The Xantia of Not Many Shitters

[Rust Collector]

7 minutes ago, mercedade said:

EDIT: unless that's what you meant by 'put it behind you'!

I did mean to move elsewhere, but yes once I'm feeling a bit less frustrated then you're probably right about it being an off event. It is why I've tried to avoid burning bridges thus far.

I think the thing that pissed me off the most was just the chap not owning up to a mistake. Everyone makes them, and it's what you do about resolving them that is the measure of you in my opinion.

[mercedade]

2 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I think the thing that pissed me off the most was just the chap not owning up to a mistake. Everyone makes them, and it's what you do about resolving them that is the measure of you in my opinion.

Yeah, definitely - and especially an amber flag if he's the berk who's going to be handling more of the customer interactions in the future.

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

Alarmingly, I think he is the branch manager. The chap who used to manage this branch appears to have moved a couple of towns over to Polegate now - I knew him from when I was at Honda and he was a really sound chap.

Interesting - is this the chain with blue & green branding? Can recommend PR Autos in Eastbourne (off Lottbridge Drove) if that's easier for you than B/hill.

[Rust Collector]

12 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Interesting - is this the chain with blue & green branding? Can recommend PR Autos in Eastbourne (off Lottbridge Drove) if that's easier for you than B/hill.

It is indeed, that bought out the local autowise garages.

Anywhere outside of Newhaven is a nuisance really as it means I can’t drop cars in on work days. The current place is behind where I work! I just duck out for 5 minutes to drop off/pick up whatever has gone in that day.

[High Jetter]

Polegate site used to be C L Ridley & Son, Ovlov dealers who also had the current Wilmoths site at Willingdon. IDK anywhere in Newhaven these days.

[andyberg]

Has this got through the MOT? Waits with baited breath 🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Tickman]

Rust Collector has been a little preoccupied with more important stuff this week.

[Rust Collector]

I didn’t post it in this thread as I didn’t want it to look like I was hiding behind excuses. Last Sunday when I found some free time to do the welding, I ended up rushing my partner into hospital instead as there was a worry over her pregnancy. She was in hospital for a few days and between looking after my son and running backwards and forwards to the hospital it kind of wiped me out all week.

Happily enough, mum and baby appear to be ok for now. I also have today free, so I’ll be up the farm welding the Xantia and putting new rear shoes on the Clio! All being well, I’ll get the Xantia back into the garage early next week.

[andyberg]

Family is always top priority. I didn't mean to add pressure, just thought I had missed the news. Give my best wishes to your wife. 

[purplebargeken]

Crikey, cars are really not the priority. Hope all is well buddy.

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Rust Collector said:

I didn’t post it in this thread as I didn’t want it to look like I was hiding behind excuses. Last Sunday when I found some free time to do the welding, I ended up rushing my partner into hospital instead as there was a worry over her pregnancy. She was in hospital for a few days and between looking after my son and running backwards and forwards to the hospital it kind of wiped me out all week.

Happily enough, mum and baby appear to be ok for now. I also have today free, so I’ll be up the farm welding the Xantia and putting new rear shoes on the Clio! All being well, I’ll get the Xantia back into the garage early next week.

Thank god for that. Must've been frightening.

[wesacosa]

glad all is ok with the family, mate

[RichardK]

1 hour ago, Rust Collector said:

I didn’t post it in this thread as I didn’t want it to look like I was hiding behind excuses. Last Sunday when I found some free time to do the welding, I ended up rushing my partner into hospital instead as there was a worry over her pregnancy. She was in hospital for a few days and between looking after my son and running backwards and forwards to the hospital it kind of wiped me out all week.

Rest and be thankful is not part of a Rally stage... Hope she is feeling better and all is well, and you get some downtime.

[beko1987]

Sorry to hear the woes. I've still not beaten an unofficial (would never admit to the roughly official time) time I set from Marlow to Stokenchurch (8/9 miles) in the xm I had. 

It was for a similar phone call whilst at work, random pains, crying missus, get here ASAP... There was nothing amiss then either, you'll get used to it... 😂

[Rust Collector]

Cheers guys 😁 all is well at home now so car play time is no bother, especially as mother in law/the wicked witch from the East arrived today.

I’ve welded in a plate (much later than planned, as mother dearest was looking for problems today and that caused small* delays in my schedule) and I’ve just got home.

It’s really quite crusty on that inner sill; it’s been repaired in the past by plating over what was there. Looked neat enough but obviously the rot that was there has kept going, so welding anything to it now is a bit of a bollocks as you’re welding to rust. To get up to good metal you’d need to drop the tank and the rear suspension, then you could take a decent sized section out and start anew.

At any rate, I’ve done what I can - crudely formed a patch (where the fuck have my panel hammer and record vice gone from the farm?!) and seam welded it over the gaping hole as best as could be done without cutting out swathes of sill. It’s now solid, and covered in underseal, which will hopefully be of satisfaction to the man from the ministry.

If the car is a long term keeper, I think it would benefit from my work and the previous work being removed, and someone starting again from further up. I see that requiring work on the outer sill and inner wheel tub as well though 😬

I’ll give them a ring tomorrow and see when they can have it in.

The end is in sight chaps!

[RoverFolkUs]

I'm sure an MOT standard patch is all that's needed for the moment, no use making it structurally perfect until it proves itself that it's not one of those ungrateful bastard cars thats never ever right after being put back into use!

[Rust Collector]

2 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I'm sure an MOT standard patch is all that's needed for the moment, no use making it structurally perfect until it proves itself that it's not one of those ungrateful bastard cars thats never ever right after being put back into use!

I didn’t want to be the one to stay it 🤣

The car has grown a lot on me to be fair since the initial and harrowing collection drive, it feels a lot better for having been driven a bit and having the comedy driver’s seat welded and bolted back together!

[RoverFolkUs]

7 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I didn’t want to be the one to stay it 🤣

The car has grown a lot on me to be fair since the initial and harrowing collection drive, it feels a lot better for having been driven a bit and having the comedy driver’s seat welded and bolted back together!

I'm used to being frank and upfront with customer's cars on the daily so that will be why! 

I've been telling myself for too long I need a hydro Citroen. But I just can't do it to myself as nobody has promised me its going to be trouble free 😀

[Rust Collector]

15 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I'm used to being frank and upfront with customer's cars on the daily so that will be why! 

I've been telling myself for too long I need a hydro Citroen. But I just can't do it to myself as nobody has promised me its going to be trouble free 😀

[Zelandeth]

22 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I'm used to being frank and upfront with customer's cars on the daily so that will be why! 

I've been telling myself for too long I need a hydro Citroen. But I just can't do it to myself as nobody has promised me its going to be trouble free 😀

In all honesty, if you take a bit of time and learn how the hydraulics work they're not that scary.

90% of the big headaches in that department are usually corroded pipes at this age - and usually only because the factory routing makes running a repair the same route hard.  If you don't mind for instance rerouting a line around rather than up over the fuel tank, you're halfway there.

At the end of the day, it's just a pump, pipework, a few mechanical linkages, some valves and some hydraulic rams.  Unlike brake fluid, LHM isn't hygroscopic either, so the systems don't tend to dissolve themselves from the inside out or immediately seize up if they're left sitting for a couple of months.

Yes there's a learning curve, but bugger all that would worry you I reckon.

[purplebargeken]

Maybe tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

[purplebargeken]

Maybe today....... 

Our Roffle in heaven

Hallowed be thy game.

Thy car keys come, your parts bill be done

On paper as it was quoted.

Give us our daily fix, forgive us our shite purchases

AS we forgive those who BINI against us

Lead us into temptation of moar chod buying

Deliver us moar diesel.

For the power and glory are ours now and forever.

Our MEMS (for the MGF bretheren).

[purplebargeken]

It was quick and dirty....

[purplebargeken]

Maybe today.......  nnnnnnnngggggg.

[Rust Collector]

I've got a brie and bacon baguette at hand and I'm about to go to the garage on my lunch break. Wish me luck!

[Andy F]

Danger and excitement

[andyberg]

Best of autoshite luck, fingers crossed 🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Rust Collector]

[Rust Collector]

She’s passed. I can enjoy my baguette now 😅

[Dave_Q]

Get that man some sort of Shite Hero medal, a great effort.