dinkus

Parcel shelf straps are £3 new from the dealers :lol: VRs are group 18, so not the cheapest thing to insure. HIC seem to be pretty competitive, but shop around :) As far as parts that need replacing go - not much should need doing to a 50k miler, but it is still a 10+yr old car so rubbery bits in the suspension probably won't be at their best. The best way to tell is take it out for a drive - it should feel properly planted up to silly speeds. If it starts feeling all vague and wandery over 50 then the rear axle bushes need replacing. It's very common on VW's and is just a result of the rubber going soft. That's the most expensive thing that could need changing suspension wise and costs about £300 to get done at a VW specialist. If you know what you're doing then it'll cost £50 for the bushes and a day of swearing. Otherwise, things like top mounts, front wishbone bushes and shocks would be the other candidates, but aren't that expensive (under £50 a pop for each of the parts) The brakes sound like they're sorted, so shouldn't have any problems there tho :)

Well very cool and nice job making it look so clean... but it's just an Astra. And a completely standard, brand new one at that... But hey, whatever floats your boat. I wish my car looked that clean :lol:

I'm sorry - are you lost? :lol:

I'm buggered if I'm gonna go scraping ice off the car first thing in the morning... well actually, as I walk to work now it shouldn't be an issue anyway :D

The OE stuff is crap tho -cracks, flakes apart and looks like a mummy's just escaped from the engine bay :lol:

Ahh sucky news man :( I'd email him a little reminder to tell him what the mileage is... Anyone who sells a car based on it being "a real head turner" is a tosser in my book. Good opportunity to buy it back and start driving a man's car again tho? :D

Drop stevemac a call - he works for GSF and can check for you :)

Yeah sorry - I got snowed under with work for the last few months so didn't have time to sort it out. I've come up for air now, but as it's too late to get anything done for April (backup plan was a financial year calendar) then I'm not sure what to do. A few people also managed to 'lose' the high-res versions photos that they submitted, so I've got a couple of holes. So if someone can design something, we can have a re-vote or somesuch to fill the gaps, but I'm not sure what we do about months to run it on. I'm open to any suggestions...

I hope you washed thoroughly afterwards :lol:

I don't think that anything other than the proper acrylic plate is road-legal. Whether that means you'll get away with it or not is a different matter...

Yeah, mine only does it for the first minute or two after start up. It still made 200bhp on the rollers, so I'm not in any rush to rebuild it...

Shhh, I'm trying to be positive :lol:

Heh, you just got lucky :) Never seen the fabric stuff for sale anywhere (see above comment about it being crap :lol: ), but you might be able to find some stuff on google...?

Nah, just keep it under 3k rpm until it warms up (80ish on the oil) and then thrap it senseless :)

Beer? :?

VLC is the solution to all your media player needs :)

I wouldn't use it unless you're going for factory concourse look, cos the fabric tape is cack. I'd use at least plastic loom wrap, or better yet - braiding and heat shrink. Premier Wiring have pretty much everything you could need, but there are other places you can get stuff from too :)

It's a sort of clattering - sounds almost diesel like...

The pistons slap on mine and I've heard quite a few others do it when cold to. I think it's just what old, tired VR's do :(

I think you'll find they were 'restraints' :lol:

You called? :) Yup, just pull very hard. Insert witty comment about pulling one off/knocking one out :lol:

I'm sure daves16v would be able to make some Stainless ones for you - they're not very complicated.

I have to say, I was surprised that The Register article didn't have their ROTM (Rise Of The Machines) flag on it :lol: I got a TomTom for my birthday - it's sexy and small and dead easy to use, but it tried to sent me down a damned stupid route on the one and only time I've tried to use it so far. I just used my £3.99 AA map instead :) It could be very useful for going on a random drive into the middle of nowhere tho - just drive wherever takes your fancy and then use the Sat Nav to get you home again!

Er, posted here...but the title says it's an Esso ad :lol: Will have to watch the Veyron vid when I get home tho :D

Yeah I just saw this on El Reg - made me laugh, particularly :lol: