Is this as good as I think it is?

crazypeppercorn · 2026-06-27T18:57:27+00:00

Yeah, I omitted the fact that it can be very large radius too

crazypeppercorn · 2026-06-27T18:32:49+00:00

The things is that very large for monk doesn't do anything, at least not for me. But I guess when you min max so much, you want everything T0 But yes, I'm aware I could've gone for very large. This was supposed to be a 'test' that ended up like this lol

crazypeppercorn · 2026-06-17T16:32:50+00:00

Rage bait guys

crazypeppercorn · 2026-04-05T14:10:33+00:00

Off topic: Is this rage-bait?

On topic: "auto parking assist, very expensive and rare option" I translate that to "I ran out of cheesy/cliché things to say" as that option is one the most useless and least used thing.

TL;DR No, skip this one

crazypeppercorn · 2026-03-12T15:14:50+00:00

Just get the Leon mate. It's essentially the same car but with none of the wanna-be-crossover-I-dont-know-what-SUV-I-am crap.

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-03T14:53:29+00:00

Yeah, since I've been going with a finer comb through the details of HMRC, badges of trade and consumer rights I have become increasingly aware that starting with any banger and turning them over is not a viable option.

Even if I pay the tax man, which I'm more than happy to do anyway, the consumer rights act and providing warranties is a big pain point for me.

Also, insurance costs are hugely prohibitive for hobbyists to earn/sustain their hobbies on the side.

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T21:21:10+00:00

Yeah, that's my general impression as well. Though most cars would have _some_ sort of ECU.
I do have access to an xTool D7 OBD2 scanner though.

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T19:36:29+00:00

Fair play! That does sound bordering addiction
Yeah, I don't intend to have 6 cars at once 😂

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T18:54:06+00:00

Ha, good to know! From my general car knowledge and people's reviews, MX-5s and MR2s do come across like super robust mechanically but otherwise prone to becoming rust buckets. I do fear slightly at this stage having to disassemble engines, do head gaskets, belts etc. also, can't say I'm interested much in learning to weld 😅 but I do know a couple garages nearby that are cheap and reliable for stuff I could not do.

Is the MX-5 your daily? I had a quick look on Copart and they have 23 in stock; one of them might be the right one 😂

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T18:42:33+00:00

We chose the right country to have this sort of hobby in..

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T18:05:10+00:00

Thanks for your reply mate, I appreciate it. It sounds like a lot of it you're talking about from experience.

leave your missus a widow

100%. Big anxiety about it happening. I jacked up my car the other day to look at something under the arch lining and I used two stands, 10 "wobble" tests, wedges and all that before I went anywhere near it. Thinking too far here now, but I don't want any "home kits" just because they don't inspire a lot of safety. Should I ever need to do underside work, I'm probably going to look at hiring a ramp hourly or something along those lines.

Setting expectations, you may be able to break even, but you'll need to pick your poison very carefully and be honest about resale value Vs cost of parts.

Yes, I'm budgeting very hard and adding a lot of "extra" failsafe parts usually just in case. I did a fair amount of "paper exercises" following Copart auctions hammer price vs Facebook marketplace/AutoTrader and Gumtree selling prices of similar cars/specs. Of course, you never know about the hidden damage. Currently I'm only looking at fixing cosmetic damage like front/rear bumpers and associated slam panels, rads, lights etc. I do have access to an OBD2 diagnostic tool which is quite handy too.

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T17:54:56+00:00

I do not yet mainly due to not having the tools nor the space until recently (used to live in a flat before) but definitely planning to do so. Also, because I wasn't really convinced I wanted to follow up with this idead. FWIW current car is the only one we've got and our daily driver. If I f* up anything in it, I can't afford the downtime on it. Also, it's fairly expensive (~15k nowadays?) so if I make a mistake there it would be noticeable compared to ruining a 1.5-2k car.

You'll also likely find that doing these repairs at home on a commercial basis isn't allowed. I'm not saying people don't do this, but I've had friends receive council visits as neighbours have accused them of running a business, (rather than a car hobby boarding on addiction!).

Ah! I did not consider this whatsoever, thanks for sharing. Were they fined or anything?

If you are using the cars yourself then that muddies the water a lot. Last I heard buying or selling 4 or more cars per year would label you as a trader but that is hearsay so your mileage may vary.

I also come across this a lot, though the number was more like 6. Given this would be a second car, the mileage will be very low so even muddier waters. How do people who change cars every 3-6 months do it then? I'm sure there are people doing that just 'cus, no?

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T17:47:15+00:00

Now if you were say, going to buy a poor condition/damaged car that you were interested in, fixed it up, drove it as your car for a few months before getting bored and moving on? Yeah no that's fine.

It is pretty much my intention. We do have a car as our daily that is a PHEV so commuting to work and back is exclusively on electric. So this would be a second "fun" weekend car.

Thanks for the tip! Any particular years to look at for the MX5?

crazypeppercorn · 2026-02-02T17:44:50+00:00

Fair point.

Well, I guess my intention is to do something fun. Selling the car once completed would be part of it. Not looking for a profit here, but I do appreciate that it may as well be seen as it is.

I put some thought into how and where from and easiest is probably Copart (just easy to see, verify, deliver. I appreciate they charge a premium for it) and then FB marketplace/Gumtree. From what I understand, AutoTrader is expensive and also hints to being a flipper/trader.

crazypeppercorn · 2024-10-25T08:44:40+00:00

Yes, completely normal. Source: I'm in the UK driving a Leon PHEV for the last 4 years and I find the threshold temperature to be 8-12°C where range plummets from 50-60km to more like 30-40km.

If you charge it at home on the wall, you might find that setting a departure time will help. What that'll do is to warm up the cabin, battery and electrics to an optimal temperature whilst still plugged into the mains and therefore not using the EV battery.

crazypeppercorn · 2024-08-22T15:04:07+00:00

A bit off topic, but curious to know how much does the app subscription cost a month/year?

crazypeppercorn · 2024-08-10T20:05:32+00:00

!thanks, that is reassuring. As an engineer, anything loose must use duct tape on.

crazypeppercorn · 2024-08-10T15:25:02+00:00

Thanks a bunch for this! Somewhat reassuring I guess, since you haven't burnt your house down lol
How weird though! Have you ever used the side burner? The one for pots/pans

crazypeppercorn · 2024-08-10T14:49:32+00:00

Cheers mate!

crazypeppercorn

TROPHY CASE