N19

What is worrying me is whether, once it's gone to the 406, they'll next extend to the M25. That'll be a right bugger. I guess I'd have to fork out for something ULEZ compliant (assuming they don't change the regulations as to the age cut off). I couldn't justify two non-compliant middle aged cars... I'd probably keep the Mondeo for trips out of town, tip runs etc and pay the charge on the odd occasion I need to use it. (though it'd be a real bugger if I had to pay £10 just to go the 2 miles down the country lane to the M25). The Bluebird is the less practical of the two, so who knows.

They tried that in the 1980s in Doncaster - it didn't get anywhere though!

One of the indicators was a bit wonky. The plastic inserts crack and degrade over time. which can be solved with a nut and superglue...

A week off work beckons. I took a day-trip to Bristol... visiting such well known and iconic sights as.... Vale Street, the steepest street in England apparently. The scores on the road tell the story! still, the Mondeo made it to the top! A slightly better known landmark... . ... and then the best named kebab trailer I've ever seen ... Mondeo coped with all the motorway driving wonderfully - noticeably a nicer drive than the rest of the fleet, no achey back or fatigue. Get onto M4, set cruise control, point in the right direction, go. I've got the rest of the week off work, but I'm deliberately trying to avoid doing any big jobs on the fleet - done that before and the whole week suddenly disappears! But there may be a bit of tinkering time. Capri is in a bit of a hiatus at the moment. It's unclear exactly when there will be a slot in the bodywork bay of the garage to do the welding, so no rush to get the interior dismantled/underseal stripped (or gather together the cash!) but equally, a lot of the jobs on it are things I've gone "I'll sort that when it gets welded". I need to sort out the front bumper/indicator brackets, they're pretty knackered plastic jobbies and need repairing (a bit of steel and a nut & bolt) which I guess can be done easily enough as an independent piece of work.

London to Bristol in this very competent motor - 39mpg average, smooth as anything, and cruise control on the motorway a major noon.

Unfortunately at my workplace the go-to person if anyone needed a jump start etc would be.... err.... me! Jump leads cleaned up with a wire brush and contact cleaner, hopefully not let me down again, grumble, huff etc.

Tried jumping, no luck. (subsequently found my jump leads to have shit on one of the terminals which is probably the reason the quick solution didn't work). Called Autoaid. 90 mins for a bloke to come out and jump me... not ideal, but I was safe sitting in a car park being bored and it was my own stupid fault so can't complain.

Left the lights on all day. One very flat Mondeo.

Lovely Cortina!

I've seen a Focus Estate with minicab plates as an undercover car, and a Sprinter complete with rust stains everywhere and crap all over the dash. I guess they are very anonymous!

This week began with a need to send photos of the Capri to the insurers for the agreed value. You can tell the difference between the re-covered front seats and the original rear seats in this picture... although I'd like to get the rear ones done one day, money prohibits for now. The Mondeo returned to daily duties this week, the heated windscreen and heated seats being very useful in this cold snap. An eye kept on the coolant level, a top up here and there, and a nipped up jubilee clip and it seems to be good following the rad swap. Should be doing a few longer runs in the coming months to up north and to the west, which will definitely be good - it's an ideal car for long journeys. MPG wise, it hits 32-35 on the motorway but around town more like 23. Perfect* for outer London...

Is there a way of finding out about whether cars before the official cut off are compliant? Is it a case of trying to find out manufacturer information? I know it's 2005 by standard, but some were ahead of the time. Specifically a W-reg Mondeo...

In inner London, yes. My commute from Barnet to Wembley takes me 30-35 minutes Vs the 75 minutes on the bus/tube. And that's only at specific times because one of the buses is ridiculously infrequent, every 30 minutes. If I'm going into central, definitely get the bus or tube.

The Capri will prove handy - on occasion I want to pop just inside the ULEZ (eg to Muswell Hill or thereabouts) and it'll be the only fleet member allowed in. You have to laugh at the fact that the fuel injected, cat fitted Mondeo in the background is banned, but the Capri running carbs, points, condenser etc is allowed...

Another Barnetonian? Welcome!