Davie's french attraction.

[CitroJim]

Excellent

[daviemck2006]

It was a pleasure to help Peter, and I would do it for anyone wanting to look at/assess a car within rande of me. This one was special as it was my one a few years ago. It still is in lovely condition for 10 years and 86000 miles, it was a bit dull and dirty when I saw it first, and it was just a quick wash and dry it got before I took it to Inverness. It was more to satisfy myself that it would still come up well with a good clean. If its that good with a quick bath she will still look amazing with a few hours spent on her with the polish etc.I know there are one or two small things needing sorted out, your going to get that on any used car. The think I was amazed about is the exhaust. If you remember it had a blowing exhaust when I bought it, and I was going to get a full stainless steel made once I had got the money. I had bodged it twice and was going to bodge it again, when a neighbour did a super bodge consisting of a pipe inside, welded in, then the end of the centre pipe modded to suit. It fairly held, still the same back box on yet!

[daviemck2006]

No a good week for tyres in this household. Shaun had a puncture on the 107, he is on holiday this week and off to the tyre shop to see if his tyre is repairable. A screw right in the middle of the tread so it should be ok. And if not it is about 1/2 done and 40quid a tyre so not so bad as mine. The berlingo also has a suspiciously soft looking tyre, it may just be the way it is sitting though.

Shaun also told me the 107, now approaching 90k is in need of a new exhaust and heading to a new clutch, the bite is very high. It can be adjusted though so may be ok a while yet. Front brakes, discs and pads also on the I want replaced list, but only had one set so far, so 45000 miles out of discs which are made of cheese is ok! But thats a few hundred pounds needing spent on it to recondition it, but for the abuse it has had and the mileage it has done really well. He still says he is going run it into the ground going to work and back, however long that takes.

[CitroJim]

Davie, I have the instructions for adjusting a 107 clutch if you need them...

[daviemck2006]

That would be very helpful Jim, maybe adjusting it would keep it going a lomg time yet. I will send you email addy elsewhere.

[Fake Concern]

Annoying about the puncture especially after the 407 incident, but should repair ok. It sounds like the 107 is still going along well with just service items needed.

[daviemck2006]

Its burning a little oil, but he gets oil from his work, and at near 90k just having front tyres approx every 20k and rears about 35k, service every 10k, two sets of front discs and pads, 1 exhaust and one clutch for the abuse it has had is more than acceptable. Its just a pity that clutch, exhaust, and brakes have all arrived at once! Thats about maybe £250 to £300 of parts, labour will be nil, and clutch and exhaust fit for another 90k

[CitroJim]

That would be very helpful Jim, maybe adjusting it would keep it going a lomg time yet. I will send you email addy elsewhere.

Got it and will email it later today Davie

[daviemck2006]

Perfect Jim. I was just out in the 107 to the pothole. The clutch bite is high, but there is no slip or judder, so a good adjust will probably delay the replacement for a while. It still has the steel spare on and the alloy not in it so presumably the alloy is left at the tyre shop. Shaun is away for a road trip this morning, he is on holiday, him and some mates away to the NC500 again. He has just insured and taxed his civic so I evpect he is going for speed!

[CitroJim]

Davie, I've just emailed the instructions... Let me know they arrive safely...

Just about to take Gabriel out for a quick run and a battery charge - I need to run a short errand...

[daviemck2006]

Instructions arrived safely. Its a pity that Gabriel wont get north so quickly

[CitroJim]

Its a pity that Gabriel wont get north so quickly

It is... I took her out on an errand run/battery charge this afternoon... Not that her battery needed it!

She's not been started since the 28th July and she fired up instantly (after the pre-heat) and ran like a clock..

She drives beautifully and is a pleasure to drive... She really is one of the best Xantias I've known...

I don't think you'll be disappointed Davie

[Zelandeth]

You'll be astonished most likely at how much tension you take out of the cable, Davie. I must have taken the best part of an inch off mine when I finally discovered the adjuster.

Sadly it didn't stop the release bearing from self-destructing a few months later, but that's life! It had also stood up to an MK-Oxford commute for two years, that's hard on any clutch (2-4 hours in stop-start traffic daily).

[daviemck2006]

Its actually summer here today! And I have been good enough and in the mood to fiddle with lilpug! Ive had a good look around all the air and vacuum hoses, then decided to change the one filter I hadnt changed yet, the fuel filter. I can see nothing wrong with any hoses. The fuel filter, once removed the petrol that ran out of it was quite black and contaminated looking. Its quite possible that the filter was 25 years old! It started instantly, and idled smoothly for 5 minutes while I tidied up, and revved cleanly when asked. Just having a quick cuppa and shes going to get a run somewhere on this nice day.

[CitroJim]

Excellent Davie Fingers crossed it's solved the issue...