Your fleet running reports

[mik]

At what point are people replacing batteries? Do you wait until it dies and/or has issues (slow cranking, dash warning) or just replace like a maintenance schedule?

The former for me.

[DeskJockey]

I've waited until it was obvious it was needed. On the Zoe I waited too long, though.

[integrale_evo]

Usually when it won’t start a car, or only just manages to start after not being sat too long. But then I’be usually got others I can borrow a battery from if needed.

When they get to 10 years old I keep an eye out for a good deal on a replacement as that seems to be a reasonable life for a regularly used battery.

[GG.]

So the Smart is throwing a succession of wobblers.

First the speedo is malfunctioning and needs to go back to Smart for investigation and now the EML is on and flashing with the engine running poorly and smelling of fuel. I expect maybe an O2 sensor but could be something worse.

I was going to say that its ironic the Japanese part of the whole contraption is causing an issue (thinking that the 3Cyl was Mitsubishi sourced like on the earlier cars) but it seems the 2016 and on cars have a Renault engine... which makes a lot more sense.

So apparently it is the VVT solenoid that needs replacing on the smart and also the plugs (all three of them) at a cost of c. £400 inc labour. Annoying as I expect I'll get a bill for the same to fix the speedo, so with normal servicing it'll end up costing £1,500 this year. May be time to move it on to pastures new...

So the Smart was picked up on Friday and... still has the issue. Dropped it back again today for the local garage to deal with it.

After its fixed I then still need to take it back to Mercedes/Smart to get the speedo fixed.

[nuttinnew]

[GG.]

Smart / Mercedes Benz Croydon are absolutely hopeless so I'm now going to take it to Brooklands on Saturday... assuming that the local garage manage to fix it sufficiently so that it will do an hour and a half drive.

Honestly what a faff. I'm warming my wife up to the fact that we need to find her something else... I was going to say something with no French parts but that rules out Minis as their engines are co-developed between PSA and BMW - or is that out of date now?

[IanF]

Smart / Mercedes Benz Croydon are absolutely hopeless so I'm now going to take it to Brooklands on Saturday... assuming that the local garage manage to fix it sufficiently so that it will do an hour and a half drive.

Honestly what a faff. I'm warming my wife up to the fact that we need to find her something else... I was going to say something with no French parts but that rules out Minis as their engines are co-developed between PSA and BMW - or is that out of date now?

G63? .. think I’ve been looking at them too much after Top Gear’s vid on the new Toyota..

Elec Mini? Or the new Renault 5? I’ve looked at the iQ for the airport: 3+1 seating in that small foot print with Japanese reliability.

[Gavster]

Blimey this thread has been viewed over 3.5 million times

[Rich B]

Yeah, that OP really picked* a good subject to start a thread about….
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*yes, i did shamelessly start this thread on the first day of the new forum, piggybacking off the success of someone else’s fleet running report thread in the previous forum, so i could have the most popular thread…

[V8Granite]

Yeah, that OP really picked* a good subject to start a thread about….
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*yes, i did shamelessly start this thread on the first day of the new forum, piggybacking off the success of someone else’s fleet running report thread in the previous forum, so i could have the most popular thread…

RichB, future politician!

Dave!

[Matty]

RichB, future politician!

Dave!

He's still umming and arring about what Lotus to buy, I wouldn't vote for him to nail down any policies TBH

[Rich B]

RichB, future politician!

Dave!

He's still umming and arring about what Lotus to buy, I wouldn't vote for him to nail down any policies TBH

They all just stopped coming up for sale when the weather got cold!!

i still want that one in glasgow, but the guy didn’t come back to me (and it’s a massive ballache to get to!) i’m still looking every day though!

[mik]

i still want that one in glasgow, but the guy didn’t come back to me (and it’s a massive ballache to get to!) i’m still looking every day though!

> cheap flight London to Glasgow
> get seller to pick you up at the airport and show you the car
> cheap flight Glasgow to London
> home in time to go to the pub and do some interviews

[Rich B]

i still want that one in glasgow, but the guy didn’t come back to me (and it’s a massive ballache to get to!) i’m still looking every day though!

> cheap flight London to Glasgow
> get seller to pick you up at the airport and show you the car
> cheap flight Glasgow to London
> home in time to go to the pub and do some interviews

Yep, i might try that over xmas if i get time. i’ve already investigated shipping costs.

[John]

Yep, i might try that over xmas if i get time. i’ve already investigated shipping costs.

When I sold my mx5 the garage sent this fella to collect it. Very friendly and definitely a car guy https://www.kmvehiclemovements.co.uk/

[Jimexpl]

125i went in for a couple of items -
Broken brake sensor on the rear
Valve cover gasket - I supplied
Fit new rear springs and shocks (and top mounts, lower bushes) - I supplied the parts
Fix exhaust heatshield rattle
Paint rear bumper - the previous owner drove to France with a bike crank and pedal resting on it, and surprisingly it rubbed through the paint!

The bumper is a 95% job. Really good paint finish, could have done a better job of profiling a gouge towards the bottom and tidying up a previous poor effort repair that you can just see where the rear lights meet the bumper. Only car-people would pick these up and to the average person the bumper is now perfect

£960 all in, which I think is fair.

No more burning oil smell (at least for the three years that BMW valve gaskets tend to last) and a massive improvement in how it drives.
The rear shocks and springs looked fine, but it felt underdamped compared to the front and sat low with any weight in the boot.

I'm looking forward to giving it a drive outside of central London - now need to wear down the Chinese ditchfinders that the previous owner had just fitted and put something decent on. Having no traction control for a couple of weeks with the faulty sensor confirmed that the rears do not function in anything other than dry conditions.

[Jobbo]

now need to wear down the Chinese ditchfinders that the previous owner had just fitted and put something decent on. Having no traction control for a couple of weeks with the faulty sensor confirmed that the rears do not function in anything other than dry conditions.

Ling Longs are OEM fit now! Maybe not on a BMW...

[GG.]

Smart / Mercedes Benz Croydon are absolutely hopeless so I'm now going to take it to Brooklands on Saturday... assuming that the local garage manage to fix it sufficiently so that it will do an hour and a half drive.

Honestly what a faff. I'm warming my wife up to the fact that we need to find her something else... I was going to say something with no French parts but that rules out Minis as their engines are co-developed between PSA and BMW - or is that out of date now?

G63? .. think I’ve been looking at them too much after Top Gear’s vid on the new Toyota..

Elec Mini? Or the new Renault 5? I’ve looked at the iQ for the airport: 3+1 seating in that small foot print with Japanese reliability.

I watched that Top Gear video last night - the Defender was quite disappointing wasn't it. Still - for the balance of capability / price / aesthetics and on road handling it is still the best out of that bunch easily in my view (though the sales figures will bear that out as well)...

I'm a bit sick of the Smart so do think it needs to be replaced (I think its going to get flatbedded to Brooklands as the local garage aren't up to diagnosing what the issue is). We currently have no off street parking so anything all electric is out unfortunately, otherwise for round town an EV would be a good shout.

[Mito Man]

Ordered a 95ah Varta battery from Tanya, chose click and collect. Surprised they still charge £10 delivery but I guess they still have to send it to the location. A CAT automotive in this case. But doing 2 laps of the industrial estate looking for CAT I eventually figured out it now identifies as a NAPA. Presume they’ve been bought out or something…
Get the battery and according to my indicator thing it’s on 30% so it’s currently charging
I’ll do a health test on it tomorrow but last time I bought a battery from ECP it was a bit shit and I did a health test after a few months and it was on 70% and too late to return it so won’t get stung this time!

[Jobbo]

Ordered a 95ah Varta battery from Tanya

That's your issue. It's far too easy for someone to impersonate Tayna when their name looks like a misspelling in the first place