THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[RedSparrow]

Bollox, is that your suit jacket in the back?

I was wondering that. Is he in a Status Quo tribute band?

[Spottedlaurel]

Camry's slowly receiving attention, to deal with various items of neglect and turn it into the capable-car-for-a-few-years I want it to be. With only 65k on the clock it's got a lot of life left to give.

 

Just ordered some service parts, I've been buying OEM stuff from an online place. Expensive if you're used to buying bits for a Ford or Vauxhall, but I never have done so I know no better. This way I know it'll fit, as well as being decent quality.

 

Last weekend it had this done to it:

 

 

Manky old brake discs were skimmed on a brake lathe and became:

 

 

Nice and shiny again. The car had stood for some time before I bought it and they'd corroded beyond the point where the pads would clean them up. This was done front and rear for under £100 (and it did take a while) after they confirmed there was enough thickness left in the discs. New ones would have been more like £200! The pads have to come out, so I bought a new OEM set and they got replaced too. All-in it cost me about £170, which is OK for a big, unusual car like this I reckon.

 

Rear discs shown above. Up front it has big old vented jobs (275mm I think).

 

I'm doing a track day in the Camry at RAF Marham later this month, should be interesting. Its Sport suspension is very firm so I hope it'll give a good account of itself (probably far better than me).

[Josh_Cohen]

This weekend i plan to replace even more bushes on the 9k anni as everytime i replace a bush it spits another one out i don't have kids but i bet its the equivalent to a kid throwning a toy out of the pram and you having to pick it up over and over LOLi got some second hand abbott racing wishbone bushes for a very reasonable £35 inc p&p i didn't want to put standard on because i said to myself if anything goes on the anni i will upgrade it WHAT A MISTAKE

[gearoil]

I fitted a towbar to a friends Mitsi Delica last night. No dramas to report, its a well made bit of kit, fits spot on and didn't lose any knuckle skin either. Champion.

[Cavcraft]

Council estate Focus has gone. I shan't miss the fucking stupid exhaust that made EVERYBODY stare at the twatting thing and drove mes fucking mad with the racket it made.Now the 'proud' owner of a BMW 3 series

[Milford Cubicle]

I rescued a priceless artefact from the Titanic yesterday.

[Volksy]

Now the 'proud' owner of a BMW 3 series

Can we have a huge argument about this?

[Rusty Pelican]

Now the 'proud' owner of a BMW 3 series

Can we have a huge argument about this?

So am I

[Cavcraft]

Definately I've only done about 20 miles in it so far and not overly impressed. Fuck all headroom, the interior heater thing is toss (why can't I just set it to the speed I want instead of it being automatic?) and I don't get the feeling they were worth the premium over other cars when they were new.Still it goes pretty well (1.9 petrol I think) and because I'm a wanker anyway it's probably ideal.

[Milford Cubicle]

I drove an E36 318i some time ago, it was utterly boring - less fun to drive than most FWD cars of a similar size. It was an early one too, so it had the roughly the same build quality as an FSO Caro.I imagine later, more powerful E36s are much nicer though.

[Cavcraft]

Tbh I wouldn't really know what 'E' version this is, it's a 2001 316i with a 1.9 petrol engine whatever that makes it?

[pogweasel]

E46.

[Tayne]

.

[Cavcraft]

Good God no. However little taste I have it wouldn't drop that low.It does have some EPICLY STACTASTIC M3 style mirrors on it though, they're first on the list to get fucked right off if I keep it. Which is unlikely.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I like those compacts. Theyve defo got more shite value than other 3-series models.

[mk1_4dr]

I like those compacts. Theyve defo got more shite value than other 3-series models.

Am I right in thinking that a compact is an e30 in a modern frock?

[dollywobbler]

Newsflash! Dollywobbler gets another 2CV. A completely rotten one that might just be broken for spares. Pics in a later news show. There are rumours involving the aforementioned and a rather large Vauxhall but there were no further comments at this stage.Now off for a weekend's camping in Holbeach with the 2CV lot. Great weather for it...

[Cavcraft]

Compacts probably more shite factor-ish than most other BMWs but nothing screams 'can't afford a proper car so bought this for the badge' to me. In fact I'd suggest they're Beemer's answer to the 924.In other news the garage clearout continues, saw various unwanted bits of stuff go to good homes today and one of the fleet will be gone tomorrow. If I can get enough room to get my lad's M3 Disastra in there by Sunday I'll be a very happy bunny.

[Minimad5]

Thanks for the stuff Cavette !Was a fun journey in the Moggy on the motorway i tell ya.As for sorting the Fuel Pump out on your Merc, drop me a PM when would be best + Details of that place your son works at.Thanks Mukka

[Guest]

Just spent a couple of hours getting the inner trim back in the boot space of the 626 (the big plastic covers which shield the rear quarters/strut tops and make it look more complete).Thought it'd be a 10 minute job to be honest, but I forgot it was an 80s Japanese car - over-engineered but pleasingly logical, so there's about 20 screws to go in but at least it's easy to figure out which way to do it. Got there in the end without much swearing required, just before it started chucking it down. Nice when it all works out like that!

[Lankytim]

Your one sounds really nice. Maestro vans are the new Minor vans!

It does sound nice, however, I am amazed that in between concerts, touring, recording and promotional work Stevie Wonder found time in his schedule to do the bodywork and paint on it. The filler and paint appear to have been thrown at it, from a distance, in the dark, but it's still a solid old thing. It doesn't bother me it is what I was expecting (and wasn't disappointed). I'm slightly concerned that it may have a slightly leaky fuel tank, with the price of petrol I can't afford to waste it. There was a drip under it this morning parked nose down the slope, so I have parked it nose up to see if it still does it. If so I'll probably be looking for a fuel tank, or to find out at what level it stops dripping. I have to go in to work tomorrow and Saturday (possibly Sunday as well) so will give it a bit of use then and get to know it a bit better.

Ive got a fuel tank if you want it FOC, PM me!

[Lankytim]

In other news, The Audi has got a years ticket, YAY! Just needed a little patch on the chassis and inside the rear wheel arch. The body is now TOTALLY RUST FREE!! To reward it I treated it to a full tank of gas. 49PPL

 

Did someone say B.M.W COMPACT?

[Lukas]

The Pajero is already at the dealers to get sold, the Galloper will get sold after Easter too, so I´ll have to use the Camry as my only car. At least for a short time until something appealing comes around.

[Pillock]

I thought the BMW Compact was an E34 front end gaffer-taped to an E30 rear, all the rear oily bits are straight out of an E30 anyhow.Which is pleasing, actually, as the modern way of doing it would be to declare it a "brand new car", engineer everything from scratch, sell approximately four examples, and whinge about profit margins. See: Golf Plus, Ford Fusion, Renault Faux-Offroad Thing.

[retrogeezer]

To reward it I treated it to a full tank of gas. 49PPL

blimey, it was about 38PPL last time I was in stoke with my mate.

[Mike D]

I took a hammer and a big pry bar to the crunched front wing of my Capri, i've got a bit of the dent out, the bumper is straight again, and the end cap is back on, so it looks a bit more presentable while I wait to book it into the garage to get it properly mended. I took it for a drive to celebrate

[Guest]

With it being a bit drizzly and awful I decided to valet the interior of the 626 and get the blue velour all nice and clean. That foam interior stuff is a right ballache, I remember why I don't like doing interiors now. Took ages, plus I had to drive it around with the heater on full blast for a bit to dry it out fully. Looks mint now!Dunno what it is about interiors - I love making the outside look as mint as possible, but put me inside a car and about the best I can do is half-heartedly drag an interior wipe over the dashboard.

[FredTransit]

BREAKING NEWS......BREAKING NEWS......BREAKING NEWS......BREAKING NEWS......

 

FredTransit in Capri Laser purchase shock!

 

[Father Ted]

Is that the one that was in tonight's A2A?

[VWPowered]

cant believe that the same ae as my polo, had abit of a hardv life innit 1.6 by chance