OV9

Mmm, fritters...
but , needs must and all that.

I just took my Golf to get new front tyres (12k miles), I went to Kwikfit because that's where the lease company has the account. My spidey sense tingled before I went in so I took a photo of the front right wheel before thinking I can't be arsed to take a photo of the other one.

They did the tyres, and sure enough, there's a big chip out of one of the spokes on the front right wheel! To be fair, they didn't deny it (when I showed them the before photo) but I'm sure it'll turn into a hassle. The main issue is they are diamond cut spokes, so any damage will end up spreading.

Excuse the filthy wheel, underneath they are (were) in perfect condition.



Lots of arse covering emails sent, I expect nothing to get sorted though.

W124 now on eBay as the missus wants a dog

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124789089622

Rich B wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:30 pm
Blah de blah

Back in 2006 when my WRX ended up with £4.5k of front end repairs due to an XC90 reversing over us, I handed it to the Subaru stealership to fix it.

After 3 attempts at the bonnet (apparently the paint didn’t like alu) I got it back with 2 kerbed alloys. They were spotless going in so I raised the issue.

Eventually they agreed to swap them with two from a new Impreza on the forecourt. But I could not have the new tyres - they would swap over mine. Fine.

Went to pick up the car, and fuck knows what they had done but there was about 50% paint remaining from the rims of both wheels. Called the service guy out and said I wasn’t accepting them - he came out in a huffy strop but I thought he was going to faint when he saw the mess of them.

I got the other two new wheels instead - with tyres.

Also a tyres update. I got Goodyear Assymetric 5s for the rear of the Merc because they seemed a more appropriate match for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 on the front. I was impressed how both dealt with a lot of standing water on the motorway this morning; all the other traffic went down to 60 at one point so I carried on at 70 up the empty but very wet outside lane and had complete confidence in them. Makes a nice change; usually I've been down to 50mph and being overtaken in those conditions on the old PZeroes

Further tyres update: the Yokohama Geolander A/Ts on the Jimny are bloody good.

Rich B wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:30 pm I just took my Golf to get new front tyres (12k miles), I went to Kwikfit because that's where the lease company has the account. My spidey sense tingled before I went in so I took a photo of the front right wheel before thinking I can't be arsed to take a photo of the other one.

They did the tyres, and sure enough, there's a big chip out of one of the spokes on the front right wheel! To be fair, they didn't deny it (when I showed them the before photo) but I'm sure it'll turn into a hassle. The main issue is they are diamond cut spokes, so any damage will end up spreading.

Excuse the filthy wheel, underneath they are (were) in perfect condition.



Lots of arse covering emails sent, I expect nothing to get sorted though.

These lads are quite good - maybe there is a franchise near you?
https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/company-profile/

edit also if its a vwfs lease the charge for a wheel was something low like 60 quid so maybe check the terms and leave it.

speedingfine wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 7:09 pm W124 now on eBay as the missus wants a dog

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124789089622

£3k doesn't go far in the dog world these days...

Broccers wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:11 am

Rich B wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:30 pm I just took my Golf to get new front tyres (12k miles), I went to Kwikfit because that's where the lease company has the account. My spidey sense tingled before I went in so I took a photo of the front right wheel before thinking I can't be arsed to take a photo of the other one.

They did the tyres, and sure enough, there's a big chip out of one of the spokes on the front right wheel! To be fair, they didn't deny it (when I showed them the before photo) but I'm sure it'll turn into a hassle. The main issue is they are diamond cut spokes, so any damage will end up spreading.

Excuse the filthy wheel, underneath they are (were) in perfect condition.



Lots of arse covering emails sent, I expect nothing to get sorted though.

These lads are quite good - maybe there is a franchise near you?
https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/company-profile/

edit also if its a vwfs lease the charge for a wheel was something low like 60 quid so maybe check the terms and leave it.

Don’t fill in any details unless you intend to have work done, they spam you good and proper

I finally started to tackle the front suspension on the Cayenne. Apart from having funky active ARBs it's an identical setup to the Touareg. And identically to the Touareg, two of the lower wishbone bolts are well & truly seized. The classic "steel bolt through aluminium bush" situation. I ended up cutting them off last time and we may well have to do the same here. But this time I've ordered new bolts *before* cutting stuff. I also discovered the ARB bushes are totally shot and may well have been the source of the clonking noise I'd assumed was the lower wishbones. Ordered some of those too. And it's started throwing an error code to do with the bank 2 valve lift solenoid. Cheap Porsche is not cheap...


Also new tyres all round ordered for the MINI, to be fitted Thursday. Nothing special but a) new and b) not RFTs. I'm hoping for a noticeable difference from the 6yo P-Zero RFTs that are on there right now.

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:16 am Cheap Porsche is not cheap...

Was Nic right after all?

Lucky I spotted this coming up because the Merc dash only shows you the mileage briefly before reverting to whatever alternative display you've chosen:

jamcg wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:37 pm

Broccers wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:11 am

Rich B wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:30 pm I just took my Golf to get new front tyres (12k miles), I went to Kwikfit because that's where the lease company has the account. My spidey sense tingled before I went in so I took a photo of the front right wheel before thinking I can't be arsed to take a photo of the other one.

They did the tyres, and sure enough, there's a big chip out of one of the spokes on the front right wheel! To be fair, they didn't deny it (when I showed them the before photo) but I'm sure it'll turn into a hassle. The main issue is they are diamond cut spokes, so any damage will end up spreading.

Excuse the filthy wheel, underneath they are (were) in perfect condition.



Lots of arse covering emails sent, I expect nothing to get sorted though.

These lads are quite good - maybe there is a franchise near you?
https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/company-profile/

edit also if its a vwfs lease the charge for a wheel was something low like 60 quid so maybe check the terms and leave it.

Don’t fill in any details unless you intend to have work done, they spam you good and proper

Thats very correct !

Rear headrest screens fitted and connected to the front one in the XF, should stop the moaning on the way to the Caravan (I hope).

Jobbo wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:32 am

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:16 am Cheap Porsche is not cheap...

Was Nic right after all?

Right about what ? That buying a suspiciously cheap Cayenne unseen is a guaranteed easy flip for several grand profit ? I'm not sure that worked out too well

If the noises the car made when going over some cobbles to park at the vaccination centre yesterday are anything to go by, I think I need to invest in some bushes for the front end. The ones that bolt to the 'rear' of the wheels on the chassis were a bit wobbly anyway (MOT centre says 'they all do that sir' and passes it with them) but I'd expect that level of noise suggests that other ones need looking at too - ARB bushes probably. I should probably go give anything that attaches to the subframes and body a good tweek and see what sort of shape they're in.

That's what I get for going for an MSport I suppose

That said, it felt quite happy after three quarter an hour of zipping around bradford - torquey and raspy and eager- I should probably go on a run at some point just out of town to let the thing stretch it's legs a little more than it has over the last 18 months.

Jobbo wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:08 am Further tyres update: the Yokohama Geolander A/Ts on the Jimny are bloody good.

Very much this. I was really impressed with the traction they found in boggy bits and how well they coped with rocky steps.

Where's best for car batteries these days gents? I haven't bought one in probably over 15yrs. Halfrauds or is there a better option?

I've given up on the original one in the 330 - gone flat too many times this last 12mo and, whilst I could just stick it ont he CTEk again, it seems a bit daft. I suspect the battery's now well past its best anyway. 15yrs and 127k isn't too bad.

Tayna are very good.

I've had three off them in the last year, good prices and fast delivery.

I like Yuasa and Exide for the good old lead acid ones. Got 10 years out of the Exide before buying a new one for the car and using the old one for my solar power bank. The Yuasa is only 6 years old so can’t comment.
If you’ve got 15 years out of the BMW one it may be worth asking the BMW service parts chap how much one is whilst giving him a wink and licking your lips - the OEM BMW AGM batteries are cheaper than anything non branded. I think they may be rebranded Varta batteries.

Mercedes went into limp mode so off to the garage earlier today. Garage phoned in a very sombre tone then said "pick it up, fuse 24 had blown" and managed to throw 13 different fault codes!

They "think" possibly I was pulling away from low revs in a high gear and it caused the turbo actuator to overheat or something like that. Moral of the tale seems to be use the loud pedal harder so I am assuming some labour and a fuse in the bill so not too bad at all!

Mito Man wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 4:06 pm I like Yuasa and Exide for the good old lead acid ones. Got 10 years out of the Exide before buying a new one for the car and using the old one for my solar power bank. The Yuasa is only 6 years old so can’t comment.
If you’ve got 15 years out of the BMW one it may be worth asking the BMW service parts chap how much one is whilst giving him a wink and licking your lips - the OEM BMW AGM batteries are cheaper than anything non branded. I think they may be rebranded Varta batteries.

Cheers guys.