No worries! One of the "benefits" of the delays on getting my car has been tyhat I have been travelling all over testing the others, and have now driven a wide variety of S1s. Becoming quite good at inspecting them and spotting the idiosyncracies of each one!
Happily, my beast is back, sorted, fitted with Cat 1 alarm and ready for some good weather (not holding my breath).
After the refreshment by both factory and BHM for the minor cosmetic issues, and finding that the immobiliser unit was playing silly buggers and sorting it out, the car looks and feels absolutely mint. Just waiting for the transfer of my number (the rather apt V8 OAF) to the car!
Very happy at last. I drove it to SGT in order to test the bi-coloured car as a back up plan in case the electronic problem resurfaced (it didn't) - the guys there commented on what a good S1 mine was, after a good poke around and even driving it. Good, given that it had looked so neglected and grubby just a few weeks before.
Going back to the original point. If we igmore the immobiliser issue (a bit of a freak, to be honest), my car was arguably in poor condition; it had been used as a daily driver, and neglected. This had led to rejection by a number of potential buyers. But driving it told the sory of a very tight, sorted and new feeling machine - so I went for it, negotiatin g rectification of cosmetic issues with the seller.
In the long term, this was a good tactic - it took a while, and as you know there were various delays, but I am left with a mint car (even the interior looks brand new after the reconnolisation) that drove well. Ultimately, the cosmetic issues were easier and cheaper to fix than mechanical worries like slack steering and worn rose joints.
I'd rather by a scruffy car that feels tight (and knock some cash off the price for the obvious faults), than a cosmetically great one that feels loose. Really.
Last edited by Harry F; 03/06/08 04:20 PM.
