OV9

John wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 1:49 pm I've just had a quick look at the Hella lights, very understated and very different from the in your face Cibie Super Oscars we used to fit

Yeah but a white Evora with yellow Cibbies on the bonnet would look awesome

Dave!

Four. Lancia stratos style

There's a pod available for the Exige - maybe it can be made to fit.....

Matty wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 11:12 am

PaulJ wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 10:17 am

MikeHunt wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 9:53 am Am I the only one here that doesnt want the garage yet kid covering my car in swirls?

Is correct. Porsche always ask and I politely decline, as I enjoy doing it myself.

I should hope at £250+/hour labour rates on servicing they have proper detailers for their cleaning!

But would they use Buxton Spa water for the final rinse?

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:31 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 10:04 am I'm definitely moving it to the job jobbed column until I know different.

I know different. It creaks. Pants.

Took the headlight off again, and they've massively overfilled it. Almost to the top of the filler neck, nearly two inches above the max line.

Taking it back tomorrow so they can remove the excess fluid. Barstewards.

If it’s easier for you : just roll up a piece of kitchen towel, dip it in - remove and bin. Repeat with a fresh bit of towel til you are happy with the level.

I considered that option, but there's some kind of baffle thingy in the filler neck, so there's a high risk the paper will tear or get stuck, and that seems suboptimal.

Baffle thing probably lifts out.

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:48 pm Baffle thing probably lifts out.

TL;DR: It doesn't.

Spurred on by the might of men far more mechanically inclined than me (that's you lot), I figured I would have a go. So, light out, and here's where we started



The max line is just above the top of the main reservoir, at the bottom of the filler neck.

Going well so far


Ah. The baffle is part of the filler neck itself, it does not come out, and I cannot drain enough out to get to the max line.


Oh well, worth a try. And then I dropped one of the two feckin' screws that hold the light in place. It landed upright wedged under a bit of something and the undertray. What took the next hour, as I was on the on my back on my dad's drive while the mosquitos were buzzing all around and the light was fading, was pushing it back and forth underneath whatever piece of blasted plastic it was stuck under. I finally managed to get it out and then just had to redo two screws for the undertray, put the light back, and run inside.

Did I mention that my left shoulder is frozen and I can't move it? In short, I'm a muppet. Will swing by the dealer again tomorrow.

Edit: yes, I know the engine bay is filthy. But I cleaned the windows earlier, so...

John wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 1:15 pm

Excuse the ignorance and side tangent... I didn't realise you had a Caterham. Are you not quite tall? The only Caterham I've ever had the opportunity to sit in was Ben's (formerly of this shire)and my memory of it was that with the seat removed and me sat on the floor, back against the tank, pedals closer to my knees than my feet, high up my shins, I still couldn't anywhere near get my legs in. I'm 6ft 4ins (193cm).

It has forever put me off looking at them ever since. But if you're quite tall?

I’m definitely not tall at 5’9”

Mine is a standard S3 chassis with lowered floors but you’d still struggle I think. What you would need is the wider and longer SV chassis

A video here shows the difference

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 9:12 pm

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:48 pm Baffle thing probably lifts out.

TL;DR: It doesn't.

OK, my bad. They sometimes have a kind of basket / filter that lifts out.

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 9:12 pm And then I dropped one of the two feckin' screws that hold the light in place.

I know it's too late now, but one of those magnet-on-a-telescopic-rod things is an absolute lifesaver in these situations.

An F20 1-Series is longer, wider, taller and (a lot - 350kg) heavier than an E30 3-Series. That's progress for ya !

https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compar ... its=metric

Sundayjumper wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2026 8:23 am

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 9:12 pm

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 7:48 pm Baffle thing probably lifts out.

TL;DR: It doesn't.

OK, my bad. They sometimes have a kind of basket / filter that lifts out.

DeskJockey wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 9:12 pm And then I dropped one of the two feckin' screws that hold the light in place.

I know it's too late now, but one of those magnet-on-a-telescopic-rod things is an absolute lifesaver in these situations.

Yes. Mine is back home in London. My dad rang me later and as I was telling him about it, he said he had one of those magnet on a stick things.

I tried to use mine recently in a confined space and it kept jumping onto the metal surfaces at the side. Had to revert to my grabber. I think you should console yourself with the thought that you’d have had the same frustration.

I have one in my car grab bag, it would be infuriating to have a problem fixed at the side of the road only to be scuppered by a bolt in an unreachable place.

Dave!

KiwiDave wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2026 11:52 pm It has forever put me off looking at them ever since. But if you're quite tall?

@speedingfine is the man to speak to. IIRC he's over 6ft and he's had a couple of 7's.

I'm 6ft and I sat in an SV with a lowered floor, it was fine. I reckon would still be OK with a couple of extra inches, but as mentioned, SV/lowered floor may have been key here.

It has very little to do with height and mainly to do with what your long bits are, Fnar.

I'm 5foot 11 and my head is nice and comfy, my arms and legs are uncomfortable though and just turning the wheel felt awkward.
My friend at 6 foot 2 was absolutely fine.

Just try one with a lowered floor and see how you get on, I found I was driving from the elbows as I couldn't get a comfortable angle on my arms.

I found an Elise and VX220 no bother at all.

Dave!

Matty wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2026 9:18 am

KiwiDave wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2026 11:52 pm It has forever put me off looking at them ever since. But if you're quite tall?

@speedingfine is the man to speak to. IIRC he's over 6ft and he's had a couple of 7's.

I'm 6ft and I sat in an SV with a lowered floor, it was fine. I reckon would still be OK with a couple of extra inches, but as mentioned, SV/lowered floor may have been key here.

Yes, I'm 6'3, a lowered floor and a bag seat and basically lying down driving position meant I fitted. I would probably get an SV if I was having another one

Sundayjumper wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2026 8:25 am An F20 1-Series is longer, wider, taller and (a lot - 350kg) heavier than an E30 3-Series. That's progress for ya !

https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compar ... its=metric

It's damned near the size of - 15cm shorter than, and 20kg heavier than - an E46 saloon.

https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compar ... its=metric

Convertible is a fair bit heavier, but for clarity, both these cars are on 18" wheels. One just doesn't look like it.