Recent Diary Entries

  • Even Cheaper Car Insurance - no, really!

    April 08 2012 garry

    The insurance is due on my car next month, so I thought I'd see how much it'd gone up by and got some online quotes.

    Blimey. Last year was £500.. lowest quote I found today was £370. From the same company!?

    Not counting any chickens just yet, but that was a pleasant surprise. 

    UPDATE 1:

    I got an email from Confused.com claiming the lowest quote fo this years renewal (based on last years info +1 year where relevant) was £328. From the same company again!

  • Black M3 Badge

    March 03 2012 garry

    This time I removed the faded old chrome M3 badge from the boot and replaced it with a matt black one. I didn't realise until I'd removed the original that the replacement was actually bigger. Quite a lot bigger when you compare them side by side, but I don't think you can tell when looking at the new one in isolation. 

    First step was to heat the glue with a hair dryer

     

     

  • Another costly MOT

    March 09 2012 garry_corsa

    Another year, another four hundred quid to MOT the Corsa. I know, I know, it's not worth it but I've grown quite attached to that little car over the last 13 years or so.

    So, what was up this time? In short emmissions. To quote the garage, if failed "in every conceivable way" :-)

    So, a new lamda sensor and catalytic converter were fitted, but that didn't quite get it through so a new coil pack, leads and spark plugs were added and it just about made it through albeit with a slight misfire on cylinder 2 on idle. 

  • Black Boot Badge

    February 26 2012 garry

    After not getting around to it for months, I finally swapped the standard BMW boot badge (the roundel, not the M3 logo) for a black one to match the one on the bonnet, and the black indicators, and the black side repeaters, and the tinted windows. There might be a theme here :-)

     

    (Yes I know the number plate needs replacing!)

  • Wibble Wobble

    January 14 2012 garry

    In the last week or so I've noticed a slight wobble/vibration in the steering wheel. I can also feel it in my trouser legs in the calf area (sounds wierd, I know but that's where I can feel it!).

    Likely culprits are apparently tyres, wheels ot brakes.

  • It's back!

    October 08 2011 garry

     
    It's back! Picked the car up today after its major surgery. Luckily the receptionist was off ill, so I had the chance to speak to the workshop manager about what they did.
     
    If the cracks as less than 20mm (I think that was the figure, but it may have been less) then the standard procedure is to fill the floor with reinforcing foam. (The floor tears where the subframe mounts to it)
     

  • Whilst you're at it...

    September 16 2011 garry

     

  • In for repair

    September 10 2011 garry

    Dropped the car off at the bodyshop today for it's subframe repair. They are going to need it for three weeks!

    I had to sign a form authorising them to do the work on BMWs behalf, under warranty. Never been so keen to sign something before, after reading it of course. (And OBVIOUSLY not including the wedding register dear)

    I didn't bother pestinging them for a loan car as I commute on the train every day and have two other cars so it would just have sat outside the house being an insurance liability anyway.

  • The verdict

    August 31 2011 garry

     
    Hurrah! The dealers body shop called today asking when I could drop the car off to have the 'rear floor' issue repaired under warranty. Thank God for that.
    They need a few days to get the parts in, and I can only really drop it off on a Saturday, so it'll be a week or so before it goes in. But I'm so relieved!
     

  • Rust bubble popped

    August 24 2011 garry

     
    The car is back from being de-rusted, and as ever it's like magic - you can't tell the repair has been done. As a bonus, Rick even got rid of the black gunk that stuck the eyebrows on the headlights. (I had no idea how to get rid of it). Much better :-)
     

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