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

It’s split right across the full length of the windscreen. Not inclined to drive it on the motor way and have to wait a few days before Auto Glass can come and sort it. But yeah, was £115. Bloody annoying.

I think availability of repairers is luck of the draw, I've had them come out next day previously. (Although they made a big mess of it, had a leak and a number of clips broken). The positive is that it's covered, many windscreens to buy new are now £500+.

Went up Hartside this morning bright and early. Bit foggy at the top.

Car now doesn't want to stay in tiptronic mode, the ECU and the gear lever seem to not want to be friends, but it still drives fine. I just can't manually change gear.

Also the wipers stop working after a while but if you hit them they start again.

Follow along for more exciting tales of buying the cheapest VXR8 available.

2 Attachments

Things I didn't expect to be doing so early in to ownership

1 Attachment

Passenger looks comfortable;)

Screen will be fine, the screen is laminated so glass, plastic and glass. That is just the first layer of glass.

Y U no buy Manuel?

Manuals were quite a bit more and because I'd gotten quite used to an auto as a daily. The job to change the clutch on the manual was quite a lot of money too and it looked like a lot of cars in my budget range needed a clutch.

Mostly joking. Although the manuals are quite nice to use. The auto is probably a better option 95% of the time, and they are stronger. Finicky sensor errors are par for the course though. At least you're clued up enough to tinker and fix most of it. Adds to the fun.

Yeah I knew what I was getting into buying this car after the Superb, although that actually had a similar intermittent fault.

The selector sensor fails and tells the ECU that it doesn't know what position it's in but it also has a sensor in the trans so the ECU reads a mismatch. It's common across all VAG 6sp DSG selectors and it's a £900 fix if you get it done at VAG but it's a v cheap part I think, seen quite a few people DIY it.

GM and sensor failure goes hand in hand so not surprised I'm having this one, I just couldn't see where it was when we took the console apart, so I need to read some workshop manuals.

Q1 Should I lower my Forester?

Q2 Should I put different wheels on it?

Q3 Or should I just leave it the way it is and stop being a massive ponce?

Q4 Should I get a new muffler for more vroom-vroom-choo-choo noises?

This is fun. 🤣 Lovely day for it today.

1 Attachment

No
No
Yes
Yes

Should have bought a legacy if you wanted low.

Might need new wheels if you go for brembos

No
No
Yes
No

Just enjoy the shit out of it for a while first. Keep any spare pennies for unforeseen mechanicals. Year down the line revisit above Qs

BTW The fronts are four pots, braided lines might help a bit tho' I'm getting more used to them now. Just not crazy about having very soft brakes on the highway or in an emergency.

@jonny @skinny Yes, my feelings too really, just putting the little monster in my head out there. 😋

In which case find some clear road and give it a good stomp - you may well find that they stop pretty well, but just require a bit more pedal force compared to most modern cars as they have less servo assistance (and therefore actually more pedal feel)

Just enjoy the shit out of it for a while first. Keep any spare pennies for unforeseen mechanicals. Year down the line revisit above Qs

This is the correct answer. So many things I wanted to do to my Beetle from Day 1 of ownership, many of those plans have been abandoned.

I've done that, they don't bite like they should even when you slam the anchors. There is a hell of a lot of travel on the pedal.

Bleed?

Can you fit your trainer between the tyre and the wheel-arch? If so, needs to be lower.

I've decided that the France trip will be in the 996, with it's Roof Transport System fitted.

Some important calculations are being made:

1 Attachment

New fluid I suggest; sounds like water and/or air in the system.

Yeah sounds like time for new fluid and maybe new/different pads

No, yes, no, no.

If you want to do the 'zorst go from the dump pipe out and get a proper system to avoid drone.... Being an auto it'll sound like a floppy jowled mastiff snooring.

If you do, go browse the GFB catalogue for blow off valves and wastegates.

I'm all for wheels though.

A5 You should go full anorakDriza-Bone(?) and slavishly obsess about ensuring it is 100% original and period correct.