Your fleet running reports

[tim]

Massive mis-fire on the Rover. I suspect a coil pack has gone. Balls.

[PaulJ]

Bad news: And on the Cayenne. £600

Thanks! I feel better about my £495 now.

[Jobbo]

My Audi is £490 per year. The rules about the £335 annual surcharge for cars over £40k registered from April 2017 are annoying; it’s not when the car turns 5, it’s 5 years after the car is taxed for the second time. I’m actually a beneficiary of this because my car was an Audi demo for 3 months or so, meaning the surcharge ends when it’s 5yrs and 4 months old. If it had sat at the dealer untaxed and unsold for a year then it wouldn’t end until a year later. Bit bizarre but one to check when buying a car 17-plate or newer. DVLA’s vehicle check tells you what date the surcharge expires.

[Simon]

Massive mis-fire on the Rover. I suspect a coil pack has gone. Balls.

Is it one coil or a coil per cylinder on your car? I can't remember...

When I used to be in Rover-land I remember they used to burn through their HT leads with a surprising regularity, so don't dismiss that if you have them.

[integrale_evo]

Later ones are individual coils, middle ones are a double coil pack on the back of the block ( I have a spare if Tim’s is that type, but I doubt it ) early ones are single coil with cap and rotor arm.

[DeskJockey]

Zoe's reversing light had stopped working, so bought a replacement bulb. Looks like I'll need a whole new unit instead, as when I unscrewed the (downwards facing) holder a load of water drained out. As the bulb holder is the lowest point in the unit, guess where the water pools...

Dried it all out as best I could and fitted the new bulb. It works, will see for how long.

One continued annoyance with the Zoe is the lack of storage. The glovebox is uselessly small and awkwardly shaped and none of the other storage bins are much better. Having the fairly slim manual in its folder takes up almost an entire door bin.

Also replaced the windscreen wipers on both cars.

[V8Granite]

Later ones are individual coils, middle ones are a double coil pack on the back of the block ( I have a spare if Tim’s is that type, but I doubt it ) early ones are single coil with cap and rotor arm.

On the 214 this coil was right in the water stream when it was heavy rain. So a small can of wd40 was always present in the glovebox

Dave!

[Sundayjumper]

… a load of water drained out.

Two things that have proved useful in the past:

1) Remove the light unit and trickle super glue along any seams on the top & sides. Super glue is quite thin and capillary action will draw it into any gaps. You can even get different weights of super glue. And super glue cures by contact with moisture.

2) For a proper bodge, drill a small hole in the bottom of the light unit. It won’t stop water getting in but it’ll let it straight back out again

[integrale_evo]

It’s 2021 and it’s ridiculous people still can’t make lights which don’t fill with water or wiring looms which can withstand a door opening and closing lots of times

[DeskJockey]

… a load of water drained out.

Two things that have proved useful in the past:

1) Remove the light unit and trickle super glue along any seams on the top & sides. Super glue is quite thin and capillary action will draw it into any gaps. You can even get different weights of super glue. And super glue cures by contact with moisture.

2) For a proper bodge, drill a small hole in the bottom of the light unit. It won’t stop water getting in but it’ll let it straight back out again

Good bodging. Will try.

[jamcg]

It’s 2021 and it’s ridiculous people still can’t make lights which don’t fill with water or wiring looms which can withstand a door opening and closing lots of times

Now even more than ever it’s make it last for warranty and after that they don’t care

[Matty]

My Audi is £490 per year. The rules about the £335 annual surcharge for cars over £40k registered from April 2017 are annoying; it’s not when the car turns 5, it’s 5 years after the car is taxed for the second time. I’m actually a beneficiary of this because my car was an Audi demo for 3 months or so, meaning the surcharge ends when it’s 5yrs and 4 months old. If it had sat at the dealer untaxed and unsold for a year then it wouldn’t end until a year later. Bit bizarre but one to check when buying a car 17-plate or newer. DVLA’s vehicle check tells you what date the surcharge expires.

Yup - I remember thinking the 4C had cheap tax, forgot about the 2017 change and being an August 2017 registered is therefore £510/yr.

[Matty]

It’s 2021 and it’s ridiculous people still can’t make lights which don’t fill with water or wiring looms which can withstand a door opening and closing lots of times

But then how will they charge you for parts and repair? /cynic

Many water relates issues I've had have been caused by either parking on a hill and it filling places it shouldn't, or leaves blocking drain holes.
Unless it's a Lotus. I got told by a Lotus dealer than mine was caused because it was a Friday car. The Evora also loved to pool water all over the place too.

[Sundayjumper]

It’s 2021 and it’s ridiculous people still can’t make lights which don’t fill with water or wiring looms which can withstand a door opening and closing lots of times

Oh, I’m sure they can, but it would make the cars too expensive. Upgrade every single part on the car to last longer and it’d probably double the price, or more.

[tim]

Later ones are individual coils, middle ones are a double coil pack on the back of the block ( I have a spare if Tim’s is that type, but I doubt it ) early ones are single coil with cap and rotor arm.

Two coil packs, feeding 1&4 and 2&3. I took it all apart, reassembled it and it's fine now. So fucked if I know!

[McSwede]

I collected the 320d (177) SE the other day. Very happy with it. Drove well on the way home and autobox shifted nicely. Engine feels strong too.

Downside were that MOT showed up needing new tyres which they duly replaced. Sadly tyres were winters and a 50 profile rather than 45 . They're random Chinese ditchfinders so at least match with the shite on the front axle. Hankook All-Seasons are getting fitted on Tuesday.

Also noticed wobbly O/S mirror which I've fixed. Also realised it has blue interior lights that need swapping out as well as BMW logo puddle lights which are tatty.

Overall. Very happy with it.

[Maurice]

Exige has been in for service and MOT. Thankfully other than the front tyres being around 3MM, no other advisories. Whilst in, it had the front grilles touched up due to them taking a pounding. A feared fault with the alarm turned out to be me simply being a moron and simply deadlocking the car instead.

Given winter is on the way, it’s now snuggled up with a companion for the next few months. A minty fresh Jag XK-RS that sounds properly rude.

[JonMad]

Oh to have a garage that's not full of stuff (oh, and a couple of cars like that in there)

[mik]

other than the front tyres being around 3MM

That’s brand new for Cup2’s non?

[Ascender]

We've got all our cars on monthly direct debits for the ved now which makes it slightly easier to not realise just how much the Boxster costs.

Oh, and I'm back on Bosch windscreen wipers. Turns out the cheaper ones from eBay fall apart after a short while. Who knew.