Markeh

My initials spell out MAP so any chance of a cheap plate is out of the window. I am giving thought to a cheap plate to chuck on though. The one I'd have is only 250 as well.

Mine arrived this morning and will be saved for the big day.

Dispatched today. Hopefully early-mid next week, one of you will be delighted. Or questioning why you signed up for this. One of the two.

Arrived today and promptly fitted to the shitey modern.

I think this is the most active year I've ever had. Out: In and Out: Remain (although if it carries on being a pain in the arse it won't be remaining much bloody longer!):

And as quickly as it arrived, the Emergency Loo has left this evening to a friend of a shiter. I've made a drink, the blood bikes got a sizeable donation that'll help them out, the new owner has a hopefully decent steed for his commute, everyone's a winner.

Had a quick look during daylight. For the age and mileage, the bodywork is not in terrible condition. There's a few scratches on the tops of the wings, and a dent by the Skoda badge on the boot, but most of the paintwork has likely been protected by the livery. You may be able to see where it said ambulance on the bonnet. Hilariously, the red is just laid on top of the ambulance green! The boot and bumper lights were added when it was turned into a blood car. The light bar would have had a controller, this has been pulled so obviously the lights won't work. Interestingly, the headlights and telltale appear to be on with the ignition, no matter what I do with the switch. Maybe a side effect of the system being removed. The window tints aren't great in the back window, not sure if done while an ambulance or not. The camera on the plate surround was previously connected to a rear view mirror screen we believe. Couple of missing parking sensors - the two that are there continuously beep. I'm assuming this is due to an incomplete system but VAG aficionados probably know better than I do. I am told the wheels do look a bit shit behind the muck. Seats aren't too horrifically worn, gear knob more so, as is the wheel. That Parrot kit is dead, why its fitted I'm not sure as I believe the Bolero stereo would've had BT from factory? There's an on off switch for the Parrot kit but it does nothing. You can see where a lot of stuff would've been mounted. I'm told the thing left on is a tablet holder. This control panel is interesting. I can enable or disable the aux battery, and link the two systems should you need to e.g. the battery's shit and won't start it. Sat nav/TV is on apparently, no idea what it does. There's instructions for a 7 inch monitor and a DVB-T tuner in the book pack. Not tried the hazard switch but screw holes in the dash mean you probably couldn't have reached the factory one. Glovebox? Who needs one of those... Nice to see its had genuine Octavia mats fitted though. Back seats unsurprisingly quite tidy! Nice invisible repair there. Spec wise it's not bad, climate, auto lights (although looks like they're always on), all round leccy windows, CD changer, cruise. No glovebox, parcel shelf, boot floor or bonnet release indicate this was an Octavia Superleggera spec. Also no locking wheel nut key but it looks like no locking wheel nuts fortunately! Faults wise, I've spotted the following: Dicky fuel gauge. Reports fine at first but drops to nothing pretty soon after. Sidelight out - I'd change this for the new buyer... if I could open the bloody bonnet. Airbag light on - bet it's the drivers seat connector given how many times this will have been moved. Possibly needs a stat. Runs a bit cold. Hadn't warmed up much after a 15 min drive and 45 mins idling, not sure if expected in this weather, they're all like that or there's an issue. Main battery seems weak. I did have to link to the aux battery to start it to drive home. Tax class - its currently classed as an NHS vehicle. From what I can tell I (or specifically the new owner, as its not moving another inch under my stewardship and disappears tomorrow) need to go to the post office to request change of class to PLG similar to getting disabled tax removed. I honestly believe a weekend spent removing the wrap and any lights that wont leave holes alongside a good clean, and another weekend spent fitting a few bits of trim and odds and sods off a scrapper should see it to be a presentable winter hack. Just more work than I was expecting and not work I want to spend my time doing. My use case for a second car is to load up with shite for booting and tip runs, which this would handle with aplomb, but it's fairly short mileage so DPF would start giving me grief eventually, and I'm not sure this would like standing for days/weeks at a time.

And it's here. No pez station shot or PC because it was 15 mins up the road. And here she is. A 2012 Octavia Scout with the 2.0 140 CR diesel, 4WD, and 252k on the clock 😂 formerly a Yorkshire ambulance car, it's since been in the hands of two blood bikes groups, and it is they who have retired the car. Mine for a £500 donation. And this is all you'll be seeing of it as its found a new home already. While mechanically it drives well, seems to change through all the gears fine, even has the aux battery system which helped to start it earlier, it needs more work than I have the time to put in, and for what I use a second car for, this won't be any use. It's been sold to the friend of a friend who had first refusal, and I've made a little bit and covered my costs, they'll get an actually not that mechanically bad car that'll suit their needs, and the blood bikes got their bit too, so I feel like everyone's a winner. I have to show the spectacular electrics. Known issues so far include a dodgy fuel gauge (though I believe there's nearly a full tank in it!), a broken bonnet release, an airbag light on, and heavy wear and tear. May also need a stat as it doesn't get particularly hot.

My mate should be picking me up any minute but we've just realised there's a good chance the tax class is not PLG and therefore I may have issues taxing it. This can only end well.

This thread's been a bit quiet given I've only had the reliable* Qashqai since selling the Meriva, but lo, a new potential project car is entering the fold later today hopefully. Just sorted out the insurance, and my friend who's facilitating the deal is picking me up later on. For those who hadn't seen News 24, it manages to be both shite, shit, dull and interesting at the same time. I've already got an offer on it should I wake up soon and question what I've done. The purchase price of the car is going to a good cause locally as well, so even better! Hint: It's done high mileage and it's covered in stickers. More info to follow later...

I'll have 4 as well please.

Plans are afoot for me to buy something that manages to both be shite (or at least future shite), shit, dull, and interesting all at once, and as an added bonus the purchase will be supporting a local charity. Bonus points for the fact it has so far made everyone I told I was buying it do a double take. At least it's cheap (~scrap money) and I've got someone who's already called dibs not too far from the AS fold should I wake up in horror and realise what I've done, obviously provided its not a total dog (which given its done enough miles that it was probably used by Lisa Stansfield to find her baby, the jury is still out on!) Seems like I only ever buy project cars in the last 4 months of the year, the 206, Sedici and Meriva were all bought around this time.

A friend of mine looks after forklift trucks and various other bits of equipment, like bed movers and floor cleaners for a hospital amongst other places - when parking in the loading bay, he's been mistaken for a funeral home multiple times in his plain silver T6 Transporter.

Eventually PM'd after managing to fail at sending a full address.

My dad was the service manager at a Nissan dealer between 03-06 - at some point he had one of these in orange. I remember him coming home one day with no headlining because they'd decided to chuck some dealer-fit accessories onto it, including a roof-mount DVD player, but hadn't had time to finish the job before he needed to leave. I'm assuming the lengthy commute he had each day is part of the reason why he switched back to diesel X-Trails and later Pathfinders.

Yeah, detuned version of the 350Z engine I believe.

My eyes may have gone to the plane first...

Had the dog I'm looking I'm after shaking and panting for an hour or two on Friday (mainly because of her owner going but also fireworks), three hours last night and about an hour and a half so far tonight. Found detritus on my car this year for the second year in a row, a fine red powder that does at least wash off, but still. You couldn't see for smoke locally last night. Last year, I was 3ft away from being hit by a rocket stick returning to earth as I was walking back from the bus stop. Home fireworks can FRO.

Go on, I'll have a go.

In 2014, when I was looking to replace my Corsa, I started looking at Megane IIs. About a week before seeing the one I ended up buying, I had a look at a lovely 3dr one. It was in that grey-green they came in, had the glass roof, the 17" Nervasport wheels, and was in better nick with about 20k less than the one I eventually bought. I turned it down because the air con didn't work and because I assumed I needed a 5 door. Certainly regretted it when the one I ended up buying didn't start the morning after I bought it.

The village I grew up in had a small local motor factors using the Motorist Discount name - been there as long as I can remember but maybe it took inspiration for its name from MDC?

Panda went back this morning. Not really enough room for my right leg in an LHD model which would make longer drives painful. Imagine an RHD one would be better, an RHD auto even better than that. Hybrid system didn't seem to make that much difference to the economy although the regen braking probably helped give me oomph on the more uphill sections. Quite chuckable in the twisties too. Surprised to see it had a 6 speed box. Weirdly this one had the radio set to not come on or off with the ignition, and Bluetooth pairing is handled through the steering wheel controls not the head unit itself. Led to some confusion. Mine didn't have the optional phone mount which made finding somewhere to balance my (admittedly large) phone problematic. However props to Fiat for an easily cleanable door card, which made life a little easier when my cousin got blackout drunk in a San Antonio nightclub, and proceeded to throw up out of the window (and miss) on the way back to the hotel. Was that easy to clean up from the interior I didn't even get charged a cleaning fee despite telling them what had happened!

Cancelled it. Went to Google Maps to find where I needed to get a taxi to. And saw 40 or so reviews from the last month where they've made up hidden charges or charged high 3 digits for scratches present at the start even with previous photos. Only lost 3 quid from paying for the cancellation policy so no biggie. Went to the hotels recommended company up the road and this is my steed for the next 24 hours for a grand total of 60 euros. Hybrid model. Has quite heavy brake regeneration and the pedals are too far to the right for me but it drives fairly well and after some faffing we got the Bluetooth hooked up too.

Hired a car tomorrow to explore the island a bit. £38 for 2 days hire in Ibiza of a "C3 or similar". Place your bets. I'm not sure it'll top the beautiful Hyundai minibus from Antalya earlier this year.

Currently in Ibiza. That's enough of a grin in itself but the particularly tragic grin was on the way over here on a TUI flight when I got excited to see an old 90s Britannia logo on the duty free cart.