Your fleet running reports

[Jobbo]

Not sure if you were aware of Audi’s earlier solution to make brake disks as large as possible: calipers inside the disks. On the late 80s Audi V8 first, not sure it was ever used on many cars before they just upped the wheel diameter and reverted to a more normal design.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Just done 2 passes with 800 grade on the drill and it hasn't touched the main part of the lens. And still covered in these marks



What do we think? Hairline fractures in the plastic or the paper just not rough enough?

Well, the 400 grit did the trick. It's not perfect as I was in and out dodging the rain, but it's a hell.of an improvement. Just need to seal them now. Can't decide whether to lacquer them or get some specific sealant.

Obviously need to do the other side as well...

[John]

I've been using the Mondeo estate much more than I expected and had almost done my yearly insurance mileage allowance a couple of months early.

With that in mind I decided to buy something newer with a few more creature comforts, mainly an auto box.

Drum roll for a terrible photo...



It's a Volvo V60 B4 mild hybrid petrol with 197bhp.

The vast majority of the petrol engined S/V60s seem to be 163bhp which I imagined would feel a little under powered at times so this one was the version I preferred and searched for. It feels absolutely fine power wise and is perfectly adequate for my everyday car needs. It would be nice to have the five cylinder sound track as in my old V70 T5 but I'm guessing that dirty beast was killed off a few years ago.

[DeskJockey]

I like them. Decent looking exterior and still (to me) feels like a premium product.

What's the interior like? Was given a lift in a V90 and the main disappointment was the massive slab of shiny plastic around the screen in the dash.

[JonMad]

Fabia passed its MOT with just the one advisory for a corroded spring. Pleased as it hadn't moved off the drive since the OV9 meet in March!
Another year, another 400 miles (most of which, this time, were that one day).

[John]

I like them. Decent looking exterior and still (to me) feels like a premium product.

What's the interior like? Was given a lift in a V90 and the main disappointment was the massive slab of shiny plastic around the screen in the dash.

The interior seems fine to me but then I have come from a 2011 Ford

Dealer pic

[DeskJockey]

I like them. Decent looking exterior and still (to me) feels like a premium product.

What's the interior like? Was given a lift in a V90 and the main disappointment was the massive slab of shiny plastic around the screen in the dash.

The interior seems fine to me but then I have come from a 2011 Ford

Dealer pic

Definitely less plastic than in the V90. And I drive a 2012 Ford, so isn't quite used to the pinnacle of luxury.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I've been using the Mondeo estate much more than I expected and had almost done my yearly insurance mileage allowance a couple of months early.

With that in mind I decided to buy something newer with a few more creature comforts, mainly an auto box.

Drum roll for a terrible photo...



It's a Volvo V60 B4 mild hybrid petrol with 197bhp.

The vast majority of the petrol engined S/V60s seem to be 163bhp which I imagined would feel a little under powered at times so this one was the version I preferred and searched for. It feels absolutely fine power wise and is perfectly adequate for my everyday car needs. It would be nice to have the five cylinder sound track as in my old V70 T5 but I'm guessing that dirty beast was killed off a few years ago.

I really really liked the D4 we had as a hire car 3 years ago in Gothenburg. Genuinely surprised me as to how much I liked it.

Good darts.

[Mito Man]

Noticed condensation in the 6 last night. Touch the rear carpets and yep, it's damp although not as bad as last time. Chuck the dehumidifier in. Remove the scuttle and the drains packed and already blocked with leaves from the recent storm! I remembered that the M6 has an additional scuttle filter trim piece either side but I just assumed it's a LCI thing. Check RealOEM and it turns out that my car should have them but presumably forgot to be fitted by my indie.


You can see where it's meant to catch the leaves and the rain then filters through the bigger holes...

Anyway, I hope that's the end of that episode and perhaps lucky that it hasn't fried my ECU yet.

[GG.]

So the 911 went in to have a few bits and pieces looked at and an annual oil change done (I don't subscribe to the Porsche's philosophy that 24 months is appropriate for a car with a specific output of >100bhp/l...)

One of the points was the startup clatter - after much prodding by me (initial response as per when I took it to them recently that there was no issue) they are now in the middle of replacing the timing chain tensioners, which I expect is quite a big and expensive job were I to have paid for it myself. Still amusing me that the reliable German car is proving a lot more expensive than the unreliable English one.

I think to date it has had:

- both illuminated side sills replaced as non-functioning;
- rear spoiler mechanism replaced as the plastic bits snapped so it didn't seat properly anymore;
- rear wiper mechanism has water ingress so it being replaced;
- timing chain tensioner job mentioned above.

I think the above lot is probably well over £5k in a little over two years.

[Simon]

Locking wheels replaced with normal nuts on the Yeti, following my thread a few weeks ago. It's not worth risking a problem with the key failing TBH so glad they're gone.

Merc battery replaced with a like for like Varta from Tayna. Exceptional service as expected. Ordered yesterday, arrives this morning. Fitted already with help from my boy, and BMS reset with my £20 KDiag From AliExpress Total spend £150 as opposed to the £450 that Mercedes wanted to supply and fit. Total job was about 45 minutes including a little test drive. The Stop/Start worked straight away as that's been effectively disabled for years as the old battery was knackered.

[IanF]

Locking wheels replaced with normal nuts on the Yeti, following my thread a few weeks ago. It's not worth risking a problem with the key failing TBH so glad they're gone.

Merc battery replaced with a like for like Varta from Tayna. Exceptional service as expected. Ordered yesterday, arrives this morning. Fitted already with help from my boy, and BMS reset with my £20 KDiag From AliExpress Total spend £150 as opposed to the £450 that Mercedes wanted to supply and fit. Total job was about 45 minutes including a little test drive. The Stop/Start worked straight away as that's been effectively disabled for years as the old battery was knackered.

[mik]

Mrs Mik's E-Tron completed it's MOT' sans advisories. Whoop.

When I was changing its discs/pads last week, the connector for the pad-wear-sensor on the offside wheel snapped in two at the point where it plugs into the loom. I bodged it with a couple of small cable-ties until I could order a new sensor wire, which was fine for a couple of days - after which - it wasn't.

It's not an MOT item of course, but the E-Tron gives a really annoying audible "brake pads worn" alarm in the car at startup, which really gets on your tits, backed up by a message from the Audi app. Hence I double-bodged it last night with a dremel-modified spade connector to bridge the contacts and trick the ECU. Take that, artificial vehicular brain. I'll either stick a new sensor cable on at some point, or just accept the risk that only the nearside has an active wear sensor. I suspect it'll end up being the latter.....

[Mito Man]

I've soldered the brake pad sensor wires together on every car I've ever done. Solder, waterproof connector, tesa tape, job done

[GG.]

911 chain tensioners replaced... still rattling... technical ticket raised to Porsche now apparently

[V8Granite]

I had a load of work done at Beanisport on the Clio.

Cambelt, dephaser, tensioner, water pump, a throttle wiring issue, clutch, ac re-seal and check over etc.

Previous timing was 5 degrees out!!!! Which explains why despite the top being better than the other 2 cats I tried it's now even better again. Plus a bit more torque but that might be in my head.

Goes great, still cruises at over 40mpg, it's hilarious but now in the wet it lights the fronts up in 2nd so a bit less mash and sawing.

Tempted by a white line rear ARB and then can get the bodywork all nice. I have some 172 Cup Turin's which are supposed to be the best offset. I'll fit some PS5 tyres in a week or so and finally get rid of these older Falkens.

It has been named Dagget as the kids call It "Muscular Beaver!"

Slowly getting my car Mojo back.

Dave!

[mik]

Previous timing was 5 degrees out!!!!

Surprised it wasn’t running like dogshit

[jamcg]

I had a load of work done at Beanisport on the Clio.

Cambelt, dephaser, tensioner, water pump, a throttle wiring issue, clutch, ac re-seal and check over etc.

Previous timing was 5 degrees out!!!! Which explains why despite the top being better than the other 2 cats I tried it's now even better again. Plus a bit more torque but that might be in my head.

Goes great, still cruises at over 40mpg, it's hilarious but now in the wet it lights the fronts up in 2nd so a bit less mash and sawing.

Tempted by a white line rear ARB and then can get the bodywork all nice. I have some 172 Cup Turin's which are supposed to be the best offset. I'll fit some PS5 tyres in a week or so and finally get rid of these older Falkens.

It has been named Dagget as the kids call It "Muscular Beaver!"

Slowly getting my car Mojo back.

Dave!

Did you get a Renault clutch or a 3rd party? The Renault ones were unobtanium for a while

[V8Granite]

Previous timing was 5 degrees out!!!!

Surprised it wasn’t running like dogshit

Shot idle but still mid 40s on a run and a kick at 5000rpm. I shall need to do a Mik approved video.

Dave!

[V8Granite]

I had a load of work done at Beanisport on the Clio.

Cambelt, dephaser, tensioner, water pump, a throttle wiring issue, clutch, ac re-seal and check over etc.

Dave!

Did you get a Renault clutch or a 3rd party? The Renault ones were unobtanium for a while

It's the same one they use on their track day stuff which is nothing special, it's much lighter than before so clearly something was wrong. It certainly never slipped.

I'm annoyed at NLA parts on the Merc so decided to get a Clio with exactly the same problem

Dave!