Sarahs Nissan Cube (it's proper JDMness!)

[britlude]

this is somewhere to put the story of the Woe re. my girlfriends Nissan Cube!

If you've met Sarah, you know she loves her Cube... started like this...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/cube1_zpsnvcobq5q.jpg

and ended up looking like this....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/10462484_10152488422809919_8943981590587372686_n_z psdvitfick.jpg

with a silly engine dress up kit for shows... looking like this
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/11753659_10153440083239500_7061910785555744387_n_z pstpescc2q.jpg

anyway, in october, a generous Vauxhall driver names James decided to add his mark....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/FB_20161001_18_16_43_Saved_Picture_zpsgyxzxxm8.jpg

you can see the offending vauxhall and the lovely Sarah reflected in the window!

[britlude]

not a happy bunny...

Sarah pulls away onto a roundabout, but the bloke behind pulls away faster and hits her.... at least he admits fault!

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161002_16_17_52_Pro_zpsudryx24y.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161002_16_17_59_Pro_zpsp318yoir.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161002_16_18_15_Pro_zpswltcivkh.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161002_16_17_39_Pro_zpsk9tckzqq.jpg

door, bumper, bumper support beam behind the bumper, and ripples to the panel across the back of the car!

[britlude]

Sarah contacts her insurance, they write car off instantly with no inspection and say deal with other co. if she wants to keep the car but ask her to take it to local garage for assessment????


other party (octagon) say they will repair car with new parts, we ask if they are sure, as it's rare, JDM, etc, they assure us repaired with new parts, and book into a garage the following tuesday (6 points of contact assure us it'll be repaired with new parts!)


octagon postpone garage booking, but their repair assessor now coming the day after.


sarahs insurance receive their own assessment and write car off again! but need to send assessor to work out value (how can they write it off then???) and remember they don't want anything to do with it anyway


octagon's insurance send repair assessor, loves the car, and EVERYTHING is pointed out to him, door, bumper, light cover dent, panel behind bumper showing ripples on very edge, but boot floor fine etc! we've look at it closely ourselves!


octagon approves repair, take day off, car delivered and hire car collected!


10 days later..... Sarah receives an email to contact the 'total loss' department late friday afternoon... ring garage, we'll come and collect car... told err, you can't, not sure it's in a fit state to drive/not sure how the parts were removed if expecting a new part repair/number plate is a bit James Bond (????) along with a 'who's going to pay for it to be put back together?'


so Sarah tells them we delivered a driving car, we want one back! and spends a weekend stressing the car's already in a recycling/scrap yard. we get a call 10am monday, it's all back in one piece..... hmm... took a lot of reassembly if it's back together that quick.


so take another day off tuesday and go get it... we work out they undid 2 m6 bolts on the inner back panel, removed said panel, saw slight ripples and panicked, saying they bumper support beam is bent and we can't do anything. they hadn't even removed the bumper to look! i suspect the truth is they found out the car is JDM only and couldn't get the parts cheap/quick enough, despite us telling them it's JDM, parts HAVE to come from Japan AND WE SHOWED THEM the slight rippled panel!!!!!


and they still had to stick the number plate back on after we arrived


anyway got the car back, only cost octagon £390 for the hire car... vauxhall, nasty!


so now octagon have also written it off again (cat D) and told us we have agreed £3k value for the car, agreed £600 for the salvage and they transferred £2400 to Sarah.


nice, but we didn't agree £3K, unfortunately no 'equivalent' cars are for sale with the number of OEM options (really, we didn't realise just how loaded her car is, pretty much everything on it is an option, even the bump strips are a $160 option!) we'd put it closer to £4500.... we also have the letter that says 'if we can't repair it we'll give you the full value of your car, and you can keep it or we shall dispose of it for you'..... no mention of salvage!

[britlude]

oh well, we're on our own then, got to sort it ourselves! choices are parts from Japan (right colour, bolt straight on, shipping fine but the cost of getting stuff out of the docks is redonkulous! ( £450 just for door))...... next closest is Poland(!), all the bits for £400, delivery whenever(?).... closest is Birmingham for £700 (overpriced and still needs painting), or blackburn for £300 in red!


so being a common, cheap car (according to the insurance) we had to drive from Rochester, Kent to Blackburn, oop norf, to get the replacement second hand parts, (900km round trim in the cube!)

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170107_12_40_49_Pro_zpsjuycstbf.jpg

i think the new aero mods might need a little more development http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170107_12_40_56_Pro_zpswykk3xqu.jpg




....and octagon is now dragging all communications out hoping we'll get bored and go away!


oh and just to top it all, Sarahs insurance added £108 to her renewal for the inspections (that we didn't ask for, and they didn't want to do!) as octagon hadn't paid it! that went down well!

[britlude]

first job (technically before the road trip) was to straighten the back of the chassis, if that was buggered then we might as well scrap the car, or source a new rear cross member and weld it in! so before the blackburn trip we had a play.... i really should have taken a before pic, but forgot!

bought a magic tool for £28...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161218_09_56_29_Pro_zpsxkxfyz3d.jpg

[britlude]

and it attaches thus....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161218_10_03_54_Pro_zpszqawrytz.jpg

the hook is a ratchet strap, tied around a tree! then ratchet is then tightened, pulling the clamped edge out ( if you look at the nearest edge, you can see the 2 peices of the metal edge flaring open and closed a little!

oh, the grey trim panel pictured above, that is missing below is the only bit the 'repairers' removed!

a few little pulls and the gap it closed, the panel back where it should be....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161218_10_16_36_Pro_zpsape7cdoq.jpg

before
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161218_09_58_16_Pro_zpsjrmiarge.jpg

after
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20161218_10_04_44_Pro_zpso7d76vex.jpg

bearing in mind, it took about 10 minutes using a ratchet strap (just the ratchet lever, no beam to add extra leverage), a £28 clamp, and a tree, i'm at a loss why the 'repairers' couldn't do it (couldn't be bothered more like!)

[britlude]

we have replacement panels....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170107_16_14_59_Pro_zpsabl015l7.jpg



and prep begins!

shiny
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170128_12_22_22_Pro_zpsqx13moew.jpg

not shiny!
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170128_13_48_49_Pro_zpsylymrgbj.jpg


the silver door in the background is one that got damaged by a van in a carpark, lovely deep dent! i was repairing when another silver door turned up on ebay! we got it, fitted it, then found out it had been resprayed and so a slightly different colour! we were just sorting out getting it blended when the vauxhall attacked!)

[Sudesh]

Very very nice !
Please keeping the posts,

[nobby]

Well done mate ...will watch with interest

nobody wants to do car work in this industry anymore ... disgrace

we have become such a throw away culture ... truly shocking

[britlude]

the insurance farce continues, octagon either ignoring or being very slow replying to emails, basically telling Sarah that that's all she's getting, even tho it's about 2/3 of the actual value! Sarah did mention going to the insurance ombudsman, they then told Sarah that she can't do that as 'she's not the policy holder' ...

hmm, so get this straight, we're the innocent victim, but you can give us a poor settlement, with no redress, because we're not your customer, just the victim of your customers incompetence??? ... remember sarah's own insurance advised her to not involve them.... hmmm seems poor advice

well, we're going to send the ombudsman an email anyway, the worst they can do is say 'no'.. Sarah has contacted financial conduct authority, as the citizens advice prodded her in that direction....

the next step is mentioning 'indemnity law'... that is 'to be restored, or better, to your position before the accident' .....which hasn't happened yet! but is this the policy holder, not the third party that's claiming against the policy holder??

on happier note.... bumper and door bottom trim is pimered
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170204_17_01_25_Pro_zpsnxcfkmcw.jpg

[Nick Graves]

What a PIA.

Fortunately, you have the skills...

Are any of these any good as comparos?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/nissan/cube

I'd state your price (reasonable!) & go legal on them.

The cost of defending a CCJ might make them a bit more amenable to settle.

[WhyOne?]

Sorry to see and read about Sarah's trials and tribulations.

It's bad enough to have your pride and joy damaged by a Vauxhall without the insurance companies playing silly beggars.

Good luck with the repairs and the insurance co's....I get the distinct feeling that you are not going to be worn down to the point of giving up and good on you both for that.

Hope the cube is soon restored to its pristine best.

[lotusolly]

Ironically after 3 years of ignoring me, I finally received a letter late last week to say that the insurance company have appointed a solicitor to deal with my case. Then to really take the pee, I get a phone call from the solicitor today wanting to know why I haven't sent their form back yet asking me to duplicate all the information already given!!!!!

Olly

[AR]

It is a really sad state of affairs when one pays so much to insurance companies and they behave in such an unprofessional manner. I recently found out that we had been overpaying for a business policy that we did not need.

I hope you get it to it's former glory soon.

[britlude]

typical isn't it, drive all the way from Rochester to Burnley to get replacement panels in the wrong colour (900Km round trip) then purchase primer and paint to do the respray to match the colour, get the panels primed.......

and this turns up breaking in Southend on Sea, about 40miles away, technically closer but the Thames is in the way!!!

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/16730598_10154345538523441_2139066495225815455_n_z psumrqitjf.jpg

........and it's the right colour!!!!!!


typical!!!!!!

[Nick Graves]

Oh, that's Sod's Law...

Could you buy it and stash it somewhere, in case of future misfortune?

[Pride]

Or why not just buy and repair it as I'm sure it's not beyond you, then you will have matching cubes and a far more economical daily drive to boot. 👍

[britlude]

if i had somewhere to hide it i would have found another already, one recently went for £950 just needing the brake calipers overhauling!!!

ironically, when we took both cars cross country to Japfest at castle coombe, the nsx was the more economical on petrol, the cube is designed as a city car, and doesn't like motorways!

[britlude]

oh well.... at least it's warmed up a bit and no wind.........

inside of the red door flatted back to remove the gloss, to give a decent key for the new paint.....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170217_14_33_51_Pro_zpskbxx0iyv.jpg

and primed....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170217_14_51_44_Pro_zps2iqwvhai.jpg

[NSXGB]

oh well.... at least it's warmed up a bit and no wind.........

inside of the red door flatted back to remove the gloss, to give a decent key for the new paint.....


and primed....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170217_14_51_44_Pro_zps2iqwvhai.jpg

Maybe you should leave the newspaper in the back window to warn people not to drive too close...

[Senninha]

Very observant Simon!!

Jonathan, if you need bits let me know, happy to pick and arrange transfer if you can't get there and keybparts need collecting, rgds Paul

[britlude]

We might be having the engine off him, if you can lob that in the back of your NSX, it would be appreciated....

[britlude]

again a warmer day, so a chance for more paint.....

this time the outside of the back door is panel wiped after the surface keyed...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170218_11_20_57_Pro_zpsnixmdicm.jpg

and primed
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170218_11_43_07_Pro_zpsqemvbzzy.jpg

the peel will flatten out as it dries, and there's some dust/'inclusions' in the primer, but it'll be guide coated and flatted before the colour coat, so not a problem!!

after 3 hours, (the magic of this 2 part paint) i flip it over and colour coat the inside.....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170218_15_14_55_Pro_zpsyicnus5w.jpg

and lacquer....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170218_15_29_10_Pro_zpsvo4qp2an.jpg

yup, that looks like Nissan factory paint finish!!!

[Senninha]

We might be having the engine off him, if you can lob that in the back of your NSX, it would be appreciated....

I offer a hand of friendship and you want my whole arm :) given the size of the cube engine (minus the dress up kit), it would probably fit, lol

Piant is looking good Sir ....

[britlude]

well the engine we looked at on saturday puffed out of the oil filler as much as Sarahs current engine, so back to the drawing board on that one, we need to look at more examples to confirm a fault, or that it's a common phenomenon with that particular series of engine.... i suspect both had tired piston rings, but further investigation needed... we can get rings, timing chain ,and head gaskets for £200, but don't want the car off the road for weeks, so might build up another engine to swap in over a weekend!

anyway, back to the current projects! with a little bit of warm(er) weather, i got the chance to put on some silver on the outside.....

bumper....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170304_15_19_47_Pro_zpsvelc0zfq.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170304_15_20_07_Pro_zps2nmngygl.jpg

panel on the door....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170304_15_19_59_Pro_zpscli1ogdf.jpg

yes, there is a bit of orange peel effect, but as the rest of the car has that from the factory, it should be good to go!

[britlude]

and on the sunday i got to do the door....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170305_16_04_25_Pro_zpshdt4yqt9.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170305_15_19_50_Pro_zpsmlq3ts0r.jpg

and once dry, it can have all the internals re-fitted...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170305_18_56_04_Pro_zpsqfmxk6iu.jpg

and then fit up the outside.....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170307_18_06_06_Pro_zpstpc0xcwe.jpg

[Pride]

I hardly have time for simple oil and filter changes let alone the great projects you take on Jon.

[britlude]

this is easy, the difficult one will be the steampunk teapot racer! yes the steampunks race radio controlled teapots! got the chassis, and radio gear already, waiting for the 8-PINT teapot to arrive :)



from first checks, the paint looks to be a good enough match to not need blending to the rest of the body.... which will be a result!

[NZNick]

Jonathan - slightly off topic (but as we are in Off Topic, is this even possible?) - this is just up the road (115km) from me, and may be to your taste:

http://steampunkoamaru.co.nz/

I haven't been, but it does get good reports (from the only 12 year old kid I know)

[britlude]

Jonathan - slightly off topic (but as we are in Off Topic, is this even possible?) - this is just up the road (115km) from me, and may be to your taste:

http://steampunkoamaru.co.nz/


we need an off-off topic section!!!! looks like there are mad, but mostly harmless, people in NZ too!

[WhyOne?]

this is easy, the difficult one will be the steampunk teapot racer! yes the steampunks race radio controlled teapots! got the chassis, and radio gear already, waiting for the 8-PINT teapot to arrive :)



I'm greatly looking forwards to seeing teapots running around a Sussex pub car park sometime soon!!!!

8pts. - that's a monster teapot.

(This post probably not entirely on topic, but you started it!)

[NSXGB]

we need an off-off topic section!!!! looks like there are mad, but mostly harmless, people in NZ too!

Douglas Adams quote?

[WhyOne?]

Douglas Adams quote?

Whether intentional or no (I strongly suspect intentional) it certainly is.

[havoc]

Making tea is involved...got to be DNA.

As an aside, I didn't realise until yesterday (!) that someone had written a H2G2 "Book 6" ("And Another Thing" by Eoin Colfer 8 years ago, apparently). Gets very mixed reviews on Amazon - anyone here read it?

[britlude]

there's an 'aside' and






.................................................. .................................................. ...........an 'aside'!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[britlude]

a busy day...... start with this....

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_09_25_53_Pro_zpsbm0ssf9n.jpg

and start stripping the rear....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_09_40_30_Pro_zps8tkclnxg.jpg

hmm a bit scabby
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_09_53_52_Pro_zpsflb0pbof.jpg

oh dear, more than a bit scabby!
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_09_53_59_Pro_zpsueqzao1s.jpg

still, silver lining and all that, no crash, we wouldn't have taken the bumper off....

[britlude]

bumper bar (undamaged!) taken off...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_10_16_49_Pro_zpsjkrvo72u.jpg

hmmm crusty! well, holey!
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_10_26_54_Pro_zpsinal7ca7.jpg

repair patch
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_10_50_25_Pro_zpsf7qiywb6.jpg

fitted
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_10_54_28_Pro_zpsro7xxick.jpg

[britlude]

welded.... not pretty but functional... t'was fighting with the auto settings on the welder!

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_11_27_36_Pro_zpsklwmisld.jpg

patch on the corner repaired too...
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_11_36_12_Pro_zpshxywjxfl.jpg

....(prettier! i decided the weld settings, not the computer! doesn't take into account burning thru rust!!!)

Kurust applied
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_12_17_14_Pro_zpshd88euw3.jpg

kurust activated/dried!
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_13_13_40_Pro_zpstkj0puuq.jpg

[britlude]

fit door while waiting for the underseal to arrive!

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_12_41_23_Pro_zpsggxtou2d.jpg


underseal all the rear internal valance!
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_14_54_19_Pro_zpslomwwrxp.jpg


then forget to take any more pics as you're on a mission because the table is booked for 6, and its starting to get tight!!!!!

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_15_56_05_Pro_zpsmiq11phj.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170311_17_03_51_Pro_zpsfsbpwsk9.jpg


just a couple of bits to finish inside, and wait for the vinyl to arrive to cut out a new koi!

the colour match is a bit off, some angles it looks perfect, others its horrid!!! but that was to be expected with silver... at least its silver, not red, and we can blend the colour later! looks worse in the pics!!!!

[WhyOne?]

Excellent job (and account) Jonathan and nice to see Sarah looking suitably chuffed!

[Pride]

"waiting for the vinyl to arrive to cut out a new koi!"

Forget the fish, this is more Sarah's style I think.:)

https://www.zazzle.co.uk/z/31g9z

A great job, well done mate.

[britlude]

not finished yet..... out with the magic cutting discs....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170312_14_49_35_Pro_zpswjymiijd.jpg

make a few cuts, which reveals a chequered life in the history of the cube door....

you can see the spots on the inside, showing where pins had been spot welded on the outside to pull out a dent....
http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170312_15_21_39_Pro_zps36hid7kb.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170312_15_21_32_Pro_zpsbexp2kah.jpg



anyhoo... ending up with this....

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170312_15_21_52_Pro_zpsj6p3xjcp.jpg

which when backed, the side capped and a fake black window added, will be some wall art for Sarah!

[NSXGB]

...subtle 'cube' bubbles...

[britlude]

originally had round bubbles, but they just didn't quite work!!!

[britlude]

i had to get the door/bumper on the car last weekend as this arrived today....

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170315_16_21_53_Pro_zpsmpp83kmm.jpg

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170315_16_22_08_Pro_zpsbxrseft8.jpg

alas it's the same size engine, we did want to do an upgrade, but as we didn't want the car off the road for weeks/months as bits were made/modified/configured, we found this lil lump on the interweb.....

it's quite literally been cut out of a 2011 Nissan Note, 28K miles, £275 delivered from Dundee! (the seller did a vid of it running for us!)

the other engine we looked at was 2003, and 100k miles, £300, plus delivery !

Sarahs car is tired, and needs the cam chain doing. the chain kit is circa £220, and the engine has to come out to do it easily! no brainer really :)

[britlude]

forgot to add this... made a fake window....

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/WP_20170314_07_09_14_Pro_zpspuxhgvi5.jpg

and made up templates for the side and back!

[britlude]

this is what i spent friday doing......

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/jonathan1937/sad%20cube/20170407_104318_zpspkfjoxbl.jpg

swapped a 2011 28k mile 1.4 nissan note engine into Sarah's 2003 100k mile cube!!!


and managed to avoid getting sunburnt!!!