Sorry folks its nothing to do with motoring at all, but does anyone know where I can get a small PBX phone system that uses ordinary phones. I want 2 lines in and 8 extensions, nothing fancy and I dont want to spend 100s on it. I know many of you run your own small businessess and you may be able to point me in a direction.

Thanks in advance,


Bill Doodson Read more

In the absence of the regulation thread on Driven I?ll start one.

The comparison between the S class Merc and 7 series BMW IMHO set new a new low even by the standards of this programme.

For those who didn?t watch, it consisted of Jason switching off the electronic traction devices. He then drove each car like Steve McQueen on steroids through aircraft hangars, a covered passageway and out onto the airfield in the usual opposite locking , tyre smoking manner that prospective purchasers of this type of limousine will obviously demand. To set the standard for this performance they were pursued by the class leading hot rod ? a Lexus 400 driven by the new racing driver female in the show.

The aim of the pursuit was to beat the Lexus to an aircraft for the getaway. This was followed by the cars driven over speed bumps at 25mph; the measure for success here was how much champagne was spilt, and lipstick smudged, by the rear seat occupants.

Who on earth invents these stupid scenarios?

C Read more

My employer runs one of the new Ford 75E17 (Cargo) trucks as a hire vehicle.
Recently a slipping clutch was replaced under warranty. The Main dealer said that pulling away in 2nd or 3rd gear had caused the problem and that a clutch modification was a 'pull away in first gear' sticker in the cab. A couple of days ago the same truck was back at the dealer for an engine fault. The computer readout showed that since the new clutch had been fitted, the truck had been moved from stationary in a gear other than 1st or reverse 255 times. The workshop foreman told me that under the new warranty guidelines this would be classed as 'abuse' - warranty void.
Is this something to come on cars, or is it already here ? Read more

Hundreds of years ago, when I was young and hairy, you could make out roughly what went on in the engine compartment of a motor just by raising the bonnet. You could buy a Haynes manual for most cars, and very useful they were too. I see that Halfords still have them on sale but wonder if, in this age of electronic geewhizzery, they are worth the outlay?

Also at that time, when I still had lead in my pencil, there was a monthly mag called Motor Sport. It had a green cover. Despite the title it had quite a bit of off-track coverage, e.g. it was a good source of adverts for veteran/vintage/ PVT cars. If I remember rightly, the editor was one Bill Boddy. He was an enormous fan of the Beetle (the real one not the current cash-in) and his enthusiasm must have been worth £thousands to VW. Is the mag still produced, and is aforementioned Bill Boddy still with us? Read more

Anyone who happened to see recent messages about the diesel Yaris and the Honda Jazz might recall 'spud' having taken the plunge and getting one of the first D4D Yaris's to be delivered in the UK.

I scratched my head long and hard and followed his example and sent my deposit off today. It's coming from the Netherlands, as per my present Auto Yaris, but won't be here till August or September. Trouble is, the good lady wife doesn't want to get rid of an Auto in favour of a Manual. I, on the other hand, fancy something that does 50 or 60 to the gallon. We'll have to fight that out nearer the time.

So one of them will be up for grabs in the Autumn, or if neither of us give in we'll be a two Yaris family and my trusty Maestro will be shaking in it's boots with an uncertain future.

KB. Read more