GG. wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:50 am
I think @mik has now passed his Proctology exams - you can either take them via paper test or work on a Loltus. Coming to a doctor's surgery near you
Starting issues are also plaguing me... Porsche is flattening its battery every week or so so I think it is dead and needs replacing. Very annoying as I asked Porsche SE London to check and replace as necessary last time it was in and they fobbed me off saying it was fine, so now I need to make another journey to them. Plus being under warranty it will need a Porsche branded battery which I think is >£300
Range Rover also bonging low charge at me relatively regularly but with that I expect it could either be an issue with the stop start battery and/or potentially the alternator... to be investigated.
Smart is still at Mercedes as the replacement infotainment has not arrived from Germany as they take the whole Xmas period off Which of course then means Mrs GG is doing the first few days of the new school year on the bus which she's thrilled about...
This has been used on many many things and current draws are one of them.
GG. wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:50 am
I think @mik has now passed his Proctology exams - you can either take them via paper test or work on a Loltus. Coming to a doctor's surgery near you
Starting issues are also plaguing me... Porsche is flattening its battery every week or so so I think it is dead and needs replacing. Very annoying as I asked Porsche SE London to check and replace as necessary last time it was in and they fobbed me off saying it was fine, so now I need to make another journey to them. Plus being under warranty it will need a Porsche branded battery which I think is >£300
Range Rover also bonging low charge at me relatively regularly but with that I expect it could either be an issue with the stop start battery and/or potentially the alternator... to be investigated.
Smart is still at Mercedes as the replacement infotainment has not arrived from Germany as they take the whole Xmas period off Which of course then means Mrs GG is doing the first few days of the new school year on the bus which she's thrilled about...
That's the one in Sidcup? If so, pop by for a cuppa, I'm three miles away.
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 6:44 pm
by mik
Jimmy Choo wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:42 am
Mik is Mr Tickle AICMFP. Good work. It's always satisfying whey you can do that sort of repair although I expected 5 hours of your time as a LEGITIMATE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSMAN would be significantly more than the cost of getting your tuna to repair it.
Specialist is over in Edinburger, so it’s an hour to drive there and an hour and a half returning on the train. Repeat that to pick it up and that option is still 5hrs of my time… and about £55 in fuel + train tickets too
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 9:54 pm
by Matty
16vCento wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2025 1:18 am
Have you had a go of an F Type R or SVR?
Bit cheaper, but a bit more in the style of the VXR than the Alfa is I'd imagine?
I really like the F Type, especially the idea of the V8...but...I'd still struggle to look past the Evora (or even the Cayman) in that class. They do seem great VFM though.
mik wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 10:18 am
As I understand it - Lotus did something different at the mounting face. The internals are all standard Hitachi. (The motor designation is “S114-945” and I couldn’t find anywhere listing brushes that cited that part number. I found sellers listing sets that were compatible with multiple Hitachi models including S114-7xx and S114-8xx, and went for it. Lucky strike as they are identical).
When I was reading your fix I was thinking it might have been easier just to get the OEM part from whatever Toyota they nicked it from - still, either way the DIY fix was cheaper! And saving the planet with fix, not replace.
GG. wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:50 am
I think @mik has now passed his Proctology exams - you can either take them via paper test or work on a Loltus. Coming to a doctor's surgery near you
GG. wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:50 am
I think @mik has now passed his Proctology exams - you can either take them via paper test or work on a Loltus. Coming to a doctor's surgery near you
Starting issues are also plaguing me... Porsche is flattening its battery every week or so so I think it is dead and needs replacing. Very annoying as I asked Porsche SE London to check and replace as necessary last time it was in and they fobbed me off saying it was fine, so now I need to make another journey to them. Plus being under warranty it will need a Porsche branded battery which I think is >£300
Range Rover also bonging low charge at me relatively regularly but with that I expect it could either be an issue with the stop start battery and/or potentially the alternator... to be investigated.
Smart is still at Mercedes as the replacement infotainment has not arrived from Germany as they take the whole Xmas period off Which of course then means Mrs GG is doing the first few days of the new school year on the bus which she's thrilled about...
That's the one in Sidcup? If so, pop by for a cuppa, I'm three miles away.
Will give you a shout next time I'm down - started OK(ish) yesterday so may end up being in a couple of weeks as I'll need to repatriate the Smart from Brooklands next weekend
GG. wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2025 11:50 am
I think @mik has now passed his Proctology exams - you can either take them via paper test or work on a Loltus. Coming to a doctor's surgery near you
Starting issues are also plaguing me... Porsche is flattening its battery every week or so so I think it is dead and needs replacing. Very annoying as I asked Porsche SE London to check and replace as necessary last time it was in and they fobbed me off saying it was fine, so now I need to make another journey to them. Plus being under warranty it will need a Porsche branded battery which I think is >£300
Range Rover also bonging low charge at me relatively regularly but with that I expect it could either be an issue with the stop start battery and/or potentially the alternator... to be investigated.
Smart is still at Mercedes as the replacement infotainment has not arrived from Germany as they take the whole Xmas period off Which of course then means Mrs GG is doing the first few days of the new school year on the bus which she's thrilled about...
That's the one in Sidcup? If so, pop by for a cuppa, I'm three miles away.
Will give you a shout next time I'm down - started OK(ish) yesterday so may end up being in a couple of weeks as I'll need to repatriate the Smart from Brooklands next weekend
Grand!
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 2:17 pm
by NGRhodes
Steve the CRV with his 20% off road all season tyres is rather excellent on snowy roads, the FWD biased 4WD system transfers power to the rear nicely and stable on corners at sensible for snow road speeds.. The stability control required me being rather abusive in the local business park car park to get it to kick in and can control gentle slides on the throttle with ease with the stability control off.
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:35 pm
by Beany
I can confirm that continental summer tyres do nothing in six inches of snow. Although I mostly just wanted to verify that 'TRACTION' mode did allow proper wheelspin without cutting out etc should I actually need it in future.
Walked to the corner shop and got a pot noodle and some crisps for dinner
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:48 pm
by Sundayjumper
Jealous of the snow, even more now that I have a”proper” 4x4 to try out.
We had a light dusting yesterday evening that I couldn’t do anything about because I’d had four cans of beer, and it was all long gone this morning.
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:17 am
by Mito Man
First snow that has settled in the SE for the last few years - only an inch, and it seems like drivers here have picked up some new habits. 30% of cars had fog lights on and maybe another 20% with high beams. High beam wankers don’t seem to enjoy me returning the favour with my 50” lightbar. Probably still see a horizontal white strip as they try to sleep tonight…
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:22 pm
by Ascender
Just back from the shops.
"Do you have to go out in this right now, its tipping down?"
Yes. Yes I do.
It was supposed to be gone by now but this much has come down since about 9.
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 1:38 pm
by mik
Ascender wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:22 pm
"Do you have to go out in this right now, its tipping down?"
Yes. Yes I do.
You should consider a way to monetise this "need" Mike.
Ascender wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:22 pm
"Do you have to go out in this right now, its tipping down?"
Yes. Yes I do.
You should consider a way to monetise this "need" Mike.
Reminds me of the (supposedly true, most likely not) story of a guy in Denmark that had a snow plow attachment made for his Lamborghini Countach. It made the rounds when I was a teenager (the story, not the car).
Ascender wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 12:22 pm
"Do you have to go out in this right now, its tipping down?"
Yes. Yes I do.
You should consider a way to monetise this "need" Mike.
Reminds me of the (supposedly true, most likely not) story of a guy in Denmark that had a snow plow attachment made for his Lamborghini Countach. It made the rounds when I was a teenager (the story, not the car).
Now there's a business idea!
You could of course just use the current Lamborghini Sterrato to do the job without a plough. There was a video recently of a Sterrato and Dakar in the snow and the Sterrato turned out to be a great snowplough until getting stuck due to the amount of the white stuff and lack of clearance.
You should submit this for the cover of the next Christophorus
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 2:53 pm
by V8Granite
Doing some jobs on the Clio.
Seat lowered as spacers removed, the nuts you get at from underneath, they have a rubber cover (still rubbery) and the conical nuts were copper greased.
The rear discs hold the wheel bearing and mount to a stub shaft. They both removed well, no grease on the nut as it’s a locknut and the shaft had been scotchbrite cleaned previously as you can see the marks.
New break lines to the rear were paint marked.
All caliper (getting refused ones) bolts had clean threads and Loctite.
Whoever had it last really cared about maintenance and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
I appear to have bought a good one. Just one common place for rot in the rear quarter to check but even if that needs doing I’m very very pleased.
Dave!
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 3:23 pm
by Ascender
That must be a great feeling when you realise you've bought a good 'un @V8Granite and appreciate the work past owners have put in.
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 3:43 pm
by V8Granite
It’s had 14 previous owners and is on 136,000 miles but the interior and mechanicals show it’s been well cared for.
Also the last owner is a mechanic and the editor of LRM so I knew he was a good guy to buy a car from.
Expect a tired and overweight visitor in the autumn as I drive the NC500 with bangin choons and a baseball cap on pretending to be 18 again.
Dave!
Re: Your fleet running reports
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 3:56 pm
by mik
V8Granite wrote: Thu Jan 09, 2025 3:43 pm
Expect a tired and overweight visitor in the autumn as I drive the NC500 with bangin choons and a baseball cap on pretending to be 18 again.
