Car Talk

[ChrisB]

On 23/03/2019 at 08:25, Malanka said:

Yeah Switzerland and public transport spoils us for choice.

My point earlier was economic development will drive the future not mandates from Brussels. So I agree with you but not anytime soon the technology is not mature enough.

I do have one question though. What are we going to do with all the diesel and petrol we get from crude from extracting the high value lubrication oils and volatile organics to make plastics? It’s not going to be used so what do we do with it??

 

lol

I worked for a Swiss Group who's main offices were in Mannedorf and Zug. When we had joint meetings these were often in a beautiful Lakeside setting like Weggis.

I just loved the efficiency of Swiss Public Transport, my ticket covering which ever way I wanted to go...Bus, train, tram and the lake steamers. All the way from Zurich Airport to my destination.

[Paul]

7 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

Of course there is nothing to say I don't get a younger lower millage car and it has its own problems

As a mercedes devotee I love 'em all, however SLK has never had a reputation for reliability and that hasn't really changed. You buy them because you love them, not for any logical reason. If buying another do your best to get the post 2011 R172 model, which has the latest face lift and will retain it's value better than previous incarnations, especially as MB have announced the discontinuation of the SLC. Full service history is essential on any Mercedes and one owner cars are always preferable. Avoid cars which have more than one owner on average every three years, it usually means the car has been bought, issues found and off loaded quickly.

[LondonRascal]

15 hours ago, Paul said:

You buy them because you love them, not for any logical reason. If buying another do your best to get the post 2011 R172 model, which has the latest face lift and will retain it's value better than previous incarnations, especially as MB have announced the discontinuation of the SLC. Full service history is essential on any Mercedes and one owner cars are always preferable. Avoid cars which have more than one owner on average every three years, it usually means the car has been bought, issues found and off loaded quickly. 

You speak a lot of sense, but alas I am not sensible.

I really don't like the R172 look, it looks 'sad' somehow at the front and like any other Mercedes with their grill, like most manufactures now, trying to follow the same look across different sizes and types of cars. The R171 has some more personality I guess.

Back to not being sensible,  for a car that I am not too sure about keeping, I have booked in for a major service. Cos Robin.  The local Indy in Loddon wanted well over £400.00 - the local garage in Brundall, £387.00 - Kwik-Fit £215.00 using the same Uni-Part parts as the local garage, but Mobil 1 Oil - needs 8 litres of the stuff too. Kwik-Fit it will be.

If I want the brakes done, with performance pads and drilled discs for the front - £315.00 (half cost of the Indy) and pads for the back, £97.00. Consiering I have had Delphi pads put on the BMW, but had asked for original BMW parts - Pagid seem to be the manufactures of BMW brake pads. Anyway, I kinda wish I had saved a fortune and gone to Kwik-Fit for the brakes, since they give a choice of pads and are not (as I had wrongly assumed) all just cheap and cheerful stock they can get their hands on.

The thing is, in all honesty,  people generally don't care once a car is getting on for 15 years old, if this was any other car like an Astra or Focus it probably would not still be about, and if it was it would not be cherished. This SLK cost me under £3,000 - the replacements I am looking at are north of £8,000 - I love this one:

Link to SLK but alas it is a private seller so I'd be in to then selling on the current one myself or going to a dealer and between times having three cars!

Pretty much any car will have scare stories about how reliable they are - take a Range Rover Sport, plagued with issues - yet you find some with just a few minor niggles and people luck out. As long as it goes okay and starts, for a second car I guess my standards are lower.

The SLK Ii have bought needs a new blower motor for the cabin, it needs a new AC compressor, It needs new front discs and pads all round, it also is due for a major service. It has never had new spark plugs so would like to treat it to them, and replace the other coil pack as if one has failed the other is likely to as well. But to my mind, why go to all that expense and trouble for a car you don't really like - when you could put that towards one that is more to your liking in looks, colour, options and having less millage too. Hopefully meaning things like the AC Compressor, Blower Motor and brakes are all good and one can concentrate on the everyday running costs and needs.

Despite this, I still can't seem to stop tinkering. Today I compounded the paintwork, waxed it and then polished with a polymer polish. I also dealt with some of the scratches and dullness of the ploy-carbonate on the headlight units. I also replaced the rear indicator bulbs - see video below, for what a laugh that was at 8pm deciding to change car bulbs in the dark because Robin. I used some metal polish and brought the exhaust tips up to a great shine and also set about cleaning some of the crud from under the bonnet. For her age, and number of owners, she does not leak or burn any oil, drinks no coolant, and starts and goes like a dream. I just pretend the whine of the failing AC Compressor is a little Supercharger under the bonnet lol.

 

 

[LondonRascal]

Scaniaman: The way the SLK Air Con works (as I understand) is it not a clutch based compressor - it has a value that allows operation hydraulically, thus it is spinning at all times the engine is running though not actually doing any 'compressing' of gas. They do tend to go bad, like the hydraulic pumps for the roof do. 

I am also incredibly lazy so the idea of taking off belts - no. Even taking out the battery to get to the blower motor, what? Me do that..Not on your nelly lol.

As for condensation, being a hardtop car they don't get damp, least not this even after a cold night and in the morning full o dew on the car, dry as a bone inside. Also no leaks when took it through a car-wash which was reassuring.

[grendel]

to be fair, most cars air blowers will wear out at around 15 years, I have had to replace several on my volvos, when I disassembled one to see if it could be repaired the groove in the copper commutator was nearly 1/4" (6mm) deep, with no brushes left to wear. as generally you have the blowers on all the time.

[ranworthbreeze]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

to be fair, most cars air blowers will wear out at around 15 years, I have had to replace several on my volvos, when I disassembled one to see if it could be repaired the groove in the copper commutator was nearly 1/4" (6mm) deep, with no brushes left to wear. as generally you have the blowers on all the time.

Hi Grendel,

Also been there done it a few times, usually need mirrors and hex drive wrenches and the capability of being able to work upside down,  bent double after removing half of the dashboard. 

These are the joys of motoring if you do not have a large pot of money to call upon.

Regards

Alan

[Meg]

Hi Rascal

Please go back to boats! I have had more cars than I care to remember. My first was a Heinkel bubble car, two front wheels one back. It had an aluminium cylinder block as I discovered trying to screw a plug in cross threaded. I know!! but I was very young. My best buy was a Wolsey which I got cheap from a lad in the army, REME I think. However boats  and serene waters are so much more fun, cannot wait to get back on the broads.

[oldgregg]

Just a reminder that you can filter out topics you don't want to see by changing your settings. That's the great thing about the forum software NBN uses.

These are the settings you'll want to look at - You can exclude whole forum sections if you wish.

[grendel]

1 hour ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hi Grendel,

Also been there done it a few times, usually need mirrors and hex drive wrenches and the capability of being able to work upside down,  bent double after removing half of the dashboard. 

These are the joys of motoring if you do not have a large pot of money to call upon.

Regards

Alan

the volvo is not too bad as it is behind the glove compartment, simply undo the 4 screws holding that on and you can sit in comfort and undo the connector and 3 bolts holding the fan in place.

[Meg]

Thanks Old Gregg, I realise I don't have to read about cars but wanted gently to say boats too please, xx

[Islander]

Hi Robin, so how much did you spend in Halfords this afternoon. I saw you folding the roof back on the silk just as I was passing the entrance. I would have stopped if I could but someone too close behind to brake and swerve in . I hope you enjoy your Merc as much as I have done. We have only had estates as I quite often need the roof bars for sheets of ply etc.

Maybe we get to meet another day.

I don't know if the SLK is similar to the C class but the cabin air filter only requires 2 Spring clips to remove the cover and the filter just lifts out, at this point the fan is easily visible. Careful spray of WD40 to the top bearing of the motor may just quieten the motor for a while. The other option is have the top down and turn the bl00dy thing off . 

Colin

[Liberty]

I've got the R171 SLK55 AMG and it's a properly fun car.  5.5 litre V8 - loud and goes like stink.  Much recommended.  The R171 AMG seems to be preferred to the R172 AMG as far as driving is concerned, but there are fewer gadgets.  

Good driver's car - Southampton and back over the past couple of days in its averaged nearly 30mpg.  Push it hard and it will return single figures mpg.

It's a bit of a handful in the damp though.  So much oomph.

 

[JanetAnne]

Here's my convertible. ..

 

Well, what did you expect  really?

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Everytime I see whitewall tyres I think of that Billy Joel track. 

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/billy-joel/its-still-rock-and-roll-to-me

[oldgregg]

19 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

Here's my convertible. ..

 

Well, what did you expect  really?

I like the lines actually.

I have no idea what it is (I tried to Google the picture with no success) but it looks like a proper cruising car.

[ExSurveyor]

Ford Corsair ( crayford ) convertible  ??

[Seagypsy]

18 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

I like the lines actually.

I have no idea what it is (I tried to Google the picture with no success) but it looks like a proper cruising car.

Neither have I but front looks like a Ford Corsair it has the wing mirrors as well if it is didn't know there was a convertable looks like I was beaten to it

[OldBerkshireBoy]

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/21/corsair/

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Crayford, the kings of convertables.

[scaniaman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ikmmXx9Qjk

Heater motor`s behind the pollen filter. If the car`s being serviced the filter should be replaced annually just ask the garage to give the motor a good spray of wd40  and silence will be thine. 

[JanetAnne]

21 minutes ago, scaniaman said:

 good spray of wd40  and silence will be thine. 

Think I may try some on the kids 

[grendel]

I would spray it with a 3 in 1 oil, rather than wd 40, wd 40 evaporates and dries out way too quickly to give a lasting lubrication.

[LondonRascal]

12 hours ago, Islander said:

Hi Robin, so how much did you spend in Halfords this afternoon

£38.00 - two new head light bulbs.  I found out the car has projector lights, but not Bi-Xenon. Since the headlight light output is pretty 'yellow' it would be good to upgrade to a white output. However, in order to fit the bulbs I need to remove the front wheels, then get in and remove the font wheel-arch liners..To then reach up to get to the back of the headlight cluster and be able to replace. I thought about this a little and having thought will take the easy option and put up with the current lights and take the two new bulbs back for a refund since they have not been opened.

The only issue with this car is even if it is a bit chilly and dull, you can't really help but let the roof down - once the blower motor has had a chance to 'get going' the heater is amazing, plus you can turn on the 'air scarf' which blows very hot air from behind you over your neck and back.

In order to get to the blower motor on this car you need first to remove the cover on the passenger side that hides the battery. Next, remove the battery and the battery holder. Once that is done you will see the top of the blower box assembly, but the next part requires removing the trim under the glove box and reaching up and undoing several other fasteners, to get the blower motor assembly out and get to the sqiral cage motor assembly. The real issue is a lot of the fasteners on the car are Torx so a whole set needs to be bought with extenders to reach into these areas.

That said, I will take the advice and see if I can get enough of the covers off to at least get access to get a straw in and some lubricant. This has been looked at by Mercedes - but the previous owner opted not to replace, clearly their lucubration has failed but the estimate on the works order I have was more than £400.00 just for the part. I've seen you can buy them from Euro Car Parts for a couple of hundred pounds.

Insurance Companies

I had great times yesterday trying to sort out insurance - not for the Mercedes, for the BMW.  All I wanted to do was increase the millage allowance.  I had made the mistake (and hands up for this you can all judge me if you so wish) but when I sold the 7 Series and bought the X5 I contact the Brokers who I had used to get my insurance to cover the new car. However, I was not asked about and did not think to tell them that between insuring the 7 series and buying the X5 my License had changed from a provisional to a full.  Anyway long story short today this was all found out during the phone conversation.  So I am thoroughly chastised over the phone for being 'such a fool' and  thus now they knew this my Insurance would be  voided. They worked out the new cost would rise to £1,843.26.  Now my Insurance is with Premium Choice, but I was talking to their Broker XS, so I got in touch directly with Premium Choice and spoke to a far more polite chap who did not have a go at me and accepted I should have told them but had not and they would accept this as an honest mistake. They agreed to remove the endorsement, accept an emailed copy of my full license and charge me £190.00 administration fee instead.  Phew!

Next up, I have been insuring the SLK with 'Day Insure' and buying 5 days cover at a time, this has been working out to £199.95 - while handy if you borrow a car, since you can insure form 1 hour to 28 days, it is like buying a TV from BrightHouse. You pay way over the odds. So after much searching about the cheapest I found was Quote Me Happy - but they were underwritten by Aviva so I went away from the compare sites and got a direct quote from Aviva, on a pay monthly - cancel any time - basis of £111.00 per month. This has no interest added, so if I do sell the car I can call up and end the cover - if I do not then it will simple mean paying the total years premium of £1,332.00. 

The interesting thing is with Aviva my excess is £450.00 - with Premium Choice for the BMW it is £3,000.00. I am going to stick with Premium Choice, drive safe and collect my first years no claims then I suspect transfer over to Aviva with a multi-car policy and have a hell of a lot less worry about the cost of excess and perhaps too, a cheaper premium. So I have learnt something, am now full compliant and saved a little too.

 

 

 

[ChrisB]

8 hours ago, Pumpmedic said:

Crayford, the kings of convertables.

My parents had two Ford converibles when I was very young mk1 and mk2 Consuls, I remember they had a plaque statingthat they were built by Car Bodies of Coventry.

My Mother also had two Ford estate cars a 100E Prefect and a 105E I think the first one was by Abbot. 

[ChrisB]

8 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

Here's my convertible. ..

 

Well, what did you expect  really?

What a real beauty. I am green with envy! I would love that in the sun somewhere. Is it a V4.