Your fleet running reports

[GG.]

Slow puncture in the NSR of the 911 so the old winters are getting binned and the Michelins swapped onto the new wheels whilst I get the old rims refurbed. Not sure if I’ll then sell them as realistically winters are mostly a waste of time in the south of England and I don’t really need a second set.

And for those that are wondering - yes you can get all four 19” wheels in the back of a smart forfour!

[Coaster1]

And for those that are wondering - yes you can get all four 19” wheels in the back of a smart forfour!

[Zonda_]

Merc flashed something up on the dash so quick I missed it and the Engine management light came on and it went Ito limp home mode. Codes said it was the MAF, apparently a common issue on these engines. Garage ordered a new on but on collecting it it was undriveable, no power and refusing to change gear. The garage did a lot of looking at it and saying, “we’ve fitted it right” so I told them to put the old one back on and refund me which they grudgingly did. The car is now driving fine and I have no idea what caused the issue originally!

[V8Granite]

Went car hunting with my Dad and he picked up a Kia Sportage 1.6 petrol.

It’s a mint 2017 with lots of toys for 15k, spare wheel, services included and 17,000 miles.

There are loads to choose from and most seem to be dirty, smelly and grime examples that have never been looked after. Surprising how people treat expensive items.

General quality of the car was only ok, there was not a single squeak or rattle though, seems nicely built.

Dave!

[Zonda_]

Other half wanted a Sportage but we couldn't find any 4wd ones within a sensible distance hence she ended up with the Godawful Mokka

[Sundayjumper]

Minor fettling on The Compact today ready for Bramley Targa tomorrow.

I’d fitted an E46 purple tag steering rack & a solid coupler a while ago but not got around to doing the tracking and trying it out. It’s a total plug’n’play and gets two thumbs up here.

I put a couple more fixings on the front mudflaps to stop them, err, flapping.

We then had slight panic because it wouldn’t start again. Symptoms exactly like a flat battery. But I’d just been for a drive and it had been fine. I thought sticky starter motor but no. I left the battery on charge; still no. Eventually, accidentally, discovered the positive connection on the battery was *slightly* loose. All fine again.

Fitted 10mm spacers all round with my “new” Style 46 wheels. The lightest OEM wheels at 6kg. Unfortunately the tyres on them are shite. Loads of tread but very old. So to scrub them a bit I went to a quiet road and did a nice big rolling burnout Would you believe, that’s the first time I’ve ever done that ?? Any time before I’ve had a car capable of doing a burnout I’ve also been terrified of the cost of new tyres. These wheels were £24 for the set so seeing as the rims are worth more than that the tyres effectively have a negative cost. And it was fun.

Finally, more flaps, for the Touareg. Cheap ebay “genuine” mudflaps but they fit very nicely. I am impressed. Will hopefully reduce the amount of carp sprayed on the front of the trailer.

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[Rich B]

Minor fettling on The Compact today ready for Bramley Targa tomorrow.

I’d fitted an E46 purple tag steering rack & a solid coupler a while ago but not got around to doing the tracking and trying it out. It’s a total plug’n’play and gets two thumbs up here.

I put a couple more fixings on the front mudflaps to stop them, err, flapping.

We then had slight panic because it wouldn’t start again. Symptoms exactly like a flat battery. But I’d just been for a drive and it had been fine. I thought sticky starter motor but no. I left the battery on charge; still no. Eventually, accidentally, discovered the positive connection on the battery was *slightly* loose. All fine again.

Fitted 10mm spacers all round with my “new” Style 46 wheels. The lightest OEM wheels at 6kg. Unfortunately the tyres on them are shite. Loads of tread but very old. So to scrub them a bit I went to a quiet road and did a nice big rolling burnout Would you believe, that’s the first time I’ve ever done that ?? Any time before I’ve had a car capable of doing a burnout I’ve also been terrified of the cost of new tyres. These wheels were £24 for the set so seeing as the rims are worth more than that the tyres effectively have a negative cost. And it was fun.

Finally, more flaps, for the Touareg. Cheap ebay “genuine” mudflaps but they fit very nicely. I am impressed. Will hopefully reduce the amount of carp sprayed on the front of the trailer.


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have you got an LSD on it too?

[Sundayjumper]

have you got an LSD on it too?

Yep, and it’s a 4.1 ratio so even with a puny 1.9 litre it lights them up no problem

I’d better do a video some time !

[Sundayjumper]

Team OV9 at the 2020 Bramley Targa

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[V8Granite]

Other half wanted a Sportage but we couldn't find any 4wd ones within a sensible distance hence she ended up with the Godawful Mokka

We only saw a couple of 4wd ones and they were diesels. I think loads were done on mobility so I’m guessing not many had a particularly interesting spec.

Dave!

[16vCento]

Found a couple of air leaks on the Volvo when fitting new upper and lower engine mounts yesterday.

Fully banana'd the Intercooler and the TB to Intercooler pipe was leaking at the joints.

Sorted joint leaks out and I've ordered a new Intercooler.

Also I got an S60R TB to Intercooler pipe to fit but looks like it needs a V Band Clamp rather than the standard Silicon Hose so that's a job for another day.

[Jobbo]

Washed the Volvo today for the first time since it was serviced last July. I’d even been green laning in it a couple of times so it was nice to get rid of the fronds of grass hanging down from the rear suspension at last. Also clipped back the two plastic clips which had been dangling down since being dislodged by ruts; there are plastic box things round the rear suspension arms which can’t do much, but the clips clearly aren’t up to Cross Country work. Hey, they didn’t break.

Since it started raining I didn’t start polishing them scratches out, though I think they might be simpler to hide by waxing because they’re only on the surface and can’t be seen when it’s wet.

Debating whether to send it back early now; it’ll cost me around £200 a month more than a 320d in fuel and £200 a month in excess mileage charges if I use it to commute from 1 April. I’m also likely to need a new pair of front tyres by 20k miles (currently on 16,500 - lease was for 16k and ends in June My mantra is to go low and pay the excess though because you don’t get anything back for handing it back under the contract mileage). Still not seen anything tempting to commute in so I’m thinking I’ll get a diesel Golf for now and change it when I see something I really fancy.

The new commute is 70 motorway miles each way and the incentive is that I will own the business, hence the current fiscal prudence with my next car choice until I see how well it does

[Carlos]

General quality of the car was only ok

Dave!

I'm a big fan of Kia, our Sorento was much better put together with nicer feel and tougher materials than the Gashqai and Outlander which preceded and came later.

A couple of my wife's mates bought 4wd Sportage's to tow horse boxes after Freelanders and really rate them.

[Carlos]

[mention]Jobbo[/mention] it's worth asking for an early settlement figure as I assumed there was a fixed formula but our Sorento went back with no charge 3 months early as the calculation which I was told took into account residual/current value was favourable !

[McSwede]

New tyre time again for the M140i. The rears are about shagged and the fronts aren't far off either.

Struggled to find anywhere with Goodyear F1 Supersport in stock in the correct sizes and then found some via Asda tyres. Fronts and rears fitted for £464 which isn't too shabby. They'll be on next Monday which gives me a little time to extract every last bit of rubber out of them. Some smokey 11's coming up

Rears will have done approx 12k in 4 months and I'm happy with that given the grip on offer and the treatment they get. Great tyre!!

ETA that the fronts have done about 25k.

[JonMad]

Team OV9 at the 2020 Bramley Targa


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Another excellent day doing Targa Rallying with Steve, Lots of sliding, lots of handbrake. Not much time between runs as we were running both cars, only about 10 mins before we had to queue up again for the next go.

I started a bit slowly I think, for some reason, but got into it and my times felt better - and I stopped hitting cones - a 10s penalty for each one. Steve was further up the order, about mid pack by lunchtime, where I was in the bottom half.

Test 7 was going well, I’d nearly completed it, when rounding a corner I managed to slide the Fabia straight on and into a ditch.

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I think I was a little too hot into the corner and turned in just after a crest, so the car didn’t have the weight on the front. We slid gently to a halt. The harnesses held us completely in our seats, we hardly felt a thing.

The car wasn’t being pulled out by manpower alone so we waited as a few more cars went past, waving them to slow as they approached, until I was pulled out.

The car was running and it looked like the bumper had been pushed in, and the radiator bent a little, but the sump guard took most of the, what was slow speed, impact.

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We continued in Steve’s car with more exuberant slidey action - I think we managed to go through one gate completely backwards, albeit after hitting it.

Once I scraped the ton of earth out from above the sump guard Steve was able to pop the bumper back down. It then didn’t look so bad - the rad hardly bent, the fans not touching the engine any more and the bumper mostly attached.

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Steve has offered to tow me home - as he has done from Oxford on a previous event after I broke down (coil) on the way up. This was only 20 mins home and the car looked fine, didn’t seem to be leaking anything, so I drove it home with Steve kindly following.

We parted ways at my local car wash. Now it’s clean it’s just a bit scratched and I might need a few bumper clips, but I’m hopeful the mechanicals are sound.

[mik]

Oops. Thankfully sounds like mostly ego damage

[Rich B]

Tough luck, but it’s a good story and the car is cheap enough to bend bits back when it happens! Hope nothings properly damaged!

[Coaster1]

Good report Jon

[Jobbo]

@Jobbo it's worth asking for an early settlement figure as I assumed there was a fixed formula but our Sorento went back with no charge 3 months early as the calculation which I was told took into account residual/current value was favourable !

That’s worth a try - cheers Carl