What have you done to your car today?

[andy_mk3]

Funnily enough - Topped up screenwash in both cars with a stronger mix since the temperatures have dropped drastically.

Still not over cracking my rear light yesterday but called to enquire how much a replacement would be… £194.20 (Cheaper than I expected but still feel rubbish about the whole thing)

Annoying how VW are unwilling to provide part numbers since I have found the equivalent OEM Version on eBay for £81 but concerned with potential compatibility issues despite “Looking” identical.

If you want to pm me some details I can have a look on the parts catalog on my work laptop tomorrow and get you a part number and price.

 

[norm]

I did just that in the summer on mine, it wasn't as bad as I thought. I did the full control arm last year and found that to be more of a pain.
This week I discovered the rear upper coil spring (Welded to Chassis) bracket rotted out. Can't find anybody to rebuild or do it yet. It's looking like car heaven
Nice job on the sub frame by the way!

Thanks, I'm really pleased how the subframe turned out.

I've seen repairs before of the rear spring seat, for an experienced welder I dare say it wouldn't be difficult. Mine are okay but have a coating of surface rust, I'm going to derust them with Bilt Hamber Deox C gel and paint them.

Example of a repair job https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...72t4PxNSqUul&id=136860556333008&sfnsn=scwspmo

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Forgot to clear my headlights of snow. Fortunately the unlit dual carriageway is short before being able to stop in a petrol station. There could have been snow/ice on the road, I wouldn’t have known. Couldn’t see a thing.

Quattro is epic in these conditions

 

[adam cool dude]

Forgot to clear my headlights of snow. Fortunately the unlit dual carriageway is short before being able to stop in a petrol station. There could have been snow/ice on the road, I wouldn’t have known. Couldn’t see a thing.

Quattro is epic in these conditions

I did the same on the m11 the other night. My mothers flight got diverted from Stansted to Newcastle and I was rushing to get going home from junction 8 services. Cleared all the windows but forgot the headlights. Ended up freezing like a sheet of ice a couple of inches thick. I couldn't understand why everyone was blitzing past me in the snow but it was because I couldn't see bugger all. I drove a good 30 miles like this because I was scared to stop on the hard shoulder in case someone hit me or I couldn't get back on the motorway.

 

[Rroff]

Sigh... took my truck in for a service and MOT today - only they somehow forgot to do the MOT... but anyhow I'd finally got it setup perfect with the steering feeling right, now after the service it has a definite pull to the left dunno if they rotated the wheels or something - unfortunately I'd not marked them in any way to know what was on where to compare.

 

[Armageus]

Fitted the space saver after a colleague spotted I had a flat tyre in the car park

 

[wingman]

Not able to start it!

I'm not used to diesels and had the battery checked the other day, but the thing wouldn't do anything this morning, except throw a load of errors and warning, ABS fault, transmission fault.

I'm dead set on it being the battery at fault so getting AA out later to pop a new one in.

 

[LuckyBenski]

Not able to start it!

I'm not used to diesels and had the battery checked the other day, but the thing wouldn't do anything this morning, except throw a load of errors and warning, ABS fault, transmission fault.

I'm dead set on it being the battery at fault so getting AA out later to pop a new one in.

Got a voltmeter to confirm?

In weather this cold batteries can and do fail. Especially if not in a great state/low charge. I left my car 3 weeks after Christmas 2020 and it wouldn't even go click. Temperature drop had lowered the voltage a lot, it's just chemistry. Brought it inside and charged it overnight and it was good for another 18 months before I changed it out of paranoia.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'd finally got it setup perfect with the steering feeling right, now after the service it has a definite pull to the left

I don't see why anything that they would do during a routine service would affect this?

 

[Armageus]

Fitted the space saver after a colleague spotted I had a flat tyre in the car park

Fortunately turned out to be repairable - £25 rather than £70 for a new tyre

 

[[TW]Fox]

Fortunately turned out to be repairable - £25 rather than £70 for a new tyre

I am surprised that the repair was so expensive whilst a new tyre was so cheap.

 

[Armageus]

I am surprised that the repair was so expensive whilst a new tyre was so cheap.

About the going rate for a repair these days unfortunately,

New tyre would be cheap as only 15" wheels on my Fiesta

 

[tom_e]

Awaiting the insurance company to come and collect it after a little bump at a roundabout earlier in the week.

Managed to make quite a mess of my car considering how little visible damage at least the car in front got.

 

[LuckyBenski]

Awaiting the insurance company to come and collect it after a little bump at a roundabout earlier in the week.

Managed to make quite a mess of my car considering how little visible damage at least the car in front got.

Once had a small 90 degree collision with a Volvo, we pulled over... Got out and our bumper was cracked and slightly bent but not terrible. Figured his would be similar... No, not a scratch

 

[Ad_Augendae]

Thanks, I'm really pleased how the subframe turned out.

I've seen repairs before of the rear spring seat, for an experienced welder I dare say it wouldn't be difficult. Mine are okay but have a coating of surface rust, I'm going to derust them with Bilt Hamber Deox C gel and paint them.

Example of a repair job https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...72t4PxNSqUul&id=136860556333008&sfnsn=scwspmo

@norm Thanks for the example, we got it sorted in the week at a 'premium' cost. Perfect it ain't, but it's functional... fingers crossed for the MOT now.

 

[mrk]

Ordered a new thermostat. The last time I replaced it was when it was still new in my hands in 2015 at 65k miles. £32 back then. Now? £55....

 

[Berger]

Came to replace a hose clip on a hose to the thermostat has a very tiny leak. The thermostat has been replaced so this is a normal worm drive hose clip. Not the single use type OE ones. I noticed in summer but just tightened the clip up and have been monitoring it. Seemed to leak a touch again recently.

Measured the hose circumference and ordered mikalor clips in three sizes to be sure as they only have 3mm travel.

Took the air box and other bits off for easier access. Got the middle size mikalor clip on, removed the old jubilee. Being careful as I wanted to leave the hoses all attached.

Do mikalor up, does all the way up.. better get the smaller size one on.

Get the smaller one on the hose but can I get the bolt to go through so I can tighten it up. Can I ********. Spend an hour faffing about before giving up and putting the original hose clip back on.

The original hose clip seemed to do up tighter than before… but if it’s got a bit of a leak path I cant solve without fully removing the hose it will have to wait.

I would possibly just fit a new hose then too for what they cost as the current one is compressed in one area from the current hose clip. What a faff.

 

[jaybee]

Surprised after working on a car for more than 30 seconds and it not starting to rain, I proceeded to service the Clio, only to remember the other thing that always happens when I start a job on a car... I run out of light.

I managed to do the spark plugs and the air filter on my 2015 MK4 Clio 0.9 TCE. Quite a nice little engine bay to work on so far. I'm sure the time will come when normal swearing will resume, but so far so good. Easiest air filter swap ever. I thing I must have changed it in under a minute including hoovering the airbox out. Unclips super easily and pulls straight out, then new one back in. Spark plugs were fine but I didn't have a thin walled 14mm proper spark plug removal socket. Just used a "normal" thin walled 14. Not a major issue as the coils on the Clio can be used to grab and pull out the plugs if need be.

Pulled out half a tree's worth of leaves from the corners of the scuttle area.

Will do oil and filter, cabin filter and wipers tomorrow. I still use my Dad's old ramps for oil changes as I find it just less faff than jacking and stands.

 

[Invertigo]

Got a bit annoyed at myself, had a momentary lapse entering a tight car park and clipped the front wheel off a kerb. It's not awful (diamond cut wheels mind, but only on the silver part) so I expect, especially as being diamond cut, that I'll leave it for a while before getting the wheel refurbed.

Bloody irritating when the car has 20k miles and very clean wheels!

 

[dlockers]

Got a bit annoyed at myself, had a momentary lapse entering a tight car park and clipped the front wheel off a kerb. It's not awful (diamond cut wheels mind, but only on the silver part) so I expect, especially as being diamond cut, that I'll leave it for a while before getting the wheel refurbed.

Bloody irritating when the car has 20k miles and very clean wheels!

Now you've "broken the seal" though you can drive like an animal