MicraSheds Machine

[spinna]

Originally Posted by Sweety

Sluggish your Mrs should test drive some other 4x4's which were built at the same time like a disco 300TDI or a shogun as a Terrano/Maverick will leave them standing TBH you just need to learn to drive one as once you've mastered it they can be rather quick motors

She could try our Astra Eco 4 that wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding, a Terrano would feel like a formula 1 car in comparison

[bry]

She could try our Astra Eco 4 that wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding, a Terrano would feel like a formula 1 car in comparison.

You do have a way with words..

[MicraShed]

Its fine, Ive already had some interesting spirited sideways action on the J1 M65 roundabout with it. I agree that it isn't as quick off the mark as her HDi, but also that in a tugging contest her HDi would lose out big time despite being reasonably equally matched for weight.

Im happy with it, shes just a typical woman who thinks "its a phase" Im going through.
I feel the ride is rougher / bouncier than it should be and this may be down to tired shocks or bushes and it has other foibles of a typical 18 year old car with things not working as they should (blinking alarm/NATS being one) but as I say Im quite happy with it.
The plan is live with it over winter, tow the van with it and then quite probably look for a 7 seat version with the 2.7 to replace it with sometime next year as yesterday 5 up it was snug - we struggled getting the kids into the back ( one of them cant do the belt up without assistance, which was a bit of a faff and fiddle and the lap belt only just fitted the teen and he isnt anywhere near as fat a knacker as I am). We need at least one 7/8 seater in the family, but it doesnt have to be the 4x4, so Im still keeping my options open at this point.

That said for the number of times I would be 5 up with it I may be able to live with a shorty and certainly for off road fun a shorty would be better (IMHO)

The other advantage of this particular beast is the lack of Euro emissions gubbins and as someone who has owned a Euro 5 compliant Zafira you cant imagine how relieved I am at this.
The Euro EC legislation is killing off diesel cars. 22 breakdowns with the (New) Zafira in 18 months of ownership. All Euro 5 related, and I know Im not alone here in experiencing this. When I replaced the Zafira I specifically hunted down a non DPF machine, even then I had to muck about deleting the EGR. Im still left with a family car that I feel is a lot frailer reliability wise than the older XU9D engined car it ultimately replaced.


Overall Im very happy with this one and its enabled me to dip my toe into the Maverano/Terranic world with very little outlay. It needs some tickling with the MIG stick for its MOT but how many 18 year old examples dont? Certainly its a hell of a lot less crusty underneath than that 52 plate one I went to see recently. I expect looking at it its probably got about two to three years life in the body tub / chassis before repairs become more trouble than the car is worth, though I may be wrong I suppose it depends how dedicated you are. My mate Bob recently restored this:


from this:



and is now working on these:



As a footnote I should emphasise that the 2.0 Fronterra SWB I tried really wouldnt have pulled the skin off a rice pudding and i would have had serioud doubts as to its claimed 2400kg towing weight.

[firebobby]

Nice, is it a Morris 8 ??

[MicraShed]

Originally Posted by firebobby

Nice, is it a Morris 8 ??

The cream one is a 1937 Morris 8, the yellow and black one is a 1933 Ten-Four ( the donor bodyshell is a 1934). Both cars have been previously owned by Bob in the 1950's.

[makeitfit]

OK help me out here guys How can I STOP getting cb chatter from Canada Iceland and Russia ? I've been on offroad jollies and using a chosen channel with the convoy , like say 39. I keep getting continental types on my CB Makes no odds if I change channels either Is this due to other people on afterburners ?

[MicraShed]

Originally Posted by makeitfit

OK help me out here guys How can I STOP getting cb chatter from Canada Iceland and Russia ? I've been on offroad jollies and using a chosen channel with the convoy , like say 39. I keep getting continental types on my CB Makes no odds if I change channels either Is this due to other people on afterburners ?

Do you mean you are getting bleedover onto other channels? There isnt a right lot you can do about that apart from try a different radio perhaps - what rig are you running? Its quite likely a lot of the chatter you are getting will be down in part to people pushing high power outputs. It also depends on what chanels you are using too - are you on the old UK FM or the CEPT frequencies? Ive stuck with UK FM now as it seems much less crowded, plus I like chatting with truckers on the motorway.

Another option would be to try PMR446 which is fine for short distance work ( couple of miles) but again is very crowded. The Midland G7 includes the 446 frequencies and also the LPD (443) frequencies ( but these are Ham radio repeater frequencies pushing a much bigger power and will be busy anyway).

You did used to be able to buy a throttle (choke) to plug into the RF input wich would filter out all but strong local signals, but given you say that these are bleeding all over your radio its likely that it wouldnt work. You could go totally off the wall and find a 23ch 928MHz set (bomber band) I wonder what uses those frequencies now?

Personally I would try a different rig first and see if the problem goes away, have you someone elses you can borrow?

[kitchenman]

Signal bouncing off ionospere or sometning similar

[makeitfit]

Well I have this on the roof

and a Midland 98 + in the dash
I just press the button and talk

[MicraShed]

Originally Posted by makeitfit

and a Midland 98 + in the dash l

Moonraker modulator and a Midland 98 - that rig should not suffer bleed over (stuff on one channel being heard on another) Its probably a combo of the skip and people using big power outputs.
Not a right lot you can do Im afraid.

[makeitfit]

Hey ho
I'll keep on trucking

[MicraShed]

Not a lot new to report - Electric aerial now working again.


I have no idea which one the radio is plumbed into mind as I have a roof mounted one (fitted with the aerial off the Micra) and this one - neither one seem to make any difference to the reception which is pretty good across the board. I'll probably find it connected to some sort of rear screen demist aerial like the one in the MPV. Any of the previous owners want to shed any light on the two aerials?

[Sweety]

The roof mounted one is what was fitted at the factory & the wing one will have been an after market fit prob due to the factory one not being great but saying that the few times I have put the radio on it's always been ok

[thesilkster]

I used the electric one until my mechanic nacked it fixing the ABS, if you play with the radio settings you can have it pack the Ariel away when the radio is not being used ie CD or usb

who was the other owner ? and did he sell it to N Spooner? at DHL

[MicraShed]

Someone called Clive apparently....