Simon Dawson
Angry, Ill & Ugly
Of course you do. This is hiding in the shed as it, surprise, surprise, needs some rust removal:
Sports car chat
- Thread starter Whaleblue
- Start date
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
Yup they have always tested well and car mags love the idea of the Alpines.
Somewhat predictable winner however. Extraordinary car for sure but completely unobtainium, can't buy them from Porsche only available for over £100k over list price. Not for the bashful.
Thought the 911 T looked much nicer but still getting quite large the 992 now.
Fulvias are lovely, if rather steady compared to the Fiat twink and Alfa 1750 alternatives. Maybe they have the performance if you have the funds for an HF but they were rare as rocking horse and massively expensive 30 years ago so good luck now. That one doesn't look too bad for corrosion. Possibly some rot near the front of the sill, but I've seen lots, lots worse. Of course I can't see underneath, but I remember poking around one in the 80s that had seen 10 or so UK winters and it was far, far from pretty. They must fetch a pretty penny in good order these days.Of course you do. This is hiding in the shed as it, surprise, surprise, needs some rust removal:
richardg
Admonishtrator
I think I am done with worryingly unreliable / rust-prone cars, ie anything from before the 90s. I do not like the ratty interiors too much either. I'm planning to use my MR2 to get me from Strasbourg and Hull and back 3 times a year and it does not worry me. If I got one of the comparable classics from the next generation back in time ( say a GT6, X19, MGB, 80s Alfa Spider etc), I'd be looking at it and working on it more than driving it. And stressing the whole journey for any journey more than 10 miles when I did drive it.
-alan-
pfm Member
I think I'd be on the same page. I've got the Harley to satisfy general tinkering and engaging with on adventure trips (anywhere outside of pushing/towing distance back to the house).
For driving pleasure nowadays, I'd rather stick to something that I don't have to do a PDI check on at least once a month, and mentally checking and reviewing every rattle, squeak and rumble for the first 20 minutes of every outing
For driving pleasure nowadays, I'd rather stick to something that I don't have to do a PDI check on at least once a month, and mentally checking and reviewing every rattle, squeak and rumble for the first 20 minutes of every outing
richardg
Admonishtrator
It is a shame. I half tempted myself with an MGB GT.....but......I think I'd be on the same page. I've got the Harley to satisfy general tinkering and engaging with on adventure trips (anywhere outside of pushing/towing distance back to the house).
For driving pleasure nowadays, I'd rather stick to something that I don't have to do a PDI check on at least once a month, and mentally checking and reviewing every rattle, squeak and rumble for the first 20 minutes of every outing
Unfortunately this is the reality of any car pre 1990. That was 34 years ago now remember, and they are getting old. We forget how frankly poor the cars of the 60s and 70s really were. I remember I went to a mate's funeral a couple of years back, they had photos of him growing up, one of him outside the house with his dad looking under the car bonnet. That used to be a feature of every street, every Saturday and Sunday, all through the 70s. Men poking about in cars. Now take a ride across any city, find a bonnet up anywhere. They're not, they go for months and a year at a time without anyone ever even looking. When did you last have a look at yours, checking fluid levels?
-alan-
pfm Member
About as frequently as my better half checks the fuel level in her car.
If it wasn't for the petrol-fairy in fact, she'd never be able to go anywhere.
AnilS
pfm Member
BMW Z4 shakedown last week, out of hibernation, day one was fine. Sympathetically driven and warmed gently.
Next day, fresh V Power fuel and drove 15 miles. Restarted and it threw ABS warning lights. This will be the ABS pump that had to be rebuilt, 2 years ago and 2k miles ago. You cannot get the parts.
It threw the warnings, the day before it's MOT! So the garage has had it back to sort, and they'll get the MOT done (not with my original mot tester).
Oh the joys.
However, I fell in love with it again. The noise
Next day, fresh V Power fuel and drove 15 miles. Restarted and it threw ABS warning lights. This will be the ABS pump that had to be rebuilt, 2 years ago and 2k miles ago. You cannot get the parts.
It threw the warnings, the day before it's MOT! So the garage has had it back to sort, and they'll get the MOT done (not with my original mot tester).
Oh the joys.
However, I fell in love with it again. The noise
martin clark
pinko bodger
gez
pfm Member
Are you sure it's not the wheel speed sensors? I had to park my car by the roadside for a while once, it wasn't used for about 3 weeks. It was winter. Shortly after I started using it I got an ABS warning, the garage looked in to it and said it was either the control (under the hood - the pump?) or the sensors. Took a chance on it being the sensors and did two sensors on one side. Solved the problem, but about a couple of months later got the same dash light again. Same garage said it was now the sensors on the other side. So had them changed. It seems when they go, they tend to go around the same age. I don't know for sure, but I believe the fact it had been sitting in a location where it was more exposed to rain and leaves building up in the gutter triggered it all.BMW Z4 shakedown last week, out of hibernation, day one was fine. Sympathetically driven and warmed gently.
Next day, fresh V Power fuel and drove 15 miles. Restarted and it threw ABS warning lights. This will be the ABS pump that had to be rebuilt, 2 years ago and 2k miles ago. You cannot get the parts.
It threw the warnings, the day before it's MOT! So the garage has had it back to sort, and they'll get the MOT done (not with my original mot tester).
Oh the joys.
However, I fell in love with it again. The noise
martin clark
pinko bodger
@gez
That simply reads like crap sensor design allowing foreign-body ingress!
For BMWs, the freely-available (cough- widely-cracked) BMW INPA/ISTA dealer diagnosis software and a ~ £20 OBD2 cable to your laptop - enables all that stuff to be tested in a profound way. I have such, because such geekiness amuses me: I can see which of my parking sensors are losing range with rain ingress, at a gradation of 200mm increments..!
Of course - as with any manufacturer - some BMW models do have known susceptibilities - e.g, E39 ( 1995-2003) 5 series - ABS light, it's always the nearside-rear sensor first, for some reason (not had this yet in >100K in e39s, but if it happens, well - that's simple diy).
And - there is a massive aftermarket in re-work availability to do other sim things, in modules, for most brands; like fix mising pixels in displays (always the ribbon cable), solve ECU issues like occasional burnt coil drivers: the stuff the OEM and Dealer network has no interest in, unless 'they' can sell you a £2K box-swap.*
With even cheap 'tools' - there is little to be afraid-of.
* ETA:
I had an Alpina B10 3.3 Manual, saloon, one of very few RHD examples; took it to local Dealer* for MOT: they called back later in the day with £2K7 worth of fail - headlamp alignment shot, both xenon HL assemblies obvs need replacement.
<splutter/very rude words followed>
I removed it to a superb local Indy, who I still use - it was £35 worth of leveling -sensor failed; a tenner to fit; MOT, £35 at same time.
Hmmm...
* Dick Lovett; just after they'd taken-over the long-established, always-excellent 'Williams' in Bath and utterly-gutted the Business. No words that fit the AUP , can follow here.
That simply reads like crap sensor design allowing foreign-body ingress!
For BMWs, the freely-available (cough- widely-cracked) BMW INPA/ISTA dealer diagnosis software and a ~ £20 OBD2 cable to your laptop - enables all that stuff to be tested in a profound way. I have such, because such geekiness amuses me: I can see which of my parking sensors are losing range with rain ingress, at a gradation of 200mm increments..!
Of course - as with any manufacturer - some BMW models do have known susceptibilities - e.g, E39 ( 1995-2003) 5 series - ABS light, it's always the nearside-rear sensor first, for some reason (not had this yet in >100K in e39s, but if it happens, well - that's simple diy).
And - there is a massive aftermarket in re-work availability to do other sim things, in modules, for most brands; like fix mising pixels in displays (always the ribbon cable), solve ECU issues like occasional burnt coil drivers: the stuff the OEM and Dealer network has no interest in, unless 'they' can sell you a £2K box-swap.*
With even cheap 'tools' - there is little to be afraid-of.
* ETA:
I had an Alpina B10 3.3 Manual, saloon, one of very few RHD examples; took it to local Dealer* for MOT: they called back later in the day with £2K7 worth of fail - headlamp alignment shot, both xenon HL assemblies obvs need replacement.
<splutter/very rude words followed>
I removed it to a superb local Indy, who I still use - it was £35 worth of leveling -sensor failed; a tenner to fit; MOT, £35 at same time.
Hmmm...
* Dick Lovett; just after they'd taken-over the long-established, always-excellent 'Williams' in Bath and utterly-gutted the Business. No words that fit the AUP , can follow here.
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gez
pfm Member
As I say, I have no evidence. But I don't generally believe in coincidences.
It's a BMW E82 btw, and I think you're right IIRC it was exactly that sensor that went first.
AnilS
pfm Member
Thank you Sir. That's very kind of you. Although I'm better, there are other personal issues on the horizon (some health ones as a result of my illness too) but kind message and thoughts, such as yours help.
It was plugged into a diagnostic machine and flagged up as a faulty abs hydraulic pump and abs poor electronic connection. Oddly, driving to my BMW Indy, the warning lights went out for the last 15 miles! My Indy seems to think,
very it's standing period, the bushes in the hydraulic pump can partially seize. Maybe it needs driving. He'll check it over then put it in for MOT.
martin clark
pinko bodger
@AnilS - Might be as simple as just brake system fluid replacement; it never ages well (and iirc BWM recommend this as a flush at 2yr intervals, and discount it is as a service, as result)
ETA - 23.02.24
- when done, plugged-into the machine that goes 'ping!' - this cycles every valve involved, iirc: will flag real issues. Could well be your 'warnings' are phantom. For example - in standing a long while - maybe a bit of humidity/ condensation/ in the ABS-block wiring connector & sim, is causing issues.
Once the engine bay gets properly warmed-through, such as your 15mile perambluation - yes, do expect such little things to simply, go-away. Hopefully - just like condensation inside the light clusters; all those really little annoyances that simply accumulate with time out of use.
ATB, Anil!
ETA - 23.02.24
- when done, plugged-into the machine that goes 'ping!' - this cycles every valve involved, iirc: will flag real issues. Could well be your 'warnings' are phantom. For example - in standing a long while - maybe a bit of humidity/ condensation/ in the ABS-block wiring connector & sim, is causing issues.
Once the engine bay gets properly warmed-through, such as your 15mile perambluation - yes, do expect such little things to simply, go-away. Hopefully - just like condensation inside the light clusters; all those really little annoyances that simply accumulate with time out of use.
ATB, Anil!
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Well, it can't sound worse than the MKIII...