The Driving Thread

[Shindig]

Repeat offender? Boo.

[Don]

How tf do people get caught in this day and age with Waze? Was it a random police van camera?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

How tf do people get caught in this day and age with Waze? Was it a random police van camera?

I don't use Waze.

I'm normally great at spotting cameras but this one was on the other side and I didn't think it would be able to get me.

[Don]

I admire the boycott of the Zionist app but it's a bit of a must these days, particularly to rerouting purposes to avoid traffic round London/motorways.

[Boydy]

I simply avoid tickets and fines by following the rules of the road.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I simply avoid tickets and fines by following the rules of the road.

Pussy.

[niko_cee]

I find Waze quite annoying generally, having been a convert in the past. It's predeliction for this series of winding country roads you can go 60 on will shave 0.40s off your journey time so enjoy that [as well as sending me down some mad minute lane in Jersey when I should have known better and just gone the way I thought I should have gone] has put me right off.

[Giggles]

I find Waze gone better of late for not doing that, definitely less so than Google Maps. It's just a pity it looks like it was designed in a primary school though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm a Google Maps man but my word it loves selling you dummies and horrendous right turns.

[Giggles]

You've also to be careful not to swallow that new Eco Route bollocks and add about 25 minutes to your journey home.

[Baz]

Also a G-Maps man. Maybe I should get Waze if it has speed cameras on?

[Giggles]

It has fixed ones in the database, and then police ones so long as someone flags it up.
I think anyway. There's only 4 yellow fixed cameras in the country here and they're on it but I was in the north of England last week and it showed them all up too, as it also does for Belfast.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I find Google Maps has a lot of speed cameras on it but it's only the fixed ones which have been there for a while.

[Ben]

Waze is better for speed cameras and finding you a quicker route (through someone's front garden if necessary) when there's traffic, but it looks shit. Google Maps is just infinitely cleaner.

[Don]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/19/outcry-in-birmingham-after-four-cyclists-and-pedestrians-die-in-a-month

Brown Asian grooming gangs is now a well-publicised phenomenon but there's definitely something to be said about their driving behaviour too.

Mass pedestrianisation should be one of society's primary pursuits. The pollution taxes and restricted parking is all good work but it needs to be fucking accelerated.

[-james-]

Got a test booked for this Friday. Been learning in Glasgow but it's been impossible to get a test slot so I've gone for one in Irvine about hour out of town. Never driven there but it's 54% pass rate compared to 42% where I've been learning and some absolute god has a bunch of test routes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVsTInuMmqQ) with commentary on Youtube. Going to spend the week blasting them into my brain but looks like it's just A roads and roundabouts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

In general it's better to go into the sticks to do tests, the fewer people on the roads around you the fewer things that can go wrong.

[Kikó]

I ended up doing my test in Dundee after failing in London first time and that being the only place semi convenient in the remaining time I had left in the UK. The issue was Dundee is full of roundabouts and London isn't so had to do a week in a new car learning how to navigate them. Good luck.

I passed fwiw.

[SvN]

Drove to Coventry city centre yesterday on an errand and ended up taking a wrong turn that was only for buses and taxis. Had to crawl through the pedestrianised city centre with taxis beeping their horns at me and waving their arms angrily before I could get back onto the normal roads.

Expecting the fine through the post within the next few days.

[wullie]

Was it under the arch? If not it's likely the brand new change they've made recently, although I'm guessing they're not applying any period of leniency to it

[-james-]

Got a test booked for this Friday. Been learning in Glasgow but it's been impossible to get a test slot so I've gone for one in Irvine about hour out of town. Never driven there but it's 54% pass rate compared to 42% where I've been learning and some absolute god has a bunch of test routes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVsTInuMmqQ) with commentary on Youtube. Going to spend the week blasting them into my brain but looks like it's just A roads and roundabouts.


Passed. :cool:

Ended up rebooking it for Bishopbriggs just north of Glasgow. Got a pretty easy route I think but was pretty sure I'd failed either for pulling out in front of a bus or getting speed wrong. 5 minors in the end mostly for going too slow.

[Mike]

Passed. :cool:

Ended up rebooking it for Bishopbriggs just north of Glasgow. Got a pretty easy route I think but was pretty sure I'd failed either for pulling out in front of a bus or getting speed wrong. 5 minors in the end mostly for going too slow.

When I passed I was sure I’d failed, my instructor has cameras on his car and got in also assuming I’d failed, then when he found I’d past started suggesting why I shouldn’t have to the tester. “Shut up Allen, I’ve passed” got a laugh from the test guy.

[Pepe]

Got a ticket for the tinted windshield. Have to go to court on Friday to fight it. Cunts.

[Baz]

Insurance renewal time. Direct Line trying to rip me off so I’ve cancelled the auto renewal. Sent an email saying it was £428, guy on phone said best price is £348, was only £327 last year so I’ve gone with Churchill for £345 out of spite.

[Ben]

+£18 is a great result tbf. Insurance is up loads across the board this year.

[wullie]

On my renewal in October LV wanted to bump it up from £218 to about 290 or so, ended up going elsewhere for £215. I wonder how much money companies make out of people just happily letting contracts renew

[Pepe]

Got a ticket for the tinted windshield. Have to go to court on Friday to fight it. Cunts.

Won my case. :cool:

[Shindig]

Spin some donuts in the parking lot to celebrate.

[-james-]

Passed. :cool:

Ended up rebooking it for Bishopbriggs just north of Glasgow. Got a pretty easy route I think but was pretty sure I'd failed either for pulling out in front of a bus or getting speed wrong. 5 minors in the end mostly for going too slow.

How is driving going, you ask?

Got out of my rental car today and watched it roll right into a wall.

[Boydy]

:lol:

[Shindig]

Fantastic. :D

[SvN]

Nearly happened to me a few weeks ago. Got out at Toolstation in a rush and started walking in and someone leaving said "Ey mate, you're rolling" and I managed to dive in just as it was picking up speed.

[Baz]

Ages ago I gave a lift to a woman at work cos we had to go to Manchester for something. Today we had to go to Liverpool so she offered to drive, to return the favour.

PSA: If you don’t like driving, are actively bad at it and, worst of all, cannot follow a sat nav, then please do not offer to give someone a lift.

[Lofty]

Maybe she thought the same about your driving and that's why she offered.

[Baz]

Impossible.

[Lewis]

I've been putting off sorting my clutch out for ages, since I haven't driven on a motorway since June and barely reach thirty most days pootling around Portsmouth, and it finally reached the shit stage driving home tonight. I worked out that it was fine if I kept it stable and didn't exceed 3500 rpm, so I was able to coast home at seventy-ish and still make reasonable time because the M1 was empty, but any slowing down and speeding up was a ball ache, having to get into fifth as early as possible and then nurse it from thirty to seventy over the course of about a minute. It's going to be absolute AIDS driving home during the day next week.

[Pepe]

Get it fixed maybe?

[Giggles]

If it's anything like here it would take at least 3 weeks to get a mechanic to look at it.

[Lewis]

It has been booked in for the 9th for about two weeks, since there seems to be two gearbox places within forty miles of my house, so I'll just have to old lady it through until then.

[Don]

Park in a residential street near the overground station when I go office. Was a busy day today so went a bit deeper than usual. Found a spot, bit of a squeeze so had another look after getting out the car and thought it was okay, driveway had enough space.

Came back and parking ticket. Lady from house came out, I was pleasant to her even though it seemed like she was making up a load of tosh about how she was boxed in and would have been in a massive pickle if she had to go to work as she needs the car and etc etc etc.

You be the judge. Personally, I reckon it's mad harsh given absolutely no markings and I'm covering less than a metre of the 'dropped kerb' which itself isn't clear in the area in question around the tree. I mean the fucking tree itself is adding to the confusion so it definitely needs markings.

https://i.ibb.co/WvgzqJ9/20231019-181540-2.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5vVRKhr/20231019-181512-2.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/XLY226D/20231019-181456-2.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/CBzKyDc/20231019-181502.jpg

[Lewis]

Bang to rights. Rwanda for you sunshine.

[Don]

She was proper one of those white privelege old fuckers with her £1m+ property pretending she has a job. Probs phoned it in and got a ticket guy to come down herself. Still, her time is coming to an end along with all the rest.

[randomlegend]

Did you get that as a trade in for the tricycle?

[Jimmy Floyd]

If her drive was Palestine you'd be Moshe Dayan, except with eyepatches over both eyes.

[Lofty]

Park there again this morning, but just block it this time.

[Gray Fox]

If your boot was in line with the tree you'd be grand, but that's fair cop unfortunately.

[Don]

Yeah, the angle I took the pic seems to make it seem better than it was, they took a pic from inside the driveway and my ass is like a tick ting. Still maintain the car wasn't blocked in and to phone it in is scumbag territory as opposed to leaving a note but Karen's gotta Karen.

[Giggles]

Phoning that in and actually seeing a result is absolutely glorious.

[Don]

Absolutely, that's why you really can't show any annoyance in that scenario. Incredible 4D Chess mind games.

[Pepe]

They should have towed it tbf.

[niko_cee]

Might be worth appealing (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67066744) even though you were clearly packed across the poor bint's driveway.


Across the other London borough councils, Transport for London (TfL) and the collective borough representative organisation London Councils, 48% of appeals are successful.

[Shindig]

What is 48% when Taz's luck is involved? He'd probably have his car crushed.

[Baz]

Would be doing him a favour.

[Don]

Wasn't worth dragging out for the sake of £65 so paid it. Don't really see how it would have any grounds to be succesful either as they'd taken their own pics.

Cheers all for joining, Shinners especially.

[Don]

More scenes to keep the server active.

Became so engrossed in a Szoboszlai passage of play that I missed a speed camera. Got flashed doing about 25 in a 20.

Is it a guaranteed ticket or is there further leeway that may come to my rescue even after activating the flash? And do I get the speed awareness course option guaranteed now that my license is clean again or are they giving me points for sure? Fucking Szoboszlai bagging 3 points again, what a monster.

[Ben]

You probably get away with 24 so if they don't give you the speed awareness for 25 then that's shan as fuck.

[-james-]

I am buying my first car. 2-3 grand hatchback seems to be the ticket. What do I look for/avoid?

[Ben]

If you're going that cheap, go Japanese. Chances are something will go wrong so at least with Japanese the parts are cheap(er).

Old Honda Civics (2006-12) are pretty bulletproof. Try to find something with a regular service history and not too many previous owners.

[Baz]

I am buying my first car. 2-3 grand hatchback seems to be the ticket. What do I look for/avoid?Can you get a Fabia?

[Magic]

It doesn't really matter at that price. You'll be looking for:

Full Service History
Tonnes of receipts
Reasonable milage (i.e not too low or too high)
Good condition (wear and tear is fine but big dents no, shit/worn tyres no, gross inside no)

Make/model is irrelevant because you will have to spend money on it and things will go wrong.

[-james-]

What does tonnes of receipts mean and how do I check?

[Magic]

What does tonnes of receipts mean and how do I check?

For work done on the car i.e services, repairs. You're basically looking for a well-taken care of car. That matters so much more than 'XYZ is reliable!' because even the most 'reliable' cars if not taken care of properly can be piles of fucking shite.

Ask the owner or garage to see the receipts and history. If there isn't any, walk away imo.

[niko_cee]

Ex-motability cars used to be a good racket, does that scheme still exist? Virtually new cars for knock down prices, although, given the prices of things these days I doubt you'd be getting one for 3k if they did exist. I got some super granny wagon Maroon 06 Panda with a blue interior that was ex-motability years ago and it was a beauty [the wife disallowed me from buying a 100hp one off ebay, which, having now been in one and seen the steering lock they have might not have been a bad call].

[Don]

At that price, forget all formal advice and just go with a reliable seller (some trade seller with a longstanding physical presence). Avoid Peugoet and swear by Fiesta was the culmination of my years of experience but that will probably be a little outdated and may need some refreshing now.

[Ben]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o2CsudklSpU

[Giggles]

2000 Yaris 1 litre.

[-james-]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309202160494

Anything wrong with this (on the face of it)?

[Magic]

Doesn't say anything about full service history, which is without a doubt the most important thing to look for on a car that age. You can polish a turd and make it look really nice and well looked after but the SH doesn't lie.

[Ben]

Ring the dealer and ask.

[Don]

Fuck the FSH man, which dickhead has a cheap hatchback serviced regularly and shit?

My main concern would be it's a bit of an obscure model for your first car, probably not a major problem but I would have recommended something more mainstream. Also do a search of similar models nationwide to see how it's priced, you don't want it to be an outlier at either end. You kmow it hurts me to say it but it really is one area where you should follow the herd. Having said that, that looks a sexy mofo so you have my backing if you take the plunge.

[Magic]

Fuck the FSH man, which dickhead has a cheap hatchback serviced regularly and shit?

My main concern would be it's a bit of an obscure model for your first car, probably not a major problem but I would have recommended something more mainstream. Also do a search of similar models nationwide to see how it's priced, you don't want it to be an outlier at either end. You kmow it hurts me to say it but it really is one area where you should follow the herd. Having said that, that looks a sexy mofo so you have my backing if you take the plunge.

Total validation of my advice right here. :drool:

[randomlegend]

Fiestas are solid in my experience. My Swift Sport has also been a little trooper and is great to drive.

[Boydy]

Yeah, full service history isn't going to happen with a car at that price. It'll be too old and have had too many owners to have it. It's great if they have it but it shouldn't be a red line.

I'd echo Taz's comments about it being an obscure make and model. A car at this price range is going to need something fixed at some point. You want parts to be easy to get for that to keep the price down so go for something there's plenty of on the roads.

[Magic]

Absolute bullshit. There's no excuse not to keep receipts unless you're a piece of shit, exactly like your car.

[-james-]

Bought a Suzuki SX4 today and it's broken down within an hour. :cab: :moop:

[-james-]

Had FULL SERVICE HISTORY and all

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:lol:

[niko_cee]

:D

Aren't parts for Suzukis quite expensive as well?

Are you sure it hasn't run out of petrol?

[-james-]

It's a belt of some sort. Don't think it's an important one but it's flapping about when the engine is on. More concerning is that the phone number and email of the place I got it don't work and I've just uncovered a bunch of shit reviews from a past premises of theirs.

[Magic]

Bought a Suzuki SX4 today and it's broken down within an hour. :cab: :moop:

Where did you buy it from? Take it straight back?

[Magic]

It's a belt of some sort. Don't think it's an important one but it's flapping about when the engine is on. More concerning is that the phone number and email of the place I got it don't work and I've just uncovered a bunch of shit reviews from a past premises of theirs.

You fucking what. :D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

It's a belt of some sort. Don't think it's an important one but it's flapping about when the engine is on. More concerning is that the phone number and email of the place I got it don't work and I've just uncovered a bunch of shit reviews from a past premises of theirs.

:D

Fucking hell.

[Magic]

Unless it's the belt from your trousers then it'll be important. :cab:

EDIT: But yes, blame me for the advice.

[Don]

Serves you right for rejecting a good gammon Fiesta/Corsa.

[-james-]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/332240564223475724/1179832962162888824/20231130_160357.jpg

[Magic]

Yeah that's important. :D

[Pepe]

:lol:

[Boydy]

Jesus christ. :lol:

[Giggles]

Can't really make it out but it looks like the auxiliary belt. So long as it hasn't wrapped in around the timing belt then it's not a big fix.

[Giggles]

Unless it's driving the water pump on those and you've driven it much.

[Lewis]

I didn't think garages could really get away with ripping mugs off anymore.

[Pepe]

The fake number/email is the truly lol part. It does not like alook complicated fix, but you have to wonder what else is hiding in there.

[-james-]

Their auto trader page has only good reviews and there's nothing on google, but the invoice he gave me has a different address which leads to a load of people complaining about being sold shit cars. I've come to the same conclusion as Pepe, little hope of getting anything off them but just hope I can run the thing for a year or two.

[Lofty]

Who sold you it, Danny DeVito?

[Magic]

Is the FULL SERVICE HISTORY just a load of Co-op receipts?

[Manc]

The fake number/email is the truly lol part. It does not like alook complicated fix, but you have to wonder what else is hiding in there.

A body in the boot.

[Kikó]

This thread has suddenly become interesting.

[-james-]

A weird detail I'd forgotten was that geezer is selling motors out of a recently decommissioned Catholic church, holy communion memorabilia still on the wall

https://i.postimg.cc/d0S9dt55/20231130-113545.jpg

[Lewis]

You should have gone for the white Peugeot.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Did alarm bells not ring when you walked in?

[Jimmy Floyd]

You see, buying a car is very much like makin' love tae a bonnie wee lassie.

[Shindig]

"You can trust me. I'm a man of God."

[randomlegend]

A weird detail I'd forgotten was that geezer is selling motors out of a recently decommissioned Catholic church, holy communion memorabilia still on the wall

https://i.postimg.cc/d0S9dt55/20231130-113545.jpg

I was trying to hold off on piling on but fucking hell :lol:

[Baz]

Is the lemon law a real thing?

[Lewis]

Is that a Montego in the back corner as well? When I said I didn't think garages routinely ripped people off anymore I didn't consider you went back in time to buy it.

[Giggles]

If there's a Jag, always buy the Jag.

[Boydy]

A weird detail I'd forgotten was that geezer is selling motors out of a recently decommissioned Catholic church, holy communion memorabilia still on the wall

https://i.postimg.cc/d0S9dt55/20231130-113545.jpg

:lol:

[Pepe]

Why would you ever buy from such a place. :D I know you're a gambler, but still.


You should have gone for the white Peugeot.

:drool:

[Ben]

You should have gone for the white Peugeot.

Yeah those 205s are a scream. Geezer only wanted £5k (https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309212238841) as well which is less than what Ford Granadas of that age are going for, although at 92k miles is a bit of a risk considering you don't know where it's been. Still, a better option than a Suzuki SX4.

[Baz]

I’d swap my Fabia for that.

[wullie]

Yeah those 205s are a scream. Geezer only wanted £5k (https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309212238841) as well which is less than what Ford Granadas of that age are going for, although at 92k miles is a bit of a risk considering you don't know where it's been. Still, a better option than a Suzuki SX4.

'One of my Owen cars had it a few years loads of history big folder full looks grate drives grate This car turns heads everywhere it goes first to see will buy totally rust free'

Sold

[Ben]

If it is indeed rust free then that's an absolute steal for a 1989 motor. But obviously cars like that should only be bought by folk who know how to inspect it properly.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

James, did you at least test drive the car before buying it?

[niko_cee]

Hopefully around the church.

[Don]

That 205 may be the nicest non-american car out there.

[-james-]

James, did you at least test drive the car before buying it?

I did. It seemed absolutely fine for an hour (until it didn't).

It's parked up about 20 miles from where I bought it. There's a garage 5 mins down the road and I'm quite tempted to just get them to have a look at it rather than waste the mental energy on getting this dodgy cunt to sort it.

[Lofty]

Victory for the bishop of banter.

[-james-]

The epilogue to my dodgy car tale above was that I managed to get in touch with the bloke, he replaced 2 belts and it was fine. :)

Anyway, was driving near Balmaha earlier, very much middle of nowhere, and it's died again. Spent four hours waiting for roadside assistance before abandoning it. I think the engine oil has leaked out somehow, so I think it's a case of praying it hasn't wrecked the engine?

[Lofty]

Those two paragraphs are contradictory.

[Shindig]

What do you mean? It's fine. It's just dead. :D

[-james-]

It was fine until it wasn't.

[niko_cee]

Can you not just pour a load more oil into the top of the engine or is that only on diesels?

I guess getting to the point of breakdown probably means something's gone badly wrong. RIP the carpeted disused church car showroom car.

Actually, is it an automatic? I had an automatic Vitara once and when it gave up the ghost it wasn't budging for anyone.

[Adramelch]

Recently joined Baz in the Fabia club:

https://i.gyazo.com/747d3f4c12ff9a0d6bae0e6840d68464.jpg https://i.gyazo.com/7f30c88fbaa4566da612f0311a00f4e7.jpg

[Baz]

Beast :cool:

[Boydy]

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/headlight-glare-is-getting-worse-drivers-say-as-motoring-groups-call-for-government-action-13045326


Yes! About time someone started pushing for something to be done about this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

100%, it's these newer massive cars with the massive mental LEDs at head height.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Yep, they're a fucking pain. There's no reason they need to be that bright. Sometimes it feels like they're using full beam.

[thommo]

It's even worse living out in the arse end of nowhere where most of the commute is hilly B-roads. Get one of those fuckers behind you and it's genuinely blinding in the mirrors.

[Adramelch]

Yep, they're a fucking pain. There's no reason they need to be that bright. Sometimes it feels like they're using full beam.

While they are overly bright, I'd say the bigger issue is that the roads are now full of SUVs with their lights pointing higher than usual (definitely noticed the difference when driving an SUV vs a lower-height car).

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

It's not even high end cars, the other half's 208 has incredible headlights. Great when you're the driver mind.

[Giggles]

The amount of cunts not dimming on the other side of the motorway has risen exponentially in the last 5 years.

[niko_cee]

I've noticed that a lot. Also people thinking it's fine to have their full beams on behind you so long as they're not right up behind you, and the general brightness of lights. It was a dark day when they introduced the ability to toggle the height up and down, well, not literally, I guess it was the opposite, but it just lets every fucker set them to almost full beam blinding height in dipped mode. Then they made the bulbs a millions times brighter.:panda:

[Giggles]

Another one is the fog lights on during clear weather, sometimes even with the dim beams completely off and just the fogs on. Normally VW drivers for some reason.

[Giggles]

I was driving down from Boydland last night too and for about 50km I'd a cunt in a C-Max in front of me with a rear fog light on and not even a hint of fog.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

The auto-dipping function for main beam still has a long way to go and I suspect that's a big contributor, especially on the opposite side of the motorway.

[niko_cee]

I was driving down from Boydland last night too and for about 50km I'd a cunt in a C-Max in front of me with a rear fog light on and not even a hint of fog.

I always remember having this drummed into me when I learned to drive, along with not sitting on the brakes in the dark as it is annoying to those behind you.

[Giggles]

The auto-dipping function for main beam still has a long way to go and I suspect that's a big contributor, especially on the opposite side of the motorway.
People are infinitely more cuntish these days too.

[Baz]

I very rarely use my handbrake beyond parking to get out.

[Don]

I'm a notorious fiend for handbrake use (at every point the car stops). Keeps my left arm in as good a shape as my right.

[Pepe]

Looking at new cars in France and everything seems to come with only pathetic <150 hp engines. I am assuming that it has to do with some moronic environmental legislation. Is it the same in the UK? The used car market must be shit hot for buying anything half-decent.

[Giggles]

Looking at new cars in France and everything seems to come with only pathetic <150 hp engines. I am assuming that it has to do with some moronic environmental legislation. Is it the same in the UK? The used car market must be shit hot for buying anything half-decent.

That's Europe, always been that way. You can get proper engines if you pay a lot more.

[Pepe]

I can get a Camry with 300 hp in the US for less than a Megane with 115 hp over there. Madness. Looks like the Clio/Megane RS and the likes are all gone.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, but your north american horsepower monster will also weigh as much and handle like a medium sized oil tanker.

[Pepe]

All modern cars are porkers.

Looks like the French Miata has 130hp vs 180 for the American version. Same car otherwise.

[Lewis]

Looking at new cars in France and everything seems to come with only pathetic <150 hp engines. I am assuming that it has to do with some moronic environmental legislation. Is it the same in the UK? The used car market must be shit hot for buying anything half-decent.

France kept the tax system based on horsepower and shite like cylinder diameter (and kept it quite high) that all of the more civilised countries ditched before or after the Second World War. It's quite interesting how the tax regimes back then influenced engine design in different countries.

The second hand car market here is lol though, presumably because financing them makes them people more willing to pay stupid prices for stuff that isn't particularly good. Paying eighty quid a week feels like better value than a fifteen grand used Volkswagen.

[Ben]

Horsepower isn’t always everything. You can get something like an Abarth 595 which if I recall is about 130bhp and it’ll leave your American monster cars for dead around French roads.

[Spikey M]

It will, but you'll still be a man sat in a Fiat 500 at the traffic lights.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Having spent an inordinate amount of time driving around France in the last couple of years, it felt like the dominant vehicle was a 40 year old Peugeot 205, driven by an 80 year woman at 160mph.

[Shindig]

That was probably Michelle Mouton.

[Pepe]

and shite like cylinder diameter

Lol I need to look into that.

[Pepe]

Horsepower isn’t always everything. You can get something like an Abarth 595 which if I recall is about 130bhp and it’ll leave your American monster cars for dead around French roads.

Not trying to compare a Crown Victoria to a Polo here. Like to like, there seem to be big differences:

French Civic: one engine option with 140 hp
US Civic: 160 hp, 180 hp, and 200 hp options

Don't get me wrong, I love small cars (own an Abarth [:cool:] myself), but even then the differences are there, just like the Miata example above

[Lofty]

Is there a reason not to buy a diesel hybrid that I'm missing?

[Giggles]

Is there a reason not to buy a diesel hybrid that I'm missing?

Does anyone other than Mercedes make one these days?

[Lofty]

A fair few Hyundai Tucsons with them in around here for sale and I previously had a normal diesel Tucson I was happy with.

[Baz]

Petrol gang.

[Giggles]

I'd always personally buy a petrol because I like driving but work are only allowed pay for diesel so I'm stuck in tractors these days.

[Ben]

A fair few Hyundai Tucsons with them in around here for sale and I previously had a normal diesel Tucson I was happy with.

My mate has one and he really likes it.

I hope you appreciate that in-depth input.

[Lofty]

Picked up a 70 plate 1.6 Petrol N Line Tucson today, pretty happy with it as being from a main dealer under three and a half years old they've given it a full 5 year warranty.

Is it worth getting Gap insurance?

Also is anyone claiming their past vehicle finance on the back of this Martin Lewis stuff?

[Ben]

Yes and yes.

Rule of thumb is always reject the paid add-ons apart from GAP. If you write it off three years down the line, you still get paid what you bought it for. No brainer. Although with the FCA investigation into the finance thing, most deals have been pulled at the moment, as it sounds like they've fleeced a shit load of commission on everything they can, so if this is ruled in the consumer's favour then it'll be massive payouts all round.

[Ben]

As alluded to by Lofty above, this (https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/reclaim-car-finance/) is worth looking at by anyone who had PCP or HP car finance between 2007-2021. Just put your details in and it drafts a letter to send to the finance company. Takes a few minutes and when the FCA reports in September you might get a few grand back.

[Baz]

What car air freshener does everyone use?

Obviously I have a Pokéscents (https://pokescents.com) Charizard one but I’m open to add something else.

After consulting Reddit I’ve ordered one from Smul (https://smulstore.com) but didn’t realise delivery is 30 days so it’s probably gonna be some Chinese shite I could have got off Temu.

Are those aerosol ones long lasting? I’ve just ordered some Autosmart Blast Bubblegum spray (https://amzn.to/3I4JQAW) with the intention to unload the full can and leave the aircon going (on ‘recycle’) for 10 mins to get it smelling fresh.

Probably should have asked before ordering two different kinds. :D

[Lofty]

Yankee jar Black Coconut.

[Baz]

Had my MOT and service done today, which highlighted I’ve only done 2998 miles in exactly 12 months.

Admittedly it’s ‘my car’ whereas the other is the ‘family car’ but that’s still ridiculously few.

[Giggles]

Fucking hell, I do that in about 3 weeks.

[Baz]

I used to too.

Definitely much prefer a cushy office job.

[niko_cee]

Saw some old idiot on a trike type thing weaving around in traffic today. I could tell he was old because I could see his stupid bald head and grey side bits as he wasn't wearing a helmet. Is that a thing? Death's winged chariot drawing near.

[Pepe]

Motorized? Like one of these?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Polaris_Slingshot_front_3.4.18.jpg/640px-Polaris_Slingshot_front_3.4.18.jpg

[niko_cee]

Nah, what I would call a normal wheel configuration, like this:

https://d2bywgumb0o70j.cloudfront.net/2019/05/20/9b0d4b56f02b4225d47e93fa73366ff2_34aeaed95778305e. jpg

[Pepe]

Ah yes. Lots of those around here for the Harley badboys who are too old/weak to handle a Harley.

[CJay]

Just been very lightly roasted by my mechanic for letting the car run nearly dry on oil. I've literally never checked the oil on this car in the 4 years we've had it, and I assume the mechanic always fills it up at our pre-MOT service. I suppose we possibly drove it a bit further last year. It went through the MOT in May last year.

Anyway, my question is: how often should I be checking the oil? Car is a 2009 Vauxhall Meriva so I don't think there are any system indicators for it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is there not an oil warning light that comes on?

[CJay]

Right enough there is a little oil lamp light on the dashboard, but it's never been on.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Probably just a mechanic being a twat then. They are some of the world's most arrogant people.

If you're a car nut then you check the oil regularly; if you're not then you have some of the right oil spare and apply it when the light comes on. Car nuts will abuse me rotten for this post. Screw them.

[Boydy]

Maybe the warning light or the sensor that detects the oil being low is broken.

[Giggles]

I'd still check mine once a month out of habit from when I owned my own.

[CJay]

Maybe the warning light or the sensor that detects the oil being low is broken.

That was my assumption but he didn’t think it had got that low yet but warned me I couldn’t rely on the light as it was too late if that came on, which makes absolutely no sense as a feature. Another one of his mechanics came in while I was paying and had a go at me for it too. I just gave it the old Partridge shrug and moved on with my life. Forgotten about it already in fact.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mechanics are very much the IT technicians of the blue-collar world. They think that having a modicum of knowledge about one topic that affects most people's lives gives them a free pass to sneer ceaselessly at the stupid laymen. Absolutely never accept when they're wrong either, even when the evidence is laid out in front of them.

[Pepe]

Change oil once a year and be done with it.

[Baz]

Was told my service would be £309 but turns out I had one service left on the service plan so feels like I’ve had a small windfall. :huhu: Includes wash and vac as well, hope it’s as shiny as last time.

[Baz]

Been an expensive month for me with cars. Both MOTs and one service paid for (plus the free one above) done already and then today I tootled past a mobile camera at 28mph and felt proud to have spotted it, to get home and find a letter saying LAST REMINDER TO TAX YOUR CAR and it expired on 1st March. Paid it straight away but is that van gonna have scanned me and got me a nice fine lined up?

[Ben]

I don't think so. As far as I know they still use the lasers to ping your car so if you don't clock a speed they not happy with, they won't bother logging the plate.

[Don]

Having done more miles than [insert intended target username here]'s mum without insurance or tax across a variety of roads and motorways, I can confirm the authorities do not give anywhere near the sort of fuck that the technology should enable them to enforce. I was going through all manner of cameras around Heathrow as well as mobile van cameras parked up on motorways.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I've been done twice for a lack of MOT (I forgot and didn't have a reminded set).

The first time I was doing 90 on the motorway and the Police pulled me over, he let me off for speeding but said he couldn't for the MOT as it flagged automatically when my reg was put into the computer.

Second time, I was on the motorway again and got caught by Police doing random MOT/Insurance checks.

Although, when I was younger I went like 18 months with no insurance, MOT or tax because I didn't want to spend the money. Changed my tune when a taxi reversed into me in a car park, went home and instantly got it all sorted. Taxi driver's firm offered £20 cash if we didn't get insurance companies involved which I accepted immediately.

[niko_cee]

https://youtu.be/029qV5-RzuE?si=RVQxF5d2pXK_y4sj

How embarrassing.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't imagine anything more pointless than owning a car like that in the United Kingdom. Just have a wank, it's a lot cheaper and achieves the same effect.

[Shindig]

Take it to the track, at least.

[Magic]

Just been very lightly roasted by my mechanic for letting the car run nearly dry on oil. I've literally never checked the oil on this car in the 4 years we've had it, and I assume the mechanic always fills it up at our pre-MOT service. I suppose we possibly drove it a bit further last year. It went through the MOT in May last year.

Anyway, my question is: how often should I be checking the oil? Car is a 2009 Vauxhall Meriva so I don't think there are any system indicators for it.

Should be changed every single year. Only exception is high mileage, then more often. Crazy people don't know this.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

Never checking the oil in 4 years? :happycry:

[niko_cee]

I don't think I ever 'checked the oil' on my old C3 Picasso. Stuck a bottle of it into the top of the engine one time some light came on and the internet suggested that was a good idea. Seemed brilliantly low tech to me. Just literally poured it into what I would call the engine. Satisfied the warning light. Think it was serviced twice in about 10 years, and after the second time they told me, having changed the oil, that there was a leak 'in the sump' or some such but because they'd already put the new oil in it could wait until the next service, which never came. My uncle has it now and it still runs fine. Diesel beast. Apart from the electrics, but at least you could bodge them yourself and lol at the French whilst doing it. Ah, the MARRON cable.

[Spikey M]

+1 for never checking. That's what the Service is for.

[Don]

The Fiesta is well adapted to run on no oil for 5-figure mileages. Girth like that and no lubrication. Mad.

[Alan Shearer The 2nd]

Remind me never to buy a car from any of you. :facepalm:

[Mike]

Car is in for its MOT and service, it’s just passed its MOT, so fingers crossed on a cheap service.

[niko_cee]

Currently driving this around America's wang:

https://i.ibb.co/CKSxxH7/IMG-20240404-WA0008.jpg (https://ibb.co/MkJqqCV)

Bit of a switch up from the Yaris city runabout. Handles like an ocean going liner. Woah Canyonero!

[wullie]

Top of the line in utility sports, unexplained fires are a matter for the courts

[Mike]

Car is in for its MOT and service, it’s just passed its MOT, so fingers crossed on a cheap service.
No problems at all!

[niko_cee]

Feel like I;ve picked a particularly bad day to be driving to Woburn.

Crash on the M25 at Leatherhead, standard Heathrow/M4 M25 clusterfuck, Friday afternoon and Radio 1's big weekend in Luton.

Most of the way is red.

:face:

[-james-]

Just bashed my neighbours' car reverse parking. Don't ask how. It's pretty minor and I'm not even sure which scrape is mine. Should I tell them? I think moving house might be the best option.

[Baz]

Have they got CCTV?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Tenerife is nice right now.

[Magic]

They wouldn't believe that a man would be incapable of reverse parking.

[-james-]

It's worse than that, I didn't even see the car was there. It's an underground garage and the space is nearly always empty so I just autopilot yeeted backwards into it

[Magic]

I did that with a skip in my driveway. Brand new car less than a week old. Parking sensors were going off and I just ignored because obviously nothing is in my driveway. :eyemouth:

[Foe]

Got a slow puncture in one of my rear tyres. Definitely gone over a nail or something and it declares over about a 2 week period before needing a bit of top up.

I’m trying to replace it with the exact same tyre (just that tyre) but I can’t find it, only seem to be able to get the same tyre and brand in a different weight loading. Ie 255/40/r18 95y and the new tyre would be 255/40/r18 99y of the same brand.

My gut suggests it’s stronger so probably not an issue but I’m by no means an expert.

[Ben]

The Y rating is just how much speed it can take, it'll be fine. Basically the same tyre has been developed so it can go faster (take more load).

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The more load you can take the better.

[randomlegend]

Been and bought the wife a Mazda3 today.

Now to save up for mine.

Were planning to change my first initially but hers will need the cambelt doing soon and the garage also said it's likely to fail it's emissions test at the next MOT it was time to get rid.

My Swift Sports continues to pootle inexorably on.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was in a 40 zone earlier doing maybe 45 on a dual carriageway, going towards a roundabout, when some moron comes whistling past in a people carrier doing at least 90. Like, properly quick as if he's fleeing something. Anyway, there were two more cars in front of me between him and the roundabout, one in the left lane and one in the right. Rather than slowing down and then overtaking them after the roundabout, he decides he's going to try and slalom in between the two of them and then take the roundabout. I'm luckily out of the danger zone but am bracing myself to see a multiple fatal at this point.

Somehow, he managed to duck inside one car and outside the other - must have been inches - but having not slowed down at all, this gave him absolutely no chance of making the roundabout. It was a sort of foliage roundabout with a big tree/bush in the middle. He smashed into the roundabout hard, and a huge cloud of dust came up so I couldn't see what happened after that. The speed and angle he went in, I thought he must definitely have rolled it.

I got up to the roundabout now with just one car in front of me and the entire front bumper was ripped off and lying in the middle of the road. I followed the guy in front of me in tiptoeing around it into the dust cloud beyond, where our hero in the people carrier was marooned in the left lane, front right of his car completely mangled, and he's just sitting in the front seat making a phone call.

Did we stop to help? Did we, or any of the 15 cars behind us, fuck. Hope the cunt endures the maximum possible misery and never drives again.

[Shindig]

I hope there was nobody in the back.

[Magic]

Clutch went on the Z4.

Quoted £2,500 with genuine BMW parts and £1,200 with aftermarket.

[Magic]

I hope there was nobody in the back.

Lol intentional joke?

[Pepe]

Convertible in the UK. :harold:

[Magic]

It's a hard top, but yes I agree. Totally fucking pointless. If it's sunny it's almost certainly at least 20mph winds as well, which absolutely ruins my Jew hair.

[Pepe]

Hardtop, we good then.

Convertibles are pointless everywhere. You'd think they are nice somewhere warm like Florida, but then you are burning to death on every red light, so no.

[Magic]

It's a convertible hard top, just to be clear.

[Baz]

Found out my nans dementia ridden, weakling of a brother is still driving. He’s in his late 90s and doesn’t recognise anyone so god knows how he’s doing it. Are there no tests for old people once they get to a certain age or receive a diagnosis?

[niko_cee]

Don't you have to get a doctor's note to renew your licence over a certain age, which is presumably sub-90?

[Pepe]

Just drive without a license and you're good to go well into the triple digits.

[niko_cee]

Seems actually the onus is on you to declare any potential issues, so I guess you can just lol your way through the form.

[SvN]

If he's been diagnosed then he's breaking the law by driving. Someone needs to take his keys.

[Baz]

Maybe he hasn’t? He had a fallout with my nan recently and seems to have gone downhill not long after.

My mum politely suggested she pops round before it’s too late, although it might already be if his memory is kaput.

[Ben]

Anyone here got their motorbike licence? Fuck me, what a carry on.

[Boydy]

Most of us aren't quite old enough for the midlife crisis yet. Maybe in five years time.

[SvN]

It's on my checklist after the hair transplant.

[Pepe]

Got a car for my wife a few months ago (a Passat). That thing has zero grip when it rains. Tires are Michelin Defenders from 2021 and still have a ton of thread left, so I am not sure what the issue is. I don't really feel like buying new tires but there is no way they she makes it through the winter without ending in a ditch.

[Magic]

Got a car for my wife a few months ago (a Passat). That thing has zero grip when it rains. Tires are Michelin Defenders from 2021 and still have a ton of thread left, so I am not sure what the issue is. I don't really feel like buying new tires but there is no way they she makes it through the winter without ending in a ditch.

:sherlock:

[Pepe]

:D

She said there was no grip and I lolled it off, but it is true. Taking off from a stop light resembles a scene from the fast and the furious.

[Magic]

Could just be a shite tyre? Is it FWD? Be gentler on the clutch/throttle?

[Giggles]

Heads should roll for that.


1858993765119361065

[Pepe]

That is truly terrible.

[niko_cee]

It's Jimmy's refinement culture thing again.

Dreadful.

[Lewis]

https://i.imgur.com/WMapVyE.png

They should go back to their old SS Cars logo that they dropped in March 1945 for some reason.

[niko_cee]

The only way they could justify that is if was one of those Dan Brown illuminati things that read the same back-to-front/upside down. Sadly it fails the test.

[Pepe]

:D

Would still be better than the new one. Might even attract a certain clientele. Who buys Jaguars today?

[Giggles]

I see they're only making one car at the moment too, and it's electric, shambles altogether.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's Jimmy's refinement culture thing again.

Dreadful.

Once you start seeing it, it's fucking everywhere.

[Lewis]

The sports angle is interesting. Nobody shooting from distance in football, basketball just a load of three pointers. Wank.

[niko_cee]

Santino Pietrosanti, a leading Jaguar brand executive, has backed efforts to push the century-old company in a new direction despite fears it could alienate traditional customers.

He said in a speech at an LGBT awards event last year that Jaguar was transforming the brand away from cars to “new ways of thinking” and “embracing the full spectrum of human potential and creativity”.

:D

Good luck Santino.

The advert is something else.


According to Car Dealer magazine, there will now be fewer Jaguar car dealers in the UK as the ones left are upgraded to display “pieces of art” in their showrooms which customers visit as a “destination” to have a coffee.

There will also be a “curated brand store” next to luxury brands such as Dior and Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Handovers of new cars will be at customers’ homes or even “their favourite restaurants”, an insider told the magazine. Buyers will be “younger, more affluent and urban livers” who are “cash rich and time poor”.

:roflol:

[Shindig]

Taking the car out of luxury car brand, I see.

[Pepe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtFIrqhfng

:lol:

[Ben]

Copy nothing but rebrand to look like every other generic all-electric manufacturer around these days.

[Giggles]

That is spectacularly bad. Kiko probably has the F-Pace on order off the back of it.

[Ben]

I'm surprised they got involved considering they're owned by Indians now.

[Magic]

That is spectacularly bad. Kiko probably has the F-Pace on order off the back of it.

Lol.

[Giggles]

Spent the last week across on the king's highways - I don't know how you all do it, it's fucking soul destroying. Cannot wait to get back home to the chaos.

[niko_cee]

This leaked Jag looks very much like a late 90s/early 2000s US concept car, I'm sure Chrysler or somesuch had one just like it and it was on one of the Grand Turismos.

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/vYufL.k_1uBkTDKbBKSaqA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_telegraph_818/48961f2ac33a0c9c5ef49ee727497a27

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/BV1Kcb5ye5ARvu617NUf1g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYwMTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_telegraph_818/6fe1946ecf5a23e87abbf1e4b0ca3853

Of course it's pink, for maximum rage bait.

[Ben]

It's not too wild as far as concepts go. It looks nice but will end up like most other "daring" EV designs once the safety guys and bean counters have their say, and then the brand will the completely dead.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Are cars all going to have straight edges from now on?

[Ben]

An aerodynamic thing to compensate for the fact you're lugging around a half tonne battery in the boot.

[CJay]

Is this passing the MOT at 8 tomorrow morning? Only noticed it this afternoon when the tyre pressure light came on. Not sure if it’s old or just happened.

https://i.imgur.com/tUyIi5c.jpeg