The Prancing Moose. Sold. 25.07.09

[volvosneverdie]

Road life extended until further notice........................
Cant afford to take it off the road yet, and having problems with the insurance paying out. So after a bit of crowbar work, a wheel downsize and a wash, its running with battle scars and added stickers.

[magnumpi]

Just keep it rolling dude, thts what matters. Keep meaning to get myself one of those ELV stickers.

[foggyjames]

I had to pop to Newc'astle for work, so took the liberty of having a good pooke around the car today...and a wee drive.

I think I'd forgotten how slow 1.4s are Once I'd got used to that, I was very impressed with how 'tight' the car is...the steering in particular. It's also in great condition. There are a few minor rusty bits, but it's much better than most cars, and the paint is in great shape. My overall impression of it was that it was 'tight'...it's only done 60k, but it feels like new...better than the 50k 343 when I got it. I haven't driven my 11k 343 enough to compare it...but this one feels like it might be better than that, too. Very impressed.

The only odd thing is with the suspension setup (lowering springs on the front, blocks on the back, otherwise stock). Again, it's pretty tight, but it's in the habit of 'see-sawing' backwards and forwards...which is an odd sensation. I think stiffer dampers might be in order, eventually. I'll be running exactly the same setup on my 343, but with gas shocks (KYBs on the front, Koni reds (or perhaps a pair of KYBs I have) on the rear)...so I'll report back on if I experience the same thing.

cheers

James

[Chris_C]

20year old dampers will cause see sawing, the uprated front springs (even more so compared to 20+year old springs that have lost their temper) will only amplify that.

If you can't afford spax atm mate, Monroes on the rear are awesome, I've rallied and dailyed on them for 3 years now. Fronts are pretty much a minefield still though...

[foggyjames]

I figure the Monroes and the KYBs are probably pretty similar. My only slight concern about the rear (used) KYBs I have is that last time I looked at them, one seemed more loose than the other...!

The red (i.e. adjustable) Konis would be the ideal thing, but I think I'll save those for the 360.

cheers

James

[volvosneverdie]

Something else to add to the list then.
Hadn't noticed the seesaw til James pointed it out (nothing to compare it to). So shiny new dampers duly noted down on my WANT list.
Spax ftw.
Good meeting you an all Foggy.
Top bloke.
With a car more luxurious than my house.
Since when is it ok for cars to have 'lazyboy' style rock back tipping, electricly heated, vibrating seats!!!????

Luxury. Tsk.
Want!

[Chris_C]

Yellow Konis ftw, which the 360cup boys say are available. Would love to get my hands on either

If you get jealous of Foggy's car Ben, just ask him how his waterpump is, thats been good for a laugh lately

[volvosneverdie]

Yellow Konis ftw, which the 360cup boys say are available. Would love to get my hands on either

If you get jealous of Foggy's car Ben, just ask him how his waterpump is, thats been good for a laugh lately

Oh I wouldn't want to have to drive it.
I'd just like to live in it.

[trabitom99]

Rear shocks are pretty easy to change, and can be got for cheap on the bay. Changed my knackered 300.000km rear shocks for a set of gas-filled QH ones on my 360 2 years ago, made a big difference to the handling ...

Tom

[volvosneverdie]

Rear shocks are pretty easy to change, and can be got for cheap on the bay. Changed my knackered 300.000km rear shocks for a set of gas-filled QH ones on my 360 2 years ago, made a big difference to the handling ...

Tom

Seen a few sets for cheap on Ebay Tom.
Wasnt sure what were good, and what were awfull though.

[trabitom99]

Well, I can recommend my Quinton Hazell Lip GasTec ones. Am pretty happy with those ...

Tom

[volvosneverdie]

Well, I can recommend my Quinton Hazell Lip GasTec ones. Am pretty happy with those ...

Tom

I'll keep my eyes peeled then.

Something elso to hunt for.

[foggyjames]

Aye, 'twas a pleasure meeting you too sir. Maximal thanks for helping me pass a few hours...

It was the PAS pump, Chris. I'm on my fourth one This latest one is fine, and it's from an 850 T5-R, so clearly +50bhp. I made a bit of a cock-up on fitting #3...it seems 960 ones aren't quite the same. The pulley offset is different, which caused the belt to run out of line and get chewed up by one of the idlers. The belt shreded, some of it went inside the timing belt cover...and caused the timing belt to slip at the crank end. I haven't stripped it down to see the full extent of the damage yet, but #5 has a valve head jangling around in the CC, and the spark plug is a hardcore mess. So...in the past two months I've fitted a new PAS rack, three replacement PAS pumps, and a new engine. Luxury has a high price

cheers

James

[Chris_C]

It was the PAS pump, Chris. I'm on my fourth one This latest one is fine, and it's from an 850 T5-R,=

Lol. Thing I don't understand, is I thought you got a shiney new car so you weren't constantly tail chasing it like we were with 300s? If you are having to put in just as much effort to keep it on the road but with more cost, surely it's time to chop it? Or is this not standard monthly hours to work on it

[foggyjames]

To be fair...it's been pretty good. It needed a clutch slave cylinder (which is a concentric one..i.e. part of the release bearing...i.e. annoying to change!), an air mass meter, a pair of CV gaiters...and a PAS pump.

Only the last one has been a PITA, which is mainly due to me messing up...several times in a row. It appears that whiteblock pumps are nothing like as hardy as redblock ones (two bad, and the 960 one aside from not fitting wasn't "right"), so if I were starting again I'd just buy a brand new one.

Overall, I don't think that's a bad list for 40k of motoring, bearing in mind the benefits over a 300...for the money, at least.

Oh...and a guy at work just had the dual-mass flywheel in his 04 plate Passat fail. The bill was in four figures...

cheers

James