SiC

Is that code for the Invasion is canceled?

Absolute bargain. I guess they don't sell many extra large gloves and have massive overstock. Ordered 10 boxes. Still cheaper than the last box of gloves I ordered. I'll make them fit! No idea where I'm going to put them all

Is this picture taken outside your office? https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lf19/london/lots/r0064-2011-ferrari-458-challenge/819167

Can't be bothered to read back on this thread, but did you see this program: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/great-british-car-journeys/on-demand/70031-001 About midway through the episode there is a short section on Invalid Cars.

Does the VP + Maxi have a mechanical fuel pump? Can certainly imagine them requiring a fair bit of cranking to get fuel back up. I know the electric fuel pump on my MGB helps it going within 10 seconds, even if it's been sat a long time.

It been nearly a month since I've done any proper work on this. Irritating heavy weather and working outside don't go together. Today though has been a dry and sunny day, perfect for getting on with this wing. First jack the car back up. This led to an awful lot of water draining out of various areas. I need to get this back under cover before the worst of the weather hits. Need to move before that can happen... Sanded back the enamel paint I put on to protect my work. Lined up the piece I did last month to seal up the inner sill Tacked and seam welded Then got the next bit shaped up and cut out Welded and cleaned up Painted. Ran out of black but found an old tin of hammerite but in white Next up was tackling the hole in the arch. This is one of those jobs I know was going to be a massive PIA Removed the insulation in the engine bay. This broke up pretty easily. I think this area has been welded up before and this insulation got a bit burnt up anyway. This hole is clearly visible from the engine bay area too. TADIS Inside I cleaned up the area ready for a patch Welded the first patch in. This is in the drivers footwell. Not my best work for sure and a patch too. I couldn't get my head with the helmet on in the right place. Really could do with the column coming out so I could get closer. However it is solid. Otherside still to do. I plan to soak this area in paint, seam sealer and rust proofing to slow it degrading. How long it last depends entirely how the car is used. If undercover and used on nice days, it'll last decades. If daily driven in all weathers and seasons, probably a couple of years. The left of this, on the piece I put in, was actually a right angle. So I welded it up. This is even messier and I'm not happy with it. I'll clean it up with a grinder (if I can get in) and see what it's like. May use a die grinder to clean it all out an redo. Hopefully the nice weather will hold this week and I can get the bottom bit of the front wing on! After that, it'll be finishing fixing that wheel arch hole and then fix up the floor. Dash is currently out as I've found a rather nasty bit under the windscreen. Not sure I want to show that just yet - it's pretty bad. I can't weld that up really unless I have the windscreen out. That will have to wait till I move house first though. Windscreen needs to come out anyway as the window rubber is buggered and is letting water leak in at the bottom.

First Bristol is short of buses. Something to do with Wright Buses going broke. As there is a shortage of buses they have reinstated some of their older buses that were left parked up when newer ones came in. Unfortunately they haven't been that reliable coming back into service. They're a bit shonky! This evening my transport is this lovely old thing. Delayed going out as it appears they were topping up the coolant! Genuinely a lot smoother and quieter ride than their 2015+ buses we usually get around here. I guess because these are running slush autos rather than automated manuals? Interior seems brighter and more light in too. Bus lickers on here no doubt know all the differences. Interior is like going back in time! In surprisingly good condition considering how much uses these things have had. Seats could do with new foam though. Oh and the front display is a proper flip dot board.

Complain to Ofcom?

The thing is, anything is going to have potential problems. It's a case of picking your poison and taking it as a risk factor. Forums don't help as all problems come up and it can be hard to tell how common they really are. As my local garage says; they see all makes and models but they tend to see less Japanese. With modern cars I see the following options: 1. Buy something that you can afford to throw away if it pops suddenly and shortly after buying. For most this means sub £1.5k snorters 2. Buy brand new on finance. Potentially more expensive however you get a guaranteed cost per month and less sudden stress on your finances. Anything that goes wrong you throw it at the dealer to sort. When the finance period is up, chop it in for something else and rinse+repeat. Also get the shiny shiny new thing and choice how you want a car rather than trying to find one you want. 3. Buy something second hand but newish. Then gamble that it won't have problems in the same period that you could have bought a new car. E.g. spend £7000 and hope in two years and 20k miles it doesn't have any big bills. This on the basis that £1k down and £250pcm for two years would get you something equivalent and brand new. Risk factors on this depend on the make+model and their problems. You may wish to take extra risk on something German Exec over say the Honda CRV because it's a nicer place to sit. Also some cars have niggly problems that happen often and others have problems that are rare but are catastrophic. After that period you're basically quids in and winning. Just be careful not to get caught spending big bucks repairing something if it does break. 4. To the hell with it and just buy with your heart. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Many non car people tend to do this and seem to get away with it happily. Modern cars are a lot more reliable than ones of old. I'm currently doing number 3 with our 2010 A4 and winning. £4.5k two years ago and 22k miles later it's still working fine. I have had to put new tyres on it and the pads+discs will need changing all round. Something I wouldn't have had to do if I bought new. Luckily my local garage is cheap for consumables and servicing. It's at the point where if something expensive broke, I'd be happy to throw it away. Remember with relatively modern German cars is that they are worth a fair bit as parts. So just as "scrap" I can have someone take it away from me and still get a grand back - probably around a grand at the moment for it.

I thought the insignias all had the 2.0tdi engine from launch, that almost all liked to shit itself at low miles. Did the fiat 1.9ctdi ever make it on them?

You know when VAG make a blooper of an engine when a diehard VAG loving specialist moans about it. This video is a good watch Does make it tempting to just get something brand new when you can get a 420i on 1k down, £265 per month for a 8k p/a mile lease. Ok you don't get it at the end, but you also don't pay for any consumables and if it breaks you throw it back at the dealership for them to worry about.

I always feel with VAG you just have to pick carefully and wisely. E.g. EA113 2.0TFSi is pretty good and solid while the later EA888 2.0TFSi is shit. 2009 On CR 2.0TDI are good in longitudinal, earlier PD and crap oil pump drive are crap. Later 2.0TDI CR transverse seem pretty good. DSG depends on installation and year. 2005 on 6spd with wet clutch are generally good (can jolt their mechatronic but you can live with that), later 7spd units with dry clutch get through their clutches. But then you get 7spd in transverse and they have wet clutches and are reasonable but fluid changes are a nightmare (two different types of fluid in the box). Multitronic seems a complete liability no matter the year or generation. Get the right one then they tend to be pretty reliable and parts are plentiful on them. Get the bad models and they're shocking. However as they're so common, faults are well known and understood. Most garages will be very familiar with the common models and engines. Parts easy to get hold of and plentiful while massive commonality. Full diagnostics is easy with VCDS.

I know the e350 is supposed to be the pick of the engines. But then every modern engine seems to have its horror stories - except the 2.2 ctdi Honda lump. The e class seems to be a very popular Uber/Ola can around here. Because of that I've been in a few including today. I've always found that the interiors to be pretty decent and wear well tbh. Obviously get a pretty darn hard life as cabs in a city too... Especially as Uber/Ola cabs often do the nightshifts on the Fri/Sat.

These W212 are supposed to be proving more reliable than Mercedes would likely have them to be http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201910113209049 As this pre-facelift doesn't have the more modern blingy front end, they have dropped in value a fair bit. I personally think this style is more old money and classy looking.

Tbh I'd rather the A4 B8 with the longitudinal engine placement over the Superb transverse. Nicer appointed interiors too. We are currently up at 186k on our A4 with no major faults in the 180k odd I've known the car. Just avoid S-Line trim.