scottg
19-08-2012, 04:02 PM
I start with an apology as everyone wants nice photos when they read these threads. I have spent over half an hour trying to upload photos and I just can't get the forum to accept them I think it's the file size but I have no idea how to adjust it on an I mac hence no nice pics.
Having sold my NA2 to a forum member due to impending further home improvements I intended to buy an earlier car at some time after returning from my forthcoming 2 week holiday.
Well I guess I am not that good at waiting as I have purchased the NA1 auto that has been for sale in Ireland for some time. This was a car that I had previously considered but wanted a manual however with my budget and prices not looking like dropping any time soon this particular car looked like it may be worth following up. Having had many discussions with the owner and photos via e mail I booked a flight for 6.45am last Wednesday (my day off) and flew over to Dublin with the fast Ferry booked to take me back to Holyhead at 2.30pm arriving in the UK 2 hours later to allow me to make it home by about 11pm that night all being well.
The day before I received a text from Irish Ferries to say my crossing was in doubt due to heavy seas and I may have to take the 8.50pm crossing which is a bigger ship and takes 4 hours to make the crossing. By my calculations this would get me home by about 7am the following morning, if I could stay awake, and drive through the night allowing time for an hours sleep before a quick shower and back into the office.
Well I had booked my flight and set my heart on the adventure so I went for it and kept my fingers crossed that the weather did not delay me as predicted.
As you may suspect this was too much to ask having started at 5am Wednesday the flight left on time and got me in to Dublin to meet the owner who kindly collected me from the airport and within two hours the deal was done and I was on my way to the port, just a 20 minute drive but not easy when you don't have a Sat Nav with Ireland on it and just hand written directions.
Arriving at the port I had already received the news that my ferry had indeed been cancelled and with the rain pouring and the wind whipping up I was not surprised. By now it was 11am and I had an impending 10 hour wait before I could start my journey home.
I resigned myself to a very tiring journey and long night and after a couple of hours reading a car mag with nothing else to do I decided to back track and find a coffee and somewhere to relieve myself. A little while later I returned to the dock side to find a member of Irish Ferries staff sitting in the one the little sheds by the closed boarding gates. I approached him to check the current status to be told I may be able to be swapped to a Stenna line crossing leaving at 4pm. GREAT. Stenna line had 20 places and I was one of the first there.
By 8.10pm I was in Holyhead and departing the docks taking the A5 and numerous other A roads over the next 6 hours until I opened the garage door at 1.45am Thursday morning having used a tank of fuel covering just over 300 miles in my new toy.
Those 300 miles gave me a great chance to assess my purchase and start making a mental note of the list of items to attend to to make my new NSX the car I would be happy with, the list is as follows:
1. Sort out the TCS and ALB warning lights that illuminate after a few minutes of driving along with the hand brake warning light and rear brake light bulb dash light (these are linked as they all trigger together)
2. Replace the horrible after market single din CD with a double din unit with sat nat (as per britludes thread)
3. Sort the damp in the rear lights and boot area
4. Investigate a humming noise when stationary that goes as the revs rise or under drive. (You don't need to be in gear for the noise to be present)
5. A thorough clean with clay bar and polish
6. Re finish the seats that are scuffed and dry (scuffmaster kit ordered already)
7. MOT and then register the car back in the UK. It was originally purchased new from Derrick Warrick Honda in Southampton which is my old home town so it was meant to be. This means I dont even need to pay the £55 fee to the DVLA as it has previously been a UK registered car.
8. Change fluids ( I of course checked these are all are good with very clean oil)
9. Repair or replace the centre sun visor as it is split in the corner (does anyone have one)
10. Look for a new set of wheels, later NA2 wheels would be nice but will consider some non standard ones as the originals look too small in my opinion.
Up to date I have spent 6 hours today cleaning and the car looks fantastic.I always think you find every fault when you clean a car and so I have a couple of small paint chips to touch in, a very small scuff on the corner of the front bumper about 1cm long and the front bumper has been painted in the past. Under the bonnet and engine cover the car is very very clean indeed and reflects the low mileage of 27,000.
I will keep you all updated with progress but for now it is tucked up in the garage for two weeks as I am of to Majorca with my wife and girls tomorrow
Having sold my NA2 to a forum member due to impending further home improvements I intended to buy an earlier car at some time after returning from my forthcoming 2 week holiday.
Well I guess I am not that good at waiting as I have purchased the NA1 auto that has been for sale in Ireland for some time. This was a car that I had previously considered but wanted a manual however with my budget and prices not looking like dropping any time soon this particular car looked like it may be worth following up. Having had many discussions with the owner and photos via e mail I booked a flight for 6.45am last Wednesday (my day off) and flew over to Dublin with the fast Ferry booked to take me back to Holyhead at 2.30pm arriving in the UK 2 hours later to allow me to make it home by about 11pm that night all being well.
The day before I received a text from Irish Ferries to say my crossing was in doubt due to heavy seas and I may have to take the 8.50pm crossing which is a bigger ship and takes 4 hours to make the crossing. By my calculations this would get me home by about 7am the following morning, if I could stay awake, and drive through the night allowing time for an hours sleep before a quick shower and back into the office.
Well I had booked my flight and set my heart on the adventure so I went for it and kept my fingers crossed that the weather did not delay me as predicted.
As you may suspect this was too much to ask having started at 5am Wednesday the flight left on time and got me in to Dublin to meet the owner who kindly collected me from the airport and within two hours the deal was done and I was on my way to the port, just a 20 minute drive but not easy when you don't have a Sat Nav with Ireland on it and just hand written directions.
Arriving at the port I had already received the news that my ferry had indeed been cancelled and with the rain pouring and the wind whipping up I was not surprised. By now it was 11am and I had an impending 10 hour wait before I could start my journey home.
I resigned myself to a very tiring journey and long night and after a couple of hours reading a car mag with nothing else to do I decided to back track and find a coffee and somewhere to relieve myself. A little while later I returned to the dock side to find a member of Irish Ferries staff sitting in the one the little sheds by the closed boarding gates. I approached him to check the current status to be told I may be able to be swapped to a Stenna line crossing leaving at 4pm. GREAT. Stenna line had 20 places and I was one of the first there.
By 8.10pm I was in Holyhead and departing the docks taking the A5 and numerous other A roads over the next 6 hours until I opened the garage door at 1.45am Thursday morning having used a tank of fuel covering just over 300 miles in my new toy.
Those 300 miles gave me a great chance to assess my purchase and start making a mental note of the list of items to attend to to make my new NSX the car I would be happy with, the list is as follows:
1. Sort out the TCS and ALB warning lights that illuminate after a few minutes of driving along with the hand brake warning light and rear brake light bulb dash light (these are linked as they all trigger together)
2. Replace the horrible after market single din CD with a double din unit with sat nat (as per britludes thread)
3. Sort the damp in the rear lights and boot area
4. Investigate a humming noise when stationary that goes as the revs rise or under drive. (You don't need to be in gear for the noise to be present)
5. A thorough clean with clay bar and polish
6. Re finish the seats that are scuffed and dry (scuffmaster kit ordered already)
7. MOT and then register the car back in the UK. It was originally purchased new from Derrick Warrick Honda in Southampton which is my old home town so it was meant to be. This means I dont even need to pay the £55 fee to the DVLA as it has previously been a UK registered car.
8. Change fluids ( I of course checked these are all are good with very clean oil)
9. Repair or replace the centre sun visor as it is split in the corner (does anyone have one)
10. Look for a new set of wheels, later NA2 wheels would be nice but will consider some non standard ones as the originals look too small in my opinion.
Up to date I have spent 6 hours today cleaning and the car looks fantastic.I always think you find every fault when you clean a car and so I have a couple of small paint chips to touch in, a very small scuff on the corner of the front bumper about 1cm long and the front bumper has been painted in the past. Under the bonnet and engine cover the car is very very clean indeed and reflects the low mileage of 27,000.
I will keep you all updated with progress but for now it is tucked up in the garage for two weeks as I am of to Majorca with my wife and girls tomorrow