AnnoyingPentium's Adventures - Sprucing!

[High Jetter]

Pretty sure it's an 11.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Aye, it's an 11.

The advisories from the recent MOT.

Quote

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
• Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
• Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Spotted this today...

No, not the Chevy nugget with the incorrectly parked rear wiper, the Peugeot (Partner?) van behind it. A 51 plate too. I see plenty Berlingos of this age but never the better looking twin.

Also found this Vitara, still with 2013/14 tax disc!!

[SiC]

There's a CD Changer built in under the front passenger seat on mine but it faces the front of the car. Presumably it's OEM and I'd imagine never been used.

[SiC]

Upside down because shit forum software but you get the idea

Drivers side in comparison just has a big storage bin hole.

[AnnoyingPentium]

22 minutes ago, SiC said:

There's a CD Changer built in under the front passenger seat on mine but it faces the front of the car. Presumably it's OEM and I'd imagine never been used.

Yeah it was an option on mine but standard on the Sport. Yous also got the posh seats over the standard barstools. I've fired my 10 CD changer under the seat at this moment so that I can use it.

[SiC]

53 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Yeah it was an option on mine but standard on the Sport. Yous also got the posh seats over the standard barstools.

Seats are pretty decent and probably why I've ended up keep this so long. They are supportive and pretty comfortable units.

Most annoying thing about the drivers seat is catching the damn height adjustment lever everytime I get in the car. No idea why there needs to be such a massive lever for it and why it needs to be angled up like it is. Rather tempted to see if I can unscrew/remove it. Never bothered as never planned to keep it this long.

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

Most annoying thing about the drivers seat is catching the damn height adjustment lever everytime I get in the car. No idea why there needs to be such a massive lever for it and why it needs to be angled up like it is. Rather tempted to see if I can unscrew/remove it. Never bothered as never planned to keep it this long.

I have the same issue. There's two plastic covers that come off the end of the handle in order to take off the adjustment lever.

[AnnoyingPentium]

2-door Merc. On presumably German (?) plates.

[AnnoyingPentium]

@SiC - speaking of the seat storage doohickys...

I had one option for ages in regards to buying one, which was to buy it from the Czech Republic. Stuff that with £20.00 flat rate for sending it here probably because of political events I really shouldn't talk about in this section. Slapped the part number and one comes up for a VW Amarok with the correct part number. In the basket it goes, and bought.

[SiC]

Doesn't surprise me there is a fair bit of part sharing. Didn't realise you had a space for one. Probably could have had a swap with the one on mine with the cd changer. I have an aftermarket cd player on mine and the cd changer almost certainly never be used again in mine. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Just now, SiC said:

Doesn't surprise me there is a fair bit of part sharing. Didn't realise you had a space for one.

Space on both sides for one. I've just got two blank panels because the person who ordered it was a bit of a cheapskate.

1 minute ago, SiC said:

Probably could have had a swap with the one on mine with the cd changer. I have an aftermarket cd player on mine and the cd changer almost certainly never be used again in mine. 

Wouldn't get used with mine either since it's a Sony cassette head unit and the 10 CD changer I've got. I had originally planned on keeping the original stereo but the anti-theft tabs were FUBAR by the time I got it out of the car... because I may* have used the wrong security keys...

*did

[SiC]

Not sure of the brand, I think its a Panasonic unit. But it looks like the standard sized slot to be interchangeable with other stuff the same size. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 minutes ago, SiC said:

Not sure of the brand, I think its a Panasonic unit. But it looks like the standard sized slot to be interchangeable with other stuff the same size. 

Interesting and good to know. I'm probably going to put my changer in the boot, mind you. Don't want to set out too many plans beyond Tuesday, however, since it's going for it's MOT test then!

[AnnoyingPentium]

On 1/1/2022 at 6:09 PM, AnnoyingPentium said:

more on that later

I said this in regards to the CD player in the car, but never did get around to explaining... so here goes.

Anyone with a Fabia will be able to tell you that the standard head units are OK, but they're not that great. Thus started a need for something betterer than what was already wedged in the dash hole.

That led me to buying one of these, a Kenwood thing with a CD and all yer posh Bluetooth shite.

Which then meant I had to get the original stereo out... 😬

Bought a set of clips from Halfords, tried 'em, didny fit... feck. Bought a "multi-key set that's totally not for car thieves" off t'interwebs anddddddd... they didny fit either... fecking feck. However, in my infinite wisdom* I tried a set of Clarion ones because "they look as if they'll fit. WCPGW"... erm, well a lot can go wrong actually...

Turns out, the keys can get stuck without releasing the security mechanism... fun.

Thankfully, captain clumsy (me) phoned his Granda to get a loan of a drill to drill through the plastic behind the trim piece on the right. Yes, I drilled it. Yes, the surrounding bits are a little scratched. No, I don't regret it. Anyway, with the old stereo removed, I could fit the new one and all would be fine and dandy...

Erm naw, nothing happens that way.

Turns out my dash is some abnormal mutant thing where the DIN sized hole is a few millimetres short of having almost any fecking stereo fitting. After a bit of mechanical persuasion, much swearing, and a lot of bleeding and plasters. The stereo was in, albeit sticking out slightly...

So I had it all wired up with the Bluetooth and all that malarkey, but I don't actually agree with the concept of being able to answer your phone in anyway, cited here on Briskoda.

So that got yanked out, and I dropped in an Alpine with iPod, but I didn't really like it because EHMAHGERD BLUE ILLUMINATION EVERYWHERE so I opted for the Goodmans (now in @N19's Bluebird) that had been living in my cupboard and because cassettes, yo. That Goodmans was good, man (hehe), but I wanted something better, dafterer, and more "me". So I got really drunk and bought a Sony with a cassette and 10 CD changer which you'll see further up and probably going forwards in this thread. I regret nothing.

And this, therefore concludes my small tale of how I'm a bit of a plonker when it comes to most things.

[SRi05]

An impressive amount of blank switches above that radio 

bASe in the place London 

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 minutes ago, SRi05 said:

An impressive amount of blank switches above that radio 

Aye definitely. It's the mid-range model with the heated mirrors and shite but it's not got anything posh that would fill those blanking plates such as ASR or heated seats. If I want heated seats a hot water bottle does the job.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Ran some furniture polish over the seatbelts today to get them retracting better for the MOT on Tuesday. Glad to say it's a success and they're working. Changed the back two indicator bulbs since they had just about nowt orange tint left. I've done everything I can do before Tuesday, now it's just a couple of sleepless nights as is typical when it comes to stuff like this, at least for me.

[templeoffire]

7 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

I said this in regards to the CD player in the car, but never did get around to explaining... so here goes.

Anyone with a Fabia will be able to tell you that the standard head units are OK, but they're not that great. Thus started a need for something betterer than what was already wedged in the dash hole.

That led me to buying one of these, a Kenwood thing with a CD and all yer posh Bluetooth shite.

Which then meant I had to get the original stereo out... 😬

Bought a set of clips from Halfords, tried 'em, didny fit... feck. Bought a "multi-key set that's totally not for car thieves" off t'interwebs anddddddd... they didny fit either... fecking feck. However, in my infinite wisdom* I tried a set of Clarion ones because "they look as if they'll fit. WCPGW"... erm, well a lot can go wrong actually...

Turns out, the keys can get stuck without releasing the security mechanism... fun.

Thankfully, captain clumsy (me) phoned his Granda to get a loan of a drill to drill through the plastic behind the trim piece on the right. Yes, I drilled it. Yes, the surrounding bits are a little scratched. No, I don't regret it. Anyway, with the old stereo removed, I could fit the new one and all would be fine and dandy...

Erm naw, nothing happens that way.

Turns out my dash is some abnormal mutant thing where the DIN sized hole is a few millimetres short of having almost any fecking stereo fitting. After a bit of mechanical persuasion, much swearing, and a lot of bleeding and plasters. The stereo was in, albeit sticking out slightly...

So I had it all wired up with the Bluetooth and all that malarkey, but I don't actually agree with the concept of being able to answer your phone in anyway, cited here on Briskoda.

So that got yanked out, and I dropped in an Alpine with iPod, but I didn't really like it because EHMAHGERD BLUE ILLUMINATION EVERYWHERE so I opted for the Goodmans (now in @N19's Bluebird) that had been living in my cupboard and because cassettes, yo. That Goodmans was good, man (hehe), but I wanted something better, dafterer, and more "me". So I got really drunk and bought a Sony with a cassette and 10 CD changer which you'll see further up and probably going forwards in this thread. I regret nothing.

And this, therefore concludes my small tale of how I'm a bit of a plonker when it comes to most things.

God I can just see it, waking up at 7AM for work, dragging yourself out Monday morning ready to grind for the man, but there she is, the shining light on a dark day, the Fabia. You turn the key, yank the volume knob on the Kenny up to F loud, Real Gone Kid blasts out… life is good…

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, templeoffire said:

God I can just see it, waking up at 7AM for work, dragging yourself out Monday morning ready to grind for the man, but there she is, the shining light on a dark day, the Fabia. You turn the key, yank the volume knob on the Kenny up to F loud, Real Gone Kid blasts out… life is good…

That's exactly it! I've got Deacon Blue on the tape now so the bass rattles the door cards...

...I don't think the neighbours are all too keen, mind you. 🤣

[AnnoyingPentium]

The MOT is tomorrow. Eeeeeek is a flippin' understatement. Will it pass? Will I have developed a few more grey hairs?? Will I spend the whole day thinking the worst???

The answer is yes to all of those.

[AnnoyingPentium]

And we're live for the MOT... at 07:36 on the morning.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Failed, but fixable.

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Photograph says it all.

On the plus side, my brakes are bloody brilliant now.

[Poweredbyhopealone]

Gotta love your enthusiasm for a little underpowered car. They are seriously good fun after all! The MK4 Fiesta of many shiters I currently curate is much the same. Not good, but in a very pleasing manner.

[AnnoyingPentium]

5 minutes ago, Poweredbyhopealone said:

Gotta love your enthusiasm for a little underpowered car. They are seriously good fun after all! The MK4 Fiesta of many shiters I currently curate is much the same. Not good, but in a very pleasing manner.

Thanks! Mine is ideal on wee twisty roads where it sits going between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear with a lot of honestly delightful noises.

I do like a Mk4 Fiesta, used to be tons of them round here too.

[Poweredbyhopealone]

Just now, AnnoyingPentium said:

Thanks! Mine is ideal on wee twisty roads where it sits going between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear with a lot of honestly delightful noises.

Same here, practice heel and toe and you will feel like Hannau Mikkola but at maximum 45 mph

[AnnoyingPentium]

6 minutes ago, Poweredbyhopealone said:

Same here, practice heel and toe and you will feel like Hannau Mikkola but at maximum 45 mph

Will do! 😆

[SiC]

What fixed the handbrake? Tightening it up or needed new brake shoes?

I didn't think the petrols had a fuel filter. At least that not leaking should improve fuel consumption. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

12 minutes ago, SiC said:

What fixed the handbrake? Tightening it up or needed new brake shoes?

New pair of rear cylinders. Brakes used to be absolutely shite before but were enough. Now they're a bit more sudden "through the windscreen" type. Lol.

13 minutes ago, SiC said:

I didn't think the petrols had a fuel filter. At least that not leaking should improve fuel consumption. 

They all do AFAIK. The leak couldn't have been that bad or presumably I'd have seen it spewing petrol everywhere. Regardless... this (below) was just lovely,,,