Your fleet running reports

[speedingfine]

190 miles around Wales in the pissing rain today. More proof if proof be need be that the full hood is essential. It would be shit with a half hood. Everyone else is clearly DIW

Would've been fine in a half hood!

You sold the car before we could have a back to back test

[duncs500]

190 miles around Wales in the pissing rain today. More proof if proof be need be that the full hood is essential. It would be shit with a half hood. Everyone else is clearly DIW

Would've been fine in a half hood!

You sold the car before we could have a back to back test

The Elise is positively luxurious in comparison.

[Broccers]

So from this....








Initially I was thinking hmm not reflective so is this a problem - as its reverse and indicators only maybe not.

Surprised they came apart and we got to this stage tbf. Maybe some reflective vinyl is what we need?

[Beany]

I was taxi for the night tonight. Sat Nav was low on battery and kept shutting off, so just pootled around central Leeds.

God, torque is a lovely thing to have for unexpectedly joining on-ramps to dual carriageways. Also, tunnels, lots of tunnels

Fun times. Need a loud zorst and induction though.

[Sundayjumper]

I just used an old car battery charger and a bit of old stainless steel pipe.

Does it need to be an old fashioned “dumb” charger ? I don’t have one of those any more, modern ones don’t kick in if they don’t think they’re attached to a battery. Can you just use a battery ? Maybe with a charger attached to keep it topped up.

[Sundayjumper]

I’ve not updated on the general fleet for ages. They all seem to be going wrong at once right now !

MINI - having fixed the a/c at last, it promptly failed its MOT with a split CV boot & a leaky power steering hose. CV boots are a horrible filthy job so I’m inclined to just buy a new pair of driveshafts. Changing the complete shaft is fairly straightforward. For the p/s hose, I can’t see a leak because of all the general oil & muck. I’ll have to jet wash the general area before I can pinpoint it. The car is nothing special but we’re all quite fond of it so I want to keep it going.

Touareg - I’m meant to be selling it but the MOT runs out on Thursday and I’m not hugely confident it’ll pass another one without a bit of pain. It really, really struggled to get through emissions last year. I’ll have to put it in and see what happens. I also need to remove the tow bar before I get rid.

740d - Also meant to be selling it but I don’t really want to, I’ll see how long I can string it out I think it needs one or more glow pugs, and it judders a bit under breaking. Otherwise I still like it a lot more than the 530d before.

Q7 - It’s now persistently throwing an error for one of the DPF pressure sensors, and the rear suspension sags if I don’t drive it for a couple of days. Both *should* be quite straightforward (new sensor, new residual pressure valves), I ought to just chuck it back at the dealer but honestly, for the sake of the wife & I doing a couple of 2hr round trips to drop it off & collect it again it’s easier if I just do it myself. When I get around to it...

Aston, Porsche, Compact - No news. I used the Porsche for an Autosolo in July. Aston & Compact have not been used for ages.


Currently lamenting the fact I don’t live up north. One of the clubs has an event this weekend, they have a 30 acre stubble field for the day, they’re laying out a 1.2km autocross circuit and it’s run like an open pit track day. Sounds bloody brilliant

[Rich B]

I couldn't be dealing with all that! It sounds like a full time job!

[Sundayjumper]

It’s a hobby. If it was a job I’d be getting paid for it

[Carlos]

Can you put a pint of kerosine in modern diesels to clean them up a bit ?

[integrale_evo]

I just used an old car battery charger and a bit of old stainless steel pipe.

Does it need to be an old fashioned “dumb” charger ? I don’t have one of those any more, modern ones don’t kick in if they don’t think they’re attached to a battery. Can you just use a battery ? Maybe with a charger attached to keep it topped up.

Yeah, pretty sure the modern ones don’t work. Mine is an old 70s / 80s one I nicked off my dad which just has a lo/hi rocker switch and a gauge on the front.

Don’t think just a battery would work as the current wouldn’t be regulated so it would just try and short out, probably drain quicker than the charger would keep it topped up?

Can probably buy a universal power supply for reasonable money?

[Sundayjumper]

I'll see if my Dad has one. He probably does.

Wife was semi-nagging today about fixing the MINI so I bit the bullet, picked up some CV boots from ECP this afternoon and set to. It turned out to be a lot easier than I was expecting. I still can't see which bit of power steering they thought was leaking but part of it runs right next to the split CV boot and was unsurprisingly quite soaked with oil. I've got a strong suspicion they didn't put two & two together there.

Q7 - One downside of having an unusual spec car is that there's not much owner experience to draw on. Example - where are the DPF sensors ? I couldn't find anything about the V12 but I came across one post claiming that on the V8 they're on top of the gearbox and almost impossible to access. Turns out that on mine, they're right next to the screen wash Hella replacements ordered for £18 each. Tomorrow: investigate leaky rear suspension !

F3BE6588-9CDF-41F6-9CC8-5B90164B3160.jpeg (121.85 KiB) Viewed 2116 times

[Sundayjumper]

And although I’m pretty sure Jimmy was joking a few pages back, this is what’s under the engine cover:

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[Nathan]

Looks like a boat or plant engine

[Matty]

Finally got around to fitting the BBS

upgti_bbs.jpg (158.44 KiB) Viewed 2044 times

I'm not entirely sure on the colour, I think I'd have been better off going with an anthracite TBH. Needs new centre caps (and a proper clean to get the goo off), plus probably needs lowering now to get rid of the monster truck look.

But the important thing is it rides significantly better; no more crashing over minor bumps in the road or dodging every minor indentation to save the wheels. I've also saved 1kg per corner too. I need to tweak the tyre pressures some more, but otherwise, from a dynamic sense (if not a visual one) it's a winner.

[Broccers]

Like it

[V8Granite]

That’s a really nice tyre to alloy ratio, looks really good.

Dave!

[Alex_]

Kerbed the NFS alloy but no idea how I managed it . Think it might have been a pothole...

[Broccers]

Smart repair should sort that

[duncs500]

[mention]Matty[/mention] Looks good to me!

[Sundayjumper]

Kerbed the NFS alloy but no idea how I managed it . Think it might have been a pothole...

Blame the wife