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

They'll never think to look in the Addison Lee mobile.

I'd budget 500 quid for deadlocks. Yes it says 'i have something in my van' but it stops people getting them out. Prevented a couple thefts on mine now.

You joke but something that looks like a minicab wouldn't be an obvious target for the opportunistic thief. Time for some Addison Lee decals and a TfL private hire badge.

Joking aside, I reckon the prevalence of the T5/T6 as MTB transport is definitely a real thing.

I'd wonder how many V-Class MPV's are running around with muddy bikes in the back.

Spoke to the dealer, he's confirming the price for a set of All-Season 3PMSF tyres to replace the current Conti Sport Contacts.

Apparently the van doesn't have rotating captains seats, but these can be fitted for £2,000.

Worth doing, or wait and see how we use it?

Worth doing, or wait and see how we use it?

This surely.

Useful if more than a couple of people want to socialise inside the van. You’ll also want a table. And an indoor cooker.

Silly money though.

OEM swivel bases - crash tested, TUV certified etc etc.

On all-season/winter tyres, I've got a bit of a dilemma. Due to be driving down to Tuscany for a couple of weeks over Xmas, car (leased Seat Leon Cupra due back in May/June 22) has Conti SportContact tyres with loads of life left, I think it's a bit too much of a risk to leave those on for that trip so weighing up options:

1. buy second had pair of winters, get them fitted and once back put the Contis back on the car and sell the winters on. would mean paying twice for fitting.
   
2. buy very good second hand pair of all-seasons, get them fitted and leave on, hand back car with the all-seasons (fine with lease company as long as tyres are of 'similar quality' to OEM Contis).
   
3. buy a second hand set of winter wheels/tyres combo (not easy to find), swap the wheels myself and save on fitting, sell the winter wheels/tyres once done with them.
   
   

Thoughts?

Be a little cautious with second hand winters - which I'm sure you know - but tread depth must be a minimum of 4mm to be acceptable to the Gendarmes rather than the 1.6 that is the UK requirement. Also, if someone doesn't say when the tyre was made assume it was so long ago the tyre's are likely too old to be as effective as they should be.

Surley decent tyres new aren't that much money? Me, tyres are the contact point with the road, id want decent tyres always.

I bought a 2nd hand tyre once, didn't have good luck. Wouldn't waste time againt. Just go blackbirds and find something good enough.

Depends on the size, winters for my E Class are around a grand for all four corners.

I'd actually just the the current tyres - I thought they were worn but you actually said they're fine. You're going to tuscany, not timbuktu.

They're 235/35/19, so buying new would be £600-800 for a set. Agree tyres aren't something you want to cheap out on, but if I can get decent quality used ones for what will be at most 3,000 miles then that's preferable. If it was a car I owned and not leased I'd buy a new set of winter wheels and tyres, no question.

The concern isn't so much driving in Tuscany, it's more what we may encounter on the way there/back, particularly the return leg as plan is to come back through Switzerland and western side of Germany. A cold snap over those couple of weeks and I suspect we'd be fucked, even in Tuscany. Although the Conti tyres are admittedly in very good condition, the compound is utter shite in cold conditions and I've got 300bhp through the front wheels.

A reference- I just paid the deposit on the V Class, and at the same time ordered four 245/45/19 Michelin Cross Climate 2 tyres, for £900 or so. Not winter tyres, but 3PSMF marked for snow so legal for the Alps in winter.

perhaps a saved search on ebay/fb marketplace and see what comes up.

don't leave us hanging about teh conversation with the other van place.

Ta, a decent brand that's 3PSMF brand would be ideal, peace of mind if nothing else.

@skinny - yep, saved searches are up. Will also talk to a few local tyre places and see what they have.

Has anyone ever removed window tints themselves?

I’ve been thinking about having the ones the previous owner fitted removed from my car since I bought it, but it’s just failed it’s NCT (Irish MOT) due to fronts being too dark, and I’m thinking of taking a hairdryer and razor to them after lunch.

Ironically it passed at the same test centre in January and the tints weren’t even mentioned. I actually didn’t even realise the fronts were tinted they’re so light.

If anyone wants the Conti Sport Contacts that are coming off shout now before they get binned.

Bikes in the back of my car get locked together and through a seat loop with a fuck-off lock if it's going to be out of sight for any time.

Not easy to lock surfboards but one reason I don't have a longboard is that my boards have to be able to fit inside. Bikes or boards on the outside, especially on the roof, is a crap solution.

FTR I feel that avoiding the spenny VW is a wise move...

What’s the size? Sorry if you’ve already mentioned

245/45/19

VW cancelled, lets see if I get a response to that email.