Been a busy weekend here as I MOTed the big Toyota Landcruiser and the VW Corrado, both for the first time in my ownership.
Jumping into the Corrado at 8.50 for a 9am appointment, I was a bit cross when I felt it pull to the left. ‘Stuck handbrake’ I thought, as I heard a characteristic moan from the left rear. 5 seconds later it was obviously not a brake problem, as I realised the front left tyre was flat. Typical!
Back to the house, pull out the airline, try to blow it up; the bead has unseated itself and no air is going in. Parked it up and took the Landcruiser instead. Get to the garage at 9.20, just in time to see all the milk used up in other peoples’ coffees – going very well so far!
The big Toyota is even bigger when on the deck of a four-post lift. It’s filthy; I had intended to jetwash it between the Corrado test and this one’s 12pm appointment, but ’twas not to be. Lights all check out OK, even the rear fogs which I had not tested beforehand (they are usually first to mess up). We adjust the beam on both headlamps – proper job.
One seat is out in the back, so we can’t check the lap belt (receiver is on the other seat). Everything else inside works a treat. A quick check of washers and wipers, then the truck goes up into the air.
I’ve had quite a few 4x4s and have always wanted a proper 80-series Landcruiser. This one does not disappoint, even seen from underneath. 56k miles on the speedo is probably not right, but the underside agrees the miles are low, as it is really spotless. The front axle is breathing a little bit, and there is a tiny (I mean tiny) bit of play around the NSR anti-roll bar bush, but the brake and fuel lines are all clean, no oil leaks, exhaust is new, no loose wires; nothing.
It is too wide for the brake rollers, so it goes on road test and passes with flying colours – all the disc faces are spotless, so no surprise to hear it is A1 in the brake department. The handbrake is fairly high, but there is some reserve travel left, so it passes. I am adjusting that anyway. It then passes the smoke test (bit high to start but comes down throughout the test). 10 minutes later, I get a green slip with some minor advisories – it passed! Home I go, to get the Corrado. My hopes are high as I have spent much of my Christmas hols fettling this eager beaver.
I bring the beleagured VW inside the back gates and get it up on axle stands, before whipping the wheels off and throwing them in the now-legal Landcruiser. An hour later, the set of new 185/55 15 Firestone tyres I bought for it have been fitted and balanced. I shoot home, get them on the car and head back to the MOT station. Then the fun starts.
The rear silencer is new, so that is OK. A couple of tiny micro holes on the centre box inlet pipe escape a fail. Tyres now all new, so that is OK (though they still get measured). The rear wheels have some inner rim runout, but it is within spec so OK. The bodywork underneath is in tip top shape so fine. One flexi hose (NSF) has a tiny balloon in it under pressure, so instant fail. Damn.
Front plate has a few hairline cracks in it but is legible so fine, headlights are quite low (explains my crap dipped beam) and the adjusters are falling apart as soon as we touch them, so second fail. I leave with my red ticket and head straight to GSF in Daventry. The beam adjusters are main dealer only, but the brake hose is cheap at £11. A job for Sunday.
I come home and begin stripping the headlamps off. You guessed it – the whole lot seized to buggery. I am forced to drill all the screws out and put new retaining clips on my list. A job for next week! I split the lamps on the bench, get the last bits of broken adjuster out, and set the lenses aside for a deep clean. Think it’s also time for the relay upgrade and some better bulbs too perhaps.
I have now asked the question at Glass’s regarding voluntary redundancy, so if it comes up, this is probably my new daily driver. I would love that, as I adore this car. The only thing I don’t like about it (apart from the auto-arming alarm) is the effectiveness of the lights, so it’ll be nice to sort them out once and for all. Looks a bit Darth Vader-like at the minute:
