If I could have a 'one-to-one' it would be with...

["Fereday, Chris" <chris.fereday@domain.elided>]

Dear Mr. Michellotti,

After 3 weeks of ownership of your beautifully designed STAG I would like to
share my weekend's events with you...

Following desparate attempts to find the source of both an oil and TQF leak,
I took the car to a 'steam cleaner'. He'd only been in business a month and
the Stag was the 'second worst' car he'd seen - the first being a diesel
Passat. Admittedly I hadn't fully appreciated how bad it was. The chemical
degreasant that he sprayed on intially only managed to get throught the
first layer of 'crap'. A second application and things began to improve. He
then used the steam cleaner - I have never seen a 'mud shower' before!
All this for �25. 

The down side of all this was that muck /oil /grease got blown up into the
engine bay, so I spent a long 2 hours 'cleaning that down'...
I did, however, find the source of TQF leak. It appears that the steering
rack gaitor has a hole in the top of it where you can't see it!!!
Unfortunately, I don't think fluid is supposed to be in the gaitor anyway so
it means a new rack...
This will be around �100.

I also found source of oil leak - leaking sump gasket (drivers side). To
replace it I have to remove the steering rack...
This will cost �???

I then went to buy a new battery (somehow I think the existing one was dodgy
when I bought the car.
The cost - a mere �55.

Dutifully I removed the power steering pump to get the old battery out
(standard proceedure on a Stag), lost one of the battery clamps inside the
wing, found the battery clamp by breaking a wrist and reaching inside the
front valance (no monkeys were available for hire on Saturday), dropped in
the new battery - only to find it wouldn't fit!!! Arrrrrgggh!
Re-fitted old battery temporarily as supplier had shut and wouldn't be open
until Monday morning.

Fitted replacement clock and discovered dashboard lights on... without being
switched on.
In fact they wouldn't go off! Played hunt the problem with a meter, gave up,
went in for tea, went back and continued search with meter... Suceeded in
getting the 3 left hand clocks to 'go out' by disconnecting then dimmer
switch. 3 right hand clocks stayed lit.
Finally found 'area of problem' - wiring down drivers side of gearbox...
wiggled wires, lights went out.

My wife is referring to herself as the 'Stag Widow' and is reverting to
checking who I am by looking at the 'Wedding Photos'. Admittedly, she has to
smudge some grease on the photo of my face first...

Thanks for everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris Fereday
Technology Deployment

Tel: (01733) 502942
Fax: (01733) 502849
E-Mail: chris.fereday@domain.elided

--*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*----*