*******Motors Chat - Round 7*******

dgt

Stheno wrote: »

Lads/ladies (rare as you are)

have a slightly irritating problem on the alfa and here goes my logic:

Engine management control failure alert is the error.

Comes after the alernator was replaced.

Google search shows it's the battery needing replacement

Makes sense to me as alternator failed, battery didn't get a charge for a few weeks and now is acting up in slow (5mpg traffic) then fine after a long run

make sense to you?

Motor control failure?

Clean up the battery terminals and if possible the lead from the alternator to the starter. More than likely a dirty contact

Foxhole Norman

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Was it stock?

If it's the one I'm thinking of down here it's fully stock, it's meant to sound amazing.

dgt

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Can't remember from when I did the pads but I think the rear has a carrier.

If the pads required you to drive out a pin going through the caliper to remove the pads, its a fixed setup

MetzgerMeister

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

If it's the one I'm thinking of down here it's fully stock, it's meant to sound amazing.

I meant remap-wise.

Foxhole Norman

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I meant remap-wise.

Oh I know yeah, but I was talking about the noise :pac:

As I've no car at the moment, i was thinking of what i want my next car to be able to do. And I want to go camping a lot and mess around the country, free as a bird :P

I was initially looking at a Cmax, as they looked the business. But then I copped a few of them on the road out and about. I haven't seen one parked up anywhere just yet, though, so haven't had a proper look, but my gut feeling is the space in the back isn't quite what I was thinking it would be...

So I was thinking of getting an estate instead.

So I'm wondering one of two things..

1) Are there any estates on the road (that would fall into 'bangernomics' territory, as I'm not spending much on my next car, as im gonna abuse it) that have, not only flip down seats, but completely removable seats? I remember my old Rav4 had this, and it was great, but it didn't seem to ever be mentioned anywhere when people were selling it (and its a big selling point, in my opinion).

2) Assuming I can't get removable seats, and have to settle for fold down (I presume 100% of cars have fold-down rear seats!?), has anyone ever DIYed a few sheets of chipboard into a false floor in the back of a car? I was thinking that if I made up a rectangular, hollow, box, the same height as the seats when they're flat, i'd create a level lying surface (to sleep on) and also create a storage area under the box (perhaps stick some drawers on it, or something?).

I'm not sure if you'd be too high up though, to be comfortable (estates aren't exactly tall, generally speaking).


I have a lot of variety, like a Primera, Focus, Avensis, Astra and Octavia all at fairly reasonable prices.. but I'm doubtful removable seats feature on any of them?


Primera looks like a lovely car (the best of the bunch, aesthetically in my opinion).

Interslice

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Lads, is it possible to remove a brake caliper and carrier as one unit without having to remove the piston guide pins and detach the caliper from the carrier?

It's always good to have a look at the slider pins though make sure there nicely greased. For us fancy bastards with wind back tools it would also get right in the way! I got a laser one for half nothing on amazon before. Only 7 quid lads for feck sake! Saved me hours days of flutin about!

Interslice

Deleted User wrote: »

...

Somewhat of a specialist subject of mine:p. The length between the back door and seats is most important so you can stretch out fully to sleep properly. Reliability and a good battery too.

I never put a false floor in. Once the seats fold properly flat a thermarest and a sleeping bag and your good. There's a self inflating matress called a fusion. Pricey enough but a serious bit of kit!

Interslice

Interslice wrote: »

Somewhat of a specialist subject of mine:p. The length between the back door and seats is most important so you can stretch out fully to sleep properly. Reliability and a good battery too.

I never put a false floor in. Once the seats fold properly flat a thermarest and a sleeping bag and your good. There's a self inflating matress called a fusion. Pricey enough but a serious bit of kit!

See the thing is,I don't think the seats on any of those fold 'flat' (as in, into the floor, for a completely level cargo space, like a van). I think the backs just fall forward and then that's it (so your cargo area has two floor heights - the actual floor, and then the height of the seets, which I'd guess is about 1.5ft higher than the floor, when folded down?)


This is the kinda thing I'm picturing all of those cars being like:






In a perfect world, they'd all do this:





But I genuinely don't know how each car acts with regards to it's back seats, nor do i think theres an easy way of finding out (as even video reviews tend to skip over that aspect).

Foxhole Norman

What about a Honda Jazz KKV? Those seats fold flat and they're big enough to sleep in. Should be very reliable too.

Here's some light reading material :pac:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/22kdvy/as_requested_i_have_been_living_in_my_car_to/

Interslice

My primera(p11 estate) seats fold down exactly as in the second pic with the back seats just slightly raised. Some cars I've had the back bench tilts forward and you get a flat floor but you loose length then. Just ask at the test drive maybe. Thinking of buying a 2002 v40 myself that I was offered.I know it's history from new. Really solid car, Don't know if i'll get the cash together in time though.

Foxhole Norman

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

What about a Honda Jazz KKV? Those seats fold flat and they're big enough to sleep in. Should be very reliable too.

Here's some light reading material :pac:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/22kdvy/as_requested_i_have_been_living_in_my_car_to/

I will read that, as the title sounds like it could be a laugh


But from looking at this ad, where they have a photo with the seats down (a very helpful photo, I might add!) I don't think it's somewhere I'd be in a hurry to try and fall asleep!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-jazz-fit-automatic-2002/8535405?offset=9

The high roof is nice, but I think I'd happily sacrifice that for a longer 'bed'. :P

Hal1

How about the citroen c8? It has loads of room, and as far as I know the rear seats can be removed. The rear doors look like the slide back to open.

Here's one here: http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/citroen-c8-price-reduction/6905623?offset=4

Hal1

Hal1 wrote: »

How about the citroen c8? It has loads of room, and as far as I know the rear seats can be removed. The rear doors look like the slide back to open.

Here's one here: http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/citroen-c8-price-reduction/6905623?offset=4

Jesus, the seats on the front of that look incredibly comfortable! :eek:

Is it the same car as a Renault Espace?

Either way, good as it may be, 1k per year on tax and a higher sale price than I'd like would put me off it. Also, I'd say shifting it on when I'm done with it would be difficult (for the same reasons I don't want it).

I'd say if i cap myself at a 1.6 engine, resale will go smoother, and if i buy something for less than 1500, I'll probably end up selling it for about the same I paid for it.

The plan at the moment is to buy a car to keep for ages. But I tend to get bored quickly, and once the summer is over, i'll probably have finished up my camping adventures and may want something different, so, for better or worse, I'm taking resale into consideration this time around.

What I really need to avoid is a money pit (I dont mind trivial things breaking, cos nothings getting fixed on it anyway, but I'd like it to always actually work for me, with going from A-B). Primera seems to be liked online, so im leaning towards that, now..

Special Circumstances

Kkv, have a look at mazda estates (rare) and MPVs. I found mazda to be very good for little clever touches regarding seating/load area.
Most would be 1.8 petrol or 2.0 though.
the mazda 5 replaced the premacy. Older premacys could be fairly shook by now, I've never seen an owner that looked like they knew what a dipstick was.

The load space in a gen2 Honda CRV is taller than most. Not sure if flat. 2.0 30mpg petrol is the cheap to buy option. Should be extremely reliable obviously.

Yaris verso? (Fugly!)

Would a car derived van suit, eg kangoo passenger, doblo passenger (mostly wheelchair adapted though).
Just throwing things out, not sure if any are great options.

YbFocus

MM it's totally stock, can't believe the sound off the standard exhaust. I heard it through the Jack lynch tunnel and it'd blow you away!

Beautiful car!

Foxhole, Yep exactly the one!
I'm going to go for gold centres in the rc's and get some gold bolts too!
Just so that it doesn't like a replica of Peters car!

Foxhole Norman

YbFocus wrote: »

MM it's totally stock, can't believe the sound off the standard exhaust. I heard it through the Jack lynch tunnel and it'd blow you away!

Beautiful car!

Foxhole, Yep exactly the one!
I'm going to go for gold centres in the rc's and get some gold bolts too!
Just so that it doesn't like a replica of Peters car!

Supposed to be meeting him now on Sunday, looking forward to seeing it!

Everyone's E36 with BBS wheels looks the same anyway so not really copying :pac:

A replica of his car is not a bad thing either!

Special Circumstances

Mind yo doorseals mind yo window regulators people. Brrrr!

YbFocus

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

Supposed to be meeting him now on Sunday, looking forward to seeing it!

Everyone's E36 with BBS wheels looks the same anyway so not really copying :pac:

A replica of his car is not a bad thing either!

Feck off :pac:
Its definitely not a bad thing, but it's the same colour and all so couldn't do it!

Foxhole Norman

YbFocus wrote: »

Feck off :pac:
Its definitely not a bad thing, but it's the same colour and all so couldn't do it!

His old car is now sitting on AC Schnitzer Type 2 wheels, looks fantastic!

YbFocus

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

His old car is now sitting on AC Schnitzer Type 2 wheels, looks fantastic!

It would! Jesus I'd love type 2's but they're impossibly expensive!

Foxhole Norman

YbFocus wrote: »

It would! Jesus I'd love type 2's but they're impossibly expensive!

Same way I see Style 95's and 37's, stupidly expensive for genuine ones.

YbFocus

Foxhole Norman wrote: »

Same way I see Style 95's and 37's, stupidly expensive for genuine ones.

Style 95's would be mind blowing on your car!

MetzgerMeister

YbFocus wrote: »

MM it's totally stock, can't believe the sound off the standard exhaust. I heard it through the Jack lynch tunnel and it'd blow you away!

The JB4 on mine has different maps and all the performance maps deepen the exhaust note as they all move the wastegates closer to the seals. I can move them closer again or further away and it's noticeable between maps.

I was down in Cork recently enough at a squash open and I was staying in a friend's place so had to drive through the JLT twice a day. Windows down, power up.......yes indeed sir

Foxhole Norman

YbFocus wrote: »

Style 95's would be mind blowing on your car!

Pretty much my thinking, 37's are just a bit too common on E39's for my liking.

Would look like this:





Finding a decent set at reasonable money is hard!

MetzgerMeister

^ At first you'd think it's a turf-burner but then it turns into a fecken M car :pac:

MetzgerMeister

If it's got tits or tyres, it's going to cause you trouble

joujoujou

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Trying to remember a quote I heard:

"Cars are a lot like women as they break your heart and cost you a fortune but the difference is you cant beat a car"

[...]

There's a thing that makes cars better than women - cars are not talking! :P

ba_barabus

OSI wrote: »

Whatever you do then, don't think about getting married. I went from "Hmmm, wouldn't mind a 151 GTI" to "I'll pay the tax next month, I've to pay for the suits this month"

I'm in the same boat but I bought the Alfa the same day I bought the ring. :cool:

Supergurrier

Gah group A induction kit arrived today after waiting for 4 weeks for them to get a piece of it in stock and they forget to send me the bloody Elevate top pipe, grrrr

Cheensbo

Got my hands on a new (old) caliper this evening, bish bash bosh and jobs a good'un, new fluid in, bled & tested in 45 mins.

Love owning & working on old hapes, no fancy electronics or mechanisms to get in the way of proceedings.

toastedpickles

So i think a few pictures of this 800cc's of fury are in order! :pac: well just the one but still, granted, i think one's too much :pac:

dgt

Cheensbo wrote: »

Got my hands on a new (old) caliper this evening, bish bash bosh and jobs a good'un, new fluid in, bled & tested in 45 mins.

Love owning & working on old hapes, no fancy electronics or mechanisms to get in the way of proceedings.

They were whipped off and away anyway... Tis an mmc and a fair few bits on it left :d

Interslice

toastedpickles wrote: »

So i think a few pictures of this 800cc's of fury are in order! :pac: well just the one but still, granted, i think one's too much :pac:

Some yolks! Whats the plan for it? Hg, nct, sell her on, retire!

toastedpickles

Interslice wrote: »

Some yolks! Whats the plan for it? Hg, nct, sell her on, retire!

Pretty much!

Gona hit the big bucks with this one! :pac:

Interslice

toastedpickles wrote: »

Pretty much!

Gona hit the big bucks with this one! :pac:

Should sell handy enough up in the big smoke .

toastedpickles

Interslice wrote: »

Should sell handy enough up in the big smoke .

Ah yeah, new hg and whatever for the nct, how much should i be looking for? they seem to be going for about 7/800ish

Supergurrier

toastedpickles wrote: »

Ah yeah, new hg and whatever for the nct, how much should i be looking for? they seem to be going for about 7/800ish

Ahh shurre a cool grand like.

toastedpickles

Supergurrier wrote: »

Ahh shurre a cool grand like.

Ah now its no st

Interslice

toastedpickles wrote: »

Ah now its no st

Would have thought you'd get a 1000 for one with a fresh nct. It looks clean enough.

toastedpickles

Interslice wrote: »

Would have thought you'd get a 1000 for one with a fresh nct. It looks clean enough.

Well I've never sold a car like so i dunno really what to price it as, but sure i'll stick up as that and see from there!

Bpmull

toastedpickles wrote: »

Well I've never sold a car like so i dunno really what to price it as, but sure i'll stick up as that and see from there!

With cars like that it's the new nct that makes them that's what people want that are looking for cars like that sure the tax must be about 2 euro for the year too :pac:

toastedpickles

Bpmull wrote: »

With cars like that it's the new nct that makes them that's what people want that are looking for cars like that sure the tax must be about 2 euro for the year too :pac:

The funny thing about it is the tax for the year is still less then three months on the 9-5

Three months tax is like the price of a meal deal from dominos id say haha

Noccy_Mondy

Dear god get some wheel trims, makes it just slightly more bearable!!

toastedpickles

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Dear god get some wheel trims, makes it just slightly more bearable!!

Way ahead of you :P

Supergurrier

toastedpickles wrote: »

Way ahead of you :P

I have some 19 inch alloys you can throw on it shurre

235/35/R19 tyres are expensive though.

Spurious too so they weigh a ton

toastedpickles

Supergurrier wrote: »

I have some 19 inch alloys you can throw on it shurre

235/35/R19 tyres are expensive though.

Spurious too so they weigh a ton

they'd probably weigh more then the car haha

mahoosive 13's on this at the minute

Bpmull

Supergurrier wrote: »

I have some 19 inch alloys you can throw on it shurre

235/35/R19 tyres are expensive though.

Spurious too so they weigh a ton

Id say the engine would not have enough power to turn them you'd want half gears :pac:

Interslice

Supergurrier wrote: »

I have some 19 inch alloys you can throw on it shurre

235/35/R19 tyres are expensive though.

Spurious too so they weigh a ton

Some stance on her then!

Bpmull

toastedpickles wrote: »

they'd probably weigh more then the car haha

mahoosive 13's on this at the minute

Probably has a 10 litre fuel thank too wouldnt be able for any more the extra weight and all