The Joy of Running an Old Shed
Discussion
Yeti97 said:
Been in the shed buying mood lately. Countless hours of scouring gumtree for the sub £1k dream. Found a "great" advert, MOT history looked clean etc. The weekend comes and I go visit the car. Turn the ignition and the check engine light is on, the seller doesn't seem to care at all. Wipes the code in front of me and says it's an easy fix. Obviously, alarm bells are ringing. If it's an easy fix just bloody fix it you lazy sod. Despite this madness, I considered making an offer but the seller refused to budge from the asking price! 
Even though none of the faults are listed on the ad. Absolutely delusional. Guess it's back to the sofa for me. Will recover from this traumatic event and browse again later in the year.
The fault really did look easy to fix. However, if you're going to "forget" to mention a check-engine light in the ad. Eugh. I hope other people have better luck with shed viewings.
It's most likely not an easy fix and the seller knows it, most likely already tried the easy fix and punting it on Even though none of the faults are listed on the ad. Absolutely delusional. Guess it's back to the sofa for me. Will recover from this traumatic event and browse again later in the year.The fault really did look easy to fix. However, if you're going to "forget" to mention a check-engine light in the ad. Eugh. I hope other people have better luck with shed viewings.
Yeti97 said:
Been in the shed buying mood lately. Countless hours of scouring gumtree for the sub £1k dream. Found a "great" advert, MOT history looked clean etc. The weekend comes and I go visit the car. Turn the ignition and the check engine light is on, the seller doesn't seem to care at all. Wipes the code in front of me and says it's an easy fix. Obviously, alarm bells are ringing. If it's an easy fix just bloody fix it you lazy sod. Despite this madness, I considered making an offer but the seller refused to budge from the asking price! Even though none of the faults are listed on the ad. Absolutely delusional. Guess it's back to the sofa for me. Will recover from this traumatic event and browse again later in the year.
The fault really did look easy to fix. However, if you're going to "forget" to mention a check-engine light in the ad. Eugh. I hope other people have better luck with shed viewings.
Same boat over here. I'm totally fed up searching for anything anymore. I really can't believe some of the prices of cars bought on this thread, maybe people are leaving a nought off the end. Very few genuine bargains to be had, crooked ruthless sellers who really couldn't care less, don't phone you back, lie about condition etc. Ebay cars go way overpriced in the last few seconds of the auction. Taken all the fun out of it. Even though none of the faults are listed on the ad. Absolutely delusional. Guess it's back to the sofa for me. Will recover from this traumatic event and browse again later in the year.The fault really did look easy to fix. However, if you're going to "forget" to mention a check-engine light in the ad. Eugh. I hope other people have better luck with shed viewings.
The £1200 Audi TT has been a pain in the arse recently.
Left me stranded in a pub car park a month ago. Eventually managed to bump start it.
Failed starter motor. £58 for a cheap replacement off eBay. Took best part of three hours to fit the damn thing.
Then a week later it developed a rotten grinding noise from the timing side of the motor, and the battery light came on.
Whipped off the aux belt, which was clearly the 15 year old original and was all cracked and perished.
The alternator has one of those horrible overrun clutch pulleys which I suspect had failed. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't remove the pulley with the alternator on the car.
So off came the alternator. Unbolting it from the block was simple enough, but I cracked the dipstick tube during my cackhanded attempt to get it past the inlet manifold.
Having removed the alternator, I decided to invest in a recon unit rather than mess about with the pulley.
£105 for the alternator, £15 for a new dipstick tube and £15 for a new aux belt.
Hopefully it will behave itself for a while.
Left me stranded in a pub car park a month ago. Eventually managed to bump start it.
Failed starter motor. £58 for a cheap replacement off eBay. Took best part of three hours to fit the damn thing.
Then a week later it developed a rotten grinding noise from the timing side of the motor, and the battery light came on.
Whipped off the aux belt, which was clearly the 15 year old original and was all cracked and perished.
The alternator has one of those horrible overrun clutch pulleys which I suspect had failed. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't remove the pulley with the alternator on the car.
So off came the alternator. Unbolting it from the block was simple enough, but I cracked the dipstick tube during my cackhanded attempt to get it past the inlet manifold.
Having removed the alternator, I decided to invest in a recon unit rather than mess about with the pulley.
£105 for the alternator, £15 for a new dipstick tube and £15 for a new aux belt.
Hopefully it will behave itself for a while.
993kimbo said:
Same boat over here. I'm totally fed up searching for anything anymore. I really can't believe some of the prices of cars bought on this thread, maybe people are leaving a nought off the end. Very few genuine bargains to be had, crooked ruthless sellers who really couldn't care less, don't phone you back, lie about condition etc. Ebay cars go way overpriced in the last few seconds of the auction. Taken all the fun out of it.
Not a great time to be looking all around at the moment, prices been pretty bumped up since first lockdown started.Hung onto my Saab for this very reason, I have the Mercedes ML to replace it but its MOT is in 1 Month so don't wanna punt on the Saab yet then be struggling to find a decent car if the ML has to be broken/scrapped/sold cheap
See what happens come December time, that's usually a good month to find some bargains as not many people buy cars
Pat H said:
Nope, just the cooking 150hp FWD job.
Still, it’s a nice place to be on a sunny day and it’s even got heated chairs.
Still looks nice especially for the price paid. 150bhp is plenty of power for a cruise in the sunshine. Something about the old shape that looks quite nice. Though sadly feel I'm too tall to appreciate the inside. Still, it’s a nice place to be on a sunny day and it’s even got heated chairs.
993kimbo said:
Why is that do you think?
If I were to take a stab at it there would be multiple factors all linking back to CV19:-factories had been closed so backlog on orders (supply/demand issue)
-people not wanting to commit large sums of money so buying older cars instead of newer so firming up demand with limited supply
-those with money but changed commuting habits are finally buying cars that were too impractical/expensive to run whilst doing higher mileage
My 98 Corolla passed its MOT today. One advisory (for a tyre). The lady on reception said “your old Corolla is pretty much the only car that’s passed today”.
Truly a car for the apocalypse. Utterly bombproof. I’d had fancy thoughts (pre Covid) of perhaps swapping it for something else, but no chance now.
Truly a car for the apocalypse. Utterly bombproof. I’d had fancy thoughts (pre Covid) of perhaps swapping it for something else, but no chance now.
Bumblebee7 said:
If I were to take a stab at it there would be multiple factors all linking back to CV19:
-factories had been closed so backlog on orders (supply/demand issue)
-people not wanting to commit large sums of money so buying older cars instead of newer so firming up demand with limited supply
-those with money but changed commuting habits are finally buying cars that were too impractical/expensive to run whilst doing higher mileage
Dealers down the cheaper end have never had it so good, so they tell me.-factories had been closed so backlog on orders (supply/demand issue)
-people not wanting to commit large sums of money so buying older cars instead of newer so firming up demand with limited supply
-those with money but changed commuting habits are finally buying cars that were too impractical/expensive to run whilst doing higher mileage
Yeti97 said:
Pat H said:
Nope, just the cooking 150hp FWD job.
Still, it’s a nice place to be on a sunny day and it’s even got heated chairs.
Still looks nice especially for the price paid. 150bhp is plenty of power for a cruise in the sunshine. Something about the old shape that looks quite nice. Though sadly feel I'm too tall to appreciate the inside. Still, it’s a nice place to be on a sunny day and it’s even got heated chairs.
I'm 6"2 and have more than enough room.
You sit deep inside it and there is an electric glass deflector behind the seats. You can conduct a normal conversation at 70-80mph with the roof down and you stay nice and warm at the same time.
The basic 150hp car won't set your underpants on fire, but it has the same turbo as the 180hp model, so can easily be mapped to 200hp if you feel the need. The FWD car is lighter and less complex than the quattro. It is basically a VW Golf underneath, so parts are cheap and maintenance is generally straightforward.
It's not a sportscar. Steering is a bit flat and the FWD chassis is safe, but not inspiring. But for pottering about in the sun it's ideal. The 1.8T motor is very tractable and it's the sort of car you just trundle round in without a care. It's got a decent boot and the roof is superb.
My wife absolutely loves it. Wind in the hair motoring, yet so cheap that you just don't care about supermarket dings and scuffed wheels.
This one has covered 98,000 miles and has a couple of dings, a mismatched bumper and scuffed rims. I offered to find her a minter, but she revels in the fact that it was only £1200 to buy and £175 to insure.
Rocketsocks said:
My 98 Corolla passed its MOT today. One advisory (for a tyre). The lady on reception said “your old Corolla is pretty much the only car that’s passed today”.
Truly a car for the apocalypse. Utterly bombproof. I’d had fancy thoughts (pre Covid) of perhaps swapping it for something else, but no chance now.
Interesting comment apart the number of passes, bearing in mind there were probably a significant number of covid extension MOT's done there today shows that there must be a huge number of un-roadworthy cars running around thanks to the extension Truly a car for the apocalypse. Utterly bombproof. I’d had fancy thoughts (pre Covid) of perhaps swapping it for something else, but no chance now.
Bumblebee7 said:
If I were to take a stab at it there would be multiple factors all linking back to CV19:
-factories had been closed so backlog on orders (supply/demand issue)
-people not wanting to commit large sums of money so buying older cars instead of newer so firming up demand with limited supply
-those with money but changed commuting habits are finally buying cars that were too impractical/expensive to run whilst doing higher mileage
I work in the trade. Auction prices have been utterly ridiculous since the start of COVID. You could've thrown the book out about 4 months ago as nearly everything (including sub 1k) have been going well into and over book sometimes. I've been seeing commercial vans go for 10k over CAP. Cars going for retail and then some. (export, I think) -factories had been closed so backlog on orders (supply/demand issue)
-people not wanting to commit large sums of money so buying older cars instead of newer so firming up demand with limited supply
-those with money but changed commuting habits are finally buying cars that were too impractical/expensive to run whilst doing higher mileage
This is then obviously passed on to the consumer. We've struggled like hell for stock in the last 12 weeks, I mean, desperate.
loskie said:
£900 2008 2 owner 110000m 1.5 dci 84hp Nissan Note Acenta with towbar. Long MOT
Opinions on this being a shed for local, tip, dog and towbar mounted MTB runs?
Cheaper than fitting a towbar to my lease Q5 perhaps
Decent shed. Not sure why you’d want to drive one instead of your leased Q5 but whatever. Opinions on this being a shed for local, tip, dog and towbar mounted MTB runs?
Cheaper than fitting a towbar to my lease Q5 perhaps
Pat H said:
This one has covered 98,000 miles and has a couple of dings, a mismatched bumper and scuffed rims. I offered to find her a minter, but she revels in the fact that it was only £1200 to buy and £175 to insure.
Thanks for the response! I will keep my eye out for a TT while browsing then I think. Toaster Pilot said:
loskie said:
£900 2008 2 owner 110000m 1.5 dci 84hp Nissan Note Acenta with towbar. Long MOT
Opinions on this being a shed for local, tip, dog and towbar mounted MTB runs?
Cheaper than fitting a towbar to my lease Q5 perhaps
Decent shed. Not sure why you’d want to drive one instead of your leased Q5 but whatever. Opinions on this being a shed for local, tip, dog and towbar mounted MTB runs?
Cheaper than fitting a towbar to my lease Q5 perhaps
Pat H said:
The £1200 Audi TT has been a pain in the arse recently.
Left me stranded in a pub car park a month ago. Eventually managed to bump start it.
Failed starter motor. £58 for a cheap replacement off eBay. Took best part of three hours to fit the damn thing.
Then a week later it developed a rotten grinding noise from the timing side of the motor, and the battery light came on.
Whipped off the aux belt, which was clearly the 15 year old original and was all cracked and perished.
The alternator has one of those horrible overrun clutch pulleys which I suspect had failed. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't remove the pulley with the alternator on the car.
So off came the alternator. Unbolting it from the block was simple enough, but I cracked the dipstick tube during my cackhanded attempt to get it past the inlet manifold.
Having removed the alternator, I decided to invest in a recon unit rather than mess about with the pulley.
£105 for the alternator, £15 for a new dipstick tube and £15 for a new aux belt.
Hopefully it will behave itself for a while.
Love that. Mk1 TTs are cool cars for the money, and great value if you are mechanically savvy and can fix common faults as they arise.Left me stranded in a pub car park a month ago. Eventually managed to bump start it.
Failed starter motor. £58 for a cheap replacement off eBay. Took best part of three hours to fit the damn thing.
Then a week later it developed a rotten grinding noise from the timing side of the motor, and the battery light came on.
Whipped off the aux belt, which was clearly the 15 year old original and was all cracked and perished.
The alternator has one of those horrible overrun clutch pulleys which I suspect had failed. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't remove the pulley with the alternator on the car.
So off came the alternator. Unbolting it from the block was simple enough, but I cracked the dipstick tube during my cackhanded attempt to get it past the inlet manifold.
Having removed the alternator, I decided to invest in a recon unit rather than mess about with the pulley.
£105 for the alternator, £15 for a new dipstick tube and £15 for a new aux belt.
Hopefully it will behave itself for a while.
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