Sam's '98 XSi - Irene

[samass]

Here she is, in an old photo, before i even got her on the road



1998, 2.0l 16v XSi 5 door, with 97k on the clock.

My sister had her before I did, and after a few months the cambelt snapped so she sat at the garage for the best part of a year before we finally got her towed back to mine. Original plan was to break her for parts and try get back the money we paid for her, but then I found a cheap engine and gearbox, complete for £150.

no brainer really, out with the old, in with the new;





Did the sensible thing of a full service on the engine before i dropped it in, plugs, cambelt, oil, etc,etc, chose the better of the two clutches aswell.

Took about a week, fitting it in around uni and that, did new wishbones, handbrake cables, RO/S caliper, front discs and pads, fresh brake fluid and she was ready to go!
Got her through the MOT second time round, needed a new indicator bulb, and that was it!

That was all back in may/june of last year, and I drove her up to scotland the weekend after the mot with no issues!

So as it stands, totally standard other than I removed the grill from the front grill, it was all broken and looked shit.

Shes my daily, which is a biiit pricey, but ho hum, shes quick and comfy!

Plans as and when I can afford, are crystals, leccy windows in the back, lowered a bit, and I've always wanted yellow tinted fogs and headlights, so I might just do that come payday... also gunna wire in some extra boot lights, want to be able to see what im doing back there!