The old car thread

[fossyant]

Let's be generous...for the purposes of this thread we shall say 10 years of age. Most people have chucked their money up the wall on 3 or 4 different PCP deals in that time, more fool them.

You must own the car.

And, ideally, you must do at least some of your own maintenance or repairs.

Ah you've got to have the latest bling ! Neighbours have 2 £30k lease cars they change every 3 years

 

[Drago]

Aye, my ex was into all that one upmanship, but honestly, its wasted effort - no one cares. I didn't, and I was married to her!

 

[fossyant]

 

[swee'pea99]

See, I like the Panda. Spacious, cheap, miserly with fuel, minimally polluting - the 500 is a Panda made worse, yet people pay a premium for it. What's that all about?

Willy-waving.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Mrs SJ has an 05 plate Suzuki Liana, one of the ugliest cars ever made but reliable and nice to drive.

I had loads of new cars when I was a driving instructor, but now I aim for sub 1k motors and run them till they no longer run.

 

[KneesUp]

View attachment 476806

I looked at these when we bought the Civic, but they were a bit big for our needs. I liked the (cost saving) central dials.

 

[KneesUp]

Let's be generous...for the purposes of this thread we shall say 10 years of age. Most people have chucked their money up the wall on 3 or 4 different PCP deals in that time, more fool them.

You must own the car.

And, ideally, the car should run perfectly fine with the bare minimum of you must do at least some of your own maintenance or repairs.

 

[dan_bo]

1998 Ford Mondeo Est, 57948 miles on the clock

View attachment 476774

I had the same one until it set itself on fire in Birmingham.

 

[slowfen]

To add

Fiat Panda 1.3 multijet (turbo diesel) 2008, had from new
Currently at 156357 miles
is serviced regularly.
Had new radiator (stone damage)
new HP fuel pump (seals went)
other wise usual consumables (clutch, brake pads/shoes, discs, drums, timing chain etc)

 

[fossyant]

I looked at these when we bought the Civic, but they were a bit big for our needs. I liked the (cost saving) central dials.

The actual 'point' of the central dash is it's apparently 'easier' to glance across, than to glance down - less eye strain - Toyota did it on the Yaris too. It is a long car, and the boot is cavernous, although not super practical as this is a saloon. Can easily get 3m lengths of wood in the car.

Then there is a whole load of 'secret' key/button presses to scan the codes on the car, including re-setting air bag lights that's usually a dealer job (and can't be done with a ODBC reader). I've had a few occurrences of air bag lights come on, and it's usually the driver's side air bag (in the seat) as the connector is right in the line of kids feet, and then the steering wheel air bag). A liberal spray of electrical contact cleaner, then the 'secret' ignition key sequence to re-scan the air bags, then all is OK.

I do like electrical contact cleaner, it's great. I've fixed seized SRAM jockey wheel bearings to fixing the boiler's ignition with the stuff.

Loads of parts these days on ebay - I had a little plastic 'bearing race' snap on my wipers, which meant the connecting rod kept popping out. Ended up with a whole motor unit via ebay, just for a 12" connecting rod. If the motor ever goes, I have spares.

So long as you regularly service cars, and keep an eye out for rot, they should last years. All my suspension, trailing arms and under body struts have been coated with extra rust inhibitor and underseal.

 

[KneesUp]

I had the same one until it set itself on fire in Birmingham.

We all feel that way about Birmingham.

 

[fossyant]

I'll take a picture of the engine bay later..... bit clean !

 

[Drago]

My Smart is immaculate...except for the engine bay. Combination of big bloke owner and tiny engine crammed out of harm's way under the boot floor means I haven't bothered getting busy with the Wife's toothbrush and Fairy liquid.

 

[DCBassman]

Seeing as I've only had use of one arm for most of the year to date, my car is a mess...have kept the bikes much better, one arm or not!

 

[MarkF]

View attachment 476806

That is top blob of nowt, l have no idea what it is.