VW is the future

She's all shiny, well only for the first couple if days as already I've done close to 600 miles and it's looking more brown than black. 

Hope to be able to give a useful blog on the day to day running of this on, starting at 42000 miles on day of collection. 

Should double that mileage within a year and so far it's brilliant to drive. 

I've only gone and sold it

Well what is there to say, the MOT was out by a couple of weeks and time was short so i only when and sold the Cabriolet. 
Is this the end of the mid life crisis, probably not but in the short term there are only 2 cars in the current fleet. 
The boy has already picked out the next toy, and its only a Nissan GTR. 
Seen here at the Bournemouth Wheels Festival that we attended. 

More of what i was thinking was a Mustang. 

Weather is getting there

Bit brief, but we made the most of the weather that was nice for ten minutes, managed to have a little roof down fun and made the most of a few nice weekend days.

Apart from the rain coming back, it was a fun while it lasted.

Having some issues and am thinking that maybe the E46 would have been a less troublesome vehicle, so the search is on. And the Euro Car Parts orders are still coming thick and fast.

New Beast

Rubbish picture, but its a rare shot of the new motor.
Only 42000 mile when i collected it, and after doing a few miles recently i am hooked on the VW idea, head and shoulders better than the Mondeo in everyway apart from the lack of a bluetooth hands free kit.


Ok found another one, so better shot.

Ok, and found another, but that really is it.

Good News

And its good news, although nothing to do with a Dacia Sandero. 
I have almost got rid of the Mondeo Est, it was always due for swap out in March and with the recent resignation of our Manager at work, i have negotiated the VW Passat that the boss used to drive, and rather than a very boring Vauxhall Insignia Est, i can slip into a very nice Black Passat. Ever since my older style 59 plate I have been a fan and the MPG and also the range that you get are both out if this world. Unfortunately the Mondeo never set the world on fire and at one stage was only doing 42mpg, although this could have been mainly down to the rubbish weather and the very stop start M25. 

Now always been a VW fan, in fact i am going to a meet on Sunday so the new motor couldn't have come at a better time.

Will update more when the delivery is here, which should be Friday, so not long now. Also will promise pictures, as it's better than reading all this boring words stuff. 

March is VW month, well you have to have something to celebrate. Maybe Hallmark will make some cards for it !! 

Repair done with some surprises

Well firstly, the car spent a few days away, mainly caused as I was working away and dropped it off Wednesday night late, for being worked on Thursday or Friday. 

So Thursday morning and I get a call early doors, mechanic says good news or bad news ! Now in a slightly worried state, said both together and quickly please. Turns out the rear wheel bearings wasn't the issue and it was a front that also included the hub with abs ring etc, so the pair of rears went back to Euro Car Parts for credit. 

Late Friday I arrive home to find car had been landed on the drive with no bill or explanation, so after a quick chat it turned out that this has cured the horrible noise and there was a problem with the rear brakes rubbing and a lack of pads, so this was also done. 

Quick Friday test drive and it sounds lovely, and almost quiet which is a bonus, although I also went out Saturday which was a bit further and still impressed by how much one bearing can knacker the whole car. 

Not perfect but will work on a few other issues, the water level is now constant, so the E36 is a pain in the backside to bleed for future reference and after reading some others on forums, I have found that some say jack the front up to help it. 

Have added some antifreeze and hopefully this is the worst problems sorted. 

Need the rear window replaced now, so looking for a place to either supply or fit as well. 

Internet bound. 

Chicken

For reasons that i can only hope to explain, i have been a chicken and taken the Cabriolet to the garage, for the nice mechanic to put the rear wheel bearings in. 
Now feeling that i need to defend myself a little, i asked the question, How long is the job in a mechanics book and was told 3.3hrs so guessed that a home mechanic with average tools isn't going to get this to work at home. 
So local independant garage used and as i type this, its parked outside awaiting a very expensive mechanic to take the wheels off and have a butchers. 

Was good to get behind the wheel last night, but am a little concerned that the expansion tank was low of water, now after doing the thermostat i am keeping a close eye on this, surely it can't still be air in the system ? 

Forum time needed i guess. 

Stage 1 Parts Fitting, Thermostat & Battery

Now i've been called impatient but i can't leave a box or two boxes of parts in the kitchen for too long, mainly cause i get told their in the way, but also because i like to get on with these jobs, and as we haven't had any Snow yet its possible that i might get the roof down before too long. 

So first job, and the easier one was the battery, now made a little more difficult because previous owner had a bass tube and some heavy duty cables being powered direct off the battery so there were wires to remove. 

Still mission sorted, now the car starts with a new improved lease of life and i can remove the jump start pack from the boot and put it away for another time. 

Thankfully i had the boot open, as powering the new battery onboard made the boot lock and i've only got one key. The getting of a new one will be a day i feel flush, as i am sure it will be a very expensive visit to BMW main dealer. 

Now mission two, and the one i really wanted to have work was the thermostat, now it had been running cold so quick forum chat and the most people said thermostat. Order the new ally housing and also gasket as i wanted there to be no reason for this not to work. 

After the radiator surround and the fan blades removed, i managed the easy task of removing the old unit, which was the original black plastic and after cleaning off the surface, i fitted the new unit. 

Everything back together and at this stage i realised that i hadn't taken a picture, mainly cause i was a black handed mess and i like my iphone more than that. 

All fired up and top'd up with water, then it ran a little hot, enough to panic back home and quickly turn off. After the lovely you tube i have discovered that there is a bleed screw and this let a massive amount of air out of the system, allowing a top up and after a second trip out, the gauge stayed middle for the whole journey, which was a fuel stop and 12 mile round trip. 

Fuel was getting into fuel light bingo mode as i couldn't be bothered to put any in last week, but after this 12 miles it stayed in the middle and the heater inside has taken on a new lease of life. Toasty to say the least. 

Proof that i am not a mechanic and my office hands aren't used to proper work, have a feeling this car is going to taste more blood soon. 

Next mission the rear bearings, and i am going for both sides, well after a quote from a local garage first, as i may need a puller etc.

 

Euro Car Parts have arrived

Well first phase has arrived, so bring on the weekend and hopefully enough of a dry spell to at the very least get the battery fitted and the thermostat with new ally housing. 

Have to say how impressed i have been with Euro Car Parts, the packaging and there was also a separate battery box thats so well packaged i think it could have arrived upside down and it would have been fine. 

Spose UPS are due a little credit but i opted for the free delivery, i could have paid for next working day, but wasn't bothered so just said anytime next week will be fine. 

So what happens, the boxes arrived on the next working day, another saving by not being in a hurry. 

Thinking that the wheel bearings had better be another weekend job, don't  want to run before i can walk etc. 

And still the offer of free coffee, tea, cakes are on offer, limited take up of this offer so far. Anything could happen being left alone on this mission. 

RWD Fun

Still a child at heart, and i've made the motor filthy by being a child and using RWD properly, off every roundabout and most junctions. Only real problem apart from murdering the rear tyres is the motor getting filthy. 

Such a child, although it doesn't look as bad in a photo

Cabriolet Purchase's made

I've done it, put a nice little order together for EuroCarParts and played a clever trick by accident. Left all the items in the basket, had to check something on the car first, then got a 25% discount code via email. 

Now while double checking the order, i had several wheel bearings to choose from so yet another check the car and then got a discount code for 30%.

Now i decided that i wasn't that lucky, and put the order in. So i've done a thermostat and housing with the usual gasket, the pair of rear wheel bearings which i'm hoping is the hum, and a new battery as i have already got fed up of turning the key and having to goto the boot to add abit more electricity. Those jump packs are very useful, but after using it a couple of times everyday, the game soon wears thin.
So the parts are ordered and sitting in the kitchen till the weekend, hope for a little bit of a dry spell, but at the very least i want the battery on and maybe the thermostat.
All being well with the assistance of a friend and maybe the odd you tube video, the next few weekends should be fun and also rewarding. 


Managed to take the car out at the weekend with the roof down, which for a January day isn't too bad at all. Firstly it was a nice drive, and the first for my oldest son who has recently had a birthday and couldn't wait too try out some roof down driving. Was impressed how a 1998 car can still give you a smile when driving, the straight six motor is sweet and the autobox does make it a little lazy in its driving, although i haven't used the gearbox in anything other than eco mode, as i'm sure the fuel is going out around the 25mpg mark. Possibly not helped with the engine working harder cause of the thermostat. 

Transformed the rear end after replacing the tyres, so the previous owner really should hang his head in shame. 

The parts for the latest purchases are £142 so with the tyres added i am only just over the £200 which when you consider that the car was only £750 with tax till May2014 it really is proof that you can buy a cheap fun car and it not cost the earth. 

Still praying for sun, but spanner work to do first. All mechanic assistance is welcomed, and free tea, coffee and cakes available.