Your fleet running reports

[Beany]

I've been looking at this but it costs a silly amount for the old CCC idrive. I will stump up for it whenever I have my next big roadtrip though as it's worth it.

yeah, my M3 was the CCC, it was pretty limiting, I ended up just putting a DAB module on it that pretended it was a CD changer.

I'm considering doing (functionally) the same to get bluetooth audio in mine. As the (non Harmon Kardon) audio is a bit pish, it's not like it matters if it's SUPER SAYAN BLUETOOTH APTX AUDIO etc. Just skipping tracks with the wheel controls would be perfectly fine.

[Mito Man]

Hmm, I've avoided changing the whole screen as I think it would lose the original functionality/tv/trip computer/service intervals/tyre pressure reset etc.

[Barry]

Civic battery dead this morning, even the alarm was going off when I tried to open with the physical key, and I've never heard it go off before!

So yeah, Halfords solar panel trickle chargers don't work (at least not in UK winter). Back to occasional battery charging then.

Also, mould on back seats (they don't get direct sunlight), so that was awesome.

[Gavin]

Put the fully charged battery back in the Bongo today and drove to the supermarket. dropped my wife off, drove to jetwash, washed it with engine running then back to pick up my wife and shopping and then home. If the ladies who want to buy it manage to get through the snow it should run a little better and be less manky!

[Broccers]

Washed the boxster this morning in the local jetwash which had me looking like bamby. Been out in it this aft and its now covered in crap again. Pointless waste of time. Enjoyed having a drive out tho after a week or so of not going anywhere.

I'm glad I bought a new battery - they are worth buying if yours is old, bite the bullet.

[integrale_evo]

Started hosing the cars down to get the worst of the salt off. Gave up when my hand started going numb. It started spotting with rain and was hoping we’d get a decent amount to give them and the roads a proper rinse.



‘Sud is going to need a battery, after sitting a week it had just enough power to turn over slowly but not fire. Went straight away with a jump.

[V8Granite]

Civic battery dead this morning, even the alarm was going off when I tried to open with the physical key, and I've never heard it go off before!

So yeah, Halfords solar panel trickle chargers don't work (at least not in UK winter). Back to occasional battery charging then.

Also, mould on back seats (they don't get direct sunlight), so that was awesome.

A lot of them actually drain the battery as they don’t run a regulator. Lots of Solar panel and controllers would work great but if your car doesn’t have a high drain naturally then once a month on a charger or a drive is far easier.

Dave!

[Barry]

Civic battery dead this morning, even the alarm was going off when I tried to open with the physical key, and I've never heard it go off before!

So yeah, Halfords solar panel trickle chargers don't work (at least not in UK winter). Back to occasional battery charging then.

Also, mould on back seats (they don't get direct sunlight), so that was awesome.

A lot of them actually drain the battery as they don’t run a regulator. Lots of Solar panel and controllers would work great but if your car doesn’t have a high drain naturally then once a month on a charger or a drive is far easier.

Dave!

I don't think it does drain much tbh no, so I'll go back to regular charges via CTEK. Solar panel going back in the box..

[integrale_evo]

The Halfords ones are supposed to have a diode so shouldn’t cause a drain.

I didn’t have any luck with the one on the e36, but then the battery was probably already beyond saving before I bought it.

[Matty]

I looked at a few solar chargers when I realised I couldn't fit the Evora in the garage - they all got pretty crap results on the Lotus forums so I ended up just hooking the car up on the CTEK using an extension cable (and putting a bucket with a brick on top to cover the unit when it was raining and/or windy )

[16vCento]

I got an Absaar one off ebay which is the same as a Ctek mxs5? Has hardwired connection as well as the normal crocodile clips and was only 36 quid.

Does reconditioning as well as maintaining cycles as well and is suitable for AGM batteries.

[Explosive Newt]

Washed the boxster this morning in the local jetwash which had me looking like bamby. Been out in it this aft and its now covered in crap again. Pointless waste of time. Enjoyed having a drive out tho after a week or so of not going anywhere.

I'm glad I bought a new battery - they are worth buying if yours is old, bite the bullet.

It was very slow to crank up on Saturday, admittedly having been barely driven for the past month and a bit. Hopefully a couple of hours' driving has put a bit of lead back in its pencil but perhaps I should get a new battery in when I get the microswitch for the roof closing looked at.

There is an attachment for some kind of charger already hooked into the battery. If I can work out what it is, I might buy the corresponding charger to plug into it.

Although that is not a good plan for the future as the Mrs and I have put in an offer on a house without any off-street parking... (in our defence, it's verrrry nice).

[Broccers]

Washed the boxster this morning in the local jetwash which had me looking like bamby. Been out in it this aft and its now covered in crap again. Pointless waste of time. Enjoyed having a drive out tho after a week or so of not going anywhere.

I'm glad I bought a new battery - they are worth buying if yours is old, bite the bullet.

It was very slow to crank up on Saturday, admittedly having been barely driven for the past month and a bit. Hopefully a couple of hours' driving has put a bit of lead back in its pencil but perhaps I should get a new battery in when I get the microswitch for the roof closing looked at.

There is an attachment for some kind of charger already hooked into the battery. If I can work out what it is, I might buy the corresponding charger to plug into it.

Although that is not a good plan for the future as the Mrs and I have put in an offer on a house without any off-street parking... (in our defence, it's verrrry nice).

Buy one of these https://batteryfactory.co.uk/products/s ... -type-110/ Theres one bolt to undo at the left hand side on the battery in the car, slide left and hoik out. Its honestly well worth it as now mine is totally reliable again.

Went and washed off the car in the local wash this evening - how romantic

[Beany]

I went to the two local coin-op jet washes tonight, both were closed. It's just started pissing down though so perhaps that'll do the job till they get sorted.

[GG.]

Felt I had to do mine today as it was so covered in salt it looked like someone had speckled it with paint (you can see on the 944 in the background what I mean)

Hands were so cold by the time I finished that when I washed my hands in warm water afterwards it felt like my fingernails were going to come off



Seemed to attract a lot of attention driving around in a gleaming car when everything else was covered in muck. Rained four hours afterwards so pretty sisyphean task at this time of year as others have remarked.

[Broccers]

Felt I had to do mine today as it was so covered in salt it looked like someone had speckled it with paint (you can see on the 944 in the background what I mean)

Hand were so cold by the time I finished that when I washed my hands in warm water afterwards it felt like my fingernails were going to come off



Seemed to attract a lot of attention driving around in a gleaming car when everything else was covered in muck. Rained four hours afterwards so pretty sisyphean task at this time of year as others have remarked.

Worth the effort. Looks fantastic.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I've been putting ours off - the adjoining semi is being gutted at the moment and they're not the most diligent when it comes to the waste. Last week was all the tiles being chucked off the roof on to the front lawn, hence dust everywhere.

No point bothering until the worst of that is over. Shame though as both cars look disgraceful, covered in rubble dust.

[V8Granite]

The Morrison’s jet wash around here is really good. £3 for 7 minutes and the soap smells nice .

Both mine will get washed and rinsed with that today just to try and keep the salt from sitting for too long.

Dave!

[duncs500]

They've really gone bonkers with the salt round here, the roads are white to the point it looks quite weird.

Mild and rainy this week by the looks, so hopefully it will wash some away.

[Foz]

Initial impressions are the CarPlay module is very very good, the only glitch ones I have found is when you plug it into the USB charging port and try to play music- it seems to get confused and there’s a conflict between the external device wired integration and the CarPlay integration. I am using Tidal by the way.



Messaging, WhatsApp & google maps are all great.