DavidB's Vauxhall Astra mk3 - 29th Jul 2010 8:45pm
I've nearly had this car 8 years, I had it on the road again last month (after a year and a half off), but the engine ate itself. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but managed to transport the V6 engine (50 quid as I had no transport whatsoever) and decided to put it in. The car has always been a workhorse, I think this will suit it for what I use it for, will eventually find a towbar that'll go under the bumper!
Engine had an immobiliser ECU with the key chips, etc. but wiring in was a PITA and meant I had to wait a week (without a car!) for a non-immobiliser ECU (I didn't know this, but apparently they're supposed to be uber-rare). Trial fitting of immobiliser wiring meant I had to re-sort the wiring which took about 10 hours. In some cases, (due to having no car), I had to head down to various scrapyards/halfords/motorfactors using public transport/bike/legs with a bag full of tools.
Engine had an immobiliser ECU with the key chips, etc. but wiring in was a PITA and meant I had to wait a week (without a car!) for a non-immobiliser ECU (I didn't know this, but apparently they're supposed to be uber-rare). Trial fitting of immobiliser wiring meant I had to re-sort the wiring which took about 10 hours. In some cases, (due to having no car), I had to head down to various scrapyards/halfords/motorfactors using public transport/bike/legs with a bag full of tools.