Catalogue of my mk3 2.0 adventures.

[tom23]

I intend this to be a blog type thing in which I can share the general fun and frustrations I experience with the Golf. I seem to have them often, and often wish I kept better track of what its been through. I'm not sure there will be much bling or porn getting tossed around but I do alright given the financial situation.

Here it is as I bought it:


A little later I hit a possum and lost a front indicatior. When I went to ASV they asked if I wanted another orange or white. Being abit of a parts whore I got two whites off a vr6. I couldn't settle for the remaining side indicators to be orange still so I got some white ones off a mk4. Do not do this! the connection is different. So I took a dremel to them and now the wiring is hot glued in place. Looks good though

[tom23]

So what does any respectfull teen do with a shinny new car.. put a sound system in obviously.

I tackled this with absolutely zero experience with cars and a basic knowledge of circuits and I'll tell you it was great fun. It cost around a grand in all, all goods bought from ryda on parramatter road.

Headunit sucks, hate it. Also has no usb in the back so you can see my ghetto fix. The rest seems like good equipment and has and is still performing beautifully.
Headunit:

Boot:

Front splits:

Shoddy wiring:


I get the impression that over a year later however, the sound is taking its toll and I'm hearing allot more rattles, noises

[tom23]

About a month ago some old cow reversed into me while in a car park. (Virginia Allman of 4 Birrong Place, Belrose, 2085 )

What happened; I reversed out, stopped, was about to drive off when I saw her start to reverse in the mirror. I honked but to late as she picked up some speed before her towbar rammed my bumper. We got out, gave details and she admitted to fault. Being my first accident I was really shaken. A little while later she calls and says "as we were both reversing it was both of our faults and you get your car fixed and ill get mine". Which is great as her commodore had zero damage.
I do have comp insurance but don't particularly want to go through them as I will lose my no claim bonus i think.

The damage:


So it was my word against hers and I had a dent in my baby. And today I set out to fix that, on a student budget haha.

I read on the internet that if you heat up a dent, then cool it really fast the dent will “pop out”. It recommended a ‘air duster’ product that when held upside down releases liquid CO2 (bloodycold). So arming myself with a blow dryer and 2 cans of “Dust Away” from **** Smith I was ready.
First I started off heating the area for around 2 minutes with the blow dryer. Then I sprayed on the CO2. It looked promising for about 30 seconds but then there was no pop of dent removing happiness.
Dust Away:


In my brilliance I assumed there was not a big enough change in temperature. I needed more heat and more cold. I rigged up this foil basket over the dent and put a few firelighters in there. Then got 2 cans of CO2 at the ready. The fire went well until the flames started hovering up around the fuel tank cap area, a little to high. I pulled the foil basket off the car and as quickly as possible I blasted the area, duel weilding the aerosols.
The "basket":

The fuel:


Unfortunatly in my rush I forgot to put the previous fire out so when I filled the area with the aerosol I was given an almighty explosion. I burnt my fingers and forearm, leg hair, arm hair, head hair and my index fingers were burnt from the freezing CO2. And the dent remained.

It was then I realised that the bumper is made of plastic, not metal and this could never have worked. IDIOT. And I'm doing materials engineering at UNSW wtf.

So was thinking, maybe ill just putty it up... see how that goes.

[yowie]

Nice thread.
As far as legal responsibility for the damage goes, I would consider all of the following, but not necessarily in the order written.
Do not accept her assertionthat it was your fault or equally shared responsibility. Your story suggests otherwise.

Before you forget, write out in detail the story, specifically, date and time and sequence, and including what she said to you by way of admission at the time, and anything you may have said in response.
Her problem may be that her admission has voided her contract with her insurer.
Call the police and tell themwhat happened and get a log report number, or whatever reference.
Read your insurance contract. It may discuss fault and notification.
It may require you to tell them about any accident, even if you dont claim, i which case a conversation with them may be useful.
Consider writing a formal letter of demand; you are a student, the student union may have a legal officer who can assist, or a local free community legal centre may also help out.
You may also want to take a few pics of the damage and the location.
At the very least, you can make things uncomfortable enough to suggest its worth the other party paying for 1/2 the total damage, which is what usually ends up happening.
(This is common-sense, not legal advice, which you could also pay for, but dont just let it rest- its your driving rep. and insurance rep. on the line.
Cheers,
yowie

[yowie]

Of course a written quote from a reputable repairer would also help, forgot, sorry!

[h100vw]

Take that bumper off the car and heat the back of it with a hot air gun, push the dent out if it doesn't go on it's own.

Gavin

[VR6child]

Maybe buy a new bumper? If the dent is just gonna be obvious once fixed. I can't imagine it would set you back that much. And is that colour windsor blue? Lovin it.

[Dubdubdubdot]

I've seen your car around uni once or twice i think!. I do industrial design @ unsw.