OV9

Marv wrote: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:22 pm Some people don't have an eye for detail - you clearly do!

Elise sold. Purchased for £10,500 in August 2016, sold for £12,800 in July 2018. Completed 2000 miles.

Great car. Always loved the Elise and will certainly have another. This one was cosmetically quite poor, however the 135 engine is the best K-series I've ever driven. Dan did an outstanding job on sorting the chassis, and I've mentioned before his attention to detail (like replacing bolts) was outstanding, so it drove really, really well.

That being said, it was too short geared for my driving. The Janspeed exhaust had insane drone (although it did sound awesome) and combined with the CRB made longer journeys to difficult. I was desperate for a 6th gear....I did consider keeping it, upping the power and changing the exhaust, but decided it would be easier to sell and buy something different.

Actually quite sad to see it go, and usually I'm not that fussed about selling cars...

Sometimes you have to admit defeat and just lube up.


My previous bodge actually worked in terms of keeping moisture out of the lights but the previous 3 years of moisture corroded the actual wiring loom inside the headlight. Being sealed there’s no way to open them. In light of this the new units which have a different part number now are held together with clips and a rubber gasket so should be serviceable.
Annoyingly I was told the unit came without bulbs so ordered a pair of daytime running lights but they do come with all the bulbs apart from the xenons.

The old indicators were fine but badly chipped and crazed from uv damage so for the sake of £120 might as well change those so the front matches up.

I really, really want it back now.

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:08 pm Sometimes you have to admit defeat and just lube up.


My previous bodge actually worked in terms of keeping moisture out of the lights but the previous 3 years of moisture corroded the actual wiring loom inside the headlight. Being sealed there’s no way to open them. In light of this the new units which have a different part number now are held together with clips and a rubber gasket so should be serviceable.
Annoyingly I was told the unit came without bulbs so ordered a pair of daytime running lights but they do come with all the bulbs apart from the xenons.

The old indicators were fine but badly chipped and crazed from uv damage so for the sake of £120 might as well change those so the front matches up.

What about putting them in the oven to melt the glue like a lot of other car models have to do, I did it successfully on my MR2 to open the headlight.

Maurice wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:27 pm I really, really want it back now.

I had no idea you'd sold it TBH! When did it go?

I keep looking at that yellow Exige Roadster at Oakmere. I know it has no AC (which isn't why it's not sold and therefore would be a nightmare to sell on) but it's the only one just about in my budget I'm over that way tomorrow anyway, so I might feign interest.

Zonda_ wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:33 pm

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:08 pm Sometimes you have to admit defeat and just lube up.


My previous bodge actually worked in terms of keeping moisture out of the lights but the previous 3 years of moisture corroded the actual wiring loom inside the headlight. Being sealed there’s no way to open them. In light of this the new units which have a different part number now are held together with clips and a rubber gasket so should be serviceable.
Annoyingly I was told the unit came without bulbs so ordered a pair of daytime running lights but they do come with all the bulbs apart from the xenons.

The old indicators were fine but badly chipped and crazed from uv damage so for the sake of £120 might as well change those so the front matches up.

What about putting them in the oven to melt the glue like a lot of other car models have to do, I did it successfully on my MR2 to open the headlight.

Didn’t try heating it and don’t think it would have helped as someone had bumped into the light cracking the back where the two halves joined together so any prying would have totally broken it. Also think that the circuit board inside is fubared as well as the loom since it looks like the titanic and I kept getting a voltage fluctuation which would blow the high beams. The xenon self levelling motors inside also eventually died but I managed to get them somewhat level manually via an Allen key but it failed it’s MOT in December and blew the expansion tank when I last bodged it’s lights and went for a test drive so I’ve had enough and just decided to do it all properly as I don’t think having it sit for 6 months is doing it why favours.

Matty wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:07 pm

Maurice wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:27 pm I really, really want it back now.

I had no idea you'd sold it TBH! When did it go?

I keep looking at that yellow Exige Roadster at Oakmere. I know it has no AC (which isn't why it's not sold and therefore would be a nightmare to sell on) but it's the only one just about in my budget I'm over that way tomorrow anyway, so I might feign interest.

Still got the car Matt, when I mean I want it back that’s only because it’s stuck at the garage fitting the exhaust and I won’t be able to collect it for at least another week.

Well I made good progress until I got thwarted by a single rusty seized indicator screw


Also remembered that I need to buy some coolant as the car is currently filled with Buxtons finest. Might take my time tomorrow to clean and use trim restorer on the plastic visible behind the grill and arches now that they’re exposed. I might get bored and do something else.

Mondeo is just cracking on. Minor service this weekend so I can *finally* clear the oil warning. Not done that many miles since it came up so meh.

Minor entertainment today - lass in the office has an 08 A4 TDI ragtop. Roof wouldn't go down this morning. And she stalled it and said she couldn't restart it till she took the key out, was panicking a bit.

Cleared her boot. Roof works - clearance issue in the boot. Starting after stalling? Er, basic mech theory of how a starter works. Turns out she was trying to start it without returning the key to position 0.

I did, however, learn that apparently lots of VAG cars won't rev past 3000rpm at a standstill in neutral, as her car doesn't, which confused me initially so I looked into it. Apparently some emissions stuff. News to me.

Beany wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:06 pm Mondeo is just cracking on. Minor service this weekend so I can *finally* clear the oil warning. Not done that many miles since it came up so meh.

Minor entertainment today - lass in the office has an 08 A4 TDI ragtop. Roof wouldn't go down this morning. And she stalled it and said she couldn't restart it till she took the key out, was panicking a bit.

Cleared her boot. Roof works - clearance issue in the boot. Starting after stalling? Er, basic mech theory of how a starter works. Turns out she was trying to start it without returning the key to position 0.

I did, however, learn that apparently lots of VAG cars won't rev past 3000rpm at a standstill in neutral, as her car doesn't, which confused me initially so I looked into it. Apparently some emissions stuff. News to me.

Which part of solving the roof and starter issues requires revving the bollocks off it?

Was curious to see if it smoked at all, given Flewys mention of MOT failures etc on FaceyB, which involves taking it to the limiter briefly. Noticed it didn't go beyond about 3000 rpm. Was warm by that point because we'd been pissing about with the roof, making sure it worked OK, etc. Just never seen that before - and only did it three times.

I did boot my car from cold as a comparison to make up for it. Because of course I did.

Maurice wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:27 pm I really, really want it back now.

That sounds fucking ace

240PP wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:25 pm

Maurice wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:27 pm I really, really want it back now.

That sounds fucking ace

I agree. Keen to hear it in the metal. And the twin exits look sooo much better than the oem trapezoidal-thingy design.

mik wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 11:16 pm

240PP wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:25 pm

Maurice wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:27 pm I really, really want it back now.

That sounds fucking ace

I agree. Keen to hear it in the metal. And the twin exits look sooo much better than the oem trapezoidal-thingy design.

I already love your car Maurice, but now you're taking the pi55! Emergency starts and flyby videos please, I'm sure Mik will be demanding them too...

Keeping it 100 there

Last weekend I stuck some paint on the spare e46 wing I bought last year, so this morning I removed this hideous lump of rust



And stuck the new one on. Yeah, the shade is a bit out, I was gutted when I held it next to the car after painting, but on the car it doesn't look anywhere near as bad. It's a little out, but I think it's mainly the original lacquer ageing and yellowing slightly. I was considering tinting some lacquer and giving it another coat last night but decided it wasn't worth the effort as I was quite happy with the rest of the finish


Looks less noticeable to the eye than the camera has picked up, especially as you move around it, and definitely better than the scabby brown one.

Also swapped the wheels to the oe spec ones, which I think look ok tbh, although looks like they need at least 20mm spacers, before parking it up at its new home....


Because we collected our new car



The old boy has decided he's had enough of driving, he doesn't enjoy it any more and it's getting more expensive every year, so said it's ours if we want it.

Nice

Still a good looking car.

Yeah, it's still a nice shape, it's just the front end that really dates it since Mercedes change of styling direction, going back to square lights and more upright grilles.

As I mentioned on the old forum when I borrowed it, it's probably not something I would have chosen to buy with my own money, but it's too nice a car to turn down and would hate to see it go to ruin or be flogged to wbac for pennies.

Why not sell the E46?