Your fleet running reports

[JLv3.0]

That DOES look good!! But I still hate the hearse tints you guys in the UK are stuck with.

[Rich B]

That DOES look good!! But I still hate the hearse tints you guys in the UK are stuck with.

yeah, though my M3 has tints on the fronts too that somehow get through MOTs every year. I guess we’re allowed a little?

[JLv3.0]

Not a clue mate. 50% allowed here now (used to be 30% for foreigners and ONE HUNDRED PERCENT for locals - go figure) all round except upfront obviously - I leapt on that when the audi was done.

[Simon]

The car is still burning a bit of oil, so it's one of 3 things:

1) Valve guide oil seals knackered
2) Oil control rings stuck (more likely a problem with the 1.8 rather than the 2.0)
3) Oil separator/PCV valve/valve to manifold pipe knacker

Obviously 1 and 2 are a big job to do properly, and although 3 isn't small it's what I elected to do today. To get to the oil separator, which has the PCV valve and pipe connected in the top you have to take off the inlet manifold (it's behind it). Which means you have to take off the power steering pump, or at least move it out of the way so you can get to the lower bolts for the manifold.

4 hours later and my hands are cut to ribbons, but at least it's done. I'll stick some Forte engine flush in it next time I do an oil change (apparently it's good at freeing stuck oil control rings). If it's the valve guide oil seals then I won't bother. I just don't want the cat to get clogged up again with the burnt oil residue.

Will monitor the oil levels over the next few weeks to see if it's worked.

[Beany]

Another fucking puncture. Of course, it's in on of the new Yokos. So that's another hundred quid I need to fritter. FFS.

[JLv3.0]

Puncturing new tyres is hateful. I once reversed the M5 into a kerb like some bellend and punctured 300 quids worth of PS2 - it had been fitted four days earlier

[Matty]

It’s a damn good looking car imo, it had some paint protection stuff on it before we bought it so it always comes up well.

Blue is totes de rigueur right now for cars, so I heard.

White? Red? Properly last season.

[unzippy]

Puncturing new tyres is hateful. I once reversed the M5 into a kerb like some bellend and punctured 300 quids worth of PS2 - it had been fitted four days earlier

Yep, been there. I tried to tell myself that as that pair were so new, I only had to replace the one

[Simon]

Another fucking puncture. Of course, it's in on of the new Yokos. So that's another hundred quid I need to fritter. FFS.

Does it really need replacing? If it hasn't been driven 'flat' and if it's not on the shoulder, then can't you get a proper tyre fitter to plug and patch it?

[mik]

Puncturing new tyres is hateful. I once reversed the M5 into a kerb like some bellend and punctured 300 quids worth of PS2 - it had been fitted four days earlier

Yep. 1 week old 275/35/19 RE050A destroyed by a razor-edged pothole in the VXR8. Holed the sidewall.

Most annoyingly the single replacement was no longer date matched with the other side. CDO.

[mik]

Another fucking puncture. Of course, it's in on of the new Yokos. So that's another hundred quid I need to fritter. FFS.

Does it really need replacing? If it hasn't been driven 'flat' and if it's not on the shoulder, then can't you get a proper tyre fitter to plug and patch it?

That.

[JLv3.0]

Puncturing new tyres is hateful. I once reversed the M5 into a kerb like some bellend and punctured 300 quids worth of PS2 - it had been fitted four days earlier

Yep, been there. I tried to tell myself that as that pair were so new, I only had to replace the one

That WAS for one!

[NotoriousREV]

I once got a screw in the back tyre of my motorbike on the way home from the tyre fitter. Furious.

[DeskJockey]

Radio in the Galaxy has decided that doing a reboot every 30 or so seconds is the way forward. Was fine when I was running errands this morning, then an hour later it was playing up. All buttons except on/off seem to work.

Will try to pull the fuse later to see if it makes any difference. If it doesn't, I'll leave the fuse out.

Need to figure out if it is known/fixable issue.

Anyone experience similar? It is the Sony DAB unit, 12 plate car.

[Simon]

Radio in the Galaxy has decided that doing a reboot every 30 or so seconds is the way forward. Was fine when I was running errands this morning, then an hour later it was playing up. All buttons except on/off seem to work.

Will try to pull the fuse later to see if it makes any difference. If it doesn't, I'll leave the fuse out.

Need to figure out if it is known/fixable issue.

Anyone experience similar? It is the Sony DAB unit, 12 plate car.

I have heard of that, and it's not too dissimilar to my old Visteon unit in my Mondeo for 'issues'. Take it out, and re-flow all the solder on the quadlock socket and also the connector that links the two boards inside.

[DeskJockey]

Radio in the Galaxy has decided that doing a reboot every 30 or so seconds is the way forward. Was fine when I was running errands this morning, then an hour later it was playing up. All buttons except on/off seem to work.

Will try to pull the fuse later to see if it makes any difference. If it doesn't, I'll leave the fuse out.

Need to figure out if it is known/fixable issue.

Anyone experience similar? It is the Sony DAB unit, 12 plate car.

I have heard of that, and it's not too dissimilar to my old Visteon unit in my Mondeo for 'issues'. Take it out, and re-flow all the solder on the quadlock socket and also the connector that links the two boards inside.

Cheers. Googling seems not to throw up any obvious or consistent solutions to the problem, though there are a fair few reports across the Ford model range (which makes sense as they've been used in various Fiestas, Focuses, Mondeos, etc.).

Looking at the fuse diagram, it appears that the radio fuse is also the one for the heater/AC controls and the dash, so can't exactly drive around with it unplugged.

It is going into the local Ford dealer on Wednesday for some recall work. Will ask if they know about the issue. If not, I will ask my mechanic for an auto sparky recommendation.

[Beany]

Another fucking puncture. Of course, it's in on of the new Yokos. So that's another hundred quid I need to fritter. FFS.

Does it really need replacing? If it hasn't been driven 'flat' and if it's not on the shoulder, then can't you get a proper tyre fitter to plug and patch it?

That.

Maybe. It didn't feel bad on the way home from the shops so maybe I parked on something. I'll throw the space saver on and see in the week.

Suffice to say I'm grumpy this weekend.

[Simon]

Radio in the Galaxy has decided that doing a reboot every 30 or so seconds is the way forward. Was fine when I was running errands this morning, then an hour later it was playing up. All buttons except on/off seem to work.

Will try to pull the fuse later to see if it makes any difference. If it doesn't, I'll leave the fuse out.

Need to figure out if it is known/fixable issue.

Anyone experience similar? It is the Sony DAB unit, 12 plate car.

I have heard of that, and it's not too dissimilar to my old Visteon unit in my Mondeo for 'issues'. Take it out, and re-flow all the solder on the quadlock socket and also the connector that links the two boards inside.

Cheers. Googling seems not to throw up any obvious or consistent solutions to the problem, though there are a fair few reports across the Ford model range (which makes sense as they've been used in various Fiestas, Focuses, Mondeos, etc.).

Looking at the fuse diagram, it appears that the radio fuse is also the one for the heater/AC controls and the dash, so can't exactly drive around with it unplugged.

It is going into the local Ford dealer on Wednesday for some recall work. Will ask if they know about the issue. If not, I will ask my mechanic for an auto sparky recommendation.

Where do you live again DJ?

[mik]

It’s a damn good looking car imo, it had some paint protection stuff on it before we bought it so it always comes up well.

Blue is totes de rigueur right now for cars, so I heard.

White? Red? Properly last season.

Colourist.

[DeskJockey]

I have heard of that, and it's not too dissimilar to my old Visteon unit in my Mondeo for 'issues'. Take it out, and re-flow all the solder on the quadlock socket and also the connector that links the two boards inside.

Cheers. Googling seems not to throw up any obvious or consistent solutions to the problem, though there are a fair few reports across the Ford model range (which makes sense as they've been used in various Fiestas, Focuses, Mondeos, etc.).

Looking at the fuse diagram, it appears that the radio fuse is also the one for the heater/AC controls and the dash, so can't exactly drive around with it unplugged.

It is going into the local Ford dealer on Wednesday for some recall work. Will ask if they know about the issue. If not, I will ask my mechanic for an auto sparky recommendation.

Where do you live again DJ?

Near Bromley, SE London.