C30 truly budget motoring

[NorthernMonkey]

As alluded to earlier in the week, another purchase has been arranged for today to replace the roffle win Picanto which recently moved to pastures new.

Compared to recent buys, this one is rather boring hence the ‘Tesco Value’ thread title.

If anything, it’s going to be more of an experiment to see if an end of life vehicle can be rescued and turned into a reliable runner capable of doing high mileage up and down the country.

In its favour are the facts it appears to have been well cared for by its previous owner and its a marque I’m very familiar with, although I’ve never owned this particular variant or indeed any other with this power plant.

Time for one more coffee before heading off on various forms of budget transport.

[Twiggy]

Good luck ! I hope it all goes well.

[gm]

do you need a lift from the station ?  

[NorthernMonkey]

26 minutes ago, gm said:

do you need a lift from the station ?  

I’m game if you are 👍

[NorthernMonkey]

Got a slightly earlier train so time for a Greggs coffee in Leeds now 👍

[NorthernMonkey]

I spent 20 years working and living in Leeds city centre and now, 15 years later, the place is unrecognisable! 
 

There’s hardly any cars in the city centre now and I’ve got to say the whole place looks and feels cleaner, albeit just a bit…empty? 🤔

[NorthernMonkey]

Now on train 2 to Doncaster

The woman in front is currently discussing tonight’s dinner on the phone and has suggested ‘firing up the BBQ’

Fuck knows where she’s headed?!

I’ll just be happy with it being warm enough in the pub to not have to keep my coat on.

[NorthernMonkey]

And the final leg. It’s very green in here.

[NorthernMonkey]

Picked up from the station by a slightly slower means of transport this time (ahem, @gm) and collected probably the most undersold car I’ve ever bought from the honourable member for cheap Volvos,  @Grumblespeed

What an absolute honey of a car!!! Yes, it’s got a couple of minor issues as advertised but really nothing that’s not easily enough sorted. It really is a proper little car that’s been well looked after and will be here to stay, I reckon.

Currently having a quick break on the way over the tops to Manchester and it hasn’t put a foot wrong up to press. No fuel stops either as it had half a tank left in it.

Pleasure to meet you, @Grumblespeed 👍👍

[Grumblespeed]

Glad it's taking well to being rudely awoken from its retirement. Good to meet you, have fun with it.

[PicantoJon]

They do look good, especially that colour. Well purchased! 

[bezzabsa]

details pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez good looker in that colour

[NorthernMonkey]

Back up north and now in the pub.

Car tucked safely up in the workshop for going over imminently.

Conclusions?

Severe rattle from front-suspect anti roll bar bushes

Slight whine-aux belt tensioner/alternator

DMF rattle? No evidence at all. Fixed.

Economy-39.2 not hanging around.

Well happy. Not convinced about the front grill yet but the old one is in the boot.

Absolute bloody bargain. A bit embarrassed it was so cheap actually but what can you do? It will have a good future up here.

[Grumblespeed]

Wife's happy it's getting a chance. Not major issues with it but they are noisy ones that would send a "normal" buyer running for the hills and we just needed the space so thanks for taking it on, hope it does well for you.

 

[Grumblespeed]

3 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

details pleeeeeeeeeeeeeez good looker in that colour

 

[NorthernMonkey]

Nothing normal at this end.

Thinking of launching a website…we buy any shite.com

In all seriousness though, it definitely will live on. It was a very comfy drive back and as a bonus, Claire loves it too.

The plan is to investigate the random noises on Monday then take it next door for a fresh MOT before pressing it into daily use.

It’s going for a tour of Anglesey and South Wales next weekend so it had better get used to being used again 😂

[NorthernMonkey]

There’s nothing really wrong with the wheels that’s on it and the tyres are spot on but I’ve got a mint set of Pegasus T5-R alloys sat at work that I’ve not got round to advertising yet.

I wonder 🤔

(stock photo…not my Axminster)

[bezzabsa]

always thought they were a good looking car - and especially in red

[NorthernMonkey]

Being a bit bored sitting around waiting for the Snooker to start, I thought I’d wander down to the workshop to have a poke around the latest arrival.

First on the list was the horrendous clonking from the front suspension. Everything looked fine at first glance, having had both arms replaced along with new Bilsteins and top mounts. The pry bar of doom revealed nothing either but as a last resort, I hung off the anti roll bar and gave it a good shake, revealing rather excessive play in the near side drop link lower joint.

However, what do we have in the boot?

Yep, that’ll do…no more knocking!

Whilst on a roll, it was time to turn my attention to the whining noise from the left hand side of the engine. The alternator being the prime suspect, I stuck a 17mm spanner on the tensioner which on these sits right at the top of the engine in order to remove the belt and spin the alternator by hand. As the belt came off, there looked to be a bit of a wobble on the pulley and sure enough, the bearing is absolutely shot. A complete tensioner is around £40 but you can get the pulley and bearing on its own for £15 so one is now on the way.

[NorthernMonkey]

Buoyed with success. I decided to tax it and satisfy my curiosity re the front grill.

Before…

After…

I’ve actually got an old XC90 grill kicking around somewhere so I may try a bit of an hybrid approach and put a blacked out badge and diagonal on the aftermarket one to see how it looks?

[Supernaut]

That's fit.

What engine is it though?

[NorthernMonkey]

57 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

That's fit.

What engine is it though?

Boggo 1.8 petrol. Not going to catch sparrows but it gets along well enough and averaged around 40mpg cross country on the way back from Lincoln.

I bet the D5 is entertaining in something this size…you can tell it’s a Focus in a frock as the handling is spot on.

[Split_Pin]

Looks great and I am glad the DMF is OK. I prefer the standard front grille.

[FakeConcern]

Looks so much better with the original grill, without the badge they always look like they've had their teeth knocked out.

I think they are great looking cars, a handsome Volvo at the front and like nothing else at the back. Mine is a T5 in black.

Edit; Pegs look great on a C30

This belongs to a friend

 

[NorthernMonkey]

50 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Looks so much better with the original grill, without the badge they always look like they've had their teeth knocked out.

I think they are great looking cars, a handsome Volvo at the front and like nothing else at the back. Mine is a T5 in black.

Edit; Pegs look great on a C30

This belongs to a friend

 

Mine are only reps that came on an XC90 of all things that I broke but they do look rather well on that! 🤔

[NorthernMonkey]

Come to think of it, I’ve actually got a spare T5 engine here which I keep meaning to sell for £££ to one of the RS boys. Not sure I can be bothered with that, though!  😂

[Grumblespeed]

Easy fix is always nice - glad the drop link came in handy. Nice to see it getting some love, me and that car never got on.

[NorthernMonkey]

Having fixed the rattle and used it a bit, the whine from the belt tensioner has quietened right off. I’ve ordered a new pulley and bearing assembly but in the meantime, it’s been pressed into service today, with a 500 mile round trip to Norfolk and back with work.

It managed it admirably and returned an accurate 42mpg to boot!

This really is finding a place in my heart, not least for the fact the mileage allowance for today’s journey has covered the purchase price in one fell swoop 👍

[NorthernMonkey]

Quick update on the little red swede…the tensioner arrived from my factors but was the wrong one. A bit of digging found the right one online for £80 or just the pulley and bearing from Lithuania for £27.

A bit more detective work resulted in finding the right SKF branded pulley with Parts in Motion on eBay listed for a Focus for £16 which was ordered on Wednesday and arrived this morning.

The C30 is now as quiet as a church mouse so the experiment in bargain basement bangernomics continues in a successful direction!