Topic

I bought my TF last Monday with only a few weeks MOT left on it!  The previous owner had not used it for twelve months and decided to sell it!  I drove it home with no issues all gauges were working but the lights are quite poor compared with modern lights.  The fan only worked on speed 3 and 4!  and the gear knob rotated freely.  The battery had been disconnected as the car was not being used, so the clock was wrong!  Stopped to fill the car up, inside the filler cap was rather disgusting.  I stalled it several times on the journey home (our other car is automatic) as I got used to the clutch bite.  The previous MOT history, that I checked online had a nearside track rod end as an observation. I decided to give the car a quick once over after getting it home.  The rear nearside tail light had blown, and was replaced immediately.  When replacing the bulb, I notice the bulb holder was broken, and hanging out of the rear light cluster.  A replacement was sourced but I was unsure if it was the lens or the holder was the issue so I bought a complete set off eBay for £30.   Everything else seemed fine.  I took the car to work the following day (140 mile round journey) with no issues.  I then decided to re-MOT the car(sooner rather than later).  The car was booked in for an MOT on Friday, and at the appropriate time it was taken in!  MOT conducted and a fail chit presented afterwards, Near side track rod end was an immediate repair and an observation for a coolant Leak.  The examiner commented that the coolant Leake was a drop coming down from the header tank!  I went and picked up a track rod end from Europarts (other automotive suppliers are available).  Drove home replaced the track rod end and drove back to the test centre, car was re-MOTd and passed and the coolant leak had gone!!

So a reasonably inexpensive TF with 76k on the clock with 12 months ticket and looking forward to using it as an alternative to my motorcycle.  It's a littlle ironic that a TF is being employed as a foul weather vehicle!! 

Nice one - I wish I could sort my MOT that quickly, it has now failed 3 MOTs in the last 17 months, I sort it and then get disheartened when it fails the nest one on something different.

I enjoy mine in snow, it's more fun than my Alfa 159 with AWD.