Only Autoglym from now on...

[Wighty]

A few months???

Usually as soon as the car gets wet, back to black is gone, and as I live in Rainland... I mean Scotland. It looks good for five minutes if you're lucky up here mate.
WD40 does the same job, last longer, smells nicer and also lifts any polish from the plastic.

I've taken to masking off the plastic where/when I don't want to spend time getting excess polish off it and then go over it with a cloth sprayed with said WD40 to make it look nice and shiney.

Hasn’t rained here for weeks buddy

 

[Jimbo1959]

Thanks. I'm thinking of a bumper respray when the CV is over. It spoils the car. 10 years and 130k takes its toll.

Mine is starting to go the same way Dean, it looks fine in a photo or from a distance of 6ft or so, sadly when you get closer the wear of 11 years and 38K miles are blatantly obvious.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Hey Dean, could you also post a pic of your rear wheels which shows the red caliper to good effect please?

I have a full tin of red smoothrite calling my name in the garage but, the silver I painted on last week ...er no, two weeks ago now, still looks good and O.E.

Decisions, decisions...

No problem these where done well over a 18 months ago now.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Mine is starting to go the same way Dean, it looks fine in a photo or from a distance of 6ft or so, sadly when you get closer the wear of 11 years and 38K miles are blatantly obvious.

For the sake of a few hundred it would transform the car especially close up.

 

[RhodieBill]

I started using Autoglymn products in the 80's and have never strayed from them for long, so easy to use.

Looks very clean and tidy Bill, are you not tempted to de-chrome the rest of the car to match the grill or, get the outer edge of the grille chromed to conform with the rest of the car?

Thanks..... I had a spare Grill - actually a very rare original Fully Chrome one - I just like Satin Black Grills......

Fully Chrome Grill:

And I did this to the standard all Chrome Grill on the BMW323i I had... Sprayed the surrounds Gloss Black but left the Slats Chrome.

I find it just adds a bit of flavour but not over the top.....


Thanks......

 

[Jimbo1959]

Thanks..... I had a spare Grill - actually a very rare original Fully Chrome one - I just like Satin Black Grills......

Fully Chrome Grill:

And I did this to the standard all Chrome Grill on the BMW323i I had... Sprayed the surrounds Gloss Black but left the Slats Chrome.

I find it just adds a bit of flavour but not over the top.....


Thanks......

I like the BMW grille it looks smart.

Looking at the BM also made me realise what the difference in the Rover was that was spoiling the effect for me, the chrome bumper inserts.

If they were black like the grille then it would look ace. Imho of course.

Still it's your car and, your preference which counts most, as you have to live with it. I also think if you had done the Rover grille the same way as you had the BM one it would look great too.

 

[RhodieBill]

I like the BMW grille it looks smart.

Looking at the BM also made me realise what the difference in the Rover was that was spoiling the effect for me, the chrome bumper inserts.

If they were black like the grille then it would look ace. Imho of course.

Still it's your car and, your preference which counts most, as you have to live with it. I also think if you had done the Rover grille the same way as you had the BM one it would look great too.

I just have a thing for black interiors.... I changed the Interior of the R75 from this when I got it:

To this, and I fitted Alcantara Seats as the Original were Cloth, nice cloth, but I prefered the Alcantara out of the ZT. In fact it all came out of a MG-ZT.....lol. Except the Steering Wheel, That was originally Grey so I changed it to Black and fitted a Black Airbag from a Facelift Model R75.

I liked it....

 

[RhodieBill]

In fact I went to have a look at the Rover in my MR2 - that was due for a change and I had had wanted a Rover 75 for a while.... The Rover was pricey, (one owner - 80000 miles FSH etc and at the time only 8 years old) and to be honest it was more than I wanted to spend. But when I went again the chap selling it said give me your MR2 and you can have it.... I had paid a lot less for the MR2 when I bought it but had done quite a bit to it - new wheels, tyres, striping, exhaust etc..... So was about same money I suppose. Anyway, I was happy! (My son did the Striping - it's what he does).

The MR2.....

 

[Blobcat]

In fact I went to have a look at the Rover in my MR2 - that was due for a change and I had had wanted a Rover 75 for a while.... The Rover was pricey, (one owner - 80000 miles FSH etc and at the time only 8 years old) and to be honest it was more than I wanted to spend. But when I went again the chap selling it said give me your MR2 and you can have it.... I had paid a lot less for the MR2 when I bought it but had done quite a bit to it - new wheels, tyres, striping, exhaust etc..... So was about same money I suppose. Anyway, I was happy! (My son did the Striping - it's what he does).

The MR2.....

Do you ever keep a car long enough to put fuel in it...

 

[RhodieBill]

Do you ever keep a car long enough to put fuel in it...

In fairness I had the Rover for 6 years and the Avensis for 14 years!

 

[Jimbo1959]

I just have a thing for black interiors.

We have something in common then Bill. I hate a bright interior in a car, they usually give me terrible tension headaches caused by me screwing up my eyes and face trying to blot out the brightness.

It's one of the reasons all my favourite cars have had black headlinings and trim, like my Coupé. It also has the piano black trim on the dash fascia which I much prefer to a wood finish.

Your wood finish is at least a dark wood which I could live with but, anything with a tan or biege interior and light wood would make me ill.

 

[A.J.]

We have something in common then Bill. I hate a bright interior in a car, they usually give me terrible tension headaches caused by me screwing up my eyes and face trying to blot out the brightness.

It's one of the reasons all my favourite cars have had black headlinings and trim, like my Coupé. It also has the piano black trim on the dash fascia which I much prefer to a wood finish.

Your wood finish is at least a dark wood which I could live with but, anything with a tan or biege interior and light wood would make me ill.

I am the complete opposite Jim, I dislike dark interiors. Mine is light grey and I really like it. I am when we are released from house arrest looking to replace the car and was struggling to find one with a light interior. I am also now, under pressure from my wife now looking at an A200 up to a year old and they the only colour available appears to be black

 

[Blobcat]

We have something in common then Bill. I hate a bright interior in a car, they usually give me terrible tension headaches caused by me screwing up my eyes and face trying to blot out the brightness.

It's one of the reasons all my favourite cars have had black headlinings and trim, like my Coupé. It also has the piano black trim on the dash fascia which I much prefer to a wood finish.

Your wood finish is at least a dark wood which I could live with but, anything with a tan or biege interior and light wood would make me ill.

I am the complete opposite Jim, I dislike dark interiors. Mine is light grey and I really like it. I am when we are released from house arrest looking to replace the car and was struggling to find one with a light interior. I am also now, under pressure from my wife now looking at an A200 up to a year old and they the only colour available appears to be black

Some people are “Emo” / “Goths” and some are normal

 

[Jimbo1959]

I am the complete opposite Jim, I dislike dark interiors. Mine is light grey and I really like it. I am when we are released from house arrest looking to replace the car and was struggling to find one with a light interior. I am also now, under pressure from my wife now looking at an A200 up to a year old and they the only colour available appears to be black

Light grey at least looks nice Andy but, I need a dark interior for my own comfort.

 

[Jimbo1959]

Some people are “Emo” / “Goths” and some are normal

Bu££er that "normal" stuff mate, I always thought that was a curse, being "normal"

 

[SmartAmg]

Bu££er that "normal" stuff mate, I always thought that was a curse, being "normal"

Them exhaust trims on yet, Jim?

 

[RhodieBill]

Speaking of Trims my C180 had like turned down ones and this is what I did...... This car had 224000 miles on the clock!

Got them on Ebay. (And that is the price for 2).

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universa...479007&hash=item2ab5ceb26e:g:kscAAOSwfHFbklLd

 

[Jimbo1959]

Them exhaust trims on yet, Jim?

Yes they are Tony, however they are still not to my satisfaction and due to the Covid 19 everyone who can help me sort them, as I need a bit of heat to straighten them up, is closed and I'm kind of stuck with them looking not right.

*uckin' *issed off about that I am.

The only good thing is that they have changed the exhaust note to a deeper, lovely rip when I am giving it some beans. Nothing OTT I might add just a lovely sound.

As you can see from these shots both tips are turned in slightly to the centre of the car, sorry for the poor light, I literally just nipped out and took these photos two minutes ago (20-55 hrs) and it's starting to get dark o'clock up here in Bonnie Scotland.

I reckon a little bit of heat on the main pipes on both sides and a wee push, only an inch for both tips, and they will be sitting perfectly.

I am learning to be patient, ok, I have been forced to learn to be patient. It really *isses me off though as it spoils the effect, these tips look and sound so much better than the ones that came with the car.

 

[RhodieBill]

Yes they are Tony, however they are still not to my satisfaction and due to the Covid 19 everyone who can help me sort them, as I need a bit of heat to straighten them up, is closed and I'm kind of stuck with them looking not right.

*uckin' *issed off about that I am.

The only good thing is that they have changed the exhaust note to a deeper, lovely rip when I am giving it some beans. Nothing OTT I might add just a lovely sound. View attachment 57375 View attachment 57376 View attachment 57377

As you can see from these shots both tips are turned in slightly to the centre of the car, sorry for the poor light, I literally just nipped out and took these photos two minutes ago (20-55 hrs) and it's starting to get dark o'clock up here in Bonnie Scotland.

I reckon a little bit of heat on the main pipes on both sides and a wee push, only an inch for both tips, and they will be sitting perfectly.

I am learning to be patient, ok I am forced to learn to be patient. It really *isses me off though as it spoils the effect somewhat, these tips look so much better than the ones that came with the car.

What about this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLOW-TOR...257293&hash=item2f05ae2424:g:Nv0AAOSwFqNZRutg

 

[Jimbo1959]

What about this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLOW-TOR...257293&hash=item2f05ae2424:g:Nv0AAOSwFqNZRutg

I didn't think that that tool would be able to get a large enough area of the steel on the exhaust hot enough to do the job Bill.

Personally I was thinking more of a burning plant and a little bit of care or, alternatively an oxycetalene welding rig, but hey, I'm no expert and I don't have extinguishers or fire blankets to hand in case of accident or oops moments. Hence the reason for wanting a pro to do the job.