Last updated: $Date: 2003-12-10 14:53:55 +0000 (Wed, 10 Dec 2003) $

2003-12
 * Bi-annual service (7 months, 12k miles).
 	- New front brake discs+pads (replaced drilled sports ones with
	standards)
	- New brake fluid
	- New air fuel and oil filters
	- New wiper blades
	- Investigated knocking sound.  They not sure what it is, but
	shouldn't be anything serious. Wait to develop.
	- Needs 2 new front tyres, to be done soon.
	- Rear brake pipes will need doing by MOT
	- £140 labour, £160 parts = £300 before vAT.
 * Fixed airflow/heater controls again.  Just opened up dash and reseated
 levers
 * 106k on clock

2003-11
 * Corrado features on Top Gear in a very extremely positive light.  I expect
 my car just increased in value slightly.

2003-10
 * Fog light and speedline hub caps stolen outside my parents house in
 Bradford.  Replaced fog light at £34 from VW.  No caps yet.
 * Knocking sound on drivers side, usually when setting off or slowing.  Will
 get into garage soon.
 * Fan control broken again.  I think I'll be needing a new control unit,
 which is cost over £200 new, or maybe £70 from a scrappers.
 * Noting a pull to the left when driving.  I think it's been the case since I
 bought the car.
 * Getting 30-36mpg on my journey to work and back.  Half the journey is on
 relatively clear national speed limit road though, which brings up the
 average considerably.

2003-09
 * New job.  60 miles round trip.  I'll be totting up the miles now, which is
 a shame.
 * ABS light came on didn't go off for 15 minutes or so.  Pulled over, turned
 engine off for 2 mins, started again, all ok.  Weird.

2003-08
 * Car stops.  Won't even turn over.  Turns out it's the factory fitted
 immobilizer coil.  Local VW dealer replaces it for around £120 (parts and
 labour).  I now am sure this was the cause of the other starting problems.
 Unfortunately, my car was broken into, two windows broken, some change
 stolen.  Dixon VW in Bradford try to make me pay for it all.  After some
 strong words, and a number of visits they fixed all and I wasn't even charged
 for the original work.  Still were bastards though.  It was my first time
 with a main dealer too.

2003-06
 * Fixed the air-flow controls which haven't worked for some time.  Now I can
 have air-conditioned air flowing out of the dash vents again (which is
 necessary in the recent heat-waves.  A jumped cog restricting the movement of
 a flap was to blame.  I've writting up the details but it's probably a bit
 difficult to following (and doesn't go into the full detail).
 * Fixed the fan speed control, which hasn't worked on settings 2 or 4 for a
 while.  Re-twisted and clean the copper contacts and all is well.

2003-05
 * Using nothing but Optimax now.
 * Mileage: 96300   Last computer reading was around 3000miles @ 28mpg
 * Air conditioning still works after a winter of no use.  The relay used to
 switch the aircon on and off isn't quite the correct circuit layout.  This
 results in the aircon clutch engaging whenever the engine fan comes on.  So
 over winter I just took the relay out.  The air-con is an aftermarket (as
 were all on Corrados) Diavia system.  Unfortunately I hear Diavia don't do
 car air-con systems anymore due to the fact all new cars come factory fitted.

2003-04
 * 2 new tyres, nearside.  One puncture and one just mishapen.  £190 in all.
 * Front shock absorbers look very warn and have a lot of play in them.  Need
 replacing.
 * Mileage: 94k  Full service.  New brake pipes needed for MOT (soon)
 * Loss of power and jerky and jumpy engine problems up to 3k revs.  Not coil
 pack by the look of it, not spark plugs (replaced).  HT leads suspicious.
 Full services plus new BBT HT leads, £250.  Problem still not solved.
 Possibly got a dodgy sensor.  Going to cost around £60 to get it plugged in
 to a computer at a VW stealers.
 * The "low oil" starting problems looks to have completely disappeared.  I
 now think it was probably just an immobilizer problem (i.e: me not using my
 immobilizer properly), but I'm a still a *tiny* bit unsure as I was totally
 convinced I'd ruled that out at the time.  Ah well.
 * Road tax due this month too.  It's a bad money month for my C.

2003-03
 * Due a service
 * No "oil related" starting problems for a while.  It has had the odd
 starting problem, but nothing a 2 second pause and retry didn't fix.
 Starting to suspect it may have been a immobilizer problem after all.
 * Mileage: 93k   Last refil-refil stats were 330 miles at 26mpg average.

2003-02
 * Tried Optimax unleaded petrol.  Engine seemed a little perkier, smoother
 and possibly managed a little lower fuel consuption, but this is all
 completely subjective.  It is 98 ron. Normal unleaded is 95 ron.  Some super
 unleaded is 98 ron.  LRP unleaded is 97 ron.
 * Not had a starting problem for a while, but I've not been travelling too
 far recently.  Not kept track of my overall mileage though.
 * Drivers heated seat stopped working.  I assume a fuse.  The Bently workshop
 manual seems to show two independent fuses for each seat, so I'll check it
 out soon.

2003-01
 * Clutch problems.  Investigation found low brake fluid levels.  Bled the
 murky remainants and refilled.  Investigated a whirring/grinding sound that
 changed pitch with speed, but the sound had stopped at the time of taking it
 to the garage.
 * Sound started again 2 weeks later.  Replaced 2 rear wheel bearings to solve
 problem.

2002-11
 * Received Momo steering wheel for birthday from Brother.  Snap-off boss
 brought wheel too close.  Looking into alternative (a modified Ford boss
 should do the trick apparently)
 * Still more starting problems after around 2000 miles.  I've taken to
 carrying a container of oil in my boot now.  I'm *very* sure it's not my
 immobilizer as I've testing this in a number of ways now.

2002-08
 * Flat battery.  Seemed alternator wasn't generating voltage and maybe needed
 replacement.  It fixed itself within a day.  May have been related to water
 in the engine.
 * Front drivers side wheel bearing and CV joint replaced after
 whirring/grinding noise (wheel bearing) and clicking noise on turning (CV
 joint) noticed.
 * Strange problem with car not starting properly.  Starts and dies within 1
 second.  Everyone points at the immobilizer but I'm not convinced as the only
 way I seem to be able to solve it is to put around 1lt of oil in.  Then it
 starts straight away.  Dipstick says oil level is fine (touch max), but each
 time I've had this problem (possibly around 2000 miles apart), the only
 solution has been add more oil.  My dad suggested the hydrualic tappits not
 functioning correctly without enough oil.  I can only imaging my dipstick is
 in someway innacurrate.  I'll try to find out if it's the correct stick.
 I'll measure the amount of oil that comes out on the next oil change too.

2002-07
 * After comparing to another Corrado, noticed car was lowered about 35mm.

2002-04
 * Purchased N registered 1996 metallic black Corrado VR6 from a Greek Fish &
 Chip shop owner in Birmingham after several months of searching.
 * Passed HPi check
 * Mileage: 84k