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Jul 25, 2019 11:54:56 GMT
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Everyone I know who has had a modified beetle has had nothing but trouble, in a large part this is probably because so many are poorly done and the base vehicle not being properly sorted out before it was plasteres with the contents of a catalogue I think its fair to say that a badly modified aircooled VW is very unpleasant at best, and will be unreliable and suffer engine failure at worst. The trouble is its very easy to make bad mods, a big proportion of them seen to be badly modified, I'm not an expert but some things to look out for - Performance air filter on standard single carb, which then suffers carb icing due to no hot air feed, and runs less well than standard. Fuel filter in the engine bay and badly routed fuel pipes, and worst of all cloth covered fuel pipe, these things cause fires when it goes wrong. Missing tinware, maybe the owner couldnt be bothered to refit it, maybe it was rusty and didnt seem essential, maybe some idiot thought they could modify it to work better than VW designed it to, especially if the thermostat and flaps are removed, this is very common and not good. While on tinware, too many people don't understand the criticality of maintaining a seal between the hot and cold side of the engine, so tinware with no gaps at all and a good engine bay seal, to a normal car person these don't look important but they are critical. 009 Bosch distributer, great if all you want to do is race, but if you want it to be good to drive normally getting rid of the vacuum advance is stupid, you need a normal distributer that is in good condition. Air cooled needs some understanding and different ways of thinking, no temperature gauge on the dash doesnt mean that they wont cook. Another point, no oil filter, just a strainer, oil needs to be changed frequently due to no filter and the fact that its effectively the heat exchange medium between some of the engine parts and the fins on the block.
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Jul 24, 2019 19:55:50 GMT
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I'd say drive one of each and you will make up your own mind. They are extremely different to each other, you may dislike the experience of one of them. Personally I love to drive a Beetle, and while a Mini is OK to drive they do nothing for me. Many people feel the opposite.
Having said that, a beam front axle or macpherson strut front and swing axle rear or proper IRS in a Beetle are also very different things depending on which Beetle you choose.
From limited knowledge, Beetles arent cheap to make reasonably fast if that what you want.
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Jul 24, 2019 19:49:15 GMT
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I initially picked the RAC because, at the time, they covered the person in any car, and the AA only covered the car. Sounds as if the AA have changed that stance now, so when I get to renewal time I might have a look around again. I was recently told a tale by someone, and it'd be interesting to hear if anyone else had a similar experience. This is a third-hand tale - the chap who told me about it wasn't who it had happened to, so there may be some rounding errors. I also don't know which breakdown service it is, but one of the major ones. Chap goes to Germany, in his rather unusual Vauxhall Vectra, towing an Austin 7 on a trailer. Vectra has a problem en route, which I think was traced to the clutch slave cylinder - regardless, it can't be fixed in Germany for some reason. Chap calls his breakdown service, explains the situation, they then have a think about what they're going to do. After some messing around, this turns out to be: we're going to write the car off in Germany, because the value of the car is less than the cost of trailering it back to the UK, along with the Austin. Chap gets upset (as you would), drives home in the Austin 7, drives back to Germany in another car, and tows it back himself. Presuming no exaggeration, it's a sobering tale and would make me do some double-checking before presuming I could go abroad and my car would be recovered if anything went wrong. The AA definitely covers the person, whether driving or passenger in any car or bike whether owned by the member or not. Its good cover I think. I have never tried the European recovery but I would read the smallprint first and to be honest fully expect some limits as for the price they cant really offer to recover anything at all from any country at any time. Maybe there will be time limits, or whether towed stuff is covered, or other limits, definitely worth checking the smallprint no matter who you use for cover.
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Jul 24, 2019 17:20:30 GMT
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The AA also wont send out a recovery vehicle until a patrol has checked it first.
In February my VXR8 engine failed, turned out a valve spring had snapped an fallen in resulting in major mechanical noise and stopping of the engine. I explained on the phone that it was definitely impossible to repair the car, and there was no way I would let them attempt to restart it as it may cause more damage, they still sent the patrol to inspect it first.
I was quite irritated by this, but then he explained that they regularly get people calling with a failed engine and needing recovery that turns out to be no fuel or something similar.
I guess its cheaper to send out their own patrol to filter out the repairable jobs than to believe the member and send out a recovery vehicle, which are usually subcontracted.
To be fair, I couldnt complain about the service. I've also been a member for a long time and have gold membership, my daughter is covered in any vehicle for free and gets her own card too and there are various other benefits.
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Last Edit: Jul 24, 2019 17:23:09 GMT by chris y
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Jul 24, 2019 11:42:44 GMT
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I don't believe that the AA has any age limit. I've been with them for a long time and do read the terms and conditions when they are changed.
About a year and a half ago I used them for my Carlton, which at the time was 27 years old.
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Jul 23, 2019 12:21:11 GMT
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I agree that many of the public like to see classics, however a lot of retro stuff is not seen by a non car person as classic and is often associated more with the public hated modified car scene.
The public generally don't appreciate car enthusiasts with anything modern or semi modern thats modified, if you drive one you must be a menace and a lunatic, what happened in Stevenage is exactly what the public expects. I drive a Carlton GSi most days, it does get appreciation from people who know what it is, maybe wanted one years ago or their Dad had one etc, but to many people I do think its just the car of a public menace who couldnt afford something newer.
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Jul 20, 2019 21:27:40 GMT
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I also use diesel and brushes.
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Jul 16, 2019 21:16:35 GMT
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Whether its got an MOT or not it has to be safe and roadworthy, if your friend had had an MOT the insurance company could still use the same faults as a reason to not pay out.
Not needing to go for an MOT doesnt excuse having a fault that the MOT would have found. Its up to the owner to decide how he will keep the car safe and roadworthy if he chooses to not MOT.
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My Carlton clocked 200k a few days ago, but it doesn't mean much because it's had a few dash swaps and has actually done more.
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Jul 14, 2019 10:35:05 GMT
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I turned up at the post office with the V5C for my GS850, I just explained and was able to tax it with no form filled in.
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Jul 12, 2019 21:20:34 GMT
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Done
I've never been, but have been to and used York and Avon park. It would be awful to loose any more.
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Stupidly it's not legal to supply them, even for cars that had them from new. I used an ebay seller for my "show" plates, maybe worth a quick ebay search.
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Jun 26, 2019 11:55:52 GMT
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Id use a slitting disc to take the side of the nut off.
I've heard good things about ATF and acetone though.
The bilt hamber stuff will be no use for this job.
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Jun 22, 2019 15:17:59 GMT
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I've done countless cars over the years, alone, and never had a fancy tool. There is no need for all that loosen, press, tighten release lark.
First attach a clear pipe to the bleed nipple, and open the nipple. Keep checking that the fluid level is OK of course.
1 - Slowly depress the pedal to the bottom, and slowly release to the top. 2 - Next press the pedal more quickly to a third stroke and release, 3 times in quick succession. Go back to 1 and repeat as many times as necessary, always 1 long stroke and 3 short ones.
Once nice clean fluid with no bubbles is coming out of the pipe, after the three short presses tighten the nipple.
I read this in the manual for a Reliant Regal when I was a teenager, its worked every time on every car I've tried including plenty with ABS, and including when I rebuilt all four calipers and replaced lots of hoses on my Carlton, so lots of air in.
Try it even if you have got a tool, and let us know how you get on.
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Jun 20, 2019 11:58:56 GMT
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Either old fog or spotlights, or old moped headlights
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Jun 16, 2019 16:57:53 GMT
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If the fan is using too much current it could be heating and melting the fuse and its holder / fuse box. Worth a quick check.
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Jun 15, 2019 16:52:21 GMT
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I agree, the forces on that are huge.
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Jun 14, 2019 21:11:25 GMT
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I agree, you want anti seize, not necessarily lube. Lubricating grease is more meant for things that have to slide in service rather than things that have to be not stuck on the rare occasion that you move them.
I think grease would do it, but something designed to prevent seizure is more correct, copper grease or any other anti seize product.
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Excellent, nice looking car.
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