🚨L1's 🇫🇷 shenanigans. Roll the dice to drive a french car

[loserone]

Cars are ticking over here.  @Jimbob McGregor borrowed the express for the weekend to take his garage shite to the trades disposal place, he's improved the steering no end and left it with more fuel in than when he collected it.  Top man.

 

I used the Clio for a 400 mile work trip last week.  Heating was cold all the way home do I kept stopping to see what was going on, expecting HGF or no coolant or something. Torque told me the coolant was around 70°C when driving and it would raise slightly when stationary.   Praying for a cheap fix, JMcG fit it in this afternoon and swapped out the thermostat (£5+vat) and it's lovely and warm again.  

I used it to take the kids swimming in Hexham a few weeks ago and was pretty despondent about it.  Steaming up, fans on full, kids uncomfortable in the back, couldn't do more than 40ish because of the storm and flooding and it was very frustrating.  I came extremely close to swapping it for a three litre awd aluminium saloon car, but as much as I'd like to try that, I think I'd regret letting this out of my grasp.  

 

That, and the fuel economy is unreal.

[loserone]

French van ftw.

[loserone]

The Duster continues to provide sterling service.

18 months in and 30k miles.  It had it's fourth oil change last week (full A + B service) plus discs and pads.  As a car it has absolutely fucking everything thrown at it and it just soaks it up.  Faster than the 182 in real world country driving, and a lot more comfortable.  Similar fuel economy (low 50s) but on diesel not super unleaded, and it's 4x4.  

 

Would I buy another? Oh yes.  

[loserone]

Got a tax renewal reminder for the express

Wait, what?

It's clearly tested OK.

And yet the DVLA are clueless.

 

Hit up DVLA on Facebook (!) Who pointed me to the DVSA.  Emailed them, got a reply within hours to say it should be fixed overnight.

[Schaefft]

Got a tax reminder for the R129 SL as well despite it clearly being on sorn, the DVLA website wouldn't even let me sorn it again stating it already is. Not sure what's going on with their database sometimes but with thousands of changes in millions of entries every day it can happen I guess. I called them about it and they said it would get sorted, seems like it is now.

[loserone]

It's sorted this morning mind.

[loserone]

My 'rents garage roof is leaking so I've just collected a lifetime supply of scraps of wood.  

 

Maybe more than one lifetime, there's a few bits which at 19th century.  

 

Also, this tin of Sierraman's favourite food.

Failed to get any pictures at all of the northern lights.  Have some express.

 

[loserone]

Duster out in a dusting

 

[loserone]

Made the mistake of fixing something this week. 

Replaced the cruise control button and got that working.  Unfortunately I then lent it to the Mrs who caned it up a hill and popped the heater matrix, and when she didn't tell me I used it to go and get the kids from school and the starter seized. Great*.

 

Clio Stu tells me what I expected, which is that the heater matrix is a dash out job.  Looks like I might need alternative wheels for the school run in January..

[garbaldy]

Just join the two pipes together that way you can still use it. Be cauld though with no heating.  

[loserone]

Some lighter news.

Went North 

slept near some ghosts.

drove north

Chrain

AMAZING

SATAN

[loserone]

On 12/12/2023 at 20:10, loserone said:

Looks like I might need alternative wheels for the school run in January..

school taxi it is.

[garbaldy]

Nice buy Is it the 3.2 v6 ? 

I've kind of mellowed a bit and forgiven these mercs after one destroying my bank balance,  I  have actually been looking at them out the corner of my eye again,  they do tow very well indeed with the v6 and I will say probably better than the 4x4s I've used,    

[loserone]

2 minutes ago, garbaldy said:

Is it the 3.2 v6 ? 

No, it's the measley e220 cdi.  Will do for now!

[garbaldy]

29 minutes ago, loserone said:

No, it's the measley e220 cdi.  Will do for now!

I bet its still a pretty decent drive though as its surely still approaching 180 or so hp,  aren't those 2.1s highly regarded engines that are capable of silly high mileages whilst still be reasonably frugal.  

[loserone]

Well it's getting 40mpg around the doors which isn't bad for a large auto saloon on 204k miles.

It's not fast though.  Hills will slow it down!

[loserone]

We do get some hills around here too.

[loserone]

And snow

[loserone]

Helped out with a house move yesterday

280km round trip and I had the shortest trip of any of the helpers.  #ARRSE

 

 

[loserone]

I've also completely missed out the fact that the duster has done another trip to France, this time all the way to the bottom of it.

[loserone]

Peeking into the Mediterranean like it's a trip to Seaham

Verdict: 10/10, would buy new Dacia again.

 

 

Not quite as roomy as the Trafic, but 52mpg cruising at or slightly above speed limits, 5 up and with a full allowance of personal alcohol importation.  Also, Christmas presents both ways.  Left Toulon at 20°C with blue skies and sunshine and 40 hours later came across Chapel fell where it was snowing sideways.  

[loserone]

One away to the farm, hopefully to be fixed not ragged around the fields.

[loserone]

One proving itself effing useful again.

[loserone]

Current insurer Churchill will not insure the sex den as it is TOO OLD.  The current policy for the W211 is £390 and will be more no doubt when it requires renewal next month.  

Flipping back to admiral gets both of us fully comp for business use at <£300.  I'll do that then.  

A classic policy was a possibility, but getting both of us business cover and reasonable miles was problematic.

[loserone]

New tyres all round on the Duster today.  Rears still had 4mm left but the fronts were on 3mm and it was starting to get interesting in the slush and snow.  No point in risking it.

£100 a corner from tyresonthedrive.  £60 cheaper than the last set, which was only in June (15000 miles ago).  

[loserone]

Live collection begins.

We have driven north for swimming 

[Tickman]

Yay, another collection including swimming, @aldo135 the trend setter...

[aldo135]

36 minutes ago, Tickman said:

Yay, another collection including swimming, @aldo135 the trend setter...

Trampolines next I hope 😂

[loserone]

"two hours is too far for a collection"

[Tickman]

Nutter