Your fleet running reports

[Swervin_Mervin]

97 w124 convertible

Tell me more, please and thank you!

Bought it a few years ago as a non runner and then fully restored it. It took 3 other cars to die for body cuts to save this one but it was worth it. It’s a 320 with 5 speed auto, cruise, aircon, heated electric memory seats, twin airbags, both sportline packs and genuine AMG aero 3 split rims and bodykit. I’ve made a couple of modifications but nothing that cant be reversed. Late car registered in 1997, took about 2 and half years to complete but still need to do the interior.

I’ve no idea how to upload a picture here sorry.

You should just be able to post a link from Insta Nic.

I followed your build on there and it was great to see how it came along.

[IanF]

The rear lights look massively better. Lovely job.

That

This

[JonMad]

If anyone fancies a toy just like my Fabia, there’s this great one on eBay

https://ebay.us/m/aEYrxn

[scotta]

Its back!

[Carlos]

Thats great news. Was it a relatively simple fix once diagnosed?

[Rich B]

damn, i was going to say it sounded like a VVT control solenoid!!

[IanF]

Running in service complete.. waited whilst they did it; so shiny underneath! Also had a look at 1000M wheels - they come in black or bronze, so considering winter black wheels.. just need to see how many days I’d actually use them ie how many days in SE is it below 7oC. But then I see the Stelvio pass is already covered in snow and think I’d need them!

[Rich B]

I’m ashamed to admit, the Elise is sat on my drive with no MOT and a flat battery. Holidays, birthdays and work has put it bottom of the queue for time.

I know what’s needed now though, i’ve swapped the exhaust straight pipe for the cat and worked out what’s wrong with the handbrake light so i just need a day of child/chore free fettling. Just in time for winter!

[Jobbo]

My wife asked about winter tyres for the R5. I suspect the eco tyres wouldn’t be too great in snow and ice. But the car is too new for used alloys to be available on eBay yet.
Fortunately I was first to reply to a chap on a Facebook group who has replaced his wheels with aftermarket ones. So winter or all-season tyres are now a goer.

[scotta]

Thats great news. Was it a relatively simple fix once diagnosed?

Not particularly. It's been a long drawn out process to get here.

[IanF]

My wife asked about winter tyres for the R5. I suspect the eco tyres wouldn’t be too great in snow and ice. But the car is too new for used alloys to be available on eBay yet.
Fortunately I was first to reply to a chap on a Facebook group who has replaced his wheels with aftermarket ones. So winter or all-season tyres are now a goer.

If only she had a large 4x4 to use in bad weather .. surely there’s a strong case for just using all-season all the year on the R5?

[Simon]

Guys, Imgur is now blocked in the UK thanks to the genius of the OSA. You'll need to find other image hosts.

[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.

Thought I'd update this.

Later in the day I got a push alert and email on my phone that my car battery was low. Thought nothing of it and that it was probably just a delayed report from the old battery.

The next morning about 24 hours after fitting the car alarm went off. Couldn't get in to the car with the fob, and when I did manually nothing worked at all. Tested the new battery and it was showing just 6 volts. Tried to charge it on my CTEK and it wouldn't take a charge. Checked for parasitic drain in the car and it pass fine so clearly not an issue with the car and likely a dead cell or two in the new battery. Tayna collected it the next working day, tested it and confirmed it dead (refunded).

So I ordered a replacement from them again (oddly cheaper this time) and fitted it yesterday and it's been fine since then. A very rare case of a dead new battery, but Tayna handled it well regardless.

[mik]

A very rare case of a dead new battery, but Tayna handled it well regardless.

Posted previously, but the Evora battery died after 18months (5 year warranty) and whilst it took a few days to ship it back, let them test & confirm, Tayna replaced it without quibble too. For a remote seller I felt they did a good job.

[Gavster]

Tried to book the Ateca in for a service, and they're booked up for six weeks still they're highly reccomended and this seeems to support that fact.

[Jobbo]

My wife asked about winter tyres for the R5. I suspect the eco tyres wouldn’t be too great in snow and ice. But the car is too new for used alloys to be available on eBay yet.
Fortunately I was first to reply to a chap on a Facebook group who has replaced his wheels with aftermarket ones. So winter or all-season tyres are now a goer.

If only she had a large 4x4 to use in bad weather .. surely there’s a strong case for just using all-season all the year on the R5?

Yeah, I'll try to see what effect all-seasons have on the range but I can see merit in that.

I considered a set of winters for the Cayenne but it would be £3k for a set of wheels and tyres even with the cheapest used wheels I could find on eBay so sod that, she can use the R5

[GG.]

911 is still in with Porsche - into the 3rd week now. I'm assuming the "engine bracket" they replaced has not done the trick.

I'm dealing with other stuff at the moment so happy to let them "throw parts at it" for the time being. They're in a bit of a pickle I think having acknowledged it shouldn't clatter like that when you start it but not being able to locate what's causing it...

[16vCento]

My wife asked about winter tyres for the R5. I suspect the eco tyres wouldn’t be too great in snow and ice. But the car is too new for used alloys to be available on eBay yet.
Fortunately I was first to reply to a chap on a Facebook group who has replaced his wheels with aftermarket ones. So winter or all-season tyres are now a goer.

If only she had a large 4x4 to use in bad weather .. surely there’s a strong case for just using all-season all the year on the R5?

Yeah, I'll try to see what effect all-seasons have on the range but I can see merit in that.

I considered a set of winters for the Cayenne but it would be £3k for a set of wheels and tyres even with the cheapest used wheels I could find on eBay so sod that, she can use the R5

I have put Goodyear All Seasons on the Golf and it's made no difference at all to the EV range on it, or to the fuel consumption.

It had Michelin PS4s on it before.

[Jobbo]

I have put Goodyear All Seasons on the Golf and it's made no difference at all to the EV range on it, or to the fuel consumption.

It had Michelin PS4s on it before.

That's good to know, though perhaps a PS4 is also less efficient than a Conti Ecocontact which came on the R5. I bet cold weather has more effect anyway.

[16vCento]

Yeah I'd imagine the Eco ones might make a difference, but having said that, my Kuga PHEV came on Conti Eco Contact and is now on Premium Contacts and that's made no difference either, other than it actually has some wet grip now