Looking through the pages of old car mags I’m finding myself reminiscing over the glamour from the Motor Shows which were common throughout the country in the 80’s and 90’s and the UK national show which died in 2008. My dad bought several cars off stand at the local car show in Ayr, the pinnacle being a new Audi 80 16v Sport in metallic grey. It was a pleasure watching as the salesman put the sold sticker on it in front of the crowd.

Every major town seemed to have one back in the day and I worked the Glasgow show a few times on the flashy stand of Proton or the rather more glamorous Mitsubishi offering. It was full of the latest cars before they became white goods and good looking women before the PC brigade took their jobs. I just loved the event whether working or as a punter. There was a magic to buying a new car back then that’s sadly missing in today’s contract lease/PCP world. No one takes pleasure in buying a car in the same way now, where’s the fun when you’ll never own it and it’s dated quickly by the twice yearly plate change I was so vocally against back in 1999.

I loved new registration day on the 1st of August. Yes as a salesman it was a busy day but it was an event for buyers both of new and used cars. I left the trade shortly after as I could see the way it was heading. White goods bought on never-ending finance then thrown away at the end with no equity retained. I was never good at selling something I didn’t believe in.

I wish the car show would return but it’s been sadly killed by the PCP/Contract lease and the never-ending above inflation rise in costs these events attracted. I can’t remember the exact figure the last time I went to London but I was pretty appalled by it, especially when you consider that they were overcharging potential customers.

Read more

I have a sticky starter motor, not every time but just now and again, so

... Read more

This may seem like a stupid question to those in the know but I've been making tentative enquiries about leasing a Focus ST Line. What I can't understand is why I'm getting a much cheaper quote for a 1.5 Litre Ecoboost model as opposed to a 1.0 lite version with exactly the same spec. I'm clearly missing something that's obvious but can anybody enlighten me please. Read more

How do you reset the alarm after a battery change? Read more

196-mile range (170 in real world terms or could it be 120 miles). Prices start at £43,900. A BARGAIN!!!!!!!!! Better still get the £50,000 model an even better BARGAIN!!!
Also has anyone looked at the effect temperature has on EV vehicles this is off the EV vehicle database.

Real Energy Consumption Estimation with a 52 kwh battery

between 205 - 430 Wh/mi

City - Cold Weather * 305 Wh/mi = 170 miles
Highway - Cold Weather * 430 Wh/mi = 120 miles
Combined - Cold Weather * 370 Wh/mi = 140 miles

City - Mild Weather * 205 Wh/mi = 253 miles
Highway - Mild Weather * 345 Wh/mi = 150 miles
Combined - Mild Weather * 270 Wh/mi = 192 miles

If you thought ICE vehicle mpg were pie in the sky look at this cars mileage, it varies from 120 - 253.



Read more