What have you done to your Elgrand today?

[Reverend RobP]

Do they fit both pre and post facelift E51s does anyone know?

I'm thinking if I don't like the chrome I could black them out if I go with a black and white theme.

I believe it's @chris wills selling them he might be able to tell you if they fit pre & post facelift models

 

[James646]

The door furniture looks the same on both

 

[Chris T]

If it is Chris selling will sort it out on here and save him eBay fees then.

 

[guest]

yes thats me selling them. fit all e51s.

 

[Richard Fox]

yes thats me selling them. fit all e51s.

Just to let other members know they will fit all E51's but the only thing I would add to this is my early white Elgrand does not have the intelligent key just the standard key with buttons, so my chrome covers do not have the extra cutout for the intelligent button just for the standard door lock.

 

[peter strokosz]

Just put four new cross climate tyres on daisey... just as well as the limo firm for today’s funeral have cancelled.. so daisey with her AWD will be taking the close family to the crematorium this afternoon..

 

[Brendan1969]

Cleared the snow from around mine today.

 

[Richard Fox]

Just put four new cross climate tyres on daisey... just as well as the limo firm for today’s funeral have cancelled.. so daisey with her AWD will be taking the close family to the crematorium this afternoon..

My sincere condolences for your loss @peter strokosz. I also have cross climates on my white Elgrand, lasting really well!!!

 

[Seven]

I've had enough of my Elgrand today. I was thinking hard of trying to fix it up properly this last week but then the reaaaally cold weather hit and now it's got another fault that I don't have the time nor money to chase. Just wanting something that works until I get another Elgrand, if I don't end up with another right away. Really pissed off and depressed that it's got to go, but it is what it is. I've spent too much money on it already to warrant spending any more and I can't get the time now I've a motorcycle build to fund as well.

 

[dangerous brain]

I've had enough of my Elgrand today. I was thinking hard of trying to fix it up properly this last week but then the reaaaally cold weather hit and now it's got another fault that I don't have the time nor money to chase. Just wanting something that works until I get another Elgrand, if I don't end up with another right away. Really pissed off and depressed that it's got to go, but it is what it is. I've spent too much money on it already to warrant spending any more and I can't get the time now I've a motorcycle build to fund as well.

It is easy to lose the faith with any car, to be fair the weather has been very detrimental to alot of cars and older ones really suffered. I took my beemer out instead of the Elgrand today as the beemer has winter tyres and the Elgrand had flat tyres - got home and had a knock on the door telling me I'd left my beemers lights on. They are auto lights I've never switched off since I've had it and today they didnt switch off when I left the car. Has to be the really cold weather as its never done that before. I'm hoping that after the weather goes so will the lights as will probably your latest fault on the grand.

Have a bit more faith and consider what it'll cost you to invest in another car - unless you have buy it new money then its another gamble on whatever you replace it with - just sayin!

 

[guest]

I dropped it to the floor on the remote and watched it sink into the snow. could plough the roads here now.

Focusing more on the Fuga at the moment. lots of jobs to do on that too.

 

[Seven]

Have a bit more faith and consider what it'll cost you to invest in another car - unless you have buy it new money then its another gamble on whatever you replace it with - just sayin!

I'm not going to invest in another car at all. I'll buy another car with the full intention of servicing it it and selling it on to eventually get a better Elgrand. Had enough chasing stuff. It's been on my mind on and off for a few months now, even with the new alternator fitted. I've lost half a grand on it already in a year's ownership - it's not modifying for fun, it's modifying to keep it going. To someone with the time to put in, it'll be a great workhorse. That someone isn't me anymore.

 

[blingo]

I'm not going to invest in another car at all. I'll buy another car with the full intention of servicing it it and selling it on to eventually get a better Elgrand. Had enough chasing stuff. It's been on my mind on and off for a few months now, even with the new alternator fitted. I've lost half a grand on it already in a year's ownership - it's not modifying for fun, it's modifying to keep it going. To someone with the time to put in, it'll be a great workhorse. That someone isn't me anymore.

I really do understand what you are saying, feels like you are throwing money away, but you can't escape it!

Even if you get your better Elgrand, a few years down the line you'll reach the same decisions.

You say you aren't going to invest in another car but if you are going to buy one that's exactly what you are doing. You are hoping that you will pay X, it will cost Y to run it and what you sell it for -(X+Y) doesn't make you cry. That's an investment.

What it really comes down to is how confident you are you will be able to swap / trade it for something else that is going to need less work or be less of a worry? Better the devil you know and all that... always a gamble. The bangernomics / shed approach can really work but you have to stick to your guns - treat it as disposable. Not the best way if you want to remove the worry though!

I may have got this wrong but It sounds like you think an actual proper van is a better prospect and I guess you are partially right - not a huge range of alternatives otherwise that you are going to get bikes in. However, in my experience cheaper vans tend to be pretty much fecked, much more so than cheaper "cars".

 

[Seven]

I really do understand what you are saying, feels like you are throwing money away, but you can't escape it!

Even if you get your better Elgrand, a few years down the line you'll reach the same decisions.

You say you aren't going to invest in another car but if you are going to buy one that's exactly what you are doing. You are hoping that you will pay X, it will cost Y to run it and what you sell it for -(X+Y) doesn't make you cry. That's an investment.

What it really comes down to is how confident you are you will be able to swap / trade it for something else that is going to need less work or be less of a worry? Better the devil you know and all that... always a gamble. The bangernomics / shed approach can really work but you have to stick to your guns - treat it as disposable. Not the best way if you want to remove the worry though!

I may have got this wrong but It sounds like you think an actual proper van is a better prospect and I guess you are partially right - not a huge range of alternatives otherwise that you are going to get bikes in. However, in my experience cheaper vans tend to be pretty much fecked, much more so than cheaper "cars".

Thing is, now I'm more experienced I better know what I'm looking for with engines. And now specifically the Elgrands from being in the club, which will prevent me or at least come to my aid in prevention of buying a "shitheap" later on. If I had my ideal Elgrand, of course it will need work down the line, it's a fact of life but at least I'll have had my use of it by then, it will have fulfilled something. This has only ever fulfulled getting me my bikes and introducing me to this fantastic club... That's about it. That's a lot of money for a van that if I don't run to the ground, will run itself in to the ground and I'll still have no car.

I'm very confident I could flip a car, I've just never had the money or the facilities to try. Now though, if someone buys the van, I will have the money to be able to buy another car, clean it up and make it run better and sell it for the profit covering the time I put in to it - what do big dealers do every single day for a living? And a damn good living at that! Eventually, the end goal is to import the Elgrand I'll be happy with. If it arrives in the country and so happens to be a shed, yes I'll be sad, but at least it is a van I will actually WANT to keep. The Elgrand I have isn't my ideal, so it is disposable to me.

The Elgrand was the cheaper option for insurance, the better option for comfort and diversity and overall costs. It just so happened to have one of the best communities I've seen from a car club that never fails to make me smile every day. I want another one for all of the above. E50, darker colors, nicer styling and I will do whatever to that because it will be MY van. A van that suits my ideal of what I want it to be like.

 

[Brendan1969]

Well mine has been parked up and under the white stuff for a few days now so this morning I cleared all the snow off both cars and firstly checked under under the bonnets of both for any signs of damage due to the sub zero temps. Non reported on either so I fired them both up and let them run with the heaters on for 20 mins as I cleared more snow away. Both fine and my E51 burst in to life no problem. they are both still staying put though until Monday.

 

[Crazycraig]

Well I escaped my drive today only to pray that the front bumper didn’t become a snow plough!!

Again when all others could not escape, me and the van did!! After I dug it out of the 4ft snowdrift against garage.

 

[Richard Fox]

Washed all my car cleaning clothes! lol Put another layer of wax on Jez even though it hasn't been out of the garage and also started to clean the underneath, I must be mad! lol

 

[Phil]

changed a brake light bulb. Luckily it was only one of the end ones not one in the centre light bar.

for anyone who is interested it's an easy job on E51 2002. Just 2 screws & a popper hold the unit in so:

Remove the screw covers & unscrew the 2 screws, then gently lever the unit off with a panel trim tool to disengage the popper.
Turn the bulb holder anti-clockwise & remove & replace the bulb. 5 minute job.

I wasn't sure on the fitment so I took the bulb out & took it to Halfords with me. You'll no doubt find them cheaper online but I needed one today. £3

 

[Phil]

I'm not sure but I think later models have a different set up & use led's

 

[Brendan1969]

I'm not sure but I think later models have a different set up & use led's

Yeah I think the S2 models onwards switched to LED Phil. Sept 2004 onwards.