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Dec 24, 2019 16:53:00 GMT
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Kind thoughts to your daughter & yourself, mental health is becoming a very common problem in modern society, and affects everyone involved.
Car options : how difficult ( and / or expensive) would it be to cut a hard-top from a car that's being broken and bolt that to your car? Personally I really rate Peugoet / Citroen diesels for reliable economical motoring, but any change means you're starting with an unknown car and all the niggles that brings.
Top marks for offering to swap, hope it works out for you if you decide to go that route but keeping what you have also sounds a sensible option.
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Dec 24, 2019 15:48:39 GMT
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This is something I've been looking into recently. A lot depends on which council area you are in, some are relaxed about change-of-use from business to residential (personal storage) - others aren't. Personally I'd rule out any leasehold property, buy freehold and there's no possibility of crazy rent increases in future. What services do you need / what are connected (electric, water, toilets, etc) ? Check what's allowed carefully ( noise / storing & working on vehicles, etc), any nearby neighbours who might complain ? "Guide price" means it's being sold at auction, expect the final price to be a lot higher than the listed guide price, don't forget to add *LOTS* of fees / comission / charges etc - buying this way brings lots of charges that might catch you by surprise. What is involved? it's the same process as buying a house - solicitors, title deeds, searches, etc. I hoped it would be quick as it's less complicated but the process (and slow progress) is just the same. Allow £1k for solicitors fees etc on top of the purchase price. Where to look? Keep checking to see what garages are advertised : www.gumtree.com/garage-parking-for-sale/uk/garage property.mitula.co.uk/searchRE/sort-0/op-1/max_price-30000/q-garages-lock-up www.onthemarket.com/for-sale/garages/england/ www.newsnow.co.uk/classifieds/houses-flats-for-sale/freehold-garages-sale.html?ad__price_to=30000&usp=true www.ukauctionlist.com/category/tags/garageExamples on my radar : @fishguard, double garage 16ft x 15ft, £20k www.onthemarket.com/details/6478031/ @sandwich freehold non-commercial garage, 50% share of 160sq mtrs, £40k www.gumtree.com/p/garage-parking-for-sale/garage-workshop-50-freehold-interest-non-commercial-.-approx-160-sq-mtrs-/1356895871 @peebles High St land / parking for 10+ cars 95ft x 33ft - (see yellow - has option to build a garage matching garage already on neighbours land?). Rent out spare parking spaces to local workers £13k www.propertypigeon.co.uk/property-search/peebles/eh45-1647592157 If anyone buys these, commission to the usual place (or the offer of free parking / storage) would be appreciated
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Last Edit: Dec 25, 2019 22:22:19 GMT by nomad
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Dec 24, 2019 15:15:27 GMT
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Bookmarked as I'm waiting to hear if I've got a job in Portugal - importing something when I come back has crossed my mind
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Dec 24, 2019 14:53:37 GMT
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I guess most of us have an occasional need to move motorbikes around the country (ok, maybe just me ). I'd advise you beg / borrow / buy a collapsable bike trailer. I bought one many years ago (bought new and paid good money! ) and it's still a lifesaver. Many styles are available, mine came via Eb@y from a blacksmith who sells a kit of welded parts unpainted (already stamped with legal weights etc), just add trailer hubs, wheels, and mudguards They are built according to the weight of the bike you intend to transport, I got a 300kg version so the 200kg 750 in the photo is well within capability Component parts are 1x beam axle, 2x hub / mudguard units, 2x "ladder bars" - which together make up a crucifix shape. Also 1x trailer hitch, and 1x loading ramp / rear upright trailerboard holder. Assembly takes less than 5 minutes once you know which bits go where The whole lot (with spare wheel) fits comfortably on the back seat of a Saxo, It's also very easy to store when not in use Tips : if anyone needs to buy a towbar, I was impressed with Eb@y seller onlinetowbarsuk My just-MOT'd Saxo may be for sale very soon (if a potential job abroad happens) - cheap to RR's - PM if interested and I'll keep you updated
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Last Edit: Dec 24, 2019 14:57:41 GMT by nomad
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Dec 24, 2019 14:17:43 GMT
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Some of that I think is a little harsh. If you go onto any car-specific forum, you'll never buy a car like that. Most people come onto forums like that to resolve issues, seldom to talk about the car being. I guess that's one reason why this forum works . Fair points (and educational - thanks), but post-2005 BMWs are still off my list if I buy again in the future
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Dec 15, 2019 13:31:44 GMT
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Cars have evolved, you just need to pick the sweet-spot that works for you. 60s/early 70s - individual styling, so-so economy and performance (old engine technology), reasonable reliability but needed regular fettling, maintainance very simple. late 70s/80s - as above but needs less fettling. 90s/early-00s more refined, better economy (sometimes), very little space when doing maintenance. late-00s onwards complex & fragile electronics, DIY diagnostics & maintenance near impossible apart from basic consumables. Many examples of poor design (having to remove front bumper to replace a headlight bulb !!) BMW 2005+ are my bugbear. Cute lights (using bmw-specific leds) which fail after 10 years - industry standard leds never fail, starter motors are 100k miles consumables - and you need to remove complex inlet manifolds & fragile pipes (dealers quote 4+ hours labour, allow £100 for gaskets & pipework, starter is extra). Replacement batteries need to be dealer-coded after installation (same for the unreliable ABS pumps), Very active forum - standard advice is - buy a BMW specific code reader - then buy an obsolete XP laptop and install dealer software so you can run diagnostics. Madness !
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Nov 29, 2019 20:53:04 GMT
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I found the easiest way to check a diff is : lock one hub. mark input flange, and the not-locked (free) hub. turn the free hub (counting the turns) until the input flange makes 2 full turns. number of turns = ratio ( so 2 turns = 2:1 ratio etc )
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Nov 29, 2019 14:17:38 GMT
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Just to confirm, the other drivers insurers have paid out and the case is now closed. No need to claim from my insurers, but they have been updated just for info.
I could have argued about their valuation (the link above would have been helpful to know about at the time, but thanks for the info !), but we got the chance at a joblot of hard-to-find used parts that were needed and had to make an immediate descision.
It wasn't worth getting a higher valuation then finding we couldn't find unobtainable parts that can only come from a car that's going to be (or has been) scrapped.
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Nov 28, 2019 14:51:58 GMT
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Now that things have settled down, it could be a good time to update this. Summary : * The insurance company & their assessor are clue-less (assessor could only find Hunter saloons for sale so used those for his valuation, despite me saying on every phone call that was not acceptable) * Insurance company tell me they are used to dealing with vintage cars, and even handled a claim for an MGB last year ! I'm guessing MGBs are in the top-3 most common retros, Hunter estates are like hens teeth. We were not on the same wavelength. * I provided 2x sales adverts for "renovation project - Hunter estates" (Red £3600 & Silver £3500, see screenshots in this thread), the valuer then used these adverts to state top book value for a Hunter estate was £3500. Discussed this with the insurance company and their argument was "The silver estate looks nice in the photo - I can't see anything wrong with it" (see advert text, it has been stored in a lock-up for 20 years and is now being driven on the road as Tax & MOT exempt ! The ad says oil has been changed, no mention of anything else ! Mileage on the red car shows 10k but mine has 20k - as it's a 6-digit odeometer it's at least 120k, insurance are confident their 10k is genuine as that's what the advert says !) * Car was declared write-off / beyond economical repair ( 1 panel in particular was bent but would straighten - insurance quote required a lot of panels removing before the damaged bit could be replaced with an *unobtainable* new bit. Crazy) * The car was marked down for rust in the footwells. I agree - but it was only visible as the footwell had been pulled away from the A-post. Curious to know what other Retros are like in factory joints - any volunteers to rip open their well kept cars so we can compare? * Assessor marked the value of the car down £1k due to "pre-accident defects (including the boot lid - which is one of the best panels on the car. Strange !) * My "1725 with overdrive" spec is irrelevant for valuation purposes, and I had to explain what overdrive was. * Despite being promised a similar replacement vehicle, I initially ended up with a soft-roader, soon changed to a modern estate. The "replacement Hillman Hunter estate" the insurance company offered me never appeared. * Discussing the kind of money the insurance companies are willing to hand out, I now understand why insurance premiums are so high. Just ask if any questions, (or PM me, or if you're feeling brave feed me ale at RRG and ask for my un-editied opinion of insurance companies ) Unrelated question : Does anyone have space / know where I can store a couple of motorbikes for a while? I'm hopefully getting a permanant garage but things are moving slowly Background : I may be taking a short-term job abroad for a while and will be loosing my temporary storage while I'm away. Ideal locations would be Midlands or Wales (North or South) but I'm open to suggestions Any help appreciated !
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Nov 28, 2019 14:16:57 GMT
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Thanks everyone for the feedback and positive vibes ! To update our regualr readers (both of them), the car has moved to a new home and is in the process of being put back on the road (the new keeper is aware of this thread and will hopefully pick up where I left off) I'll use the thread above to share my experiences with the insurance company to keep this as a clean "build" thread, feel free to ask questions on the other thread. Next question : Does anyone have space / know where I can store a couple of motorbikes for a while? I'm hopefully getting a permanant garage but things are moving slowly Background : I may be taking a short-term job abroad for a while and will be loosing my temporary storage while I'm away. Ideal locations would be Midlands or Wales (North or South) but I'm open to suggestions Any help appreciated !
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Nov 28, 2019 14:08:23 GMT
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Question : Does anyone have space / know where I can store a couple of motorbikes for a while? I'm hopefully getting a permanant garage but things are moving slowly Background : I may be taking a short-term job abroad for a while and will be loosing my temporary storage while I'm away. Ideal locations would be Midlands or Wales (North or South) but I'm open to suggestions Any help appreciated !
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Nov 26, 2019 22:12:48 GMT
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More from the archives ... shortly after taking down the top half of a Retro 70s wall dividing the lounge from the kitchen End result is more my taste, simple and clean. Fitting a modern slimline radiator is always worth doing Top tip : don't underestimate how much effort it takes to lift vinyl floor tiles held down with vintage tar adhesive, then sand the bare floorboards! Picking up a complete set of good quality < spam filter alert > uni1ts is always a good idea for this type of project, loads of raw material - all very cheap Fun times (especially using an SDS drill to take down the brick wall)
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2019 22:49:35 GMT by nomad: fix image uploader
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Nov 26, 2019 16:49:19 GMT
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It happened a few weeks ago. Not sure if its going to be repairable or if I'm going to have to find another head. PM me if you get stuck (I have a spare alloy head in deep storage "Up North", may be able to dig it out sometime in December)
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Oct 26, 2019 16:03:33 GMT
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Oct 21, 2019 21:35:21 GMT
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Many thanks for the update but I think I've found a solution to my problems (I should know for sure in about a week)
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Solution (thanks to richie ) - you have to switch to desktop mode on an iphone before you can see / use the photo uploader. Case closed, many thanks !
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Oct 19, 2019 18:58:10 GMT
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In other news, I've just been told I have less than 3 weeks to empty a lock-up I've been using for storage.If anyone Tyneside / Midlands / Wales (North or South) or Devon (North or South) has some unused storage space can you let me know I think I've just arranged alternative storage today but I won't be able to get the keys for at least a month. Temporary storage between leaving the old unit and moving into the new one would be appreciated ! Public thanks / RR brownie points etc are available for anyone who can help - just ask
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Oct 19, 2019 18:17:12 GMT
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Never mind that, shame you forgot to take photos of assorted booze! Good luck on the next phase. I think the next phase is now arranged What started as a day trip to South Devon to meet a chap who needed an extra pair of hands (and to introduce myself) soon progressed. Don't you love it when a total stranger says "Here's the keys to the pub - help yourself to drinks - lock up when you're done" The daytrip was rapidly changed to a 3-day visit ! Day 2 was more of a "hands on" experience and started with some general questions including "Can you drive a tractor?". I soon found out this meant "Can you handle £130k of mega-tractor? We have a load of petrol pumps and a dozen commercial freezer cabinets - we need to get them onto flatbed trailers and move them from the pub to the farm". It was actually great fun working with someone who is on my wavelength and we got a huge amount of work completed. I was also asked if I could use a tidy MGF they had just "inherited" when they bought another pub, but a mate has one and they have zero capacity for carrying tat so I declined. The pub also has a selection of used van / campers for sale (and a 90s Rover saloon with bonnet bulge and lift-out targa roof panels - does anything else come to mind apart from a 220 Tomcat? ), it's not difficult to see myself doing some doing some work in exchange for a new set of wheels. Descisions, descisions...
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Last Edit: Oct 19, 2019 18:50:36 GMT by nomad: reformat iphone
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Oct 18, 2019 23:14:03 GMT
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Am I missing something obvious when I try to upload photos on an iphone (5s, ios 12 ) ? On windows (win8) & android the "reply to post" button at the end of a thread has an option to upload photos. On the iphone, the "reply to post" looks fine but there's no image uploader option. ( for backgound - I'm not too familar with Apple so no sure if there's a problem with the forum, the ipad, or the user )
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Oct 12, 2019 14:43:34 GMT
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Last Edit: Oct 12, 2019 14:46:09 GMT by nomad
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