OV9

Dash illumination wasn’t working when I got the car.

I bought a new panel from a UK supplier, fitted it, all working.

For a few months, then it wasn’t.

Supplier sent me a new panel.

It took me a while to get around to it, but when I fitted it, it didn’t work.

Supplier no longer replying to my emails.

I found a seller on aliexpress selling them, and ordered one.

Original seller eventually replied, vague wording but basically suggesting the car is the problem.

New aliexpress panel arrived today only eight days from ordering.

Fitted & working


For how long ???

Did you check the Cabaret Voltaire’s being provided to it? Does seem a bit weird….

Drove the Mini for the first time in 10 months today. The tyres felt rather flat-spotted at first but it was great fun. Now it’s living in our garage rather than storage, and is taxed for the year (I remembered at the last minute) I might use it a bit more.

mik wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2024 7:16 pm Did you check the Cabaret Voltaire’s being provided to it? Does seem a bit weird….

The car produces about 90V, adjustable up & down a bit from there to provide dimming. I’d also bought a small inverter so that I could test independently from the car - the first two panels were dead, the new one today was not. Driven with 175V:


EL panels are pretty cool, I think they’re just very fragile. I’ll see how long this one lasts.

Shock horror, I texted the guy yesterday to suggest this afternoon to hand the car over, and he's not got back to me.

My neighbour just came out to sniff aboot the M135i and he's said that if that guy falls through he'll bite my hand off for it though, so that's helpful

991 was flashing low battery warnings at me and playing up in other funny ways such as not opening the frunk from the key so I took it out for a good long run down to Birling Gap.

Was a faithful companion in the sometimes slimy 7 def conditions. Definitely think the 4WD contributed but very subtle in reality.

Averaged 17mpg so maybe would have been cheaper to buy a new battery

Jobbo wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:05 pm Drove the Mini for the first time in 10 months today. The tyres felt rather flat-spotted at first but it was great fun. Now it’s living in our garage rather than storage, and is taxed for the year (I remembered at the last minute) I might use it a bit more.

Massive garage envy here Simon

If you ever think your job is pointless.

I’ve just noticed the 360 has a heated rear window. Directly above the engine.


The glass gets too hot to touch just in normal driving, those heating elements are pissing in the wind

Sundayjumper wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 5:50 pm I’ve just noticed the 360 has a heated rear window. Directly above the engine.

Evora had that too.

I have actually used it (after going through deep-ish water) but it’s use otherwise is “not often”.

Does it have the radio aerial in it as well?

Good question. Don’t know.

GG. wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 4:57 pm Massive garage envy here Simon

Move to the shires - it’s cheaper than that London

Jimny has now moved in too. And I found there are sockets in the carport - hiding on the backs of the rear pillars. I’ll drive them in forwards and stick them on the CTEKs at some point.

As feared our door seal leak has been fixed using the expensive method, and we pick up an orange new/pre-registered Abarth 595 Turismo on Friday. We got £9300 trade-in which I suppose is good for a 5 and a half year old car that cost about £16k new.

p.s. Bit of a nostalgic moment here, as it's the last of the old air-cooled pages...

Jobbo wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:29 pm

When you get doors (as I know this is your plan) I can recommend the Meaco DDL8 range to dry everything out when you are putting wet cars away. Quiet, mobile, cheap to run, and an external feed so you don't have to keep emptying the tank.

I have a Meaco already Mik - I do find the external pipe feed doesn't work that well because despite no obvious leaks it still fills up the water tank and cuts off. Have replaced the external pipe with a different one and had the same problem. Good tip though; I am not entirely sure we're going to get doors yet but I think longer term they'll be useful.

Jobbo wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:38 am I do find the external pipe feed doesn't work that well because despite no obvious leaks it still fills up the water tank and cuts off

I solved that by carefully ensuring there was a run on the pipe exiting the machine, but after I knocked something against it - I had the same issue. By accident I RTFM however, and followed the instruction to drill a small hole (I think they advise 4mm?) in the top of the pipe where it exits the machine -which allows the pressure to equalise and the hose doesn't back up. Annoyingly it took at least 3 seconds to complete this task.

edit: see page 9 (edit again - FFS page 10!)
https://www.bedre-inneklima.no/wp-conte ... ressed.pdf

That’s a good shout, my current one has worked 24/7 for the past 3 years and is noisy now so needs a new one really.

Dave!

mik wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:56 am

Jobbo wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2024 11:38 am I do find the external pipe feed doesn't work that well because despite no obvious leaks it still fills up the water tank and cuts off

I solved that by carefully ensuring there was a run on the pipe exiting the machine, but after I knocked something against it - I had the same issue. By accident I RTFM however, and followed the instruction to drill a small hole (I think they advise 4mm?) in the top of the pipe where it exits the machine -which allows the pressure to equalise and the hose doesn't back up. Annoyingly it took at least 3 seconds to complete this task.

edit: see page 9
https://www.bedre-inneklima.no/wp-conte ... ressed.pdf

Ooh, I didn't actually think to google it - cheers

Jobbo wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2024 6:29 pm
Jimny has now moved in too. And I found there are sockets in the carport - hiding on the backs of the rear pillars. I’ll drive them in forwards and stick them on the CTEKs at some point.

I read that as Jimmy and got all kinds of confused.