4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

True but they don't have bolted driveshafts, so if I do have to change the clutch I'll have to drain that oil out again, I don't like doing the same thing twice lol.

That's very true - didn't think of that!

I don't like only having 24 days of MOT left...  I'm currently debating whether it is better to put it to National Tyres or a small independent garage.  There are pros and cons to each, but I am tempted by an MOT test for less than £30 at the former. 

£30 test often means they'll 'find' a fail to get a retest fee unfortunately.  Luckily for me, a mate (that I met through another car forum) now does all my MOTs at trade price, not had one fail either.  

34 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

£30 test often means they'll 'find' a fail to get a retest fee unfortunately.  Luckily for me, a mate (that I met through another car forum) now does all my MOTs at trade price, not had one fail either.  

That is very true.  At least if I pay £40 for the test, they won't feel compelled to find a failure just to get more money. 

I don't that because I'm young (ish) and less experienced that people think they can **** me around with BS quotes for any building work. In fact the last week I've had to twice flash teeth at people (not literally) that have really tried to push themselves on me whilst attempting to put down other people in the same line of work.

Tiler attempting to charge me £30 per metre on completely prepped vertical (I mean spot on vertical) walls that have been boarded with a tile backer board - easy shapes, most shower cubicles - so 3 flat walls etc. Then had some twerp who seems to be in bed with the insurance company (yet is supposed to be entirely unconnected) telling me how the insurance company won't accept anything other than his quote... which was apprx £2300 total for a contractual 3 years.... - Yeah, right, so that's why I know for sure I can get what I need at apprx £400 for ONE YEAR ONLY!

Really grinds my gears.... No wonder I grew a beard, helps me deal less with this **** as I don't look so baby faced.

I think I need a new battery...

Intermittent starting fault...battery shows 12.3V with the engine off, engine running charging voltage was 13.8V.  So, I'm confident the alternator is fine.

It started on Sunday, car had been parked at a jaunty angle and done several VERY short, sharp moves (anyone remember that game where you had to move cars to get yours out? well...I played what basically amounted to that game in real life lol).  Battery was obviously flat, tried to jump it - nothing but the starter clicking.  Managed to bump start it (I know...naughty, naughty on a modern car) - drove to McDonalds in Lincoln - car told me it was in limp mode (chuffin' wasn't lol).  Came out, car started 1st time.  

Came out of Asda today - same as above - didn't bump it, but it did start on the booster.  Again, the car now starts perfectly 1st time. 

The battery is the original - soo...errr...think it's due for a change lol

2 hours ago, SeanW said:

I think I need a new battery...

Intermittent starting fault...battery shows 12.3V with the engine off, engine running charging voltage was 13.8V.  So, I'm confident the alternator is fine.

It started on Sunday, car had been parked at a jaunty angle and done several VERY short, sharp moves (anyone remember that game where you had to move cars to get yours out? well...I played what basically amounted to that game in real life lol).  Battery was obviously flat, tried to jump it - nothing but the starter clicking.  Managed to bump start it (I know...naughty, naughty on a modern car) - drove to McDonalds in Lincoln - car told me it was in limp mode (chuffin' wasn't lol).  Came out, car started 1st time.  

Came out of Asda today - same as above - didn't bump it, but it did start on the booster.  Again, the car now starts perfectly 1st time. 

The battery is the original - soo...errr...think it's due for a change lol

7 years isn't bad for a battery to be fair.  Are you going to go for a Bosch or just replace with a generic?

I don't like people who don't see the need to rotate their tyres (the Santa Fe's previous owner), resulting in the front pair being almost bald and the rears still with 4mm tread left.  Now I either have to buy two new front tyres and have a mix of brands and old/new (which I hate), or buy four new tyres and replace two which still have over 10,000 miles left.  I'll probably go for the latter option and sell the two rear tyres on Gumtree for £20 each or something.  Still annoying though!

I don't like people who write things down telling you to do something, something really trivial that it would of been quicker for them to do.  That is by the time you've read it anyway.  Also don't like this months bank balance 

In over 100k miles of driving, I have never rotated my tyres. I replace them in pairs when required. Never experienced any issues with different brands/versions of tyres on the front from the rear. When I change brands on the front, so long as I like them I then tend to go for the same when the rears need done.

3 minutes ago, Preecematt said:

I don't like people who write things down telling you to do something, something really trivial that it would of been quicker for them to do.  That is by the time you've read it anyway.  Also don't like this months bank balance 

Join the club...  

It's a good thing the 405 is fuel efficient, because my diesel fund is getting direly low.

Just now, jmurray01 said:

Join the club...

What clubs that?  The playboy club?

Just now, Preecematt said:

What clubs that?  The playboy club?

Not telling

14 minutes ago, Arwen said:

In over 100k miles of driving, I have never rotated my tyres. I replace them in pairs when required. Never experienced any issues with different brands/versions of tyres on the front from the rear. When I change brands on the front, so long as I like them I then tend to go for the same when the rears need done.

It is true that you can do that, and it doesn't really affect the performance much (if at all) as long as each axle has matching brands, but I'm just a bit OCD and pedantic!

3 hours ago, SeanW said:

I think I need a new battery...

Intermittent starting fault...battery shows 12.3V with the engine off, engine running charging voltage was 13.8V.  So, I'm confident the alternator is fine.

It started on Sunday, car had been parked at a jaunty angle and done several VERY short, sharp moves (anyone remember that game where you had to move cars to get yours out? well...I played what basically amounted to that game in real life lol).  Battery was obviously flat, tried to jump it - nothing but the starter clicking.  Managed to bump start it (I know...naughty, naughty on a modern car) - drove to McDonalds in Lincoln - car told me it was in limp mode (chuffin' wasn't lol).  Came out, car started 1st time.  

Came out of Asda today - same as above - didn't bump it, but it did start on the booster.  Again, the car now starts perfectly 1st time. 

The battery is the original - soo...errr...think it's due for a change lol

13.8v isn't enough to charge a low battery, should be 14.4v at least...

49 minutes ago, jmurray01 said:

I don't like people who don't see the need to rotate their tyres (the Santa Fe's previous owner), resulting in the front pair being almost bald and the rears still with 4mm tread left.  Now I either have to buy two new front tyres and have a mix of brands and old/new (which I hate), or buy four new tyres and replace two which still have over 10,000 miles left.  I'll probably go for the latter option and sell the two rear tyres on Gumtree for £20 each or something.  Still annoying though!

I don't like people that rotate tyres then sell the car so I have to buy 4 of the damn things at once!

Couldn't afford it though so left a couple of months between the 2 pairs.  You'll be best off swapping the rears to the front and sticking a new pair on the rear imo, just wasting money otherwise and I know that's not in your nature lol.

And I'm also gonna rotate them this year so I get the most out of them before selling up next year.  

21 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

13.8v isn't enough to charge a low battery, should be 14.4v at least...

I don't like people that rotate tyres then sell the car so I have to buy 4 of the damn things at once!

Couldn't afford it though so left a couple of months between the 2 pairs.  You'll be best off swapping the rears to the front and sticking a new pair on the rear imo, just wasting money otherwise and I know that's not in your nature lol.

And I'm also gonna rotate them this year so I get the most out of them before selling up next year.  

You know me too well Tom!

Yes, when it comes to opening my wallet I'll probably just buy two and have the fitters put the new ones on the rear.

4 hours ago, jmurray01 said:

7 years isn't bad for a battery to be fair.  Are you going to go for a Bosch or just replace with a generic?

Looking at Bosch - the S4 has good reviews, and isn't too bad cost wise either.  

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

13.8v isn't enough to charge a low battery, should be 14.4v at least...

Actually, the Smart Charge system is designed to operate at 13.8V - I did my research 

Removing the Smart Charge plug should see it jump to 14.4V - but I'm confident it's just the battery (down to 9.8V as I was leaving Cadets - glad I had my booster pack lol)

Depending on the temperature/condition of battery, it CAN operate at upto 18V.  But that tends to frazzle things that shouldn't be frazzled lol

7 minutes ago, SeanW said:

Looking at Bosch - the S4 has good reviews, and isn't too bad cost wise either.  

Actually, the Smart Charge system is designed to operate at 13.8V - I did my research 

Removing the Smart Charge plug should see it jump to 14.4V - but I'm confident it's just the battery (down to 9.8V as I was leaving Cadets - glad I had my booster pack lol)

Depending on the temperature/condition of battery, it CAN operate at upto 18V.  But that tends to frazzle things that shouldn't be frazzled lol

My 405 has a Bosch S4 which was fitted in 2009, and 7 years later it still performs like a brand new battery.  I may be a cheap-skate, but there are two items I refuse to cut costs on, and they are windscreen wipers and batteries.  Both have to be Bosch for me.

My last set of wipers were Bosch - didn't rate them at all!!  Prefer Ford (which I presume to be Valeo?)

I'll wander up to ECP in the morning and grab a new battery - only a couple of minutes walk away.  I am slightly bemused by the fact they reckon it'll take 40-odd minutes for a battery change.  To make it last that long, I'd have to have 2 tea breaks, a poo and my lunch!! (Not strictly in that order)

1 hour ago, SeanW said:

My last set of wipers were Bosch - didn't rate them at all!!  Prefer Ford (which I presume to be Valeo?)

I'll wander up to ECP in the morning and grab a new battery - only a couple of minutes walk away.  I am slightly bemused by the fact they reckon it'll take 40-odd minutes for a battery change.  To make it last that long, I'd have to have 2 tea breaks, a poo and my lunch!! (Not strictly in that order)

40 minutes!?  Crikey Moses.  Even as an anxiety-sufferer who is inexperienced with car maintenance, I changed the battery in our old Rover in less than 5 minutes. 

As for the wipers, what type were they?  I've used both Aero Twins and Super Plus, which were worth the money in my opinion. 

I think it is because it's a bit awkward removing the battery from the box lol

The wipers were Aero Twins and forever smeared, squeaked and clunked on the downward stroke.

Smart charge is exactly that, 'smart' taking into account battery voltage and engine load etc, 13.8v seems too low to charge an already low battery?  I probably would disconnect the plug just to make sure it's not the alt but I'll take your word for it lol.

Battery change in a Mk2.5 is a bit of a pain, you need to remove both scuttle panels to get the battery out! 

6 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Smart charge is exactly that, 'smart' taking into account battery voltage and engine load etc, 13.8v seems too low to charge an already low battery?  I probably would disconnect the plug just to make sure it's not the alt but I'll take your word for it lol.

Battery change in a Mk2.5 is a bit of a pain, you need to remove both scuttle panels to get the battery out! 

Scuttle panels? Just unclip & pull the front of the battery box and it pulls forward and up (the front & right hand side are a seperate unit) then just lift the battery out on a mk2 .5 (facelift) 5 minute job and easy!

How have I never noticed that before!? Fail.