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

I do actually! Plenty of space and all of the gear required at my parents place so wouldn't be an issue in that respect...

What could a tap/bang that increases with speed but independent of revs be?
Nothing felt through brakes or steering.
Goes away when turning left, otherwise present at all speeds above 5mph.
Weirdly has disappeared today after parking the car up for 4 days.

I've had wheel bearing issues that disappear when turning one way

Sounds like a plan then, I think they are a bit involved in terms of cavities and stuff.
Not sure, but those mercs might be good in terms of replacement panels?

That’s what I thought, slight grinding noise too. Strange for it to disappear though, no?

Broken suspension spring?

If it goes away turning left, it could be the left wheel bearing as the load shifts to the right. It could also be a stone stuck in the tyre tread that has since come out

Few weeks ago, my Passat was written off when a guy in a Nissan SUV pulled out of a parking space parallel with the road without looking.

After much searching and not finding an equivalent replacement without putting ~$10k in, i decided to buy a mk7 Golf Variant and bank some cash.

2 Attachments

This might be of interest
https://youtu.be/4qT1K183AOg?si=tF9x2cVHw-aaLvwv

If I install a little blow off valve in my Suby (for choo choo sounds, obvs) will I kill my engine?

PS I took a client out in the Forester yesterday, I shouldn't because of insurance but... I dropped the work truck at home and we went for a little spin at the end of the shift. He fucking loved it and wants me to bring it to every shift now, can't happen but nice that he liked it.

Anyway, he was a car spray painter before a car accident forced him to stop working. He's offered to take me through the paint restoration process to get the car back to showroom, might take him up on it!

Well, adding a BOV won't damage the engine specifically but it is an EJ20 so it's only a matter of time anyway

I recommend supporting your fellow countrymen and buying a GFB designed for it

Yeah, I've been looking at them as they're the local option. Just need to figure out which one I need and then see if I can install it myself, what could possibly go wrong?? 🤡

In other news. I found a boot liner on MarketPlace, not an easy thing to find. I found two on the whole planet and this one was 15kms from where I live, pretty lucky. Looks and works great, now I just need the matching cargo blind, even harder to find!!

1 Attachment

It now shows up under tight left turns only but not as loudly! Too loud for a stone but def something rotatational.
Either way, it’s booked into the garage for next week - hopefully not too spendy.

Love my little IQ, especially around large built up city and towns.

1 Attachment

Looks tiny, even compared to the Nissans parked front and rear!

but it is an EJ20 so it's only a matter of time anyway

They are a lot more stout than an EJ25 though, right?

I'd second a GFB too. I'm about to put a GFB diverter valve into my pug, they make good bits of kit.

We have sold our Citroën DS3, and in a fit of sensibleness we changed plans from buying a later DS3 with a 6 speed auto but much more fragile engine, to saying "fuck it" and buying a 2006 Mercedes SLK 350. Like you do.

1 Attachment

I’m a Fabia owner now.

We welcome you warmly.

Nice.

A neighbour who's into cars and aways buying / selling has one of these. They seem like great value.

When do you collect it?

If it is the supercharger one, it is shite as you can't hear the thing.

Are the sub frames as bad in France as the UK?

Very cool, how do you find it in narrow E10 streets? Or are you usually jumping in the car and skrrrting out of London?

I've never noticed a problem... have you seen the monstrous size of modern cars?

One thing to note is the turning circle of P2-platform Volvos (V70/XC70/XC90 of that era) is absolutely gargantuan, resulting in Austin Powers style infinity-point turns in tight multi storey car parks etc. It's never bothered me.

Saab 900 Classics are 5' 6.5" wide. The same as the base model of the current Panda. And often narrow enough to bypass a bollard by driving on the pavement. Which is never justified unless escaping terrorists.