October 2001
Hello folks,
Apologies if this has been discussed already but why are the Government spending so much on the new Stingray (dopey name) cameras, ostensibly to catch tax disc dodgers, when they already have this information at the DVLA.
All registered cars are "registered": all cars registered but off road should have declared SORN (off road notice): they know the ones who have not declared SORN because they tell us we commit an offence if we do not declare SORN and we will be fined. They can find us just by checking their database for registered but untaxed cars.
If an unregistered car is photographed, they don't know the owner so can't prosecute. Of course they could ask police to look out for the car if is unregistered but that already applies to Gatso photos.
So what are the new cameras *really* for? Read more
Which manufacturers let warranties transfer with the vehicle? If I purchased a 2 year old Mitsubishi at auction would the 3 year warranty still be valid? Read more
Andy's spot-on - just make sure the service record is up to date. That is the first thing we HAVE to look for.
David
Following on from Sue's query with regard to aggressive lane changing, I would like feedback on the following comments:
One lorry pulls out on a motorway to overtake an other. When the lorry is a sufficient way past, the lorry that has been overtaken flashes to permit the overtaking lorry to pull back in. The overtaking lorry indicates left, pulls in, and then indicates right and then left to say thank you.
A car indicates rights to overtake a slower moving vehicle on the motorway. The car, physically behind, but in the lane to be moved into, flashes to permit the car to pull out. The car responds by indicating left and right or flashing the hazard lights.
This use of flashing as well as the use of the indicators and hazard lights is plainly not in accordance with the Highway Code, but it does, I feel, represent real life on the motorway. I therfore fell that the Highway Code should be updated to represent driving today and have often wondered whether a green light, for example, could be pressed to say thank you to cars behind. Note, that it would be on a mechanism whereby pressing it would produce a brief flash and thus could not be left on. I also wonder whether the use of flashing should be changed from the aggressive statement saying "I'm here", to a passive allowance or "Go on". A more active use of the horn could be employed to draw awareness to a vehicle if the driver feels that it has not been seen by another driver.
Any comments gratefully received.
Andy Read more
David,
Did you go through Losotho by any chance and over the Sanai pass. We did this in a Basic Nissan Sentra, only when we got to the SA side did we find a massive warning sign indicating that it was illegal to attempt the pass in anything short of 4x4.
The car was basically new when we picked it up in Joberg by the time we got to Cape Town it was totally knackered. Gearbox and suspension was shot, it idled funny, it drifted to the right, ariel snapped off at some point down the pass and even the cigarette lighter stopped working somewhere along the garden route. Oh and there were a few dented body panels which was from a parking incident in Port Alfred.
Did you enjoy the experience of driving fast down an empty seemingly decent road only to have to swerv to avoid a pothole you could hide farm animals in at the last moment??
Dan
I saw a 1936/37 Riley Kestrel with a sexy Yellow fishtail sports body on Sunday.
Engine Chasis and running gear were original. Body was a home made aluminium affair from the 1990's. THe body was not at all original.
I'm assuming that, despite it's looks, this car will be cheap 'cos no collector would want a car with a recent body.
So here's my point. I have a 5k budget allocated to buying a Caterham/Westfield at some point.
Is there any way my 5k would get me a similar post restoration car as a weekend toy?
Could I afford to run it? I assume parts have to be engineered on a one off basis.
Discuss. Read more
Must agree with Richard and John above. For £5K you are looking at an Austin 7 special in the vintage area although you might find an odd one-off special with naff bodywork. I would, however, not rule out one of the 1950s specials myself. It might be possible to find a 'pedigree' one such as a Buckler or a Dellow for that sort of money in running/restorable condition. They have the cachet of a sporting heritage at least.
Having had a pre-war sports car for about four years now, I feel you have to accept its limitations in terms of performance alongside modern vehicles although although not having a roof and riding closer to the ground feels fast anyway. You have forget about syncro gear changes, maybe even a hood, and be prepared to leap out in the middle of busy shopping streets and knock the petrol pump with a spanner to get it ticking away again. along with other simple things that irritate and embarrass some less enthusiastic owners. I love it. But then I've even managed to upstage a Ferrari 355 spider by parking behind it and drawing a bigger crowd of curious onlookers, including the Ferrari driver.
As the others say, it's down to personal choice. I would love a Caterham/Westfield but wouldn't personally be prepared to drive around with a Q plate which would be all I could afford for 5K. I think it's time to go buy that ticket for tonight's rollover lottery.
David
Ooh look a tumble weed...somewhere an owl hooted...
OK,
Query reduced to bite sized single entity!!
Profession respray vs Original Manufacturers Paintjob....
Does corrosion resistance suffer?
Dan Read more
Its a 480 turbo 1992.
I was looking at a change of colour to a deep metallic purple. It hasn't got a rust problem because under that boxy wedge its really a boxy volvo.
Worth more than a decent respray but not by loads. I only just learnt to drive (l am 25 however) so the no claims is non-existent and l can't really get a more expensive car. l am not particularly interested in a £750 P.O.S. car regardless how good the paintwork is.
Dan
P.S. I might just go to Cecil and Larter in Bury St Edmunds where the car originally came from.
I raise my head above the parapet with some trepidation to describe my drive
up the M4 this morning (Bristol to Guildford).
There were the tailgating HGVs described previously. To avoid being
'trapped' in the middle of them, I spent most of my journey in the middle
lane. I moved into the outside lane when I wanted to overtake, and only
moved into the inside lane when it was clear for a good long way ahead.
Someone in a Passat overtook me, then cut in front of me rather closer than
I would have liked, then moved very quickly into the left hand lane, almost
as if he (or it could have been she) was making the point that I was in the
wrong lane.
I considered whether I should also be in the left hand lane, and thought,
no, there's another string of lorries ahead and I won't want to get stuck
behind them. Sure enough, as I get to the end of this thought Passat driver
pulls out in front of me - again closer than I would have liked - and shoots
off past the lorries, which I also overtook a minute later.
I watched him/her repeat this procedure two or three times over the next few
miles before s/he disappeared over the horizon. And thought "What a wally."
But maybe Passat driver thinks the same of me and everyone else driving like
me? Read more
I work at Exeter Airport and have to take the M5 for around 13 miles. Like Darcy I drive an AX (not through choice, it's my mums and I am driving it till I can afford a decent car, not easy on an apprentice wage!!!). As it doesn't have that much power, I tend to pull out to overtake a little earlier than I should. If I don't, I will be stuck behind HGV's and Grandma and Grandad until I get a person polite enough to pull out to let me overtake (yes, they exist!!!).
After overtaking, I normally find a good line of HGV's and "slower" cars in the left hand lane all doing around 50mph. As I don't wan't to get stuck behind this lot I stay in the middle lane till at around 75mph till I find the beginning of the line then pull in. I don't see this as lane hogging as I am overtaking the slower vehicles in the left hand lane, but I still get the BMW's, Mercs, Mondeos and Vectras tailgating me when they have a third lane to use!!!
Relating to the undertaking incident, I was driving between J31 and J29 on the M5 in the left hand lane and was approaching a Toyota Avensis with the new style plates in the centre lane doing a steady 60. I moved out to the middle lane to go to overtake it in the third land but couldn't for all the BMW's etc who wouldn't let me out. After around 5 minutes, I got pi***d off and moved back into the left hand lane and undertook the Avensis. I got a beep of the horn, flash of the lights and a very polite hand signal from the driver.
Just goes to show how ignorant some people can be!!
Cheers
Olaf
I have allways allowed the oil to drain overnight, pruducing approx half a cup of oil after the initial drain-off. Is this a good thing to do, my 160000 mile Honda Civic does not seem to have suffered so far.
Regards Malcolm. Read more
It may seem wasteful, but I usually pour in some fresh oil (half a pint-ish) to 'flush out' the engine before putting the sump plug back in.
Martin.
i know this is nothing to do with cars, but has anybody seen the thing about how to deal with anthrax. a leading scientist, has said that if you iron your letters, it kills the anthrax, but what i was wondering is, what about parcels, you cant iron a parcel can you??? Read more
good point ;-)
Very interesting book. This is a huge job. I have no idea how long it took to create this masterpiece. Read more
I've always been amazed at the people who can put a huge amount of knowledge into a book. I never had enough time to write a simple essay of high quality. Therefore, I turned to the BrillAssignment service when I did not have time to write a term paper or essay. Experts helped me to complete these works on time and my academic performance did not fall.
The question's been asked a lot lately: I don't know anybody who's gone out and bought one. However, they are often given by loving grandparents, aunts, uncles etc, and as you don't want to hurt their feelings you put in the car.
Mine was a gift from my brother-in-law and said "Harassed mother on board". I didn't put it in the rear window because that would have obstructed my view, but it fitted into the little triangular window behind the back seat on the driver's side, which was a blind spot as far as I could tell. Did I expect other people to drive differently as a result? No, but it cheered me up whenever I saw it, so I probably drove more safely as a result. Read more
Tomo wrote:
>
> Very interesting thread; I was never sure what I was supposed
> to do, my reaction being "well don't blame me"!
Not for that, anyway.
Of course, the 'Harassed mother on board' remains true, even now the 'babies' are almost as big as I am. Unfortunately I've lost the sticker.
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Incidentally, it is perfectly possible to tell what you're watching on TV. The detector reads the signal in the tube of the TV. This was a problem in the early days of banks having computers: it was possible to read people's financial information from a van waiting outside if the monitor was close enough to the window.
Chris