Collection Fred, re: "Shite wanted, petrol engine with decent MOT, Central Scotland-ish"

[Spiny Norman]

Also hard wired the dashcam so I don't have power leads trailing up from the fag lighter to the top of the screen. I bought a kit a few years ago and it's been in every car I've had since. Again pretty easy, just piggy-back off a circuit that comes on with the ignition (I usually use said fag lighter, they've got extra capacity if all you ever use the socket for is a phone or satnav), find an earth, often the screw holding in the fusebox is a good place, and so it was in the Hippo, then tuck all the wiring out the way up inside the door seals, behind the dash (Thanks Land Rover for using such flimsy, bendable plastic for the dashboard, it was a doddle!) and tuck it under the headliner at the top of the screen.
Fiddly, but I've done it often enough that it's another easy chore.

 

[seacow]

Just dug this thread out - seen a black 04 plate one near me - 3 door 1.8 with 88k and new clutch.  Ive fancied one since I saw them new - this one would be facelift I guess - fancy trying one and hauling crap to the beach when on holiday.  Looking through your thread and others to find the things to watch for.  How are you getting on with yours @Spiny Norman

[Spiny Norman]

3 hours ago, seacow said:

 How are you getting on with yours @Spiny Norman

Well I've had it five weeks today and it hasn't gone bang yet, but I still don't trust it not to.

They're interesting things to drive, very low geared so in town driving (where I am all the time) it actually feels quite sprightly but it's doing 4000rpm on the motorway in top. Seems to be doing mid/high 20s mpg which is about what I was expecting for such a heavy car with a hopelessly gutless engine. I've put in a new door speaker so I now have decent sounds again, and gave it a wash. Well, most of it got a wash because I'll need a ladder to reach the roof, and have tried unsuccessfully to cure the belt squealing for 10 seconds from a cold start but it probably needs a new one.

Overall I quite like it but I couldn't possibly recommend one to anyone because of everything that goes wrong with them, if you want a cheap jeep buy a CRV or a Rav 4.

 

[seacow]

8 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

Well I've had it five weeks today and it hasn't gone bang yet, but I still don't trust it not to.

They're interesting things to drive, very low geared so in town driving (where I am all the time) it actually feels quite sprightly but it's doing 4000rpm on the motorway in top. Seems to be doing mid/high 20s mpg which is about what I was expecting for such a heavy car with a hopelessly gutless engine. I've put in a new door speaker so I now have decent sounds again, and gave it a wash. Well, most of it got a wash because I'll need a ladder to reach the roof, and have tried unsuccessfully to cure the belt squealing for 10 seconds from a cold start but it probably needs a new one.

Overall I quite like it but I couldn't possibly recommend one to anyone because of everything that goes wrong with them, if you want a cheap jeep buy a CRV or a Rav 4.

 

Cheers for the update. I fancy the roof off action but to be honest its probably not worth it for the 2 weeks a year I would use like that!

[Spiny Norman]

I wouldn't dare try taking the roof off mine, it doesn't leak at the moment because it's no doubt welded to the body with years worth of grime and moss which if I broke apart would never fit properly again. You can drive it the rear window down which gives a pretty good through flow of air.

[seacow]

Come on man where is your sense of adventure!!

[Spiny Norman]

The other issue Id have is that I live in a tenement flat and if I did manage to get the roof off past the roof rails by myself I'd have nowhere to put it so it'll never come off the car during my ownership.