The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)
Discussion
greenarrow said:
Not a shed yet, but is the Astra K 1.4 Turbo engine one to avoid? I understand there were issues but they might have fixed in 2017.
Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
Renowned for the pistons cracking on them due to low speed pre-ignition. Also crankshaft issues causing clutch pedal to go loose and they're another engine that goes pop if you don't use the exact spec oil at considerable expense.Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
Can't remember off top of my head if they are the same set-up underneath as the Corsa but if they are, check the front sub-frame on them as they are known to rust really bad on the Corsa.
Edited by r3g on Thursday 25th April 18:33
Gordon Hill said:
A lot of Mercedes of that era, mine included, seem pretty resistant to rot underneath. Usual area's are around the wheel arches, mine's got a tiny bit but not much worth bothering about but the rest of the body doesn't have a spot.
I've recently had it up in the air as the engine mounts need doing just to have a gander and it's like new under there, very impressive for a 19 year old car.
My BMW 330i (E90) will be 19 this year and it still looks surprising good underneath. But it doesn't have any rot on the arches like Mercedes of that era, or BMW E46s, are prone to!I've recently had it up in the air as the engine mounts need doing just to have a gander and it's like new under there, very impressive for a 19 year old car.
Mr Tidy said:
Gordon Hill said:
A lot of Mercedes of that era, mine included, seem pretty resistant to rot underneath. Usual area's are around the wheel arches, mine's got a tiny bit but not much worth bothering about but the rest of the body doesn't have a spot.
I've recently had it up in the air as the engine mounts need doing just to have a gander and it's like new under there, very impressive for a 19 year old car.
My BMW 330i (E90) will be 19 this year and it still looks surprising good underneath. But it doesn't have any rot on the arches like Mercedes of that era, or BMW E46s, are prone to!I've recently had it up in the air as the engine mounts need doing just to have a gander and it's like new under there, very impressive for a 19 year old car.
Gordon Hill said:
Very good indeed. I think it was the previous gen E Class that was known for rust - is that the W208? They were terrible, proper rust buckets. The E46 definitely prone to rust. Front arches were particularly bad. For some reason though I don't think the E39, which was on sale at the same time was, so much??r3g said:
greenarrow said:
Not a shed yet, but is the Astra K 1.4 Turbo engine one to avoid? I understand there were issues but they might have fixed in 2017.
Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
Renowned for the pistons cracking on them due to low speed pre-ignition. Also crankshaft issues causing clutch pedal to go loose and they're another engine that goes pop if you don't use the exact spec oil at considerable expense.Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
Can't remember off top of my head if they are the same set-up underneath as the Corsa but if they are, check the front sub-frame on them as they are known to rust really bad on the Corsa.
Edited by r3g on Thursday 25th April 18:33
well that may be optimistic, but safely back into the works car park, stacks of old history to through, which I always find therapeutic, with the occasional worry/hint at imminent work.But it drove lovely (for what it is), I have had a V70 before first of the Ph2 with the Audi/Vag engine and also a XC60 2009 vintage with a later D5 based engine so there was some familiarity overall.
The shocking turning circle I'd forgotten about but just some readjustment required!
Ryyy said:
Which engine and year? 
2002/3 D5 manualOnly some possible injector worries (from what i've read), but it was cheap and 'only' 137K miles and 3 owners before me, 79 year old had it since 2011 and gradually did less and less miles.
Faded plastics, wipers and cambelt kit in the immediate future I think
greenarrow said:
Gordon Hill said:
Very good indeed. I think it was the previous gen E Class that was known for rust - is that the W208? They were terrible, proper rust buckets. The E46 definitely prone to rust. Front arches were particularly bad. For some reason though I don't think the E39, which was on sale at the same time was, so much??This is the W211, it's a much more robust car capable of intergalactic mileage with regular oil changes. E280 cdi with a remap done by the previous owner.
You can pick them up now for less than 3 grand with around 100k miles on. I would only recommend getting one of you can work on them yourself or know a mechanic who won't take the p#ss.
Gordon Hill said:
I would only recommend getting one of you can work on them yourself or know a mechanic who won't take the p#ss.
I think that's the main issue these days, shedding for most is expensive regardless.I got a simple 1.2 2010 Clio recently for my son, it had a leaking water pump, £80 kit and it's fixed with a new cambelt too boot, perhaps £300-400 by a not taking the mick mechanic? £800 the guy was quoted from the Garage he uses!
Scootersp said:
Gordon Hill said:
I would only recommend getting one of you can work on them yourself or know a mechanic who won't take the p#ss.
I think that's the main issue these days, shedding for most is expensive regardless.I got a simple 1.2 2010 Clio recently for my son, it had a leaking water pump, £80 kit and it's fixed with a new cambelt too boot, perhaps £300-400 by a not taking the mick mechanic? £800 the guy was quoted from the Garage he uses!
I would have no hesitation going back to a small, simple petrol engined car next.
Edited by Gordon Hill on Friday 26th April 18:46
Bought a 2009 plate Astravan yesterday. Mainly a daily driver for my son (he paid for 80% of it, it's registered in his name and insured by him) but I'll be able to use it for the likes of moving model railways to exhibitions. It's a poverty spec 1.7CDTi with 112,000 miles on the clock and 6 months MOT. Bit of a rattle from the clutch area - probably DMF, but we're not too concerned about that at the moment. I drove it home yesterday from Fife and it sat quite happily at 70/75 on the A92. It's a 6 speed gearbox so I suspect it will sip diesel.
Body is a bit tatty in places but nothing that can't be fixed. Mechanically apart from the DMF it's sound. It also helps that replacement parts for old Vauxhalls are dirt cheap and that both of use have had experience on working on then.
Body is a bit tatty in places but nothing that can't be fixed. Mechanically apart from the DMF it's sound. It also helps that replacement parts for old Vauxhalls are dirt cheap and that both of use have had experience on working on then.
Scootersp said:
Ryyy said:
Which engine and year?
2002/3 D5 manualOnly some possible injector worries (from what i've read), but it was cheap and 'only' 137K miles and 3 owners before me, 79 year old had it since 2011 and gradually did less and less miles.
Faded plastics, wipers and cambelt kit in the immediate future I think
matchmaker said:
Bought a 2009 plate Astravan yesterday. Mainly a daily driver for my son (he paid for 80% of it, it's registered in his name and insured by him) but I'll be able to use it for the likes of moving model railways to exhibitions. It's a poverty spec 1.7CDTi with 112,000 miles on the clock and 6 months MOT. Bit of a rattle from the clutch area - probably DMF, but we're not too concerned about that at the moment. I drove it home yesterday from Fife and it sat quite happily at 70/75 on the A92. It's a 6 speed gearbox so I suspect it will sip diesel.
Body is a bit tatty in places but nothing that can't be fixed. Mechanically apart from the DMF it's sound. It also helps that replacement parts for old Vauxhalls are dirt cheap and that both of use have had experience on working on then.
Had several of them, all in Sportive guise. 1.7 CDTI is still the ancient Isuzu lump with various modern bits bolted to it. Not a refined engine these days and it's a 40- to 45 mpg round town engine, low to mid 50s on a run. The 6 speed M32 gearbox is well known to be total junk. The bearings are made out of cheese and they break, all the time. Watch out for whirring noises in 2nd, 5th and 6th and also jumping out of gear or them becoming hard to engage. DMFs are meh on them, pretty normal for diesels these days. Use the gearbox properly and drop a cog rather than keeping it in a high gear and letting it labout - that's what kills the DMF. Water pumps are weak on them too. You can hear them when they're starting to go as they make a faint rustling/whoosing noise Watch out for town LEZs as these are cllassed as LCVs and are now banned from many towns unless you pay.Body is a bit tatty in places but nothing that can't be fixed. Mechanically apart from the DMF it's sound. It also helps that replacement parts for old Vauxhalls are dirt cheap and that both of use have had experience on working on then.
Bonefish Blues said:
Aux belt and tensioner too - cambelts are bombproof, aux & tensioner less so. Don't bother with the water pump unless it's rough.
Cheers, the aux belt looks new, but I'll check the tensioners and alternator idler pulley etc, when it's off, might just do the lot, I have read about the aux belt taking the cambelt out and the XC60 I had, had a very thin and flimsy looking aux belt, this one looks more substantial. Need to whip off the plastic cam cover just for a piece of mind inspection first (it's overdue on years not mileage), I collected it with a day insurance and have left it at work pending swapping from my current shed at some point. It's fingers crossed not a sheddy shed if you see what I mean I try my best not to buy those!, I enjoy the search and then the initial servicing/ cleaning and tinkering then after a year or two I tend to find a reason to switch. I was looking at £35 tax estate cars, Kia's/Hyundai's when I saw this come up and it was cheap and genuine enough to take a punt on despite the tax, hopefully a get at least a nice initial honeymoon period!
greenarrow said:
Not a shed yet, but is the Astra K 1.4 Turbo engine one to avoid? I understand there were issues but they might have fixed in 2017.
Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
I've got an astra J GTC 1.4T 2015 Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
So far, at 96k with oil changes every 6k because paranoid.
the coolant reservoir split. Caught it in time.
the coolant pump failed. It was making bearing failure noises, and I was waiting for the garage to book me in when I saw steam. Caught it in time.
There's a small oil leak. Can't work out from where.
You here about head gasket failures but I reckon that's down to running without coolant (mine is a model with no level warning FFS)
And cam chain tensioner failings. Hence my oil changes being twice as regular as the schedule.
Changing headlight bulbs is fun.
Pit Pony said:
greenarrow said:
Not a shed yet, but is the Astra K 1.4 Turbo engine one to avoid? I understand there were issues but they might have fixed in 2017.
Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
I've got an astra J GTC 1.4T 2015 Bearman 68 - over to you!!!
So far, at 96k with oil changes every 6k because paranoid.
the coolant reservoir split. Caught it in time.
the coolant pump failed. It was making bearing failure noises, and I was waiting for the garage to book me in when I saw steam. Caught it in time.
There's a small oil leak. Can't work out from where.
You here about head gasket failures but I reckon that's down to running without coolant (mine is a model with no level warning FFS)
And cam chain tensioner failings. Hence my oil changes being twice as regular as the schedule.
Changing headlight bulbs is fun.
My 2008 1.8VVT unit has been absolutely solid in reality, in its 154,000 miles.
Edited by 7 5 7 on Saturday 27th April 07:43
Scootersp said:
Bonefish Blues said:
Aux belt and tensioner too - cambelts are bombproof, aux & tensioner less so. Don't bother with the water pump unless it's rough.
Cheers, the aux belt looks new, but I'll check the tensioners and alternator idler pulley etc, when it's off, might just do the lot, I have read about the aux belt taking the cambelt out and the XC60 I had, had a very thin and flimsy looking aux belt, this one looks more substantial. Need to whip off the plastic cam cover just for a piece of mind inspection first (it's overdue on years not mileage), I collected it with a day insurance and have left it at work pending swapping from my current shed at some point. It's fingers crossed not a sheddy shed if you see what I mean I try my best not to buy those!, I enjoy the search and then the initial servicing/ cleaning and tinkering then after a year or two I tend to find a reason to switch. I was looking at £35 tax estate cars, Kia's/Hyundai's when I saw this come up and it was cheap and genuine enough to take a punt on despite the tax, hopefully a get at least a nice initial honeymoon period!
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