What's made you smile today?

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What's made you smile today?

Some photos. What a blast.

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I use Tesco Momentum at about 5p more per litre (about 4%). Both cars feel so much better it's worth the cost, but I actually get more than 4% mpg so its cost neutral if not cost negative.

The air cooled bike was noticeably rough on 95 RON with exhaust headers absolutely stinking hot. Which is to be expected as retarding the spark timing puts more heat down the exhaust - less heat is taken by the piston.

I've actually managed to beat the official mpg figure in my car a few times on v-power. Its meant to get 44 it's been over 45 a few times..and at one point going one way to York managed 49mpg (average speed road works about 50% of the way so cruise set at 50).

Never cost neutral in a million years though as it costs as much as diesel, having said that several people report getting an average of mid to low 30s out of the same engine and car configuration and my worst ever was on supermarket 95 and got 36mpg but that was dead of winter with stinking traffic.

Usage and driving style matter more than petrol quality though, it just gives that last few percent. I'm not a slow driver but I've always believed in smoothness, reading the road and only putting on speed that you know you won't immediately be taking off. As well as being good for economy it means the brakes and tyres last well, as if all the inputs you put in gently load them up you don't take big bites out of them. I can fully imagine the guys getting low 30s have a driving style of "fire everything!, brake, Fire everything!, brake rather than Fire what is required..cruise at a sensible speed (not necessarily a slow speed) for the road conditions. They also seem to be the people who can toast a set of tyres in sub 10k miles..
 
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Driving a low powered car or bike quickly can be very satisfying. Its all about conservation of momentum, letting the vehicle flow through bends and not being scared to snick down a gear to keep the engine on song. Coming up behind Mr "Never more than 40 or 10mph below the speed limit" is frustrating as you'll almost never get past them.

Saying that, I really P'ed off a Golf GTI driver who was rammed up the back of a Mr Slow. I was in the Seichento 900 and timed it just right to whizz past them both. It was miles before he got close to me and was right royally pissed off that something with a fraction of his power could cover ground so quickly. I let him go by (never holding him up) but wasn't about to ease off so he could get in my way as most point and squirt drivers will do.
 
Driving a low powered car or bike quickly can be very satisfying. Its all about conservation of momentum, letting the vehicle flow through bends and not being scared to snick down a gear to keep the engine on song. Coming up behind Mr "Never more than 40 or 10mph below the speed limit" is frustrating as you'll almost never get past them.

I'm not quite in the Seicento speed league these days, I do have enough power to deal with the 40 everywhere.. but I learned the skills in an Uno 45s and Punto 55s I've just kept applying them. It's a bit unnecessary in the current car given it's running brakes a similar size to uno wheels, 205 section W rated sports tyres, sports suspension and has all the expected modern driving aids. But I just find it a relaxing way to travel. Keeps the vehicle settled, doesn't make your passengers sick and you can still cover ground at a decent pace.
 
Phone call about my new job today. Both yesterday and today they have been calling, emailing and sending smoke signals to my previous employer for a simple reference.

Passed around from phone to phone, dead end to dead end, put on hold and giving up after forty minutes.

Sure I no longer work for these people and they have washed their rhetorical hands of me but this ineptitude has helped me no end demonstrate the sort of company it is and how professional they are. So without a reference from a company who if they issued one now would not be considered credible I'll be back to work as soon as possible. (y)

In the mean time due to some local issues representatives of the same company have been stuck in my village and I personally made sure they have been fed, watered (tea'd) and have had access the downstairs facilities at my home. Also where one had to stand around outside all day I took one of the folding sun loungers for them to use.

It may turn out this whole getting sacked for the first time ever has been a very, very, very well disguised blessing.

I am sure that you are right about it being a good thing. After many years working fro a lot of employers its clear that some are good and some bad. Few if any actually bother to find out anything about the people they employ and few know how to treat people decently either. A change is as good as a rest, and a rest is good for the soul! Thank heavens there are still some decent people like you to help others when things go pear shaped. I am certain your ex colleagues know the score.
 
Of all the Vauxhalls they've built over the last 20 its probably one of the best ones. Got significantly more engineering in it than the Scirocco, uses suspension from the Insignia vxr, different track and wheel base only common components with a standard Astra is the aerial and door handles externally.

Tbf show me a 2 door coupe that doesn't have an image problem..or any car in fact there's always a derogatory comment somewhere or other.
 
Of all the Vauxhalls they've built over the last 20 its probably one of the best ones.

But that's like being given the choice of electrodes attached to your testicles or puling your teeth out without an anaesthetic.

Some cars have more of an image problem than others - if you're being followed at 6 inches through urban streets by someone making aggressive inputs to the steering wheel and ducking around behind you, you can guarantee it's a Vectra or Astra on its way back to the local sink estate.
 
Got significantly more engineering in it than the Scirocco, uses suspension from the Insignia vxr,

The amount of engineering is not technically important. The insignia VXR had a terrible suspension set up and was slated for its terrible hamdling and monumental understeer. When Clarkson looked at it, he basically showed how the steering wheel was essentially useless with any spirited driving, as a result the GTC VXR needed a ton of extra stuff to even compete with the scirocco, limited slip diffs, it’s own custom power steering set up and numerous other gadgets, the standard GTC had the same terrible handling and suspension set up as most other Vauxhall’s.

I’d take the better car any day and that was certainly the scirocco.
 
What made me smile today... well more laugh ��

A second hand car dealer round the corner from where I live trying to sell a 2009 base spec punto grande for £3k, I found the exact same model, year and colour on eBay with about 20k more miles but £1500 also at a dealer with a warranty
 
The amount of engineering is not technically important. The insignia VXR had a terrible suspension set up and was slated for its terrible hamdling and monumental understeer. When Clarkson looked at it, he basically showed how the steering wheel was essentially useless with any spirited driving, as a result the GTC VXR needed a ton of extra stuff to even compete with the scirocco, limited slip diffs, it’s own custom power steering set up and numerous other gadgets, the standard GTC had the same terrible handling and suspension set up as most other Vauxhall’s.

I’d take the better car any day and that was certainly the scirocco.

Unfortunately what you've done there..is confuse a Vectra for an Insignia..tbf given you own a 2 door Golf mk6 I'm not surprised in the slightest you'd buy a 2 door Golf 6.
 
Unfortunately what you've done there..is confuse a Vectra for an Insignia..tbf given you own a 2 door Golf mk6 I'm not surprised in the slightest you'd buy a 2 door Golf 6.

If I remember correctly I’m not the only one who sees the Gtc as an inferior car.. even the pro-Vauxhall’s reviews I’ve seen, rate it as not good enough to pip the scirocco and start focusing on things like the number of seats.
 
well its been quiet a transition over the years as much as I loved the puntos the duster is a true work horse fiat sadly had a massive gap around 2016 for a rugged estate since Im running 1 mrs and three kids we needed the space
 

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