Old stuffis rubbish eh!

[GRW]

This morning, Works Transit decided it didn't like -9c (it's not been happy starting all week with a good battery) and decided to go on strike by offing it's starter motor.

Right next to it, my 22-yo LDV Convoy (Ford 2.5di Banana engine) - fired right up, despite being sat there since Sunday lunchtime in the cold, covered in frost and ice.

 

[OJCar]

32 year old Discovery 200TDi, sat outside in all weathers, hasn't been started for 3 weeks, started first attempt, as expected.

 

[Shox Dr]

Went for wood last week. Jumped in my 1950 GMC hasnt started in 6months.
As soon as the carb got fuel she was off.

Does help it has no parasitic drain on the battery.

Our lass gets in her newish car and the powersteering has turned to glue

 

[sparkysy]

My 07 plate vivaro has done the same starter packed in.
O/h has a fiat panda not been started for a month frozen solid couldn't open the doors.
Finally got in it and started first time!
Something to be said for old stuff!
Sy

 

[cheb]

So why aren't you driving the old stuff every day?

The OP sounds more like bad maintenance than anything else.

 

[selectedgrub]

So why aren't you driving the old stuff every day?

No heated seats.

 

[Cato]

This morning, Works Transit decided it didn't like -9c (it's not been happy starting all week with a good battery) and decided to go on strike by offing it's starter motor.

Right next to it, my 22-yo LDV Convoy (Ford 2.5di Banana engine) - fired right up, despite being sat there since Sunday lunchtime in the cold, covered in frost and ice.

I bought the Vivaro new in 2014, every time I've turned the key it's started, coldest ambient was -12 and hottest was + 30. Once it's started it's warm in the winter, cool with the air-con in the summer, quiet, comfortable, and happily does hundreds of miles or round the corner journeys at motorway speeds or 20 mph urban stuff.

So whilst I appreciate the old stuff, having used plenty back in the day for comparison, I'll stick with the modern version every time.

 

[8ob]

Yep, the only time I have to lift the bonnet on my Mr Bushy Delicious is to jump start some of the newer crap we run.

Bob

 

[frank horton]

no probs here....taken 5 mins ago.....norm temps 20-25º........just one of the major reasons for moving here.......

 

[dobbslc]

Betty Swollocks.

 

[Rrobson]

My old terrano took a bit of cranking this morning, only -5 so not quite as cold. Would help if any of its glow plugs were working but I can’t bring myself to attempt them given they’re likely as fitted when it was new…
Newer stuff is much more fragile. It’s a wonder the ecu’s survive as well as they do, leave a laptop in the car over night when it’s this cold and there’s a 50/50 whether it’ll work or not!

 

[stuvy]

Was -9 at mine this morning

Windscreen froze 2 mins after clearing it!! Iv never had it before

 

[bricol]

Inside the greenhouse:

 

[Cobbler]

When I got up this morning, looked at the remote thermometer outside the back door, it was showing -11.3, I thought it’s broken, but it’s been reading ok ever since. Perhaps it was correct after all, it took a lot to clean the ice of the windscreen.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

My sister phoned from W Australia yesterday - I didn't ask her what the temp there was....

 

[mtt.tr]

My LR series 3 starts with no flow plugs everytime. But I wouldn't drive it daily or far

 

[gordon stephenson]

Best starter I had was My Land Cruiser Amazon 4.2 diesel, All running gear was 12v but starting was 24v, No waiting for heaters, just key straight in and turn, No matter the weather the engine was running in less than a rev, Never heard it turn over even once.

 

[keithski122]

The thing is stuff built this side of the millenium isn't really old any more, not like using a nineteen seventies car in the nineties or so on.I know if I still had my 1989 mazda 323 it would still start and drive well (the rust got it so things might fall off it), possibly as well as my 09 suzuki.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

16 year old / 186,000 mile Skoda Fabia 1.4TDi. Standing since February. Rag sucked into turbo so a "rountuit" to fix. Started first touch of the key and moved it to other side of the drive.

 

[Pond frog]

When I got up this morning, looked at the remote thermometer outside the back door, it was showing -11.3, I thought it’s broken, but it’s been reading ok ever since. Perhaps it was correct after all, it took a lot to clean the ice of the windscreen.

Sounds about right my neighbour is a weather buff, this is his report for our village in Warwickshire -13.7 degrees this morning