Davie's french attraction.

[myglaren]

Only used Kwikfit* twice.
First was a complete exhaust for my Renault 11. I knew it was failing and had priced parts but the damned thing fell off on my way to work. Kwikfit put a new one on for less than I would have paid for parts and saved me a Saturday under the car in the rain.

The other time was with my daughter, she was driving her boyfriends Sierra poshthing and the exhaust was blowing. Kwickfit was 100 yards away from her house, she had to sort it as said boyfriend was away at sea for three months.
Lad stuck it on the lift then came and asked Sarah to come and have a look.
We expected the usual nonsense but he pointed to a small hole in an otherwise as-new silencer and said he could weld it for her in five minutes if she liked.
Gave him the go ahead and true to his word it was done and back on the road in no time, no charge either. I think he fancied Sarah, which greased the wheels.

* spellcheck wants this to be Kiwifruit. Not a bad alternative - I have heard some nightmare stories with them.

[daviemck2006]

A job has been done to the c1 today after I came home from Aberdeen. I have at last got rid of the horrid continental eco contact tyres that have covered just under 12000 miles and are perished after 3&1/2 years. They have been replaced with 15" wolfrace alloysshod with new toyo proxes tyres, the new model ones in 195/50x15 size. Should be better than the 165/60x15 conties. Photo will follow when daylight returns.

[daviemck2006]

A couple of pics of the c1 with new wheels, probably side on as usual from my phone. The pics arent very good to start with!

[daviemck2006]

Today was spent cleaning the bmw. Its not in bad condition at all for a 21 year old. Its growing on me very slowly, but i will never be a fan of the interior colours. Plenty folk must be though as they all seem to either be black ot this colour. It will soon be up for mot, i honestly cant see it needing much, it has a slight oil leak. I dont know from where, and the rear discs and pads are near the end of life. No clonks or bangs when driving and I have seen it on a ramp, the underside looks fine. Once it has a new mot it will get a oil and filter change, engine and gearbox then a descision taken if I will keep for a while when I fancy a bit of power or if it is for sale. The c1 stays and as does the leon for now so I expect the bmw will go to allow me to try something else different lol

[daviemck2006]

Above bmw failed its MOT today. It's not a bad list for its 21 years and 157000 miles. Airbag light on, droplink ballpoint cover unattached, play in lower rear suspension bush, jacking point corroded, parking brake inoperative on one side. Advisories 2 rear tyres near limit, all 4 brake discs pitted or scored, oil leak, front wheelarch liner insecure. It had advisories from last year of rear tyres, discs pitted, oil leak. It's done 6000 miles in the year, I recon it got 4 new tyres last year, all 4 tyres looked relatively recent when I got it, Shaun had a go of it last weekend, I think he must have been doing donuts in it as the back tyres look ripped to shreds, not worn. That's it, he doesnt get to drive a vehicle of mine again unless I am in it. It's not a coincidence that he had my old caddy van when the diff disintegrated requiring a replacement gearbox. His 107 and my c1 are the next MOTs due in May, on the same day. Mine will be a clean pass, his will probably have a list of stuff as long as your arm. I'm having nothing to do with his one!

[Zelandeth]

Being totally honest Davie, given his history I'm staggered he was permitted to so much as stand next to it unattended never mind drive it.

On the plus side, some scrubbed tyres are better than you getting a phone call informing you of him embedding it into the front of a bus at 155mph.

Shame there's corrosion to deal with, but I guess it is getting to that age now isn't it. Parking brake I imagine is standard automatic syndrome where it's just never been used.

[Hell Razor5543]

I have a polite nickname for your son, Davie; "Sodoff Shaun". Whenever he asks to use one of your vehicles you call him by said nickname. If word gets around about him any vehicles owned by "Sodoff Shaun" won't be worth looking at to buy, while garages asked to do work for "Sodoff Shaun" will charge him astronomical fees, as they know that there will be a lot of work needing to be done.

I would also consider buying a small safe and keeping your car keys in there. That way he cannot 'borrow' any of your cars without permission (not that THAT will ever (or should) happen!).

[daviemck2006]

The car now has a new mot. It also has two Goodyear excellence tyres on the back. I struck it really lucky, the garage I threw it at to do the mot repair work is also my tyre fitter. There was a guy who had put winters onto his passat, taking off these Goodyear's a few months ago. The tyres had only done 1500 miles. Unfortunately for him he crashed said passat his new passat has 18" wheels so he told the tyre man to sell these ones. 50 quid fitted, tyres were new last summer so once again I got right place, right time with tyres! They wont get scrubbed down doing donuts, as he who wrecks cars ain't getting near it!

[daviemck2006]

I've done 1400 miles on the toyos on the c1 now. Initially they seemed to have a severe lack of grip, I was under steering all over the place, but it wasnt long before they bedded in and now have decent grip, wet or dry and no signs of any wear either. It is now parked up though as the shop is shut for the foreseeable future. None of the cars will be used much on this current lockdown, it will be 2 miles to tesco twice a week, with a stop at the pharmacy on the way once a week to pick up my meds. The leon will be the car of use just now.

[Stickyfinger]

Dave...."the virus" will at least stop you buying another shed for some time, sliver-lining/clouds etc or have you been stocking up on old bangers ?

[daviemck2006]

I would need to sell one before buying another. The one I would sell just now would be the bmw, but it would be a difficult sell just now. I see plenty of e39 bmws for sale at ridiculous prices, like 5 or 6 grand, they have no chance. This one is due me less than a grand and if I got a grand for it I would be happy. I cant see me getting it sold at all in the current situation, as well as the fact I am miles from anywhere. The c1 and the leon are keepers for now. The c1 is perfect for work, although that is shut at the moment, and I need to keep a reliable auto for when my back and left leg are unreliable, so the leon stays for that. Incidently the c1 and leon both do near enough the same mpg, 48 to 49 mpg. I do not believe some of the claims on the c1 owners forum that they average 70mpg. I'm on my 4th one, the first one averaged 56, that was on a 50 mile steady 50mph commute. This one doing 48 being stop start driven quite hard but not thrashed. ThE leon does its 48mog mostly longer runs of 30 to 40 miles for visiting, going shopping and the like. Never worked out the bmw. It is not the car for watching mpg! When the bmw does sell, if I want another toy I could see me looking for a xantia again, it would have to be a v6 though which may be difficult to find nowadays.

[daviemck2006]

I didnt need to get it done, but I wanted to have the continuity so the c1 was up for MOT today. It passed with no advisories, which was as expected. It started first kick after 3 weeks of rest, also as expected. My usual mot man is working, but at reduced hours as he is not busy. The bmw also has not moved for 3 weeks, I have only been using the leon since the lockdown, and it's only when necessary to go to the shops. I am intending selling the bmw, but dont think it's even worth advertising in the current situation. I cant see anyone really looking for a project/fun 2nd or 3rd car just now. It's in the "long term" parking space at the back where the 407 sat for a year not moving, then the xantia sat for a few months. I hear on the news as I type that's another 3 weeks for it.

[daviemck2006]

I am in the process of changing the engine oil and gearbox oil on the bmw. The gearchanges were a bit iffy and clunky when cold. The fluid that just came out is blacker than the engine oil of a diesel! I expect it is 21 years and 157000 miles old! I will change it, run a few hundred miles then change it again. I may as well use the gas guzzler to do my essential weekly shop 35 miles distant while petrol is cheap! Next on the list for an oil and filter change will be the c1. I will probably leave it until next week. I dont want to overdo things and kill my back, which is not bad just now. That's when I normally do do too much then suffer for weeks.

[daviemck2006]

Well me being me and after saying the c1 was a keeper I went and sold it. The reason for selling is because of my physical health deteriorating and really struggling with a manual, and although it is not bad for a city car the ride was just too bumpy and affecting me too much. Also I was not convinced that it wasnt going to need a clutch shortly. Despite adjusting it as much as possible it was still biting right at the top of the travel and would slip if the pedal was touched at all. I know the previous owner who only did 5400 miles in it from new to 3 years was an elderly gent. Now I am not saying all elderly gents have poor clutch control, but I wonder if he was a guy who drove with left foot on clutch all the time. So it has gone, I got only £500 less than I paid for it so that's ok for depreciation for 1 year and 11000 miles. So the Seat will be put onto daily and pizza run duties for now.its only done 71k and has a recent timing belt and water pump so should be ok. I still have the 540i, which is great for going a longer run in, and the poor fuel economy even is not too much of a problem with petrol just now under £1 a litre at Morrison's, which is admittedly 30 miles away. However it is for sale, its not a keeper, I'm on the lookout for something like a diesel 4x4 kind of thing with a higher driving position and auto box. Or a c6! Not really too keen on the high road tax band though espically after the free c1!

[daviemck2006]

Went and bought a 2010 toyota hilux invincible as a damaged repairable. It's a category N, which I now think really means no real damage. It had a bumped front bumper, now fixed acceptably well, and surface scratches along the drivers side and a burst brake pipe. It has 10 months MOT and at its last test has advisories for corroded brake pipes. So it now has new brake pipes all round and new pads on the front. It has only done 450 miles since its last test so the thought it the previous owner braked, a pipe burst, lost the brakes and went through a spiked wire fence. Due to my health now I will only own autos. And I am now going to stop dabbling in buying cars solely to sell on, which I have been guilty of in the past. I need to get rid of the bmw so keys going to be advertised again now the coronavirus restrictions are easing off. So for the forseeable future I do not think I shall own a citroen for a while. The only citroens that appeal to me just now are a new shape c3 or a cactus. I need to save up to get one though, and if I do find one or the other it will replace the leon. And before I own one I would need to be sure that the citroen semi auto box is far better than the dreadful sensodrive I once owned and will have to compare to the excellent vw designed 7 speed dsg box my Leon has. I will still look on here occasionally, but I'm sure that you gents dont really want to hear about my Spanish and Japanese vehicles, as this is the French car forum!