mac_shinobi Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Just curious - when you say the joy of running old cars, how old are we talking here ? Does 2001 count or is that still new ?
Miscbrah Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Forgot about this thread! Still got the same MR2, needed another shed load of work for its MoT including new radiator (and it had been SORN'd for four years) but it's now back on the road. I'd forgotten its appetite for fuel! Is yours that 2 litre? They seemed alright on fuel tbh, nice and brisk also!
bondbill2k2 Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 only cost me £330 to buy http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l208/chris_in_notts/IMG_0027.jpg looks a little lore like this now though it needed abit of love lol the joys of cars [/img][/url] Nice, picked mine up a few years ago for £400, sold now tho! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Bondbill2k2/Photo-0041.jpg~original Bah what rust? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/Bondbill2k2/DSC00137.jpg~original
Disaster Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Just had my '98 BMW coupe MOT'd. £20 for an exhaust bracket. Done. And he gave me half his cheeseburger while he waited!
3s-gtech Posted August 29, 2013 Author Posted August 29, 2013 Is yours that 2 litre? They seemed alright on fuel tbh, nice and brisk also! Yup, 2 litre four pot. Mine is a GT-S (turbo) though, once it gets on boost low teens is fairly commonplace! Driven sensibly it can get 30mpg though.
TechSupp Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Mines (05 astra diesel) in the grange at the moment, it decided to spring a water leak from a hose in the depths of the engine bay! AA man just tutted that it was a devil to change and followed me to the garage I use. Mechanic said same so it looks costly for a small leak. It's also started to rattle/knock so it was booked in to have that looked at anyway so now two jobs for them. Both said these Astras were noted for their leaks due to poor hoses...why! So far had two water leaks from split hoses and and oil leak twice from a perished hose. The last water leak I had no idea, no warning lights etc and it spewed half the water on the motorway so no water on drive, only by chance I noticed no heat from heating and decided to investigate, no water in reservoir, so added water, started engine....flood of water all over drive! How it did not destroy the engine running with so little water I'll never know. Have been looking at getting a vw T25 camper, so wil be used to mechanical issues by then! At least I can get the scanners out to the camper and not need a degree in electronics as with newer cars. Sometimes wish I had stayed with my old mini!
nicholab Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 I would have said that an 05 is quite a new car.
synaesthesia Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Indeed, in my eyes "old" in this context should be pre "new" registration style / before the crappy tax bands (crappy if you're forced to drive larger cars!)
mac_shinobi Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Was just gonna say I have a 2001 honda civic executive 1.6 petrol and have had to pay mechanics etc to do quite a bit of work to it so as to make it road worthy and I use it now to get to work n back.
bondbill2k2 Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 And he gave me half his cheeseburger while he waited! if it didn't have oil on the bun he isn't a real mechanic
Miscbrah Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 How it did not destroy the engine running with so little water I'll never know. I ran my Astra with no water in it for about 100 miles once. Kept the cabin heaters on full whack and it cooled the engine ok. Nothing on my mechanic however who once ran the same car with the same lack of water back from BELGIUM the same way. Oh we just mentioned Astras also - Sirbendy will be along soon.
twin--turbo Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 I ran my Astra with no water in it for about 100 miles once. Kept the cabin heaters on full whack and it cooled the engine ok. Nothing on my mechanic however who once ran the same car with the same lack of water back from BELGIUM the same way. Oh we just mentioned Astras also - Sirbendy will be along soon. if there was no water, there would be no water in the heater matrix, no cooling effect. Rob
Brucy Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 (edited) This is my toy, although it's not been on the road for a couple of years thanks to an expensive house move.... Edited August 29, 2013 by Brucy
twin--turbo Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 This is my toy, although it's not been on the road for a couple of years thanks to an expensive house move.... [ATTACH=CONFIG]20228[/ATTACH] Is there a straight six hdden under that bonnet or is it just a standard 4Pot? Rob
Miscbrah Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 if there was no water, there would be no water in the heater matrix, no cooling effect. Rob Must have had just enough, nothing to see in the reservoir and was nice and toasty warm in the cabin!
twin--turbo Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Must have had just enough, nothing to see in the reservoir and was nice and toasty warm in the cabin! Expansion tank usualy holds about quater of a litre out of a capacity of 7L If the heater works then water is still being circulated round the engine, if your heater sudenly stops working ( and or the guage shoots off in one direction ) that indicates a significant loss of water. I had that 4 years ago when our Mondeo went cold and the gauge started climbing. I coasted onto the hard shoulder in a cloud of steam, up behind an AA man just finishing changing a wheel for a young lady. Water pump had worn through it's case. Rob
Brucy Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Is there a straight six hdden under that bonnet or is it just a standard 4Pot? Rob Just the 4 pot but with a straight through exhaust (twin b/box) and trumpetted SUs. Got the overdrive from a spitfire to make cruising a bit nicer as well.
twin--turbo Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 Just the 4 pot but with a straight through exhaust (twin b/box) and trumpetted SUs. Got the overdrive from a spitfire to make cruising a bit nicer as well. Always fancied a Spit with the 2.5 engine in it. One day when all my other projects are done I may do it.. Rob
Sirbendy Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 (edited) Someone said Astra? My 2000 1.6 is in need of a service, but I'll do it. Also needs the autobox fluid changing, as I'm not happy with it - too dark for my taste and I can hear (just) the pump/turbines whining slightly as the load goes up. Also has a rattling belt tensioner - I reckon partial seizure, and mildly rattly tappets - not unusual for the 8valvers. May run it prior to oilchange with some diesel in the sump to clean things out. That apart, the dampers are at 88k and clunking a bit, and I have a squeaky wheelbearing. All pretty minor. Oh, plus it took a clio to the nose 2 weeks ago, so I need to strip the front down and do a full damage check - so far seems to be a cracked headlamp mount. She just keeps running! £2000, 5 years ago. The most expensive "almost" fault was the cat triggering the MIL due to the pre/post lambda readings..cured by adding some acetone to the tank and taking it on a blat to Wales in sports mode, ha. The previous Astra (97 plate) blew the headgasket after going bonnet deep in a ford, but again never actually let me down. Ran on 3 until I could get it fixed. The '95 1.4 on the parents drive is dead - engine seized, and the running gear too far gone to save - i'm stripping the EFi, radiator/g'box cooler, gearbox switch and alternator, all of which are expensive parts that I can recon for the main car. The shell of the '95 Astra has been requested to reshell a rally machine, so that's all good. Jem's 2000 Fabia cost us £800 - skoda 1.4 MPI engine, aircon, trip computer etc. 106k on it, timing chain rattles and it leaks from the crank but those are common faults. I have a full chain and seal rebuild set in the utility racking. Not bad for a first car - I like it. Had to alter the air intake, as it was pitifully small - go up hills was lacking. Lets just say it's quite torquey now, heh. Also had to sand and polish the headlights, as they were opaque. After this car, it'll be a MK1/MK2 Zaf..Jem has a rule - "nothing older than the X reg"..spoilsport..heh. I'll be staying older/more basic though. From Renault 5 MK1's, to Maestros with their Lucas ECU and SU HIF electronic carbs, to Astras. Simple, solid, reliable and lots in scrapyards! I should add I won't be having an Astra H unless I have to - don't like the design, don't like the cost cutting...no engine temp gauge? A warning lamp only, that in the event of water loss might never show? Do me a favour. Just like the entire 8v engine line in the F/G with the thermo under the timing belt, making replacement a PITA. Had mine replaced with one I had removed the middle of, giving a straight through. Then put one in the radiator piping instead..ha. Much better. Idiot design. Edited August 29, 2013 by Sirbendy
twin--turbo Posted August 29, 2013 Posted August 29, 2013 I use bangernomics. I have to travel 10 miles for every £1 spent to be happy a car has served me well. My Jag is doing OK, but it hardly gets used.. Our galaxy is slowly getting to the point where miles traveld is 10 times spend.. a few previous cars have done very well.. a couple have done badly. My Pedal Bike is 2.5 months old, covered 660 miles and costs so far ~500 so it's doing very well.. I get free servicing for 3 years ( exc parts ) and 3 yrs warranty so i am well on course for that being a BikerBanganomical Super Idea.. TT
Danp Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 I have 2 older 5 series BMWs, ones a 2000 and the other 1999, both 2.5 straight 6s and love them. Personally, I would rather spend my money on something older that is larger and has more toys. I cant be doing with a small eurobox. Off to test drive an X5 4.4 V8 tomorrow
SYNACK Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 Just curious - when you say the joy of running old cars, how old are we talking here ? Does 2001 count or is that still new ? I have a 2003 and don't consider that old, I don't make that much that 10 years is old, more like 15 to 20. Could have got newer but would have been a rubbish spec level.
bondbill2k2 Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 Well classic insurance tends to be 20-25 years old +
twin--turbo Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 Personally, I would rather spend my money on something older that is larger and has more toys. I cant be doing with a small eurobox Yep me too, Always go for large high depreciation cars if I can and try and get the top spec on a model. My current car is a 2001 Jag S-Type 3.0 Sport. the 4.0 V8 SE would have been better spec but the SE had chrome trim and 16" ugly wheels LOL... had it since November and not at all board with it yet, love every drive. 4.2 S-Type R next though Rob
bondbill2k2 Posted August 30, 2013 Posted August 30, 2013 (edited) I would rather spend my money on something older that is larger and has more toys. I cant be doing with a small eurobox. I know what you mean! In contradiction to the larger part tho my girlfriend is looking at selling her 02 fiesta for a MK1 MX5, main requirement is pop up roof and possibly hard top for the winter if we can find one, this one looks good! I've been looking at cars myself recently and its shocking what you can pick a 100k diesel 320d and 325d up for considering their original price. Edited August 30, 2013 by bondbill2k2
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