My S2 is coming off the road.......................

[rj scotty]

For a while. Reason? Needs MOT and tax and I'm a little poor and will be for a couple of months and a set of tyres for my work horse is more important

I always try to turn a negative in to a positive, glass half full and that so bearing in mind I have little in the way of money what jobs could I do to the S2 that are cheap but time consuming?

cheers

rich

[s2_wot]

front & rear subframes, cheap and time consuming especially if you don't pay to get 'em sandblasted

[rj scotty]

Fronts done but rear needs doing.

good one

[s2_wot]

How about your fuel lines
Maybe take the arch liners off from under the front wings and get some por15 or whatever on the inside of the wing to prevent rusting in the usual place.

[rj scotty]

Fule lines good

One wing is done other needs doing

[Christophski]

Where's this usual rust place in the front wing?

[rj scotty]

Where the bumper rubs on the leading edge of the wing is the only on I know of. A big bead of sikaflex (a gift from the gods) on top of the paint separating the wing from the bumper cures it for me

[s2_wot]

Where's this usual rust place in the front wing?

Here:

[newsh]

Any water leaks to cure?

[Christophski]

Ok. I know mine has that and am getting it sorted this year. Will put on some protective stuff too. Cheers guys

[macspring]

Rj,

If you're looking for stuff to do. Couple of things of the top of my head in no particualr order.

1. Try stripping the front and rear wiper mechanisms, clean off / out all the old original factory grease and re-assemble using fresh grease. Practice on mechanisms in the breakers if you're not confident to strip your own straightaway. They'll be nicer in operation. Use lighter fuel to clean all of the build up of dirt on the rear of each of the three steering column stalks, taking care not to erase the white symbols.

2. Change the fuel filter, fun on an Avant, not sure on a Coupe.

3. Change the pollen filter. Install one from a car in the breakers if your doesn't have one.

4. Adjust the drivers door hinge if it's dropped a bit over time.

5. Grease / oil your door and boot locks, and hinges.

6. Check and tidy any wiring on your car stereo.

7. Replace any blown bulbs in any of the switches or dashboard or centre console displays.

8. Replace the bulb in your ambient temperature display if it is blown.

9. If you've done all of the above you could strip each door car and clean out the bottom of the inside of the doors and also grease/oil the electric window mechanisms. They'll be faster and smoother in operation afterwards.

10. Annoy yourself and go on to Detailing World to reasliese how dirty your car is and how the paint work is all swirly.

11. Investigate any rattles and fix same. Make sure all of the plastic sleeves and other bits are in place on your rear hatch. Ask Macanmar for further info. He's BTDT.

12. Go to the breakers and source any missing bits of trim, trim clips, or particular unique screws or bolts.

13. Just before putting it back on the road, clean all of the interior glass with a good solvent/glass cleaner.

14. Sponge / lightly nail brush your seatbelts in luke warm water in the fully extended position and only let them retract when dry. Afterwards in use they'll retract quicker and smoother.

15. Clean your upholstery or leather as appropriate. Take out your two front seats to do the seats and clean the carpets underneath. Clean out and re-grease the seats runners to make their movement easier.

16. Check all your fuses for any blown ones and to make sure they are the correct rating and fill the spares slots with spare fuses.

17. Clean out the scuttle area especially at the back of the fusebox and make sure there is not debris in the two drains either end of the scuttle.

18.Replace all of the rubber hose that connects the plastic vacuum hoses. These can deceive and look all right, but are not, whereas new ones will be.

19. Get under the car and look around for anything that needs attention, exhaust, exhaust rubbers, CV boots etc.

20. Take off your throttle body and clean it out, with say carb cleaner or some other solvent.

21. Change your driver's door mirror to a late model Cabrio with the dotted line blind spot. S/h in Breakers? Very dear new, really needs a Group Buy.

22. Check the length of the brushes left on your regulator in your alternator.

23. Check your wheel bearings and brake pads. Clean and copper grease your calipers "sliders" on the carriers. replace any torn boots on the brake carriers or the dust seals on the calipers,

24. Make a typed list of what you want to do and tick each one as it's done, satisfying and motivating.

25. Consider any thing failing and breaking on your car and then check out in advance of where you might source the part, to be prepared for some eventualities in advance, the stuff never breaks at a convenient time.

This list is probably enough for you to be going along with ? I know I've missed a few obvious ones others can mention.

These cars are a never ending series of list of To Do jobs.

Set yourself one or two task a week. You'll be fine if it is indoors rather than on your driveway.

Enjoy the fruits when it is back on the road and sweet as a nut.

HTH a bit.

Kind regards.

[s2_wot]

David, that's a great list to add, I wouldn't have thought of half of them.

Of all of the above detailing world will cost you a fortune and potentially turn you into an OCD lunatic; however the results are really satisfying if you put the time in.

Another one that might be worth adding is to remove the aux coolant pump, dismantle and clear out whatever muck is in there. Keep it alive for longer. I have one here I must do a how to sometime.

[macspring]

Hi Shane,

Forgot to add the cleaning out of the black cap sized "yoke" behind the after run pump which is part of the breather for oil vapors. It gets clogged with black gunge over time. This yoke and the pipes could benefit from a good clean out with say petrol or the like.

Also his idle stabilization valve.

I'm sure RJ is aware of most of these items, but it's handy to have them all on a list, and also for depressing oneself slightly.

[s2_wot]

good list all the same,

@ David; I tried to send you a pm there but your inbox is full. Will email you tomorrow sometime.

[benntenn67]

Use lighter fuel to clean all of the build up of dirt on the rear of each of the three steering column stalks, taking care not to erase the white symbols

It's safer to use washing up liquid & a damp cloth ?