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

Batteries with weak cells typically show normal voltages straight off the charger.

It’s when you apply a load that they plummet.

What I am firstly trying to see is if the charger (automatic) can get the battery 14.4/13.8 volts. Then leave the battery off charge to see what the battery settles to, hopefully around 12.8v.

Then you can start diagnosing what the problem could be. Even a battery load tester, both mechanical and electrical needs the battery to be charged.

Was this from Girona? Where did you find the car listed?

Most Wallapop options look sketchy or main dealer listings here in Barcelona.

Now considering a Peugeot Rifter, instead. Ideally used but near impossible to find in the spec we want.

Had this before, was in lane 2, truck in lane 1 was going 'empty' from depot back to a demo site to collect rubble. Went over a pothole and the truck shuck about a dozen house bricks off the top of its cab/top of hydraulic ram all over the road, avoided most but one came flying up and severely dented bonnet and wing then rolled off down side of car.
Both stopped, guy was apologetic 'must have been bricks on top of cab again' gave me all the company details and his driver number, took some photos and we both went on our way.
Went into the depot same day as its right near house, they were very good, at first....

Few days later heard back from someone more senior, turned angry, 'truck was empty mate, can't have been from us, take your collection of bricks that perfectly match our demo building materials that the truck was previously transporting away from our office, its nothing to do with us'

Had to go to insurance, got an assessment and then without dash footage of them 'coming from truck', they said best would be 50:50

Car still has massive dents and now rust.

Lesson learnt. Don't drive anything nice anywhere. Also becoming a NIMBY type with cameras on every bit of your house/car does have its benefits.

Literally tonnes of stuff within the VAG parts bin (your gonna want a TPS account) will bolt right on given the right number of hours trawling parts fiche and forum knowledge banks.

Shame the TSI has been pulled from van duties, wonder what they use in USA/AUS as both of those countries seem to favour petrol in that type of vehicle?

Only two experiences of it were in my old A3 1.4 TSI (140/150ps?), did everything you want except go fast, very quiet and drove almost like a diesel until 5k, then kept going, but even from brand new liked to drink oil at a rate I've never had on any car (even those that are visibly leaking it). Family had an EOS with a 1.4 tsi (slightly different version, think it was only 120ps) and was fine until 60k, then... timing chain tensioner, injector, injector again, and then at 70-80k, top end engine noise/wear. Despite only VAG service using the exact right oil every time and at considerably better than the crazy 'longlife' recommended service intervals (28k on one of our cars was 'correct'!!!???).

Also heard they like to eat bottom end bearings on occasion, so maybe its that, the guts of it aren't upto the task of hauling around 2.5t+ of van.

Wallapop. Took a punt. It'll need some fix but it was xheap.

Lesson learnt. Don't drive anything nice anywhere. Also becoming a NIMBY type with cameras on every bit of your house/car does have its benefits.

Get where you are coming from with the NIMBY, but when people act like selfish arses, what can you do?

Don't alot of VAG cars have an issue with the expansion tank containing silica in a packet, that pops and blocks the heater matrix and dealers aren't covering the damage?

Oh interesting, hadn't heard about this.

Never wanted to have to 'have' cameras, but in last few years number of daft incidents and property damage just keeps increasing and seems now insurance/police/relevant authorities aren't interested unless its 4k footage of the people involved.

Favourite are those with massive dash cams with the review screen permanently on in their face and the white forward facing LED's on as well? How can they see at night.

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Look up silicate bags in the reservoir tank. Seen it mentioned in Skoda forums with Skoda/vag dealer bought cars.

Camera wise I'd like a couple of camera a separate recorder. Do you need to view in the car anyway?

i've got a flat and need to drive 4 miles to have it changed today at 1300 - should I fill the tyre with expanding tyre foam before, or just drive it?

Low profile tyres, 45 sidewall, not much protection.

I think I know the answer, I'm going to use the foam - just hope it doesn't make things difficult for the tyre fitter.

Does it deflate quickly? If you had the opportunity to fill the tyre and make it to the tyre shop you might get away with it. You risk destroying the tyre and possibly rim though. Wonder if the tyre foam renders the tyre unable to be plugged after use?

Or call the tyre shop and ask

Or take the wheel off and get a taxi to the tyre place

Or take the wheel off and get a taxi to the tyre place

this

Ideally with an axle stand or equivalent rather than leaving the car on the jack.

Or mobile tyre service.

Good shout. I had a similar problem years ago. I just drove on the flat tyre with my hazards on.

Used the foam that I always keep in the boot (no spare wheel on a Clio 182)

At the fitting centre now, thanks folks.

What did the fitting place say about the foam? Surely must make a bloody mess for them?

They did mention it ruins the tyre so to think carefully about using it on a repairable tyre...

But otherwise no problems, I think they're used to it.

I quite enjoyed delivering my brother's new toy / midlife crisis to him yesterday

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nice colour but a bit over-wheeled imo. I think they look ace with smaller wheels and chunky tyres with a decent amount of sidewall.

Rare on the NC ones though. NAs and NBs = plenty of small wheel chunky rubber slammed examples. NC for some reason everyone goes big wheels. Does look a bit silly

Here's a quite good one