The Car Thread (motorbikes reluctantly allowed!)

[Cricketbat70]

Well look at this my favourite pastime linked with work. I emailed our Hoover rep to ask about it and he said it was news to him but if he ever gets offered tickets he'd let me know. Well if our directors can get offered premiership tickets with VIP boxes and refreshments, I'm damn sure I'm going to jump at the chance of tickets for British GT less than half of what you'd pay for football tickets and for three days of motor racing 8:00am to 6:00pm

 

[Cricketbat70]

not surprising has they built and supplied the engines.

I've only just seen your reply. Yeah I k ow Mercedes build and supply the engines🤣 The story was both Mclaren and Alpine are a bit miffed and claiming Mercedes are holding info back about the engines.

 

[woodbar]

I've had two MB models in the last few years and I was always impressed with the level of robustness of the engineering especially with the suspension components and engine bay.

They both had virtually the same power unit, four pot turbo charged and performed more than adequately for the vehicles size and weight etc. The main disappointment was they both had a very unpleasant sound on tick over - tending towards the "bag of nails" syndrome! I asked a couple of mechanics - they all sound like that was the reply!

 

[Cricketbat70]

I've had two MB models in the last few years and I was always impressed with the level of robustness of the engineering especially with the suspension components and engine bay.

They both had virtually the same power unit, four pot turbo charged and performed more than adequately for the vehicles size and weight etc. The main disappointment was they both had a very unpleasant sound on tick over - tending towards the "bag of nails" syndrome! I asked a couple of mechanics - they all sound like that was the reply!

My CX-30 is like that, my 16 year old Mazda 3 you have to almost put your ear on the bonnet to hear it on tick over but the CX-30 is awful on tick over the sales guy at mazda just said different engines.

 

[woodbar]

My CX-30 is like that, my 16 year old Mazda 3 you have to almost put your ear on the bonnet to hear it on tick over but the CX-30 is awful on tick over the sales guy at mazda just said different engines.

Oh, that's strange, I can't say I have noticed that with the CX30 X engine - you definitely can hear when it switches to compression ignition mode as it has a very slight diesel knock suggestion to the sound!

Mazda sales guy - said whatever he thought would shut you up and make you walk away.

The very smoothest engine I ever had was, funnily enough, a Mazda V6 2.5 litre which I used to leave running for a moment when I had it booked for a service and MOT and just popped in to reception to get them to take it in while the oil was nice and warmed through. On a couple of occasions the mechanic came out, jumped in the car, and promptly tried to start it! On subsequent visits I remembered to tell them it was already running.

You could actually balance a coin, on edge, on the top of the engine whilst it was running. The only downside, the car was a Ford Probe - Mazda Engine, Suspension and running gear topped off with Ford bodywork and interior, Hmmmm! The proper Mazda version, MX6 I think, was far nicer. The Probe even had a switch for Air Con, and the light came on when you activated it - trouble is that was an option and not actually fitted to my car.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Just been reading about the 1,800 bhp Hennesey Venom F5 Revolution in evo. It's not a car or manufacturer I want to like (always feels too focussed on top speed), but I have to concede that the engineering and development is first rate. 0-62 (i.e. 100km/h) takes 2.6s, which is pretty mighty for a car with only one driven axle, but the figure that pummels my brain is that the next 62 (i.e 62-124) takes just 2.1s. I cannot imagine how that feels.

But in case that feels a bit weedy, they are making one with 2,031bhp...

 

[Paul.]

I was considering going EV for my next car. Only issue is a £2k+ upfront investment to get my consumer unit updated and run a cable to my garage, which is at the bottom of my garden 🤔

How come it needs a new consumer unit? They normally put a mini consumer unit in your meter box. I’m guessing your meter box is in a worse location than your consumer unit?

Here’s my beastie, I like it a lot

 

[DougK1]

How come it needs a new consumer unit? They normally put a mini consumer unit in your meter box. I’m guessing your meter box is in a worse location than your consumer unit?

Here’s my beastie, I like it a lot View attachment 11248

My current fuse box is just that, a fuse box with wire fuses. It's and old brown bakelite type, any sparkie would condemn it before starting any work 🙂

 

[Shrek]

So what are you paying for unleaded yesterday my local Esso was 145 today its 155 what the heck .forget diesel its nearly 2.00 .
My old 3 litre BM loves juice.🙈

 

[Gray]

My current fuse box is just that, a fuse box with wire fuses. It's and old brown bakelite type, any sparkie would condemn it before starting any work 🙂

Mine's the same. A 63 year old Wylex - not an RCD in sight - and there will be more of them knocking around than many people would think.

Domino wire holders 5 amp white, 30 amp red

 

[Cricketbat70]

My current fuse box is just that, a fuse box with wire fuses. It's and old brown bakelite type, any sparkie would condemn it before starting any work 🙂

Just like my fuse boxes. Yep boxes. My end terrace used to be a shop so I have one fuse box feeding what used to be the shop part (front room and cellar) and the other fuse box for the rest of the house. I will eventually get it combined into one modern RCD consumer unit.

 

[Entrigo]

So what are you paying for unleaded yesterday my local Esso was 145 today its 155 what the heck .forget diesel its nearly 2.00 .
My old 3 litre BM loves juice.🙈

So does my 2l Golf.... Luckily I walk to work, those two days a week, and generally get around by public transport - one of the few upsides of living in London I guess - so my annual mileage is pretty low. It'll go even lower now 🤣

Anyway... Filled up at the weekend in Coventry on the way back to London, at what is normally the cheapest petrol station around. £1.48/l. Passed another Esso two miles later and it was £1.44/l...

So yeah, prices going up but I suspect some mild profiteering in action in places.

 

[Cricketbat70]

So does my 2l Golf.... Luckily I walk to work, those two days a week, and generally get around by public transport - one of the few upsides of living in London I guess - so my annual mileage is pretty low. It'll go even lower now 🤣

Anyway... Filled up at the weekend in Coventry on the way back to London, at what is normally the cheapest petrol station around. £1.48/l. Passed another Esso two miles later and it was £1.44/l...

So yeah, prices going up but I suspect some mild profiteering in action in places.

It was around the £1.44 mark when I filled up at the weekend. I haven't looked this week but I'm dreading it got a trip to Birmingham NEC at the weekend for Megacon. At least my son will be paying for the fuel as its his idea to go.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Denza Z9 GT doing it's "tank turn". Do that a lot and, the boss of your local tyre fitter, is going to be inviting you for Christmas dinner.

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cwTSX755q6I

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Denza Z9 GT doing it's "tank turn". Do that a lot and, the boss of your local tyre fitter, is going to be inviting you for Christmas dinner.

It's like seeing videos of people smoking tyres in 100m drifts. No-one in their right mind would waste money like that. A decent set of boots are too steep.

I was always taught that you don't even turn the steering wheel unless you are moving - which is how I still drive.

 

[woodbar]

Seems like Gary Larson was right:

Denza Z9 GT doing it's "tank turn". Do that a lot and, the boss of your local tyre fitter, is going to be inviting you for Christmas dinner.

Very novel - but why bother?

 

[woodbar]

Ooops - it was only supposed to be the second quote - but I have had a long tiring day!

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Very novel - but why bother?

Because pointless gimmicks sell.

 

[woodbar]

Well that is very true - washing machines with 101 programs - cars with huge touch screens with a mind boggling array of menus and sub menus making it extremely difficult to turn the blower up or the heat down etc. instead of just providing a plain old knob or button which has positive tactile action that you can probably alter without taking your eyes off the road to continually monitor speed limits, potholes, junctions, traffic lights, bends, warning signs etc etc and whatever is happening, or potentially could happen in the distance. I think they are being made for future generations that will need at least 3 eyes frontal and maybe a couple elsewhere! 😳

 

[Cricketbat70]

Mazda digital fuel gauges. Filled up the car last night for trip down from Lancashire to Birmingham. 400 mile estimated range when I'd filled up. Drove 15 mile along the M65 and range had dropped to 380, drove about 20 miles down the M6 and range had gone back up to 400. Over 130 miles driven last night when we got to the Premier Inn and the range is at 380. It always does this the first 1/4 tank can last me 200+ miles and the rest of the tank less than 200.
Mazda dealer said the estimated range adapts to your driving style. I call bull...i know consistant speeds on long journeys get better economy but I don't do that much motorway driving ..and any way they reckon my driving style alters so much that regularly the first 1/4 tank does 200 miles and the remaining 3/4 200 if I'm lucky.

 

[michael hoy]

My car shows 380 when i filled up, left it in eco mode and 50 miles later said i had 425 miles of range. another 70 miles later 465 miles.
Today filled up and it said 600 miles, drove 10 miles back home and says 585. I know it will not do that and if i put it in sport mode, well that will drop like a stone.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

What exactly, is wrong with a straightforward fuel guage, one that just tells you how much is in the tank?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

What exactly, is wrong with a straightforward fuel guage, one that just tells you how much is in the tank?

Nothing, but it's cheaper for the manufacturers to use one display for many different things. Worse, obviously, but cheaper.

 

[woodbar]

Mazda dealer said the estimated range adapts to your driving style. I call bull...i know consistant speeds on long journeys get better economy but I don't do that much motorway driving ..and any way they reckon my driving style alters so much that regularly the first 1/4 tank does 200 miles and the remaining 3/4 200 if I'm lucky.

What? Are you suggesting the Mazda dealer is giving you the "mushroom" treatment?

Never before heard of such a thing! 😳 😎😛

 

[woodbar]

oday filled up and it said 600 miles, drove 10 miles back home and says 585. I know it will not do that and if i put it in sport mode, well that will drop like a stone.

My Kona N, over 10k miles has averaged just 28.7 mpg! Ouch, but it is fun!