Your fleet running reports

[John]

I had the Panda serviced by Fiat recently, it has a full Fiat history and for the sake of £149 I thought I may as well keep it going. They recommended the rear discs and pads needed replacing due to rust which I politely declined. The Panda 4x4 is the only version with rear discs and seem to suffer from corrosion, probably because they don't have very much to do considering the weight and lack of performance of the car.

[Hates_]

Picked up the 111R today. Sadly it was a 4-hour drive back on the motorway, which wasn't very thrilling. Was surprisingly comfy and quiet, sitting at 70mph in 6th gear. Ankles were cramping halfway home! Took every opportunity at roundabouts to experience what it feels like to corner on rails. Feels so good to be back in something exciting and more importantly the first model to spark my interest in cars to begin with.

[mik]

Picked up the 111R today.

Out of interest (I am not a motorbiker) why have you lost interest on the motorbike side?

[dan]

Picked up the 111R today. Sadly it was a 4-hour drive back on the motorway, which wasn't very thrilling. Was surprisingly comfy and quiet, sitting at 70mph in 6th gear. Ankles were cramping halfway home! Took every opportunity at roundabouts to experience what it feels like to corner on rails. Feels so good to be back in something exciting and more importantly the first model to spark my interest in cars to begin with.

Better tyres will transform it too.

If you think it’s good now you’ll be blown away when you get those Toyo’s off.

[Hates_]

Out of interest (I am not a motorbiker) why have you lost interest on the motorbike side?

Commuting was a big factor in riding motorbikes, and the last two years have seen me ride my bike once. And as my son has grown up my appetite for risk has gone way down, so I was starting to not enjoy blasting around like I did before he came along. Not to mention, I got my current bike (690 Enduro R) with big dreams of riding down to Morocco, or around Europe, and with a small boy I'm not really able to escape off on my own. Plus the weight I've put on during lockdown means my gear doesn't fit very well anymore I'm pretty sure I'll come back to it one day.

[Hates_]

Better tyres will transform it too.

If you think it’s good now you’ll be blown away when you get those Toyo’s off.

Yeah, I was a bit when I saw what was on there. Is there anything, in particular, you'd recommend? There are a million tyre threads but hard to know what's best especially with the AD07s being discontinued?!?

Funnily enough, in the folder of receipts, I've got one from you for a Geo Setup this time last year!

[Swervin_Mervin]

I finally got the front end of the 330 back together today - had to get a garage to fit the springs to the shocks as my spring compressors just wouldn't compress enough to get the top mounts back on.

All chuffed with myself that I got it back together I noticed when I put the key in it was flashing up the steering lock warning light. And now it's completely dead. Not a sausage.

So I've got it on charge and hoping to get it going again tomorrow. Was a new battery only 6mo ago as well! Not sure how it can have discharged over the last 2 weeks as it was fine before that. And apart from moving the steering side to side to get the control arms out of the way I haven't used any power for anything.

[Simon]

Fitted new rear pads to the Yeti. An easy job with Bosch pads that's I'd picked up from EuroCarParts a few days ago after the local Skoda garage messed me around. Was a third of the price too, with a discocunt code.

[Maurice]

Exige

After its service and MOT at the start of December, the Exige has been tucked away for winter. I’d organised to have it out for an extended run the first time this year on Saturday, and was more than a little anxious as to whether attempting to move it for the first time in 4 months would go smoothly or not.

Much to my relief, no histrionics, started first time and didn’t even so much as seize a brake either, which I was most worried about. It performed faultlessly all day and is still as intense to drive as ever. Really looking forward to getting it out more now fairer weather has returned. Will need to sort some new front boots soon though, as they appear to be approaching their limit.

C63

Annual service and first MOT was carried out in February with it receiving a clean bill of health…apart from the massive screw through the right rear (almost new might I add) tyre

Picked it up from dealer, let it warm through and thought I’d have a little fun and give it some beans up a motorway slip road. I hit the throttle and the dash immediately lights up like a Christmas tree, and it becomes quickly apparent that the car is hugely down on power. Fuck, I hope a turbo hasn’t lunched itself.

Confusingly, applying further throttle appeared to have the inverse effect and made the car feel even more sluggish, which was less than ideal when attempting to join a motorway. Managed to nurse it back to the dealer where it was idling as rough as a bag of nails.

Stomped inside and advised that the car had just shat itself and left it with them. Diagnosed as a coil failure and all replaced under warranty. Dealer was at pains to advise it was absolutely nothing to do with them - even though the plugs had been changed as part of the service. I remain unsure.

Apart from that little heart stopping moment, it’s been running brilliantly, remains a total thug and I’m still in the “look over shoulder when walking away” stage with it.

[Jobbo]

I take it your Exige is on CTEK or similar over winter, Mudge? I got my Jimny out after a few months' rest recently and had to charge the battery overnight before it would start.

Anyway, Jimny update: it has been to see Flewy and had a service, some bearings and an MOT. Not quite flying colours because the MOT tester thought the vacuum lines for the locking front hubs were brake lines and noted they were a bit corroded. He didn't notice that the rubber boots on the front brake caliper sliders had been nibbled by a rodent. Ironic when we have so many cats.

Audi update: got 52.6mpg going to Cardiff in it on Friday (not for the rugby, to see friends). Came back on Saturday up the A470 and the new section of the heads of the valleys road to avoid rugby traffic and only got 42mpg on the return journey but it's a much more hilly route.

[John]

Love the c63

[Delphi]

Ripped out the crappy fan controller on the Porsche and put it back to stock. Motorway temperatures are now back to normal, so I can properly enjoy the car again. The only reason I added the new one was to fix the fans running on and flattening the battery after switch off. I've temporarily fixed this by disconnecting the bonnet switch which kills the fans as soon as the ignition is switched off. After seeing examples of my chosen trimmers work (including a full interior retrim on a 928 GTS), the Mrs has green lit a full job on mine instead of just seats and carpets.

XC40 has gone in for a service. They've given me a poverty spec (relatively speaking) manual(!) XC40 loan car.

[Broccers]

I'm told a loan car is coming today - I have yet to hear from anyone

[Sundayjumper]

I got my Jimny out after a few months' rest recently and had to charge the battery overnight before it would start.

I think we’re all getting to that age tbh.

[Broccers]

I got my Jimny out after a few months' rest recently and had to charge the battery overnight before it would start.

I think we’re all getting to that age tbh.

LOL true.

So my replacement bumper arrived at the body shop. Its a standard boxster bumper with no parking sensor holes. Couldnt be more wrong

[dan]

Better tyres will transform it too.

If you think it’s good now you’ll be blown away when you get those Toyo’s off.

Yeah, I was a bit when I saw what was on there. Is there anything, in particular, you'd recommend? There are a million tyre threads but hard to know what's best especially with the AD07s being discontinued?!?

Funnily enough, in the folder of receipts, I've got one from you for a Geo Setup this time last year!

Ha funny, I think I remember the car, owned by a guy called Paul I think.

[Maurice]

I take it your Exige is on CTEK or similar over winter, Mudge? I got my Jimny out after a few months' rest recently and had to charge the battery overnight before it would start.

Yes, it’s only got a tiddler so needs all the help it can get.

[Jobbo]

I got my Jimny out after a few months' rest recently and had to charge the battery overnight before it would start.

I think we’re all getting to that age tbh.

I probably only play with it a couple of times a year.

[Swervin_Mervin]

330 charged up (well, to stage 4 on the ctek) which meant I could at least take it for a spin around the block via the bumpiest roads and some speed bump routes.

It's sitting a little high at the front but then I always thought it sat a bit high after new arms and shocks 4yrs ago.

[Alex88]

The used active anti roll bar I bought for the 650i is broken. It's leaking worse than the original unit I took off

I've sent the original off to a specialist in Poland who has just finished fully refurbishing it. This little issue has cost me a lot. The car is running beautifully otherwise.

Beetle is spot on, as usual.

Mustang has just had a service and had the Bullitt style wheels refurbished. I'm really starting to like American cars now. It's a hoot to drive, and the more you drive it, the more you get it.