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Project Beastie

I've got a 52 reg K11-E 1.0S in starburst silver that I've had from new (you could say that she is one of the last K11's). I call her the Beastie. She's just done 80,000 miles. I'm being given a year old Astra diesel estate soon by a friend of Dad's (long story, will relate it in another entry).

I will be keeping the Beastie. To be honest she "owes" me nothing and if anything I "owe" her, towards the end of last week I drew up a job list to give her some much needed TLC and to get her back to her best;

1. Clutch Release Valve (new clutch)
2. Drivers Seat – Reupholster & Repair as necessary
3. Bonnet Release (can't lift the bonnet)
4. Spring in Gearlever (broken)
5. Parcel Shelf - new
6. O/S Front Wing (small ding in current one near crease in the wing)
7. Official Micra S Wheel Trims x 4 (keep for best – current one’s to stay with the car)
8. New Mats (front & rear, rubber)
9. New Radio/CD
10. 4 x Avon ZV-3 tyres (165-60-R14)

I did post this in the forum but have decided to blog about it instead.

Most of this will be done via my local Nissan dealer, WestWay Nissan. I've been going there from the word go and have got to know the guys there. So I know that I can count on them for advice. Any advice from you lot would be welcome.

First job is to MOT and tax the Beastie at the end of November :)
 
Had to go to Wales on Tuesday and was out all day. Filled Beastie right up with unleaded (£45.00) did 229
miles there and back, add the 20 that I had done after I'd filled up as I'd been on nights that weekend and
have got a fair bit to run around on. I trundle along, don't do more than 60 mph on the motorways and run
across country on A roads where I can.

Leave home in plenty of time, drive carefully and you get to where you have to go just as quickly using the least amount of petrol. Which at current prices is no bad thing.
 
Had to go to Wales on Tuesday and was out all day. Filled Beastie right up with unleaded (£45.00) did 229
miles there and back, add the 20 that I had done after I'd filled up as I'd been on nights that weekend and
have got a fair bit to run around on. I trundle along, don't do more than 60 mph on the motorways and run
across country on A roads where I can.

Leave home in plenty of time, drive carefully and you get to where you have to go just as quickly using the least amount of petrol. Which at current prices is no bad thing.
Very wise! :)
Wish some other people would act in the same way some times.
 
It was suguested to me that I might want to give the Beastie away to my cousin, Lorna (in the light of being
given the Astra estate) by my parents as a kindness was being done for me. Needless to say I was not
amused (which is putting it very mildly)

This is not happening. Lorna has a yellow K11 1.0 on an R plate. She has not looked after it at all. The
Beastie is my car, she is not for sale or to be given away. Lorna has had enough done for her over the
years, if she can't look after her car, sorry but hard cheese.

I am not putting Project Beastie into action for someone else's benefit. This has not only made me very
angry but I'm very upset at the suguestion. Project Beastie for the Beastie's benefit and for mine too.
 
nah not difficult at all.... just pop round to her's when she's home from work and take the keys, after all I still own the car :laugh:
 
Am beginning to wonder if Beastie will get through the MOT this time. You may wonder why, well I went to check the fluids the other day and couldn't open the bonnet. I discovered to my horror that the bonnet release is broken and was unable to raise it alone.
You can raise the bonnet but it does take two people. One to hold the release lever open and one to lift the bonnet, obviously :)
 
Am going to have file a SORN in respect of the Beastie towards the end of the week for the end of the month. The tax and MOT are due as is the bonnet release job. Until I get paid next month, I can't do any of it. As of this coming Friday, she'll be at Mum's where she'll be safe.
 
Have filed the SORN and the Beastie is now officially off road. But she is parked around the back of where I live with contact details for me on the dashboard. I've booked her into Browden Motors which is just around the corner from me to have the bonnet release job done. She goes in next Thursday (payday) and I have to walk to work now, it's just over 3 miles each way (arse!!).
What is really annoying is that the so-called promised Astra estate hasn't turned up yet.
 
The Beastie had the bonnet release done in December which cost £18 (that was with the VAT), she stayed off road through December. I turned the key every time I went to the dumpster with some rubbish to make sure she'd start which bless her little 16v heart she did. First time, every time :)

Have got to go to Halfords as some thieving ####### nicked two of her valve caps (n/s rear and o/s front)

Two weeks ago, I put her in for the MOT, she went down first time on two blown bulbs (number plate and N/S stop and tail) they were replaced and she went back through and passed second time around (wasn't charged for the bulbs or the retest). Got advisories for the n/s rear tyre which was expected, 10mm of damage on the windscreen (in my eyeline) and one of the front discs.
 
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