March 2004
Hello All
There is still hope out there if you feel that there are too many bus lanes/speed humps/cycle lanes appearing in every street.
IMO, there is a use for a few bus lanes but the enforcement periods should be decreased. Cycle lanes - you must have some where they are never used or only run for a few yards. Speed humps work well if positioned well, but I feel we don't need them every few feet in every road.
Visit the link below, and decide if you if you agree with this gentleman like I do.
Have a nice day!!
M
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,588-1047185,00.ht...l
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A friend is looking for a replacement for her Ford Ka. She is going for a 1-year old as opposed to new. Her personal choice is down to either a Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza (I know, they're the same floorpan) or a Hyundai Getz. Your opinions would be welcome and yes, I know a lot like the Toyota Yaris, but I hate the instrument binacle. Read more
Try looking at the Daihatsu Sirion - it uses Toyota 1.0 and 1.3 litre engines and is very well specced.
The 1.3 version will see off a Golf GTi so it's a nippy beast, albeit with styling that's a bit off beat.
SWMBO swapped the MX-5 for one and we're both very pleased with it.
I collected my new five today, followed by an 86 mile round trip.
It is very tight - but its character is shining through. As expected everything is just right about it, sublime ride, handling is sharp but not explored (yet) a wonderfully logical cabin. Performance (even now) is superb. Its is ok.
The old one is still here, now standing folornaly on its allocated date related plates. It'll be sad to see it go when the leasing company pick it up next week.
Bangle did a good job on this one.
Pastime: using a 5 to straighten the bendy bits. Read more
By the way anyone see the drawing of the new 2
series in today's Car..tasty looking metal and an M2 version as
well.
Don't know how accurate these pics are, but have a look on www.streetracersonline.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?...1
I know there's been a thread on repaired cat D loss cars, but I was wondering about the feasability of buying a well repaired Cat D loss Van.
I would probably be looking at a Merc Sprinter or VW Transporter that had been exposed to light use only and about 4 to 6 years old with reasonable mileage. I would then keep it long term (5 years plus) until it was worth £500 whatever its history
Is this possible, is it a good idea, are there specialist dealers/ auction houses and how much would I save and need to pay?
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Hugo Read more
Hi Hugo,
Universal Salvage run auctions for damaged/repairable vehicles, with vans appearing now & again.
You need to be registered with them & checked out,they expect you to be 'in the trade'.
If you work out time spent, delivery charges, cost of just new locks, say, you'll probably not save much. & your van will STILL be a 'write off' as far as YOUR insurers are concerned, thus affecting any pay out, should you ever need to make a claim.
As for BT stock, preety thin on the ground currently. Expect to pay around £3,000 ish + vat for Transit 120 99 S/T reg, 50k miles.Clean vans, but NOT cheap.
VB
My nightmare with the Audi is driving me back towards the comfort of the co car scheme.
The calculators I have seen assume you either have a co.car and you're about to switch to cash or you don't have a car at all.
Can anyone add to this list of costs attached to running my current vehicle?
Insurance
Reg. Servicing
Allowance for repairs
Allowance for consumables (tyres mostly)
Road tax
Estimate of depreciation through age/mileage
Tax paid on cash allowance
Tax not being paid as BIK
I've not included fuel as there won't be much difference whether I drive my own or a co car.
Does anyone know any leasing/contract hire sites which publish rates for 15,000 miles pa with maintenance rather than the usual 10k no maintenance rates? Read more
If the company reimburses you for company mileage, then if it is less than the running costs of the vehicle as defined by the Inland Revenue, you can reclaim tax. If it's more, you're due to pay tax, of course.
www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/rates/mileage.htm
Section 8 gives the current rates.
I get around £1,600 a year back from the taxman, as my company only pays 12ppm or so, i.e. fuel alone.
V
I saw an A reg white SDI Police Rover today.
It was fully dressed in stripes and with the big speedo in the dash and the Big signs front and back.
It was being driven over Hampton Court Bridge toward Hampton by a non uniformed individual.
I am assuming it was being ferried as it had bespoke black covers over the blues.
Are they still in use or is this one just kept for displays?
The big Imber Court Police Club is nearby and it was coming from that direction.
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In my neck of the woods is a guy who regularly commutes to work wearing white helmet and black leathers, on an ancient (one of the first) white K series BMW motorcycle with single plain yellow stripe on each side of the fairing (ie no narrow blue or other stripe adjacent to it such as a real copper would have on his machine), and blue wing mirrors.
Somehow, he rarely seems to be obstructed...
This has probably been asked before but new to this forum. on 27th jan was supposedly doing 51mph in a 40 in road works on A77 got an N I P dated 1st march ,I thought that it had to be within 14 days .If I dont pay fixed penalty what happens next and what would be the likely costs .anybody know why they wont send photo even when asked to do so. Read more
Defender
is the vehicle registered to you at your current address , if not then the original N.I.P. will have been sent their first and then they have fingered you as the driver. This is the only excemptions from the 14 day rule.
www.bristolauctionrooms.com/bcva/auction2.htm
Makes a nice read for oldies.
No connection with the above Read more
Oh dear. I am a poor old *** - but can't remember how to spell it.
I loved the list of items and did not notice the date else I would have renamed the thread.
While you are in a helpful mode, Can you put the cat out? Oh I havn't got a cat cos its an old Sierra.
[snip snip snip]
>>>>\"If you delete this thread - then I go.\"
Bye. Mark.
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I've been looking at Audis recently and would like to hear comments on their Quattro 4WD system. Taking a car with the same engine (eg the A6 2.4) there seems little benefit in terms of performance (bhp, top speed, 0-60) and a drop of about 5mpg on the Quattro version.
Therefore unless you live up a muddy track or live in a snowy country just what exactly is the point/benefit of 4WD?
Comments much appreciated Read more
If I had the choice of a small (Fiesta size) 4wd car I would buy it. I drove fwd and rwd cars then an Audi A4 quattro and a Subaru Impreza turbo.
If you drive normally in normal road conditions , 4wd is not much better than fwd (ignore rwd - it is useless in bad conditions).
But in rain and more so in snow, 4wd is unbeatable. Tracion is sooooo much better. (rwd is a waste of time in snow).
But we have so little snow the extra costs versus benefits are debatable.
The new 4wd small Fiat should be interesting tho..
madf
Browse
I understand he's now setting up his own forum, as no one will have him on theirs.
I think it's called something like Voice of Britain, or Loud and Lonely :)
H