Dollywobbler's Consolidated Tat Thread

[Eyersey1234]

40 minutes ago, brownnova said:

There’s another only slightly further away languishing on a drive… I’m thinking buy both and see which ones best… seems a sensible plan right? 

Ideal learner car for SMOLL_brownnova in the absence of a brown Vauxhall Nova, you'll be able to give her lessons once you have bought it 🤣

[dollywobbler]

In other Daewoo news, the Matiz got to the ball.

Angle makes it look much larger than Mr Fowler's 205, but Miss HubNut really is that tiny. 

Really pleased we chose the Matiz, even if 290 miles of battling barely any power, caravans, tourists, tractors, road blockages, horrific rain and a dangerous lack of petrol stations was not always relaxing. 

We did manage to gather all of the Daewoos together.

 

I know which one I'd rather be driving back to Wales in... (both of them are going back to Wales as it happens!)

[Cooper1]

Cute little motor the Matiz. 

[dollywobbler]

Three o' clock yesterday afternoon, we were still deep in Lincolnshire. Sadly, one of our dogs was reported unwell back in Wales, so had to can further Lincolnshire plans and hotfoot it back to Wales. 

The Matiz is slow and uncomfortable but we had a deliciously clean route home - 245 miles pretty much flew by. 

Sadly, we lost the heater blower and heated rear window along the way, and one wheel bearing is deeply unhappy with life. 

We then hopped into the Fairmont for the 2 hour round trip to collect hounds, eventually getting home at about half eleven. 

Matiz did 46mpg going out, 50 coming back. The Fairmont resolutely sticking to 25...

[Cookiesouwest]

Please let me know what petrol brand you use. I will buy shares.

[beko1987]

Any scope for an lpg conversion for Betty? Or would that just be more hassle than it's worth? 

[dollywobbler]

4 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Any scope for an lpg conversion for Betty? Or would that just be more hassle than it's worth? 

Suspect more trouble than it's worth. I don't think I'll be covering that many miles in it, so the payback period ends up being that much longer. Plus I'd lose boot space and there are not many retailers around these parts, so I reckon I'd more often than not end up on petrol anyway.

I'll just play it like Aston Martin and use the tiny oddballs on the fleet (Cygnets) to offset the fuel guzzling Vantage-alike.

[Spurious]

I mean, it's not that bad really. It's probably no worse that a 2.2-2.5 four pot but with many more smiles. 

It probably doesn't need 98 octane fuel either? It's a big lazy lump that'll probably run on any petrol we get here happily. 

[dollywobbler]

10 minutes ago, Spurious said:

I mean, it's not that bad really. It's probably no worse that a 2.2-2.5 four pot but with many more smiles. 

It probably doesn't need 98 octane fuel either? It's a big lazy lump that'll probably run on any petrol we get here happily. 

Indeed. It's even E10 ready.

[Spurious]

14 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Indeed. It's even E10 ready.

Fantastic. You don't even have to get caught up in the mass hysteria around e10

Is it coming to the HubNut social? Or is that top secret surprise 🤔

[dollywobbler]

6 minutes ago, Spurious said:

Is it coming to the HubNut social? Or is that top secret surprise 🤔

No secret. Planning to use the Fairmont for both.

[Soundwave]

Hope the HubMutt is OK.

[Spurious]

Just now, Soundwave said:

Hope the HubMutt is OK.

Yea. I nearly get more worried when pets get unwell than relatives 

[dollywobbler]

He's fine, rather typically. Can't be too careful though. As I had to abandon my work in the East, I've decided to head back over there later this week. Fairmont is going to get its first roadtrip - other than driving it home. I mean, it could do with a service, but I don't have the bits yet.

[Cord Fourteener]

As you've been out and about in the Matiz it clearly wasn't you dollywobbling down the M40 in an identical 2CV then the other day.

I did think for a minute I'd spotted you!

[St.Jude]

2 hours ago, Cord Forteener aka Tim_E said:

I did think for a minute I'd spotted you!

"I've never seen a Matiz with a 2CV body kit on it before"

[dollywobbler]

6 hours ago, Cord Forteener aka Tim_E said:

As you've been out and about in the Matiz it clearly wasn't you dollywobbling down the M40 in an identical 2CV then the other day.

I did think for a minute I'd spotted you!

2CV hasn't been outside Wales for far too long!

[Eyersey1234]

Sorry to hear about Betty's bump today @dollywobblerhow did it happen? I hope she isn't too badly damaged. Glad you are OK. 

[Mudster]

Really glad all are OK.

Absolutely gutted about Betty, just keeping fingers and toes crossed for minimal/no damage.

[Sham]

22 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Sorry to hear about Betty's bump today @dollywobblerhow did it happen? I hope she isn't too badly damaged. Glad you are OK. 

Wait, Bettys had a prang? 

What happened? Hope everyone concerned is OK, to start with - but is she going to survive? All this way be be bumped in Wales?

[LightBulbFun]

18 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Sorry to hear about Betty's bump today @dollywobblerhow did it happen? I hope she isn't too badly damaged. Glad you are OK. 

Yeah! opening my twitter tab and seeing those tweets was not pleasent! especially seeing that it was in betty

of all the cars It was distressing to see that it was in betty, given how much effort and expense you had just put into getting her here!

but first and foremost  im glad to hear your ok @dollywobbler and are only a bit shaken

I hope betty's damage is minimal, and I hope a replacement wheel can be sourced

those Ghia alloys I think suit her really well so I hope a replacement for the broken one can be found!

 

I do wonder given how many other cars have apparently spun off at that same stretch of road, where something sounds like is clearly wrong with the road surface

if you can get any reimbursement from the council?

I know you can if your car is damaged by say a large pot hole for example so I wonder if theres anything you can do here?

[Eyersey1234]

1 minute ago, Sham said:

Wait, Bettys had a prang? 

What happened? Hope everyone concerned is OK, to start with - but is she going to survive? All this way be be bumped in Wales?

It was in Lincolnshire somewhere, Ian was in the car on his own according to his Twitter feed and somehow spun off the road. Apparently at that spot recently 6 other cars have gone off the road as well 

[lesapandre]

Depending on the road it may be the responsibility of Highways England or the County Council.

Apart from some failure on the vehicle - oil or mud on the carriageway or a location prone to sudden crosswinds are possibilities I suppose.

 

[ETCHY]

Bloody hell, that's really crap especially considering all the effort to get the car here.

Hope all ok.

[MJK 24]

1 hour ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Surely cause to get some compensation from the council if Ian is willing to go that route?

The council won’t admit anything.  It’ll just open the floodgates.

There’s a piece of tarmac in a local retail park that’s absolutely lethal.  The tarmac is in some way defective as the top layer has become very polished.  There’s are bumps every day of the week where people cannot stop in time.  It’s drives ABS brakes crazy.

Hopefully new wheel, suspension arm etc will see Betty back on the Queens Highway again.

[Steve79]

[Steve79]

From Ian's tweets it sounds like the damage isn't too bad.

[richardmorris]

Oh no. Is he ok?

[richardmorris]

That car has had a lot of work in aus for its equivalent mot and again in Southampton for our test. Should be perfect I’d have thought.

[M'coli]

At least we can't make jokes about it being upside down!

I saw the picture of the car and right below it a tweet from Ian saying he was ok, so I "liked" that tweet but didn't feel that wading in any further would be beneficial.

I'm glad @dollywobbleris uninjured.