August 2001
A new site starting up which might prove useful:
www.letsfixbritain.com
Anyone know of any similar sites? Read more
My wife recently took on a new pupil, a lad who works as a cashier in our local BP filling station. During the course of conversation she asked him why the two outer lanes to the pumps were often coned off. He told her that the security cameras could not pick up those lanes, so unless it was busy they were shut in order to discourage drive-offs.
She jokingly said that now she knew that, she would know which lane to use if she wanted to do a runner without paying. His reply astonished her, when he said that she could drive off from any lane and get away with it, as the cameras could pick out her registration number but were not sharp enough to show an identifiable facial image without enhancement. The police attiude was that the case would fail if they could not prove who was in the car, and they did not have time to spend enhancing the photo, so they never took action!
They take the trouble to find out who was driving at 36mph on a straight empty road though, and bearing in mind that the thieving scum responsible for drive-offs are probably niether taxed or insured, it shows an alarming lack of priorities.
If the Top Cops ever sit and wonder why they are held in contempt by many of their traditional supporters - The middle aged middle classes - instances like the above should make them think. Read more
Cheaper, why, cos they've eliminated the human element - where the hell are we going ?
I post this for purely academic interest sure that it won't encourage any incorrect behaviour and I don't even know if its true.
But apparantly, and allegedly......................
Thames Valley Police are mounting a 6 month speeding campaign from 1st July, on the M40, M4 and A34. They have been equipped with the following
unmarked vehicles:-
BMW 535I, - 1 Silver and 1 Dark Green
Seat Cordoba 2.0 VTI in Silver
Vectra 2.5 SRI - 1 Black & 1 Red
Omega 3.0 SRI - 1 Burgundy
Volvo S40 T4 - 1 Red
Volvo S70 - 1 White
VW Bora 2.3 VTI - Red
VW Passat VR6 - Silver
They will also be using a helicopter between Junctions 4 and 8/9 of the M4 from next Monday for a 2 week period, plus additional mobile speed cameras
on bridges around the Maidenhead and Slough Junctions. Read more
You can add the A4 to that list.
Plod was amusing himself yesterday west of Reading.
Hello,
I'm having doubts about whether the standard tailgate spoiler on my Rover 25
will stand up to having a hatch mounted cycle carrier fitted. The straps used to fit it will obviously cause quite a downward pull and the spoiler will have to take all the strain - do any readers use a similar carrier on a 25 or a 200?.
Rover might want to consider making the spoiler with a couple of knock out panels to allow the straps to pass through - my car can act as guinea pig for a prototype unit if they wish!. (This won't do much to aid the sale of their roof bars though).
Hope somebody has an answer. Read more
Never, ever fit a cycle carrier to a fibreglass hatchback or a fibreglass spoiler. So this excludes Espaces, ZXs, Mk II Unos, BXs and quite a few other cars. It can cause very expensive accidents which you could get prosecuted for because of carrying an insecure load.
HJ
You might have gathered from other threads that I am interested in a 75 Tourer CDT auto, but I have doubts about certain issues on the manual and need a longer drive in an auto than I have been able to manage so far (1 mile).
So when I saw in the local rag my soon to be ex local Rover dealer advertising the very car second hand on a Y heres my chance to have a go, that model is not often on demo methinks.
To cut a long story short, and call me a muppet if you wish, but the attitude of the salesman was "As you will be wanting a Company car and as your fleet manager is not based round here we won't have a chance of the sale, so sod off, we are not going to work for nothing"
None of us like to work for nothing, true, but my question is this, if all Rover dealers have this attitude, then how is Rover going to sell its cars to the fleet market? Does Rover and other manufacturers not provide their franchises with some budget for this very reason?
Maybe someone in the trade can answer, beyond calling me a muppet that is. Read more
It's hard work buying a car these days. Been looking around, discount? Pah. Test drive? Uuuum. Delivery? Oh...5 weeks. Colours? Green. They don't seem to be busting a gut to sell you anything.
My wife wants a Automatic Verso. Motorpoint in Derby have them with Aircon ABS, Alloys & metallic paint for £2+K cheaper than list.
I have read HJ report and agree they are ugly - but so am I. Anyone any experience of Verso and/or Motorpoint? Read more
There's a road test of the Yaris Verso Automatic on this site. Solid bright red is the best colour. It looks silly in a pretentious colour like gold or silver.
HJ
I raised a topic of Speed Cameras on 16 Jul about my car going through a speed camera when I and car were hundreds of miles away. I got some interesting replies suggesting 'cloning' was widespread. I wrote to police and asked for evidence etc. Did not reveal my alibi as next time may not be able to prove innocence. Got back a standard "Dear Sir/Madam" letter saying after review they had decided to take no action. Not happy with that so replied asking what review had revealed.
However today got a Recorded Delivery letter from a car compound saying if I didn't collect my car they would dispose of it to recover charges! It transpires the car a W Reg Golf GTI Turbo (as is mine)with my VRN had been in compound for 1 month. One wonders why they waited a month for a newish car, especially when it was recovered from an estate where the life expectancy of alloys on a parked car can be measured in hours.
Police have checked that my car is genuine. Pity is that I now can't drive everywhere ignoring cameras etc as ready made excuse has gone.
The point of this is that their 'review' of the speeding offence is almost certainly a case of them not being bothered to spend the time on disputed cases.
Anyone else challenged a prosecution depending on static Speed cameras? Read more
Stuart,
That was brilliant..... Why didn't I think of it.
Come to think about it one of us could do it even now.
If only I had all the details.
Alvin
This has certainly been asked before but...
I'm lucky enough (?) to live within reasonable distance of Trade Sales Ltd at Slough, which has been mentioned by HJ from time to time. A friendly salesman there reckons he can save me up to £2k in a medium sized new car. against the Renault dealer just up the road.
Being a suspicious sort of guy (i.e. cynical) I want to know more. Has anyone bought through this type of firm? What are pros and cons? Are they grey imports?What about UK specifications, warranties and servicing?
Any advice will be appreciated! Read more
One day I'll learn to spell Warranty!
Any recommendations for a used budget 'luxury' car - auto/air con/leather for about 9K?
I took a look at a Mazda Xedos 6 (gets a good write up from HJ) in a dealers the other day - thankfully I saw it before the valeters. Interior stank of smoke, tyres were marginal and the alloys looked as though they'd never been cleaned!
Shame really, because I was hoping for something nice...no matter. Any other recommendations?
cheers Read more
Martin,
I apologise unreservedly, but I am obliged by an internal force beyond my control to answer "Omega". There, I did it. Sorry.
Mine came from Julian Trim (Auction agent, elsewhere on site) 18 months old, 26K miles, all the toys you need (except leather, which I HATE) and immaculate. £10K including his commissions. If you can live with the comments of tosspot German car drivers who think the badge is all, I think you'd be hard pushed to better it for value for money.
OK, Omega now mentioned. Carry on with a reasoned debate.
Vin
I have often pondered why modern performance cars have very low profile tyres fitted, when F1 cars have balloon tyres in comparison. I'd have thought if very low profiles offered even a slight advantage in roadholding, the F1 boys would fit them, or is it a rules thing? Perhaps I've missed the blindingly obvious. Any thoughts/ knowledge on this gratefully recieved.
Regards
Mike Read more
Thanks to you all. i'd for gotten about the brake diameter, so thats probably one of the main reasons.
Cheers
Mike
Browse
Don't worry, its a load of pap. If a nightclub was causing a problem, it could be shut down under nuisance laws, or planning laws, or licensing laws. No a very good example to use (typed in a scottish accent :-) ).
Jonathan