What have you done to your car today?

I installed a starter button in my Alfa Romeo 156!

Step 1: find a good earth point.

IMG-20221116-193942.jpg


Step 2: install the system.

IMG-20221116-195421.jpg


Step 3: spend the next 4 days troubleshooting an incredibly elusive electrical problem that makes no sense at all because Alfa Romeo. :rolleyes:

Step 4: reconnect a single plug inside the steering column, and discover that everything works perfectly now.

IMG-20221116-193914.jpg


:p
 
Last edited:
Kind of similar to what happened to me a few months back, though I got hit at quite some speed. Hopefully the damage isn't too severe and yours can be repaired.

Incidentally, I found my old car put up for sale last night. It'd been written off and repaired but the lies from the seller are quite amusing - they say it's got full BMW service history when it doesn't because I did all the servicing after 60k miles and I didn't hand any of the paperwork over. They also say it has sat nav when it doesn't and never did from factory (I had retrofitted it but I pulled it out before handing it over to insurance), the mention of Cat S is buried in between badly written text, claims to have 1 owner (when I was the 2nd) and a few other things. Scumbags.
 
Looks like the sill needs to be pushed back out and a new bootlid needed. Found a used one for 50 euros. Just need to see if a prefacelift coupe boot will fit my facelift.
 
RevBillyG said:
Looks like the sill needs to be pushed back out and a new bootlid needed. Found a used one for 50 euros. Just need to see if a prefacelift coupe boot will fit my facelift.
Click to expand...

Why? It wasn't your fault? Or did you or he not have insurance
 
I was actually more worried about the availability of parts since 18 year old coupes are pretty rare round these parts. If the insurance rights her off I'd be gutted.
She's only worth around 3k (even with the ridiculous prices of used cars in the NL) but I'm very fond of her.
 
Last edited:
Boring but necessary maintenance, Autoglym leather cleaner then leather balmed the steering wheel, gearstick head trim, gaiter and leather parts of the seat. Also had the passenger seat repaired after a mystery bit of damage to the side bolster appeared (suspect the other half catching an unbuckled seatbelt between her bag and the bolster while getting out of the car because it looked like a friction burn). Now I have to get the driver's seat side bolster repaired because all the foam has sunk out of it, making it rock hard. I'm sat driving on an old pillow to stop getting a dead leg! (Recaro quality)
 
Fitted some new wheels to my 335d. From aftermarket 19" CSL that came with the car in bad shape, to some lovely 19" 313M alloys. They show off the big brakes much better!

Pair of new Goodyears fitted to the rear as well.

Now just need to clean the car but the weather is so bad...

316044361_10100352936147781_816455770263798435_n.jpg

316135832_10100352936197681_3162716503984600121_n.jpg
316134578_10100352936102871_7511665432471746462_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm afraid I agree too, the previous wheels suit that body much better!

flex-disc_meyle_36kmiles.jpg


I got the donut swapped today at the garage, old one was fitted back in Nov 2017. I was on the roiginal one up to that point so that Meyle one above that I had fitted covered 36k miles.

Going by a bunch of interval change lists and chatter on M3 boards all over I came to the conclusion that the average meantime between flex disc replacements is around 60k miles. so this Meyle one has fallen slightly short. I had it installed at a bit over 100k miles, car was bought at 62k miles, so falls in-line with the 60k mile recommendation. Although I'm also conscious that I live down south, the air is saltier and the heat cycling is harsher on cars kept outside.

The new one if Febi which is what BMW use as the OEM. Be interesting to see how long this lasts.

Also, garage guy spotted this:

JPBohbY.jpg


Luckily just a small screw and no puncture was made so just took it out. This is the rear right tyre. the puncture I had the other day in London was rear left. So if this was a full puncture I'd have been mega annoyed.
 
Fair play :D I understand everyone has the difference in tastes.

Oh also you aren't the ones that have to clean them :D

Damn your guibo has seen better days, will be nice to have it changed
 
Last edited:
  • Haha
Reactions: mrk
ezekial said:
Fair play :D I understand everyone has the difference in tastes.

Oh also you aren't the ones that have to clean them :D

Damn your guibo has seen better days, will be nice to have it changed
Click to expand...

The upshot of a new guibo is that you notice the difference right away, the transmission response as power transfers from engine to the back is quicker than before and it's smoothr too which is nice. One of the few things that has a distinct tell when its on the way out I've come to learn.

Today I rejuvenated the interior, cleaned and fed the leather with Gliptone's finest and a bit of a vacuum and the matte trims with Poorboy's Natural Look Dressing :cool:

leather-clean_20221119_155740.jpg


Not too shabby for a 2005 interior.
 
Last edited:
mrk said:
The upshot of a new guibo is that you notice the difference right away, the transmission response as power transfers from engine to the back is quicker than before and it's smoothr too which is nice. One of the few things that has a distinct tell when its on the way out I've come to learn.

Today I rejuvenated the interior, cleaned and fed the leather with Gliptone's finest and a bit of a vacuum and the matte trims with Poorboy's Natural Look Dressing :cool:

leather-clean_20221119_155740.jpg


Not too shabby for a 2005 interior.
Click to expand...
She's a beaut alright
 
  • Love
Reactions: mrk
Yesterday I went to work and got the MR2 up on a ramp to have a thorough inspection of what is required to get it roadworthy again. I recently acquired this and it's been off the road for 6 or 7 years. It's actually very solid on the underside, of course anything rubber is quite well perished and brakes are less than great. I managed to free off the front calipers as they were sticking on badly enough to stall the engine without giving it some revs to move off. It needs a pair of outer sills, but the rest of the car is very solid including all the floors and wheel arches etc. Overall very happy with how it is. Made a start on wiring up the remote locking but I ran out of time, which is obviously a priority job at this stage :D

4Xkhnao.jpg

mImVds1.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom