The Joy of Running an Old Shed

[bearman68]

Just bought a Citroen C1 and just got that through it's MOT (not so much of a big deal). These look like excellent sheds if you can live with the terrible ride, and the minute amount of power. And the really horrible 3 cylinder engine. But they are so cheap to run, reliable, and parts are very cheap too. All in all quite a decent runabout, though a long trip would be out of the question.
Here's my little repair blog. https://www.facebook.com/bluechipautotronics/photo...

[CDP]

bearman68 said:

Just bought a Citroen C1 and just got that through it's MOT (not so much of a big deal). These look like excellent sheds if you can live with the terrible ride, and the minute amount of power. And the really horrible 3 cylinder engine. But they are so cheap to run, reliable, and parts are very cheap too. All in all quite a decent runabout, though a long trip would be out of the question.
Here's my little repair blog. https://www.facebook.com/bluechipautotronics/photo...

Are those engines horrible? The 1.2 12v triple in my Dad's Fabia makes quite a good noise when it revs, certainly more interesting than a lot of fours. A friend had the 1.4TDI Polo and that was quite a nice engine too.

[bearman68]

CDP said:

Are those engines horrible? The 1.2 12v triple in my Dad's Fabia makes quite a good noise when it revs, certainly more interesting than a lot of fours. A friend had the 1.4TDI Polo and that was quite a nice engine too.

While not trying to be rude, in what context can a 3 cylinder diesel ever be considered 'nice'? Especially that hateful POS in a Polo. A terrible engine in a terrible car with the only redeeming feature a low road tax (RFL for all the pedants out there). I'm very sorry, but I really thing that particular engine must rank as one of the most vile engines every made.
Regretfully, I feel I must ask you to hand in your PH card due to poor judgement and bad taste in cars and engines in particular.

[CDP]

bearman68 said:

CDP said:

Are those engines horrible? The 1.2 12v triple in my Dad's Fabia makes quite a good noise when it revs, certainly more interesting than a lot of fours. A friend had the 1.4TDI Polo and that was quite a nice engine too.

While not trying to be rude, in what context can a 3 cylinder diesel ever be considered 'nice'? Especially that hateful POS in a Polo. A terrible engine in a terrible car with the only redeeming feature a low road tax (RFL for all the pedants out there). I'm very sorry, but I really thing that particular engine must rank as one of the most vile engines every made.
Regretfully, I feel I must ask you to hand in your PH card due to poor judgement and bad taste in cars and engines in particular.

The harmonics due to the 120 degree firing has an interesting thrum. The TDI engine has very little lag. For a 2001 diesel engine it wasn't bad at all. Obviously the petrol revs better and sounds much more interesting at the red line.

Of course I prefer a Jaguar V12 or the 3.2 in line six of a Z3M roadster (favourite engine of any I've driven, shame the rest of the car was disappointing).

But some engines are interesting by virtue of their unusual configuration - like the air cooled twin in my 126.

[anonymous-user]

CDP said:

bearman68 said:

CDP said:

Are those engines horrible? The 1.2 12v triple in my Dad's Fabia makes quite a good noise when it revs, certainly more interesting than a lot of fours. A friend had the 1.4TDI Polo and that was quite a nice engine too.

While not trying to be rude, in what context can a 3 cylinder diesel ever be considered 'nice'? Especially that hateful POS in a Polo. A terrible engine in a terrible car with the only redeeming feature a low road tax (RFL for all the pedants out there). I'm very sorry, but I really thing that particular engine must rank as one of the most vile engines every made.
Regretfully, I feel I must ask you to hand in your PH card due to poor judgement and bad taste in cars and engines in particular.

The harmonics due to the 120 degree firing has an interesting thrum. The TDI engine has very little lag. For a 2001 diesel engine it wasn't bad at all. Obviously the petrol revs better and sounds much more interesting at the red line.

Of course I prefer a Jaguar V12 or the 3.2 in line six of a Z3M roadster (favourite engine of any I've driven, shame the rest of the car was disappointing).

But some engines are interesting by virtue of their unusual configuration - like the air cooled twin in my 126.

Try running a 1.1 TU engine with 60 French horses under the bonnet most of which have bolted in it's 18 years of service, any sign of the slightest of gradients better make sure you have a good run up.

[James_N]

dunc01965 said:

Try running a 1.1 TU engine with 60 French horses under the bonnet most of which have bolted in it's 18 years of service, any sign of the slightest of gradients better make sure you have a good run up.

I really am quite surprised with mine. pulls from 25mph in 5th if i want it too. cruises nicely at 60-65 (i rarely take it any quicker as that's over 3k RPM and starts sounding painful) but round town and on my 100 mile round trip to visit my dad (when I'm allowed!) I'm actually impressed.

Just had it serviced with cambelt, water pump, tensioner, spark plugs, air filter, oil filter and oil, and parts came in around £60 for the lot! dirt cheap to run!

[anonymous-user]

James_N said:

dunc01965 said:

Try running a 1.1 TU engine with 60 French horses under the bonnet most of which have bolted in it's 18 years of service, any sign of the slightest of gradients better make sure you have a good run up.

I really am quite surprised with mine. pulls from 25mph in 5th if i want it too. cruises nicely at 60-65 (i rarely take it any quicker as that's over 3k RPM and starts sounding painful) but round town and on my 100 mile round trip to visit my dad (when I'm allowed!) I'm actually impressed.

Just had it serviced with cambelt, water pump, tensioner, spark plugs, air filter, oil filter and oil, and parts came in around £60 for the lot! dirt cheap to run!

Yes it does sound strained over 3000 rpm, I usually stick at around 65 mph on motorway runs. I gave mine a full service last year and its only done 5,000 miles in 12 months so it's just oil and filter this time plus a thermostat as mines stuck open. It manages to hold it's own on the flat but hates hills. Parts are ridiculously cheap and readily available, you can keep one running by spending buttons.

Mine is the poverty spec, even has manual windows but absolutely nothing to go wrong and should it die tomorrow I've had 2 years out of it and it only cost £475. With only 58,000 miles on it I'm hoping I can keep it going for quite a while yet.

[aaron_2000]

Speaking of slow French sheds, mine has been very enjoyable and is now insured for around a grand cheaper than it was a month ago

[M4cruiser]

bearman68 said:

CDP said:

Are those engines horrible? The 1.2 12v triple in my Dad's Fabia makes quite a good noise when it revs, certainly more interesting than a lot of fours. A friend had the 1.4TDI Polo and that was quite a nice engine too.

While not trying to be rude, in what context can a 3 cylinder diesel ever be considered 'nice'? Especially that hateful POS in a Polo. A terrible engine in a terrible car with the only redeeming feature a low road tax (RFL for all the pedants out there). I'm very sorry, but I really thing that particular engine must rank as one of the most vile engines every made.
Regretfully, I feel I must ask you to hand in your PH card due to poor judgement and bad taste in cars and engines in particular.

3-cylinder engines vary a lot. Early C1s are awful, same with early 1.2 Polos. But they improved them after a few years.

[mercedeslimos]

Toaster Pilot said:

This. No idea how he has such a following

Rather annoyed at the demise of your other thread Toastie.

[OllieJolly]

Captain Answer said:

I backed a MK1 Mondeo into a post that I'd bought for £80 at auction.. A good section of the nearside corner was then gaffer tape for a good few months until it was scrapped

I thought Mk1 Mondeos came with taped bumpers from the factory!
Never knew you could buy one without and then retrofit it later.

[Poisson96]

Fixed the boot light on the 25 shed after accidentally knocking it out and finding the copper connector wasn't connecting. At some stage when my back is a bit better I'm going to treat the 3 tiny patches of rust to stop it spreading and I'm hoping I have a long term shed here. 23K miles so should have some life left on it yet. Metro shed has turned up on Synetiq for breaking now, looks waaay straighter on their pics than IRL.

[cmvtec]

Free Golf shed is now my only car, shiney Geralded Jag is as rotten as a pear and has a seized turbo, so that's going. Gutted about that, as I've had it for about 5 years and it's been a very good one.

The only thing I'm not enjoying is a manual with my gimpy knee. Thankfully the gearbox is very, erm, forgiving.

[Captain Answer]

OllieJolly said:

I thought Mk1 Mondeos came with taped bumpers from the factory!
Never knew you could buy one without and then retrofit it later.

It was a common bodge ... Mk1 & Mk2 both had little plastic clips on the outer shell that held it in place all the way around, any slight knock from yourself or some kind scrote in a car park and they'd snap then the shell would crack over time

I assume the Nissan Qashqai has a similar problem in some years for the boot handle, seen numerous bodges with tape applied (sometimes several layers)

[p4cks]

Even if you stare at them hard enough, Mondeo bumpers will crack.

[v15ben]

MicraShed was traded in last night on a new car.
In true shed fashion, we agreed a part-ex price and abandoned it without a second glance.
It was a good tool for 26K miles over the past 18 months though.
Farewell old shed.

[Monkeylegend]

Scenic shed was taken away yesterday, all we have left are the number plates

[cirian75]

Swift needed a new throttle speed sensor

New sensor body £197 + £3 gasket + VAT

Or a complete throttle body unit from a breakers with a 90 day warrantee for £50 delivered

Or be a cheap bugger and have a mate rev it up and down while you spray a whole can of carb cleaner through the throttle body £3.50 = sorted

Edited by cirian75 on Wednesday 24th February 12:39

[cirian75]

Nice!

[Captain Answer]

JDB96 said:

I am pleased to report that I will be returning to the land of the shed. The ride and seats on my Giulietta were starting to actually cause me back pain (I’m 24 ffs). I could have forgiven it were it one of the quick ones but it was the 1.6 diesel.

Yesterday an Eastern European man came, gave me some money and a whole Volvo and drove off in the Alfa. I am now the proud owner of my second Volvo bought privately from an Eastern European, an S40 in this case. Poverty spec with the Ford 1.8 Duratec and a frankly outstanding service history. It is also in exquisite mechanical condition. Not a single knock or rattle when driving, I’m absolutely over the moon with it. fking love Volvos!

Tell your neighbor over the road and back his extension/dorma is fugly looking (1 o clock in picture)