The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
STIfree said:
MorganP104 said:
Alright chaps. Thought I'd stick my nose in this thread, as the proud owner of a 19 year old Jaaaaaaaaag X-Type 2.5 V6 AWD Auto.
It's the perfect all-seasons car, being that it's worth no more than one monthly payment on a new BMW 3-Series, and is shod with Michelin CrossClimate tyres all round.
Been running it for 3 years now, and all it's needed is the aforementioned tyres, a new battery, brakes, and a new radiator (not the car's fault - the old rad was holed and repaired badly by a previous owner).
According to the MoT advisory list on its last two tests, one of the rear driveshaft gaiters is knackered... The question is, do I get it fixed, or let it appear a third time?
It's the perfect all-seasons car, being that it's worth no more than one monthly payment on a new BMW 3-Series, and is shod with Michelin CrossClimate tyres all round.
Been running it for 3 years now, and all it's needed is the aforementioned tyres, a new battery, brakes, and a new radiator (not the car's fault - the old rad was holed and repaired badly by a previous owner).
According to the MoT advisory list on its last two tests, one of the rear driveshaft gaiters is knackered... The question is, do I get it fixed, or let it appear a third time?
I think shed mentality would dictate that you put it in for a test and if it passes then you leave it alone.Well, that's probably what I'd do!
I like X-types, they get a bit of stick for not being a 'proper jag' but for what they sell for these days they're a hint of luxury for peanuts.
I had a 2.2 diesel about 3 years ago, paid £675 for it I think. It drove well, lot of torque steer from what I remember. Only had it 2 weeks as I ended up selling it for double the price!
Liking the colour of yours. The more traditional colours (green, maroon, etc.) tend to suit the retro lines of the X-Type, in my opinion.
gazza285 said:
After seven glorious years together my shed has gone to the scrapyard this morning. After not moving since November I fired it up on Saturday, blew the tyres up and moved it off the drive so my neighbour could pollard his tree. The near side front was making a right racket, the top mount has seized up over the winter.
Insurance due tomorrow, just could not justify that and the repair cost, so off to the scrapyard it went. I only managed two hundred yards before there was a bang, and a smell of burning rubber, the NSF spring had jumped out, as it was being wound up on the top mount, and was now digging into the tyre...
Quite a nerve racking five miles to the scrappy, while waiting for the tyre to let go, but it made it there without me having to put the space saver on, which would more than likely have cleared the spring, but I just couldn’t be arsed on its trip to the final destination.
Wrong time to be weighing a motor in, but came out with £100, so better than nowt.
A Volvo V70 D5 that has served me well.
How bad was it? Most of that stuff sounds pretty straightforward to sort for a shed enthusiast with a drivewayInsurance due tomorrow, just could not justify that and the repair cost, so off to the scrapyard it went. I only managed two hundred yards before there was a bang, and a smell of burning rubber, the NSF spring had jumped out, as it was being wound up on the top mount, and was now digging into the tyre...
Quite a nerve racking five miles to the scrappy, while waiting for the tyre to let go, but it made it there without me having to put the space saver on, which would more than likely have cleared the spring, but I just couldn’t be arsed on its trip to the final destination.
Wrong time to be weighing a motor in, but came out with £100, so better than nowt.
A Volvo V70 D5 that has served me well.
MrGTI6 said:
I've had my current car three years next month and it's never been washed in that time. Occasionally I've drive it really fast through a big puddle which seems to do the trick.
That’s how my Mercedes ML shed gets a wash. I do clean it inside though as I don’t want to sit in filth Jimmy Recard said:
gazza285 said:
After seven glorious years together my shed has gone to the scrapyard this morning. After not moving since November I fired it up on Saturday, blew the tyres up and moved it off the drive so my neighbour could pollard his tree. The near side front was making a right racket, the top mount has seized up over the winter.
Insurance due tomorrow, just could not justify that and the repair cost, so off to the scrapyard it went. I only managed two hundred yards before there was a bang, and a smell of burning rubber, the NSF spring had jumped out, as it was being wound up on the top mount, and was now digging into the tyre...
Quite a nerve racking five miles to the scrappy, while waiting for the tyre to let go, but it made it there without me having to put the space saver on, which would more than likely have cleared the spring, but I just couldn’t be arsed on its trip to the final destination.
Wrong time to be weighing a motor in, but came out with £100, so better than nowt.
A Volvo V70 D5 that has served me well.
How bad was it? Most of that stuff sounds pretty straightforward to sort for a shed enthusiast with a drivewayInsurance due tomorrow, just could not justify that and the repair cost, so off to the scrapyard it went. I only managed two hundred yards before there was a bang, and a smell of burning rubber, the NSF spring had jumped out, as it was being wound up on the top mount, and was now digging into the tyre...
Quite a nerve racking five miles to the scrappy, while waiting for the tyre to let go, but it made it there without me having to put the space saver on, which would more than likely have cleared the spring, but I just couldn’t be arsed on its trip to the final destination.
Wrong time to be weighing a motor in, but came out with £100, so better than nowt.
A Volvo V70 D5 that has served me well.
STIfree said:
Washed the shed about 2-3 weeks ago (rare event), it's travelled a grand total of about 10 meters since and it looks like this. What kind of rain have we been having? Or should I just blame it on those 5G corona emitting masts?
It’s saharan dust brought up in all the warm winds we’ve been having. magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
Yep. Used mine for the first time since 20/3 I think, was that the last day of schools?Anyway, started on the button and wafted half hour up the motorway for an interview, then half hour home. Roads were so quiet. Wish it was always like that.
Starjet99 said:
magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
I was just thinking this earlier. Had I still been leasing, I think I would've slightly resented the £300 or so for each month that the car wasn't used.ajprice said:
Starjet99 said:
magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
I was just thinking this earlier. Had I still been leasing, I think I would've slightly resented the £300 or so for each month that the car wasn't used.ajprice said:
Starjet99 said:
magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
I was just thinking this earlier. Had I still been leasing, I think I would've slightly resented the £300 or so for each month that the car wasn't used.Like magpie says, I'm glad we have petrol sheds.
Starjet99 said:
magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
I was just thinking this earlier. Had I still been leasing, I think I would've slightly resented the £300 or so for each month that the car wasn't used.Another conundrum now. The VED renewal has dropped through the post for the start of May. Do I SORN the car or carry on with a further 12 months? Maybe I'll leave it for a few weeks and see how the land lies.
BTW, 12 months on my pre 2001 Focus 1.6 is a heavy £265 (before any increase in the last budget I might have missed), all because the engine capacity is 48CC over the 1549 limit! Crazy! That's more than 50% of the value of the car.......the post 2001 facelift model is I understand a slightly more reasonable £200.....
M4cruiser said:
ajprice said:
Starjet99 said:
magpie215 said:
In all this calamity going on its a nice feeling knowing that the vehicles sat stationary on the drive cannot depreciate any further and are not costing me anything per month.
I was just thinking this earlier. Had I still been leasing, I think I would've slightly resented the £300 or so for each month that the car wasn't used.Like magpie says, I'm glad we have petrol sheds.
I have been toying with the idea of trying to pickup a bargain 2/3 year old car in the next few months in the hope prices fall by 1/3rd but really what is the point?
Change of topic, just wondering what sheddist's views are on the Mk2 Ford Focus. Aside from the ST/RS variants it seems a bit unloved in comparison with the MK1, possibly because the styling was so underwhelming after the new edge original. However, the original Mk2 Focus 1.6 Zetec is still one of only two bread and butter hatchbacks in the last 25 years that I recall getting a full 5 star road test verdict from Autocar (the other being the Mk1 Focus 1.8 Zetec!) and it seems to me they're a bit better built. For example, rust doesn't appear to be an issue like it is with so many Mk1s. Also, has slightly better spec but remains (if you avoid the 1.6 TDCI) a pretty reliable car by all accounts....
I've seem some very keenly priced Mk2s recently and must admit I am wondering about making the change as my own Mk1 is 20 years old in May and will need some TLC in the next year I think.......
Experiences of Mk2 Focus owners (preferably petrol ones) appreciated........
greenarrow said:
Change of topic, just wondering what sheddist's views are on the Mk2 Ford Focus. Aside from the ST/RS variants it seems a bit unloved in comparison with the MK1, possibly because the styling was so underwhelming after the new edge original. However, the original Mk2 Focus 1.6 Zetec is still one of only two bread and butter hatchbacks in the last 25 years that I recall getting a full 5 star road test verdict from Autocar (the other being the Mk1 Focus 1.8 Zetec!) and it seems to me they're a bit better built. For example, rust doesn't appear to be an issue like it is with so many Mk1s. Also, has slightly better spec but remains (if you avoid the 1.6 TDCI) a pretty reliable car by all accounts....
I've seem some very keenly priced Mk2s recently and must admit I am wondering about making the change as my own Mk1 is 20 years old in May and will need some TLC in the next year I think.......
Experiences of Mk2 Focus owners (preferably petrol ones) appreciated........
Loads of us running mk2 1.6s, here's my £525 Ghia (with all the bells and whistles) that I've done 8K miles in the last year inI've seem some very keenly priced Mk2s recently and must admit I am wondering about making the change as my own Mk1 is 20 years old in May and will need some TLC in the next year I think.......
Experiences of Mk2 Focus owners (preferably petrol ones) appreciated........
Readers Cars thread here, and funny enough it's had more replies than my Evora and Clio V6 RCs threads! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
SORN'd Audi Shed. Left bonnet open in case central locking goes and I cant easily get to the battery. Left boot open to help clear the dog / horse smell. Actually, battery maybe in the boot, who knows. Worry about that in a few months. Left handbrake off too, just in gear.
Anyway, £17.50 a month saved in RFL plus a bit of insurance. Using Wife's car, only £1.75 a month in RFL, not sure why I DD it really, guess its the principle of not paying £20 up front!!!! She's not back at work until September (Teacher). Just renewed her insurance, so dropped the mileage right down, saved another few quid.
Cheap Amazon battery charger will be purchased nearer the time.
Anyway, £17.50 a month saved in RFL plus a bit of insurance. Using Wife's car, only £1.75 a month in RFL, not sure why I DD it really, guess its the principle of not paying £20 up front!!!! She's not back at work until September (Teacher). Just renewed her insurance, so dropped the mileage right down, saved another few quid.
Cheap Amazon battery charger will be purchased nearer the time.
The rot box
Mechanically solid, looked utterly ball bag, very little lacquer, on any panel, big dent in the drivers door. All my ex girlfriends hated it and therefore l loved it with all my heart. My friends also loved it, but weren't so keen on getting in it. Great in those two into one take it in turn traffic situations, because they know you don't care, also liked surprising diezel mid range rep-mobiles, that seem to destroy so many warm hatches in a straight line.
It was given to me as a friend emigrated to NZ as an MI-16, on proper motronic management too. Ended up as a rebuilt Mi-16, with GSXR bodies and cams with a fancy long primary manfold.
Everything on it has broken at one point or another so it also taught me how to fix things. Sadly the sills filled with water, and it decided to go and be a grass track racer somewhere out west.
p4cks said:
greenarrow said:
Change of topic, just wondering what sheddist's views are on the Mk2 Ford Focus. Aside from the ST/RS variants it seems a bit unloved in comparison with the MK1, possibly because the styling was so underwhelming after the new edge original. However, the original Mk2 Focus 1.6 Zetec is still one of only two bread and butter hatchbacks in the last 25 years that I recall getting a full 5 star road test verdict from Autocar (the other being the Mk1 Focus 1.8 Zetec!) and it seems to me they're a bit better built. For example, rust doesn't appear to be an issue like it is with so many Mk1s. Also, has slightly better spec but remains (if you avoid the 1.6 TDCI) a pretty reliable car by all accounts....
I've seem some very keenly priced Mk2s recently and must admit I am wondering about making the change as my own Mk1 is 20 years old in May and will need some TLC in the next year I think.......
Experiences of Mk2 Focus owners (preferably petrol ones) appreciated........
Loads of us running mk2 1.6s, here's my £525 Ghia (with all the bells and whistles) that I've done 8K miles in the last year inI've seem some very keenly priced Mk2s recently and must admit I am wondering about making the change as my own Mk1 is 20 years old in May and will need some TLC in the next year I think.......
Experiences of Mk2 Focus owners (preferably petrol ones) appreciated........
Readers Cars thread here, and funny enough it's had more replies than my Evora and Clio V6 RCs threads! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I've been doing a Readers Car thread too and like you have been amazed at the interest and generally positive comment. Seems the bread and butter Ford Focus is one of those cars that people generally don't have much bad to say about...
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