What have you done to your Elgrand today?

[Brendan1969]

Strict orders @Phil not to touch the wheels until after the weekend! lol

Get em fitted mate NOW

 

[Brendan1969]

Absolutely agree on regular use to avoid seals drying out. However, I'm not convinced running the rear constantly will prolong it's life - if anything possibly the opposite. Seems to be condensation forming on the outer skin may actually be a cause of failure. This could well be accellerated by use.

I've never turned the aircon off in any car I've owned and my Elgrand has been no different. Mine still broke.

It states in my books buddy that front and rear aircon systems SHOULD NOT be run separately.

 

[guest]

I dont have any covers left at the moment, not sure when ill be getting anymore in tbh.

 

[Brendan1969]

Well today I fitted a usb port in place of the jap phone charger.
USB
View attachment 4323
Used the rubber holder to keep it secure.
View attachment 4324
Now my nexus 7 that runs music and my sat nav can sit down the side of the passenger seat out of sight charging and cast to the front screen via Wi-Fi.
View attachment 4325
I got one of these Bluetooth controllers to skip the tracks remotely.

RemoteView attachment 4327

View attachment 4326
Cut the ring off the top and Velcro used to attach it to the dash.
It can be used as a mouse too but a bit fiddly.

Did you just connect the USB unit to the exisiting wires off that plug in the seat side bin??? I have one in my drivers seat too and mine is S1 model.

 

[Brendan1969]

Just wondered how you get scratches blended in. I have a couple of panels with fairly deep scratches. They don´t notice too much (didn´t see them when I bought the car - numbnuts). Reluctant to go for full panel resprays, although a local guy did a fantastic job on my tailgate and rear bumper for a very reasonable price.

Last week mate I bought that new Autoglym scratch remover kit off ebay ( £16 ). I used it on my friend Terrance's S2 E51 as someone has scuffed it. Well it all came out and you would never know it was ever there.

Deeper scratches though it does not remove but it does make them less noticeable dependant on body colour. White is best I think albeit my Black E51 shows up everything sadly but that is Black for you I suppose.

 

[Ajh2001]

Had new tow bar fitted! Rear lights stopped working so tow bar fitters and I all now know where all the fuss boxes are for an E51, especially the one hidden beside the underside rear passenger seat!

 

[Nathane69]

Rule of thumb Phil is always have it re-gassed every 2-3 years dependant on weather and driving. Like you I ALWAYS run my E51 heating system front and rear both at same time as well as in aircon mode. Both at same time and never independently. It says this in the book in order that it keeps everything working and running sweet. The gas also has a dye in it and oil which keeps the compressor lubricated and running freely. Often overlooked which is why compressor clutches seize up and fail.

If you have no fluid on the ground then chances are your OK Phil compressor seals can perish, dry up through lack of use thus it will loose its pressure and not be cold. Best thing to do is get it re-gassed again but they check for system content FIRST ( pressure test ) to ascertain if its all ok before they attempt re-gassing it.

I looked inside my little chassis flap yesterday situated left rear of left rear wheel on the underfloor of the chassis and all was lovely and new looking in there pipework wise and along the runs of all the pipes too with NO signs anywhere of leaks.

Very good write up Brendan.
Thank you for sharing your advice regarding having both front and rear air con units going at the same time . I will now do this on my E50 .
Cheers, Nathan ❄❄❄

 

[Nathane69]

Thanks for the info Brendan, I'll pass it on to the Mobile Mechanic I use when he next takes it for MOT.

Best of luck with your air con Phil .
I hope it's an easy fix and not to expensive.

 

[Brendan1969]

Very good write up Brendan.
Thank you for sharing your advice regarding having both front and rear air con units going at the same time . I will now do this on my E50 .
Cheers, Nathan ❄❄❄

Cheers buddy. It only takes a few seconds to do each time and at least you can know your system is working all the time and any crap is being blown through and out. Also best practice for using air con that has not been used for a while is to open all the doors and windows and put it on full blast and cold as this purges the system of any impurities which have been lurking in those pipes and hoses for months. After a couple of mins close everything up and enjoy the nice cold air. You also wake up the next day feeling fine as opposed to feeling rough having breathed in all the bad air.

 

[dognero]

Did you just connect the USB unit to the exisiting wires off that plug in the seat side bin??? I have one in my drivers seat too and mine is S1 model.

No mate coupled into the usb live and neutral from the centre console. Just pushed the useless phone plug down the hole.

 

[dognero]

Have changed the tablets home to this.

Still out of sight and don't have to keep pulling it out.
the USB is tucked away inside the roof and runs from an ignition live I ran up there for the dash cam.
Double sided sticky pads are your friend

 

[Brendan1969]

Have changed the tablets home to this.
View attachment 4350
Still out of sight and don't have to keep pulling it out.
the USB is tucked away inside the roof and runs from an ignition live I ran up there for the dash cam.
Double sided sticky pads are your friend

Your a clever sod mate why don't you fit it into your visor for that seemless look.

 

[Frogeyepete]

Last week mate I bought that new Autoglym scratch remover kit off ebay ( £16 ). I used it on my friend Terrance's S2 E51 as someone has scuffed it. Well it all came out and you would never know it was ever there.

Deeper scratches though it does not remove but it does make them less noticeable dependant on body colour. White is best I think albeit my Black E51 shows up everything sadly but that is Black for you I suppose.

Would be concerned about rubbing the paintwork down to much (pearl white). The way the guy who repaired the back explained it, was that it is the last couple of coats of paint that give it the pearl effect. Have seen stuff advertised that is supposed to fill scratches either a simple lacquer or something more sophisticated that somehow takes colour from either side of the scratch. No idea if they work or not.

 

[dognero]

Your a clever sod mate why don't you fit it into your visor for that seemless look.

I need to get to the on off button on the side, or it would have been sunk in.

 

[MarkEm]

Just wondered how you get scratches blended in. I have a couple of panels with fairly deep scratches. They don´t notice too much (didn´t see them when I bought the car - numbnuts). Reluctant to go for full panel resprays, although a local guy did a fantastic job on my tailgate and rear bumper for a very reasonable price.

How deep are the scratches? There a lots of how to videos on YouTube about removing scratches. A dual action polisher will probably help.

 

[Cemmy074]

Ebay here is the link if he has still got some
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Elgrand-E51-Chrome-Door-Handles-NEW-3M-Tape-Set-of-8-BLING-RARE/232679796264?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

greedy seller it was 40 when ppl asking more price gone upnow 45

 

[Richard Fox]

Started cleaning the 5 wheels I picked up yesterday, they were already clean but not to my standard! lol

 

[Shaugi]

cracked the rear bumper, popped it off of on one side and lost a couple of the retainer clip things from under the boot hatch

 

[Chris T]

cracked the rear bumper, popped it off of on one side and lost a couple of the retainer clip things from under the boot hatch

How did you manage that?

 

[Brendan1969]

Would be concerned about rubbing the paintwork down to much (pearl white). The way the guy who repaired the back explained it, was that it is the last couple of coats of paint that give it the pearl effect. Have seen stuff advertised that is supposed to fill scratches either a simple lacquer or something more sophisticated that somehow takes colour from either side of the scratch. No idea if they work or not.

If your gentle with it then it will be ok. Too much pressure = heat = paint burn mark or worse. The kit comes with a special applicator pad too an full instructions. An idiot can do it. Well I did anyway