OV9

Also had the egr mapped out at the same time, that will help too.

My merc failed it’s mot on Monday, but that’s good because he has to do the welding and brakes before I collect, bad is that it probably be until next Monday/Tuesday before I can collect it.

Nice one Nic

I might be off tangent here, but I don't understand why everyone rushes out to buy £25k Navara's / Rangers then only drive 20k miles in 3 years

These and cheap X5's can still tow and are nice to drive.

Spilled some coffee in the car the other day (don't ask, short version is I have 'lunch' in there to get me away from the computer) and while the rest cleared up fine, the gearknob got a good soaking before I could properly clean it up - the pool of coffee in the gaiter was more of a concern

I've cleaned it up, but what with it having 20 years of peoples hand oil on it, the finish is pretty shagged - and the clear cover over the shift pattern has coffee under it now and it's a bit brown

So I tried to remove it last night to make sure I could replace it. Er, I may have hurt my shoulder straining at it, and it still didn't move.

So yes, I have injured myself while tugging my knob. Enjoy that.

I did give the steering wheel a gentle clean up though, and it's come up nice - a touch more matt than it was and a bit nicer to touch. I might have to get some proper leather cleaner and a brush and give it a proper clean up sometime.

The Leaf decided to shit its traction battery a couple of days ago, with loads of warnings that said the car would be bricked the next time it was switched off. The internet confirmed it would indeed be bricked, so loads of phone calls later with the car sat 'running' on the driveway, I took matters into my own hands and drove it the 15 miles to the stealership and made it their problem Apparently it went to the central battery repair place on a low-loader yesterday and they'll replace the faulty cells. It should be back Monday, which is a pretty quick turnaround. I suspect that it's not an uncommon problem...

I've put a complaint in to the lease company but nothing back so far, no replacement courtesy car, no contact, no nuffin'. Not great!

Took the Smart in for a service this morning. Had booked into the Merc dealer near me only for them to tell me when I arrived that they can't service Smarts there and I need to take it Croydon. Apparently central booking (which you have to book through as the dealer line isn't open) have made that mistake before...

Fucking idiots.

Ooof Croydon

Just had my tax reminder land this morning for the 330. When TF did that creep up to £330/year?! I swear it was £295 last year.

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 11:22 am Just had my tax reminder land this morning for the 330. When TF did that creep up to £330/year?! I swear it was £295 last year.

My 235 was £305 last month, pretty sure it keeps going up every year.

It does go up every year, I used to think it was just tax plus inflation but it’s way more. My Alfa cost £90 in its first year, its now £145.
3.8% increase year on year - way above inflation.

I had an emergency job in Great Yarmouth so drive over in the Defender where I’m currently working at South Staffs.

I managed 22mpg with it bombing down at 75mph

It is the equivalent of about 125mph when you look at engine load though so I am classing it as frugal

Return journey was a bit more sedate.

Dave!

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 11:22 am Just had my tax reminder land this morning for the 330. When TF did that creep up to £330/year?! I swear it was £295 last year.

It was £315 last year.

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:46 am Ooof Croydon

Someone just left me a voicemail - apparently we're joint nearest with Chelsea which also services Smart. Easy choice!

GG. wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:40 pm

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:46 am Ooof Croydon

Someone just left me a voicemail - apparently we're joint nearest with Chelsea which also services Smart. Easy choice!

Yes, “Chelsea” in Wandsworth - I’ve always laughed at that. The McDonalds there is good though and it’s where all the finest technicians hang out

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:42 pm

GG. wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:40 pm

Mito Man wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:46 am Ooof Croydon

Someone just left me a voicemail - apparently we're joint nearest with Chelsea which also services Smart. Easy choice!

Yes, “Chelsea” in Wandsworth - I’ve always laughed at that. The McDonalds there is good though and it’s where all the finest technicians hang out

Haha - I used to go to drive to that McDonalds when I lived on Fulham Broadway years ago.

What a joke Mercedes are though - after someone leaving a voicemail saying it was Chelsea or Croydon I called up just now to be told it was only Croydon or Epsom so Croydon it is

GG. wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 10:36 am Took the Smart in for a service this morning. Had booked into the Merc dealer near me only for them to tell me when I arrived that they can't service Smarts there and I need to take it Croydon. Apparently central booking (which you have to book through as the dealer line isn't open) have made that mistake before...

Fucking idiots.

I got a quote through from my local Merc dealership for a service (oil change plus gearbox oil, basically) yesterday. I'd asked quite some time ago, and I even had a call through from Volvo a day before who I hadn't asked for a service, so they hadn't enamoured themselves to me with their delay in just confirming the price.

Over £800. That'll be a no, then Fortunately there are a few Merc specialists near me.

I've just remembered that when I had my last Merc, the central booking people managed to make a booking with Stratford, East London, even after I had half a dozen times told them it was Stratford upon Avon I wanted to book it in with

Consistent service then

£800!

Whereabout are you living these days, Si? I know your place of business isn't too far from my house, not sure where home is for you though.

I used to take my SLK55 to ACMS in Walsall. Might be a bit of a trek, but they were great.

Jobbo wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:19 pm

Swervin_Mervin wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 11:22 am Just had my tax reminder land this morning for the 330. When TF did that creep up to £330/year?! I swear it was £295 last year.

It was £315 last year.

I must have blanked it out!

Matty wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:11 pm £800!

Whereabout are you living these days, Si? I know your place of business isn't too far from my house, not sure where home is for you though.

I used to take my SLK55 to ACMS in Walsall. Might be a bit of a trek, but they were great.

Cheltenham, Matt. I’ll check out ACMS but I think it’s easier to get the service done near home and WFH that day.

'Some' car content. Not exactly _ste_ quality!

Caterham had an issue with lazy starting that's been getting worse and worse. Symptoms very similar to a flat battery, and indeed the battery had gone flat a few times, so that got replaced. Unfortunately that didn't solve the problem. Press starter button and it turns over slowly or clicks, and just won't fire. I've been parking on hills for a couple of months now (!)

Due to the starter and solenoid being right next to the exhaust primaries, they can get very hot and dry out. So the Caterham FB group next suggestion was to remove them both and test them on the bench. Access was difficult, but not too bad once you'd got the exhausts off.



Once I'd got it off and on the bench I took both the starter and the solenoid apart to see if they were seized in any way. Both seemed fine. What really got my attention though was the fact that the trigger wire was soldered on rather than attached to the post. I changed the wire over and fitted Lucas connectors instead. You'll see how shitty the connection is in the pic.



A few YouTube videos explained you could connect jump leads and put a screwdriver across the trigger post to test both the solenoid and starter off the car. After a few terrifying minutes (I don't have a vice and it jumped around, a lot!) I determined they were both fine.

After refitting and making sure the heat tape and exhaust wrap was back in position, I saw why the previous owner had soldered the trigger wire on... it foulled the exhaust primary... So I bent it out of the way and put more heat reflective tape on it

Thankfully the issue seems to be much better and haven't had it fail to start since. Still parking on hills though. Old habits die hard...