SA Footy

Nothing to do with what you guys are talking about, but Im proud of myself, so I have to let people know.

I'll preface this by telling everyone I am absolutely USELESS when it comes to anything mechanical.

Last week, my BA Fairmonts drive belt tore to shreds, which totally f**ked the car obviously. I got it in the garage, and looked at a few pages online.

On the weekend I popped into Super Cheap and got a new drive belt and a ratchet set (previously had no use for one due to uselessness).

25 minutes and lots of engine grease later, I had it on and running. Surprised myself how easily I did it. I know its probably one of the easier things to do, but still happy I managed it.

Also, it saved me a fair bit of cash, because it was undriveable, I would've been up for either a tow or Lube Mobile as well as the labour.

Anyway, thats my story. Continue with your real car talk

as far as i am concerned HH3 that is real car talk. well done

tipper wrote:as far as i am concerned HH3 that is real car talk. well done

Yeah, I agree, my talks are purely pipe dreams & plans!

the milky bar kid wrote:

tipper wrote:as far as i am concerned HH3 that is real car talk. well done

Yeah, I agree, my talks are purely pipe dreams & plans!

I also have pipe dreams, but I dont know how far Ill get. I want to learn to do stuff. I was planning on doing small things to my Focus, but really finding it hard to find parts for my model. There's a really good place in the US call FSWerks, but their parts only fit the US models, which are very different from the Euro one that we get.

Now that I've fixed the Fairmont, I've decided Im gonna learn on this instead. Parts are much easier to come by, and much cheaper. Plus it does need some work. I have a grinding/gravelly noise coming from the rear, that I have self-diagnosed as the center bearing. Thats probably gonna be too hard for me to do. I also want to swap out the springs, because the previous owners (grey nomads) had special suspension put in to tow caravans, so the rear sits very high.

All of this may happen in the next 10 years

HH3 wrote:

the milky bar kid wrote:

tipper wrote:as far as i am concerned HH3 that is real car talk. well done

Yeah, I agree, my talks are purely pipe dreams & plans!

I also have pipe dreams, but I dont know how far Ill get. I want to learn to do stuff. I was planning on doing small things to my Focus, but really finding it hard to find parts for my model. There's a really good place in the US call FSWerks, but their parts only fit the US models, which are very different from the Euro one that we get.

Now that I've fixed the Fairmont, I've decided Im gonna learn on this instead. Parts are much easier to come by, and much cheaper. Plus it does need some work. I have a grinding/gravelly noise coming from the rear, that I have self-diagnosed as the center bearing. Thats probably gonna be too hard for me to do. I also want to swap out the springs, because the previous owners (grey nomads) had special suspension put in to tow caravans, so the rear sits very high.

All of this may happen in the next 10 years

Yeah, I do actually have a plan. However, renovating the kitchen & that gets priority apparently!
I need to find a reasonably priced & solid auto electrician to get some things tidied. Once I've done that, the interior comes & I have some patch panels for the floor ready to fix the issues there. Then everything goes back in & I also get to test my ability at installing a headliner.
Hopefully by April/May I'll be into this process

I've got works ($$) going into my XT in the next couple of weeks.

Trans is slipping 2nd>3rd, with only 47,000 miles on the clock, it's probably the first trans service it's ever had. $700+.





TMBK, hood linings, Custom Comfort Auto Trimmers in Main Tce at Richmond, about $300-400 for a new hood lining. Good work indeed.

Just changed the headlight globes in my BA Fairmont.

Sounds like a straight forward thing, but there's a few unexpected steps.

1) had to take the airbox and snorkel out and over the engine.

2) had to take the battery and casing out.

3) pulled the f**kin clip out of the light fitting on the first one, which added about 30 mins to the job, getting the c**t back in.

4) the second light (battery side) took about 4 minutes total coz I knew what not to do. Thats the good thing Ive found about cars. Do something once, and no matter how you go, you'll know exactly how to do it next time.

5) Put everything back in.

And so ends my latest chapter in car-fixery-uppering.

Psyber wrote:Looks good, Booney, and friends who have had them have been happy.

My current interest is the Renault Megane RS 265 - quite impressive handling and performance.

The problem is that no one wants to trade in an 18 year old Audi - even a hot model like the S2 - mainly because it is a rare vehicle and has a limited market.
I do have a couple of private collectors showing interest and am waiting for their offers.
Frankly though, I'd keep the Audi if I could do my own maintenance.

Well in the end I parted with my Suzuki GV3 and my 18 year old Audi S2 and bought the Renault Megane RS 265 Cup chassis model.
Running one car just made sense.

I had misgivings about Renault's overall reliability rating but the RS 265 was great to drive, and it hasn't put a foot (wheel?) wrong in 4 months.
I even succumbed to the yellow because I got a good deal on a demo, and it grows on you.
http://www.renault.com.au/vehicles/spor ... rs/265-cup

I've got a problem with my BA Fairmont.

From what I can figure out myself, I need a new Uni Joint and a new Centre Bearing.

I can get both off the internet for about $118 combined, but need a mechanic that won't change a ton to swap them in. I used to go to Elizabeth South mechanics when I lived at Munno. Hes a champion, but too far away now.

Does anyone know of a good, cheap, honest mechanic in the Port area? (Or close by?)

My brothers new company vehicle, Jeep Cherokee, after 9000km's it has had a $16,000 claim for a new transmission.

$35,000 car needs $16,000 on the warranty for a trans after only 9000k's!

"They brought a Jeep" - "Idiots"

that's not an uncommon story Boon.

We've just purchased a Hyundai Sante Fe and after only 200km to date, we can say it's pretty damn good. I'll reserve my final judgement of course. We're going on a longer trip on the weekend so that will give us some idea of what it's like to sit in for an extended period of time.

Booney wrote:Picked up this little number today.

2011 VW Passat. 2.0lt turbo diesel,6 speed DSG, sat nav, BOSE Audio, parking sensors, leather, cruise, etc etc.

Took this to Melbourne two weeks ago, filled it up at the servo near the Toll Gate from about 1/4 tank, $68.

Range on the dash said "1076 kms".

Drove to Melbourne and back to Ararat and the gauge was under 1/8th of a tank, range said "208 kms".

With a detour from Ballarat out to Avoca and back to Ararat ( added an extra 160kms to my trip ) - 1132 kms with some 200+ to go. Outstanding.

the milky bar kid wrote:You got some wheels to enter into this discussion Booney?

@the milky bar kid


Sorry mate, only saw this today.

Yep, 69 XT, 221 ci, 3 speed auto, bench front, 47,000 genuine miles, I'm second owner. Had it about 6 years, done 2000 miles in 6 years.

Gave it a respray, reworked the heads, re-trimmed the hood lining.

I have to replace the power window mechanism in the drivers side door of my BA Fairmont.

Anyone done this? This is what my understanding of what needs done is. Tell me if I'm on the right track.

- Tape the window while its up to the top of the door with strong masking tape.
- Take the inside of the door off. Should be some clips and screws.
- Disconnect the power plugs from the mechanism to the car,
- Take the f**ked mechanism out. (I assume its screwed to the door somehow.)
- Put the new one in its place. Make sure the window is correctly fitted to the mechanism.
- Plug the new one into the car.
- Replace the inside of the door.
- Take tape off window.
- Walk inside and tell the missus how f**kin good I am.

You never tested it to see if it actually works before spruiking..

Mr Beefy wrote:You never tested it to see if it actually works before spruiking..

Thats pretty standard.

Mr Beefy wrote:You never tested it to see if it actually works before spruiking..

Minor detail

Had the old girl fully serviced.

Flushed the radiator, block, new thermostat, new uni joint at the diff, trans service ( bands adjusted ), fluids changed, timing done....purring like a kitten ready for the summer ahead.

Probably head out with the SMASA cruise on Saturday night.

Good to go...

gadj1976 wrote:that's not an uncommon story Boon.

We've just purchased a Hyundai Sante Fe and after only 200km to date, we can say it's pretty damn good. I'll reserve my final judgement of course. We're going on a longer trip on the weekend so that will give us some idea of what it's like to sit in for an extended period of time.

4500km down and the car is fantastic. Love it. Averaging about 8.7l/100km around town. Even the missus, who drives a car and doesn't understand the need to check anything other than petrol, loves it and can't believe how infrequently she has to fill up.