OV9

It’s hard to tell these days.

Update on the water - it turns out there’s a very common problem on RHD 5 & 7 series where water gets in through a grommet on the passenger side of the bulkhead and runs down to the back of the car. I’ve removed the panel that covers the grommet on the engine side and it’s clearly been full of water many many times. Bingo, I hope.

Two new Goodyears fitted to the Up - fitted on the drive by Kwikfit for a decent price. Thankfully, both alloys are still round.

Bloke tells me pretty much all he's done for the last few days is replace tyres damaged by potholes, and had a few damaged wheels as well. We've not even had the hard winter and frost to really damage the roads yet....watch out for those puddles!

Sundayjumper wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:54 pm The nav is still on the original 2011 maps. Once my laptop finishes copying 23GB of new maps onto a USB stick I'll be able to update it.

I ended up buying a new USB stick as the old one wasn't playing ball. Several hours later:

Sundayjumper wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 12:29 am It’s hard to tell these days.

Update on the water - it turns out there’s a very common problem on RHD 5 & 7 series where water gets in through a grommet on the passenger side of the bulkhead and runs down to the back of the car. I’ve removed the panel that covers the grommet on the engine side and it’s clearly been full of water many many times. Bingo, I hope.

Think I mentioned this a few pages ago. Local specialist regularly finds them full of water. Says a lot of the newer models are getting a bit leaky

Front of boxster seems to attract stone chips. I'm taking the view I don't care so it can be the baggy Boxster I envisaged.

Took it out yesterday morning. Brilliant car. Makes you actually drive it.

The noise. Still going to aim gt3 on a budget

Did a bit of fiddling with the Average MPG counter on the OBC tonight while coming back from Hull.

Over pretty much flat parts, measured for a few miles at a time, resetting the OBC each time:

75mph = 25-27mpg
70mph = 28-30mpg
60mph = 33-36mpg
50mph = 36-40mpg (no, really)

That's not horrific but I imagine the 6th ratio on the newer cars helps by dropping each speed by several 100 RPM.

During my old commute to Andover in the 530d I found that dropping the speed from 70mph to 65mph was enough to just about hit 50mpg on a good day, which was nice. Made naff-all difference to the journey time too. I wasn’t full hypermileing but it’s interesting how much difference it makes if you actually think about your driving.

740d update - still full of water, looks like it’ll take ages to dry out. There’s probably the equivalent of an inch of water soaked into the carpet for most of the passenger side. That’s quite a lot. I’m seriously tempted to drill a little hole in the floor then seal it up with silicone once it’s all dried out.

Use a wet/dry vac to soak it up?

Pop a dehumidifier in there overnight.

Gwaredd wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 9:35 am Pop a dehumidifier in there overnight.

Ahead of you on this ! It’s too cold overnight, not much water evaporates out of the carpet. You get noticeably more out during the day.

So the car currently has a dehumidifier AND a fan heater in it.

Assuming the grommet in the bulkhead is the root cause, a bit of this and then some regular use driving to work will sort it.

New Falken tyres fitted this morning. I’ve only driven about two miles so far, initial impressions are they’re more positive but also more noisy. I’ll give them a chance to bed in and maybe drop the pressures a touch.

Other option is to buy a dessicant based dehumidifier which works down to lower temperatures. You could then use it in your garage after its done its job on the 7 series (assuming your garage is not heated/covered over by the first floor).

Before buying a convertible I knew nothing about drains. Guess that's Steve's issue with water. It's part of the service to clean them on mine.

Steve - I'm be worrying about knackering the computers and connections leaving it wet

Wet vac ASAP

Tyres sorted. Book pressure is 35psi, tyre place had set them to 40/42. Feels much better now they’re at the right pressure.

I’ll go out and do a 60-100 some time but I’ve had a few runs of about 40-80 and it feels very strong indeed.

It’s still early days and could all go horribly wrong, but so far I think this is the car I should have bought in the first place instead of the 5.

Sundayjumper wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 8:37 am During my old commute to Andover in the 530d I found that dropping the speed from 70mph to 65mph was enough to just about hit 50mpg on a good day, which was nice. Made naff-all difference to the journey time too. I wasn’t full hypermileing but it’s interesting how much difference it makes if you actually think about your driving.

Oh for sure, although I'm fairly sure that I should be getting a few more MPG at each stage.

I'm going to get around to buying that fucking thermostat one of these days

Beany wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:05 pm

I'm going to get around to buying that fucking thermostat one of these days

No you're not

Took myself to the walk in centre today at the hospital. I may not have mentioned twisting my knee getting in or out of the boxster.

Physio soon. Might keep the golf a month longer as I'm a cripple.

Broccers wrote: Sat Dec 28, 2019 6:08 pm Took myself to the walk in centre today at the hospital. I may not have mentioned twisting my knee getting in or out of the boxster.

Physio soon. Might keep the golf a month longer as I'm a cripple.

That’s what happens when you have a mid-life crisis

Gwaredd wrote: Sat Dec 28, 2019 1:15 pm

Beany wrote: Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:05 pm

I'm going to get around to buying that fucking thermostat one of these days

No you're not

We'll do it next time he's down here

Broccers wrote: Sat Dec 28, 2019 6:08 pm Took myself to the walk in centre today at the hospital. I may not have mentioned twisting my knee getting in or out of the boxster.

Physio soon. Might keep the golf a month longer as I'm a cripple.

Bloody hell. Mrs Newt counts me climbing out of the Boxster in a tight parking space as one of the funniest things she has ever seen.