Your fleet running reports

[_andy]

The Smart car has shit its water pump, and is currently at the local specialist having it replaced. I don't think there can be much of the original car left at this point, so I've thinking about swapping it for something else, the only candidate (other than a newer model Smart car) is a Toyota iQ, does anyone have any experience with them? I'd probably go for the 1.33 with the auto/CVT box.

Does it have to be that small ?

I’ve been really impressed with my mums Citigo and I think Matt is quite keen on his UP.

Dave!

Afraid so. It's street parking only with Victorian terraces, which together with most idiots not being able to park to save their lives means spaces are at a premium. You tend to end up with small spaces which most cars (except Smart/iQ type things) can't fit into.

[Carlos]

The Smart car has shit its water pump, and is currently at the local specialist having it replaced. I don't think there can be much of the original car left at this point, so I've thinking about swapping it for something else, the only candidate (other than a newer model Smart car) is a Toyota iQ, does anyone have any experience with them? I'd probably go for the 1.33 with the auto/CVT box.

Does it have to be that small ?

I’ve been really impressed with my mums Citigo and I think Matt is quite keen on his UP.

Dave!

Afraid so. It's street parking only with Victorian terraces, which together with most idiots not being able to park to save their lives means spaces are at a premium. You tend to end up with small spaces which most cars (except Smart/iQ type things) can't fit into.

Do you park perpendicular to the kerb ?

ETA as I saw one parked like that recently and didn't realise how short they are.

[_andy]

Does it have to be that small ?

I’ve been really impressed with my mums Citigo and I think Matt is quite keen on his UP.

Dave!

Afraid so. It's street parking only with Victorian terraces, which together with most idiots not being able to park to save their lives means spaces are at a premium. You tend to end up with small spaces which most cars (except Smart/iQ type things) can't fit into.

Do you park perpendicular to the kerb ?

ETA as I saw one parked like that recently and didn't realise how short they are.

I never have, but there is a guy here with a current model Smart that has done it a few times. It does stick out into the road a fair bit though so it's not something I'd do personally, although the gen 3 Smart seems noticably larger on the occassions I've parked my one next to it, so I might get away with it.

One other thing that puts me off is that he once parked like this, then the next morning all the other cars left and his was left sitting there surrounded by empty space facing the wrong way.

[Mito Man]

Does anyone have experience with fuel stabilisers? More for garden equipment than cars but I serviced and ran the log splitter dry end of Jan.
Went to fire it up yesterday and it stalls if not on full choke. Carb bowl gummed up with bits of ethanol and rust which has all gone into the jets. Chucked it all in the ultrasonic cleaner but what a PITA and that’s on 5% ethanol. RIP everything when we get 10% ethanol.
Oh got fresh fuel, I noticed for the first time that the bloody stuff doesn’t even have a slight yellow tint anymore.

Anyway enough old man yells at cloud for today...

[Rich B]

Is it not better to leave equipment full of fuel rather than dry? More air space - more rust?

[integrale_evo]

Our mower has been left from November until march with fuel in every year with no issues, and cars considerably longer

[Mito Man]

On garden equipment you just end up with jelly in the carb bowl. Although leaving it dry left it with sugar crystals. Can’t win it seems

[mik]

Petrol goes off over time. Not very predictable, but if your equip is acting up after sitting for a few months with fuel in it, this has to be a consideration.

My dad always left his mower full of fuel over winter. Usually no
Issue. One year it would not start and we wasted about 2hrs pulling it apart and scratching our heads. Finally drained and refilled the fuel as a “it won’t be this, but we might as welly try before we bin the mower”. Started and ran perfectly.

[Mito Man]

Yeah you can test it with a match. Bad fuel will barely catch fire with a match and burn very weak.
Obviously take a few drops out the tank before doing this

[JonMad]

Giving up on this one bastard bolt that’s stuck on my sump guard and taking it to a professional. Got it on some taller ramps. Tried drilling it and it doesn’t appear to be making any inroads into the bolt. Tried the next size up torx bit as well with no joy.

Taller ramps are cool though.

E06AB6F5-8D2B-4AA5-826B-7459C44DA250.jpeg (110.45 KiB) Viewed 2129 times

[Rich B]

Giving up on this one bastard bolt that’s stuck on my sump guard and taking it to a professional. Got it on some taller ramps. Tried drilling it and it doesn’t appear to be making any inroads into the bolt. Tried the next size up torx bit as well with no joy.

Taller ramps are cool though.

E06AB6F5-8D2B-4AA5-826B-7459C44DA250.jpeg

you don’t deserve tall ramps.

[JonMad]

But the tall ramps were great for putting 8 brand new bolts* in for the ones I did get undone. An activity that, you may be surprised, didn’t take me very long as all.

*M8, 13mm socket jobs, with washers. No more of this countersunk shit.

[Mito Man]

[Carlos]

But the tall ramps were great for putting 8 brand new bolts* in for the ones I did get undone. An activity that, you may be surprised, didn’t take me very long as all.

*M8, 13mm socket jobs, with washers. No more of this countersunk shit.

What happens when you knock the heads off on a rock ?

[Beany]

Giving up on this one bastard bolt that’s stuck on my sump guard and taking it to a professional. Got it on some taller ramps. Tried drilling it and it doesn’t appear to be making any inroads into the bolt. Tried the next size up torx bit as well with no joy.

Taller ramps are cool though.

E06AB6F5-8D2B-4AA5-826B-7459C44DA250.jpeg

I've never seen ramps like that before, what are they?

[JonMad]

Giving up on this one bastard bolt that’s stuck on my sump guard and taking it to a professional. Got it on some taller ramps. Tried drilling it and it doesn’t appear to be making any inroads into the bolt. Tried the next size up torx bit as well with no joy.

Taller ramps are cool though.

E06AB6F5-8D2B-4AA5-826B-7459C44DA250.jpeg

I've never seen ramps like that before, what are they?

Here you go.

[Rich B]

They’re cool, but I dont think I’ve ever owned a car that could manage that approach angle!!

[JonMad]

They’re shallower than the other ones I was using (non jacking).

Me and a few local chaps all with Meganes bought these between us, or some very similar ( MCTECH Metal Vehicle Car Ramps With 2 Ton Hydraulic Jack Lift Car Hydraulic Ramp Car Maintenance Ramps , Height Adjustable For Garage Heavy Duty Vehicle Van, Set of 2 )

On the assumption that a lowered Megane will get up them. I don’t think anyone’s tried that yet though.

[Simon]

A friend has those for his E Class, along with the 'ramp extensions' which make the initial angle much smaller...

Like this:

[mr_jon]

-20 man points for not being able just to zap if off with grinder.

That vid of the Citroen WRC guys completely rebuilding a 3-wheel car in 30 mins would be good one to watch