Dave the Renegade:
harry_gill:
Dave the Renegade:
The batteries on both of my vans are Varta blue which are excellent,as you say Brian.Most of the hauliers this way use Varta batteries on their lorries.I took a Banner battery off one of my vans which wasn’t man enough to start the thing in cold weather.The battery wasn’t flat,but not enough of oomph to start it when cold.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
It’s funny how motoring spares have varied in price the things you need for a service
costing a fortune I find it cheaper to let the garage service my car than it is to buy
the bits to do the job yet stuff like aforementioned tyres and batteries costing a lot
less by comparison than they did years ago, spark plugs I remember was always around
four for a quid now they’re around four quid each and how engine oil has rocketed in
price glad my car doesn’t use any between services.
thanks harry, long retired.
I wouldn’t have a clue what spark plugs cost nowadays Harry.Both of my vans are turbo diesel.Thankfully neither use any oil between services either.The transit has done well over 250,000 miles and the sprinter 104,000,so I can’t complain.
I get my wiper blade rubbers changed locally instead of buying the complete thing.I did have a one man band mechanic maintaining my vans for years,but as he is so busy I had my sprinter serviced at a Merc sub agent last time,and it wasn’t to dear.
Cheers Dave.
How often do you change the belt on the Transit Dave?
Last few years of my working life I had a couple of Transits (one for me and one for the sister in law), they both put a lot of miles in but the timing belt on the sister in laws was VERY unreliable, I think the top pulley was not on perfectly square and the belt broke quite often, luckily it didn’t do much damage. We eventually changed the front engine plate, made sure everything lined up and it ran OK after that. The transit I used was a good motor, just about trouble free, just changed the belt at the specified mileage. I think the Mercs. are chain. I tried a Merc but preferred the Transit.
grumpy old man:
Dave the Renegade:
harry_gill:
Dave the Renegade:
The batteries on both of my vans are Varta blue which are excellent,as you say Brian.Most of the hauliers this way use Varta batteries on their lorries.I took a Banner battery off one of my vans which wasn’t man enough to start the thing in cold weather.The battery wasn’t flat,but not enough of oomph to start it when cold.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
It’s funny how motoring spares have varied in price the things you need for a service
costing a fortune I find it cheaper to let the garage service my car than it is to buy
the bits to do the job yet stuff like aforementioned tyres and batteries costing a lot
less by comparison than they did years ago, spark plugs I remember was always around
four for a quid now they’re around four quid each and how engine oil has rocketed in
price glad my car doesn’t use any between services.
thanks harry, long retired.
I wouldn’t have a clue what spark plugs cost nowadays Harry.Both of my vans are turbo diesel.Thankfully neither use any oil between services either.The transit has done well over 250,000 miles and the sprinter 104,000,so I can’t complain.
I get my wiper blade rubbers changed locally instead of buying the complete thing.I did have a one man band mechanic maintaining my vans for years,but as he is so busy I had my sprinter serviced at a Merc sub agent last time,and it wasn’t to dear.
Cheers Dave.
How often do you change the belt on the Transit Dave?
Last few years of my working life I had a couple of Transits (one for me and one for the sister in law), they both put a lot of miles in but the timing belt on the sister in laws was VERY unreliable, I think the top pulley was not on perfectly square and the belt broke quite often, luckily it didn’t do much damage. We eventually changed the front engine plate, made sure everything lined up and it ran OK after that. The transit I used was a good motor, just about trouble free, just changed the belt at the specified mileage. I think the Mercs. are chain. I tried a Merc but preferred the Transit.
hiya,
Personally I think it depends on what type of driving you do, if you drive locally
on stop start short distance work I recommend you change the belt 10,000 miles
before the recommended mileage eg 60,000 rather than 70,000 the man at my
local garage endorses this, and he’s a pal of mine.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
grumpy old man:
Dave the Renegade:
harry_gill:
Dave the Renegade:
The batteries on both of my vans are Varta blue which are excellent,as you say Brian.Most of the hauliers this way use Varta batteries on their lorries.I took a Banner battery off one of my vans which wasn’t man enough to start the thing in cold weather.The battery wasn’t flat,but not enough of oomph to start it when cold.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
It’s funny how motoring spares have varied in price the things you need for a service
costing a fortune I find it cheaper to let the garage service my car than it is to buy
the bits to do the job yet stuff like aforementioned tyres and batteries costing a lot
less by comparison than they did years ago, spark plugs I remember was always around
four for a quid now they’re around four quid each and how engine oil has rocketed in
price glad my car doesn’t use any between services.
thanks harry, long retired.
I wouldn’t have a clue what spark plugs cost nowadays Harry.Both of my vans are turbo diesel.Thankfully neither use any oil between services either.The transit has done well over 250,000 miles and the sprinter 104,000,so I can’t complain.
I get my wiper blade rubbers changed locally instead of buying the complete thing.I did have a one man band mechanic maintaining my vans for years,but as he is so busy I had my sprinter serviced at a Merc sub agent last time,and it wasn’t to dear.
Cheers Dave.
How often do you change the belt on the Transit Dave?
Last few years of my working life I had a couple of Transits (one for me and one for the sister in law), they both put a lot of miles in but the timing belt on the sister in laws was VERY unreliable, I think the top pulley was not on perfectly square and the belt broke quite often, luckily it didn’t do much damage. We eventually changed the front engine plate, made sure everything lined up and it ran OK after that. The transit I used was a good motor, just about trouble free, just changed the belt at the specified mileage. I think the Mercs. are chain. I tried a Merc but preferred the Transit.
hiya,
Personally I think it depends on what type of driving you do, if you drive locally
on stop start short distance work I recommend you change the belt 10,000 miles
before the recommended mileage eg 60,000 rather than 70,000 the man at my
local garage endorses this, and he’s a pal of mine.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hi Brian & Harry,
The cam belt on my transit has been changed about every 60,000.The Merc has a five cylinder engine.I had a cam belt go back in the 1980’s on a 1.6 ■■■■■■ estate at 26,000 miles and I’d had the vehicle from new.It bent four valves and cracked a couple of rocker plates,and the vehicle had been well maintained,its the only one in 47 years that has had anything major done to it.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
A lot of the later Toyota’s are fitted with timing chains supposedly will last the
life of the engine, and you always got a bit of warning with chains a “death”
rattle a long time before they gave up and in the old days of rear wheel drive
motors a piece of cake to renew, have done dozens over the years, the last
one on a Ford Zodiac for a pal of mine.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,
A lot of the later Toyota’s are fitted with timing chains supposedly will last the
life of the engine, and you always got a bit of warning with chains a “death”
rattle a long time before they gave up and in the old days of rear wheel drive
motors a piece of cake to renew, have done dozens over the years, the last
one on a Ford Zodiac for a pal of mine.
thanks harry, long retired.
I don’t know much about Japanese cars Harry,apart from what I’ve heard off other people,most of it positive.
I have had mainly Fords and Vauxhalls apart from an Austin A35 van and my sprinter.
Had Cortina’s,Anglia 105E,Escorts then Cavaliers and a Vectra in the car line. Living where I do,you could always take them to the local garage for repairs etc,whereas a few years ago they didn’t do much with foreign cars.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Dave garages have had to become “multinationals” repairing all makes, well repair
isn’t the operational word nowadays the computer does the repairs in most cases a
case one tool fits all, the home mechanic, and I was pretty capable of doing a large
part of my own repairs and other family members jobs, no longer exist but if you
haven’t got stuff to go into the puter and know how to use it there’s very little work
you can do yourself, if I was a million years younger my motor would be a Morris 1000
and the garage would only get test and petrol money out of me, Dave most of the cars
you’ve listed I have also owned and most of them was a DIYers dream everything could
be done by the home mechanic if in possession of a decent toolkit and the knowledge.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,
Dave garages have had to become “multinationals” repairing all makes, well repair
isn’t the operational word nowadays the computer does the repairs in most cases a
case one tool fits all, the home mechanic, and I was pretty capable of doing a large
part of my own repairs and other family members jobs, no longer exist but if you
haven’t got stuff to go into the puter and know how to use it there’s very little work
you can do yourself, if I was a million years younger my motor would be a Morris 1000
and the garage would only get test and petrol money out of me, Dave most of the cars
you’ve listed I have also owned and most of them was a DIYers dream everything could
be done by the home mechanic if in possession of a decent toolkit and the knowledge.
thanks harry, long retired.
Very true Harry.These days even the blokes that have diagnostic equipment can’t get hold of the software unless they are agents for the makes of vehicle. The local good mechanics can’t do the job without the laptop with the right kit.
Another way of getting us to part with our brass.
I never owned a Morris 1000,my then long term girlfriend didn’t like them,reckoned they looked old fashioned,excellent vehicles,drove a few vans and pick up truck forms of them at work.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
harry_gill:
hiya,
Dave garages have had to become “multinationals” repairing all makes, well repair
isn’t the operational word nowadays the computer does the repairs in most cases a
case one tool fits all, the home mechanic, and I was pretty capable of doing a large
part of my own repairs and other family members jobs, no longer exist but if you
haven’t got stuff to go into the puter and know how to use it there’s very little work
you can do yourself, if I was a million years younger my motor would be a Morris 1000
and the garage would only get test and petrol money out of me, Dave most of the cars
you’ve listed I have also owned and most of them was a DIYers dream everything could
be done by the home mechanic if in possession of a decent toolkit and the knowledge.
thanks harry, long retired.
Very true Harry.These days even the blokes that have diagnostic equipment can’t get hold of the software unless they are agents for the makes of vehicle. The local good mechanics can’t do the job without the laptop with the right kit.
Another way of getting us to part with our brass.
I never owned a Morris 1000,my then long term girlfriend didn’t like them,reckoned they looked old fashioned,excellent vehicles,drove a few vans and pick up truck forms of them at work.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Dave I forget to add the essential Haynes Manual, dozens of which I have
recently donated to the local RSPCA charity shop, everything from the old
Austin A40 to I think the latest being the Citroen Zsara my last but one car.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
Dave the Renegade:
harry_gill:
hiya,
Dave garages have had to become “multinationals” repairing all makes, well repair
isn’t the operational word nowadays the computer does the repairs in most cases a
case one tool fits all, the home mechanic, and I was pretty capable of doing a large
part of my own repairs and other family members jobs, no longer exist but if you
haven’t got stuff to go into the puter and know how to use it there’s very little work
you can do yourself, if I was a million years younger my motor would be a Morris 1000
and the garage would only get test and petrol money out of me, Dave most of the cars
you’ve listed I have also owned and most of them was a DIYers dream everything could
be done by the home mechanic if in possession of a decent toolkit and the knowledge.
thanks harry, long retired.
Very true Harry.These days even the blokes that have diagnostic equipment can’t get hold of the software unless they are agents for the makes of vehicle. The local good mechanics can’t do the job without the laptop with the right kit.
Another way of getting us to part with our brass.
I never owned a Morris 1000,my then long term girlfriend didn’t like them,reckoned they looked old fashioned,excellent vehicles,drove a few vans and pick up truck forms of them at work.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Dave I forget to add the essential Haynes Manual, dozens of which I have
recently donated to the local RSPCA charity shop, everything from the old
Austin A40 to I think the latest being the Citroen Zsara my last but one car.
thanks harry, long retired.
Those Haynes Manuals would be collectors items now Harry,also some of the classic car enthusiasts would be after them.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Dave did advertise them but got no interest so unloaded down the charity
shop whilst they was still wrapped up in the car boot, the missus wouldn’t
have been pleased if I’d brought them back indoors and put them back in
the cupboard.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,
Dave did advertise them but got no interest so unloaded down the charity
shop whilst they was still wrapped up in the car boot, the missus wouldn’t
have been pleased if I’d brought them back indoors and put them back in
the cupboard.
thanks harry, long retired.
I have to do that with Commercial motor mags here Harry,they get quite a big pile with it being a weekly magazine,so I pass them on.I do hang on to the other mags,plus I have a lot of lorry books,but they are in here where the puter is.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
Norm coming second, Dave coming third bloody hell I’m only an also ran
and that’s in a big field of runners.
thanks harry, long retired.
I think I do very well to third in a field of three runners Harry.
Cheers Dave.
Well I am head of this house as I’m the most responsible one…whenever anything goes wrong it appears that I am responsible! 
Pete.
Dave the Renegade:
Lawrence Dunbar:
Norman Ingram:
See that Dave, 
the women rule the roost, 
not a lot changes where ever you live. 
Even Larry is controlled by she who must be obeyed. 
Aye , But Im working on it, I get the blame for everything, But mind you I have to be very carefull otherwise my pocket money is stopped, Eh Ha Ha, Regards Larry.
It would be easier to argue with a nasty dog.They are very similar creatures,both can be coaxed into wagging their tails…So my Grandad told me.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
I’d liked to have had a drink with your Grandad Dave I might have managed to steer
clear of females after having listened to his sound advice would have gladly bought
him a few pints for a bit of his common sense.
thanks harry, long retired.
Well it’s because since she had a hip operation three weeks ago this friday, she has treated me like a slave. 