How rude of me !

[scrapheap]

Just realised that I haven't said hello to everyone ( hello ! ) and introduced me and the scrapheap.

I've got a bit of a french car background, interrupted by an austin metro ( first car ) a rover 420sdi, and an A-Class CDI.

Current scrapheap ( it is ! ), is a 406 d8 1997(p) 2.1DT LX which I got off ebay, and was a little peeved at the sellers description, but I bit and bought unseen for approx £500 last year.

It had 160 ( now 190 ) k on the clock, recent belt and pump, but the speedo/tacho don't work, and I've bust the temp gague - long story.

The major issue is the bodywork - you'd need a while to spot the only straight panels which are the front wings, bonnet and roof. All the doors are "seasoned" as is the rear quarter ( wheel arch/door bit ), which I later found out is why the car was given a cat C ( needing VIC check - which the seller only told me when I asked him why I hadn't had the V5 yet despite him sending it off ).

The PAS ram leaks fluid, which i'm getting a replacement for and doing myself shortly - book time is low so that doesn't indicate a subframe out job, and one of the wishbone mounts is knocking on accel/decel on the right hand side.

So, a few mechanical bits, a few electrical bits ( aircon fuse recently started blowing, and the speedo issue which appears to be dry joint on the PCB, the temp gague caused by shearing off a screw in the cluster ), then the body comes next...

My daily commute is about 70 miles down the M1 from 30 to 26, then some town work. I get approx 600 miles out of a tank, and would describe my driving style as "depends what mood, how late, and how much cash for fuel".

[Welly]

Hello scappy

I would ask whether at £500.00 is it really worth doing the things you have planned or just use it as a decent work horse.

I would get a new cluster in there and fix the wishbone and that should do for now?

[scrapheap]

Thing is, I've had cars in the past that have been "let go", and regretted letting them go, I let go of a fabulous 405 GTX estate, trouble is, it was a petrol, and an auto, but it had aircon and cruise and was practically mint. Bought it for a song, flogged it for more just because I didn't like the fuel bill on my commute - daft thing is, I could have caught the train and kept a nice car !

This car is great driving wise, it's the body that lets it down.

I already have the leathers ( about £80 with exec cards ), hell, the back bench is already in, I just need to source the two side-looms to plug the seats in ( hopefully - all the fuses are there ).

The ram is a priority, I'm loosing a full bottle of fluid every couple of days

Everything else is either "as and when" or "sh*t, the mot is due !"

[jameslxdt]

I've got a bit of a french car background, interrupted by an austin metro ( first car ) a rover 420sdi, and an A-Class CDI.

its a good job you got rid of that bloody awful merc, apparently you have to remove then engine to replace the starter motor, altenator or a/c compressor when i had one at work for mot i saw why

[scrapheap]

I actually quite liked the merc, it was a really refined and flexible engine, bags of low down torque ( 133lb @ 1600 ) - well, good for the size of the car.

Regularly got late 50's - 60's out of it - despite thrashing it.

Did 90k in three years, ate a gearbox and had a rear radius arm bolt fail on the A1 ( on the way to Newcastle to watch an ice-hockey match - carried on and back to Sheffield with a wobbly back wheel ! ).

Would I have another one ? Absolutely, I know exactly what to look for in terms of mechanical noise etc..

And yes, most jobs were a subframe out job, because the engine is angled to go under the footwells in a crash, which means you get plenty of space inside - the ride is crap though

[jameslxdt]

the ride is crap though

they also have a bad habit of rolling over when you go round corners