Davie's french attraction.

[daviemck2006]

The van has done 200k, over 1/2 of that in its first 3 years, suggesting that it would probably have been a courier or delivery van, not a builders van. Anyway its had a replacement engine fitted which has only done 50k, and it drives perfectly apart fro the notchy gearchange, which I can live with. It's no worse than many busses and coaches I've driven in the past. It's a gale of wind and showers here so no outside stuff being done today. Need dry and calm to do the outside stuff I need to do.

The vw touran I briefly owned sold to the first genuine person who contacted me, after about a hundred last price, best price, 1000 cash 2nite m8, idoits saying will you take it to london, will you ship it to Poland etc etc. That's gumtree for you now. The buyer, relatively local messaged and said can I come see it in an hour, appeared an hour later, looked it over, drove it round the block, wasnt worried that it's really close to needing rear discs and pads, offered 200 less than the 2300 asking price then handed over 2200 signed the v5 and drove away. Painless in the end.

[CitroJim]

A bit late to the party here Davie, but Autoglym 'Bumper Snot' works well and transformed Bluebell's bumpers from pale faded light grey back to a good solid, dark grey

Personally, I'd be terrified to attack a plastic bumper with a heat gun! I know what would happen...

[mickthemaverick]

Personally, I'd be terrified to attack a plastic bumper with a heat gun! I know what would happen...

Wimp!!!

[CitroJim]

Personally, I'd be terrified to attack a plastic bumper with a heat gun! I know what would happen...

Wimp!!!

Guilty as charged M'Lud

Also, never let me anywhere near glue. The mess I can make is epic! And all ever manage to stick with superglue is my fingers

[mickthemaverick]

Also, never let me anywhere near glue. The mess I can make is epic! And all ever manage to stick with superglue is my fingers

I'll ensure all materials with adhesive properties in the Legacy are locked in the spare wheel well before we leave for Beamish!!

[CitroJim]

Also, never let me anywhere near glue. The mess I can make is epic! And all ever manage to stick with superglue is my fingers

I'll ensure all materials with adhesive properties in the Legacy are locked in the spare wheel well before we leave for Beamish!!

Very, very wise Mick

[Stickyfinger]

Using a heat gun is a "spiv car dealer" trick.....it damages the plastic by forcing the plasticisers out of it.

Clean it and feed the "dried surface" with temporary oils such as the Bumper snot type products Jim uses or more durable treatments such as C4 Permanent Trim Restorer sold by Gtechniq

[myglaren]

I just use the poundshop rubbish. works for a while.
Been going to do this car for the past 2½ years.

[daviemck2006]

I have 2 things to report. Firstly the Skoda Yeti. I've sold it. It's been bought by a trader in Newcastle via carwow. Sold for £600 less than I paid for it 2&1/2 years ago. The only money spent on it was 2 x MOT tests and one service. The second MOT cost a broken spring and rear pads and discs. It averaged over 43mpg over the 19000 miles I drove in it. I decided to sell it due to the advisories it got for corrosion underneath and the rust spots appearing at the bottom of each door. It was a good, cheap car for me though. I came into an unexpected bit of money and decided I would get a newer car, hopefully to be the last one I will need.

Secondly the relay camper. I ripped out most of the inside of it and rebuilt it the way I thought I wanted it then went off exploring in it for a week. The exploring I did has shown up one or two things I want to change to get it how I want, the major one being solar panels and some sort of heating. Then it is good. Apart from the fact it broke! The AA were called out who diagnosed it as a faulty coolant temperature sensor. The van was in limp home, would not do more than 1100 revs. So on to a lorry it went and delivered to a garage i have used before just a few miles from home. They changed said sensor it started and ran perfectly for all of about 3 seconds then eml on and codes saying same problem. So it's now been abandoned for about a week until they get time to investigate it. French electrics are ******* ***** was the mechanics diagnosis! So right now I have no car and a broken van. Ibe been car hunting online, and a purchase may be imminent in the next couple days.

[CitroJim]

Looking forward to seeing what you buy Davie and here's hoping the van will soon be happy again

[daviemck2006]

A car purchase has been done. It's not French, would it be eastern bloc or German? It's another Skoda, a Karoq. It's bigger than the Yeti, only 2 wheel drive and only a 1.6td 115 with the dsg box. Roomier and more comfortable, more toys, and 15mpg better off than the 2.0td140 4wd yeti was. My old yeti is now for sale at Azuma motors in Newcastle for an amazingly high price of £10750! I only paid 8500 for it 2 and 1/2 years ago from a skoda dealer! I won't go on about it too much on here given its not French. My French camper van is still broken, its bloody typical of garages here, they say take it in when it's broken and we will sort it. They don't say in a month's time. Anyway, a few pics of the vag beast.

[bxzx16v]

Nice looking car the Karoq, it's certainly something I'd consider.

[daviemck2006]

Jeepers, a long time since I posted on here.

The relay has ran faultlessly over the last few months apart from the handbrake shoes sticking on and breaking which is apparently a common problem. It has discs on the back with drums and shoes inside them for the handbrake. It was an easy enough job to fix, apart from the wheel nuts being biblically tight, needing a 6 foot pole to crack them off. All 4 wheels were like this, now all torqued up to an appropriate tightness. It suffers from a notchy gear change, abaib TADTS. Well thar was until Sunday evening when the last I saw of it was on a recovery truck getting taken away after a minor bump which rendered it undrinkable. Not much damage, front bumper, headlight, wing and either starting or suspension. Due to its age and mileage, 202500 miles I don't expect to see it again. I am just waiting for my insurance to let me know which way its going.

So for now I'm down to one vehicle, it being the Karoq. Coming up to a year I've owned it, done about 7k miles in it, including an over 1000 miles trip with me, daughter and family to Yorkshire with a caravan in tow. It averaged over 30mpg during this trip, which I was very impressed with, over 900 miles towing and 100 miles solo. It does about 55mpg normally. My mate has an Audi Q5, the same age, which is basically the same car and he paid 10 grand more for it than I did within a month of me buying mine. He prefers the soda to his audi as do I. The skoka is better equipped and just feels better quality than the audi. His only better bit is that his is a 2.0td with 150 horses, mine is 1.6 with 115 horses. However mine has done everything asked of it and while towing I did sometimes wish I had a few more horses or torques, mine was acceptable. I have only once had to top up the pigs p**s on it, although it's telling me it wants more now. Oh well that will be another £15 spent soon. Better raid the piggy bank haha

[daviemck2006]

Well this little bump has written off my relay. A catN. I was tempted not to claim, but it was a single vehicle, me, took a heavy bout of coughing, lost concentration, went on a soft verge which pulled me in and I hit a lamp post. So considering I had to inform the council which would have meant me having to pay them for it I thought may as well claim the van too.

That will teach me not to take up pole dancing while driving

[CitroJim]

Oh dear Davie Sorry to see this...