Ban for old cars (10 yrs +) from city centres

[55bloke]

all hire cars now have to come with the sheet of paper saying what 'rating' they are, much like a fridge or cooker.

All new cars have to have this energy rating now, hire cars don't have to have one but a lot tend to get left in gloveboxes....

I don't suppose it includes the "carbon footprint" of the manufacturing process!

[r.welfare]

No, it doesn't! And I've never got close to the EuroMix consumption figure (also disclosed on that sticker) in any new motor, despite driving like a nun. I reckon my 405 is doing about 50mpg on a 'true' basis (i.e. fill it to the first 'click' on the pump, refill to same, work out mpg based on litres put in) which is good enough for me as I do a mix of A/B-road driving typically, with a bit of queueage.

[Albert Ross]

I probably average around 25 mpg with the Disastra, I thrash the crap out of it everywhere, loaded, with a trailer etc..........Last night I towed a Land Rover Chassis to Beccles, 370 miles return trip, and used approx 40 quids worth of diesel. I "stuck" to the speed limit all the way too. Except when the 40mph trucks were crawling along. Not bad for an old heap. The carbon footprint of my Land Rover that is nearing rebuild completion, must be miniscule, as at least 4 plastic cars would have been built and crushed instead of it.

[58classiccars]

hi all, I wish people would stick togeather on things like this, petrol prices going up, road tax, smoking in pubs and so on, we need to say, NO, we dont want this, its just something else we are being told not to do. there allways seems to be one law for us and one law for them. moan over

[MrRegieRitmo]

(i.e. fill it to the first 'click' on the pump, refill to same,

What's this 'click' business? The pump regularly stops filling & clicks whilst I'm trying to fill my Alfa. I find it a major annoyance, it can do it every few seconds. I don't recall it ever happening with my previous cars!

[pogweasel]

It clicks when it's full. Basically when fuel is not moving out of the filler nozzle it shuts off to stop your plimsolls getting covered in Unleaded. Clicking when the tank isn't full is because the angle of the filler neck/ narrow filler neck width not allowing fuel into the tank fast enough. Try turning the nozzle upside down. I've had a few motors which click infuriatingly as you fill the right way, but it goes straight in tother way up. Also, ease off the handle just a smidge. Still pumping quite fast, no clicking.

[r.welfare]

I believe in other countries - the US is one - the pumps are designed to automatically dispense (by pushing the handle over a stop) until they reach the first click, allowing you to nonchalantly rest against the rear quarter panel and look cool in a 'look - no hands' kinda way. Be nice if they could do this in this country, but there you are. I think as a nation we fill to a certain price, rather than top up the tank.Slurping unleaded (or especially DERV) all over the side of the car and onto the forecourt is annoying and bloody expensive these days. Mind you, my driveway is still covered with patches of veg oil as I haven't bought a suitable pump to get it into the tank - my Heath Robinson method of decanting it into a jerry can is a little sloppy

[wuvvum]

I believe in other countries - the US is one - the pumps are designed to automatically dispense (by pushing the handle over a stop) until they reach the first click, allowing you to nonchalantly rest against the rear quarter panel and look cool in a 'look - no hands' kinda way.

Everywhere I've been in the US in the recent past you're expected to pay for your fuel in advance, and then the pump is programmed by the cashier to stop when it's dispensed the amount you've paid for. Reduces fuel thefts but it makes it difficult to brim the tank, unless you know exactly how much it can hold - and presumably if you pay for more than your tank can hold you don't get the difference back.

[CortinaDave]

I had that when i was on Rhodes last year.. they had automatic pumps you slotted a 10/20 euro note into then it dispensed that amount of fuel.Problem was i had to give the car back to the hire people with a full tank.. most annoying when the fuel gauge was a bit dodgy and i put in 20 euro worth, only to see it read 3/4 tank.. so i got out and fed another 10 euro note in... and got 2 euros worth of fuel before it brimmed. Grrrr!

[Marty]

I believe in other countries - the US is one - the pumps are designed to automatically dispense... Be nice if they could do this in this country, but there you are.

If your car has a removable filler cap you can wedge this under the pump handle so that you can do the above (nonchalantly lean against the back of the car and light a fag....)

[Richard]

The pumps in this country do have that feature but most of them have it disabled by removing the pins in the base of the handle.