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Multipla Multipla: bike and child mover

Introduction

So I collected my new Multipla yesterday. It's a 52 plate elx jtd, with 220,000 miles on the clock! It was owned by the garage owner, so it's had pretty much everything replaced, so hopefully that won't matter. :)
It's a bit stone chipped on the front, but I don't think carbon wrap on the bonnet would look very good, so I'm open to ideas...
Pictures are on Flickr (I can't work out how to embed pictures on my phone or post links)

Here are some pictures of the Multi. I'm pretty happy with how it drives - it has enough oomf, and it's far more comfortable than my Dedra. The wheels are Alfa 145 ones I think - I quite like them, and there isn't much of a budget for this, so I think they are staying. There are one or 2 niggles I need to sort (eg the boot lid release is broken/hard to use, and the plastic cover for the edge of the boot interior is broken (I might make a replacement out of steel)), but overall, I'm really pleased with it.
I do need to do something about the stonechips on the bonnet though. Does anyone have any suggestions of what might look cool/interesting/fun (I don't think carbon vinyl would look good, and wood effect wouldn't suit the colour). On the other hand, I'm sorely tempted by carbon wrap on the bonnet, wing mirrors and door handles, and a liberal sprinkling of Arbarth stickers/badges. I think that would confuse people (even more than they are usually by a Multi). :devil: :slayer: And the carbon wrap is sooo cheap on the bay of evil...

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Paint the whole thing pink....


Either that or as you say carbon wrap the bonnet or paint it matt black... both cheap options...
 
I tried to photoshop (will, GIMP 2) the bonnet black, but my skills are lousy, and it would have looked better if I had printed it and my 3 year old had scribbled on it!
You can see the chip effect better if you click on this picture (really, that's what it looks like when it's clean!). Could anyone with the skillz take pity on me and demo what it would look like with a black bonnet? Please? :)
Cheers
Duncan
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Bushboy very helpfully did the photoshop for me. :)
You can see it here:
https://www.fiatforum.com/imaging/310340-help-photoshopping-multipla.html
What do you guys think?

I quite like it, so I'm going to measure up and see how much I need. The top quality 3m stuff is quite pricey (looks like £100 or so for enough to do the bonnet with a little left over), so the options are the lesser 3m stuff at £40, or the cheapass stuff around £20. I figure for £20, it's probably worth getting the 3m, but I'll try and get a sample or 2 first (might even look at a couple of different colours)...

Cheers
Duncan

I also need to sort out a bash plate for inside the boot opening, the plastic one that used to be there was destroyed by 1 too many engines going in the back. I reckon I could make a half decent one out of some 1mm steel I have kicking about - I might carbon wrap that too, if I have some left over...
 
Bah!
Broken down. :mad:
I think a driveshafts gone - I changed into second, and no drive, and there's a rattly clacky noise. So I pulled over. Then I tried rolling back down the hill a bit and got the same noise. The engine sounds fine, but there's no drive in any gear.
Now waiting for the AA.
Had to be on Sunday - my usual garage (where I bought it from as well) is shut and there's no bus service either.
 
Not the driveshaft, the AA man thinks it's the clutch or gearbox. :mad:
I've left it outside the garage I got it from, will call then in the morning and see what the score is. Hopefully we can work something out, I really like the car...
 
Quick update - it's been used for moving bikes around, and very good it is too. :)
And I put a 50 quid (new) ebay stereo in it, and so now I can stream music from my phone. :) Was a lot of hassle, and my hands were pretty battered afterwards, but it's definitely worth it. It also flew through it's MOT, with just a sidelight bulb. :)

Considering getting winter tyres/wheels, but can't find any sensible steels, so maybe have to buy some cheap alloys. Will see, and keep this thread updated...
 
I got some sample pieces, but I didn't really like the cheaper stuff, and the good 3m stuff is about £100 for a sheet big enough for the bonnet. I might reconsider after Christmas (maybe someone will have a sale ;)).
I have got some winter tyres ordered (being fitted tomorrow) though, so progress is still happening, just slow and non-obvious...
 
Bah! I think I have the dreaded broken spring. It looks quite cool lowered, but I can't leave it like that... Are there any sensibly stronger springs available? I assume I should get both sides done at the same time?
The winter tyres are great, and I've not had any issues getting about with it, but it needs to go to the garage again now. :-(
 
It was a front spring. They had been done as part of the recall, but it's door 100k since then. I got both front ones replaced - £215 all in, which i thought was pretty decent. :)
 
Now the sun visor on the passenger side has broken! Looks like the plastic bit that controls the angle etc broke. I'll take a picture later. Does anyone know how it comes apart, and whether the individual components are orderable (or whether I'm better off just getting a compete unit from a breaker)?
Cheers
Duncan
 
Some (lots) of (cheap) carbon effect vinyl showed up here today. ;)
When I get some time, my Multipla is gonna get a carbon effect bonnet! The wing mirrors would look good in carbon, but they are very curvy, so likely to be hard. Any suggestions as to what else I should do? ;)
 
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