March 2003
I've just noticed that the two BAR cars have finished 3rd and 5th in the Friday Pre-Qualifying for this weekends Oz Grand Prix.
Full details...
1 - Barrichello - Ferrari - 1'26"372
2 - Raikkonen - McLaren - 1'26"551
3 - Villeneuve - BAR Honda - 1'26"832
4 - M.Schumacher - Ferrari - 1'27"103
5 - Button - BAR Honda - 1'27"159
6 - Coulthard - McLaren - 1'27"242
It's good to see another team challenge the big three.
The two Williams finished in a lowly 10th and 16th places! I know it's only the first few laps of a very long season, but I for one cannot wait. I'm sure this season will be much more exciting than last years procession.
Roll on Sunday morning!
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I'm just about to get a set of used BMW alloys (I've read the previous threads about checking condition etc.). I was wondering whether I should get them re-balanced before putting them on my car, or is this unneccessary if weights are already present? The wheels are exactly the same size as my existing ones.
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Thanks for that. Unfortunately they aren't still on the donor car. All I know is that they are Michelins but not sure of the exact type, also I think they are 205/60/15s so not particularly cheap to replace!
On further thinking, I might get them re-balanced and at the same time get a friendly garage to stick them on at the same time!
This makes a pleasant change.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003...l Read more
Yes but if these guys have already taken up your personal space, what on earth does clamping achieve except prolong your inability to access said personal space? Tow the blighters, it's a no-brainer...
I've just bought a secondhand car and it has a tatty old plastic sticker on the outside of the rear window. It's turned brittle and cannot be peeled off. I've tried hot water to soften it but no luck (presume the hair dryer trick wouldn't work here either) and I don't want to use a blade for fear of scratching the glass. Any more ideas?
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The newer Total stickers often wear off quickly, my 2000 Saxo, 1999 Xsara and the 2002 Picasso all had Total stickers that disintegrate. The older colour ones, (pre 1998 I think) seem to stay in their original condition much longer.
You can drive a Saxo with size 14 feet, I drove one for 10 months no problems. Well, no problems in the feet department, clutch, brakes, gearbox and burgalry were problems though.
A couple of weeks ago I had a bit of an ugly with a lorry when driving up the M6. Nothing too outrageous but a big supermarket truck cut me up when we were both leaving the motorway to go into the services. I noticed the lorry driver was busy on her mobile phone and also that there was a Well Driven sign on the back of the trailer. I was a bit peeved about nearly having a collision so I jotted down the reg. number of the lorry and made that call. I thought I would here no more about it and in fact did not expect to.
However, in this morning's mail is a letter from the transport company thanking me for bringing this to their attention and stating that this sort of illegal behaviour is not tolerated by the company. I think the driver got a ticking off.
So, these Well Driven things are in fact taken seriously.
Robin 'The Sneak' Read more
I was referring to the fairly recent legislation on corporate manslaughter ( 2004?), which meant my employers suddenly taking a keen interest in seeing my car's MOT, insurance documents yada yada. My assumption is that in the event of a driver causing death by dangerous driving, their employers are much more likely to end up on a corporate manslaughter charge now.
Hence employers would be keen to show that they monitor the safety of their drivers via the 'well driven?' scheme.
From today's Times
"Sir, You report (March 5) that ?The Government is to analyse thousands of crashes involving heavy lorries to discover why they are involved in so many crashes on Britain?s motorway network.?
Why bother? Any motorway user can tell the Government that they are driven suicidally close to the vehicle in front."
Given the (on average) more serious consequences when lorries are involved this can't come soon enough - let's hope no "political correctness" gets in the way of a thorough look at the role of foreign trucks and drivers!
With all respect to the many good companies and individuals there are far too many haulage companies that get away with flouting decent safety - if you doubt it just go to the nearest motorway park and start with a cursery look at the state of many of the tyres.
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To be fair the proportion of truck to cars or the proportion of 'truck mileage' to 'car mileage' would need to be calculated coz from the law of averages you would expect more accidents from trucks if they travel more miles.
It would be interesting to see accident ratios between business/personal travel.
In defence of lorry drivers, they aren't the only roadusers who tailgate - but a lorry would do a lot more damage in a shunt and they take further to stop.
Honest John advocates regular oil/filter changes at 5000 mile intervals on VW TDI diesels. My Passat has now dropped out of its 3 year warrenty, hence I can play now. But the Passat has a under engine bay cover which is extremly fiddly to remove without a pit/ramp hence access to the drain plug is unobtainable, any comments on removing the oil via the dipstick entry (Common on marine engines) with a pump?
Comments?
Blade
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After the initial Service (the bedding in period) will the Dealer have a problem doing elective 5000 mile interim oil changes if you are paying? Will it compromise the warrenty?
Harley-Davidson #2
In US National Corporate Reputation Survey
With only Johnson & Johnson scoring higher, Harley-Davidson ranked second in the annual Harris Interactive Inc. survey of the nation's most reputable firms. The study, which measured corporate reputation, also addressed the concepts of corporate sincerity, corporate citizenship, and ethical standards. This was the Motor Company's first year on the survey.
Milwaukee, WI; Harley-Davidson placed second on the fourth annual Harris Interactive Annual Reputation Quotient for 2002. Johnson & Johnson was rated number one, as it was in 2001. The Reputation Quotient survey which ranked 60 companies by corporate reputation, also addressed the concepts of corporate sincerity, corporate citizenship, and ethical standards. Microsoft, ranked second for 2001, placed 13th in the 2002 poll.
Joining Harley-Davidson as companies new to the Annual RQ placing in the Top 10 in their inaugural year are General Mills and Eastman Kodak.
Still ranked in the Top 10 were The Coca-Cola Company, Maytag Corporation, and 3M Company. The Home Depot returned to the Top 10 in the number 8 spot. UPS (4th) and Dell (9th) - both measured in previous years - entered the Top 10 for the first time this year. Enron also sets the record for the lowest RQ ever recorded.
Our HD shares are up 32% as well!
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OK guess you mean the V-Rod. But only 1100 cc I think. Need more cubic inches to go properly. My boss he rode one in Florida, said it went OK and it is a nice competitor for the look-alike plastic fantastics. But I think we'll stay with our Twin cam Softail for now.
www.cycleworld.com/xp6/CycleWorld/tests/1101_h-d_v...l
... the 1999 Passat TDi Sport I picked up today. As mentioned elsewhere, the trade-in was my Clio dci plus £1100 in exchange for the approved-used Passat with 90k miles, which came with a full tank, 12 month MOT, full service and a 12 month warranty which covers fuel pump/injectors, electrics, etc. Crucially, they replaced the CV joints as well, so that particular VAG problem shouldn't affect me. I had originally planned to hold out for a '98 Audi A6, especially if I could get a 2.5 litre TDi, but the big bill I recently had for the Clio meant that my overall budget had to come down and the only ones within reach were pre-1998, which I didn't want.
Anyway, I'll post about any problems whether major or minor. I still had my niggling suspicions about the Passat as a purchase given some of the feedback on this site, so I'll be watching like a hawk. That said, the car drives very nicely, not a squeak or rattle to be heard, and everything is in perfect working order. The engine is harsher at idle than in my 525 TD, but moves the car both more quickly and economically, and I think it's actually a little quieter overall at cruising speed. I just need to sort out a CD-changer now. Read more
oops, just realised that I'd already posted details about the Sony kit - d'oh!
As I know to my cost, (Living in Spain & with U.K. originating pensions paid in Euros) the current exchange rate is dreadful for buying euros with £s. All you folks intending to go the personal import route should keep an eye on F.Ex rates! There is a free exchange rate daily update, via e-mail, available from AA www.xe.com/cus/. AA I can recommend it
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Hopefully with our interest rates staying unchanged but Euro rates dropping to 2.5% yesterday there'll be an improvement soon
Terry
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I agree Wally, a different team challenging the top teams will be good for F1. Its also good that there is British driver (Jenson) in a strong team.
There is question marks over Honda reliability so its really wait and see...
I thought the new friday qualifying format worked well. My only reservations is saturdays qualifying with race fuel. Your not really seeing a level playing field because of the differing fuel loads.
Like you said, roll on sunday.