RichardS

Nice one Rob - and good luck with your new toy - I look forward to the pics mate!! As for garages, I'm in Bucks myself and have no issue in getting my car to Jimmer. Now he's moved to new premises, just off M4 j8, Jimmer is barely 90 miles drive from me; and I can get the train back if I have to leave it. I don't know where you live, but Dagenham is not exactly local to Bucks/Herts either.... ? Anything non-specialist (oil changes, brakes etc) I use my local garage - failing that, I have used DS Automotive in Aylesbury; although I'm not sure they are still in business. But anything remotely specialist - cambelt, heater matrix, HICAS, air-con - or difficult, then it has to be Jimmer. no-one else knows their way around a Zed like Jim so taking the car elsewhere will probably end up costing you way more in wasted time.

....As subject, I have finally managed to kill my auto-box after 122k miles. Driving back from Dorset, I was about 40 miles from home, thundering along a dual carriageway, when the 'box changed down to second without warning - and would not, despite anything I did, change back up. I had to limp home avoiding the rest of the A34 and M4 at no more than 40mph so as not to rev the engine to buggery. All I have now are first and second gear - third and overdrive are gone, it seems ? I know an excellent auto-box specialist in Aylesbury, who can do a quality, warrantied full rebuild - he did my red Zed - and it would probably be done within a week. I could finally go manual - and I know you'll tell me to do that - but how long would that take? Sourcing a 'box and ancillaries, then getting the car to Jimmer, as I won't trust anyone else to do it..... I have disregarded the third option - buying an alleged low mileage second-hand auto 'box and having my local garage swap it out. Simply not worth the gamble, as that too, could fail within months.... Tough call - for me, anyway, as I still quite like the auto... ?

Hi folks, Whilst I have been away for a few days, I haven't been neglecting club matters..... I have secured us a stand at The Pageant of Motoring on Sunday 5th June, at the Her Majesty The Queen's residence, Sandringham, Norfolk...... I will post further details in the events section shortly, once I have more details from the organisers!!

Great to see people taking their Zeds out more, since the weather improved.....! As for me, I have been away for a few days - we took the Zed to Dorset for a short holiday in the spring sunshine. It needs a good wash now, but that's a job for next weekend ?

Still looking fantastic though Lee - this is one great Zed that I can't wait to see back on the road again..... ?

Difference between JDM and UK/EU spec, I guess.... No writing on the outside of mine - and there's a vanity mirror on the underside ?

Yup - 15 years is along time in rubber-life..... ? I concur with Alex, I'd definitely get it changed for peace of mind...!!

mechanophilia.......

Many happy returns Lee - hope you have a great day mate!! Richard?

To all our Irish members - and to those who just find themselves to be Irish today..... Enjoy the craic.....?

LOL - it looks like a sheet of newspaper would barely fit under your front end Graham!! But still, now the weather is improving, it's time to get back in the Zed as often as possible.... I'm off to Dorset for a few days next weekend, so will be sure to take the Zed for it's first proper run of the year ?

Agreed - the e39 still has the cleanest lines of any 5-series..... And all before the cars grew too much in size..... ?

Well done folks....!

One for today.....

Congratulations on your big 4-0 Joel - hope you have a great day mate!! Richard & Julia?

Lovely Zed indeed.....?

LOL - as Nike said....Just do it ? The day I take anything reported as news in the internet seriously, is the day my ass gets blown off the planet..... Oh, wait, I did it again ?

.................As long as the idiots out there don't start targeting our cars, just because of the bonnet badge.... Hmmmm, I did say idiots....?

Happy birthday Andy - have a great day mate!! Richard...?

Jimmer is just off J18 of the M4 - which is actually closer to Bath than it is to Bristol...... And Bath is a lovely city, with plenty to keep the tourist and his wife occupied for a few days ? Bristol has a few must-see attractions too, the harbour is nice and the SS Great Britain is well worth a visit. Bath is still a lot nicer though!! I was fortunate, in that all my Zed needed was a re-gas, after being left idle for over a year in the bodyshop whilst it was having a full sill replacement and respray. All the old gas had simply disappeared into the atmosphere....! Looking at my bill, Jim charged me £75 for a simple re-gas in Nov'19.... But in the 13 years I have had my Zed, I have had both the compressor and condenser replaced - by JeffTT when he was still trading - the condenser was £150 (ex the re-gas) back in 2009 and the compressor was £230 a year later (which included another re-gas).

Yup - exactly what Andrew says!! There is still an R12 substitute available - as a straight drop-in - but you can also upgrade to R134a quite easily, if the AC engineer knows what to do. Your best bet, is to get your car down to Jimmer. He uses a very good specialist - and it's all done under Jimmer's watchful and knowledgeable eye. Also, if you need any additional components to recommission the AC, then Jimmer will most likely be able to replace them for you. Jim did mine about three years ago now and it's still blasting out ice cold air on a hot day.... ?

A belated Happy birthday Andrew - hope you have a great day! All the best, Richard & Julia....?

Agreed - and whilst I suspect most of don't need a reminder, it might be worth checking and updating our agreed value insurance policies.... ?

Great post Andrew - I watched this myself a few days ago..... !!

Great looking Zed there - modified, yet still in-keeping with the original design!!