Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

You have the British version right?

Ooooooof

Shats.

for boxster / mx5 ownerz...

/gr8 cars doe

Defender update:

New hazard switch still not arrived so couldn't do the indicators but today I managed to remove the old middle front seat frame and fit another fully padded seat and retrieve the belt so I can carry a middle passenger.

Replaced the corroded rivets on the bench seats.

Fixed the cigarette lighter

Learned that the battery wasn't where I expected it to be so I actually don't know where it is and that the exhaust doesn't appear to have a catalytic converter which I'm fine with because it means I won't be deleting one when I fab up a nicer exhaust system so it should still pass MOT.

Battery should be under front passenger seat?

That'd explain it, for some reason I thought it was the middle seat, removed the hatch and to my surprise it was just an aperture!

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that fucking seat box you need to remove the seat to access.

And you're 31p richer.

I bought an expensive Boxster.
Which so far has cost me less than £500 in non-service items over 2 years.

Oof, body blow.

"...but today I am in a hurry."

There are a few really cheap 911 at the mo, but all cat D insurance write offs.

Faulty servo, £608.40

Snap!

I spent £690 on my 4 seat, 1998 German convertible last week.

It's done about 65k miles too.

Similar stuff really.

Only I got the whole car for £690, not just a servo.

And it's just as fast as @Dammit 's motah in London's famous traffic too.

Toot toot!

I'm feeling late 90s cars at the mo, the 80s stuff has caught on too much and people now want £5k for every shit 205.

90s stuff will appreciate next, I'm confidently predicting a 10% rise for mine in the next year to £759. Try getting that in the bank.

If it's a contest to spend the least then BQ has of course won - he's so far ahead that it's not even a contest, really, as I've spent more in maintaining my car than his would cost to purchase.

Looking at the price graph for 911's I can confidently predict that I'll be at break even point on mine in 2046 when they'll finally become extremely fashionable.

But he has to drive a Boxster. The emotional and reputational price far outweighs any financial benefit.

Makes me wonder how many "sports" cars are getting driven around with dodgy mechanicals and sub par performance? I know people who can drive a car with a near flat tyre and think, hmm feels a bit weird but I'll keep going... For months until it shredded. Or the auto that would stall the car that was left for years. Most people just don't care. Oh but their cars cost nothing to run!

That is the only bad thing about it, really.

Makes me wonder how many "sports" cars are getting driven around with dodgy mechanicals and sub par performance? I know people who can drive a car with a near flat tyre and think, hmm feels a bit weird but I'll keep going... For months until it shredded. Or the auto that would stall the car that was left for years. Most people just don't care. Oh but their cars cost nothing to run!

I am chasing down everything that is wrong with the car and fixing it - I'm bound to earn howls of derision for this but the total work that Precision are doing is changing the brake servo, fixing the heated rear window and a paintless dent removal.

Thats going to be £1,200.

Half of that is the Servo - the rest I could leave, potentially for the entire period for which I own the vehicle.

It'd annoy the fuck out of me though, so when I pick the car up everything is going to be in A1 condition, and I'm going to keep it that way.

Til something else needs fixing next week...

it ain't your or anyone else's money, crack on neil!

Got my air filter out and it was stupid dirty.

I've also been listening to the engine run with the bonnet off and think I might have a boost leak around the intake manifold so I might install a boost gauge to see what pressure I'm hitting.

What engine is it? When I had a 200TDi, I changed all the filters including fuel, and literally got 10mph more out of it immediately.

300tdi.

Will be changing oil and fuel filters next at the same time I change moat of the fluids...

Engine oil, Gerbox oil, front and rear diff oil, transfer case oil, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, washer fluid and anything else I've forgotten. Oh and a couple of gaskets and O rings and valve clearances.

Engine performs well enough for me though, I've not even had it into 5th gear yet (apart from when I couldn't find 3rd) I'm sure I'll end up modding it once I've got it all serviced and running perfectly. Larger intercooler, turning up the boost and an exhaust system. Reportedly good for an extra 40 HP.

Oh god I really want another one ...