doesnt seem horrific.

@Scruffy Bodger I need to look at it really, see how they actually work and try packing them out. Searching for Citrien ZX Gear Linkage brings up sod all on both forums and ebay, so I think the knowledge about them is gone. It takes more force than usual to get it into gear, the stick is quite baggy when in gear, if I'm too quick shifting from 1st to 2nd it gives a little crunch and the aformentioned noise at idle, as soon as I put any pressure on the stick, either in gear or not it vanishes.

@320touring I get the sentiment, but I'm getting bored of just living with noises and knocks, part of me wants to treat myself to a smooth* commute! The rear bushes and shocks are only because the back end isn't catching the fucked road surface anymore.

Plus it's easier to just spunk 3/4 of my bonus on all the bits it could want now (march) and potter away at it than finding the money here and there during the year. Plus I can have a proper spannering weekend and sort everything out at once.

Might have to ask @Six-cylinder nicely if he can tie his range rover to the door latch and lift the clutch up a bit next time we're at the FOD...

Ooooh remembered another thing, the tailgate has a crack in and a non working HRW, although both of those are fairly ignorable.

[beko1987]

55 minutes ago, Kiltox said:

This. 

<cunt car dealer> I do know of a diesel Rover 75 Tourer that will be for sale soon though</cunt car dealer>

 

I've seen it in person don't forget...

[beko1987]

6 minutes ago, SiC said:

Resist the temptation to make it 100% perfect! 

Oh thats easy, the sunroof lifts up, but doesnt go back. I dont like sunroofs anyway and it's water tight so im never touching it, so that will always stay broken!

[beko1987]

Oh, and I forgot the very expensive ultra critical MOT advisory issue I MUST fix...

[Six-cylinder]

4 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

 

Might have to ask @Six-cylinder nicely if he can tie his range rover to the door latch and lift the clutch up a bit next time we're at the FOD...

I am not understanding what you are trying to achieve but anything I can do to help is fine with me.

[KitKat]

Why not focus on just doing the cheap, easy and most important bits for now, so sort the brake judder and give it a oil/plugs/filters service first? Spread the cost over the next few months  as and when you can afford it, and leave sorting the irritating stuff like the sticky door latch and shit gear change for later. 

[beko1987]

Just now, Six-cylinder said:

I am not understanding what you are trying to achieve but anything I can do to help is fine with me.

The back passenger side has been smacked at some point, and the bit the door latches to is pushed in a bit. Shutting the door normally just bounces it off the latch, it needs a gently smack with one's hand to lock it home. Just pulling the car's peg out 3/4mm might* fix it

[320touring]

Even if the parts cost £200, there's still the danger of ending up with a broken/immobile car when you start to work on it.

 

Give yourself a break - run it as is, and enjoy the feeling of having some money available if needed. Then you can save for/anticipate what new car you fancy in a few months time..

Trust me, I learned this the hard way:)

[Six-cylinder]

41 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

The back passenger side has been smacked at some point, and the bit the door latches to is pushed in a bit. Shutting the door normally just bounces it off the latch, it needs a gently smack with one's hand to lock it home. Just pulling the car's peg out 3/4mm might* fix it

We can give it a go, no problem.

I can make the car any shape you like with the JCB!

Or an elephant!

[Scruffy Bodger]

If the clutch isn't adjusted right it'll cause problems changing gear. Try putting your fut fully down and then letting the pedal flick back up to the top of its travel to see if it kicks the self adjuster into touch. I'd still try the crisp packets to take out slack as it's free before buying any linkages to rule them out but they do wear over time. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-306-PARTNER-CITROEN-ZX-BERLINGO-XSARA-GEAR-LINK-LINKAGE-ROD-KIT-OEM-PART/333048584436?epid=22028668934&hash=item4d8b3e18f4:g:PsEAAOSwyApcVGco They may or may not be the right ones but they are still available.

[beko1987]

Just now, Scruffy Bodger said:

If the clutch isn't adjusted right it'll cause problems changing gear. Try putting your fut fully down and then letting the pedal flick back up to the top of its travel to see if it kicks the self adjuster into touch. I'd still try the crisp packets to take out slack as it's free before buying any linkages to rule them out but they do wear over time. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-306-PARTNER-CITROEN-ZX-BERLINGO-XSARA-GEAR-LINK-LINKAGE-ROD-KIT-OEM-PART/333048584436?epid=22028668934&hash=item4d8b3e18f4:g:PsEAAOSwyApcVGco They may or may not be the right ones but they are still available.

That's part of my want to find someone who knows their shit with ZX's. I remember going to see Jim Eastment a few times with the XM and he just 'knew' everything. Don't think he's as clued up on ZX's, and I know his health has been poor recently. Would happily spend a bit of money with a bloke in a shed to fettle the bits I don't understand!

[Six-cylinder]

Because you don't see the ZX as your perfect vehicle or are in love with it I would not spend any more money on it, you will never get it back from reselling it. Yes you may have to fix the odd thing to keep it safe and legal but start looking for something else that fits your requirements better, you have until Dec or an expensive breakdown!

[beko1987]

7 minutes ago, 320touring said:

Even if the parts cost £200, there's still the danger of ending up with a broken/immobile car when you start to work on it.

 

Give yourself a break - run it as is, and enjoy the feeling of having some money available if needed. Then you can save for/anticipate what new car you fancy in a few months time..

Trust me, I learned this the hard way:)

I've been running it as is since I bought it really! Last work I did was the exhaust last year! It got a full service in March last year (using last years bonus) and tyres all round. Then 2 more tyres due to a puncture and a fucking ancient fucked spare, and the cat/welding up the old cat due to the issues. So I can't deny it a good round of spannering to coax it on for another while.

But yes, I could fling oil and a filter in it, cheap front discs and pads before the wobble gets any worse and maybe change the bushes first before putting shocks on it fairly easily. Even the exhaust isn't bad, but the backbox is grim, and I'd rather catch that before it falls off (pipe to box is cracked, and the whole thing is full of crap). It needs a new centre pipe though as the system is a Berlingo one which works for Berlingo parts, but not ZX. I'll also then be rolling the dice on pattern cats too, but spending £30 the weekend before the MOT at the end of November wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, having had it on and off 4 times last year it's a 15 minute job.

I feel better for at least mentioning my plan now, I feel I want to keep it sat here in the warm at work looking outside at the rain... Just need to get the idea of wanting a bit more comfort and horsepower out of my head. I have half a thought in my head that the back box is clogged up with shit and replacing that would open the system up a bit and get some power back. Also getting the engine checked over incase I got the cambelt half a tooth out or similar might not be a bad shout

[Scruffy Bodger]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

That's part of my want to find someone who knows their shit with ZX's. I remember going to see Jim Eastment a few times with the XM and he just 'knew' everything. Don't think he's as clued up on ZX's, and I know his health has been poor recently. Would happily spend a bit of money with a bloke in a shed to fettle the bits I don't understand!

They are simple, comfortable vehicles tbh, it's basically a 306 with a different top on it. You could find a mine of information that should be relevant on 306OC.co.uk for anything you need to know. In some respects they are easier than Peugeots to work on. The headlinings for example are velcroed in and not glued. Two of us swapped a complete sunroof and put in another better headlining into a ZX within an hour a couple of months back, it was a complete doddle to do.

Personally I've only run Td versions and a Volcane TD that had been tweeked. That'd sit comfortably all day long at 90 on the Mway if you wanted to, it sounds far less frantic than the 1.4!

[beko1987]

1 minute ago, Six-cylinder said:

Because you don't see the ZX as your perfect vehicle or are in love with it I would not spend any more money on it, you will never get it back from reselling it. Yes you may have to fix the odd thing to keep it safe and legal but start looking for something else that fits your requirements better, you have until Dec or an expensive breakdown!

I want to make it at least a bit nicer to drive. You'll have to take it out the next time we're together, see what you think. Not in love is the right way to say it, but I don't hate it either. It's a proper 50/50 car. In the right setting it's perfect (I drove teh A17 from the A1 to Holbeach last month which is fucking shit road, but at 45mph in 5th it was perfect. But trying to get out of L1 from 40mph this morning into L2 from behind a lorry took 3rd gear and hope... and that happens quite alot

[beko1987]

Just now, Scruffy Bodger said:

 

Personally I've only run Td versions and a Volcane TD that had been tweeked. That'd sit comfortably all day long at 90 on the Mway if you wanted to, it sounds far less frantic than the 1.4!

I'd buy a 1.9td again in a heartbeat. Maybe I should look to do what I did with the Laguna's, and buy a 1.9td and swap all the good bits over that I can and frag the rest of mine?

[Scruffy Bodger]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

I'd buy a 1.9td again in a heartbeat. Maybe I should look to do what I did with the Laguna's, and buy a 1.9td and swap all the good bits over that I can and frag the rest of mine?

It sounds like you've just run the car and it just wants some minor fettling but in multiple places that's adding up to feeling worse than it is? It's not rotten by the sounds of it so I'd say it's too good to frag? Just run it till you find a replacement and pass it on for a reasonable price to someone who wants it because it sounds like it owes you nothing?

Zx's are getting properly crispy now, front turret tops and around the jacking points* especially if you do look at a TD.

[beko1987]

3 minutes ago, Scruffy Bodger said:

It sounds like you've just run the car and it just wants some minor fettling but in multiple places that's adding up to feeling worse than it is? It's not rotten by the sounds of it so I'd say it's too good to frag? Just run it till you find a replacement and pass it on for a reasonable price to someone who wants it because it sounds like it owes you nothing?

Zx's are getting properly crispy now, front turret tops and around the jacking points* especially if you do look at a TD.

It owes me utterly nothing, hence I'd be happy to use it to not have to buy a train ticket to buy an other car if thay makes sense, just drive up and hand the keys and a pre signed v5 over (should another car come from these forums). 

Ill not have £3/400 land at once any other time though, so I need a game plan in the next month or so. 

Off to a full afternoon company update now so plenty of time to daydream

[Six-cylinder]

36 minutes ago, Scruffy Bodger said:

Zx's are getting properly crispy now, front turret tops and around the jacking points* especially if you do look at a TD.

We have now had our ZX TD estate welded a couple of times.

[sierraman]

All the bits you’ve listed are the usual wear and tear bits. If it was wanting a big ticket item soon like a clutch or whatever I’d give it the one way ticket. If you buy a £400 Mondeo diesel like you’ve mentioned in other threads it’ll want a few hundred throwing at it in the same context. 

[stephen01]

Hand your bonus money to a trusted friend, run your current ZX until it dies, just chuck some oil in, scrap when it breaks for £100, scrap money plus bonus money = buy new car from here. 

The last 3 years I've had 5 cars put 4 through MOT's , scrapped 1, I've sold 4, while I'm not making money on them my loss on each car is only a couple of hundred quid, not bad really.