March 2021
Which car out of the two is the better small suv for engine, interior and driving on roads? Read more
I had the water pump replaced 3 days ago.
When engine is hot it rattle a bit before turning on, looking like it works ath three. ... Read more
Before discussing the car connection, I'd like you to consider the situation in Swiss luxury watch market. Mechanical watches like Rolex, Omega etc. were coveted items for decades and people paid top money for them.
However, once quartz became mainstream, it was hard to justify buying a luxury watch for time keeping. A £10 Casio quartz watch is as accurate as a £10,000 quartz. So watches were no longer sought after for time keeping but as a show off or collectors' items. The introduction of smart watches have further accelerated the downfall of luxury watch market.
digital.hbs.edu/platform-digit/submission/the-swis...t***ches/
Apple sold more watches than entire Swiss watch industry.
What will happen with the cars? For some car is a utility for others it is a show off. Manufacturers who have developed years of expertise on engine and transmission those are suddenly not that much valuable. Granted some manufacturing principles can be transferred to EV but you don't need engine or gearbox in EVs. Is there anything to differentiate other than "range" in EVs? Now just like smartphones, battery capacity will increase over time anyway. So any EV if you buy today, next year you will get more for your money.
So what will be differentiating factors in EVs? Other threads mentioned that JLR, Aston Martin are suffering.
I think it is lot harder to differentiate in EV compared to ICEs. In EV, consumer perception is Tesla is the best.
Nokia was king of dumb phones but it died in smartphone era.
Kodak died in digital camera era.
How many car companies will disappear in EV era?... Read more
The increase in the remuneration of executives v those of the staff for a start.
I am very sorry to relate that Avant, the esteemed moderator of the Backroom, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at his home in Dorset yesterday.
I have known Avant since he moved to our village about 15 years ago. Although I have been a member of this forum for many years I only discovered Avant's identity a couple of years ago.... Read more
I've posted in the Motoring forum that both forum member ORB and myself were on the cusp of being set up as moderators primarily (but not exclusively) to help out with spam. We only had an email from Avant on Monday evening to confirm a few things before he contacted the IT team to get us set up.
Both ORB and myself have both emailed the editor to confirm we are both still very happy to proceed should that be what the site owners want, if only on a temporary basis until matters are stabilised following the tragic death of Avant....
My car is exempt from vehicle excise duty. What is the point of the mandatory annual taxation process? I don't really understand why it should be necessary to "tax" a vehicle at zero rate! Read more
You may not want to tax it, you may wish to declare SORN. Tax also ties in with insurance cover. A car that's taxed now has to have insurance.
That plus it also cross checks the MoT. It's also an opportunity for DVLA to ensure keepership record is up to dat.
Note to whoever created the survey - there's an error:
When it asks "Have you delayed your car's service in the last 12 months?", if you say 'No', the next question should not apply, but it does in order for the form to be able to be submitted, so I put 'other' as the answer.
Worth updating to correct this error. Thanks. Read more
Stupid beginner's error isn't it? I was in mainframe computers when men were men and computers were computers and did 40 years (first machine was an 8K IBM mainframe), I'm constantly gobsmacked by basic programming/design errors that show the installation does not test their software properly.
Rant over
Not really a surprise, and will only get worse if people living in flats, terraced houses etc with no garage/driveway and their car has to be charged away from their property via a communal charging unit, epsecially ones in the street or having to run a cable across a pathway back to the home.
Asking for trouble.
None of the greenies or powers that be have taken note on such issues (as well as being able to charge it at all/pay for facilities to be set up for flat blocks, etc, especially as most own the land and thus would have to be a small fortune to lay new power cables/connect to the network, road and ground works.
Not as though we're all flush with cash at the moment, nor will we be for some time thanks to the lockdowns. Read more
Toyota solid state battery is here folks and reportedly c900miles per charge. Hydrogen engines are coming out of research, this tech produces the hydrogen as needed, no need for fuelling. Hybrids will still be available in 2030 but expect a few years later to see new innovation.
Ref the article, thieves will find a way to nick anything. Manufacturers need to start using smart ID so stolen ones can be traced/found. GPS might also be useful. But since there's been a human population, there's always been thieves :(
Sunday just gone 8.30 in evening on m1 coming from luton town to London. Driving 1 lane or second lane , no cars about then an almighty spray of rocks firing my car from roof, complete shock this went on for about 5 seconds.was only doing 60 but reduced speed to 45, this lorry was ion the other side of motorway, no lights just bombing down motorway. And you woulnt believe few miles down road happened again but not as long or bad as first. My mini is chipped all over, took to mini for report needs respray . Not been driving long, is this normal, this has stressed me out , told insurance company, hope they can claim. I will put pics of damage up tmrw.... anyone. Give me any advice please Read more
I worked out where I was and the time so hopefully they will have a log off. Machines at that time . It’s disgusting the noise was so load , was in shock first, looked up bridge above then left and right took me few seconds to realise what’s happening and where comming from. Going to report it to police could of caused an Nasty accident. Why grit roads when it wasn’t cold, this maybe my point to claim
The company has just announced 200 redundancies at its new factory in St Athans South Wales. I know times are hard for the industry and trying to sell £150k motors must be difficult The Welsh Gov, has given this company £19million to set up here despite the companies past record of some 7 bankruptcies and a shaky share price, I would not be surprised if bankruptcy number 8 was on the horizon As a matter of interest the Welsh Gov also spent £52million on Cardiff Airport now owned by us. Current Value some £15 million! Things can only get better for us tax payers> I wish! Read more
The Welsh Gov, has given this company £19million to set up here despite the companies past record of some 7 bankruptcies and a shaky share price,
Off topic, but HMG gave Serco £20,000,000,000 last year for T&T, then a further £15,000,000,000 to "prevent a second lockdown"!!! You couldn't make it up....
Hi all....
So I’ve a leak in the metal pipe on the power steering, would it be ok to repair it buy cutting and replacing pipe and fitting with compression fittings?
Tks Read more
Can’t see any reason why not . There are lots of pipe repair systems available. The only issue may be finding the correct size .
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Thanks John, sounds a good suggestion. I did point out the 2008 to my wife, because I too thought it might fit the brief.
Apparently, it's the "wrong" shape. I have tried to understand and gain clarification what that actually means, but so far, that is, and appears to be, a final verdict.
I know a Renegade is a faux Jeep, and I'm well aware of its shortcomings, but it has created a veritable tsunami of enthusiasm and desire from the distaff side.
I appear to be caught between the proverbial rock and hard place.
About the only chink of available light, would be in persuading her to wait until after lockdown so that proper investigations could be entered into. However, as things stand, I fear that would only lead to a postponement of the inevitable.
Am I the only broken man here?
;-))