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[Ocracoke]

Hey Everyone,

For those that don't know, I had an accident in my 2002 mk5 450 right before Christmas which resulted in the car being written off (a topic which I am still fairly sore over). I could have bought the car back off the insurers but I decided that now was the time to move back into 454 ownership.

During my forced hiatus from driving, I've been collecting bits and pieces for the "new to me" 454. They are:

• Radio 6 headunit
• Armrest
• Water + Clock pods
• Parking sensors
• Interior bottle strap holder
• Handsfree phone kit (I know this supports relatively ancient Siemens phones but I vary rarely use a mobile anyway)

There is also the multifunction steering wheel I am rebuilding... slowly

Of course, I need a 454 to add these to. So today I went to Kent to pick up the car, a 1.3 Semi-Automatic. It is generally in good condition save for:

• A few bits and pieces such as rear quarter window fogging and the front part of the roof.
• Minor scuffing on the front driver side quarter.
• One or two interior lights have gone.
• I am sure there is a leak in the car somewhere (both sections of the roof had pretty bad condensation on the inside)
• One of the keys has lost power

The drive back to Merseyside (about 5 hours worth of driving) was pretty good despite the slightly shaky start where we arrived to find the car being jump started. :O Apparently, the car hadn't been used since October time as the owner had purchased a Toyota IQ. From the state of the engine bay, I guess a service and a good clean would not go amiss but functionally, it worked flawlessly all the way home.

Pictures:

[Problemchild]

Looks nice

Sorry to hear about the fortwo

Glad you are ok

JJ

[Scoobysook]

Nice colour combo. Let the modding commence

[mr singh]

i to went from my city coupe to a forfour after it was written off about a month after i insured it

i miss my city coupe but not as much as i miss my 1.1. there are times where i which i hadnt bought my 1.5 but then i think if it was meant to be, it was meant to be.

[steddie eddie]

G'day Ocracoke,
I still miss my previous car too, a peugeot 406 , but i think the Forfour is a great substitute and i drive is still with a smile on my face everytime i step into it.
Greetings,
Eddie

[Ocracoke]

Sorry to hear about the fortwo

Glad you are ok

Many thanks JJ. Wasn't a particularly fast crash but it did mean a looonggg trip home via the train. As mr.singh says, if it was meant to be, then it is.

I still miss my previous car too, a peugeot 406 , but i think the Forfour is a great substitute and i drive is still with a smile on my face everytime i step into it.

When I got in it today to pick up some new wiper blades, just driving down the road, I suddenly burst into a big smile. I was back driving a Smart car. I hadn't felt happy driving a car since the accident so yeah, I share your feelings on that one.

Nice colour combo. Let the modding commence

I thought so too. I took it to my in-laws today (who also own a 454 as I've mentioned before). They were really positive about it.

Walked in through the door on Saturday to find a Royal Mail note saying a parcel was waiting for me, I suspect it is the phone cradle. Got the other key working, now just need give it a damned good service (the alternator belt is a tad squeaky). I'll setup another thread for the modding business.

[CrazyG]

Glad to hear that you're finally back in a 454...and that you had
a pleasant journey home in it....plus regaining the Smart/454 'smile'.

I'd hazard a guess that there is not one 454 that has not got some
crazing of the rear quarter windows....and the front polycarbonate
roof section of those with that 'feature', so nothing odd or wrong there.

As for the condensation that you say you saw/found....if it's been
standing for as long as you say..(since October) then that too is
to be expected and accepted....I'll hazard that you'll not see that
again once it's dried out and been drivien regularly.

Happy 'forfouring'..and looking to hear how you get on adding the
bits n pieces that you have aquired for your motor.

[Ocracoke]

I'd hazard a guess that there is not one 454 that has not got some
crazing of the rear quarter windows....and the front polycarbonate
roof section of those with that 'feature', so nothing odd or wrong there.

I suppose. The roof is my big bugbear from a purely visual point of view (the car is parked directly below my office) and I can see it when it is dry so I might add something to it one day.

As for the condensation that you say you saw/found....if it's been
standing for as long as you say..(since October) then that too is
to be expected and accepted....I'll hazard that you'll not see that
again once it's dried out and been drivien regularly.

Roof has cleared up nicely having been driven for a few days. Easily the best blower/heater I have ever had on a model of car.

A few days in and a bit of a bombshell. The car is crying out for a service (I know I should have picked this up before I bought it but hey, excitement and all that) and looking through the paper work, it hasn't been serviced since 2013 (the readout in the instrumentation cluster says -697)! So guess who is getting a full B service then? Really does need a valet as well in the front as well and the engine bay as well, it looks really poor under there.

[CrazyG]

Dare I suggest that you consider 'wrapping' the roof using 'flyeyes' ?
JJ did that to his roof some time way back when...and it gave a whole
new look to the roof....without it obscuring the way it allowed light
into tha car. From the outside it look opaque.

However, JJ did have an issue when he removed that stuff from his
headlights, but he made no comment about it on the roof.

(JJ....any comments to make/add to this...how's your 'flyeyed' roof ?)

[Problemchild]

I wouldn't use the fly eyes

Just get some black car vinyl of eBay and just do the effected section

JJ

[Ocracoke]

I wouldn't use the fly eyes

Quite definitive there. Trouble would be that just applying vinyl over the roof would make it dark in the front and not sure I'd be able to live with that. I suppose polishing the roof (rather much like the headlamps) is out of the question? Would be fairly labour intensive I guess.

[CrazyG]

I think perhaps JJ meant use a semi-opaque window tint type vinyl...
so that it obscures just a little, but not completely.

[Ocracoke]

I think perhaps JJ meant use a semi-opaque window tint type vinyl...
so that it obscures just a little, but not completely.

My bad, I has the opaque stuff in my head when I posted (just got visions of the bright green vinyl from Wangswong 454)

I'd have to get some samples but could work. I want to try and keep it OEM looking as possible (for the moment).

[Problemchild]

I think perhaps JJ meant use a semi-opaque window tint type vinyl...
so that it obscures just a little, but not completely.

Is the whole roof damaged?

I was thinking it mainly only affected the front little panel (with the aerial)

Window tint film is really meant for the inside so not sure how it will hold up on the outside

JJ

[CrazyG]

You can get tinted film for use on your headlights, so
I can't see it not being usable for the roof.....