Hello all - a long intro and a silly boot lid question

[jmanjon]

Hi all, thanks firstly for a brill website - i've been watching and surfing for a while. I've spent a long time reading and enjoying.

In 2000 I had a T plate silver propeller wheel 1.7 as an inherited 'company' car... It was a small company and I got the lease car when I replaced the previous job holder. I loved it and fell in love with it. Left the company after exactly a year, but with one nagging sense of loss...

11 years later, 3 kids growing up later, the Vauxhall Zafira died and we needed a new motor. Focus or Mondeo?, but having once been a two car family we also threw a 'Top Gear Challenge' into the mix. 7k for a new motor or can we get 2 reasonable bangers for 7k?

Whole day car hunting, last garage in the city area, giving up hope...

Fantastic! - Fiesta Flame - immaculate - in our price range.
In to show room, talking to sales person, test drive etc. Small window behind sales person...
WHATS THAT????
Oh thats where we keep the new stuff that comes in and stuff going to auction.

No - Whats THAT?

24hrs later - mine, all mine... 51 Plate 1.7 Pacific Green. 41K miles. Top Gear Challenge Complete. Two car family again.

Yes, its nearly 10 years old and i'm not blind to the brown 'beauty spot' it has on the NSR wheelarch (anybody know what that might be????? Doh!!!!!) and the Ford electrics that will probably die any day soon, and the condensation in the OSR light cluster, but i'm SO happy - driving with a smile is what its all about.

Any how, happy old man and hello to you all.

Here's a question that I have not managed to pin down here on the website. I also asked another local owner who answered 'about an inch'.

My T plate (T167MRJ - are you still out there?) boot opened fully when I pressed the key (3 times!) but this one just releases and the boot only pops up about a centimetre. My local friend's 'inch' seems about similar. This seems a bit mad if you have a granny/kid/briefcase in one hand and the keys in the other, you need to put something down to get a finger underneath the lip to open the lid...

I have looked hard and carefully WD40'd the struts (they are clean as a whistle) but to no avail. My Q - was I lucky with T167MRJ or can I do something with my new Poo so the boot actually opens fully when I press the key??

There is something on here (or Pumapeople) that talks about installing more powerful struts, but I will be inclined to leave it if I was just lucky before. I don't need the boot to open that badly, but it would be sensible if its a user adjustable part.

Any knowledge out there?

Hello again and apologies for being new. TTFN.

 

[martinthrapston]

well if its raining and the boot flies open when opened the inside will be soaked,so it only just opens and then you lift slowly to drain the water of the tailgate,and dont install more powerfull struts as they are not needed k:

 

[jmanjon]

Hi Martin, thanks. On reflection I get what you are saying - but the old MRJ's boot didn't 'fly' open, it more opened with 'style' (like buzz lightyear - falling with style), but yes standing water did get in on occasion as the water didn't get a chance to fall into the channels on either side (parked on a slope/wind etc.). I had already mentally crossed More Powerful Struts off the list on the basis that 'if its not bust', or just made that way, don't over engineer it. Plus I would probably wreck things trying...

From your experience do you think was I just (un)lucky with the previous one that gently opened fully when you pressed the button, or may it be that my newer 2001 car had the water ingress threat designed away with a non opening boot?

Thanks for your help.

:grin:

 

[Dal]

The fact the struts on your car are at least 10 years old now might mean they're a little tired now. If you get new ones they might pop up.

If you work them hard by lifting and closing the boot hard for say a minute it'll heat up the gas in the struts and it may open by itself. Mine used to when it was a hot day but not otherwise. Not in the rain which was good. k:

 

[jmanjon]

This is all beginning to make sense...
Dal, thanks. I took delivery of new Puma on 16/12/10. It was about -8deg in UK then. Since then its no better than 10c is it ?- at least the roads are dry... (Oops. that'll be 3 points then) Lets wait and see if spring warmth brings a new spring to the boot (and me). As for lifting and closing the boot hard for a minute, it may fix the glitch, but my sad old back may not cope!!!!!!!!!!!! I hadn't thought in simple terms - the boot is 10 years old - the operator is 40 years old. I guess the boot and me match. Thanks guys.

 

[yippeekiay]

The weather is a big factor on the struts. Mine just pops open about an inch too most of the time but as the weather warms the gap gets bigger until when it's hot it opens all the way. Weird....lol.

I'd rather have it open itself all the way each time but in a nice 'buzz' fashion too but it ain't gonna happen, it's Fords way or the highway....lol.

Welcome by the way k:

 

[Midnight Blue]

Hi - welcome along.

 

[badger_]

Welcome
I think mine only opens about an inch (now I've spent £100 on a key where the buttons actually work :'( ) not sure whether the weather plays a part in it since I've only had it since October. Anyway with all the rain, I'm happy to let the water run off first

 

[Planetslick]

Hey welcome to the forum everyone here has been great since i joined, on your boot lid query i find its all temp related in winter i get just the 1inch pop up butwhen i 1st got car last summer when i was parked in the sun all day the boot just gracefully opened the who way it must be to do with the pressure of the gas its a cool party piece for car parks but with the boot design fault in the rain itd just pour into your car so probs not recommended but if you were to put slightly better struts on i have no doubt the boot would fully open

 

[jmanjon]

Thank you everybody, and hello to you guys.
Sounds like the warmth/sun expands the gas which gives it a bit more ooomph.
Prevous T reg was only a year or so old, so that will no doubt be a factor as well.
Stands to reason I guess.
Thanks again
Enjoy the sunshine.
Jon

 

[red]

Welcome, your struts are old now