Your fleet running reports

[GG.]

I clearly jinxed it saying the RR has no electrical maladies. Now seems prone to random alarm triggers. Not too frequent just yet fortunately but will need to be investigated if it continues.

It’s a RR in London. Are you sure they’re random triggers?!

Have looked at the CCTV footage - it does coincide with someone walking by but they don't appear to touch it.

[Jobbo]

We went to look at an Enyaq and a Kodiaq PHEV a couple of weeks ago for my wife. Both lovely big family cars but my wife could not be convinced to go full electric.

I've got a Taycan for 24 hours in a couple of weeks to try to convince me. I think the facelift version with its notably longer range would be fine for my use, other than holidays. But they've got a lot of depreciating still to do and I am more inclined to get a Renault 5 - if you're going to be tax efficient, you probably ought to start with something less overpriced

[Carlos]

There's an old business saying 'don't let the tax tail wag the dog' .

Couldn't be more apt with the depreciation on some of these EVs bought with favourable writing down allowances and BIK.

Although I did see a couple of leases this week for BMW i7 and 750 PHEV at 24x£590, that would be attractive for a business owner looking for a big exec motor. I think they were something like £110k retail!

[tim]

Mondeo TittyX just ticked over 191,000 miles. Still pulls hard, is comfy and has a lovely chassis. Where it on 50k miles less I'd probably consider keeping it going another couple of years. Has deffo been the best cheap motoring car I've ever owned.

Someone stop me from buying this please https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1832210

[Rich B]

Mondeo TittyX just ticked over 191,000 miles. Still pulls hard, is comfy and has a lovely chassis. Where it on 50k miles less I'd probably consider keeping it going another couple of years. Has deffo been the best cheap motoring car I've ever owned.

Someone stop me from buying this please https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1832210

Its a horrible colour and looks dull as dishwater. It’ll cost you a fortune and will be off the road more than it’s on.

(that should be enough to push you over the edge and buying it!)

[tim]

If I had a garage I could keep it in, I'd have a very hard time not buying it. Not to daily like the last one, but just to keep forever and waft about in now and again.

I keep looking at old Corniche and Silver Shadows too, but that's a whole new level of ruinous.

[16vCento]

There's an MGB GT for sale for 3k that I'm finding quite hard not to buy.

Would be a nice car to use on a weekend to go see my parents at the coast in, but I think I might find it very, very slow.

Tax and MOT exempt as well

[integrale_evo]

Classics are great for that sort of thing, insurance probably ~ £150 a year too. My Alfa is super cheap motoring and always fun.

[16vCento]

Yeah I don't think it will ever be worth less than 3k either, and bits are plentiful and cheap.

I'll have a sleep on it, would mean clearing the garage out

[V8Granite]

There's an MGB GT for sale for 3k that I'm finding quite hard not to buy.

Would be a nice car to use on a weekend to go see my parents at the coast in, but I think I might find it very, very slow.

Tax and MOT exempt as well

You really won’t find it slow as you will be doing many more things, steering, clutch, brakes are all different and require more planning. If you need to stamp on the brakes it won’t pull it beautifully straight on a bumpy road, it’ll take smoother inputs and it’ll be a lot more fun. A new 1.0 Micro would shit all over it point to point but they won’t have as much fun.

Dave!

[16vCento]

I've had old cars before, I tried to get another 924 but having driven one it just felt a bit meh.

A lot of the driving I'll do in a car like this will be on a roads, very hilly a roads at that, and they are full of the 40 mph brigade.

You don't get a big window to overtake in and i worry it's going to be hard work getting past them in something like this.

I managed it in a standard Cinquecento Sporting so I'd imagine a MGB should be ok, you just get used to having the power to go past anything when you get the smallest gap and get a bit spoiled by it I suppose.

[mik]

There's an MGB GT for sale for 3k that I'm finding quite hard not to buy.

Would be a nice car to use on a weekend to go see my parents at the coast in, but I think I might find it very, very slow.

Tax and MOT exempt as well

https://bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/product/1972-mgb-gt

[V8Granite]

Ok I’ve beaten on the Clio a bit now and am really enjoying it. I lowered the drivers seat as it was bloody silly as standard. The wheel is meant away at the top but I sit quite upright anyway so isn’t proving a problem just different.
I’ve fitted….

New rear calipers
New rear discs
New handbrake cables
Bled the brakes all round (must get some better bleed nipples, I don’t like 7mm ones)
New thermostat
Fabia front lip spoiler, the original was long gone and silly money.
New boot struts
Re-centred the exhaust by adjusting the exhaust brackets
Tidied up the headlight wiring
New xenon bulbs
New coil
Pre-cat Lambda

I got rear discs, pads and handbrake cables with the purchase price so pleased with that overall. It still is a 20 year old Renault though.









The noise as it hits 5k is quite addictive while it goes round to 7200, it’s a real angry little engine which enjoys being revved. It’s not refined but it has some character at the 5k changeover, plus the scorpion exhaust is just the right side of Chav.

The gearbox is good enough but the linkages could do with being tightened up. Gearing is a little low for cruising but I’ll get used to it. Changes are a bit slow but I had a better dog bone mount on the TT and it was a surprisingly good change after that was fitted.

Brakes have a good initial bite but then seem to lose feel the harder you press, I’ll look into pads as I’ve just bled the brakes and greased and cleaned all the sliders.

Suspension, a little harsh below 30 but I’m attributing a lot of that to the 5 year old Kuhmo tyres. It has H+R springs and relatively new cup pack (not cup) dampers.
Once the dampers and springs are doing the work the body control is wonderful, it’s taking some time to realise the suspension deals with the lumps and bumps without getting crashy. It’s just never dazed and seems to handle it and keep the wheels on the ground. Turn in and confidence are very high in this and the lack of weight is so different to what I’m used to.

I’ve quite a job list….

Sort the 3rd brake light.
New front arch liners which seems to be a common thing missing.
Rear exhaust mounts changed, the current ones are a solid resin and a little buzz comes through at 6500 plus.
Dogbone mount, a little play in it, I can’t feel it when driving but will help tighten things up.
Dynamit the boot floor, inner rear quarters, then some high density foam to reduce the road noise to get it closer to the TT.
Tighten the gear linkage somehow.
Refurb the alloys or fingers crossed, find some 16” Turinis as they are the nicest looking alloys for these, like the Clio Cup.

Then drive it a lot, having a car that can carry all 4 of us again will be fun ans the TT couldn’t do that anymore and 35mpg plus is easy in these which was part of the buying criteria.

Mainly, it’s putting a big grin on my face!!

Dave!

[jamcg]

The linkage will have worn all the bushes out, you can get full kits to replace the lot from k-tec but it’s a bit spendy

https://k-tecracing.com/products/pure-m ... inkage-kit

[Mito Man]

That’s a pretty nice knob.

[V8Granite]

A lot of people mention rattles and vibration with that linkage, I’ll see what I can still get from Renault themselves as I don’t think the wife would like that racing one.

Must keep reminding myself I got the car as her car

Dave!

[mik]

Must keep reminding myself I got the car as her car

Reminds me of the time we replaced Mrs mik’s Ka with a 944S2….

[IanF]

Must keep reminding myself I got the car as her car

Reminds me of the time we replaced Mrs mik’s Ka with a 944S2….

[Sundayjumper]

I'll have a sleep on it, would mean clearing the garage out

Definitely need a garage for a classic like this. They weren’t really built for outdoor living even when new.

And don’t worry about the overtaking. Enjoy the pootling.

[GG.]

There's an MGB GT for sale for 3k that I'm finding quite hard not to buy.

Would be a nice car to use on a weekend to go see my parents at the coast in, but I think I might find it very, very slow.

Tax and MOT exempt as well

I had a go in an MGA as part of a classic car day and it was great fun - easily exceeded my expectations. It did have a 5spd box which probably made all the difference and I think is a common mod so if I had one I'd budget the money for changing the box (or buy one with it already done).

Not sure what the weight penalty is between an MGA and MGB GT. If it were me I'd go with an MGA - better looking and the fun of a soft top for the summer.