Gutted!

[Yatesy350i]

Well I am seriously cheesed off tonight.

I bought my little Midget with the idea of getting Wifey interested in cars etc (real cars not new VW golfs that is)

Anyway took the little beauty for MOT last week and she flew it no probs. Taxed her yesterday.

Handed my darling wife the keys tonight and off she went to Tescos. When she came back the smiley face I was looking for was not there. Instead I got "sorry I really don't like this, it's not for me can we get something else!"

I'm not chuffed but what can you do. So my little beauty might have to go? Not 100% yet as I might keep her just to spite the wife.

But if anyone is looking for a very rust free Midget with very few issues feel free to come and have a look.

Even fitted a smaller wheel for the woman thinking that would help AHHHHHHHHHH!

[nta16]

I think offering it up before you'd smoothed off the rough edges and with noisy g/box and diff suggest toy need to read a good book about wives

perhaps if it had been gleaming in favorite colour and slinky smooth and quiet she still might have not liked it, too late now anyway, in my experience of cars and wife you'd best sell it and get what she likes the look of

even more reason to try to quiet (by honest means) the g/box and diff now ready for sale

[vx220]

Try again with larger steering wheel, maybe smaller wheel meant steering too heavy?

Also, may be worth actually finding out exactly what she doesn't like?

[williredale]

Yatesy350i said:

But if anyone is looking for a very rust free Midget with very few issues feel free to come and have a look.

That's no way to talk about your wife!

But in all seriousness, what is it she doesn't like and can you sort those problems out? Or has she decided she just doesn't like it and that is that. In which case you're fighting a losing battle...

[sunbeam alpine]

vx220 said:

Try again with larger steering wheel, maybe smaller wheel meant steering too heavy?

Also, may be worth actually finding out exactly what she doesn't like?

This. My wife is used to power steering on the other cars.

[jimbob82]

take the keys off her to the other car so she can ONLY drive the midget...it'll grow on her in time

or we'll be at your funeral...

[Yatesy350i]

I think the trouble is she hasn't driven an old car for many many years. The last three cars she has driven have been two new golfs and and EOS. I think it came as a bit of a shock last night when she realised how different old cars are to drive. (I mean that I a good way)

I've probably overstated the few niggles with the car as I like to get my cars sorted out as much as possible. It really is a good little car. The Wife is only 5'1" and she felt with having the seat so far forward the steering wheel was to close to her. Going back to the original wheel will help but only by about 1". She also felt to close to the wind screen so wasn't totally comfortable.

We had a chat last night about it and she is going to have another go with the old wheel back on. I noticed that the clutch operation is very low down the travel of the pedal so I will have a look at that over the weekend. If I can get it more mid pedal it may make her more comfortable.

I've not given up yet.

Cheers Karl.

[nta16]

Karl,
by what you've added it confirms it's all your fault (which you know) and I think it also confirms you gave the car to her to try far too early before you'd sorted the niggles

my wife is 5' 0" (square) and the big steering wheel catches her boobs, belly and thighs plus she used to sitting much higher up in a vehicle so she rarely drives my Spridget

you probably seen I always suggest getting the Driver's Handbook and carrying out a full 36k-mile service-check-up as soon as possible after buying the car and driving it as frequently as possible

doing the 36k-mile service/check up will help find and prevent niggles

I also add a few other bits to do on top of the 36k-mile service/check- up such as changing g/box and diff oils and include a thorough clean, multi-flush and brush of the cooling/heating system

the work can be done in stages and between frequent driving, the quicker it's done the sooner you have a reliable car that's fun to drive

I'd suggest you use the car for commuting, if it's only a short distance then don't go directly there or back, and for work if possible, as well as weekend runs out, take your wife out in it to somewhere she likes, making sure it doesn't breakdown, on a warm sunny day with the top down to gain her confidence in it, if she doesn't like it then fair enough

[Yatesy350i]

Although the car is going to get the full service treatment. Started buying bits yesterday UJ's GB and Diff oils etc. I doubt it will make a difference to the driving position. But at least I can have some fun in it for a while. Definitely putting the original wheel back on though.

[gifdy]

I really didn't want to read this ! I'm rebuilding my Midget for the missus to drive around in so I hope I don't get the same reaction. I'm in the process of trying to get her to do the retrimming so she 'bonds' with it. Not literally of course

We'll see how it goes. My daughter is already happy with it as she thinks it looks like Lightning McQueen.

[nta16]

Yatesy350i said:

Although the car is going to get the full service treatment. Started buying bits yesterday UJ's GB and Diff oils etc. I doubt it will make a difference to the driving position.

no but it might make the car a little more quiet by service and oils plus you might have sorted the clutch making that easier, women are much more sensible than men they don't want to put up with a car that's not running at it's best potential

most classics, and this includes Midgets, are not that slow, poor handling or unreliable but many past and present owners make or keep them that way, accepting "they're like that" low standards when with a little more effort at the start but less overall, and more driving of the car, they'd learn that they were running and driving the car well below it's possible condition

[Yatesy350i]

As stated im pretty picky. when i say it has a few niggles i haven't given her a bag of spanners by any means.

Its been very well looked after over the years but has been laid up for almost two years in a garage. I have a massive hystory file. but very much wanted it used during its minor improvments.

Who wouldn't be happy with this? Except my Wife obviously



Ive blanked the pate out as the previous owner had ordered and fitted new plates. With the wrong number! 178 instead of 187 Doh.

Edited by Yatesy350i on Friday 3rd May 11:21

[gifdy]

That's lovely ! Matches the wedge as well - was that intentional or a happy coincidence ?

[Yatesy350i]

It was a pure fluke. I just happened to stray accross it while mooching for nothing in particular.

I've had a certain amount of stick from friends about my choice of colour



This is still the wrong plate. They have now been swapped.

Edited by Yatesy350i on Friday 3rd May 11:35

[williredale]

gifdy said:

We'll see how it goes. My daughter is already happy with it as she thinks it looks like Lightning McQueen.

Excellent! I've got my youngest daughter on my side when it comes to cars. She loves the 'red car' and spots MGs for me.

As for the OP. Glad to hear you're sticking with it. Good luck!

[gifdy]

williredale said:

gifdy said:

We'll see how it goes. My daughter is already happy with it as she thinks it looks like Lightning McQueen.

Excellent! I've got my youngest daughter on my side when it comes to cars. She loves the 'red car' and spots MGs for me.

As for the OP. Glad to hear you're sticking with it. Good luck!

I once heard her tell one of her friends that Daddy's 'Trev' car was the fastest car in the world That's my girl !

[nta16]

Yatesy350i said:

Its been very well looked after over the years but has been laid up for almost two years in a garage.

and that's the point, it's been laid up, seizing up, unused, seals going, tyres and brakes going - alright yeah I'm being on the pessimistic side but until you've fully serviced it and driven it frequently it's a car just out of a two year lay up it wont be at its best

Yatesy350i said:

I have a massive hystory file.

yes so did mine and it now has a more relevant ongoing history file, took me a good few years to get it to how I'd want it to run and as for getting mine looking good I'm only now able to put the budget towards that

Yatesy350i said:

but very much wanted it used during its minor improvments

totally agree

I'm being blunt but I am trying to encourage you

with respect how do you know how good your Midget is, have you driven many Midgets in good running order recently to compare it with, many classic owners have only driven their car and no other example of the model or not for very many years so don't really know how good or not their car is for that particular model

as I put the ladies tend to be a lot more discerning

when I had my Griff I'd be told how poorly they handled and twice by owners who'd had their cars from new, 8/9 years old, less than 30k on the clocks, rarely serviced and on original worn suspension bushes, never been set up on geometry, old tyres and they wondered why their cars wanted to put them in a hedge

Edited by nta16 on Friday 3rd May 12:40

[Yatesy350i]

Having owned 8 Spitfires, two seven type kit cars, 1 mx5 and a Wedge that has just had a complete brake and susspension overhaul done all by me at home. I think to be fair I've got a pretty reasonable idea what makes the Midget a good one. (I dont class any of my ex Spitfires as good ones by the way. I had two mildly ok ones. The rest were sheds) anyway that was a long time ago. Also driven an immaculate race prepared Healy Sprite not the Froggy. Very nice it was to, amazing little thing held the rd very well indeed.

Not to mension the fact that I've had it up on a four post ramp. The MOT guy said it was the most sold one he had seen in years? Maybe he hasn't seen many? But apart from the scabs on the rear arch and surface rust on some of the suspension parts it is solid.

Always room for improvement though Nigel. I totally agree with you there. I know the Spitfire front suspension was terrible if not properly maintained. So this little beauty will be getting the full treatment if I keep her. I'm sure the noise from the back I though was coming from the diff may only be the props haft UJ but they will both be replaced tomorrow. That 1st gear noise is my only concern at the minute. Everything else is just span nearing fun. Got a set of hydraulic ramps coming tonight so along with my other set I can get her right up in the air.


She's to narrow for my scissor lift. So now I've finished the TVR I may have to let that go. Unless anyone can figure out a way to get the Midge on it.

As suggested all grease nipples will be attended to tomorrow as will the engine, gearbox and diff oils. Then it's time for a good blast out. She's got a full tank of fuel and I intend to use some of it. I would think it should last a bit longer than it dose in the Wedge? 24mpg does hurt my feelings not to mension the wallet.

Edited by Yatesy350i on Friday 3rd May 13:15

Edited by Yatesy350i on Friday 3rd May 14:05

[nta16]

Karl,
by condition I meant running condition, mechanical, electrical, so on, I've no doubt you can pick a good car but a Midget drives different to a Spit (even one with a Spit engine and Marina g/box)

as for mpg don't expect too much especially if yours is with the 3.9 diff and you drive in a spirited way, the nominal 7 gallons will soon go, next tankful I'd go 99 octane and give her a bit of a long blow out run or three

I bet you notice the difference between how your Midget runs now and after a full 36k-mile service/check-up and frequent driving let alone to when it's fully set up - if I'm wrong please let me know (I am often but not about this)

and I bet your wife will prefer the car more when the car is fully serviced, run and set up

[Yatesy350i]

Yep agreed it can only get even better with a bit of TLC. Worst case any idea how much I could pick up a gearbox for? Standard 4 speed. Or rough cost of a refurb?

Cheers Karl.

Edited by Yatesy350i on Friday 3rd May 14:14