Convertible shite. MOT fail, now with a shitter for whom CBA means Can Be Arsed. .

[Timewaster]

This week I did a buy. 

Sorry, this is the only pic I have so far. 

I've been toying with the idea of a cheap convertible for a while now. 

Facebook marketplace is the new free ads and I've been watching it closely. 

Having narrowly missed out on a few,  including an A4, previously owned by a painter and decorator that came with 5l of emulsion sloshed in the boot. I got a bit trigger happy. 

All the 206s had issues or were too much money. Ditto 306s. 307s are fuggly, meganes fragile, Astra all Barried or fucked or both. 

I really wanted the Audi S4 V8 that came up but that was more in £thousands than my budget was in £hundreds. 

 

Anyway, this came up, local and cheap. 

According to the post code on the ad, so local I thought I would walk there and drive it back. I sent a message and the vendor said it had been stood and needs a jump start. 

Okay, I'll drive there, jump it off my car, leave my car and walk back to get it later. 

Seller messages me the address. Its 10 miles away. Balls. 

Mrs. can't drive atm, I need a plan. Went and saw it, bought it. 

Ring my mate, see if he will help? 

After he finished laughing when I told him what I'd bought he said he'd bring his truck.

So it has issues...

Borked battery, now replaced. 

Bonnet wouldn't open without an assistant. Fixed by cleaning and lubing the catch. 

Ditto the boot which wouldn't latch shut. 

Only 50% of the electric windows worked (this is now up to 75% after I fitted an eBay repair kit to the drivers side rear yesterday. What a bloody game that was. I really should take pictures or videos but always think about it too late).

There is no life in the passenger side door at all. No mirror adjustment, no window action, no central locking. I hope its something simple like a multi plug. 

I don't think the electric roof will ever work again as I have found a collection of broken bits of plastic in the mechanism. No matter, it folds really easily by hand. 

The inside is dog hair minging with sticky bits and suspicious stains. This also needs addressing. 

 

The exhaust blows but the garage can sort that as I really cba. 

Once I've done some of the jobs, the plan is to pile the kids in and see what they think of open top motoring. 

If they like it and the car gets used a lot, I will look at getting an A4 and roffle this. 

If it doesn't get used, I will roffle this and do something else. 

 

Oh, by the way, did I mention it is BEIGE!! 

 

 

 

 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Saw a dented beige one yesterday. Looked great. Electrics are a bit shit on these but otherwise a well built and stylish cabriolet and presumably less than a grand. Well done.

[bunglebus]

Got to be one of the cheapest cabrios out there, I've been tempted a few times as I've never had a floppy top

[Timewaster]

14 minutes ago, marm said:

 presumably less than a grand. 

Much less

[Timewaster]

Pics. 

Beigeness with awful wheel trims. I hate black wheels / trims.  These will get a visit from a silver poundshop rattle can one day. 

Suspicious back seat stains. 

Grim grime, broken bits and a cut off electrical plug which is worrying. 

I had to break in to the armrest cubby hole as the lock didn't turn.  Hoped to find something good. I was rewarded with an empty carrier bag. 

Door pocket mould. Urgh. 

The worst bit of bodywork. Might respond to a hairdryer and a rattle can.  Might get ignored. 

The car is a 20 footer, with a wash, cut and polish it might be elevated to a 10 footer. 

I'm ridiculously pleased with this, can't explain why.

Haven't bought any cheap shite for years

[NorfolkNWeigh]

We’ve got one, sat for 6 months and got MOT’d and used for kids for our Staycation to Mid Wales. Loads of fun had by all, so much so the 406 coupe went and the Beetle stayed in a fleet thinning last weekend. I imagine the 1.6 is a touch leisurely as the 2.0 doesn’t go like the GTi I thought it might!

[Timewaster]

Improvement? 

 

Most of the work today centered on improving the smell.

The Vax has done a pretty good job, unpleasant stains gone, wheel trims painted, washed and polished. 

Before.

After..

Still some electrical issues to look at and after a days graft it rewarded me with a plume of white smoke on start up. Bugger. 

[Cavcraft]

These all seem to end up smoking like an absolute bastard, I'm afraid. 

[Lanciaman]

Good man painting the god awful black wheel trims 

[Timewaster]

Investigating the dead passenger door electrics today, I knew it wasn't good news when there was only 1 screw holding the door card on. 

Suspicions confirmed when I discovered the big hole in the door where the window motor should be and what looks like a cut down mop handle holding the window up. 

The motor was laying in the bottom of the door,  and the switch wiring looks like this :

Then it started raining........ 

To be continued...... 

[Timewaster]

There is a lot of advice on these electric window / locking problems on forums from the U.S and I've tried most of them. I've tried resetting things, continuity checking the loom, cleaning connectors. Nothing.

 

I've been on ebay and ordered a 2nd hand motor which comes with the control module.

If I can get the motor working then I can rebuild the cables and regulator, remove the mop handle and eventually get the full wind in the eye brows motoring experience.

[Timewaster]

Well its been a while....

 

The new door motor cured most of the electrical issues, the ebay window cable kit fitted to the passenger door lasted about two minutes before chewing itself to bits,the weather turned wintery and the mot ran out.

And so it sat on the drive, largely ignored.......

A few weeks ago I vaxed the winter mould off the seats and fitted another ebay window cable.

Today I sent it for a game of PASS, FIX OR SCRAP, otherwise known as an MOT.

To be honest, apart from charge the battery I did absolutely bugger all prep as I was expecting an expensive fail.

Of course it failed.  But not as badly as I expected, and it passed the emissions which was the biggest surprise. 

It needs a front pipe, a coil spring, a brake freeing off and wiper blades.

Waiting on front pipe prices, it is the cat section so might be make or break. 

Watch this space, or don't. You decide. 

[Timewaster]

The repair costs are in.

The front pipe is the killer. My usual garage have quoted worst case that they may need to drop the subframe to get it off.

There is a time and place for do it yourself, but exhausts on axle stands is not it as far as I am concerned. 

So regretfully it is cut your losses time.

Let's see if anyone wants it......