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

Anyone got any pro tips for loosening stuck wheel nuts without dropping £100 on an impact driver? I’ve been using a brompton seatpost as an extender bar but can only loosen a couple of them.

Heat and plus gas

4ft scaff pole as extender generally does the job.

Don't want to snap shit though!

Yes that man. I have a piece of scaffolding in my garage for that exact reason ... leverage

I’ve done more plant/truck nuts than cars over the last couple of years. No mercy.
For a true pro you’ve gotta see the massive lad that changes the tyres on the grab trucks for O’Donovans Recycling out front on Markfield Rd. I used to work opposite, mans got beast powers.

Cheers - paint stripping heat gun did the trick. Sadly what I found once the wheel was off has rendered it a garage job anyway, can't get the caliper mount off or reset the piston.

First bits of regular maintenance needing to be done since I've had this car, and I guess it wasn't as well cared for as I thought.

I may have a bought a Thing. Well a Bug, not a Thing.

1 Attachment

Yes. Gimme some specs. I'm a shameless beetle lover, old and new.

2.0 TSi 6-sp manual. 2013, <31k on the clock. Bar some potential surface paint issues (looks like some areas of dried shampoo/product) it's very clean. No signs of body repair (no overspray, all factory decals in place under the boot and bonnet) and the lines are clean. I really don't know why they are not more popular here. My last car before moving here ~20 years ago was a Wolfsburg 1.8T Jetta that I adored. This has the same platform and it feels very familiar behind the wheel.

Bit of a long term evolution project in mind inspired by classic staggered drag beetles. Nothing lairy, but not stock either. Leaving engine and drive train stock but likely to have a fiddle with the programming - mentally debating ECU chip vs Tuning box. Leaning towards the latter.

Awesome. 2.0 tfsi is a good engine, and has potential. Bit of a schlep, but Regal do excellent tuning options for VAG cars and they've been around for a very long time.

Please just ditch those wheels ASAP!

Makes sense to be honest the child friendly aspect I'm most impressed with is the fact that the usual mix of crisps sweet and snot seem to be completely unable to stain the upholstery.

There is also an optional extra that was specced when it was bought I'm very impressed with. The centre armrest can turn into an emergency booster seat. You fold down the armrest then lift a flap that would normally be a lid for extra storage, instead "wings" clip out of the side of the armrest to widen the seat and the lid turns into a backrest. I wouldn't put my kids in it for a long journey but it means that we can give the lad's friends a lift safely without having to cart around another full sized car seat.

Volvo won an award for that design (from, I believe, a Japanese organisation) when it debuted on the 850.

you’ve gotta see the massive lad that changes the tyres on the grab trucks for O’Donovans Recycling

I once was a guest at Michael O'Donovan's box at White Hart Lane. We met Teddy Sheringham in the players bar after the match. /csb

Your stories of tree surgeon antics make me quite nostalgic. I worked on and off for my father's tree lopping outfit for many years. Eventually I fell out with him for the last time and found something else to do.

Love it! I got a chubby on when I saw that Turbo S that Hoovie found a few weeks back... Those are total Hot Wheels™ rims!!

O’D has quite the collection of vintage grab lorries in company livery tucked away in one of the units in Tottenham. Met him a few times, funny but ruthless. Some squatters once got into one of his buildings and trashed some of his diggers while I was working opposite. He sent the lads round and welded/boarded up all the doors and left them for a day or two until they were howling to get out.
Good times.

I am still looking at rim options but have a few other priorities. (Tuning and sway bar/links upgrades.)

I'd love this but with Torq rims. Sadly AR don't do them in the right PCD. Hmmm...hub swap.....

carwow.com - what's the catch?

No catch.

They get a dealer kickback... but the dealer wouldn't have found you.

You genuinely get the discount offered.

righto then! mad that a boxfresh car with a slightly lower spec costs roughly the same as one with 7,500 clicks on the clock.

You'll get an even better deal if you choose to finance through the dealer too!

I've decided if I ever try and build another car, it's going to be a Lotus Europa with the back end out of a Formula Mazda. (13b and Hewland Mk 9.)

..thus proving that I should never try and build another car....It'd be a rad idea for someone that knows what they're doing though.

Cash is king baby.

Really isn't - my Dad bought a Polo not long ago and the only way to get the four figure dealer contribution was to sign up to some sort of finance plan.

Which he then paid off in full in month 1.

did he not get stung with early repayment fees?