406 & 407 - a general discussion

peujohn said:
Let's see some pix of your 407, Shane. :)
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It's looks like a tediously boring plastic modern car .... To be fair, it looks a hell of a lot nicer than the previous series of C5 ... which were ugly bloody things ... It's bland and boring to the point where it hides in carparks ..... I can't ever see the bloody thing, even when I'm standing infront of it. The CX .... now that I can see, even if it's hiding down flat on the ground hidden behind towering 3ton wank tanks :)

seeya,
Shane L.
 
DoubleChevron said:
It's looks like a tediously boring plastic modern car .... To be fair, it looks a hell of a lot nicer than the previous series of C5 ... which were ugly bloody things ... It's bland and boring to the point where it hides in carparks ..... I can't ever see the bloody thing, even when I'm standing infront of it. The CX .... now that I can see, even if it's hiding down flat on the ground hidden behind towering 3ton wank tanks :)

seeya,
Shane L.
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that's only because you followed the green line back to where you parked it
 
pugrambo said:
that's only because you followed the green line back to where you parked it
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actually I don't think it's leaking at all ....................... today :rolleyes: Dunno about tomorrow. Gotta order in a new clutch slave boot for it ... we'll see how long the sikaflexed boot lasts in the meantime. I was just giving it a good clean to finally get around to fitting the baby seat ... talk about side tracked. I found rats had eaten through the wiring under the back seat ... fortunately it's only my wiring to the amps/speakers. No wonder the stereo has sounded even worse than a poogoe stereo lately .... it's only got the front speakers working ..... baby capsule still isn't fitted, but hey, I almost have decent sound again :)

seeya,
Shane L.
 
I've just realised a problem with buying tires online. I whipped up to get them fitted today, but they were busy and asked I come back monday.... I thought for the hell of it I'd try the local tire place just around the corner. There first question was when I asked for a price on "strip 'n' fit" was "are they new tires" ..... We don't fit new tires unless we sell them ............. Woops........... I can see everyone in town is going to say that. Obviously if your buying the tires online for 50% of the cost, they are losing there 50% markup!

seeya,
Shane L.
 
Get the old ones taken off the rims and then fit the new ones yourself, just need to buy a big rubber hammer.
Graham

DoubleChevron said:
I've just realised a problem with buying tires online. I whipped up to get them fitted today, but they were busy and asked I come back monday.... I thought for the hell of it I'd try the local tire place just around the corner. There first question was when I asked for a price on "strip 'n' fit" was "are they new tires" ..... We don't fit new tires unless we sell them ............. Woops........... I can see everyone in town is going to say that. Obviously if your buying the tires online for 50% of the cost, they are losing there 50% markup!

seeya,
Shane L.
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GRAHAM WALLIS said:
Get the old ones taken off the rims and then fit the new ones yourself, just need to buy a big rubber hammer.
Graham
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I have a manual tire machine that allows me to break the beads, and possibly remove the tires. I don't like the idea of using tire irons against an alloy rim though ..... Of course the main problem is I have another @#$%@#ing car with no center holes in the wheels, this also means I can't use my manual tire machine as it requires a center hole. Then of course there is the issue of balancing .... grrr..... bloody poogoe, for a 50year old Citroen I don't mind the run around of wheels with no center hole.... but a bloody modern car :mad:

I'll whip backup monday and see if I can get them done when the other place isn't busy. I don't want to touch alloy wheels myself. I reckon it would be really easy to break a chunk of alloy away and gouge shi!t out of them with tire levers.

I wonder how the people importing tires from the UK are getting there tires fitted :)

seeya,
Shane L.
 
No need for tyre levers if you get the tyre taken off, hit them on with a rubber hammer. You may be surprised and find that balancing is not needed. The old time Michelins rarely needed balancing.
Obviously in Europe the tire balancers are more sophisticated and ensure the wheel is balanced the way it is to be mounted on the car, not just a rough and ready cone system.
With my cars the 505 GTi, Mi16, 405 steel, and 205 S3 15 inch wheels all have holes in the centre, the 14 inch 205 pepperpots and the 403 wheels on my 203 do not.
Graham


QUOTE=DoubleChevron;1131888]I have a manual tire machine that allows me to break the beads, and possibly remove the tires. I don't like the idea of using tire irons against an alloy rim though ..... Of course the main problem is I have another @#$%@#ing car with no center holes in the wheels, this also means I can't use my manual tire machine as it requires a center hole. Then of course there is the issue of balancing .... grrr..... bloody poogoe, for a 50year old Citroen I don't mind the run around of wheels with no center hole.... but a bloody modern car :mad:

I'll whip backup monday and see if I can get them done when the other place isn't busy. I don't want to touch alloy wheels myself. I reckon it would be really easy to break a chunk of alloy away and gouge shi!t out of them with tire levers.

I wonder how the people importing tires from the UK are getting there tires fitted :)

seeya,
Shane L.[/QUOTE]
 
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One thing worth trying in such situations, for future reference, Shane, is to get a quote online (or just a link to their website) from one of the big on-line tyre sellers (like Tempe Tyres) . Now ring up your local tyre dealer and ask them how close they can get to the quote / website price for the on line dealer, including fitting & balancing.

If you are lucky they'll get in touch with the tyre distributor and be able to wangle a decent price for themselves. A recent set I bought that were listed at $210 per corner unfitted by Tempe Tyres were originally quoted to me at $300 + by one local dealer and $289 by another. A quick call by the second dealer to the Kumho distributors brought the cost to the local tyre dealer down low enough for me to have 'em for $235 a wheel, fitted and balanced - less than if I'd paid someone to fit and balance the Tempe tyres. Involved a hell of a lot less messing around for me, too.

Worth a try. Apparently the tyre distributors won't always come to the party, but when they do, it can save you $ and a lot of fuss, too.
 
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PS - If you've got a local garage with a genuine workshop still in your area they'll do the tyre swap job without quibble, I suspect.
 
GRAHAM WALLIS said:
No need for tyre levers if you get the tyre taken off, hit them on with a hammer. You may be surprised and find that balancing is not needed. The old time Michelins rarely needed balancing.
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And if the tyres have a yellow dot marked on the sidewall, mount the tyres with the dot near the valve. The dot represents the thinnest, lightest spot on the tyre when it was manufactured. The little bit of extra weight where the valve is should (in theory) balance it out.
 
'rambo
We took four people around tasmania with all their luggage for a 10 day break in the 605 - plenty of room. Mind you they were adults, not kids. I thought the boot wasOK, but not as good as the 406. Now, as you say, the wagon is a different matter.
 
marburg505 said:
'rambo
We took four people around tasmania with all their luggage for a 10 day break in the 605 - plenty of room. Mind you they were adults, not kids. I thought the boot wasOK, but not as good as the 406. Now, as you say, the wagon is a different matter.
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the boot is great for suitcases and the like, anything other than that and the access to get it into the boot soon shows it's not so easy

the wagon is great for just about anything though, perfect lets carry the kids around in vehicle
 
Alpine Affaire is opening again on Monday. With a bit of luck I should have a chance to test drive the 407 next week...
 
So...

I looked at and drove a couple of 407 HDIs and bought the one at Alpine Affaire. Should pick it up next week!

2005 model, 6 speed manual, white gold, 129k.
 
pugrambo said:
have you had a test drive of getting a pram into the boot ??
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No, I mentally compared the boot opening with that of the Mazda and decided it was fine. I'm sure it'll be ok, even if we need to remove the quick-release wheels.
 
FWIW I have a 6 month old, and I've managed quite well with my 205.

The trick was we got a bugaboo cameleon with peg perego baby capsule adaptors. The pram frame and fits in the boot when I take out the parcel shelf, and there's still room for the shopping.

I found this on carsales. 40k on the clock and looks quite spacious.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/...63383 903 1216&num=15&silo=Stock&sort=default
 
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