Broke him. Started 3rd attempt, ran fine all the way to to the garage for fuel pump and MOT. Left him there and fortunately stayed reasonably local with Christmas shopping. Call from garage, not starting and alarm going potty. Thought it'd be just interference with the key but usual tricks...

Does 1 coil not fire 2 cylinders on wasted spark? So that would point to just a lead, cap or plug?

Get some butyl rubber sealing strip and make your own seal?

On Otto, no sunroof, we get wet headliner at the windscreen, mostly outer edges. We suspect some sort of leak in under the transverse trim strip across the front of the roof or possibly under the fore and aft strips that hold the roof rack mounts. He's patched across the trim with gorilla tape...

Had that with the Fusion, but only to the catch, not fully open. Wipe pre icer round the upper seal before shutting doors helps a lot.

Uncovered him and took him off the trickle. Ran him for half an hour or so to really warm the screen and then fit the new interior mirror ready for MOT next week. Checked all lights are good. Reluctant first start, fine after that. Shut him down and tried to siphon out fuel by running a line...

When Otto's rear wash wasn't working it was a big build up of crud in the nozzle. Getting it out, off the line, dismantled and back together transformed it quickly.

Got a chunky wheel brace in the boot, but needs belting underneath while cranking over so 2 person job. And wife will be in the other car. Most of the motorway there is smart with no hard shoulder either. Might hold him in 3rd to burn a bit extra.

Tempting, but also risky with the dodgy fuel pump. Only ever stranded us once stopped yet, but there's always a first time...

Booked Otto in for fuel pump and MOT on Tuesday next week. Fingers crossed that will be reliability (by p38 standards) and a pass with nothing more than age related advisories. They'd like me to have siphoned some more of the fuel out first for doing the pump though.

We found IKEA stuff would just fit diagonally across the boot and rear seats (fully lowered) in Otto if we stacked them on their sides instead of flat.

Did you get new clips for the rear ones? Otto's were completely shot. Rears were a pain and took a day each side due to age and corrosion, especially at the top of the mounts. Fronts were pretty easy.

Just tested the hot bottles on dash above screen vent and made a huge demisting difference. Also on the Fusion found run engine for 5 mins or so, leave to heat soak system for 5, then drive is better than 10 mins running constantly.

About the same as me, test free through work, glasses 160. Distance is fine, so 2 pairs of readers, one for office one for home. Pick them up Monday. First glasses since the distance laser surgery 20 odd years ago.

Useful tip for doors is to spray night before pre-icer onto a cloth and rub that over the seals before closing. Usually stops doors freezing shut. Thinking in my daily car for these weather conditions (believe about -5 or below here last night and tonight) of using a couple of milk cartons of...

Every time I checked via the Schrader on the fuel rail there was a good spray. But when breakdown tested it there wasn't. So he wriggled under and bashed the support saddle for the tank with a wrench while I cranked it and he fired up and drove home. Diagnosis is a failing fuel pump. So will get...

Performance chipped in the past? Not sure how you'd check that though.

Home after the breakdown man's wrench belted the tetchy fuel pump back into temporary life. So we now have a job for the shop to do as well as the MOT in the next few weeks. Rather them with a post lift in the dry in December than me on the drive without...

Tried the nanocom, no faults found. But while some sections report figures for sensor readings, etc. but the main section is blank for all readings. Corrosion or wiring issue between brain and fusebox or brain and sensors maybe, but sensor readings still being picked up and transferred via becm...

Taken him to the garden centre, now waiting on recovery again. Bit awkward and lumpy again first start but we'd had 2 deep frosted mornings so assumed it was that. Fuel pressure is good unlike last time, so this is some sort of ignition issue. Often fires for a second or two but then dies at...