The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

[CinnamonFan]

My wife has run a 10 plate 107 for the past 5 years. Only real non diy issue we had was a manifold with integrated CAT. All other maintenance done by me, annual oil changes, recent front brakes & an exhaust back box 3 years ago.

Will be for sale shortly. Its also blue, got some minor war wounds from fences & the boot carpet has dog hair in it.

Not the speediest thing but happily got her about. Covered 30k total in our ownership, been to the Netherlands too as we live close ish to the port.

[Dan Singh]

Gordon Hill said:

Joey Deacon said:

Gordon Hill said:

They're fine as transport if you can put up with that hateful 3 cylinder tractor engine.

I am a member of Zipcar and recently borrowed a 1.2 3 cylinder Vauxhall Corsa to see how it compared to my shed. It was only £9 for the hour and seemed like a good way to drive a new car for an hour with no pressure and compare it to my shed.

It was utter, utter rubbish I absolutely hated the 3 cylinder engine. It was rough, noisy and absolutely gutless. The absolutely amazing thing was this car has a list price is £20K!

I got back in my shed and it was like driving a brand new car compared to that hateful piece of crap.

I am not a fan of 3 cylinder engines, it just seems so wrong.

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

My daughter's Picanto 3 cyl isn't too bad. A tad gutless perhaps, but we've done a few journeys between Kent and Hampshire 3up in it in reasonable comfort.

[Alickadoo]

Gordon Hill said:

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

Get a grip.

[Jazoli]

Alickadoo said:

Gordon Hill said:

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

Get a grip.

Usual standard of PH post right there, just because someone's opinion may differ.

He's right too, the 1.1 4 cylinder is a lot more refined than the 1.0 3cyl in the 107/ago.

[QBee]

Jazoli said:

Alickadoo said:

Gordon Hill said:

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

Get a grip.

Usual standard of PH post right there, just because someone's opinion may differ.

He's right too, the 1.1 4 cylinder is a lot more refined than the 1.0 3cyl in the 107/ago.

On the other hand, I thought that managing to type a three word comment with the tongue firmly lodged in the cheek was multi-tasking of the highest order.....

[greenarrow]

Shame the normal cordial and friendly nature of this little thread has been upset by a bust up over a little 1 litre 3 cylinder engine

I think they're just a bit marmite. Personally I like the thrum of a 3 Cylinder, but my wife for example hated the noise made by the 1 litre ecoboost Focus we had on loan a few years back. Not a problem, different strokes for different folks and all that!

Where's Bearman68 btw? I expected him to be here fighting the corner of the C1/107/Aygo, he loves them!

[keo]

bearman68 said:

EGR all day long. Blank it off and remap it. (Would be the suggestions of someone far less moral than me)!!!

I should have said it was smoking badly just ticking over. I think it does smoke when moving but not much.

However I thrashed my car this morning on the way to work (40 odd miles) well as best as I could with the traffic on the m6. Got work and it wasn’t smoking (or if it was it was hard to tell not like last night when it looked like a loco)

Maybe it’s my fault as I drive around like miss daisy I think 2200rpm is 70mph and that’s all it see’s the majority of the time. Going to thrash this tank of diesel, then fill up with a “premium” fuel and thrash it again. See if that makes any difference.

[Downward]

MOT time.

Hmm

Repair immediately (major defects):

Offside Rear Bumper damaged and likely to cause injury when grazed or contacted

[cwis]

Oh dear!

My Mum's Ford Ka (2002) that she gave me last year when she stopped driving. 20000 miles, glossy paintwork and spotless interior, still smells new!

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))
Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced All along outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Macpherson strut top bush or bearing has excessive wear or free play Top mount (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
Nearside Rear Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))
Offside Rear Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Offside Front Top suspension mount has slight wear/movement
Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both discs (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

I think that'll be the death of it... Unless I break out the welder!

[BenS94]

cwis said:

Oh dear!

My Mum's Ford Ka (2002) that she gave me last year when she stopped driving. 20000 miles, glossy paintwork and spotless interior, still smells new!

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))
Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced All along outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Macpherson strut top bush or bearing has excessive wear or free play Top mount (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
Nearside Rear Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))
Offside Rear Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Offside Front Top suspension mount has slight wear/movement
Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both discs (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

I think that'll be the death of it... Unless I break out the welder!

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

[cwis]

BenS94 said:

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

Had a quote for 1500 quid for just the welding.

Apparently when they are this bad the rear suspension has to be dropped because there's a box section above it that also rusts out that the handbrake cable goes through so you cut the sill off and have nothing to weld the rear of the replacement to....

I think the quote was a polite way of saying "too much trouble, scrap it".

Tempted to leave it until the summer and have a go myself. I'm just debating whether I actually NEED a car in the meantime. I've done about 1500 miles in the past year in it - my 1957 Enfield did more miles!

[BenS94]

cwis said:

BenS94 said:

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

Had a quote for 1500 quid for just the welding.

Apparently when they are this bad the rear suspension has to be dropped because there's a box section above it that also rusts out that the handbrake cable goes through so you cut the sill off and have nothing to weld the rear of the replacement to....

I think the quote was a polite way of saying "too much trouble, scrap it".

Tempted to leave it until the summer and have a go myself. I'm just debating whether I actually NEED a car in the meantime. I've done about 1500 miles in the past year in it - my 1957 Enfield did more miles!

Crikey... personally I'd just put it on eBay then as auction, stating the MOT fail but also saying about mileage... might to alright

[A500leroy]

cwis said:

BenS94 said:

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

Had a quote for 1500 quid for just the welding.

Apparently when they are this bad the rear suspension has to be dropped because there's a box section above it that also rusts out that the handbrake cable goes through so you cut the sill off and have nothing to weld the rear of the replacement to....

I think the quote was a polite way of saying "too much trouble, scrap it".

Tempted to leave it until the summer and have a go myself. I'm just debating whether I actually NEED a car in the meantime. I've done about 1500 miles in the past year in it - my 1957 Enfield did more miles!

Please doit, they are getting rare now, and old fords eventually ££££

[greenarrow]

A500leroy said:

cwis said:

BenS94 said:

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

Had a quote for 1500 quid for just the welding.

Apparently when they are this bad the rear suspension has to be dropped because there's a box section above it that also rusts out that the handbrake cable goes through so you cut the sill off and have nothing to weld the rear of the replacement to....

I think the quote was a polite way of saying "too much trouble, scrap it".

Tempted to leave it until the summer and have a go myself. I'm just debating whether I actually NEED a car in the meantime. I've done about 1500 miles in the past year in it - my 1957 Enfield did more miles!

Please doit, they are getting rare now, and old fords eventually ££££

Yes, its so sad the little Ford Ka Mk1 and the Ford Puma Mk1 in particular were so incredibly badly rust proofed. Two absolutely brilliantly designed and driving small cars of the 90s but they just rot for fun. We had to move on my daughter's Mk1 because the bill for the rust repairs was too large in relation to its second hand value.

Talking of Ford Kas, I know of a 2007 late model Mk1 locally that belongs to the brother of my best mate. He bought it for his son to learn to drive in. He never has done and the car has just sat on the drive. It has done around 30,000 miles and has never been welded. I have expressed my interest in this car as I would like to take it on and, assuming its as rust free as it seems, get it protected against the tin worm and maybe store it away for future posterity. There are so few low mileage ones left in good condition............

[Gordon Hill]

Jazoli said:

Alickadoo said:

Gordon Hill said:

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

Get a grip.

Usual standard of PH post right there, just because someone's opinion may differ.

He's right too, the 1.1 4 cylinder is a lot more refined than the 1.0 3cyl in the 107/ago.

They have past form, every post is to sneer or belittle, it really has no place on here the most cordial thread on PH, best to ignore and carry on shedding.

[Pieman68]

Grrr. Paid £250 for new middle and rear sections on the exhaust on the Ibiza. Typical when I will be looking to sell soon.

It was still blowing so took it back twice to be told there was nothing wrong

Just been back again. They obviously only looked at what they replaced because the flexi on the front pipe appears to have been ripped apart by objects unknown. Frustrating as it was only replaced last year.

Don't really want to replace it again but the front pipe is all one section. Off to see an exhaust builder who says he might be able to cut out and weld a new one in to save some money.

Also hit a massive invisible pot hole on an unlit road and have a nasty feeling a front spring might have snapped - it's certainly making a fair racket from the front corner when it hits a bump.

So frustrating when I need to MOT it and sell the bloody thing in the next 4-6 weeks!

[bearman68]

greenarrow said:

Shame the normal cordial and friendly nature of this little thread has been upset by a bust up over a little 1 litre 3 cylinder engine

I think they're just a bit marmite. Personally I like the thrum of a 3 Cylinder, but my wife for example hated the noise made by the 1 litre ecoboost Focus we had on loan a few years back. Not a problem, different strokes for different folks and all that!

Where's Bearman68 btw? I expected him to be here fighting the corner of the C1/107/Aygo, he loves them!

Ta Dah....
Not really going to fight the corner of that engine. As has been said, they are cheap, economical, easy to work on, and reliable. But the 4 cylinder in the previous generation Yaris is much better. Burn less oil for a start, as well as being smoother and more refined. But the 3 cylinder has £20 a year tax, which is not to be sniffed at, and the cars themselves are a bit of a hoot to drive. I drove one as my only car for 6 months. It was as rough as an old nail, had 160k on the clock, and most of the panels were bent in one form or another. But it was superb, and I actually liked driving it. Skinny tyres and all.

[Challo]

greenarrow said:

A500leroy said:

cwis said:

BenS94 said:

Surely about £300 + welding would see it through to next year?

Had a quote for 1500 quid for just the welding.

Apparently when they are this bad the rear suspension has to be dropped because there's a box section above it that also rusts out that the handbrake cable goes through so you cut the sill off and have nothing to weld the rear of the replacement to....

I think the quote was a polite way of saying "too much trouble, scrap it".

Tempted to leave it until the summer and have a go myself. I'm just debating whether I actually NEED a car in the meantime. I've done about 1500 miles in the past year in it - my 1957 Enfield did more miles!

Please doit, they are getting rare now, and old fords eventually ££££

Yes, its so sad the little Ford Ka Mk1 and the Ford Puma Mk1 in particular were so incredibly badly rust proofed. Two absolutely brilliantly designed and driving small cars of the 90s but they just rot for fun. We had to move on my daughter's Mk1 because the bill for the rust repairs was too large in relation to its second hand value.

Talking of Ford Kas, I know of a 2007 late model Mk1 locally that belongs to the brother of my best mate. He bought it for his son to learn to drive in. He never has done and the car has just sat on the drive. It has done around 30,000 miles and has never been welded. I have expressed my interest in this car as I would like to take it on and, assuming its as rust free as it seems, get it protected against the tin worm and maybe store it away for future posterity. There are so few low mileage ones left in good condition............

Those KA rot from the inside out so difficult to see how bad it is. My OH looked fine, but the MOT showed it was a rust bucket on the inside and had to be scrapped. Shame as they are a great car just disintegrate

[Challo]

itcaptainslow said:

They still make really strong money, especially for a good one.

I can’t speak highly enough of them; they’re tough, easy to fix, fun and considering I put 20k a year on mine, I find it comfortable and a decent place to do the miles. Fuel economy is great and mine is in the £0 tax bracket as it’s a late Mk1.

It’s not the fastest thing in the world but revs willingly. The Euro 5 map I think stripped some of the fuelling out below 3k rpm, my partner’s (now sold to a friend) E4 107 had noticeably more low down torque.

My sister in law had an Aygo from new and once the service package ran out she never serviced it for 40k miles. Took dogs abuse, but was fun when I borrowed it. I think she used to commute in it round the M25 and it coped fine. Finally died with 140k miles on the clock

[ferrisbueller]

Gordon Hill said:

Joey Deacon said:

Gordon Hill said:

They're fine as transport if you can put up with that hateful 3 cylinder tractor engine.

I am a member of Zipcar and recently borrowed a 1.2 3 cylinder Vauxhall Corsa to see how it compared to my shed. It was only £9 for the hour and seemed like a good way to drive a new car for an hour with no pressure and compare it to my shed.

It was utter, utter rubbish I absolutely hated the 3 cylinder engine. It was rough, noisy and absolutely gutless. The absolutely amazing thing was this car has a list price is £20K!

I got back in my shed and it was like driving a brand new car compared to that hateful piece of crap.

I am not a fan of 3 cylinder engines, it just seems so wrong.

By comparison my 20 year old Peugeot 206 1.1 4 cylinder was silky smooth, I almost wept with joy at the sheer serenity of progress.

I've done quite a few miles in Aygos and have a 3-pot Toyota, too. With all due respect, you're talking out of your exhaust.