July 2008
Hi All
We're going to drive across to my sister in Linz, Austria again this year, but this time I've got a bit ambitious, and want to take an even greater detour.
The trip to Linz is just over 15 hours driving according to Google Maps.
I have formed a desire to see the Millau Viaduct, and to drive the Stelvio pass. This makes the journey 30 hours instead.
Possible plan is to drive down to visit a friend in Southampton, then Portsmouth - Cherbourg ferry. From Cherbourg drive down to Millau and the Cote D'Azur, then across to Stelvio, and up into Austria and towards Linz.
Can anyone suggest other things I should see or do on the journey? Anything worth visiting on or around that route? Should I scrap that route and try something completely different?
Should I just go across the viaduct, or should we stop in Millau and see the bridge from beneath as well?
Should I use the Stelvio pass, or will it be full of head cases trying to kill themselves and me? Is there a lesser known but just as good pass through the Alps I should use?
Is there going to be an issue with using the Portsmouth-Cherbourg ferry one way, but probably the Calais-Dover one on the way back? And is it possible to book a ferry on the way back without stating the exact day and time of departure?
Thanks for any advice people can offer. Read more
The transport secretary announced in parliament today that the UK was slowing its expansion of bio-fuels policy because of the impact it is having on food prices.
Now was I the only person that saw this coming - wasn't it obvious that if you introduce manadatory levels of such a thing then the farmers know the oil companies have no choice but to buy it and so what will they produce ? - or was it that our government thought there were thousands of acres of land with surplus farm labour just waiting for a decision like this to come along.
Yet again we have a policy decision they cannot stick to because they do not think things through adequately.
I find it staggering that people like this are actually running the country !!! Read more
Lunatics are running the asylum springs to mind, and they have been for a long time now, thats why we are in the state we are.
We have a Toyota Prius at work and it does 45-50mpg between fill-ups. I have a 1998 Civic 1.4, with nodding dog, flat cap and an extra blanket on the parcel shelf, guess what, it does 45-50mpg between fill-ups (if you drive carefully)
Why should a hybrid be excused the congestion charge?
Are politicians pulling our legs?
Is there any point in all the additional complexity and cost?
How can a 2 tonne hybrid Lexus 4x4 possibly be seen as environmentally friendly?
Nick Read more
BTW for the record I also agree with rewarding low emmisions cars with a tax
break
To reiterate BrianW's point elsethread, they already get a hefty (and IMO extremely effective) tax break in the most directly emissions-based way possible, by burning less fuel per mile and therefore paying proportionately less fuel duty per mile than high emissions cars. This tax system even accounts for the fact that, depending on driving style and road conditions, a particular individual may burn more fuel or less fuel than the manufacturer's figure - a rather important point that seems rarely, if ever, to get a mention.
But none of that has anything to do with congestion. On the other hand, according to the all-knowing internet, the OP's Civic would appear to be 3% shorter than the company Prius so choosing the Civic over the Prius would help reduce congestion.
The bonnet release-cable is not attached to the release mechanism under the bonnet and the bonnet is shut. Is there a trick way to release the catch without much damage?
The main problem is very very limited access room either coming up from below or going in from the side via the grill aperture, (grill removed).
I hope Audi thought about the eventuality of the cable failing and have a solution for opening the bonnet or somebody else can help with ideas. ....thanks Corsacar Read more
I appologise for this late reply, and I guess you have moved on by now, however for the record this is how I released the bonnet.
With the grill removed, a long thin 13mm open end spanner reached/removed the 3 setscrews that held the metal-loop part of the bonnet catch mechanism to the underside of the bonnet. Not easy, two setscrews can just be seen, the third is out of sight and was slackened/removed with feel and guess work. The bonnet will now open. The metal loop is still held in the slam-plate part of the mechanism, but is easily release by moving the lever that the cable attaches to.
I noticed a possible alternative solution, the mechanism has been designed to work for both left and right hand drive vehicles, therefore there is a second cable lever that can be "pulled" by the drivers' bonnet release lever in the footwell of a left hand drive car. This cable lever can be reached with a long thin piece of wood (approx 2"x1"x3'6") going up from in front of the right wheel arch (undertray removed) and in-between the engine and radiator. The objective is to get the end of the wood onto this LHD cable lever and give it a push. Patience is a virtue. .... cheers.
I was reading this interesting article in the Telegraph:
www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motor...l
Looks promising. Wander if this is achievable in real world motoring? Read more
53 mpg... I could get 60mpg out of a Maestro Clubman D 18 years ago...
Bet they fitted it with alloy wheels too....
Car: Mondeo III 2.0 TDCI '07 reg.
I bought this car new last year. Its an 07 reg old type Mondeo, one of the last. Was OK up to Christmas and then started playing up.
It looses power sometimes. For example on Saturday driving from Canterbury to Sheffield. Goes OK most of the time but then just slowly loses power for a while, like the engine has been strangled. Pushing foot down brings no extra power, sometimes there is a jolt. Does it only when it has been running for at least 30mins. After a while the power comes back and its ok again for a long time.
No warning lights.
It has been back to the supplying dealer and they cant find anything wrong with it. They have experienced the loss of power and have changed gas pedal and some sensors, but it is no better. There are NO FAULT CODES on the electronic module. They sent me to another Ford dealer to see if they could spot anything but the other dealer have said (their words) they are "stumped".
I have been advised to drive it "until it gets worse" (their words again). THis is not satisfactory. On Sat it started losing power before the Dartford tunnel and I had a job to make it up the hill out of the tunnel at 30mph with my foot pressed to floor. Power came back a couple of miles later. It will do this at least once and hour while driving and could be dangerous in certain circumstances.
THis is highly unsatisfactory and I would like to reject the car because it is a lemon. What are my legal rights? I have heard that the garage can have three goes at repairing the car and then they must offer a replacement. THis car has had about 6 attempted repairs. Its my own private car.
It has only done 13k and has been serviced only be Ford and run only on Shell diesel (I used to use V-power diesel by now use the standard stuff since the prices went mad!). Read more
I very much doubt that this is a brake problem... I had the rear calipers bind on my Mondeo III just last year and the handbrake cables also replaced (not under warrenty). Common problem with the Mondeo III I was told. He would smell the brakes burning up for sure and it wouldn't really feel like a "loss of power", especially if he has his foot to floor on the acelerator and nothing is really happening.
But you are correct in saying that brakes can "technically" apply themselves.
Thanks
Lee
Driving into work this morning on the M40 coming upto J3A M42 split, heard a rumbling noise from my LS430. looked in the rear view mirror and saw grey smoke trailing behind, pulled up on the hard shoulder with the back end twitching to find rear offside tyre in three pieces, ie two melted bits on either side of the wheel and this smouldering band of rubber hanging around the wheel. proceded to change the wheel thinking one of those nice pretend policemen in their jeep was bound to pass, did they? no way. It certainly focuses the mind on a Monday morning changing a wheel on the offside of the car when wagons are passing within a few feet. Read more
I thought it was normal practise in the event of a HGV ns puncture that the tyre fitters have to arrange the Police/HA to arrange a temp lane closure whilst the repair is taking place?
Farnborough retail park.
Who on Earth got paid to design it?
Some bright spark decided to stick random iron bollards just where you're likely to do most damage whilst gently reversing into a space. The bollards just seemed to be protecting a high kerb separating the next row of bays.
And on the subject of bays, why separate them with a high kerb? It means if the bay in front of you is empty, you can't drive forwards and out, oh no that'd be too simple.
Instead you have to waste more fuel and time reversing out and run the increased risk of being rear ended by Darren in his knackered Saxo racing up to get to Halfords before they shut!
Aaaagh.
thank you, rant over. Read more
I no longer shop at F'bro gate purely because of the stupid parking layout.
Further to other posts I've made about my poorly Ka, it failed the MOT recently. P reg, 80000 miles. Failed on emissions (the oil consumption was getting silly,) and work required on the suspension and chassis. The garage quoted £330 and said that it may have been worth it, but they wouldn't guarantee the engine would hold out for another year, and it could well need more work doing next time so it was time to decide whether to do the work or just get rid of it.
So, I asked whether they were interested in it, I asked for £200; they said they weren't interested in it at all but may be able to give me £70 and waive the MOT fee and keep it to one side in case anyone comes in needing a cheap temporary car....
It just sounds a bit low, despite the work being needed! What should I do? Read more
Cars like that are always best sold to the workshop; some young tech will weld
it up in his own time find a cheap engine and get his girlfriend some
basic transport for very little - everybody wins.
That's exactly what my friend did, although he did buy it out of the paper, it was sold as spares or repair for buttons, he bought it, fixed the fewengine problems with ease and now his girlfriend is learning to drive in it. Very nice car by all accounts, also on a P reg.
In the C8 with trailer attached on Friday, I was joining the A1 northbound at Leeming Bar. Because the slip road there is only slightly longer than a fully-grown articulated truck, there are give way marks before you get to the slip, where you have a good view of traffic coming at right-angles to you. The road is solid in 2 lanes at 55-60 mph and you couldn't drop a suitcase between the vehicles. Not wanting to spoil someone's day with a bonnet full of rusty trailer, I wait. An X5 lurches to a stop inches behind the trailer. Toot toot after a few seconds. I take a long look at the empty trailer to see if anything is hanging off. Toot toot. I glance at no. 1 son who was riding shotgun, and ask him if I'd missed a gap while I was checking the trailer. Toot toot - longer blasts this time. Son shakes his head; he's embarrassed. Dad, the motoring guru, is getting hooted at. Still the traffic is solid. More long blasts. I make my move when there is a suitable gap. The X5 swings straight into lane 2 causing some flashing lights and general ire and tries to nail it past me, but, with inexorable Karma, the traffic in lane 2 is slowing...
Now the questions. Does blowing your horn make gaps in the traffic appear? Assuming that the driver in front is a dozy old git (me), does the horn strip off a few years and sharpen my reflexes? Did the driver of the X5 not think that use of the horn might make me get my sandwiches or newspaper out, just out of badness?
I suppose it's remotely possible that he didn't see the Give Way triangle next to me, or the dotted lines on the road.
Answers on a postcard please. And thank you for the therapy, I feel better now. Read more
And oh, not to be the unfortunate who buys the ex-rental cars.
Browse
.jpg)
If you are staying near Tours then a trip to Chenonceaux would be adviseable. The GFs parents live nearby and its worth seeing.
We went there last year, and left Tours (or Montrichard to be more precise), went over the Millau viaduct and got as far as Salon en Provence without too much hassle (in the GTA!)
If you are staying in Milan I take it a trip to the Alfa Arese Museo Storico is in the offing??
If you stay in Turin you can stay in the Lingotto hotel, though when I priced it up it wasnt cheap, though there is a jogging route round the rooftop test track!