New right hand tie rod end last night. Old one I could move by hand when the tire was up in the air. Got it off and while the boot is good and all, that thing moves around like a stick shifter in my hand. Steering is a bit tighter, still clunking and vibration coming from the front. I know for a fact my front shock lower bushings are shot, borderline no rubber left in there so a pair of green Bilsteins are next up in the shopping cart. At least 1 of my Asteroids is slightly out of round too, I'll toss the snow wheel/tires on and see if the vibration vanishes or if I have to do more digging.

 

Tuesday, not today but the first time I've logged in here since, I got my XJR back from the garage where it'd decided to stay all summer...

I'd put it in before going on holiday for rear subframe bushes, oil change, ABS fault (I suspected NSF wheel) and aircon needing regassing. It came back having needed slightly* more, how unusual for these cars eh?

The worst bit was when they tried to unbolt the rear subframe. The bracket crumbled & the body mount turned with the bolt, never a good sign. So it's had the mounts rebuilt & welded up on both sides, new (recon) brackets and the subframe bushes. This is why it was there so long as it took them a while to find the brackets & they needed them to get the welding done so they could align everything. The ABS turned out to be a faulty NSF sensor & the connections in the module. So the replaced the sensor & resoldered the module. Aircon needed a pressure switch & new condensor as well as regassing, so added loads to the cost.

I tell you what though, it drives better than ever now it's back. I never thought of it as vague before just a touch less precise than I'd expected before I got it, but it's really taut & precise in directional control now especially when on the power. Must have been those rotten mounts letting the subframe move, I'd assumed it was just the worn bushes.

I've noticed it's only done 1,500 mile since the MOT last Dec, so at £2k for those repairs it's over a £1 a mile before I worry about running costs... I really must use it more to make the repairs seem cheaper.

I do still need to find a place to sort the stainless exhaust I got fitted last year. I'm sick of the drone at low speed & lack of V8 noise. I know there's a place in Chesterfied, Derbyshire that sells exhausts etc but I can't remember their name or find them on google. Any suggestions for somewhere around South Yorkshire to talk too? I'd used Doncaster Exhausts & rather disappointed so won't go back there as they never get back to me about making changes on it.

 

We did a fall foliage, (sun roof open) , camping, biking trip to northern Pennsylvania. It was beautiful and Gold xj8 performed flawlessly, 380 miles beautiful terrain.

 

Yesterday I got a remote starter installed. Cost a pretty penny and had to sacrifice a key, but the convenience especially in Edmonton winters will be worth it.

 

I drove mine to work.

Not exciting I know, but I normally use a bike and just had a lazy day today so it was rather nice to be warm & dry.

 

Knocked out replacement of rear subframe bushings. Actually a quite easy and enjoyable job with a press

 

Having purchased a full set of Accelera Tyres in March 2019 (Size 225/60/16 V90) I was shocked to find that when MOTed on 31st October 2023, it was reported by the examiner that every tyre wall on the four wheels were cracking. Having only undertaken 8,500 miles in 4 years and with 6mm left on the tread, I was not happy that they had starting cracking in such a relatively short space of time. I contacted the manufacturers and received this response: "Tyre shelf life is 5 years and installed tyres life could go up to 3-4 years if the mileage is very low like yours..............It is recommended to change tyres after 2 years to ensure safety."

I would welcome other forum members responses to this comment.

 

Never heard of that brand but their statement is ridiculous. Common thinking is about 6 year life on the car, potentially longer if not soft performance tires. Obviously depends on factors such as usage, storing in a garage etc.

I think you got what you paid for here.

 

Fun stuff today. Tint went on. Ceramic 5% all around. 99% heat rejection and UVA/UVB protection. In Texas this goes a long way.

 

These tyres came out on a tyre review quite well.
3.5 /5 Wet road
4.0 /5 Dry road
4.0 /5 Comfort
4.0 /5 Value for money
5.0 /5 Stability
4.0 /5 Noise
4.0 /5 Longevity
Tyre Noise = 68dB

 

Do these figures relate to the Accelera brand, or something else. I'm confused.

 

I bought goodyear asymmetric 6. So far great tires.

 

Yes. These are for Accelera Ecoplush XL Tyres.

 

This is a before and after three very light coats of Seat Doctors Almond Leather and Vinyl Dye dabbed on with a micro fibre cloth and lightly buffed when dry:

 

I would like try to paint my driver seat too. But I'm so afraid to try it. I can not paint practically anything well enough. And this is SO visible spot. We well see.

Great result.

 

^

Thanks... this was something I had also been putting off based on the nagging, irrational "but what if I ruin it" refrain in my head.

The unopened bottle of dye came with the car and I finally rationalized trusting the person I bought the car from thinking it's not that big a deal to trust him as much on the dye as I did on buying the third car I have been lucky enough to purchase from him (it's become a regular 8 year cycle).

I also watched this video first:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...7&opi=89978449

It's probably at least twice as long as it needs to be but it does show how simple the whole process is. Please note that it's NOT like painting and each of the three coats shown here was very light and I did use a micro-fibre cloth rather than the paper towel or make-up applicator he used.

Next up using the touch up paint that also came with the car on a dime sized spot where the paint has worn out beneath one of trunks stops but that might need another leap of faith on my part that hasn't quite been made yet.

 

I looked at mine out of the window as I'm working from home today.

It's MOT day tomorrow though. Last weekend I finally cleaned up & repainted the rusty brakepipe behind the OSF shock that was noted last year. So she should be all good when tested. We'll see eh?

 

You cleaned and repainted a brake line instead of replacing it? I would think a bit of surface rust wouldn't be an MOT advisory so seems strange it wouldn't need replacement soon.

 

It was only surface rust, it's a common thing to get warned on over here.
The line is fine, I wire brushed it back and the surface is smooth so no pitting etc. Bit of kilrusts & then hammerite sorted it.

 

MOT passed this morning, so legal for another year. There was one advisory for the OSF spring pan corroding so I'll get that done next summer when I'm not using the car. Looking at it, they just bolt to the lower arm, so should be easy* enough. i think I'll probably get both sides done as the other one is currently 'scabby but solid'.

*it won't the bolts will snap like they do for any job I get done on this thing. Hence I'll let a garage do it rather than get stuck on the drive with a job I can't finish & a car I can't move.