Your fleet running reports

[Mito Man]

I was always surprised that the CLK coupe had a pillarless design - something until then only reserved for top segment cars like the CL.

Anyway finished the 6 series yesterday, I spend about an hour bending the metal brackets for the lights and shuffling the bumper. I can say that for the first time in about 12 years it is aligned fecking perfectly.

Went to turn it on and got the instant warning message “left headlight high beam failure” at which point I had visions of dousing the car in petrol and chucking a match at it. Then remembered back to my research some months ago that you need to clear the error message as the car is relatively stupid and won’t realise it has a new light for a while as it just won’t send power to it till it decides to periodically recheck it. Reset it and it works perfectly.

I had ordered the lights from Europe so it became evident at night that they’re clearly set up for LHD cars. Something for the MOT chap to sort.

[Carlos]

One bucket are you some sort of heathen

[Mito Man]

I had the bucket and a wet rag to try and clean up the environmental disaster that was the coolant spill. Of course standard car washing procedure dictates a 56 step pre-wash, 3 buckets and one mitt per panel.

[integrale_evo]

Why not sell the E46?

You don't know me very well do you?

Well, mainly because it's worth pretty much sod all, the wing was the cheapest and easiest of its many rust issues to sort. Secondly it cost £1000 and we've had three years use out of it so it's pretty easy to write off the cost.

The main reason at the moment is that my grandad is 91, lives on his own in the middle of nowhere and the house looks a lot less empty and abandoned with a car sat on the drive.

I will be starting it up occasionally and moving it and washing it to make sure it doesn't turn green and take route.

[integrale_evo]

I had ordered the lights from Europe so it became evident at night that they’re clearly set up for LHD cars. Something for the MOT chap to sort.

Are you sure they can be adjusted? The beam pattern handedness is usually due to the shape of a mechanical shutter inside the lights. A lot of hids have a lever you can flip to flatten out the left hand kick on a rhd car for driving on the continent, but I'm not sure the flat beam is acceptable on an mot. And obviously a lhd setup with the kick to the right won't be either.

[Coaster1]

Elise sold. Purchased for £10,500 in August 2016, sold for £12,800 in July 2018. Completed 2000 miles.

Done well there Matt! All things considered.

[DeskJockey]

Why not sell the E46?

You don't know me very well do you?

Well, mainly because it's worth pretty much sod all, the wing was the cheapest and easiest of its many rust issues to sort. Secondly it cost £1000 and we've had three years use out of it so it's pretty easy to write off the cost.

The main reason at the moment is that my grandad is 91, lives on his own in the middle of nowhere and the house looks a lot less empty and abandoned with a car sat on the drive.

I will be starting it up occasionally and moving it and washing it to make sure it doesn't turn green and take route.

I knew you wouldn't sell it (is it even possible for you?). Good idea on the grandad angle.

[Mito Man]

I had ordered the lights from Europe so it became evident at night that they’re clearly set up for LHD cars. Something for the MOT chap to sort.

Are you sure they can be adjusted? The beam pattern handedness is usually due to the shape of a mechanical shutter inside the lights. A lot of hids have a lever you can flip to flatten out the left hand kick on a rhd car for driving on the continent, but I'm not sure the flat beam is acceptable on an mot. And obviously a lhd setup with the kick to the right won't be either.

I ordered the RHD part number (or maybe there’s only one part number for LHD and RHD - I didn’t notice). It has 2 Allen key screws for adjustment which I reckon could be for the beam pattern? It does the automatic self levelling cross eyed check when you turn it on so what else can the screws be for.

[GG.]

Washed the cars on the street for the first time whilst living in London! The Saab hadn't been washed in nearly 6 months and was starting to look physically repulsive





Pretty much no one washes their cars on the street in the big smoke (I've probably seen two or three people doing it in 9 years - one old women memorably doing it with a mop and bucket ) so cleaning a 911 in front of everyone attracts about as much attention as wandering around in the buff

Karcher helped make it reasonably light work despite being pretty hot. Worth the effort not to have the wheels half done, smears on the glass and the inevitable damage the Eastern European hand wash does to the paint.

[NotoriousREV]

I was always surprised that the CLK coupe had a pillarless design - something until then only reserved for top segment cars like the CL.

The W114/115 and W123 coupes were both pillarless. The CLK is the successor of those.

[DeskJockey]

Dipped beam bulb blew on the Galaxy. I replaced it (the bulb, not the car). Here ends the excitement.

Must remember to buy new lid for washer filler neck.

Should clean it.

[davejevons]

Elise sold. Purchased for £10,500 in August 2016, sold for £12,800 in July 2018. Completed 2000 miles.

Great car. Always loved the Elise and will certainly have another. This one was cosmetically quite poor, however the 135 engine is the best K-series I've ever driven. Dan did an outstanding job on sorting the chassis, and I've mentioned before his attention to detail (like replacing bolts) was outstanding, so it drove really, really well.

That being said, it was too short geared for my driving. The Janspeed exhaust had insane drone (although it did sound awesome) and combined with the CRB made longer journeys to difficult. I was desperate for a 6th gear....I did consider keeping it, upping the power and changing the exhaust, but decided it would be easier to sell and buy something different.

Actually quite sad to see it go, and usually I'm not that fussed about selling cars...

I recently drove mine back from Inverness to Oxfordshire, having done NC500 and the gear box whine combined with the drone was what forced me to pull over rather than the ride or seating position. The S2s have longer gearing than an S1, which is part of what makes them more useable but it's still not great.

I always fancied a 135 engine (mine's got the std 120). The gearbox whine on the standard K put me off though. I've come to the conclusion it's either put a honda with a 6-speed box in or keep as std and live with the whine. A six speed box would be lovely.

[mik]

Washed the cars on the street for the first time whilst living in London! The Saab hadn't been washed in nearly 6 months and was starting to look physically repulsive





Pretty much no one washes their cars on the street in the big smoke (I've probably seen two or three people doing it in 9 years - one old women memorably doing it with a mop and bucket ) so cleaning a 911 in front of everyone attracts about as much attention as wandering around in the buff

Karcher helped make it reasonably light work despite being pretty hot. Worth the effort not to have the wheels half done, smears on the glass and the inevitable damage the Eastern European hand wash does to the paint.

Ooh look. A 944S2 cab.

[speedingfine]

Elise sold. Purchased for £10,500 in August 2016, sold for £12,800 in July 2018. Completed 2000 miles.

Great car. Always loved the Elise and will certainly have another. This one was cosmetically quite poor, however the 135 engine is the best K-series I've ever driven. Dan did an outstanding job on sorting the chassis, and I've mentioned before his attention to detail (like replacing bolts) was outstanding, so it drove really, really well.

That being said, it was too short geared for my driving. The Janspeed exhaust had insane drone (although it did sound awesome) and combined with the CRB made longer journeys to difficult. I was desperate for a 6th gear....I did consider keeping it, upping the power and changing the exhaust, but decided it would be easier to sell and buy something different.

Actually quite sad to see it go, and usually I'm not that fussed about selling cars...

I recently drove mine back from Inverness to Oxfordshire, having done NC500 and the gear box whine combined with the drone was what forced me to pull over rather than the ride or seating position. The S2s have longer gearing than an S1, which is part of what makes them more useable but it's still not great.

I always fancied a 135 engine (mine's got the std 120). The gearbox whine on the standard K put me off though. I've come to the conclusion it's either put a honda with a 6-speed box in or keep as std and live with the whine. A six speed box would be lovely.

Wear Shure earphones for noise isolation, they're quite cheap compared to a Honda conversion

[scotta]

Elise sold. Purchased for £10,500 in August 2016, sold for £12,800 in July 2018. Completed 2000 miles.

Great car. Always loved the Elise and will certainly have another. This one was cosmetically quite poor, however the 135 engine is the best K-series I've ever driven. Dan did an outstanding job on sorting the chassis, and I've mentioned before his attention to detail (like replacing bolts) was outstanding, so it drove really, really well.

That being said, it was too short geared for my driving. The Janspeed exhaust had insane drone (although it did sound awesome) and combined with the CRB made longer journeys to difficult. I was desperate for a 6th gear....I did consider keeping it, upping the power and changing the exhaust, but decided it would be easier to sell and buy something different.

Actually quite sad to see it go, and usually I'm not that fussed about selling cars...

I recently drove mine back from Inverness to Oxfordshire, having done NC500 and the gear box whine combined with the drone was what forced me to pull over rather than the ride or seating position. The S2s have longer gearing than an S1, which is part of what makes them more useable but it's still not great.

I always fancied a 135 engine (mine's got the std 120). The gearbox whine on the standard K put me off though. I've come to the conclusion it's either put a honda with a 6-speed box in or keep as std and live with the whine. A six speed box would be lovely.

Fuckin' Fairys

The noise is part of the experience. Get a bigger air intake and that drowns out the noise of the gearbox - Job Jobbed.

[GG.]

Ooh look. A 944S2 cab.

Yep - owned by a reasonably elderly gentleman. Took him about 6 weeks to get the spacesaver off the back and a replacement tyre fitted (non-matching natch). His parking skills are also rather marginal.

More pleasing to look at than another bland commuterbox/compact premium saloon that is the standard fayre round here however.

[ste]

I've come to the conclusion it's either put a honda with a 6-speed box in or keep as std and live with the whine. A six speed box would be lovely.

Yeah my Honda was practically silent.

[ste]

UPDATE

Caterham Superlight R

On Sunday I needed to go shopping for some new hedge trimmers. So I took the practical shopping car.



I came the long way back and had an absolute riot.



Fun car is fun.

[mik]

i hope you sent them that pic

[ste]

Who, B&Q?