Rich's BB4

[mart609]

Yeah that bonnet didn't suit at all. Glad you removed it

[Rich]

... but heres a bit of a quick update anyway.

My car's been stood for a while now (apart from the odd spin around the car park) due to me buying a more economical car to use for work and day-to-day crap, and I've also had shitloads of uni work and other stuff to do recently.

I've had to leave it in the car park at work because I only really have space for 2 cars at home at the moment; my house is up for sale and I'm on the hunt for one with a big driveway and a double garage though.

Anyway, I haven't given up on this car - I still have many plans for it once I get that garage - so I've been accumulating more parts in the meantime... I've bought the following over the last few months:

• DC Sports ceramic coated 4-2-1 manifold
  AEM short ram intake
  Rocker cover gasket set

I still haven't sussed why the back wheels are scraping. On closer inspection there don't appear to be any spacers, but the wheels themselves appear to be very wide - so I'm gonna stick another set of wheels on (when I get a lower trolley jack) and see if that's any better.

Once the wheels are sorted I'll get her taxed and insured again and get the love back for her, then start fitting parts.

The bumper scrape still isn't sorted either though, and a couple of minor rust bubbles are reappearing on the rear arches so I'm trying to decide whether to take her into a body shop and spend a bit of money.

I am in two minds whether to get rid and buy a better base car, or to spend the money on this one. I have a few grand saved up but I want to spend it as wisely as possible. I don't have long to make this decision really though... I have a little-un on the way now - so I can wave goodbye to any major car expenditures once he or she is born

[wurlycorner]

Better condition base cars will be few and far between these days I'd say? Yours is a bit of a beaut in that colour too...

[Rich]

Yeah I suppose. I just need to sort the issues on this one and it will be good again. There is just a bit of rust forming on the drivers side A-pillar which worries me. I think I just need to get it into a decent body shop and see what they say.

I don't want to spend £1000s getting this up to a half decent standard though if I can buy something that's almost there. Occasionally they come up with few previous owners and decent service history but as you say they are few and far between.

[Lude-dude]

if your lude wasn't such a nice colour, I would say just buy another one

but even then you could end up with more faults, at least you know your own car

[Rich]

I love the colour and the paintwork is in pretty good condition except for where rust is coming through and the scuff on my bumper. I am not sure what it will cost to fix but I fear the worst, and I am a bit hesitant to get the work done because of what it might cost vs. what the car will be worth.

The rust isn't major at the moment but I want to do a proper repair job on it all and get rid for good. So I need to order a set of rear arch panels from Cebul for around £250. Other than that I need to pay someone to repair the rusty A-pillar, the scabby edges of the sunroof and fit and spray the new rear arches. I may as well get my front bumper resprayed properly too after the scuff.

I am guessing this will set me back around £1000 for the work, so £1250 in total. Maybe I’m way off – what do you reckon chaps?

If it will cost less than this then I will probably just go for it.

[bb1boy]

I think the going price is about £200 a panel for a respray.. well, it is down here in Cornwall at the mo, so that'd do your bumper but for a full respray I'd say you're looking at approximately £2000 after getting the rear repair panels welded in.
That colour really suits the 4th mate, I like it a lot.

[vanzep]

if your lude wasn't such a nice colour, I would say just buy another one

but even then you could end up with more faults, at least you know your own car

^^^
sound advice
i remember when you bough this car Rich and you got a it a good price - im pretty sure you wouldnt find anything like that now.

[Rich]

Cheers for the info bb1boy. I think I'll just bodge it for now - I can probably patch the bumper (well you can hardly see it at the moment anyway really and all I've done is paint over it with a touch-up stick), and then I'll try and stop the rust on the A-pillar and sunroof and repaint them. They will need sanding back etc which I'm always hestitant to do but it can't look any worse than dirty rust. The arches are only just starting to bubble so I've got a while, and if I'm going to get them cut out and new ones welded in anyway it doesn't really matter if they get a bit worse.

Based on the way the paint flaked off the front bumper, it is likely that if I get arches cut out the whole thing will need taking down to bare metal and re-done properly so I'll be better off saving up for a full respray jobbie; I can also then get a body kit fitted at the same time.

Vanzep, yeah I guess it was a decent price when I bought it; although I did feel a bit scammed at the time when I had all the little issues with it and then when I found out it didn't have LSD. Still, not bad for £800! With what I've done/spent so far, plus the other £900+ worth of stuff I've accumulated to use on or fit to the car, the little jobs I have for my mechanic (e.g. fitting the M2B4 gearbox, changing the timing belt etc), and then rust repair and respray - I will be looking at over £4500 though.

I could probably buy a decent one out there for that with some tasty mods, that's why I was considering just selling up and buying another one, but even then there's no guarantee it will be any better for rust and end up costing me loads more.

I guess I'm sold on keeping her... it never takes much

[vanzep]

correct decision though
BB4's will be worth more in the future