vornwend

Just read your thread BTJ. Wow that was an epic! Well done for perservering through it all. Trust its all sorted now? Guess I'm gonna struggle with getting a new rear bumper then? Might give the body shop a ring tomorrow and see if they actually checked on availability otherwise I'm in the market for a second hand one. I'm gonna use a bodyshop near here (Colour Tech) who have done work for me in the past and seem really really good. Not even thought about contacting my own insurance company just yet but might read through the piles of bumpf with the insurance certificate to see what they advise me to do. Day 2 and counting! Some say patience is a virtue - I say its a bloody waste of time! PS. A glint of light - Just discovered that the boot light now works after having spent absolutely ages in the past trying to work out why it wouldn't - a drastic solution to sorting that particular problem and not recommended!

Thanx for messages of support. Trying not to get depressed about it. It could have been worse, can be fixed and hopefully will be as good as new. Trouble is I'm a really impatient sod and the worst thing is not being able to get it sorted right away. :mad: At least the council customer services (am I a customer now?) rang to acknowledge my calls and e-mails. Now into the process of waiting for forms and then being handed over to their insurers - just feels like it'll take a long time :( What shall I get as my hire car for the week its under repair? Consoling myself with the hope that I'll get something fun to drive. :lol:

Just hope Hertsmere County Council think that's cheap too! The quote does say "estimated" against the parts which come to £740 before tax.

Was in Watford for a meeting today and had my first ever RTA (in 28 years of driving) - courtesy of Hertsmere County Council. Was stood stock still at red traffic lights when felt and heard an almighty thump from behind. A council van had ploughed into the back of my Storm! Really dreaded the short walk to the rear to see what the damage was - bumper deformed and badly cracked , rear panel above dented and deformed and torn at the weld as it went in) , and slight deformation of rear quarter panel. Ouch!!! Not as bad as I expected but a real sinking feeling. :( Driver was really quick to apologise and admit it was his fault and we exchanged details so as its no fault and its a council I'm not expecting there to be any quibble about getting it sorted. Stopped off at a local body shop on the way home and have got them to prepare a quote - won't be cheap as the guy said I needed a new bumper and rear panel (I'm presuming they are still available from the stealers?) They also said they'd arrange an equivalent vehicle hire for the week that this will take to sort out. Not sure what they will deem to be an equivalent to a VR6 though:? Life - don't ya luv it! PS. Just got the quote through - £1800!! :shock:

Well I fitted the 3 open slat grill today and took it out on a regular run I do of about 20 miles (no traffic, non motorway,quite pacy). Oil temp never went over 96 which I'm certain is 6 to 10 degress less than I'd normally see... so it seems to be making a difference for me. Picking up on Goldies comment about the open slat version being a batch and not model specific I just wonder if VW made em for cold climates like Scandanavia (or Scotland) but they ended up getting onto UK deliveries by mistake?? I don't pay much attention to water temperature but seeing the odd comment on here I watched that too - stayed steady at 90/92 all the way. Kinda like the fact that our cars are tempermental - gives em some character :mrgreen: Vornwend

Thanks. Interesting comments. Not exactly convinced by the open slat route hence the experiment with the 99P grill! I'll give it a go anyway. Did also think of taking a blade/drill :twisted: to the closed slats but I think the risk of cracking/crazing the surrounding paint is too high. Still intrigued to know why VW had 2 versions of the grill tho:?:

My Storm has the standard, 3 slat, colour coded grill with just the bottom slat open. I noticed last summer that the oil temperature would often go over 116(sometimes into the 20's) on long runs. I also know that standard VR grills have all 3 slats open (why the difference :? ). Anyway as an experiment I've picked up a very cheap black grill on e-bay (99p!), couple of the fixing tabs are broken but I'll try and bodge something to secure it. Does anybody have a view on whether it would make an appreciable difference to oil temperature :?: Having had high oil temperatures last year I've watched this with a bit more interest than normal and there is definitely a relationship between ambient temperature and oil temperature but I don't know if this will fix it in the summer months or whether I need to consider much more expensive options like an oil cooler. Cheers. Vornwend

Hi Andy, I'll like to take one of the P&P 4x4s please. Not an electrics expert so as many instructions and pics as possible would be great. Let me know when you might want payment etc. Cheers, Vaughan

Mine came as standard (well fitted on sale as part of the Storm package). Made by Davia. Works really well and very quickly lowers the cabin temperature. Was reconditioned by the previous owner last year at a cost of about £350(A/C Engineering, Chertsey) Could never go back to not having it! Vaughan

My missus used to call my 16 valver a vauxhall kurango - still does if she thinks I'm spending too much time with the VR6! :lol:

Fixed a stubborn heater temp dial that was refusing to go to the full anti clockwise detant and an intermittant blower. There was also no heat at all clockwise. Was a f*'#%pig of a job to get the unit out far enough (after removing dials and facia) to do anything but managed to sort it all out in the end (even more difficult to get the unit back in!) and gave the cogs a good greasing while I was at it (as others advised). Looking at the design behind there I can see why so many have had problems. The light green plastic light matrix is soooo fragile and the copper tab on the blower dial mechanism very easily bent off track. Lots of threads found when I searched this problem (HEATER and Not working etc) and would not have even attempted it without them. This forum, knowledge base and search fac really are absolute treasure troves!! :salute: Ahoy me hearties!

Got back to the car today and found a note saying the author was looking for a Corrado and if I was interested in selling to give him a call which must be a compliment and the 1st time thats ever happened to me. My 2 boys were well impressed and are now starting to believe my stories about how rare Corrados are becoming. 8) Vaughan

Cheers James - That sounds like the best option. Vaughan

Got my VR6 through its MOT this week but had an advisory note about one of the brake pipes showing corrosion - not a show stopper but prompted me to have a look under the back. Quite a bit of surface rust on the sub axles and a bit on the axle beam (also some on the torsion beam? - bar inside the axle. Question is has anybody had a similiar problem and how have you sorted it.? Should I be treating this as serious enough to be thinking hard labour with a wire brush and paper and a hammerite type solution? Looking at being a long time owner of this vehicle so prepared to take extra care. Grateful for any advice. Vaughan