Hi There!

(Newbie alert!) I'm glad that at long last there is a forum for Bangers!, i had the book version of Bangernomics years ago before i could drive and after doing a bit of Googling, Mr. Ruppert now has this excellent website!

However, i have a question/conundrum which i'm wondering if anyone could help me with?:

I currently run a 94 Pug 405 Style Diesel brought for a tiny 350 quid, now it's been a great car, in fact, the best banger i've ever had: around 50+mpg, comfy seats and a great liitle joystick on the steering column to adjust the volume on the stereo!

I blew one of the rear wheel cylinders last week after having to do a hasty stop, no problem, you may say, but the bloomin' thing is seized on solid, plus one of the brake union things that plumb straight onto the back of it is seized solid too. (Sorry if it's not a great description!)

I've WD40'd, tapped, hit, used "freezing" lubricant/spray (apparently as good as using a blowlamp to heat/loosen the nuts) and prayed to no avail, all i have now is two completely rounded off bolts/unions after mole-gripping them to death

I can't get the thing to a garage, i'm at a loss as to what to do, plus another sad clincher: I'm unemployed and having this car laid up means i can't go and register at employment agencies etc as they're all a good 15 miles away, and like many places in the UK, the public transport here is hopeless.

So i'm stranded (even the shops are a two mile walk!). I've got about fifty quid worth of new brake parts waiting here to do a job i can't complete properly,but down the road, someone has a Daewoo Nexia with no tax but three months ticket up for sale for 250 quid, i text the guy after seeing the crusty underneath and offer him 150 for it, which he says he will accept.

I haven't had a test drive, admittedly but what would you do in my shoes?,
i really need transport ASAP as if i don't have a car, then i'm not eligible for work, i could get the Nexia on the road for around 220 quid, after putting tax on and sell the 405 for spares and surrender the tax.

Does anyone think it's worth persevering with the 405 (any rusty nut hints/tips?! ) or as i really need to be on the road ASAP would you go for the Nexia, if it was mechanically sound?

Sorry if this question is a bit vague but any advice would be welcome chaps, thanks in advance!

Welcome aboard Better than Walking, there are not too many of us here, but hopefully someone will have the answer! Personally I think you have done all the right heat up, releasing fluid things you could possibly do but it sounds like it is pretty much welded on. Grinding off could cause more problems of course but it sounds like the only option. Sounds like you live near me which is similarly in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise by all means 'invest' the Daewoo which seems like the quick fix. Otherwise weild the grinder and get the £150 you would have spent on the Korean to get scrap parts delivered direct to you to replace completely what you have ground off....

Good luck! James

My Dad worked "In the trade" years ago, as much as i admire him, he's very much like Harry Enfield's "You don't wanna do that!" character.

I rang him tonight and told him after walking miles to get parts, three days of on-off trying to release the nuts/unions, i was admitting defeat, not the "bloke" way i guess, but he retaliated with "no, i'm sure i can get it off, just tap this, cut the brake pipe off etc", but that means cash. I don't have a angle grinder and only basic tools, and all the talking of "you might need a new brake pipe, only cost about four quid that...", makes me see for some reason that it's not as straightforward as that, and fivers with wings flying out of my wallet

As said, and anyone who's owned a PSA XUD Diesel powered car may agree with me, they are one of the truly great diesel engines and it would be a shame to get rid of the car for this small matter, but as said, it's "no car, no work"

I live in a very rural part of Lincolnshire, very similar to a lot of Norfolk terrain wise!

Thanks for the reply James, and for writing Bangernomics, i don't want to be seen as brown-noseing but i was only 15 when i saw the book and i read it so much that the binding fell apart!, much like my book about the development of the Metro (well i was only 15...)

Yes maybe a replacement car could be a quick fix. I do agree that the Pugs are routinely superb.

Thanks for your kind words about the book though it makes me feel really old. Bangernomics Bible out at end of the year possibly, so keep in touch and I may send you a copy.

Good luck with everything

best regards

James

Just a quickie follow up on this! My dad did come down and between us, cups of tea, and some lateral thinking when it came to fitting, we actually did it and yes, the brake pipe only cost four pounds or so when we went to a freindly, old school local peugeot dealer, what a surprise!

I now have my puggy back on the road!