Didn't reach the reserve so not sold and will be in next weeks auction.

Yes, they keep changing the name, Ultimate, Platinum and I think you are right, the last ones I bought were Laser. Yes, mH4 for dip/main and H1 for main (I've still got standard Halogens in there, main is so good anyway, although it does look a bit odd with the different colour light from the two). I've used 100W bulbs in the past in other cars but they were 100/55W so no different on dip, just higher wattage on main which is good anyway.

The way they work is that they need to show a certain number of fails otherwise it looks like they are not doing the test properly. My tester got an inspection and was asked why he never failed anything for blown light bulbs. He told the inspector that he just fitted a new bulb and passed the car. He was told what he should do is fail it, fit a new bulb then retest so the percentage of fails accurately reflects the number of cars running around with blown light bulbs.

Government site takes 2 or 3 days to update so it won't show the pass (and fail and subsequent pass) for a couple of days.

As I regularly drive through the night on the Continent where there's no streetlights (and on a cloudy night with no moon it can be completely black), the lights were great on main beam but when dipped I may as well have switched them off! As much of my long distance driving is done on the wrong side of the road, rather than a stick on mask or bit of tape, I've painted out my lights so I've got a flat dip too. I tried the Osram bulbs and that made a huge difference and using the front fogs as well gives a good spread of light and doesn't appear to dazzle anyone coming the other way (nobody has ever flashed me anyway). I had one of the Osrams blow so put a standard one in until a replacement arrived. Driving into my driveway, I've got a window directly in front of me so could see the reflection of the lights. The Osram side was a bright blueish white while the standard 55/60W bulb in the other side looked a dirty brown colour in comparison.

My missus used to work on the same theory. She had a Merc C180 auto with the foot operated parking brake. I took it in for MoT and it did virtually nothing so failed. Got back home and told her that it had failed on handbrake, "But it hasn't got one?" was the reply. Had to take her outside and show her where it was. She'd never used it once in the time she'd owned it as that is what P is for surely?

Usual problem is the tabs at the bottom break off. It would be reasonably simple to take a fibreglass mould off one but I'll not sure what you'd use to replicate them. Fibreglass would be too thick.

StrangeRover wrote:

Yanking it on while moving wouldn't do the UJ's much good i'd of thought!

That's why it's done at walking pace. It'll put less strain on the UJ's than me towing 3.5 tonnes up the side of a mountain......

I seem to remember there was someone (in Malaysia) that was doing replacements in glass fibre. Found a link to them but the website appears dead. Part number is AWR2092 which supersedes to FAV101210 but all the usual suspects show it as out of stock..

Mine just yanks on the handbrake while driving along at walking pace. Still almost puts him through the windscreen. If some idiot that hasn't read the testers manual tries to test on rollers, it will try and climb off them as by turning the wheels on one axle, it'll turn the others as it's permanent 4 wheel drive so the front wheels will be driving it along.

Take it back and ask that it is tested by a competent tester. The headlights only need to be self levelling (and have wash/wipe) if fitted with HIDs, which it isn't (or shouldn't be), as you say, there's no adjustment on many other cars, if the aim of the lights is correct then it doesn't need an adjuster as the suspension self levels and keeps them pointing where they should. I assume he also fails all models of Mercedes too as you can't open the petrol flap on them when the engine is running either. Did he try to test the footbrake on the rollers? If he did, you'd best send the bill for a new viscous coupling to him (https://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/viscous-couplings/range-rover-viscous-coupling.html) as that's the easiest way to destroy one there is. Sounds like idiot is being polite, total dickhead is the description I'd use......

There's a pair of two way connectors under the seats, one for each element. Check for continuity and you'll probably find at least one is open circuit. There used to be an excellent step by step repair guide but that was one of the things that was removed from .net and the saved pdf file doesn't seem to include it (or at least the copy I have doesn't). After fixing 4 breaks and still not getting continuity, I fitted an aftermarket pad.

Elements fail because people will insist on sitting on very thin bits of wire that breaks them. There's a separate element in the seat base and backrest wired in series so as soon as the base element breaks it all stops. They can be repaired or fit an aftermarket pad.

Osram Nightbreaker Ultimate bulbs and use the front fogs to give a wide spread of light directly in front of the car.

X8R.....

Sticky solenoid then. If the valve plunger is gummed up it will open sometimes but not always. If you've got a manual shut off on the multivalve at the tank, you can close that, remove the solenoid coil and slacken the brass tube it sits over. You'll vent off a pipeful of gas but once vented you can unscrew it completely and clean the plunger. If you've done that at the tank already, chances are it's the front one. That would also tie in with it not working after it's been left so everything cools down and the heavy ends that are sticking it solidify and glue everything.

I was about to say it never had any but having just checked the parts manual it does show them. I've seen mention in the workshop manual of "remove undertray (where fitted)" suggesting that they were only fitted for some markets, but I've owned 4 P38s and worked on many more and never seen one with undertrays. Sling them in the nearest bin.

No idea what that box is. Can you trace the wiring and see where it is connected into the car loom? That might give a clue of what it is supposed to do.

Button flashing means it is waiting for the correct conditions to switch over. Obvious first place would be the temperature sensor but by shorting out you seem to have discounted that. If it was a sticking solenoid, it would switch over but then immediately switch back as it would see insufficient gas pressure so if it isn't attempting to switch it isn't that. RPM pickup would be another suspect as it will only switch on when it reaches whatever revs it has been set to switch at. Could be an iffy connection there depending on the system and where it picks up the rpm signal from. What system is it and do you have a cable to connect to it and have a look at what it is doing? That would be ideal as you would be able to see what temperature it thinks it is at, what revs it thinks the engine is doing, what gas pressure it is seeing and so on.

Not much different to what I've done really. Front ball joints, check, steering arms (Lemforder) twice, check, suspension bushes, check, dampers Boge), check, airbags (Dunlop), check, EAS compressor and valveblock (X8R), check, only one height sensor (as only one has given errors and if it ain't broke, why fix it?), check, mild steel exhaust (original lasted 16 years so a replacement should last at least half that), check, rebuilt brake callipers (TRW seal set at £6 an axle), check, new discs (Delphi) twice, air con condenser, check. I don't count batteries and tyres as they are effectively service items in my view and would be needed on any car. If you compare it to a low mileage modern Eurobox, it'd still need a battery and tyres if I was to do a similar mileage per annum.

I got it with 205k on the clock and spent around £300-400 getting it to the point where I could use it reliably and rely on it. Most of the other stuff has been done as and when although I do tend to have a blitz every so often and do a number of things that, while not broken, are showing signs of wear. For instance over the next couple of weeks I've got new engine mounts (as I noticed recently that the rubber has perished and split on one so I'll replace both), the transfer case chain to change (I can make it skip a tooth if I try hard and the TC will get new bearings and seals while it is off and apart) and a new petrol pump to fit (because I've worn out fuel gauge sender rheostat track by running around with 1/4 tank of fuel for 10 years). Just looking at the weather forecast for the next week or two to find a time when it isn't going to be raining as the garage is full of Maserati so I'll be working on it outside.

I've only kept a record for the Ascot as I intend selling it, for mine, it will cost what it costs as it isn't for sale. The costs were a guestimate going on the large items of expenditure and things that I've had to change. For instance, I know a service every 10,000 miles costs me around £90 so I can work that out. Fuel costs were pretty accurate though, I use around £50 a year in petrol and average 200 miles per tank on LPG. I know what a tank of LPG costs so it's just a simple bit of maths to work it out from the mileage. So having done 9,000 miles since the end of August, that will be about 45 tanks of LPG at an average of £38 a tank, so around £1,700, and £30 in petrol. Blimey, at 10 minutes a go, I've spent 7 and a half hours standing around holding the button on the LPG pump in!

Just looked at the spreadsheet I've kept for the Ascot so I know if I'm going to be selling it at a profit or not. The only thing it needs now is a battery, a new drivers door latch (keyswitch microswitch is intermittent) and everything will be working. Costs for getting it running perfectly on LPG, replacing the complete sunroof cassette, sending the original stereo to Clarion for repair and line in mod, tailgate straps, a blend motor, rebuilding the EAS compressor, replacing the core plugs, replacement headlining and sundry bits like anti freeze and an MoT and it stands me at £1196.69 including buying it. Air con was also leak tested and regassed but that was done for free by my mate who had just done the course and used it to practice on before going out and making a fool of himself in front of punters (although that would only have added another £60 anyway).