The Thunder arrives safely in Ireland

[pyperb]

HI All,

What a mammoth journey it turned out to be, everything was going to schedule then P&O announced the 3am boat would be delayed to 6.30am so a lot of waiting around but all in all well worth the journey :grin:

When I tested the car there were good and bad points but decided to go with the purchase so got the oil/filter/flush done at National then got 4 new tyres on her but when travelling back on motorway to Liverpool from Stoke the steering was vibrating which resulted in plenty of noise in the cabin especially the door cards, at that point I was on a downer and was thinking I had bought a rattling bucket so was planning what to do once I arrived in Dublin, get tyres rebalanced, tracking, check brakes, suspension etc.

As ferry was behind and got to Dublin at 4pm was too late to drop into a garage for the checks so decide to drive straight to Londonderry and take it easy below 50mph but to my surprise whilst driving to Derry all seemed fine, why was this, im not sure but dealer did say car was lying for a number of weeks so maybe puma needed a good drive or tyres needed to settle.

The journey from Dublin to Derry was the best driving experience I've had in my life I am a careful and calculated driver but this Puma had changed me into a boy racer...I read a few posts and reviews with owners saying the car puts a smile on their face but at one point I was actually laughing out loud it was that good...so not me but enjoyed every minute.

So all in all happy with the purchase, few things annoyed me about the dealer, car just passed MOT in Dec but all tyres were pure baldy, paintwork a lot worse than was said on the phone, car was stinking inside, that old car smell as if a rat had been rotting on the floor and petrol tank on empty, not professional.

The good news is a Ford Puma thunder 1.7 with a new clutch 2 years ago, service history till 2012 for £499 :grin:

I would have said the MOT history check looked very good but this whole baldy tyres thing has me wondering that you cannot trust the MOT centres in mainland UK as the guy who changed my tyres said he could get any car through an MOT in his town (Tunstall) even if it was a rust bucket so beware...here in NI it is government run and they are very very strict.

Thanks for all the support on my purchase :wink:

Brian.

 

[tuonokid]

Hi Brian
Lots of dodgy MOT'S over here, you really can't trust them.
Barry

 

[gimmickyflea]

An MOT is only valid on the day it is issued so the garages say!! That said anything found to be borderline has to be put down as advisories. Many of the 'kerbside motor dealers' are charlatans and can get an MOT on anything. NEVER trust them. If the rules are stricter in Ireland it may well pay you to get it re-tested there - if for no other reason than to ensure everything is safe and you have peace of mind.

 

[dingwells1985]

well done on getting back without too many problems now the hard part starts getting your puma upto scratch,mines ongoing next oil and filter change then mot in 2 weeks then drivers side rear wheel arch later in the year,and yes every time i get in my puma and drive her its the best feeling in the world so i know how you feel.good luck.

 

[Frank]

Hi Brian,

Glad it all worked out, figured it would as you planned it all out well. Get it all checked over, but if a motor can do a journey like that without breaking down, then I don't think you have too much to worry about.

The bald tyres bit doesn't surprise me, that's why I said before about how I ignore the last MOT if a car was bought by a garage, as you get things like that.

Spray the inside of the whole car with anti-bacterial surface cleaner to get rid of that smell, especially on the seats and carpets. Also clean the steering wheel with warm water, upholstery cleaner, nail brush and a bowl on your lap, you'll be amazed at just how much dirt comes off and how much better the grip is afterwards!

Yeah, the Puma puts a smile on your face, what more can you ask from a car?

 

[pyperb]

I was just looking over your comment about skipping the last MOT and how true that advice is....was collecting the girl from school and whilst waiting used some wipes to clean the steering wheel, absolutely disgusting what came off it and you would,nt think it was that bad by just looking at it.....will def do the whole cabin this weekend.

Cheers,

Brian.

 

[killerpuma]

I always do a deep clean on a newly acquired car I even take the seats out an shampoo the carpets an the seats makes a massive difference an it can be a surprise what comes out of some cars!!

 

[pyperb]

Hi guys,

Cleaned interior this morning including the roof and sunvisors....what a dirty mess it was....I knew it would be bad as the dealership I bought the car from was a midden but with your advice the car is like shiny new :grin:

Although I have not many good things to say about the car dealer I do believe I have come away with a good deal and happy with my wee Puma, now all I have to do is make some improvements and keep her well maintained so great to be an owner.

Cheers,

Brian.

 

[gimmickyflea]

How did the steering wheel come up? Mine was so awful when I first got it that I thought the steering wheel needed recovering. Turned out to be years of accumulated hand filth that was easily removed using saddle soap and hey presto the steering wheel looked brand new again, so if yours still is not gleaming give that a go

 

[pyperb]

interesting....I see that's for leather, maybe I can use this for steering wheel and seats, can you provide a link please :grin:

cheers,

Brian

 

[tuonokid]

Hi Brian
Have you got the cam belt change sorted out yet?
Barry

 

[pyperb]

Not yet Barry, I still want to get a mechanic to verify the car is in good shape and will last before committing, I am using my other car at the moment until I get her booked in, that garage I sourced has now shut which is unlucky for me so I may have to just drop her into my local Ford dealership.

Brian.