Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

We're a fucking odd family. The prospect of 4 hours on a train (first class probs as tickets are cheap) staring out the window, talking to each other, annoying each other, drinking shit coffee on said train, always sounds better than getting in a car and sitting still.

It's just needing a car at the other end...

@Chalfie

+1 for Tebay. Very easy to spend a lot of money in their shop. Food in the restaurant is all local too, I believe. Or at the very least, not fast food chains.

Also, while it's a massive pain in the dick, try to leave London as early as possible. When we drove back to NI a couple of xmasses ago, we left at 5am. It felt like we were ahead of traffic the whole way to Gretna Green. I hate it when it take 2 hours to even get to the M40.

@Chalfie if train is your preferred option then there are a couple of pick up points close to Glasgow Central (Enterprise and National).

You could very easily leave the family in the station as its pretty big and has some cafe's etc - you go grab the car and meet them nearby once you're done.

Either that or get a taxi to take you all the the pick up point so you don't have to fanny around finding somewhere to park whilst trying to let your family know where you are.

As someone who has done South > North by both car/train/plane many, many times I would probably say plane/train is the most relaxed for everyone. The car journey only gets mildly interesting once you're north of the Lake District, less traffic and some hills etc

Yeah a quick squiz around led me to that same conclusion.
Especially as we could order car seat, for £35 from argos/etc, have delivered to local glasgow point.
Arrive.
Someone take kids.
Someone get car seat and then car.
Drive.

Nice. I think there is an Argos 10mins walk from Central so you could pick up there. If you needed to get it delivered elsewhere my office is 5 mins away.

I bought a ratty Berlingo 2 years ago for £200. It was hit while parked a year ago and I was told by the appraisers just to drive for a while and hand it over for appraisal whenever it suited me. A year goes by and I finally pull myself together. Dropped it off last week and got a text today that they'd finished the work and I could pick it up. I was rather confused as the deal with the insurance was that it would only be appraised and they had already told me it would most likely be totalled.
But apparently the guy from the insurance company had just told them to sort it. I got a copy of the bill to the insurance company: £1560. So now I'm still stuck with a mechanically dodgy Berlingo, but with new bonnet, panels, headlight and paintjob...

That is a very lovely offer and I might hit you up at the end of March....

Tebay is a great services.

@Chalfie Get someone to drive the car from London, meet you at the station in Glasgow. Then they take the train back. Then the opposite when you come back.

That is a level of bananas that is not going to happen.
:)

I'll do it for expenses plus £350 a day

Imaging just turning up to the Station and someone there to hand you the keys and all is done. Same on the way back.

Not quite the same spoke count.
Of course you're going to see more of the brake setup on a 5 spoked wheel.
I like them both tbh.
But wouldn't like to ride those super low profile on the lambo.

Shoulda bought a Legacy.
😉

Hope it is only a small thing and not too dear to fix.

Shoulda bought a Legacy

Don't know, one of my main bulbs blew yesterday. Seriously though, everyone should own a 6 cylinder BMW touring at least once.

Looks like they’re affiliated with/the same people who do Gloucester Services. Expensive pies and truffles but makes a change from expensive tower zinger burgers and grab bags of giant buttons

Miss my E34 525.

Amazing array of cheese and meats in the shop.

Personally, I'm only interested in services with sex shops.

Holland might be a better bet, and closer than scotland too.

bought a cheap mk5 diesel golf last year with 12 months MOT and very patchy service history. I know the Cambelt is fine for a while as I have the paperwork for that. Did oil change, oil filter, 2x air filters myself and it has been fine for 9 months other than needing a £350 brake job.
Not sure whether to hope for the best by going to an MOT only garage and then doing another light service myself, or take it to a garage for a 'full' service. Not mechanical so not sure what else a full service would include. Hoping to keep it for another year or two.
Only other slight if is that I go from max to min on my coolant chamber in about 2 months but have not noticed any kind of leak.

Any friend recommendations for the garage?

Coolant wise, find a garage to pressure test the system. See if there is a problem with the system or the cap has failed.

Losing coolant - could be head gasket. Is the underside of the filler cap clean? Milky residue may indicate head gasket probs.

@ElephantBreath got a few good independent garages near me. 4 I'd be happy to take it to based on recommendations - I do want the piece of mind that someone has looked at the radiator, brake fluid, suspension, wheel bearings etc and that will give me confidence to drive to the Lakes/Scotland/France with bikes on the roof.

Great will do that on the coolant cheers :)

Found a bonus picture in the summer at work next to a nice E39

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@TGR gonna inspect that at the weekend! Was chatting to someone at work about the coolant, he said exactly that and said it would be a £££ repair. Not losing power though that I've noticed so fingers crossed

Brake fluid isn't checked at the MOT, it is just a once over for the car.