Everyday driver

I was thinking of selling my Coupe LE that I've had for 11 years, but can't bring myself to do it. No way.

So I'm selling the Astra GTC instead, and the plan is to use my Coupe as an everyday driver.

Now I've previousily just been using it occastionally at the weekends, but now I plan on doiung around 6,000 a year in it.

What maintaince and bits should I now focus on to keep my motoring trouble free? She's done 78,000 - has had cambelt, all springs, rad done last year, new clutch break lines and oil cooling hoses done within 5 years..

Any advice?

Cheers.

Hi Jim-Jiminy,

Your to be saluted for not letting the Coupe go! They do that to you.

Guess with all the work done so far, your mainly talking about setting (and keeping to) clear service dates for her. All MOT issues.


And a check of all fluids/pressures/lights and electrics/mini service just before you press her in to full time service again. They seem to enjoy being used more then not used...

Great to hear your sticking with her!

MM

Nice move Jim - I use my Coupes as daily drivers and I have to say they VERY rarely let me down.

I do a full service on them annually and any MOT advisories that come up.

I have had clutch and brake issues on the 16vna - plus an awful incident where some fool reversed into the bonnet whilst it was parked up for the day.

But I cannot remember the last time the 20vt actually let me down apart from right now where he has developed a leak from the radiator, I just had the belts and pump done too.

Maybe see you around the county

It's what I intend to do in a few months time after it's had a full service and look over by Allitalia back-end of next month. What were the clutch and brake issues on the 16v then and is it something I should be looking out for?

Great decision!

As others have said it's really general servicing items and I was always keen to get and MOT advisories sorted when they crop up as well.

Brakes and clutch have been fine on my 16NA, G_Man, other than wearing out from time to time and the usual MOT feebleness. Changed the hoses once, I think, and it's on its third clutch largely because we had the engine out for a rebuild and it would have been silly not to. While the engine was out all the solid pipes were replaced, too.

If you are on top of the mechanics and servicing I think Coupe's are very strong (less so imo if it has been heavily modified) but the gremlins for a 20 year old Coupe daily driver would be the electrics and the well documented corrosion issues. My Coupe is my everyday car albeit 3000miles a year and is kept outside.

My 20V has been my daily/winter car for all of its 21 years. It has needed quite a few small parts in that time but it has been intrinsically reliable. 21 years but only 92k kms and most of it is still original which is good. Parts that have worn would have worn on any car I expect. For example, the more expensive things have been ignition coils, front springs, and now a cat - so not much at all really.

Things that seem to fail more often than expected include:

Thermostats
Handbrake cables

Nothing else springs to mind.

The bad is corrosion and the more it is used, the less time I have to look after it and it deteriorates faster. Keep it clean and wash the salt off it as often as possible in winter and you have a much better chance of keeping it in decent condition.

Hi! Thanks guys. I took it to Roger at power developments for a service he found a bit of corrosion in passenger footwell that needs to be sorted before MOT in July. Estimated would be about £250 to fix apart from that he said faultless car! :-) So happy.

I want to upgrade the speakers now, I upgraded the headunit to a JVC KD-LHX551 . Any ideas for speakers upto £60 ish? I also would
Like parking sensors installed any ideas about ones that don’t need drilling into the bumper? I heard there’s like a strip one you can fit inside the bumpers?

Cheers.

Sounds good

Speakers: any decent branded 2 way components would be a good upgrade. Replacing the tweeters can be a mini project though.

PDC: I always wondered if something like this would be reliable enough:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Car-Rear-Number-Plate-Frame-3-Reversing-Parking-Sensor-System-Kit-UK/292397557788?epid=2118321039&hash=item441440a81c:g:ICkAAOSwqvNaUGay