Print

[cecil]

New job, new arms and new sounds. Well done all round

[steddie eddie]

Good on ya mr Singh.

[CrazyG]

I second all the above comments 

[mr singh]

whilst driving down the M1 to work i noticed that the steering felt funny, put it up on the ramp and play in the L/F bearing

i know i could have bought just the bearing and pressed it out BUT i can't really work on my own car at work, even in my own time, company politics... so a new hub and ABS sensor later, good as new

on the way from work whilst joining the motorway a lad in an astra (couldn't have been a VXR as it would have flown past) came flying up the slip road behind me... so i showed him what the SB3 could do. put it this way, judging by his reactions and the fact that he was behind me till the next junction he was impressed .

[CrazyG]

Showing your rear to that Astra mr.singh  .....very cool   

[mr singh]

treated the SB3 to a quick wash on thursday, i still cant believe its 14 years old when its clean
it needs a good clean, polish and wax, but i need time and good weather to do it.

took it to Manchester yesterday and averaged just short of 50 MPG there and 53.3 MPG on the way back, not bad considering that the hand book stated the 1.5 could do 54.3 MPG extra urban. i imagine i could have go a bit more if i didnt have the A/C on.

any how next to sort out, the corrosion blisters on the rear arches and boot lid.

[CrazyG]

......next to sort out, the corrosion blisters on the rear arches and boot lid.

   the rear arches are GRP (plastic)....and that doesn't rust...
As for the bootlid..correction 'tailgate'...where abouts exactly ?

[Brabs]

Probably stone chips on the the tridion behind the rear doors? 

[mr singh]

  the rear arches are GRP (plastic)....and that doesn't rust...

what brabs said, there are blisters on the trid behind the rear doors where it 'flares out'. the plastic arches are also peppered with chips

As for the bootlid..correction 'tailgate'...where abouts exactly ?

tailgate, boot lid... tomato, toMAto. as to the location 1 blister is roughly to the center right of the boot release switch, and the other is in an obscure location, its is halfway between the boot release switch and the end of the boot lid on the right side and its creeping under the glass

[mr singh]

so i had my forfour MOT'd last week Tuesday at merc of wakefield, and it failed .

it failed on the L/R brake flexi leaking. i fitted braided flexies and after getting some answers from Mercedes, it turns out that its been leaking within the outer sleeve and as a result its had swelled. after contacting HEL performance, i have to say that it should have been last week Wednesday i should have received the new flexies but its taken a full 10 days to receive them. apparently the pair they sent had been sent back to them due to some damage and they were making me a new pair, in the mean time i was still driving with a duff brake flexie which was getting me on edge every time i went to press the brakes. they turned up on Thursday and i fitted them this afternoon and will be re-MOTd on Wednesday.

it gets even better as the civic also failed its MOT on something that isnt as easy as brake flexies, it wants a full rear axle as the rear axle bushes have play in them , bushes arnt available separate and its a dealer only part at £770 plus fitting.

[Problemchild]

I feel your pain

The BMW went for mot Thursday

Garage had neglected to tell us their mot tester quit 2 weeks ago

Had to go Essex so booked a slot Friday near my dads place (last slot of the day at 5pm)

Failed on rear tyre damage

Spent the day ringing round but none available (275 30 R19) so had to order for Tuesday and all had to take an extra day off work! They are £200 per tyre!!

Thinking about it, 2 years ago on this BH weekend the alternator seized in the Friday evening driving to Essex too and the car had to go into the garage for the whole BH weekend

Oh dear

HEL normally do next day delivery and make them up to order - can’t believe they failed though - they are racing quality

JJ

[mr singh]

i take it your looking for run flats for your BMW, JJ? id personally fit normal tyres to it and throw a can of tyre weld in the boot.

the first set they sent out didnt even get to me! royal mail sent them back due to the packing label being damaged or something... told my uncle and he said the same thing as what i was going to say, i bet they didnt have any in stock and were blaging there way though.

[mr singh]

so as 'G' and JJ know, i 'bought' a pair of FK rear dampers, they have now been refunded as i changed my mine, and because of what JJ said, buy cheap, buy twice.

so iv got a full set of dampers, and poly rear top mount bushes for less than £300.

iv also got new engine and gearbox mounts which will be ready to fit once i receive the poly gearbox mount insert.

[Problemchild]

Probably the best choice tbh

I think they were a tad overpriced anyway as those type of shocks are regularly on the fk site for £9

JJ

[BlackCDI]

Anyone had noises coming from under the instrument panel?
Vaguely noticable when going over the bumps, sounds like when cable is hitting plastic cover or something.
Just wanted to ask if someone had this before I start dismantling the panel myself.

Its no big issue, I know, but drives me crazy