Toms306's China HDi Estate 2012

[samass]

Dammit, i was hoping you might come up with a solution to the bonnet release.

replace the spring?


nice one tom, seems you're getting on top of the issues

[WiNgNuTz]

I could, but as Tom quite rightly said, meh. I'll live with it for now, its been like it since i got the car last year.

[samass]

lol, too bad you werent about 20 hours quicker, i coulda ripped the spring off irene before she got dragged away

[WiNgNuTz]

Never mind. Like i say, i can live with it, i've got into the habit of pushing it back as soon as ive pulled it anyway.

[samass]

HAH!!

Giggitty!

[C2K]

This is moving on nicely Tom, fair play. Not easy to progress in the shitty winter months.

[Toms306]

...i've got into the habit of pushing it back as soon as ive pulled it anyway.

But back to the bonnet release..... Yeah I do the same, not really an issue when you know the 'knack' tbh.

Its getting too cold, wet and dark to be fixing cars on the driveway this time of year. But just incase i do get round to fixing it, where is the spring, bonnet catch end or handle end? And how easy is it to change?

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This is moving on nicely Tom, fair play. Not easy to progress in the shitty winter months.

Very true...whats annoying is that we have a perfectly useable garage, it's not massive, but I'm skinny enough to get round either side of the car in there, and atleast its level, dry and warm......However it's full of crap! I've got rid of most of the Golf arts from there now, just a few hanging in the loft atm...and a head on the floor lol, sod lifting that to the loft, but the majority is Mum's BF's stuff thats been hanging around in there since he moved in over 2 years ago...I've even offered to dump it for him!

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What the hell is going on with the quotes? In the edit box it looks right...yet hitting post it duplicates the quotes!? Anyway, clearly the first quote was meant to be wingnutz!

[Toms306]

Update on broken bits....

Harsh steering wheel wobble when braking hard from speed - it has new front pads and discs but Im guessing they weren't bedded in right and warped...can I just replace the discs or will the pads have to be replaced too? As said they're really new, only done like 1000 miles!

Airbag light intermittent flash - fed up with having french electrics again already lol, the wires have already been crimped under the drivers seat so i'd better check the passengers seat, atleast theres no seat airbags though.

Passenger airbag cover - why doesn't this sit flush? I've seen a lot of 306s where it flaps about but this is the first one I've had that has moved! Does it just push in?? And how does it even come out, I guess annoying passengers have pulled it at some point!?

[C2K]

I wouldn't jump to replace the discs just yet, try to drive through it as you may have left pad deposits on the discs attempting to bed them in. There are two schools of thought for this, cane it and drive gently on them. I find the latter works with some good success, just takes a few miles.

Airbag lights are a continual pain! Passenger airbag includes the cover iirc, has about 6 unusual triangular nuts on the bottom of the airbag, you need to take the glovebox out if i remember.

[Toms306]

They were done shortly before I got the car, and the wobble has been there since I got it for about a week/400ish miles now. I'll just leave it for now though.

The glovebox is already broken (comes all the way down if you're heavy handed with it) so maybe someone tried to fix it before, and also the pass airbag switch was upside down makes me woder if it went off and was replaced. Screws cant just fall out so I assume the plastic mounts have been broken on the cover plate then.

[Toms306]

So this is what its looking like currently.....a dirty old 306 estate.

   

And finally got these! Although not sure if the plastic around the end coils is there for any reason or just packaging? Any ideas?

   

[Niall]

tom i think your supposed to leave the rubber on? at least i did when i fitted mine anyway and it hasnt caused any issues.

[Toms306]

Fair enough, just not seen ones with that before lol.

[samass]

standard eibach practise to have the sleeve, just helps with rust prevention as it protects the paint on the coils

also, f*ck the haters, i like the lights

[Toms306]

Ah right, will leave 'em then, is a good idea!


After the lowerage, I just need to whip off the old cracked number plates, debadge then give it a damn good clean and that'll be me done with it for the winter at least. Well except some floor mats....anyone bought any decent tailored fixed ones for less than like 20 quid?

[procta]

Your perfect car does exist you just can't afford it!
Electric car that does 5284620464293 mpg. But at the same time has a 2 litre petrol engine so plenty of bawpppp. Shame it just idles when the batteries need charge. :p

dont get him started on mpg!!
anyway tom you have made a quick start with that!

[Toms306]

Yeah definitly don't mention mpg....still only getting 51mpg.

And yeah its a quick start, it may not be staying long haha.

[Eeyore]

im sick of your constant moaning tom but i do like whats happening with the car! Definitely need to change your signature now though! I keep thinking that youre posting as me! D: Looks good in the picture and itll be awesome when its lowered Im back from uni on the 15th so ill see you that weekend for car antics and maybe a trip to autobreak?

[Toms306]

Your sigs wrong now as well lol.

Well have to see what happens December mate I'm sure I can give you a hand though.

[procta]

tom dont you even think about gettin shot of this yet!

[C2K]

Lol why put all that work into something to sell it straight away. I take pride in fixing all the niggles then driving around!

[Tom]

Nice project you got going here Tom! I do love the ONLY 51mpg... Its such a hard life haha

[Toms306]

Lol why put all that work into something to sell it straight away. I take pride in fixing all the niggles then driving around!

Simply because it costs so much to run....I assumed I'd get 55-60mpg from it, I also assumed insurance would be a lot cheaper but I knew the tax was expensive. I took the wrong choice in the catch 22 situation, I should've spent a bit more purchase price on something I could afford to run.

I'm stuck with it till atleast Feb now though, its saving grace is that I need an estate atm. Wish I'd gone for a mondeo/320D estate instead - yeah theyd cost more to buy and fix, but atleast I'd be able to run them. Im having days now where I simply can't afford to go out, and having to let other people down because of that.

It will be explained in a thread later on though...as I need some serious advice/guidance from people with more wisdom than myself.

[Tom]

You want serious advice? And your going to ask on here? Hahahahahahaha :p

[Toms306]

You want serious advice? And your going to ask on here? Hahahahahahaha :p

I don't have anywhere else to ask.......I'm sure people here can be sensible when necessary.

[Tom]

You want serious advice? And your going to ask on here? Hahahahahahaha :p

I don't have anywhere else to ask.......I'm sure people here can be sensible when necessary.

We can only hope so
I wouldnt mind a nice 320D though

[C2K]

To be fair, it's sounding like you shouldn't really be running a car at all if MPG and insurance break the bank. People always joke on here that you never leave Ipswich - why don't you get a decent roadbike and enjoy pedal power?

[procta]

Lol why put all that work into something to sell it straight away. I take pride in fixing all the niggles then driving around!

Simply because it costs so much to run....I assumed I'd get 55-60mpg from it, I also assumed insurance would be a lot cheaper but I knew the tax was expensive. I took the wrong choice in the catch 22 situation, I should've spent a bit more purchase price on something I could afford to run.

I'm stuck with it till atleast Feb now though, its saving grace is that I need an estate atm. Wish I'd gone for a mondeo/320D estate instead - yeah theyd cost more to buy and fix, but atleast I'd be able to run them. Im having days now where I simply can't afford to go out, and having to let other people down because of that.

It will be explained in a thread later on though...as I need some serious advice/guidance from people with more wisdom than myself.

tom man up will ya my HDi took me from sunderland with a full weighted car to brands hatch, brands hatch to camp a few times and then fully weighted again back home. i used over half a tank to get down there and the same to get back.
all in all i spent about 120 quid that was fueling up before i went to down to brands hatch and fueled up again down while down there and that tank got me home again too.

[DaveW]

Dont get it at all, so your going to spend more money on another car so its cheaper to run? crazy

[Tom]

Dont get it at all, so your going to spend more money on another car so its cheaper to run? crazy

I think his OCD is telling him it will be worth it in the long run lol