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

I've thankfully forgotten some of the details, but we went on holiday in Florida and had purchased insurance separately. They told us it wasn't valid because we lived in NYC and couldn't take the car unless we bought their insurance, then they served the rest of the people. They also told us you couldn't pay the tolls without their overpriced gizmo.

This was late. We got to our hotel by transfer so late that our booking had expired. Thankfully the guy at the front desk found us another room. I then had to stay up on the phone and cancel the car booking for a refund and book with another hire company - who were effortless when we collected the next day. I think I got to bed around 4 or 5am and we left after work.

It was at quite a stressful time in our lives, in February coming out of a rough New York winter and was meant to be a short break somewhere sunny to relax. My hate is still very real.

Clueless car novice, we have a 5 year old (jan 2018) vw golf automatic, for 2 years. We take it to vw garage for services and mot.

Its going in on Monday and theyve just told us they suggest getting the cambelt changed, yes or no? £600 seems like alot for only 26,000 miles

Does it have it in the service schedule in the manual?

Suggests 5 years or 40k miles

Then I guess it's a 5 year cambelt change, cheaper than my Impreza lol

Sounds like you have the answer then. Try and do more miles in the next 5 years to get better value 😅

I would pass on buying any car that had missed a scheduled cam belt change- if they snap it’s (in an interference engine) sub-optimal for many parts that are not optional.

If the cambelt goes bang the bills will be vaseline necessary. Didn't realise that VWs had Alfa level belt changes.

5 years is a pretty normal interval for timing belts. Always has been.

When I bought my old 850 I changed the timing belt just because there was a chance the PO lied about having done it and the consequences of it snapping were too high to risk.

Our old Citroen C5 snapped it's cambelt (interference engine) and I had it recovered to the garage.

They looked at the engine and gave ms an estimate of how much to fix it and how much they had spent in labour taking it apart so far.

After a bit of haggling I just took any personal possessions out of the car and walked away.

The garage eventually fixed it (free labour sort of) and it was used to make money as a taxi.

You will get it cheaper than that if you shop around. Outside of London you will pay in the region of £350 to £500. Unless there is something daft on it that requires a lot of labour. Some cars have a cover you can remove to check condition of the belt, you will see if its perishing but if it does go on an interface engine it will be expensive. You can always have a look to see if it buys you a bit more time to save up for the change? I would say you could get another couple of years but it's always a risk.

It's not my first rodeo. I was more just insinuating that who changes the clutch and belt on a car that is at the end of it's life. I gave it a good check over, it needs discs and pads on the front though.

Also I'm not sure Hyundai coupe and high speeds have ever been used together. Especially not on the 1.6.

There is a manual 2.4 850 in the group now. That thing should get going ok.

Cheers.

We have a Hyundai Coupe, Jetta converible and an 850. There was a £100 Focus 1.8 but the rust was too bad on it.

I'm sorted but I think there are still two more to get.

Original parts would be around £300 so that's £300 of labour, seems high to me.

Haha, from our banger lot the Volvos have been indestructible, there’s even a Hyundai Coupe in there too (yet to be raced, time will tell).

I might have to put a bid in for the Volvo when we come back. Can't believe they got a manual most of all.

850 is FWD right? Getting hold of a RWD manual anything for under £500 is our game (for maximum skiddz). Although considering the electrical gremlins we’ve all experienced with old beamers, I’m tempted to just buy a proper cheap ole hatchback next.

Got to be a MK2 Mx5.

850 is FWD yeah.

thanks all, just went all in, would rather the clean service history

Mate picked up a soft top NB mx5 - not raced it yet but fuck me it feels very small, low and exposed compared to the executive wagons that’ll be trying to knock it to pieces.

What racing are you doing?

Racing Shitboxes in a field with pals. “Racing” might be generous like.

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Looks like a lot of fun! Robbie Williams doing bits in the background too!

Ha, random CD salvaged from the broken cd changer in the back of my 5 series.

Filmed from a rear facing seat in the back of a pals c3