Your fleet running reports

[mik]

There are other health considerations that I'm not going to discuss here

Hopefully not this

[Beany]

There are other health considerations that I'm not going to discuss here

Hopefully not this

No, it's too small for that to be a pro OH SH-

[Swervin_Mervin]

Set out in the 330 this arvo, having not driven it for 10 days. Immediately noticed it seemed to be clunking on the left hand side over bumps. Otherwise felt fine.

Checked it out when I got back:


Bugger.

Having thoughts about DIY-ing it.

[Gwaredd]

After trawling the country for a cheapish first car for my daughter after she passed her test last week (a Yaris was 1st on the list, followed by a Suzuki swift, Nissan Micra in 3rd) and being left totally despondent by the utter shit that's for sale right now, I appear to have had a complete fucking mental breakdown and have come home with a stunning Renault Twingo GT.

She loves it, my wife won't get out of it and I'm a nervous wreck waiting for it to go wrong!

Now I just have to try and insure the bastard thing

[scotta]

Set out in the 330 this arvo, having not driven it for 10 days. Immediately noticed it seemed to be clunking on the left hand side over bumps. Otherwise felt fine.

Checked it out when I got back:


Bugger.

Having thoughts about DIY-ing it.

If you can take them off without spring clamps then crack on. If not don’t fuck about - by all means strip the strut off but take it to a local garage to remove the spring on one of their hydraulic presses. £20-30 would probably do it.

[Swervin_Mervin]

It's getting the strut out that looks a bit of a pita tbh. Looks like lower arms need to be undone. I've only ever done bolt in units before, not ones that sit in in the hub assembly with a pinch bolt.

I'd have to get some spring compressors - I've used them before and they do give me the heebeegeebees though

[mik]

I don’t know the car, but the pinch-bolt lower mounts tend to be quite good in my experience. Undo bolt and smack lower arm with decent size persuader…..

Scott is correct about the spring compressors (of death) though. I always use(d) 3 if there was room….

[DeskJockey]

I don’t know the car, but the pinch-bolt lower mounts tend to be quite good in my experience. Undo bolt and smack lower arm with decent size persuader…..

Scott is correct about the spring compressors (of death) though. I always use(d) 3 if there was room….

I thought a man of your reputation just compressed the spring with one hand and poured whisky with the other?

[Gwaredd]

I have a set of Hilka spring compressors from Screwfix. £21.99 and have a double claw system, so not as scary as the old type. I felt perfectly safe using them on both my Auris front springs, and the Alhambra rear springs recently.

[Sundayjumper]

I have an identical set, but branded Sealey.

Also Gwaredd, didn’t you have a MINI on the shortlist ? They’re good little cars.

[Sundayjumper]

I don’t know the car, but the pinch-bolt lower mounts tend to be quite good in my experience.

All or nothing IME. My Dad’s E39 - no problem. My 996 - utter bastard, when I fitted the coilovers I ended up buying a pair of hubs from a breakers because the old shocks would not budge from the old hubs.

[Beany]

You poor thing. Living close to enough to work that you can walk is such hardship!

It bloody is when the walk back is up a rather steep hill that's 3/4 mile long...

this seems like a win win situation - you get fitter and save money.

The walk back up wasn't too bad last night, aching calves from lack of use, and buying throat from the cold air aside

Still waiting for the mobile fitter to confirm they've got the tyres, to arrange a fitting time, though, so I got thoroughly soaked this morning on the way to work, because I didn't think to take a brolly. And it looked like a shower had just passed. Then the heavens opened once I was 100yds from the house.

Woops. How do the proles manage it, it must be so frustrating

[Gwaredd]

Also Gwaredd, didn’t you have a MINI on the shortlist ? They’re good little cars.

Not me, no. Never really considered one TBH.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I have a set of Hilka spring compressors from Screwfix. £21.99 and have a double claw system, so not as scary as the old type. I felt perfectly safe using them on both my Auris front springs, and the Alhambra rear springs recently.

Cheers for the tip - I was looking at those actually. I really want a set of the Draper/Sealey ones that have the half-moon pads and just one connecting rod, but sod spending £200

£90 + VAT a side labour to get it done by The Man. I'm now heavily leaning towards DIY, albeit finding the time is the biggest PITA

[Beany]

Still waiting for the mobile fitter to confirm they've got the tyres, to arrange a fitting time, though...

Apparently they called this morning but got no ring tone from our office number - which as the person who operates the literal switch that interconnects with BT, that would have taken that call I find....well, I have doubt.

Especially a I've checked and there are no calls to that number from a mobile on our switch till midday today...

He might have misdialled, there are lots of repeating numbers in there (memorable innit) so that's more likely.

Oh well, should be getting a call in the next little while when the fitter finishes his next job, we'll see.

[Sundayjumper]

...as the person who operates the literal switch that interconnects with BT, that would have taken that call...

Beany at work this morning:

[Beany]

It's a TDM switch that runs Solaris, so literally not that far from the truth.

Mix that in with a hacker man meme, and that's me.

Decided to not trust the fitters to call me and have headed up to the house anyway. Tyre definitely not inflating, do have locking wheel nut, so hopefully a simple for wheel the swap, assuming none of the wheels are fucked....

Short term though, if they hold air, that's good enough for me.

[JonMad]

Odd power steering issue continues to happen - come to a stop and turn the steering wheel at idle and the power steering cuts out. Today it actually cut the engine completely. Restarting on the key it was fine.

Replaced the battery, probably long overdue. Went for a Halfords medium spec jobbie, HCB063 to replace the old HB063. Straight swap and after a test run and back at home I was able to spin the steering wheel round without issue, with only minor rev drops, nowhere near cutting out.

Could be the slightly warmer weather making a difference but more likely the battery?

[Beany]

Decided to not trust the fitters to call me and have headed up to the house anyway. Tyre definitely not inflating, do have locking wheel nut, so hopefully a simple for wheel the swap, assuming none of the wheels are fucked....

Short term though, if they hold air, that's good enough for me.

Been pushed to the evening shift for the fitters, guessing the guy on the day shift had a bad one

Not too annoyed, just not sure when to get food, given all the shops are a 40 min round trip on for for real food, and I don't really want to spend on takeaway if I can help it....

[Sundayjumper]

Replaced the battery, probably long overdue. Went for a Halfords medium spec jobbie, HCB063 to replace the old HB063. Straight swap and after a test run and back at home I was able to spin the steering wheel round without issue, with only minor rev drops, nowhere near cutting out.

Could be the slightly warmer weather making a difference but more likely the battery?

Yeah. Otherwise it's a heck of a coincidence that it resolved itself immediately after changing the battery !

Give it a chance though, cars can get grumpy if they're not used regularly. Keep it on a charger if at all possible. I'd even disconnect the battery if you know you're not using it for a while.