Skull wrote: 24 Jul 2022, 23:17
7th year and approaching 30,000 miles ....
bought 9 Mar 15 @ 121,630
Xantia 2.0 HDi SX Hatch Purchased £576.33 (inc train fare)
Estimate @ £1,000 on service parts (Might do an accurate tally up)
Approx 5.5p @ mile before adding on Ins/Tax /MoT's
I got decent service from my two Xantia's Skull, both bargain basement jobs under £500 at the time, and the added benefit of joining the FCF and getting some excellent assistance for a Citroen novice when fettling was required
Art but not as we know it Double Double Chevrons Bargain Basement Xantias
With the absence of windolene in chez nous, and me reluctant to turn into a windolene buyer I think thats it for the wet and drying of the headlights from 240/400/800/1200/1500/2000/2500. They look considerably better than most Micra's of that vintage on the road, and a quick application of WD40 just before the test should have them looking clear enough fingers crossed
after the 2500 grit
The next thing I need to look into getting is a few of those flexible brake hose retaining metal clips. Get rid of the unsightly cable ties currently used for the purpose, because a few went walkabout.
To give BB Micra the best chance of getting through the MOT without a retest, I think I have to turn my mind to part-worn tyres now. Have committed to getting the car through now, barring uneconomic repairs being found. Existing ones are a bit marginal, and a new set is definitely out.
The car is on SORN now. There was some problem with the online site as being on direct debit the tax is collected to the end of the month and I don't get the normal reminder so didn't have the 16 digit code which the online system demanded. Wouldn't let me use the V5 12 digit code.
So phoned up and there is a 24 hour automated service which did allow the V5 code to be used, and for the Car to be SORN-ed from the first of next month.
Bit of an anomaly with the normal on-line service I think due to paying by direct debit.
NewcastleFalcon wrote: 27 Jul 2022, 07:45
To give BB Micra the best chance of getting through the MOT without a retest, I think I have to turn my mind to part-worn tyres now....Existing ones are a bit marginal, and a new set is definitely out.
Not having looked into them before I thought I would have a read...
Plenty Part-worn Tyre places around, never darkened their doors, but maybe not as cheap as I am thinking.
In the old days I have had wheels and tyres for £3 each from a scrapyard but that was some time ago. Often the spare can be in pretty decent condition.
Time to get out the 20p piece and see what state the current ones are in.
I haven't bought any part worn tyres for years.
The last few sets I put on have been Sailun and have performed better than the big name tyres at a very low cost. The first ones were £33 each delivered, fitted by my local garage.
Subsequently the price increased a bit and I fitted wider tyres, last set were £40 each.
None of them ever needed balancing.
I used Camskill and Oponeo for them but they don't appear to be listed there any more, had to have Toyo Proxes last time for the Civic.
I do know that National have them but wouldn't darken their doors.
New tyres can be less expensive that part worn.
The place I took daughter's car for a repair charge £40 for most tyres around 15"~19" wheels, all in.
They are a decent crew there. CT Tyres in Birtley. Near the crematorium.
Thanks Steve, in the process of assessing options. Tyres are 165/70/14's.
These are the same ones which are currently on the car, 2 for £40 odd with 5.4mm tread part worn. Fitting to be added. Probably need them before the timetable of order and deliver and arrange fitting would allow.
I am lucky having my chap in Hertford who as I described elsewhere generally is able to supply me with part worn continentals from Poland/Germany with 5-7mm tread for £40 each fitted and balanced.
However the one thing I would advise is that part worn quality tyres are very similarly priced to new budget tyres in general. Thus I prefer to go for the noise and grip levels of the contis over new budgets. I generally get around 15-18 k miles per set.
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
I normally buy part-worn but it's becoming harder to find fitters willing to fit them (history/liability ?) plus the cost of fitting / valves / balancing at my obliging garage is now £15 a wheel so anything under 5mm tread isn't really worth fitting luckily I only do low mileage so I can usually sell the car before I need to change them again ....
On my 4th Citroën Xantia (X2 HDi (110))
Citroën sAXo Memphis Mk II
Gone
Xantia x3 (2.0i TCT Activa)(2.1 TD SX)(1.9 TD Estate)
Xsara HDi VTR Coupe / Saxo 1.1i / BX 1.9 d / 4 x AX's (1.4D /1.5D)
2 x 406 (1.9 TD Estate/2.1 TD Saloon) 405 1.9 D Estate 306 1.9 XTDT Hatch
I ended up buying my own manual tyre fitter and cheap used proper wheel balancer in need of fixing - it just needed a new ribbon cable. There's 5 motors at Bobin's Towers and 2 of them have winter sets as well. The kit has paid for itself already and I get to make sure the wheels are balanced to my satisfaction
I have been out with my 20p and to my eyes, I'll call them the main circumferential grooves, are all legal according to what I have assessed from this info. The bit on the right is from the MOT Testers Manual and I see it specifically says
"Either side of the central three-quarters of the tyre can be devoid of tread (‘bald’)." Obviously not that desirable, but worn looking tread patterns on the edge not a fail point.
/MoT's
luckily I only do low mileage so I can usually sell the car before I need to change them again ....
