New guy from the UK
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 18
Hey George,
No this is the first car I've imported. I'm the first owner of my mustang in the UK but I got it from classic American car dealer over here who imports and sells cars, the experience is a first for me. I'll be glad once it's here and I've seen it in person.
As for your car, first thing to do is grab a multimeter, check the charge rate of the battery across the terminals with the engine running, give it a few revs to get the thing charging then let it idle. You want it to be charging between 13.5-14 volts. The very minimum of 12.9 at idle and a maximum of 14.5 when revving, but realistically around a steady 13.5 volts all the time it's running. Anywere above or below that and you have a charge problem. If it's a charge problem then you need to check your alternator. If it's got an internal regulator then it's most likely a dead alternator, if it's got an external regulator then you need to do some more diagnosing to disguise which one of the 2 is causing the problem.
If it's charging just fine, check all your cables and your earth connections, if there fine then chances are you have a dead battery or an excessive drain on the system. But first things first, check the charge rate and the wiring.
No this is the first car I've imported. I'm the first owner of my mustang in the UK but I got it from classic American car dealer over here who imports and sells cars, the experience is a first for me. I'll be glad once it's here and I've seen it in person.
As for your car, first thing to do is grab a multimeter, check the charge rate of the battery across the terminals with the engine running, give it a few revs to get the thing charging then let it idle. You want it to be charging between 13.5-14 volts. The very minimum of 12.9 at idle and a maximum of 14.5 when revving, but realistically around a steady 13.5 volts all the time it's running. Anywere above or below that and you have a charge problem. If it's a charge problem then you need to check your alternator. If it's got an internal regulator then it's most likely a dead alternator, if it's got an external regulator then you need to do some more diagnosing to disguise which one of the 2 is causing the problem.
If it's charging just fine, check all your cables and your earth connections, if there fine then chances are you have a dead battery or an excessive drain on the system. But first things first, check the charge rate and the wiring.
So what colour from the chart (I uploaded in my last post) do you think my car would look the best in? I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't look nicer in a lighter shade.
How much did your first import cost you then (in shipping)? I'm yet to hear back from Ron, hopefully he'll return my email sometime next week. So is this gonna be your project over the cold, dreary winter months? It's certainly something fun (however - potentially costly) to do while everybody else is sat inside watching Christmas movies! haha
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
From: Essex, United Kingdom
I don't know the total cost of the shipping yet, I won't know the final amount till it's here.
Colour wise it's totally down to your own choice, no matter what colour you pick there will allways be people out there who don't like it, but it's not there car, it's your car, paint it the colour you like. Mayby some form of black, satin black could look mean.
Colour wise it's totally down to your own choice, no matter what colour you pick there will allways be people out there who don't like it, but it's not there car, it's your car, paint it the colour you like. Mayby some form of black, satin black could look mean.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 18
I don't know the total cost of the shipping yet, I won't know the final amount till it's here.
Colour wise it's totally down to your own choice, no matter what colour you pick there will allways be people out there who don't like it, but it's not there car, it's your car, paint it the colour you like. Mayby some form of black, satin black could look mean.
Colour wise it's totally down to your own choice, no matter what colour you pick there will allways be people out there who don't like it, but it's not there car, it's your car, paint it the colour you like. Mayby some form of black, satin black could look mean.
Hmm, black would be a pretty good choice - I didn't consider it. Yes, it would definitely look mean, not completely sure if that's the look I want to go for but we'll see! If there is an original black on the manufacturer paint chart for the car, then I'll consider it
Let me know when your car finally arrives!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
From: Essex, United Kingdom
Yeah Rons a good guy. Sometimes it's best to pay a little bit extra and deal with somebody who has a good reputation who goes the extra mile to help you out.
I'll be sure to post a million photos when our car arrives!
I'll be sure to post a million photos when our car arrives!
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 18
Hey George,
No this is the first car I've imported. I'm the first owner of my mustang in the UK but I got it from classic American car dealer over here who imports and sells cars, the experience is a first for me. I'll be glad once it's here and I've seen it in person.
As for your car, first thing to do is grab a multimeter, check the charge rate of the battery across the terminals with the engine running, give it a few revs to get the thing charging then let it idle. You want it to be charging between 13.5-14 volts. The very minimum of 12.9 at idle and a maximum of 14.5 when revving, but realistically around a steady 13.5 volts all the time it's running. Anywere above or below that and you have a charge problem. If it's a charge problem then you need to check your alternator. If it's got an internal regulator then it's most likely a dead alternator, if it's got an external regulator then you need to do some more diagnosing to disguise which one of the 2 is causing the problem.
If it's charging just fine, check all your cables and your earth connections, if there fine then chances are you have a dead battery or an excessive drain on the system. But first things first, check the charge rate and the wiring.
No this is the first car I've imported. I'm the first owner of my mustang in the UK but I got it from classic American car dealer over here who imports and sells cars, the experience is a first for me. I'll be glad once it's here and I've seen it in person.
As for your car, first thing to do is grab a multimeter, check the charge rate of the battery across the terminals with the engine running, give it a few revs to get the thing charging then let it idle. You want it to be charging between 13.5-14 volts. The very minimum of 12.9 at idle and a maximum of 14.5 when revving, but realistically around a steady 13.5 volts all the time it's running. Anywere above or below that and you have a charge problem. If it's a charge problem then you need to check your alternator. If it's got an internal regulator then it's most likely a dead alternator, if it's got an external regulator then you need to do some more diagnosing to disguise which one of the 2 is causing the problem.
If it's charging just fine, check all your cables and your earth connections, if there fine then chances are you have a dead battery or an excessive drain on the system. But first things first, check the charge rate and the wiring.
So has your pride and joy arrived yet? I forgot to reply to your last message! I hope the shipping goes/went okay and nothing's damaged. I went back home for a couple of weeks over Christmas, back in Colorado with my beloved car now though! Still thinking of shipping it back home in the summer, need to do a lot more research yet though.
As for that battery issue, I ended up having the whole unit replaced because the existing one had two cells entirely empty! I was a bit annoyed at that, the guy I bought it from said the battery was new (unless he didn't know what he was talking about, or was crazy haha). I also had a few other things done on it which weren't cheap - had the leaking valve covers replaced and the headlights needed adjusting. Nothing too serious though. I just can't wait to get it home, then I'll have the time and the space to work on it myself so hopefully I can save on the repair bills!
George
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
From: Essex, United Kingdom
Hey George, I've got about a 3 week wait still till it's here. I'm not in a rush for the car as I still don't have space on my workshop for it so it left on the later container rather than the one that was leaving at the time I bought the car. So a few more weeks then I can see it for the first time in person, then I need to find somewhere to put it lol
Sucks about your battery but at least it was just a battery and nothing to expensive.
Sucks about your battery but at least it was just a battery and nothing to expensive.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 18
Hey George, I've got about a 3 week wait still till it's here. I'm not in a rush for the car as I still don't have space on my workshop for it so it left on the later container rather than the one that was leaving at the time I bought the car. So a few more weeks then I can see it for the first time in person, then I need to find somewhere to put it lol
Sucks about your battery but at least it was just a battery and nothing to expensive.
Sucks about your battery but at least it was just a battery and nothing to expensive.
That's great, one heck of a long wait though! It'll be the best thing ever once it arrives though, in all honesty I'm a bit jealous haha. Be sure to post up a photo for us once it arrives!
I'm gonna have the same issue of where to put my car once I ship it back, it's not like its a tiny Nissan Micra you can just slip in between two other cars! lol
All the best!
George
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
From: Essex, United Kingdom
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