Good, cheap car to learn spannering on

[funkyrobot]

rallycross said:

Vauxhall Omega
sub £1k you will get a really nice example
fairly easy to work on, load of advice on maintenance off the owners forum, and a big tough old thing to learn how to fix it your self.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?board=1...

And they are surprisingly good to drive, much like a 5 series for a third of the price.

Thanks. They do seem to get good write-ups on the barge threads

[funkyrobot]

MarshPhantom said:

There are loads around for next to no money. I have a coupe, they are fairly easy to work on and all bits available.

ETA = have a drive of one, they are different class

Edited by MarshPhantom on Friday 14th March 22:49

I do love the look of them. Must see of there is anything local.

[funkyrobot]

mike-r said:

Had a little MK4 Fiesta not long since and bits for that were cheap as anything, which if you're learning spannering is a good thing.

I remember I timed myself changing front discs, 22 minutes from wheels up to down and £15 lighter for the pair. They were like someone cut a beer mat into a circle. Serviced it for about £30 too IIRC.

Nice. 22 minutes isn't long. What level of mechanical skill do you have though?

[funkyrobot]

Axionknight said:

Get a Volvo 850 T5, a big, practical car and easy to work on, plenty of forums and sources of information out there to help you when you get stuck too.

Plus it's reasonably quick for such a big barge, surprises a few folk off of the lights!

Another barge that I like the look of. I wonder where this is going.

[carmadgaz]

Go take a look at this weeks SOTW

200/300 TDi Defender or Discovery?

[mike-r]

funkyrobot said:

mike-r said:

Had a little MK4 Fiesta not long since and bits for that were cheap as anything, which if you're learning spannering is a good thing.

I remember I timed myself changing front discs, 22 minutes from wheels up to down and £15 lighter for the pair. They were like someone cut a beer mat into a circle. Serviced it for about £30 too IIRC.

Nice. 22 minutes isn't long. What level of mechanical skill do you have though?

None! Discs is wheels off and two bolts to whip off the caliper really. If you have a bit of common sense, some tools, and the motivation then most small jobs can be done fairly easily. I don't know anyone that can change oil or even would if they knew how, a sad state of affairs.

[funkyrobot]

carmadgaz said:

Go take a look at this weeks SOTW

200/300 TDi Defender or Discovery?

A work colleague of mine built a defender from the ground up. He said to me the other day that I should maybe start with a Landy as they are quite modular vehicles and good to work on.

[funkyrobot]

mike-r said:

funkyrobot said:

mike-r said:

Had a little MK4 Fiesta not long since and bits for that were cheap as anything, which if you're learning spannering is a good thing.

I remember I timed myself changing front discs, 22 minutes from wheels up to down and £15 lighter for the pair. They were like someone cut a beer mat into a circle. Serviced it for about £30 too IIRC.

Nice. 22 minutes isn't long. What level of mechanical skill do you have though?

None! Discs is wheels off and two bolts to whip off the caliper really. If you have a bit of common sense, some tools, and the motivation then most small jobs can be done fairly easily. I don't know anyone that can change oil or even would if they knew how, a sad state of affairs.

That's where I am at the moment and I don't like it. I'm simply too scared to touch anything on my current car as I need it for work. I thought taking the time and effort to learn on something will be well worth it.

[Zerotonine]

Although I have a bit of spannering experience, I went with a V6 ST24. I may end up regretting that.

[Stuartggray]

Micra or Volvo 740. Real basics should be learnt on a CG125.

[k22wes]

Peugeot 205. If you can find a cheap gti you will probably make money fixing it up to sell.

[Axionknight]

funkyrobot said:

Another barge that I like the look of. I wonder where this is going.

I loved my T5R, I was 23 years old when I had mine, my Dads a DIYer who is into his hot rods and classics ETC so he shew me the ropes on spannering away on cars myself and it's a great skill to possess, I helped him with the resto on a classic Mini (which he now won't give me ) and a Ford Prefect gasser type thing.

I did all the maintenance and servicing required on the T5R, it's a big lump of a turbo engine so it's quite involved compared to a pokey N/A lump, but the engine bay is massive so you have plenty of room for most jobs that will need doing and it's no covered in plastic crap like modern engines, good, reliable simplicity - cracking motor, aside from changing the cambelt which is a once in a blue moon job the most difficult job you are likely to encounter is swapping the PCV and breather system, which is an inlet manifold off job, but a half reasonable DIYer would be able to crack the job off in three hours, maximum. Just don't take the bottom screws out when you remove the inlet manifold, lol!!

[Toaster Pilot]

I'm learning spannering slowly but surely on my Audi A6 - just changed the timing and auxiliary belts and the exhaust manifold!

Prior to that I had a Skoda Felicia I did a few jobs on, real easy to work on

[Stuartggray]

It really starts when you have to get the welding fork out...

[philmots]

Mk3 Mondeo

[ShaunTheSheep]

I'd vote for a japanese petrol because of how easy they are to work on (non turbo for max simplicity), preferably 2001 at the oldest (cheap diagnostics reader). Just lookout for excessive rust.

Pick up a second hand Haynes manual & some 6 point, 1/2" sockets then give it a full service :-)

[Riley Blue]

funkyrobot said:

So, PH, what is the best way to get stuck in and learn some new skills? I have drive space for a vehicle and a garage to fit plenty of tools in. I have a shed budget too.

Does your local college run evening courses on car maintenance? If so, that's a good place to start. When I went to evening classes I could even take my own car in to work on.

[bitwrx]

Peugeot 106, an early carburated one. All the important bits generally stay working, and all the service items are easy to do. You can also build up confidence by replacing all the flimsy non-essential bits as they fall off!

[STW2010]

I find my e46 easy to work on. Perhaps pick up one of the first ones in saloon form? These are very cheap now.

Best way to get stuck in is to remove something, then put it (or the replacement) back on. Sounds simple, but start with the air box, then work up to removing the alternator (which means removing the belts first). Do an oil change. Change the brake pads (and discs, though these are a slight step up).

For all of the above you will need nothing more than a basic socket set, torx set and a jack/axle stands.

[FatSumo]

Wish you had posted this two weeks ago, I'd have given you my FTO rather than scrapped it