what have you done to your car today ?

Nam-uk · Mar 22, 2024

So really your half gone from the site, this is like semi retirement lol, Awsome GTi Did my Generic map back in 2012

Nam-uk · Mar 22, 2024

I've got some good cleaners but I've never used snow foam, for cost this is worth a go they also have a ebay account were it can be cheaper sometimes, i use the Radiator additives also, good direct site, like Stan laurel says cut out the middle man lol https://trade-chem.co.uk/valetissimo/snow-foam-car-shampoo/ also if you not got a foam gun you can modify a garden sprayer if you have one spare and that's works well

Alexis27 · Mar 22, 2024

A lady scraped her massive Porsche along the front right corner of the parked Leon a week ago. Luckily her husband owns a body shop, so they sorted it all out.
Result a week later is an entirely repainted front bumper. Was only expecting them to do a smart repair on the corner, but chuffed all the stone chips and a scuff on the opposite side are now history too thanks to the full spray job.

Nathan penney · Mar 23, 2024

Suppose if it had to happen that’s the person you want to do it. Who’s husband owns a Bodyshop.
I see so many people driving huge cars who look like they can’t actually see where they’re going properly.
Glad they sorted it for you.

mty12345 · Mar 23, 2024

Alexis27 said:
A lady scraped her massive Porsche along the front right corner of the parked Leon a week ago. Luckily her husband owns a body shop, so they sorted it all out.
Result a week later is an entirely repainted front bumper. Was only expecting them to do a smart repair on the corner, but chuffed all the stone chips and a scuff on the opposite side are now history too thanks to the full spray job.

Park the back end next to her if you see her again, you'll have a full respray by the summer haha

iammooks · Mar 24, 2024

Finally ordered a new battery. Getting a bit tired of always wondering if it's going to start or not.

Noticed I'm getting white smoke from the exhaust when I start the car (diesel) and it feels like it's struggling if I don't rev it a bit first. After that, it's fine, but I'm wondering if it's carbon buildup in the cylinders or the intake manifold is choked.

Want to get the clutch done in the next few weeks and was thinking about a generic map, but would prefer to do that with a clean engine.

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bruceR · Mar 24, 2024

@iammooks have you checked your egr valve? Worth a clean.

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BadBoy03 · Mar 24, 2024

Nathan penney said:
Well, after nearly 7 years of happy motoring with my grey R, today it was time to say goodbye and hand it over to it’s new owner.
I still have the yellow one so I won’t be going anywhere but after giving it much thought I decided that one R is enough. Seeing as fair weather driving and car shows are pretty much the only time they get used I think the yellow one pips the grey with the wow factor and with our yellow MX5 too they make a nice pair.
I’ve maintained that car properly and it’s been looked after by Awsome GTi since I’ve had it and it’s never missed a beat.
It wasn’t an easy decision to let it go but I like to look after car’s meticulously and with 5 cars in the household it was starting to get rather expensive so whilst it’s still in top condition both bodywork and mechanically it was time to move it on.
Hopefully with a few more jobs ticked off the list with the yellow one this year I’m hoping that one gives me as many happy miles.
Goodbye my old chap.
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That's a tough decision to make, I had the same when I had my silver & black running alongside each other. I'm just glad you still have your mellow yellow though. Farewell grey

Alexis27 · Mar 24, 2024

The heat from the turbo through the bonnet has got to point where we're now down to bare metal.
I'm keeping an eye out for a second hand replacement, but they're like hen's teeth at the moment.
So I've got literally nothing to lose by rattle canning it and sticking some Zircoflex on the underneath.
Ian - I know you ballsed yours up when you tried

Do you have any tips to avoid it looking too crap?

Nam-uk · Mar 24, 2024

Alexis27 said:
The heat from the turbo through the bonnet has got to point where we're now down to bare metal.
I'm keeping an eye out for a second hand replacement, but they're like hen's teeth at the moment.
So I've got literally nothing to lose by rattle canning it and sticking some Zircoflex on the underneath.
Ian - I know you ballsed yours up when you tried Do you have any tips to avoid it looking too crap?

wtf

, put one of them magnet stickers over it in the same colour as the bonnet lol

iammooks · Mar 24, 2024

bruceR said:
@iammooks have you checked your egr valve? Worth a clean.

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You could eat your dinner off my EGR valve,

You'd get soot all over your food, but still, the offer's there.

It's actually pretty good. I took it out a few years ago, when I didn't realise what short trips would do to the car. Funny to think I'm servicing and fixing my car these days, when before I couldn't even tell you where the EGR valve was, let alone take it out, know to be careful with the o-rings and the gaskets because you're trying to hold them in place while you attempt to put that bolt in and it's in that really confined space where there are two empty prongs for mounting equipment I don't have on my car and really should have ground off because they scratch the back of your hand and it has to be your left hand and I'm right-handed so it's very easy to drop either a gasket, an allen key or a bolt and that means it's dropping into the engine bay, so good luck getting that back.

I go on longer drives now.

Trouble is, when the EGR came off and it was filthy, I saw that the intake was just as bad, so it's possible one of the ports is blocked or a bit clogged up and the smoke is incomplete combustion and why it feels that little bit down on power in first.

I can't get a garage to do the work because none of them want to do it, and I understand why because it's so dodgy taking out heat cycled allen bolts that have a bit size that's way too small for the amount of force needed to undo them, that you can't see, and if you snap one or round it out, it's stuck in the block and you may as well write off the car at that point.

And breathe.

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Alexis27 · Mar 24, 2024

Nam-uk said:
wtf , put one of them magnet stickers over it in the same colour as the bonnet lol

Or might just wait and see if I end up with it looking like a DeLorean

BadBoy03 · Mar 25, 2024

Alexis27 said:
A lady scraped her massive Porsche along the front right corner of the parked Leon a week ago. Luckily her husband owns a body shop, so they sorted it all out.
Result a week later is an entirely repainted front bumper. Was only expecting them to do a smart repair on the corner, but chuffed all the stone chips and a scuff on the opposite side are now history too thanks to the full spray job.

Can she swing by my rear door? I can make myself available at her convenience

Nam-uk · Mar 25, 2024

Alexis27 said:
A lady scraped her massive Porsche along the front right corner of the parked Leon a week ago. Luckily her husband owns a body shop, so they sorted it all out.
Result a week later is an entirely repainted front bumper. Was only expecting them to do a smart repair on the corner, but chuffed all the stone chips and a scuff on the opposite side are now history too thanks to the full spray job.

With the paint metallic that’s the proper way to spray and blend it in so it all matches my late uncle used to have a body shop that’s how I know I learned a far bit from him ,
you should of asked to do the bonnet also even payed for it..

GORDYDJ · Mar 26, 2024

After 3 days ownership of a 2009 Leon. I've gone and left myself without any music.
Yesterday thought I would plug in the android head unit I took out of my previous car. So set about removing the factory unit. Plugged in the android, turned on the ignition, and......nothing. After a bit of head scratching I reconnected the factory unit, turned on the ignition, and.....nothing. After a bit more head scratching. I decided to give up for the. day.
Went out to the car today armed with my multi meter. I have constant & acc power from the quad lock. And the fuses at the back of the radios are fine. I'm at a loss as to what it could be. The likelihood of both units failing at the same time is surely unlikely. And it can't be a bent pin.
Hopefully one of you has experienced the same. And can tell me it's something simple

mty12345 · Mar 26, 2024

GORDYDJ said:
After 3 days ownership of a 2009 Leon. I've gone and left myself without any music.
Yesterday thought I would plug in the android head unit I took out of my previous car. So set about removing the factory unit. Plugged in the android, turned on the ignition, and......nothing. After a bit of head scratching I reconnected the factory unit, turned on the ignition, and.....nothing. After a bit more head scratching. I decided to give up for the. day.
Went out to the car today armed with my multi meter. I have constant & acc power from the quad lock. And the fuses at the back of the radios are fine. I'm at a loss as to what it could be. The likelihood of both units failing at the same time is surely unlikely. And it can't be a bent pin.
Hopefully one of you has experienced the same. And can tell me it's something simple

Weird one. Being 2009 your car is a Mk2 though, so maybe repost in the Mk2 section, might be a common issue. I know on the MK1 the Switched and unswitched lives are reversed, maybe there is some weird wiring on the mk2 also