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

@lynx - service is on the cards, but air and cabin filters look ok for now.
As the stick on abs bumper protectors are only like £20 I’ll prob go with one of those over tape.
One other thing we’ve noticed is the wind noise isn’t great with the windows open even a crack above 40mph(no air con), are wind deflectors worth it or just wank?

Recommendations for a car audio place in East London/Essex? Just want a new head unit for Bluetooth, nothing fancy. Did realise that the stereo also controls the lcd display for clock, mpg etc. I presume a replacement head would also control these?

Only know of two Navaras, both failed the nissan inspection, and neither were offered a repair.
Read about trucks going back to spain too, as I read up on the internet as I thought they were talking rubbish about a modern vehicle failing (rusting) so badly. Valuations were low for cash but were very good on trade for new/nearly new vehicles, really great finance and threw in a few years servicing too.

Fluid change can do no harm, especially if you are keeping it for a long time.

I like proper helicopter tape use as protection, then changed when damaged. Seen it ies on leading edges of bonnets and has stopped stone chips. Personally I think wind deflectors are great, used to having them on cars, as a kid, in hotter climates. Really reduces the wind noise.

Stereo, no idea. Most are quite integrated nower days. Might be worthwhile to look it to an adaptor, or see if there is a citroen headunit with the bluetooth feature that you can use. That would be worthwhile looking on a berlingo forum. Have the citroen lexia software and cables so if there is any reprograming needed can drop the laptop and cables to you.

Not sure how I let the Triumph Italia pass me by but they make 50-70k look cheap for a baby Ferrari 250 GT coupe

I guess it could be painted in 'Americana' or a later period styling but that just makes me think of Dame Edna not Sophia. #JustSayin

1 Attachment

My tinnitus wasn't helped by my car screaming like a Stuka all the way to Norfolk I found Duct tape over the ends and the channels on the bottom (+top if aero bars) worked.

they are sweet little cars. most little british sports cars of the sixties have amazing rear ends, but gash front ends. grilles, mainly. they got it sweet with the italia.

i have a tr3 and a tr4a to play with here at the moment.

1 Attachment

They only made 330, what were they thinking! I guess most pre-swinging sixties British drivers we’re either looking for a full drop top or cheap and conservative saloons

So apart from allotment duties and going to the tip. Calling wood in winter. The potential new truck will be my daily and I work 5 miles away. I generally cycle but would also drive if the weather shit/couldn’t be arsed.

What’s a l200/Ranger/rodeo like on fuel, do they break often? What tends to fail? Are they easy to work on?

I've had l200s for the last 16 years, you should only buy the original or current shapes, the rather rounded one in between was a bit crap. The current model hasn't missed a beat in 3 years and its only real rival is the VW which costs a fortune. I had a Ford Ranger for a few weeks when a muppet hit my l200, great reversing camera but bugger all else to recommend it. Expect about 30mpg, 25 in traffic, 40 is very boring but just about achievable. Navarras have the turning circle of the QE2 and fall apart, Isuzus are unbreakable tractors with the same degree of comfort.

We have L200 in the yard for the bosses/foreman for posing in/occasionally towing a bit. They seem idiot proof and tow massive bits of plant with no issues. As above, the curvier ones from a few years ago aren’t quite as good.
All ours are crew cabs, this means(and the same goes for ranger, isuzu, vw crews) that your actual load area is roughly equivalent to that of a mini metro with a bassbin in the boot. The single cabs are ok.
All of them have atrocious turning circles, just dreadful. I can 3point turn my transit(with 12ft trailer) in a space in the yard that all the pickups need a 5point even without a tow. You get used to it but they’re certainly not much fun in town.

If you really want to haul shit get a tipping transit/mitsi canter. Just don’t buy one previously used by a tree surgeon, landscaper or tarmacer cos it’ll be proper fucked; stink of weed/bacon/sweat and have all the vents clogged with compost/tar...
You can get them for pennies, will last forever and mean you can earn a bit of coin on the side being a rogue :)

In 4 years my Rodeo has needed some welding when I got it, a new alternator, and the power steering/aircon belt snapped but guess what it has two, so my wife drove it for an unspecified amount of time with only one belt. Fuel economy is pretty shit (ancient 3l unrefined turbodiesel).

Are the l200 posermobiles the 2017 on model? Mine is and the turning circle is much better than earlier models and really quite ok (nb: for a pickup). The loadbay isn't huge, but will easily take a ton bag of aggregate, with a ladder bar behind the cab 5m timbers are about the limit.

If possible, avoid anything with a towbar, you have to assume it's been hauling a ton of Ifor Williams and a 3 ton digger all its life. Particularly avoid anything used for forestry, 20k miles of that and they're fucked.

And never trust a tree surgeon, they only exist to make solicitors look honest.

I quite often have a full dumpy bag in the back of mine, the only issue I have is the sliding cover I have does get in the way, but just have to slide it in a bit. Have thrown 6m drain pipes over the back with a ladder rack but probably not recommended...

My last pickup was an old yellow AA vauxhall Brava which had the body taken off and an aluminum tipper put on, that thing took loads in the back, I did once put 4 full dumpy bags in, I was essentially doing a wheelie all the way home...

I've got the option to buy some nice 2nd hand alloys with good quality tyres, however one has a screw in it. Is there something I can fit to seal it long-term?

There's a pair of lovely Land Rover Defenders (?Mk3) for sale in Walton at the moment.
At the garage not far from the roundabout.

Take it to a tyre shop and they will do a repair (as long as it's not too close to the sidewall). I've seen them do one, they drill out the hole then put in a proper rubber plug and sealant.

Depends where the screw is/type of tyre/previous repairs.

I used to work for a tyre manufacturer and wouldn’t buy second hand tyres

I had a screw stuck in my tyre. Took it to a tyre place and they repaired the puncture. Still going strong that was a year ago. £15

I'm looking at nudge bars, we'll be driving down to Sydney when all this shit dies down and it feels like a good idea... Black, obvs, fuck chrome...

The company that makes these is only a couple of kays away...

1 Attachment

They're really really not great for pedestrians or cyclists in an accident.

Of course they're not, probably a dumb idea back in the UK... Kangaroos are huge tho' and there aren't any pedestrians or cyclists where I am, it's just cars, cars and more cars...

honestly, i doubt they will help much when a kangaroo lands on your bonnet.

Hmm, I'm gonna have to rethink this, aren't I? It does concern me tho', maybe I'll just go with the riot shield... And sport mesh grille...

1 Attachment

that's better ;-)