The "Today I did something to my car" thread

Ronnie Beck · 03-01-2013 01:06AM

:rolleyes: looks like a golf

dryadssaddle · 03-01-2013 01:08AM

dgt wrote: »

Those plates would be legal on my car, that's what I'm thinking

yeah, they are the plates for that period and look velly velly saweet indeed.

dryadssaddle · 03-01-2013 01:19AM

Daniel S wrote: »

Who owns the white Polo Golf? Looks cool! Any more pics of that?

Wheels on the red Polo are a nice too.

*Thought the white one was a Mk1 polo, didn't see the two doors.*

Ya, tis a mk2 Golf, a friend owned that. i don't have any more pics of it unfortunately.

Col200sx · 03-01-2013 12:15PM

@ OSI: Were they expensive? Have you a link to where you bought that?

Both my VRS keys have the key hook broken off, so wanted to replace them.

Thanks

bf · 03-01-2013 04:47PM

Much needed new year wash & clean from the guys in Elite Autoclean

ba_barabus · 04-01-2013 12:04AM

Today I finally got around to cleaning and waxing my new car. Spent 5 hours doing it, including a wet vac.

Got all done just in time for it to go dark. GREAT!

Nice way to get to know your car though

Hal1 · 04-01-2013 12:18AM

Details on the wet vac please. Do you fill them with water does it spray a mist or something

. I've been looking on amazon for a while reading the reviews but can't decide on a good one. Oh and it's a forum requirement to post pics of said works done to said car

.

ba_barabus · 04-01-2013 12:29AM

Hal1 wrote: »

Details on the wet vac please. Do you fill them with water does it spray a mist or something . I've been looking on amazon for a while reading the reviews but can't decide on a good one. Oh and it's a forum requirement to post pics of said works done to said car .

Wet vac was a borrowed affair and I'd be lying if I claimed to know anything about it. The brother in law was using it.

The pictures aren't of it waxed as I got a brain wave when it eventually dried off.

It's nothing special mind, just a 318CI

Don't seem to have any interior shots. But it has cruise control, climate control and a sunroof.

Supergurrier · 04-01-2013 12:33AM

Nice car, if things got tight and i had to sell up i would be all over one of those.

So much better looking than the newer version

Ronnie Beck · 04-01-2013 12:37AM

Christmas period chores done today. Coolant hose and flange replaced.

The offending o-ring. Fingers crossed that will be the last of the water leaks.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Replaced the black/green, bubbly and probably original brake fluid with fresh yellow stuff.

Some other minor niggles like a leaking oil cooler and steering rack bushes to sort but they can wait a while. It's been some six months of DIY.

ba_barabus · 04-01-2013 12:41AM

Supergurrier wrote: »

Nice car, if things got tight and i had to sell up i would be all over one of those.

I couldn't leave it behind when I heard the price.

Mind you I took a chance as it hadn't been driven in 18 months and couldn't be started.

It was this or a Toyota Camry....

BUBBLE WRAP · 04-01-2013 12:43AM

ba_barabus wrote: »

Wet vac was a borrowed affair and I'd be lying if I claimed to know anything about it. The brother in law was using it.

The pictures aren't of it waxed as I got a brain wave when it eventually dried off.

It's nothing special mind, just a 318CI

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/johnos1984/image_zps21d1cb8f.jpg[/IMG]

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/johnos1984/image_zps1d867a43.jpg[/IMG]

[http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/johnos1984/image_zpsec634f66.jpg[/IMG]

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/johnos1984/image_zps49799bf6.jpg[/IMG]

Don't seem to have any interior shots. But it has cruise control, climate control and a sunroof.

Nice, best of luck with it. How do you find it over the passat?

ba_barabus · 04-01-2013 12:48AM

BUBBLE WRAP wrote: »

Nice, best of luck with it. How do you find it over the passat?

Well it hasn't broken yet

Few jobs had to be done, full service, new batteries in the diamond keys, new rear fog/reversing lights and the NCT is on Saturday.

Nice to drive, underpowered however as expected but adequate enough unless you rev the stones off it, very comfortable and not too bad to run as it is returning 35mpg so far. The 75 diesel only got 38mpg on average on a run.

I'm happy

Cungi · 04-01-2013 01:08AM

Replaced the coil pack on my Mondeo as it was stuttering at low revs and engine management light came on. Tis much better now.

Ford wanted €190! Local auto factors wanted €45. Hmmm.

Matt Simis · 04-01-2013 01:26AM

Ive either just saved EUR450 by avoiding buying new wishbones from BMW by sourcing my own custom Polyurethane bushings or installed some parts that will break in short order. Time for testing! :cool:

I posted about it before, actual bearing isnt sold without being in the wishbone arm itself. Its 39mm and 55mm long. I sourced a perfectly oversized 41mm Polyurethane Bushing and 55mm crush tubes. I lubricated them with Krytox (4year service life, vastly outperforms off the shelf product). Cost was about EUR60. Cost of wishbone and bearing from BMW: EUR540.

A1AE7A29-1CA6-4B97-B187-D9E7BDC1D83F-10686-00000C6EA23BD425.jpg

A1AE7A29-1CA6-4B97-B187-D9E7BDC1D83F-10686-00000C6EA23BD425.jpg

E5B56898-EDFE-461D-AC9E-C3EC10F66C76-10686-00000C6EAAEEE74E.jpg

Ronnie Beck · 04-01-2013 01:35AM

Matt Simis wrote: »

Ive either just saved EUR450 by avoiding buying new wishbones from BMW by sourcing my own custom Polyurethane bushings or installed some parts that will break in short order. Time for testing! :cool:

That looks made for the job.
They stiffen up the handling nicly and last well, but that tends to put more strain on other parts as there's less give in them.

166man · 04-01-2013 09:18AM

ba_barabus wrote: »

Well it hasn't broken yet

Few jobs had to be done, full service, new batteries in the diamond keys, new rear fog/reversing lights and the NCT is on Saturday.

Nice to drive, underpowered however as expected but adequate enough unless you rev the stones off it, very comfortable and not too bad to run as it is returning 35mpg so far. The 75 diesel only got 38mpg on average on a run.

I'm happy

Only 38mpg in a 75 diesel? That's with the BMW engine right? Seems pretty poor,did you have a heavy right foot?

ba_barabus · 04-01-2013 11:33AM

166man wrote: »

Only 38mpg in a 75 diesel? That's with the BMW engine right? Seems pretty poor,did you have a heavy right foot?

yep, BMW unit.

It had an auto box fitted. Incredibly well serviced before I got it. From everything I could find out 38mpg was an accurate real world figure. With remaps etc. early to mid 40's could be achieved but then you are getting into weather the cost is worth the benefit.

I still loved the car though:)

TheDoc · 04-01-2013 01:55PM

This thread serving as a bit of an inspiration

I've an Opel Astra 2001 myself, and was always tinkering with the idea of a built in kinda mini computer. I have a couple of Raspberry pi's(for those who don't know, tiny little computers). Then I saw this pic, and I'm engrossed now

Also want to change the lighting at the back of the speed dials, they are old and that kinda musty, creamy bulb, want to change for something a bit more slick.

This is "sort" of the concept I'm working off

http://www.modifiedcars.com/pix/cars_high/19770_26211.jpg

langdang · 04-01-2013 07:31PM

Oil change courtesy of Halfords 4L of 5w30 for 12.50.
Being the stingy fecker I am I used one of the 10% vouchers and all.

Redisle · 05-01-2013 08:45PM

Well. Just spent about 8 hours cleaning the car. Started with Wash + Clay then onto Kestrel DA that I got for Christmas followed by wax. First time using a polisher and I was at it for AGES! I'm absolutely wrecked after it.

Might put up some pics tomorrow.

Note to self: Putting wax on the entire car at the same time is a terrible terrible idea.

dar83 · 05-01-2013 08:50PM

You polished the entire car with a DA in 8 hours?! :eek:

Not quite today, but yesterday I washed the car and gave it a top up layer of wax.

MetzgerMeister · 05-01-2013 08:52PM

Redisle wrote: »

Well. Just spent about 8 hours cleaning the car. Started with Wash + Clay then onto Kestrel DA that I got for Christmas followed by wax. First time using a polisher and I was at it for AGES! I'm absolutely wrecked after it.

Might put up some pics tomorrow.

Note to self: Putting wax on the entire car at the same time is a terrible terrible idea.

No way that was a proper correction. I spent 30 hours in total on my last car and yesterday, an hour on the bootlid of my current car and that's not even done properly.

TestTransmission · 05-01-2013 08:55PM

TheDoc wrote: »

This thread serving as a bit of an inspiration

I've an Opel Astra 2001 myself, and was always tinkering with the idea of a built in kinda mini computer. I have a couple of Raspberry pi's(for those who don't know, tiny little computers). Then I saw this pic, and I'm engrossed now

Also want to change the lighting at the back of the speed dials, they are old and that kinda musty, creamy bulb, want to change for something a bit more slick.

This is "sort" of the concept I'm working off

http://www.modifiedcars.com/pix/cars_high/19770_26211.jpg

Funnily enough, I came across this last night online.Gonna attempt it

Redisle · 05-01-2013 09:00PM

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

No way that was a proper correction. I spent 30 hours in total on my last car and yesterday, an hour on the bootlid of my current car and that's not even done properly.

Oh I agree. It is in no way finished. I just stuck to the green polishing pad and the medium polish for all the panels as I don't have a depth gauge so I have no idea how much paint I can take off. This being an Alfa who knows what the paint is like! I also have no idea if I actually did each panel for long enough.

MetzgerMeister · 05-01-2013 09:03PM

Redisle wrote: »

Oh I agree. It is in no way finished. I just stuck to the green polishing pad and the medium polish for all the panels as I don't have a depth gauge so I have no idea how much paint I can take off. This being an Alfa who knows what the paint is like! I also have no idea if I actually did each panel for long enough.

Trust me, it's such a long process that it's fairly hard to cut too much off. The 30 hours I spent was on a Mazda6 MPS and jap cars are supposed to have soft paint. They do when it comes to stone chips but not when using a D/A with heavy cut pad and heavy cut polish!

Redisle · 05-01-2013 09:10PM

The paint wasn't that bad to begin with anyway. There weren't really any swirl marks visible in daylight. There are a few scratches to correct but nothing major. I will probably go at those in a few weeks time with the heavy polish & pad but this will do me for the moment. I mainly wanted to get used to the machine and get some practice in. As a matter of interest, how long should those bottles of Menerza polishes last I wonder? I can't see them being able to do a car more than 2/3 times?

MetzgerMeister · 05-01-2013 09:21PM

The best way to see what your swirl marks are like isn't with daylight really but under fluorescent light.

I got one of these to help me see what was left on customers' cars if needs be:

The Mazda was black so I didn't need a light as it was clear to my eye what was to be done and the swirl marks were so bad that when I removed the tape in the middle of a panel, it was literally black and white.

The menzerna bottles are small enough but you're only supposed to put 4 spots of it on the pad and this should last the length of time you need to do the panel but make sure to move the D/A around and don't let the polish dry.

Redisle · 05-01-2013 09:43PM

I was in the garage under strip lights and had a 500W tripod mounted one of those going too!

MetzgerMeister · 05-01-2013 09:47PM

Ah, you're one of those lucky bastards that has a garage :mad:

The "Today I did something to my car" thread

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