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

I started wearing them in 1981 after a trip through a windscreen on an old Mk2 Ford Zephyr, driver over cooked a bend smashed into a Volvo estate pushing that in to a Vauxhall Cavalier pushing them both about six foot.
It just felt like banging my head against a door, old toughened screen just shattered, luckily I got away with twelve stitches in one eyelid, four on the bridge of my nose and ten in my wrist where glass got under my watch strap, I lost sensation in my scalp for about ten months as the feeling gradually came back was the weirdest, half the time it is luck if you survived. :D

Anyone in London have a Thule upride 599 they want to sell me or loan me today?

Wow sounds a lucky escape!

Still considering a Stage 1 for the VRS (although I'll probably wait until the next service and ask the garage if it's up to it), so I thought I'd see what the insurance would be like. Getting quotes back that are less than I'm paying now!

We just had our renewal quote, it dropped... feels like a trap

.

1 Attachment

Theres a new @dammit waggon on the block.

I wouldn’t bother with a remap if it’s your daily/family vehicle.

It’s not going to total your engine, but might lead to premature failure of things like coil packs/ignition leads which is a call to the AA if it happens on the M6.

Also, as a fellow Skoda owner I’m weary of any additional strain on VAG engines.

When should you stop going to the main dealer for a service? I have a 2019 v60 and £400+ for a "minor service, Oil and filter change with air compartment also software update" seems a bit punchy.

Currently S Max or XC 70 in my head at the moment.

The boot will need to be split 50/50 with a separator.

Any years/engines of the s max to avoid?!

XC 70 is winning at the moment as could get one with the T6 engine and 300bhp but the s max does look like the more sensible option.

When the manufacturers warranty expires imo

This whole remap impact on longevity question feels like something that should have been answered before but I suspect strong biases at play.

Can clearly see at open throttle the stresses will be greater, but when cruising at a given speed the power output would be the same, the only difference in my mind would be air, fuel and timing. Do the combustion forces differ enough to have a longevity impact?

not considering sharan/touran?

Anyone at Sunday Start up tomorrow?

Yes and no. People can neglect to factor in the condition of the engine before tuning. Plus they'll stick to the the factory recommended service intervals even after a tune (bad idea!). There's always extra heat generated so coils fry, old oil fails, the standard intercooler can't keep intake temps low enough etc.

Having said that, I've had a tune running on my Audi A4 avant 2.0 tfsi for 65000 kilometres and it's absolutely fine. I change the oil before 10,000 Kay's and run shell v-power only (can of worms). And I don't push the car in hot weather.

Been driving this around darkest Bedfordshire for work and quite enjoying it.

1 Attachment

That has got proper off road style tyres.

A trooper! Learnt to drive in the swb version, brilliant little truck

Before this one the owner had a Lotus Edition Trooper. It was well specced but 100k miles more, this newer 3 pedal Trooper rattles a lot less.

1 Attachment

Didn't Isuzu own lotus at the time, hence using an Isuzu engine in the Elan.

Interesting... wasn't aware of this.

Walking about near Victoria pk yesterday saw this. love these old Rovers.

Actually think that General Motors owned several companies Inc both lotus and Isuzu. Think the vauxhall frontera and Monterey were isuzu based but built in the UK.

Was going to say that the SD1 is not an old rover.....

Then changed my mind...

I have no idea what your talking about.
Im not that in to cars just like certain ones.