What components can be make a car feel new again?
Discussion
I have an older petrol turbo car that I have decided I want to keep forever. Apart from the engine, what things could I change to make it as close to new as possible?
So far I am thinking:
1. Repair all bodywork and remove any rust
2. Replace the springs (doing this to lower it anyway), control arms, drop links, and shocks (if necessary)
3. Coolant flush and refill
4. Transmission oil flush and refill
5. Cambelt change, water pump change all done recently
6. Underseal with waterproofing
It has a regular service with fresh oil, filter, air filter, and cabin filter every year. Interior is as good as it can be apart from a slight nick in the leather which I might ask a repair company to look at.
Is that about it or anything else that could be done?
So far I am thinking:
1. Repair all bodywork and remove any rust
2. Replace the springs (doing this to lower it anyway), control arms, drop links, and shocks (if necessary)
3. Coolant flush and refill
4. Transmission oil flush and refill
5. Cambelt change, water pump change all done recently
6. Underseal with waterproofing
It has a regular service with fresh oil, filter, air filter, and cabin filter every year. Interior is as good as it can be apart from a slight nick in the leather which I might ask a repair company to look at.
Is that about it or anything else that could be done?
How about the upholstery?
I've noticed leather seats always get a bit worn after perhaps 100k miles. No idea how easy they can be to refurb or indeed 'firm up' a little?
(Oh, & perhaps consider new carpets - cosmetic, but make the motor feel newer)
I say this having decided some time ago I would like to keep my XC60 as long as possible - over 10 years from new now, and still feels fresh, although did need new rear springs this year....
I've noticed leather seats always get a bit worn after perhaps 100k miles. No idea how easy they can be to refurb or indeed 'firm up' a little?
(Oh, & perhaps consider new carpets - cosmetic, but make the motor feel newer)
I say this having decided some time ago I would like to keep my XC60 as long as possible - over 10 years from new now, and still feels fresh, although did need new rear springs this year....
what car is it? and do you want it to look like new or drive like new, or both?
looking like new - that'd be fixing all the rust, perhaps a respray of the front bumper, new headlights, new black plastic trim pieces, polish up the exhaust tail pipes, refurb the wheels, machine polish to remove swirls from the paint, get someone to clean the engine bay, valet the interior.
drive like new - obviously a good service, change all the fluids, change all the springs, dampers, and anything with a bushing in. depending on the car, you might consider renewing gear linkages, steering racks, tie rod ends, then once all thats done, a good alignment and good tyres.
might consider decoking the inlets, new spark plugs, injectors too. a new full length stainless steel exhaust if the one on there is going crusty.
looking like new - that'd be fixing all the rust, perhaps a respray of the front bumper, new headlights, new black plastic trim pieces, polish up the exhaust tail pipes, refurb the wheels, machine polish to remove swirls from the paint, get someone to clean the engine bay, valet the interior.
drive like new - obviously a good service, change all the fluids, change all the springs, dampers, and anything with a bushing in. depending on the car, you might consider renewing gear linkages, steering racks, tie rod ends, then once all thats done, a good alignment and good tyres.
might consider decoking the inlets, new spark plugs, injectors too. a new full length stainless steel exhaust if the one on there is going crusty.
jbailey114 said:
Echoing others: anything rubber really!
Yes, and if considering anything non-OEM to replace old rubber, bone up on what other people found when they used it.I was all set to replace the ageing rubber bushings in a car with polyurethane bushes from a well-respected supplier. I then started to read reviews from people who had fitted the same bushings and found it didn't really work in that particular car.
What car is it? Might be more specific tips people can give.
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