The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
Jimmy Recard said:
I’ve only ever bought number plates for trailers. I think I’d only replace one if it was bad enough it would fail an MOT 
I keep my cars well maintained and safe but don’t mind aesthetic things. I keep them clean inside but not outside
Plates are my only pet peeve, and I figure if I'm gonna replace them anyway I might as well get them while I'm there I keep my cars well maintained and safe but don’t mind aesthetic things. I keep them clean inside but not outside
aaron_2000 said:
Plates are my only pet peeve, and I figure if I'm gonna replace them anyway I might as well get them while I'm there
I definitely agree that they're one of those things (like polishing headlights) that make a disproportionate difference to the looks of the car!My ML looks so grim that it doesn't matter though
the lights and plates are the last thing you notice 
Having a look around and underneath it the other day, I think my MOT list is a trackrod end, a sidelight bulb and two tyres. Since it's a 4x4, I'll replace all four as it seems silly to risk breaking something in the drivetrain for the sake of that. That's something for shedders with full time 4x4s to bear in mind - part worns probably are not your friend.
Yokohama Geolandar GO15 is what I've chosen. I'm not really using the car at the moment much, but I will get it sorted shortly
magpie215 said:
This is my plate replacement criteria too. 
Last time I borrowed the one off the trailer as luckily it was the rear plate that was going illegibleOf course, I forgot to replace it until I needed the trailer
Local Digraph did a new one on the spot for £6 IIRC, but it was a while ago so may be more now
So I got the Ibiza done...
Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
Been thinking about going for the full off-road look on my shed. Already got a lift/tyres but not sure if big flaps, snorkel and a light bar would finish the look. Been battering it round off-road and basically worn through the arch liners, think I’m going to use my spare set to build in more clearance further within the arch.
lyricalgangster said:
So I got the Ibiza done...
Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
I think that is the best way if you like the car. I did similar with my car a few months ago. Not a shed I still keep it tidy but it’s done 143k now (some would say not a lot) it still drives well and I want to keep it. It’s worth more to me than the little money I would get if I sold it.Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
keo said:
lyricalgangster said:
So I got the Ibiza done...
Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
I think that is the best way if you like the car. I did similar with my car a few months ago. Not a shed I still keep it tidy but it’s done 143k now (some would say not a lot) it still drives well and I want to keep it. It’s worth more to me than the little money I would get if I sold it.Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
Just spent £900 on servicing, tires, brakes and various suspension components that needed replacing. Work / kids means I busy so a good chunk of that is labour.
To me it’s worth it. I’d rather that car in good condition for another year than getting £600 for it as an MOT failure and then going out shopping to play shed roulette with £1,500.
I spent £80 on my Octavia last night - nothing too exciting but some BOSCH wipers instead of the cheapo £7 I got from eBay when I bought the car back in October and are rubbish, plus they are rusting.
Bought some proper Octavia mats (oops) but sick of the cheapo ones I bought for it and replacement boot struts as they are rubbish now. I am even debating on sorting the turbo out properly now - but then it moves out of shed car then!
Bought some proper Octavia mats (oops) but sick of the cheapo ones I bought for it and replacement boot struts as they are rubbish now. I am even debating on sorting the turbo out properly now - but then it moves out of shed car then!
I'm wondering if the Covid-19 crisis will see an increased demand for good condition Shed priced cars, as people are forced to ditch leased cars or simply down-grade. A 62K mile Mk1 Focus with full history popped up on my facebay feed yesterday. Looked really good value for the £875 asking price and I started messaging the seller, but as I was working and it was 40 miles away I couldn't go and see it right away. By 4PM the car had sold. I cant help thinking a car like that wouldn't have sold quite as quickly pre lockdown.
So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
greenarrow said:
I'm wondering if the Covid-19 crisis will see an increased demand for good condition Shed priced cars, as people are forced to ditch leased cars or simply down-grade. A 62K mile Mk1 Focus with full history popped up on my facebay feed yesterday. Looked really good value for the £875 asking price and I started messaging the seller, but as I was working and it was 40 miles away I couldn't go and see it right away. By 4PM the car had sold. I cant help thinking a car like that wouldn't have sold quite as quickly pre lockdown.
So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
Yeah, this is true and people won't take things for granted anymore. I still feel smug driving around knowing that mine cost less than iPhone, less than a service on a BMW/Merc or less than a months payment on a typical lease car.So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
The spinner of plates said:
keo said:
lyricalgangster said:
So I got the Ibiza done...
Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
I think that is the best way if you like the car. I did similar with my car a few months ago. Not a shed I still keep it tidy but it’s done 143k now (some would say not a lot) it still drives well and I want to keep it. It’s worth more to me than the little money I would get if I sold it.Cambelt and ancillaries, rear brake shoes, service, four tyres, tracking.
All in £800.
For a true shed, I'd not have had it done. As a reasonably smart car, that I've owned four years and intend to for three more, it's money wel spent.
Hopefully, that's it for a good while!
Doubled it's value!
Just spent £900 on servicing, tires, brakes and various suspension components that needed replacing. Work / kids means I busy so a good chunk of that is labour.
To me it’s worth it. I’d rather that car in good condition for another year than getting £600 for it as an MOT failure and then going out shopping to play shed roulette with £1,500.
LukeyP_ said:
greenarrow said:
I'm wondering if the Covid-19 crisis will see an increased demand for good condition Shed priced cars, as people are forced to ditch leased cars or simply down-grade. A 62K mile Mk1 Focus with full history popped up on my facebay feed yesterday. Looked really good value for the £875 asking price and I started messaging the seller, but as I was working and it was 40 miles away I couldn't go and see it right away. By 4PM the car had sold. I cant help thinking a car like that wouldn't have sold quite as quickly pre lockdown.
So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
Yeah, this is true and people won't take things for granted anymore. I still feel smug driving around knowing that mine cost less than iPhone, less than a service on a BMW/Merc or less than a months payment on a typical lease car.So us shedders may simply have been ahead of the game as we move into a likely deep recession...........
LukeyP_ said:
Yeah, this is true and people won't take things for granted anymore. I still feel smug driving around knowing that mine cost less than iPhone, less than a service on a BMW/Merc or less than a months payment on a typical lease car.
We've just handed back our Octavia VRS lease car as it was just a big outgoing for not much benefit. The Shedaccord cost the equivalent of two months payments (£500) and has cost me nothing apart from fuel so far (and £30 for an intercooler but that was my fault for driving into a wall).As I've said before, the clutch is likely to be the next big expenditure which would possibly break the bank but on current form I think I'd get it done. Better the devil you know as others have said.
My mind is turning to sparing my nice motors and obtaining a utility shed for lugging stuff (building supplies/engines and gearboxes etc) around the place - do I need my head examined to be even considering a sub £5k crew cab of questionable body quality but decent service history? If so, which models?
This shed would need to troll up and down motorways between the UK and Italy once or twice a year in an ideal world and possibly lug a car trailer...so reliability is more important than gizmos.
This shed would need to troll up and down motorways between the UK and Italy once or twice a year in an ideal world and possibly lug a car trailer...so reliability is more important than gizmos.
LukeyP_ said:
I spent £80 on my Octavia last night - nothing too exciting but some BOSCH wipers instead of the cheapo £7 I got from eBay when I bought the car back in October and are rubbish, plus they are rusting.
Bought some proper Octavia mats (oops) but sick of the cheapo ones I bought for it and replacement boot struts as they are rubbish now. I am even debating on sorting the turbo out properly now - but then it moves out of shed car then!
I don't think there is anything wrong in spending a little bit of money on a shed to make it a nicer place to be. I always buy Bosch wipers and a set of genuine mats whenever I get a new shed. I also bought a set of genuine filters last time, Diesel, oil, air and cabin filters cost me £40 from eBay.Bought some proper Octavia mats (oops) but sick of the cheapo ones I bought for it and replacement boot struts as they are rubbish now. I am even debating on sorting the turbo out properly now - but then it moves out of shed car then!
Latest purchase was a set of bosch glow plugs for £22, I didn't even know any were defective until I started playing with my £6 bluetooth ODB2 adapter. When I tested them three of the four had gone, that explains the slight roughness and puff of smoke when starting on a cold day!
If it is a decent car that you know well it is worth spending a little bit of money here and there even if it is just for peace of mind.
Decent sheds are going to get more desirable and thin on the ground in the next few months, best to look after the one you have.
Shed vectra passed mot with no advisories a couple of weeks ago. The previous 2 always needed something so maybe I'm on top of things now, only repair in the last year was a secondhand coil pack of eBay for £20 (genuine Delphi)
As it has cost so little I'm tempted to fix the air con, or at least investigate it myself, but it goes against shed rules whilst the windows work.
As it has cost so little I'm tempted to fix the air con, or at least investigate it myself, but it goes against shed rules whilst the windows work.
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