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TACUMA love or hate?


andyberg

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Tacuma got a good old polish today, does look better. But has anyone got advise on the best way to keep the paint looking good? Do I need an electric polisher? Did make me notice the door rubbing strip more though. A quick search on ebay turned up a couple of sets for £52, but in Germany and also only in black. I feel they may just have to stay as they are, I am not confident enough to paint them. 

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Looking good mate.

Meguiars do a small DA polisher that fixes to an electric drill. I use this and 99% of the time it does exactly what I need and is so easy to use. 

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/meguiars-da-power-system-dual-action-polisher-553997800?type=shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6ar4BRDnARIsAITGzlBCefGY-081zryzBiBVmR-qKnW_7PSjWjZdqCeRCThWi_sVgbYLkecaAji-EALw_wcB

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This morning I took the Tacuma to have a new cambelt fitted. Now I did have a quick look at it a couple of weeks ago and did see some hairline cracks in it. 

Turns out it was a good job I had it done! The mechanic reckons it was the original belt as the pulleys had GM markings on them and had a fair amount of free play between the cam's ? it was quite cracked and the water pump had play in it too. All in all he reckoned it wouldn't have lasted much longer. So the right decision was made just in time. 

At least now the car should last another 40,000 miles, which will be at least 7 or 8 years for me. £300 well spent. Garage highly recommended, thank you @Cookiesouwest

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Bit of a small milestone today, clocked over 1000 miles since I got the car from @purplebargeken back at the beginning of March. Blimey what a difference a virus can make.

New cambelt fitted a week ago and all is good. BUT  majorly worrying moment whilst out shopping today. Parked up, went to shop and returned. She wouldn't start, initially started then stalled then just kept turning over, BOLLOCKS. I tried locking and unlocking, restarting, nothing just turning over. Had a brain wave, maybe the fuse to the immobiliser has gone, popped the bonnet checked fuse, all good? Went to restart and away she went!! As if nothing was wrong. 

Now I'm not overly familiar with modern electronics so I presumed that because I approached the car from the rear the transponder didn't link properly with the immobiliser until I went to the front of the car?? Who knows, but has been perfect before and since. All my fingers are crossed it doesn't happen again. 

It's a lovely drive, even in the rain, and it did rain today, a lot. With the new cambelt and other things I need to do, oil change, gearbox oil change and sort the air con, she's a keeper. But then no one else loves her like we do anyway ??

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4 hours ago, Rod/b said:

I doubt it, the immob antenna is usually a loop around the ignition switch. If it started, then stalled its unlikely to be immob related. Was the immob symbol up on the dash? 

There is no immobiliser symbol on this car, just a flashing light next to the clock when the alarm is on. It was a bit strange I must say. It hasnt happened since?? Bare in mind it is Korean so it could be anything, the new French!

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32 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Saw another Tacuma CDX today. Same colour, same year. This one looked battered to fuck though. Guy still happy with it mind.

For what they are, I cant see anyone complaining really. A bit like an Astra just an car. They get on with what you want them to do in good comfort, quietness and reasonably quickly if you so desire. As I said this is a keeper. I love the fact it is  a bit like a tardis, and I do like the look of it. I dont care its not a fashionable car, its mine, paid for and does exactly what a £10k or more car can do. Apart from the mystery non start the other day I know she would happily take me anywhere I want to go and I would be comfortable all the way.

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This seems like a very happy car. I think it's a very clever move to buy something in good shape from a pretty anonymous and forgettable brand with little to no following. They can be picked up for a song and run for years with little or no trouble. Smart motoring. 

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  • 2 months later...

Well gentlefolk, its been a looong time since I posted an update on this, so I thought I would correct that.

 

To be honest with one thing and another there isn't much to report, this poxy virus has seen to that.  The car continues to perform faultlessly, the occasional non starting issue I believe was when I let the fuel get too low in the tank and the pump couldn't lift the petrol properly. After chatting to @Cookiesouwest I experimented all sorts of things including not letting the fuel light come on and it hasn't done it since.

I was due to take the car to Scotland at Christmas, I reckon that's a non starter now so I treated her early to some love.

She has had a new cambelt, water pump and auxiliary belt, new front tyres ( previously mentioned) AND New pollen filter, air filter, spark plugs, engine oil and filter, new front flexy pipe as the old one(original?) was not far off letting go. I also had the auto box drained and refilled with new fluid. 

The gearbox was already smooth but it did have an on/off feeling when pulling away from a stop, it was quite hard to get a gentle take off. Now it is like the proverbial hot knife through butter, smooth to the point where you can hardly feel the gears change, up or down. She still has not quite reached 40,000 miles yet so to me it is like the first brand new car I have ever owned😁 she certainly feels tight and new, and sitting in her she looks like she has only just come off the production line. The only downside to the car is the stupid tax bracket, but look past that and it is a totally capable, if a bit unexciting mode of transport. We love her .

 

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  • 1 month later...

My Daughters 1st momo after passing her test. Same colour, but a 1.6 petrol 5 speed box.  A "Nice" looking (weird back then) loads of plastic as body parts, but this probably helped as only a 1.6.  Never let her down in 4 years. Then got a phone call off her one day "DAD, There's a light come on, on the dash?"

She called around on her way home from work.....I popped the bonnet (she never new WhAT the "THING on the sidewall was for"

When I lifted said bonnet!!!!!! there was a layer of dust....dry dust , that you could of raised a lawn or tomatoes in??  The look I gave her!!

You ever Checked your oil ? says I??...."ERR" says she, what about Coolant?....same answer "ERR"

Blew off the dust, and checked the levels.....no oil showing on the dipstick.......The IDIOT LIGHT had done it's job. I asked her when the light had come on..."Oh Monday ",,  with that Princess Diana  chin down eyes up look!!   Today was Friday!!...Gave her my spare Gallon  of oil, SHOWED HER where it went, explained the dipstick to her....Off she went .

She had the Taccy  another 3 years, 3 grandkids, School runs, Recycle tip runs, and moved house, surprizing what you could fit in and still manage to drive in  a somewhat comfy position ......This coming from a  greebo just married and moving from  Blackpool to L/pool and only had an old Austin Minivan for transport.....Yes you can get a DOUBLE BED +FRAME in a MINIVAN....did do the neck in a bit, and had to drive like a push -pull  hands on the wheel.........Sorry off topic there......ALL IN ALL TACUMA  a good Shiters car

 

 

 

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We had one of these from new, in 2003. My dad worked for the local Daewoo dealer at the time and we'd also qualified for a Motability car, so we ended up with a silver 2.0 CDX manual. My folks still maintain this is one of the best cars they ever owned. We had a bit of suspension trouble but aside from that it did admirably, it was driven to Spain and back, 5 up with luggage and handled it very well indeed. Was replaced at the end of the 3 years by a doom blue Zafira B, which was atrocious. Having looked them up since, the Tacuma is still going apparently, the Zafira's long gone (wonder if it went up in smoke?)

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  • 2 months later...

As some of you may know the Tacuma has now gone 😌 and,yes I know this is a bit late, but I have other things happening that take precedence.

I am truly sad that I had to sell this car, of all the many, many cars I have owned there are only two I really regret selling. Firstly a 1984 black MG Montego with 'knight rider' dash, sold that for an early 320. God I hated that car, but i was in my 20's and thought I would be cool with a BMW. Regretted it within a week.

Then the Tacuma. But these are strange times, just take a browse on this forum to see that. What is going on here??? Anyway back on subject. I really thought the Tacuma would see me to retirement, it was the best, cleanest, freshest, lowest mileage car I have ever had. It suited us perfectly, we could both drive it. But COVID happened and f***ed everything up. I(we) needed to make some drastic choices. We have started the process of getting a permanent visa for my wife (she is from Hong Kong) which will cost somewhere in the region of £6000+ when it is all done. And I bit the bullet and have changed career, as I think coach driving is pretty much dead for the foreseeable future and have doubts as to whether the company I work for can survive (I hope my boss or colleagues are not on here), and I need a stable income for the visa application. So in April I ,kind of, go back to a job I did a few years ago.

 

I really hope the Tacuma provides sterling service for many years with its new owner and I am glad it has stayed in this parish. I look forward to reading about its new adventures.

So this is the last post from me on this thread, cue bugle.

So long it was a pleasure to own you.

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