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Steve79 fleet - RX300


Steve79

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - Swappage has taken place
26 minutes ago, Steve79 said:

Soz for no collection Fred but I'm feeling like shit, tired and not in the mood.

However the smoll update is that...

It's goodbye from him

Screenshot_20230304_095530_Gallery.thumb.jpg.279d6827115568484c558130363a7b12.jpg

And hello to her20230304_094957.thumb.jpg.2185196e84daf022929ceb0333be44de.jpg

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It's the ex autoshite 330ci convertible.

More updates when I get home

 

Ooft nice swap,  one of these is on my bucket list.

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0So got it home almost without any issues. Did have a slight arse clenching moment at Reading services where it didn't want to unlock with the key, so it may need a new battery in the key.

It also seems to have developed a fuck off leak

20230304_172037.thumb.jpg.b7be8111942621de02c6e149846bd21a.jpg

Seems to be coming from above here

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qvy6Fa9G142zRHDU8

I'm thinking coolant temp sensor seal in the hose, hose itself, or radiator.

Cannot see any leaks from inside engine bay

I'm not upset in anyway as it's a 20year old car and I judiciously used the loud pedal on the way back up to redline so it's probably something I did.

I didn't see any wet patches on the ground when I collected it from Keith this morning.

 

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Leak looks to be coming from washer bottle as Keith mentionned so I'll sort that shortly...

After the autolocksmith comes tomorrow to cut and recode a new key for £120 as this one is fucking fucked mate.

It's intermittently been working and the case has been silconed together so someone has obviously been in there in the past. I gently opened it up and the -ve battery terminal on the fob fell out because the solder joint had cracked.

Ah well

 

 

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So all sorted now. Managed to get the key back together to a point where the buttons no longer worked but the key would start the car.

I gave AG a call from AG's car key who came out the next day. 

This guy is probably the nicest bloke you'll ever meet. VERY well trained (goes on at least a couple of courses a month) and spent a long time getting the BMW sorted.

Dashboard under steering column had to come out to remove the immobiliser which then went onto the test bench in the van (got a whole workstation with office chair, the lot) to have the chip read. 

The keys are made in Turkey and youll get a few which don't like to code. After much persistence he finally managed to get 2x remote keys programmed successfully and cut which work perfectly.

 It took 2.5hrs to do in 3c temp and I was freezing  but he was happy for me to watch what he was doing as I was fascinated.

he charged me £100 for the first key and £80 for the second and It then mentionned that my Berlingo flip key was no longer flipping.

Totally unexpected but he said give it here and then proceeded swap the guts of mine into a new case and cut me a new blade for absolutely NOTHING. I gave him £20 though as I didn't want to take the piss.

Overall, very happy. He's based in Bradley Stoke in Bristol but pretty much will travel anywhere in the southwest.

I've attached his details just in case anyone wishes to use himScreenshot_20230308_072451_Chrome.thumb.jpg.85d6039287cc32fb3a0e01f9878eebec.jpg

Back to the 330ci. 

I've had a few e46's but never with the 3-litre inline 6 petrol. It can be a totally animal if you want it to be and is very quick but also a pussy cat which is happy to pootle along getting 35-40mpg on the motorway.

The only think I'm not particularly inove with its the aftermarket EONON android touch screen headunit that's currently fitted. It's a bit temperamental and sometimes doesn't like to boot without you pressing reset first.

It's a bit laggy but I've done a system reset uninstalled some stuff and it now seems a bit happier.

Just a question for the previous owners on here. Does it have dab+ fitted? The is a little black box on top the dash by the drivers steering wheel and am not sure if that's the aerial. It's not screen mounted.

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5 hours ago, Steve79 said:

So all sorted now. Managed to get the key back together to a point where the buttons no longer worked but the key would start the car.

I gave AG a call from AG's car key who came out the next day. 

This guy is probably the nicest bloke you'll ever meet. VERY well trained (goes on at least a couple of courses a month) and spent a long time getting the BMW sorted.

Dashboard under steering column had to come out to remove the immobiliser which then went onto the test bench in the van (got a whole workstation with office chair, the lot) to have the chip read. 

The keys are made in Turkey and youll get a few which don't like to code. After much persistence he finally managed to get 2x remote keys programmed successfully and cut which work perfectly.

 It took 2.5hrs to do in 3c temp and I was freezing  but he was happy for me to watch what he was doing as I was fascinated.

he charged me £100 for the first key and £80 for the second and It then mentionned that my Berlingo flip key was no longer flipping.

Totally unexpected but he said give it here and then proceeded swap the guts of mine into a new case and cut me a new blade for absolutely NOTHING. I gave him £20 though as I didn't want to take the piss.

Overall, very happy. He's based in Bradley Stoke in Bristol but pretty much will travel anywhere in the southwest.

I've attached his details just in case anyone wishes to use himScreenshot_20230308_072451_Chrome.thumb.jpg.85d6039287cc32fb3a0e01f9878eebec.jpg

Back to the 330ci. 

I've had a few e46's but never with the 3-litre inline 6 petrol. It can be a totally animal if you want it to be and is very quick but also a pussy cat which is happy to pootle along getting 35-40mpg on the motorway.

The only think I'm not particularly inove with its the aftermarket EONON android touch screen headunit that's currently fitted. It's a bit temperamental and sometimes doesn't like to boot without you pressing reset first.

It's a bit laggy but I've done a system reset uninstalled some stuff and it now seems a bit happier.

Just a question for the previous owners on here. Does it have dab+ fitted? The is a little black box on top the dash by the drivers steering wheel and am not sure if that's the aerial. It's not screen mounted.

 

That's brilliant service.

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - E46 petrol everywhere 🤬🤬🤬

So, after sorting the keys and running the tank very low, it was off to the garage to get some petrol.

Got to about £45 when I noticed liquid was splashing down from underneath the car, just in front of the o/s rear wheel. Promptly stopped filling up, paid and went home. 

It now absolutely reeks of fuel when you get in the car but seems to disappear when driving. It's not leaking any more though.

Any ideas what it could be? I'm thinking filler neck, neck clamp or pump seal under rear seat.

Put £15 in the other day and didn't have this problem.

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I had this on the Puma, it was perished rubber filler hose. Only surfaced when you filled up. 

Alternatively if it's a metal tank it's totally fucking fucked m9.

I managed to get a (pattern) tank for my Puma so I'd imagine there will be decent support for an E46.

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On the subject of fuel, on the way best home from a customer yesterday I popped into Costco at Avonmouth to fill up with fuel.

Ive never paid attention to what grade diesel they use but having had a look, its premium  diesel. Apparently they take it un-additised from the refinery and then put their own additives in on-site, so supposedly equivalent or shell v-power/BP ultimate.

Screenshot_20230315_123554_Gallery.thumb.jpg.37daf824422ffbd1e08dfe4c20b587b8.jpg

I thought I was probably saving around 8p per litre compared with the cheapest "normal" filling station at 163.9. 

Based on the current lowest price for premium diesel from shell or BP in Bristol at 180.9, I'm currently saving 25p per litre so £25 per tank.

Van also seems happier on premium and better mpg.

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I think these are the same as the e39 and have the flow and return doing a quick 90 degree bend from the floor and go up the front face of the tank. Then. If they've sat in mud for a few years, the pipes rot out.  A bit of DIY with 8mm hose, pipe and jubilees and your good. 

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - Barcelona spots

I'm currently in Barcelona and the lack of chod is very depressing. Plenty of Astra H's but as all Vauxhall's are shit I refuse to take any photos of them.

However here are some of the scant few cars that have been worth a pic

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Electric Piaggio Porter which the city utilises everywhere

The multipla and twingo were absolutely battered to fuck which made them all the more endearing as pretty much every car in Barcelona that I saw was from within the last ten years.

The absolute pick if the bunch were the last two

Firstly 

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The only Seat Marbella I saw the whole time we were here. In GLX flavour and was pretty much mint. I did also see a non UK Suzuki Jimmy made by Santana with the 1.5 DCI Clio engine fitted but forgot to photo it.

My top fav was this ugly bastard

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Kia Opirus which was absolutely amazing. Acres of pleather and faux walnut. Think it's fitted with the same 3.0 V6 Mitsi Sigma engine as the Hyundai XG30. 

Actually looked really nicely finished in person and definitely would like to score one of these. Only LHD though. Apparently the USA got these with a 280bhp 3.8 V6 😲

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - Fancy chod INCOMING

Ive felt the need for something more sensible as a daily runner and while the Buick performs this task admirably, 15mpg round town hurts a bit. I need something with a few more mpg's to lessen the pain. 

I found something which fits the bill whcih I'll be making a short trip to collect later today.

Updates to follow

 

 

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - Fancy chod ARRIVED

As some of you will have seen, @NorthernMonkey willingly relieved me of my E46 330ci Convertible this morning and is currently back 'upt north'. 

Prior to this I had a BMW X3 which I loved and shouldn't have got rid of but impulses got the better of me. I've been needing a "sensible" daily for a while now as sailing the Buick is painful on the wallet.

I was discussing my need of a new daily with Neil @NorthernMonkey and he mentioned he had this which he was looking to move on and we worked out a deal.

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If it looks familiar it's because it's been on the forum before. It's a Lexus RX300 SE-L which he had bought from @Neil clark with buggered airbag suspension on one side.

The bags had pin holes in them and new lexus items are £1500 a corner. So it's had the compressor and bags removed and coil springs fitted from an SE. 

@NorthernMonkey was kind enough to give it a service, new brakes and MOT before driving it down here this morning.

It's a fantastic car and soo comfortable. Got a nice exhaust note when booting it as well.

Only one pic at the moment as it's currently lashing it down but am very happy

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  • Steve79 changed the title to Steve79 fleet - RX300
  • 2 weeks later...

Not much to report on the Lexus apart from it being an absolutely cracking motaah. MPG is bad as expected but no worse than any other V6 SUV of the era. Been seeing around 25-28mpg on a run which seems to be the norm. 

@NorthernMonkey mentioned that thermostat might be a bit lazy as the gauge doesn't quite get to halfway but it looks like the stats fitted to these open at 82 degrees so it just may be normal.

The car had also been listed as non ulez complient which I thought was a bit odd since the MK2 RX300 are Euro4. 

I gave the ulez helpline a call on Friday last week to have a chat with them to see what they thought.

Clearly they thought I was right as when i checked today this is what it shows

Screenshot_20240130_172740_Chrome.thumb.jpg.78d43466019cb07f04644b8b97ccc258.jpg

Ha! Screw you Bristol City Council 🤣

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3 hours ago, Steve79 said:

Not much to report on the Lexus apart from it being an absolutely cracking motaah. MPG is bad as expected but no worse than any other V6 SUV of the era. Been seeing around 25-28mpg on a run which seems to be the norm.

Good to hear. Economy not actually that much worse than my 2014 hybrid RX. On a constant-ish speed motorway/autoroute run it gets little more than 30mpg, it's only when doing some gentler cruising/town work that the hybrid side of things really kicks in and I can get more than 35-36.

LS400 certainly worse, as was the Camry V6 - both low-mid 20s.

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