Takes a long while, but eventually we learn sense!

uhn113x · Unread post by **uhn113x** » 07 Aug 2011, 08:22

Hi Folks

Thought it was about time I posted on here as I've been around since the Andyspares era.

We've still got our wonderful Dyane that's shown on my avatar.

For a couple of years my transport is a Xsara HDi - nowt wrong with it and fantastic mpg, but it's a modern, full of electronics (a subject which I do know summat about) and if anything needed any serious repair, nobody seems to know anything about them; spares will eventually dry up and be expensive, as modern cars have carefully calculated eat-by dates. It still has those ancient springs and torsion bars for suspension as well.

My car criteria are simple; reliability, comfort, spares availability, ease of maintenance and room for camping gear. My wife's Dyane does it; an E-Type or Ferrari would be no use at all.

The best one I ever owned was my GSA Pallas, and I regretted selling it (to another Dyane owner a few miles down the road in 2005.) It had about 70,000 on the clock and ran beautifully. Metallic blue bodywork was a bit faded, so a respray was on the cards.

Matt never actually used it, so first call was to ask him if he wanted it; answer was "not really" so it's now mine again. After not running for a few years, a charged battery took a few minutes and it settled down to a nearly inaudible idle. Wouldn't rise, though.
The other aircooled flat-four that sounds like gravel in a spindryer, eat your heart out!
A quick bleed of the pressure regulator and some more LHM and up she came.
The floors are perfect, a bit of work needed on the wings and one sill and a complete stripdown of the body and trim ready for a respray will mean I'll have a proper car by January.
Though I am perfectly capable of welding and spraying having done it many times, I haven't the time, inclination nor room, so Rob Moss (Chevronics) whom I've known for years is doing it for me; the car is being transported down there to Hitchin.

Watch this space.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 07 Aug 2011, 08:46

Hi Mike,

great to see you back here, if I remember correctly didn't you have a DS at one point?

uhn113x · Unread post by **uhn113x** » 07 Aug 2011, 09:02

That's right, Dickie; sold it as maintaining it takes your life over, but a great car.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 07 Aug 2011, 09:22

uhn113x wrote:That's right, Dickie; sold it as maintaining it takes your life over, but a great car.

They can be rather expensive to run, I spent quite a lot (loads) in the first couple of years after I bought mine.