Mission: Nice'n'shiny (and fully functional)



  • lol, SNAP!! I'm pretty useless, too, when it comes to cars. Luckily my mates know their way around a garage! The squeaky belt when you start could be the fan belt, other members will know better than I do tho.



  • Made some better quality pics of those ugly dents on/behind the passenger door today. Will ask around for some quotes on fixing them. Anyone has any idea on what price I am looking at? And if it actually can be really fixed?


    DSC_0057.JPG by UB80, on Flickr

    Also made some pics of an exposed engine. Surely could do with some cleaning and some paint:


    DSC_0063.NEF by UB80, on Flickr

    PS: Also ordered a new alternator belt today.



  • Rear quarter can be repaired, door needs doing too, I'd say £300 - £400



  • Got a quote this morning for removing those dents and respraying the two panels (door and behind-door). Adds up to £265 - which is not bad but still quite a bit.

    There is also a slight bent on the right wing which I asked for a quote too - but they did recommend replacing the wing rather then trying to repair. Which is probably cheaper if I can get one from a scrap yard.



  • Also got my new fanbelt today. Will change it on Saturday as this should give me enough time to mess around with it.



  • Ok guys - I need some help. Got a new alternator belt, was thinking everything is clear on how to do the change - but once I had to car up, took the dirt-shield on the bottom off to get to everything nicely I got stuck.


    DSC_0062.JPG by UB80, on Flickr


    DSC_0071.JPG by UB80, on Flickr

    So the left belt is the power-steering-belt and I have to take that one off to get to the alternator belt (right one), correct? Problem is: How?

    And how do I then get the alternator belt off? I can see some bolts on that front-part (as seen on the pictures) but can't really see the same setup on the back for the alternator?



  • While taking that dirt-cover off I also discovered that:


    DSC_0067.NEF by UB80, on Flickr

    Guess that is some kind of heat-shield around the exhaust-pipe? It was basically just hanging on there - so I took it off to see if that might be the source of that annoying ringing-sound. Unfortunately it was not. What can seen a bit on the picture is that there are some huge hole in the front-box. It seems it is just the outside-box that it rusted away but surely not good :(



  • Right - haven't changed the belt but at least figured our how to tighten it up and doing that seems to have fixed the squeaking-issue.

    Also gave the car a nice wash. All shiny now - but still makes the ringing sound at around 2500rpm :(



  • That next box is the cat, it does have a heatsheild so it may just be that with a hole unless its making a noise, also your sump looks quite rusty so make sure that oil patch on there isnt from a pin hole in that, they do get a battering down there



  • I have not updated this since some time - mainly because I have not done anything on the car and I decided that I won't. The plan is to replace it within the next few months. However - I am still not 100% sure with what I will replace it. At the moment I have a number of options:

    a) Get an other MX3. It has to be a V6. And I want leather. Big plus is that it has 4 seats and a boot big enough to call it so. And every time I sit in my car I think "That is such a nice car! Love it!". However - I really hate the noise of everything vibrating and rattling. I did read some stuff about sound proofing and might give that a try.

    b) Get a MR2-Mk1. I just like the look and they are for sure fun to drive. However - they only have two seats and basically no boot. At the moment that may be ok - but I would hate to let go of a nice car (especially as I may spend some money on it) because I can't fit a childseat.

    c) Get a Golf. No - just kidding ;)

    Maybe there are some other nice cars I did not consider yet. Perfect would be a Coupe with 4 seats and enough bootspace but with enough "fun". Looked at the FTO - but hate the back. Won't be driving a Fiat or Hyundai. GTO or Supra are just a bit too "much" for daily use I think.



  • Calibra?



  • If you're not sticking with an MX3, you should consider a Mitsubishi Mivec Mirage/Colt, Toyota Levin BZR or a Nissan Pulsar VZR. Quick as fuck, very practical and can be picked up for less than 2k euro over here.



  • @e28897a556=tomtom:

    I have not updated this since some time - mainly because I have not done anything on the car and I decided that I won't. The plan is to replace it within the next few months. However - I am still not 100% sure with what I will replace it. At the moment I have a number of options:

    a) Get an other MX3. It has to be a V6. And I want leather. Big plus is that it has 4 seats and a boot big enough to call it so. And every time I sit in my car I think "That is such a nice car! Love it!". However - I really hate the noise of everything vibrating and rattling. I did read some stuff about sound proofing and might give that a try.

    b) Get a MR2-Mk1. I just like the look and they are for sure fun to drive. However - they only have two seats and basically no boot. At the moment that may be ok - but I would hate to let go of a nice car (especially as I may spend some money on it) because I can't fit a childseat.

    c) Get a Golf. No - just kidding ;)

    Maybe there are some other nice cars I did not consider yet. Perfect would be a Coupe with 4 seats and enough bootspace but with enough "fun". Looked at the FTO - but hate the back. Won't be driving a Fiat or Hyundai. GTO or Supra are just a bit too "much" for daily use I think.

    I know where you coming from as I went through all this before I bought my MX3…Thats all im saying :)



  • @68cfd6ac4b=Ice:

    Calibra?

    wash your mouth out



  • Yeah - some Opel (or Vauxhall) is just as likely as a Golf. I remember that one of my mates got himself a Calibra when he got his license - which was in the very late 90s. And that thingi was so shit and broken he gave it back after 2 weeks. Back then that car was maybe a few years old and not like 20 as it will be now.

    There really is not much choice of good-looking, fun-to-drive and affordable cars. A Honda CRX or even Del Sol might be an other option.



  • lack of choice agreed there! must admit an SiR Delsol could be quite fun but then again would of choosen a MX-5 over that tbh or even an MR2.



  • Compared to the MR2 the Del Sol has at least some boot space. Of course it does not have a mid-engine and the Mk1 is for sure more of a beauty - but the Del Sol is still something to take home ;)

    A MX-5 is totally out of question. I like the idea of a T-Bar or a hardtop like on the Del Sol - but no full convertible. And the hardtop on the MX-5 looks out of place me thinks. Also: It still is a hairdressers car :P



  • The Del Sol is even more of a hairdressers car and not a scratch on the MX5 in terms of, well, pretty much everything!

    A CRX SiR would be a good choice though.



  • Ok, another impulsive shot in the dark, Nissan 200? Ps I only mentioned the Calibra as I had a 4wd one and the boot was big and 4 seats… mouth well and truly washed out! LOL



  • A 200 is a totally different class of car, and a far better one at that. If you can pick up a clean one then you're laughing.


 

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