Damn and blast.
I wanted to go to the shops with the lass yesterday evening in the Del Sol. Once we got up to speed, I noticed that the rear left tyre was flat, so we went home to try again in the MX-5.
The battery in that was completely dead, which sort of serves me right as the battery is three years old, they never last long in MX-5's and it had died on me a couple of weeks ago. So a trip to Halfords it is.
Not to worry, say I, let's just go in the MR2 Roadster. On the way home, I noticed that the power steering was defective and it would barely turn right. My local garage is now shut for Xmas/New Year and I can't take it in until January.
To be updated during the course of the day as matters progress...
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Del Sol - AA fitted the spare wheel for me, we found the puncture on the tyre, which was on the inside wall one inch up from the ground. Lord knows how that happened. He told me it was irreparable, I went to the tyre place, they concurred, and fitted me a set of Uniroyal Rainsport 3's, the same as I have on the other two. £220 for all four. It is now noticeably nicer to drive.
MX-5 - not even the red light for the immobiliser was blinking when I got in and tried this afternoon, so I assumed the battery was stone cold dead. Funnily enough, it started first time, no problem. How can batteries recharge themselves overnight? We will never know. Drove to Halfords who tested it and told me the battery was fine and I just need to drive round for three-quarters of an hour to fully charge it, which I did.
MR2 Roadster - I played musical cars so I could put the MX-5 on the side of the drive which is easier to get in and out of, which meant juggling the MR2 sideways. Power steering is completely dead, and it took ten iterations before it was in place.
Two out of three ain't bad, I suppose.
Friday, 20 December 2019
Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence...
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12 comments:
Doesn't the Del Sol(?) have a spare wheel? Anyway, buy a Hyundai. Have had 3 of these cars over the past 20 years and have found them to be mechanically reliable. They also have little street cred so the untermensch seem to leave them alone.
Wots a Del Sol?
P, see update
L, one of these
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CR-X_del_Sol
In precisely that colour.
Interesting that the battery dies more quickly in the MX-5. Much drawing on it, even at rest.
JH, I assume it leaks electricity somehow.
Temperature is usually connected to battery failure. Perhaps the MX5 has its battery next to something hot? The exhaust manifold? Some heat protection/ heat shield could help if so.
TBH, I doubt it. The battery is in the boot at the side, not near anything.
Has anyone else here noticed that Daylight running lights cause a confusion with drivers. They look brighter than side lights , and so drivers do not bother with side lights in poor light. There are often no daylight running lights on the rear.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2018/12/03/daytime-running-lights-causing-confusion-claims-rac
Din, aren't side lights and daytime running lights pretty much the same thing?
No They are not, an EU committee thought it was reasonable to make DR lamps mandatory , but only mandatory at the front.
"Huge number of motorists make themselves difficult to be seen by failing to use rear lights on their cars when driving in dull conditions
Many drivers unaware cars do not have daytime running lights at the rear
These lights come on automatically when the engine is running...Daytime running lights have been an EU requirement on all new cars and small vans since early 2011 to improve road safety by making vehicles coming in the opposite direction easier to see when conditions aren't ideal.
This means many motorists are failing to have any lights illuminated on the back of their vehicles when driving, which can be dangerous when the conditions are far from optimal."
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-6455083/Huge-number-motorists-confused-daytime-running-lights.html
Din, ah right, thanks. In which case, they should have DLRs at the back as well, in other words, leave side lights on all the time.
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