The new news 24 thread

[DodgeRover]

Garages ins will only pay rock bottom book to them as, as traders they are expected to be able to replace a customers car like for like for that.

That's from a bad experience some years ago.

[bangernomics]

Depending on what's happend the garage may just give her back what she paid for it to avoid going through their insurance.

 

As to the loan car I'm pretty sure that counts as abuse of trade plates and she's likely to get done for it if stopped. Plus there's a fair chance of the plates getting nicked as I'm assuming they are going to be left on the car wherever it's parked

Yep completely wrong use. You can't use them for anything other than a demo/delivery/collection/test/repair

 

No stopping off at a shop other than to buy fuel.

[ruffgeezer]

Trade plates only cover a car for no tax, not lack of mot.

[Kiltox]

She probably isn't even properly insured to use the car if it's on trade plates - my trade policy only covers demonstration drives if a customer is driving on a trade license.

[Skizzer]

Oh yes, fleet reduction is going really well.  I've just bought an Alfa Romeo.

 

 

Don't get too excited though, it's not really shite (yet) - a 10-year-old Brera.

 

Edit:  And don't worry, the potential Gamma purchase is still on.

Well that went well, not: NatWest anti-fraud people bounced the payment, but took two hours to do so during which time I'm sitting in the seller's house drinking tea. Then I failed the security check when I phoned them up because they asked me fifty obscure questions and I have no fucking clue what day of the month my TV licence gets paid on because I set up the direct debit 25 bastard years ago and have never thought about it again since.

 

So I went home Brera-less. Seller gave me a lift though. Nice chap. Will collect it tomorrow instead, and pay cash.

 

More positively, the Alfa looks a peach. Looks and drives like new (under the snow) and has a full complement of Alfa specialist service stamps (though it's about due another).

 

One thing to remind you it's Italian: the seat belt warning pings at you even if you belt up. It gives up after a while though, so I don't particularly care.

 

Pictures tomorrow, hopefully.

[Skizzer]

Oh and eBay waited until this afternoon to tell me about all the messages the Gamma seller had sent me during the week to check I wasn't a moron or a spambot or a hacking victim. So he cancelled my bid, like you would.

 

Fortunately we've talked now though so it's all back on.

[cort1977]

Skizzer I am genuinely jealous.

[xtriple]

We have snow here as well... about three flakes spread about throughout the area, expect chaos... I quite fancy a play out in the snow and the dosg have never seen the white stuff,  Chester would get a cold todger which would make me laugh!

[fordperv]

I felt guilty coming to work today, I'd much rather be out with cara playing in the snow at the local country park, she loves the snow

 

The view from the bedroom window at 12.15 last night

 

[Inspector Morose]

.....

One thing to remind you it's Italian: the seat belt warning pings at you even if you belt up. It gives up after a while though, so I don't particularly care.

.....

The start of the slippery slope. Welcome to #Alfalife.

[andy18s]

Had a break in the snow here,and the temperature has risen to a much more bearable-5c....more due next Tuesday though

[garbaldy]

After seeing the report on the emissions scandal I see the yanks are now going after fiat,

Should we all be buying those now so we can claim compo for dead cats and such.

[DVee8]

Andy18s that is a great photo.

[nacho man]

Seeing as it's snowing I got my snowman socks on this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alcyonecorporation]

I drove my 305 automatic to work in the snow this morning because I was late. STYLE ET LUXE. 



(there wasn't much snow this morning and this is a filling station shot). 

[Vantman]

 

More positively, the Alfa looks a peach.

 

I am very jealous Skizzer,I have always fancied a Brera but as I can now only drive autos it doesn't seem right to drive an Alfa auto.

I've had a few manual Alfas though,2x75,2x164 and a 166(horrid car).

 

Enjoy it!

[M'coli]

I drove my 305 automatic to work in the snow this morning because I was late. STYLE ET LUXE. 

 

 

(there wasn't much snow this morning and this is a filling station shot). 

You just couldn't stay away, could you? Even though it does your skull in, you couldn't ignore the sirenian call of the beige page...

[dean36014]

Well i had a fun night on the motorways last night. Big thanks to kent council for appearing not to have gritted any of the slip roads off the m20 and m2. Got stuck on the exit slip of m2 junction 3 in an empty wagon and drag. Traction control refused to let any power go to the wheels meaning if you tried to pull away you rolled backwards, bloody auto's! Traction control off, diff locks in and managed to wheel spin my way through the ice up the ramps. Then got stuck again going round the island at the top. horrendous queues due to the trucks, cars and motorbikes that were all stuck there. Then got to my factory and found everyone gone home, all the roads solid with snow and my drop boxes at the bottom of a long downhill ramp, just wonderful. Ended up using the yard shunter to drag them out on the basis I'd rather get their truck stuck than mine! Surprisingly work phoned up just now and just asked if I'd like to work Sunday instead of tonight. lets think, double pay, and hopefully no snow chaos, yes please!

[alcyonecorporation]

You just couldn't stay away, could you? Even though it does your skull in, you couldn't ignore the sirenian call of the beige page...

 

No, I couldn't.

 

DUGONG, REGENERATE!

[M'coli]

I see Wat you've done there...

 

Oddly enough, I got it before clocking that you'd swapped your avatar.

[oldcars]

Howmanyleft data seems to have been updated for Q3 2016. Only 189 Shuma sx mk1 left now, really need to get the bits done on mine and back and taxed.

[Supernaut]

Howmanyleft data seems to have been updated for Q3 2016. Only 189 Shuma sx mk1 left now, really need to get the bits done on mine and back and taxed.

 

Take it to the howmanyleft show in Alford in May!

[oldcars]

Take it to the howmanyleft show in Alford in May!

I was planning to, need to get two front wings and a couple of other bits done.

[Richard]

I see Wat you've done there...

 

Oddly enough, I got it before clocking that you'd swapped your avatar.

 

The penny dropped with me too, either last night or this morning.

[dollywobbler]

That's a good 600 miles covered in the MG GS now. I don't seem to ache too much, though the seats are still rather too much like church pews for my liking. Also, the head restraint is too close. I find this on almost every modern car. I blame NCAP.

 

Something very irritating is the stop start. It stops the engine when you brake to a halt, then turns the engine back on when you apply the handbrake. What sodding use is that?! I turned it off when we got stuck in Hereford earlier. Everything stopped moving.

 

Earlier, we went to a garden centre.

[hairnet]

rock and roll

[Guest Hooli]

Restarts the engine when the handbrake is on? WTF??

[richardmorris]

Yes I noticed this in my dad's ds4 over Christmas. It wouldn't go into eco mode if you put the handbrake on. Almost like you shouldn't have the handbrake ( which is a silly electric thing) on at traffic lights. Also has a hill start delay which is ok once you're used to it.

[dollywobbler]

It's massively annoying. It's actually encouraging you to NOT use the handbrake. Which is stupid, as the brake lights seem brighter than the sun. I kept distracting myself on the way back, as they illuminated road signs behind me like a frigging distress flare.

 

On the plus side, I'm quite liking the dual clutch transmission, bar its occasional lag. Mind you, when I drive cars with more than four gears, I sometimes struggle to decide which one I actually want too. This thing has SEVEN.

[alcyonecorporation]

Fleet reduction continues. Been a while since I've been through all this so now I've at least got something to talk about.

Hurrah?

 

Sold so far:

 

1. Peugeot 605 SRdt (eventually)

2. Peugeot 605 SVE

3. Mazda Xedos 6

4. Peugeot 306 Estate (scrapped)

5. Rover 25 diesel (sold to CastrosBro)

 

I think I've sold my Volvo 960 Borked Headgasket Edition but the bloke who said he wanted it has gone quiet (he also bought my 605 V6 and Mazda Xedos)/

 

Also bought/sold/scrapped this year:

 

SCRAPPED

 

6. Renault Laguna V6 (everyone was so supportive* over that one)

 

BOUGHT

 

7. Renault Laguna Estate DTi (will be up for sale when the MoT's done)

8. Subaru SVX (because you might as well fail with style).

9. Peugeot 305 Estate Automatic (because it was a WORKING 305 and also BEIGE).

 

Too many cars and not enough space. I technically bought the 305 knob_van back off CS after it had appeared in print on the other side.

My overdraft sheet is hilariously bad.