Your fleet running reports

[davejevons]

One interesting thing though - he does vehicle transport and does a lot of pick-ups for WBAC, delivering them to Blackbushe. He says he sees a lot of Range Rovers. Read into that what you will....

A lot of people seem to part-exchange them when they know they have a big bill coming. We looked at a lot of very rough ones at dealers and concluded the best way to buy one was privately, from landed gentry. Of course, we then bought one from a dealer...

[Nic]

Cayenne Turbo update.

MPG is actually fine, 17.6mpg around the same school run that my Touareg used to do 23, 330d 26 and X5 28. Long distance it creeps up to about 23 which is around 3/4mpg worse than my dads E500. It’s the range that’s the issue, both the Touareg and Q7 have bigger fuel tanks so easily managed 450/500 on a tank, Q7 is more like 600.

Maintenance has been eye watering. So far I’ve needed.
Starter motor - in the middle of the V8, £150ish labour and £250ish for a new Bosch starter.
Battery - £200 for a Bosch
Thermostat wasn’t too bad - £90ish
Alternator - £1490 (including vat and my 10% discount) for new, refurbished at £780 once you exchange the old part. Managed to get one through trade at £480inc vat, labour not sure yet but it’s a front end off job.
New front and rear wishbones and bushes £1300
New Hella headlight ballast £260
New spark plugs approx £100, did them because we had done all the work required to access them during the thermostat change.
Oil and filter around £80/90ish
Cruise control failure is diagnosed as a faulty stalk, should be able to cross reference a VAG part number for that so £30 hopefully.
New continentals (295/35/21) £650
4 wheel alignment £75
Spacers - can’t remember
Wheel refurb £200
Tints £170
New recirc valves £90 (VW parts fit and work fine)
New front wheel bearing and pads front and rear £490 (not happy with the front pads but they were all that was in stock that day, I’ll change them soon).
Machine polish and interior clean up £100
Bought an Apple play headunit and connect2 MOST conversion kit but can’t get all that working correctly which currently stands me at £550
Parking sensor module - £100
Lowering links £120

Pretty much sums up the last 6/7000 miles.

Oh and being able to park wherever I want and ignore average speed cameras. Priceless.

[Sundayjumper]

Hmmm.

Alternator is the only one that's a bit shocking. I did all the front suspension on my Touareg when I bought it, so that's no surprise at all. Each of the other bits in isolation don't seem bad at all but I guess it's a lottery as to whether they all happen at once.

[Matty]

MPG is actually fine, 17.6mpg

As SJ says, for that car I don't find those too bad, although there are lots of bills so it does add up. £1300 for wishbones and bushes, though? Can they not just replace the bushes?

[Nic]

Some of the work is in preparation for tuning it, could have done just the bushes but I didn’t want the harshness of poly bushes and then if you add labour on to removing and pressing bushes in followed by new ball joints then there won’t be much difference. Depends how fresh you want it to feel and how long you intend to keep it.

May not have needed the battery and starter motor, alternator could have been playing up for a while and it was the last thing I wanted to do because of where it is and how much the parts would be.

Didn’t need spark plugs, service, recirc valves, spacers, lowering links, wheel refurb, tints and car play stereo.

17mpg is a quite a bit better than you’d get from a C63 for example and consider the comparison with a 3.0 v6 tdi for the same route. It’s bloody good for a 4x4 with 500bhp.

[mr_jon]

Good job you're loaded, Nic! Does rather put me off anything at the luxury end of the market.

[Nic]

Good job you're loaded, Nic! Does rather put me off anything at the luxury end of the market.

Not sure about loaded I’ve generally done well out of cars for a long time, £250 Audi A3 1.8T Sport was flipped in to the Cayenne over 2 years, everything else ‘nice’ that I’ve had has cost very little, I bought my X5 spares or repairs with an allegedly blown turbo that turned out to be a blocked breather (fixed for £80).

I have been a little unlucky with the repairs on this, my initial plan was to UK register it, fix the headlight and sell it on for £9k, I like it so I’ve spent and kept it.

[Sundayjumper]

And I’m right in thinking a GTS will likely have exactly the same issues, just without the turbots ?

Turbots scare me. Those and gearboxes.

[Nic]

Probably. At least if a turbo goes you can upgrade it so it’s money well spent. My maintenance is extreme because I really like how this goes and I weigh it up with my next replacement for this will be another 4x4 which is at least as quick, newer X5M/Cayenne Turbo or Biturbo ML’s are £25k plus.

E63 estates/RS6’s don’t fulfil my needs as well as an SUV for work and kids. I could use the Viano as a daily but that would be boring, Q7 is hers, and the classics are only special if you use them sparingly.

[McSwede]

M140i back from the insurance repairer looking shiny and new

M140i sent back to repairer as they've fitted an incorrect tyre

Should have fitted F1 Supersport but fitted F1 Asy5. Numpties at Kwik-fit to blame. Nevermind. I've still got the GLC to run around in so it's no problem.

[mik]

98% of the population would not have cared - so they chanced it.

[Sundayjumper]

Touareg sold. Nice chap, knows his stuff, but insisted on going over EVERYTHING on the car. He was here for an hour & a half.

The driveway is starting to look a bit sparse. There's only one way to fix that

[JonMad]

Touareg sold. Nice chap, knows his stuff, but insisted on going over EVERYTHING on the car. He was here for an hour & a half.

The driveway is starting to look a bit sparse. There's only one way to fix that

but as I liked the V10 bus.

When does the new Mini arrive? Have you still got the other Compact shell there?

[Sundayjumper]

When does the new Mini arrive? Have you still got the other Compact shell there?

a) Still don't know !

b) Yes, but I'm having a proper de-clutter here so it's on Ebay right now for less than the price of a decent takeaway.

[Jobbo]

Discovered my Merc is a bit compromised as an estate - it may have a long load space but the height is (not surprisingly) limited. I only just squeezed a new chair in today.

In other news, I am now a dashcam wanker. More so I can save photos of amusing things I see on my long commute than anything else, but I’m wondering if it might be useful in the Jimny too when green-laning.

[integrale_evo]

When does the new Mini arrive? Have you still got the other Compact shell there?

a) Still don't know !

b) Yes, but I'm having a proper de-clutter here so it's on Ebay right now for less than the price of a decent takeaway.

I’ll give you the current bid price for the rear bumper if it’s a sport one

[DeskJockey]

When does the new Mini arrive? Have you still got the other Compact shell there?

a) Still don't know !

b) Yes, but I'm having a proper de-clutter here so it's on Ebay right now for less than the price of a decent takeaway.

No promise of "first to see will buy it?"

[Sundayjumper]

First to see the MINI bought it. Second person to see the Touareg bought it.

Harry - yes it’s a sport bumper, that’s the bait to try and get someone to take the whole bloody thing away

[Rich B]

First to see the MINI bought it. Second person to see the Touareg bought it.

What was all that whining about then?!

[Simon]

In other news, I am now a dashcam wanker. More so I can save photos of amusing things I see on my long commute than anything else, but I’m wondering if it might be useful in the Jimny too when green-laning.

Looking forward to seeing your contributions to the weekly 'RIP grandad' special.