First buy of year, Spaceshit Civic.

[Dobloseven]

Realised I haven't bought a car since last September. Though in my defence we have bought a new caravan. When I realised this was a mere 5.5 miles away and fitted my criteria for something random, running*and most importantly cheap, how could I, or rather we as youngest son seems to be a closet shiter,resist.Went over tonight in his E46, and did the deal. Took a slave battery, jump leads and a back up plan involving an acquaintance with a transporter. William Medhurst of this parish wasn't sure what state the battery was in, as car hadn't moved for a couple of weeks. He'd thoughtfully put it in the garage backwards. No worries though, started instantly. For 500 quid, I'm not going to crawl round it, so deal done and decided to chance  driving it home. With the wonders of modern technology, we went to a convenient cash machine, sorted temporary insurance and a months tax, and set off. Really is a nice little thing,and drives very well. Obviously needs charging sorting as a priority, but should clean up well and in the world of old car bingo,scores well, long Mot, 2 keys, working aircon, handbook, matching tyres....... Even got a towbar!Son seems a bit bemused by the world of Autoshite where men(and women) aren't quite as other men, but sure he'll get there. Billy Medhurst is a decent fellow and a pleasure to deal with, even if he did decline my generous offer of  some broken X boxes M9! 

[Dobloseven]

Realised I haven't bought a car since last September. Though in my defence we have bought a new caravan. When I realised this was a mere 5.5 miles away and fitted my criteria for something random, running*and most importantly cheap, how could I, or rather we as youngest son seems to be a closet shiter,resist.Went over tonight in his E46, and did the deal. Took a slave battery, jump leads and a back up plan involving an acquaintance with a transporter. William Medhurst of this parish wasn't sure what state the battery was in, as car hadn't moved for a couple of weeks. He'd thoughtfully put it in the garage backwards. No worries though, started instantly. For 500 quid, I'm not going to crawl round it, so deal done and decided to chance  driving it home. With the wonders of modern technology, we went to a convenient cash machine, sorted temporary insurance and a months tax, and set off. Really is a nice little thing,and drives very well. Obviously needs charging sorting as a priority, but should clean up well and in the world of old car bingo,scores well, long Mot, 2 keys, working aircon, handbook, matching tyres....... Even got a towbar!Son seems a bit bemused by the world of Autoshite where men(and women) aren't quite as other men, but sure he'll get there. Billy Medhurst is a decent fellow and a pleasure to deal with, even if he did decline my generous offer of  some broken X boxes M9! 

[Split_Pin]

Good cars those MK8s, I liked mine. Loving the R25!

[Dobloseven]

8 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Good cars those MK8s, I liked mine. Loving the R25!

Surprised how many there are still about. We counted 6 in the 5 mile trip to collect it.Just hoping the alternator won't be too much of a job, though there's no rush to sort it. Thinking it might be a car my daughter can use when she comes home from Dubai for the summer holidays. 

[eddyramrod]

These days, pretty much any car that more or less works is a bargain at that price, so well done!  Son has a bit of a way to go though.... E46?  What is the child thinking of????

[Bren]

Started to see a few shedding their lacquer.

I have been told some are starting to dissolve at the back.

[RoverFolkUs]

I think that shape Civic has aged very well, in the looks, functionality and reliability department. I only ever seem to be doing ABS sensors on them, always right rear!, but that might as well be pocket change on a car of that age. 

Don't see a lot of rust here in the south east so I couldn't make a fair conclusion on how susceptible a certain car can be, I can only comment on what I've seen, and that's not a lot on these

[dome]

Excellent purchase! I was half tempted myself but getting it back to Fife would be interesting. 

They do suffer from rust up here at least but at the price you paid and with that much MOT I'd not be worried about it for a while.

[Mally]

Be interested on the alternator swap. 

Some say it's fairly easy. I'd have had a go. 

[DaveDorson]

Glad it's found a home and got you back OK.

Which side of Leicester are you then @Dobloseven?  I was going to grab this if you hadn't as I'm quite local too.

[Dobloseven]

Just now, DaveDorson said:

Glad it's found a home and got you back OK.

Which side of Leicester are you then @Dobloseven?  I was going to grab this if you hadn't as I'm quite local too.

West side,Blackbird Road area. You're Rutland way aren't you? 

[DaveDorson]

Just now, Dobloseven said:

West side,Blackbird Road area. You're Rutland way aren't you? 

Stamford with a unit in Rutland, just outside Uppingham yeah.

[Dobloseven]

7 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

These days, pretty much any car that more or less works is a bargain at that price, so well done!  Son has a bit of a way to go though.... E46?  What is the child thinking of????

Now, now, Eddy, his BM is older than your Jaguar! 

 

12 minutes ago, Mally said:

Be interested on the alternator swap. 

Some say it's fairly easy. I'd have had a go. 

Looking at it, it seems you just keep taking bits off till you get to it and there's room to get it out. Chap with the flatbed I spoke to said to remove the wheel arch liner and remove it that way. Once it's off, I plan to take it to a local repair place. Might sound them out when I go past them prior to starting the job. 

[ProgRocker]

Nice . 😎

I thought Honda hit peak car styling with these mark 8s. Wouldn't kind a Civic should I decide to move my Hyundai on but the post 2016 models are hella expensive. 

Nice Renault 25 too. 😍

[Mally]

19 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

 

 

Looking at it, it seems you just keep taking bits off till you get to it and there's room to get it out. Chap with the flatbed I spoke to said to remove the wheel arch liner and remove it that way. Once it's off, I plan to take it to a local repair place. Might sound them out when I go past them prior to starting the job. 

Someone linked a cheap replacement iirc in Billy's ad.

I've changed one on a 75. Can't be much more fiddly.

[Dobloseven]

23 minutes ago, ProgRocker said:

Nice . 😎

I thought Honda hit peak car styling with these mark 8s. Wouldn't kind a Civic should I decide to move my Hyundai on but the post 2016 models are hella expensive. 

Nice Renault 25 too. 😍

E46 driving son sold his 68 reg Mk 10 diesel Civic to WBAC for £12k last Autumn. The Mk 9s looked sort of a bloated copy to me, like the designer couldn't be bothered. There was a useful looking Mk 9 Estate though. Would like to move the Renault on this year, I've kept it longer than I planned to. 

[big_al_granvia]

Delighted this has been saved, looks like a cracking motor, good luck with the alternator swap

[Supernaut]

8 hours ago, Bren said:

Started to see a few shedding their lacquer.

I have been told some are starting to dissolve at the back.

Yup!

I very briefly owned a 2006 one that essentially had no rear axle mounts!

I also had the ex Split_Pin one for almost a year. Nice cars but the crashy ride eventually drove me mad.

It's now living in Aberdeenshire, probably with its last owner before it dissolves.

[Bradders59]

Ove the last 15 years or so, I have had a few alternators give trouble. Every time I order a regulator from this place and been back on the road for around £20.

Could be something else of course, but usually regulator and for £20 worth a go in my opinion.

Come back ⚡ (rotatingelectrics.co.uk)

[Dobloseven]

Went into local alternator place today. Said to bring it in for testing. A repair would be between 30 and 70 pounds. Worst case scenario an exchange one would be 120 plus VAT. Started on it tonight. Unfortunately was going out later so didn't get too far with it. Hopefully, it'll come out without removing too many bits. 

[straightSix]

Alternator isn't too bad to do on these. Don't bother taking the arch liner out, if you loosen some of the pipes above you can wiggle it out fairly easy. Although I have pretty small hands which probably makes things easier 

[Dobloseven]

Managed to get alternator out and am sat in repair place waiting for the guy to fit a new diode pack, whatever one of them is. 

[DaveDorson]

12 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Managed to get alternator out and am sat in repair place waiting for the guy to fit a new diode pack, whatever one of them is. 

Absolute result for you then!

[Imhotep]

Had a 1.8 petrol one of these as a courtesy car once, thing had 200k on it and ran beautifully even with no oil in it. Should do you a turn easily, boots on them are enormous too.

[RoverFolkUs]

Rebuild not replace, top man

Not enough people doing that these days, that's all I did on my old Rover 45. £15 for a new regulator as opposed to £80 for an exchange alternator. No brainer

[Billy - Medhurst]

@Dobloseven Good to meet you and to see this on here and progress.

[Dobloseven]

Thought it was all going too well. Got the repaired alternator back in.Feeling very confident. Fecking thing won't start!Was running when I parked it up. Drive slopes, car facing uphill. Was very low on fuel, so I chucked a canful in when I left it. As far I know the only things I disturbed were the alternator connections and the bonnet catch switch. Charged the battery before I started working on it. Did touch the big wire going into the alternator to earth with a spanner reconnecting it, resulting in a spark. Thought I'd be clever and not bother disconnecting the battery. Engine spins over quickly, but no sign whatsoever of firing. 

[RoverFolkUs]

41 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Thought it was all going too well. Got the repaired alternator back in.Feeling very confident. Fecking thing won't start!Was running when I parked it up. Drive slopes, car facing uphill. Was very low on fuel, so I chucked a canful in when I left it. As far I know the only things I disturbed were the alternator connections and the bonnet catch switch. Charged the battery before I started working on it. Did touch the big wire going into the alternator to earth with a spanner reconnecting it, resulting in a spark. Thought I'd be clever and not bother disconnecting the battery. Engine spins over quickly, but no sign whatsoever of firing. 

Any activity from the rev counter? Haven't disturbed the crank sensor connector at all? 

Can't imagine a short to earth would have done anything, it's just a battery live and nothing more

[DaveDorson]

Check all your sensors just incase something got knocked.  You got access to diagnostics with live data that can interrogate the fuel rail pressure?

[Dobloseven]

1 minute ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Any activity from the rev counter? Haven't disturbed the crank sensor connector at all? 

Can't imagine a short to earth would have done anything, it's just a battery live and nothing more

Yes, rev counter moves as it cranks.