Your fleet running reports

[Nic]

Lupo stuff...

Sounds like a very fun car to drive.

Just had a quick look on eBay; I can’t decide if they’re still a bargain or they’re overpriced for a sporting supermini. As I said they damn cool though.

Thanks Mike for the article; high praise from Andrew Frankel.

They're quite expensive really, but then they always have been. But they do seem to be lasting better than many similar cars of similar age so I'd imagine overall as an ownership proposition they work out pretty well.

I thought my step daughters little 75bhp 1.4 16v lupo was a laugh to drive and definitely had character, would like to try a 100bhp sport or a GTi at some point.

Suspension on them is virtually identical to a mk2 / 3 golf, they just had a shorter separate rear spring under the floor to save boot space over the golfs coil over damper setup.

I think it needs spacers to help the wheels sit in the arches a bit better but I’m not sure it needs lowering, it doesn’t roll much. Also have a set of Oz superturismos from the golf that I’ll be putting on.

[Coaster1]

£3k with engine and clutch is really good Nic.

It helps when one can do the work oneself or know the right people. I don’t have that luxury.

[Nic]

Initial estimate for the work was around £1200 but the engine was in a worse state than we thought, one of the plug leads broke as they were being removed for example. Still it is now a totally rebuilt engine which can only add value imo if I sell it.

[JonMad]

I think it needs spacers to help the wheels sit in the arches a bit better but I’m not sure it needs lowering, it doesn’t roll much. Also have a set of Oz superturismos from the golf that I’ll be putting on.

General question. What are the pros and cons of spacers. Do they mess up the handling, as someone told me they'd add loads of torque steer? My Fabia has long wheel studs on the front, and the previous owner said it was with the intention of fitting some spacers, but he hadn't done so.

[Nic]

I think it needs spacers to help the wheels sit in the arches a bit better but I’m not sure it needs lowering, it doesn’t roll much. Also have a set of Oz superturismos from the golf that I’ll be putting on.

General question. What are the pros and cons of spacers. Do they mess up the handling, as someone told me they'd add loads of torque steer? My Fabia has long wheel studs on the front, and the previous owner said it was with the intention of fitting some spacers, but he hadn't done so.

They won’t add torque steer, perhaps a bit more strain on the wheel bearings but essentially it’s the same as adding a lower offset wheel to your car. Marginal benefits are an increased track.

As you have studs it’s really easy for you to add a wheel spacer and see how you like it.

[Sundayjumper]

Steve, the towing capacity is probably insufficient for you!

Oh, I don't need a huge towing capacity. I just felt it was a good excuse to buy something daft

The Compact + trailer probably weighs about 1700kg. My 5-Series would pull it no problem at all. Until the day I need to get out of a muddy (or snowy) paddock, then I'd be screwed.

[ste]

What 5 series is it? I'd imagine you're approaching an illegal towing weight at 1700kg. Loads of people are and don't realise.

[Sundayjumper]

What 5 series is it? I'd imagine you're approaching an illegal towing weight at 1700kg. Loads of people are and don't realise.

F10 530d - rated at 2000kg.

[JonMad]

I think it needs spacers to help the wheels sit in the arches a bit better but I’m not sure it needs lowering, it doesn’t roll much. Also have a set of Oz superturismos from the golf that I’ll be putting on.

General question. What are the pros and cons of spacers. Do they mess up the handling, as someone told me they'd add loads of torque steer? My Fabia has long wheel studs on the front, and the previous owner said it was with the intention of fitting some spacers, but he hadn't done so.

They won’t add torque steer, perhaps a bit more strain on the wheel bearings but essentially it’s the same as adding a lower offset wheel to your car. Marginal benefits are an increased track.

As you have studs it’s really easy for you to add a wheel spacer and see how you like it.

Thanks Nic. Will have a ponder.

[ste]

What 5 series is it? I'd imagine you're approaching an illegal towing weight at 1700kg. Loads of people are and don't realise.

F10 530d - rated at 2000kg.

Ace, that's a lot for an estate car, but they're big buses aren't they.

Often (not) surprised at track days to see how many obviously illegal tow rigs there are. It's not unusual to see something E39 sized with something e36/e46 sized on the back. Plus they've loaded tools and spare wheels on the trailer too.

[Swervin_Mervin]

What 5 series is it? I'd imagine you're approaching an illegal towing weight at 1700kg. Loads of people are and don't realise.

F10 530d - rated at 2000kg.

Ace, that's a lot for an estate car, but they're big buses aren't they.

Often (not) surprised at track days to see how many obviously illegal tow rigs there are. It's not unusual to see something E39 sized with something e36/e46 sized on the back. Plus they've loaded tools and spare wheels on the trailer too.

I'm surprised there aren't more done for this, not least given the licence limitations that were introduced in 1997.

Actually I've just checked mine and the online checker says I'm limited to 3.5t+3.5t trailer so less than the 8.25t quoted on the Gov site

[ste]

F10 530d - rated at 2000kg.

Ace, that's a lot for an estate car, but they're big buses aren't they.

Often (not) surprised at track days to see how many obviously illegal tow rigs there are. It's not unusual to see something E39 sized with something e36/e46 sized on the back. Plus they've loaded tools and spare wheels on the trailer too.

I'm surprised there aren't more done for this, not least given the licence limitations that were introduced in 1997.

Actually I've just checked mine and the online checker says I'm limited to 3.5t+3.5t trailer so less than the 8.25t quoted on the Gov site

Do you have C1 & C1E too? If so you can drive a vehicle >3,500kg / <7500kg with a <750kg trailer, hence the 8,250kg quoted on gov. site.

BE limits you to 3500kg + 3500kg, but C1 & C1E take over for higher mass if you have them.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I do aye. Just checked again and yep, 8.25t.

ISTR watching one of these Traffic Cops type shows once and they were targetting illegal towing weights. Primary target was, unsurprisingly, SUV drivers. I think pretty much every single one was over the limit.

[ste]

It's not even the licencing that makes most illegal, it's exceeding the braked trailer capacity of the tow vehicle.

[Nic]

Trailer weight checks are very frequent around me.

[ste]

How about fuel checks?

[Mito Man]

The groundworks people my parents used had a transit towing a 3 tonne digger replated as 2 tonnes - the transit was usually pretty loaded with block paving and other crap too. Still see them towing the same digger frequently as they’re very local.

Never had or seen fuel stops even when my car was pretty agricultural in spec and I went to a bunch of the local shows frequented by farmers - but if you’re going to run red diesel you might as well fit another tank and reroute the fuel lines. Plenty of space under ladder framed 4x4s to do that.

[NotoriousREV]

Yeah, VOSA will never think of looking for that

[Jobbo]

Steve, the towing capacity is probably insufficient for you!

Oh, I don't need a huge towing capacity. I just felt it was a good excuse to buy something daft

The Compact + trailer probably weighs about 1700kg. My 5-Series would pull it no problem at all. Until the day I need to get out of a muddy (or snowy) paddock, then I'd be screwed.

Towing weight for Grand Vitaras varies quite a lot depending on engine and trim, bizarrely. Ours is rated 1850kg which is more than I’d expected. The diesel 5dr (Renault engine, to be avoided) is rated 2000kg.

[V8Granite]

The groundworks people my parents used had a transit towing a 3 tonne digger replated as 2 tonnes - the transit was usually pretty loaded with block paving and other crap too. Still see them towing the same digger frequently as they’re very local.

Never had or seen fuel stops even when my car was pretty agricultural in spec and I went to a bunch of the local shows frequented by farmers - but if you’re going to run red diesel you might as well fit another tank and reroute the fuel lines. Plenty of space under ladder framed 4x4s to do that.

They checked the exhaust when I was checked, that was a good few years ago though, over 5 as I didn’t have Maxwell then.

Dave!