Sub Par Cars
Re: Sub Par Cars
Aye!
The Civic is booked in there for early November for an MOT, and I said to them I suspect it may need a track rod but they'll test it first and see.
I'll happily do brakes and other service items myself, but suspension and steering work can get farmed out to the folk with proper ramps and air tools.
Re: Sub Par Cars
Hmm, what have I done in the past year?
Sold the Civic, replaced it with a Ssangyong Rexton that I ran on waste vegetable oil. What a bucket of shit, and going by the state of the underside and the rear seatbelt mounts it had a hooky MOT. It went away in March / April sort of time, went through three other members of AS before getting fragged.
As an aside; as good as the Civic was, the crashy suspension eventually drove me up the wall. Hence it got sold. It was a brilliant car in every measurable way except for the horrific suspension. Having spoken to other people who have experienced Mk8 Civics, they're all like that.
The Rexton was replaced by a 2001 Renault Clio RSi. Good fun when it worked. It just didn't work very often. I threw in the towel with that a fortnight ago when it randomly started locking and unlocking itself while being driven.
I managed to swap the Clio with some cash my way for a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi.
It just works, and is comfy and has a heater like a furnace. Within 48 hours I'd fully winterised it. That means I got some winter tyres, some waterproof seat covers and some Osram Nightbreakers.
The E36 is now SORNed for the winter. It's in need of front struts and another handbrake rebuild.
I also no longer live in Stirling. I moved back to the family farm in Aberdeenshire in late September, and start a new job tomorrow doing a 9 day fortnight.
I've been spending the past couple of months working outside and getting dribbled on by the stupid horses, and shall continue doing so indefinitely.
The Land Rover has been progressing slowly but gradually, but I realised I don't have any recent photos of it...
Sold the Civic, replaced it with a Ssangyong Rexton that I ran on waste vegetable oil. What a bucket of shit, and going by the state of the underside and the rear seatbelt mounts it had a hooky MOT. It went away in March / April sort of time, went through three other members of AS before getting fragged.
As an aside; as good as the Civic was, the crashy suspension eventually drove me up the wall. Hence it got sold. It was a brilliant car in every measurable way except for the horrific suspension. Having spoken to other people who have experienced Mk8 Civics, they're all like that.
The Rexton was replaced by a 2001 Renault Clio RSi. Good fun when it worked. It just didn't work very often. I threw in the towel with that a fortnight ago when it randomly started locking and unlocking itself while being driven.
I managed to swap the Clio with some cash my way for a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 SXi.
It just works, and is comfy and has a heater like a furnace. Within 48 hours I'd fully winterised it. That means I got some winter tyres, some waterproof seat covers and some Osram Nightbreakers.
The E36 is now SORNed for the winter. It's in need of front struts and another handbrake rebuild.
I also no longer live in Stirling. I moved back to the family farm in Aberdeenshire in late September, and start a new job tomorrow doing a 9 day fortnight.
I've been spending the past couple of months working outside and getting dribbled on by the stupid horses, and shall continue doing so indefinitely.
The Land Rover has been progressing slowly but gradually, but I realised I don't have any recent photos of it...
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Split_Pin
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Re: Sub Par Cars
That Rexton sounded like a pile of wank and the Clio not any better. I don't care what anyone says, fast Clios are a bucket of shite. Absolute rot boxes and not even that fast. I was persuaded to buy mine because they were 'brilliant' but my 2 year ownership experience was not all that.
Glad you have got another solid winter beater, MK4 Astras are great, I had my Coupe for 13 years. The farm sounds nice as well, I'll love to live amongst some animals. Good luck with the new job next week.
Glad you have got another solid winter beater, MK4 Astras are great, I had my Coupe for 13 years. The farm sounds nice as well, I'll love to live amongst some animals. Good luck with the new job next week.
Re: Sub Par Cars
Aye, the Clio was shit.
The Astra is only marginally slower, about 5mpg worse but a hell of a lot more car.
The Land Rover as it stands today, including the battery cutoff mounted on a bracket fabricated out of a piece of the old floor.
We managed to get it into high range earlier. It seems that the 4WD lever relies on the floor being in place to put upwards tension on its spring. Cue one person holding the 4WD lever upwards while the other pushed the range selector forwards. Clunk. No problem even with the engine off.
We also re-adjusted the valve clearances and will adjust the fuel mixture next time we have it running.
The heater is currently removed thanks to the rubber hoses running into it springing a leak after it got a run on Thursday, so that's a big ol' hole in the cooling system until that's sorted.
The Astra is only marginally slower, about 5mpg worse but a hell of a lot more car.
The Land Rover as it stands today, including the battery cutoff mounted on a bracket fabricated out of a piece of the old floor.
We managed to get it into high range earlier. It seems that the 4WD lever relies on the floor being in place to put upwards tension on its spring. Cue one person holding the 4WD lever upwards while the other pushed the range selector forwards. Clunk. No problem even with the engine off.
We also re-adjusted the valve clearances and will adjust the fuel mixture next time we have it running.
The heater is currently removed thanks to the rubber hoses running into it springing a leak after it got a run on Thursday, so that's a big ol' hole in the cooling system until that's sorted.
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Last edited by SubPar on Sun Nov 19, 2023 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Sub Par Cars
I also fired up the BMW earlier and took it down the track. Stomped the brakes a few times and it still seems alright.
The Astra is tucked just inside the door so I don't need to defrost it daily, but a lot more junk needs cleared before I can stash the BMW in there.
It has been my project since October to declutter this shed. This is how it looks after a month and a half! So much junk!
The Astra is tucked just inside the door so I don't need to defrost it daily, but a lot more junk needs cleared before I can stash the BMW in there.
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The Reverend Bluejeans
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Re: Sub Par Cars
French junk is French junk. Yuk.
I ran a 2006 Civic and the suspension is pretty crap. Like the 1 Series bucket of shit WBOD I have now, it’s never settled but constantly and irritatingly joggly. Those Astra 4’s were very good as was the Focus. The Civic is just another meh car albeit generally reliable.
The Yingtongtangtong Rectum really was a vile contraption.
I ran a 2006 Civic and the suspension is pretty crap. Like the 1 Series bucket of shit WBOD I have now, it’s never settled but constantly and irritatingly joggly. Those Astra 4’s were very good as was the Focus. The Civic is just another meh car albeit generally reliable.
The Yingtongtangtong Rectum really was a vile contraption.
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paulplom
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Guest
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Re: Sub Par Cars
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I had a Series 1 and suspect yours may be more comfortable than the original fitted by Land Rover
Re: Sub Par Cars
I used to drive a series 3, and that seat is still an upgrade.
Completing the bodywork and fittings will definitely mark a downgrade in seating arrangements.