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Post by Big Blue on Apr 26, 2024 17:23:46 GMT
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 26, 2024 17:16:23 GMT
Yes, part of the package - staying at The Ambassador. Nice. Right in the middle. I love Vienna - stopovers at the Marriott are in order for us. Get the CAT train straight from the airport to Wien Mitte then U3 straight to St Stephen’s for the full Teutonic Green-transport experience.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 26, 2024 8:12:48 GMT
Was at a dinner last night and my friend just said it matter of fact “Newey’s left Red Bull.” I had to look it up on the interweb because l didn’t believe it.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 25, 2024 8:05:50 GMT
I got 4 Irvine Stirling Hamilton Dumfries Irvine, Hamilton and Dumfries are all towns, not cities. Stirling is right, can't remember the 2nd one and the 3rd is noted above Ayr Town Centre.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 24, 2024 8:06:47 GMT
Does the title of this thread need amending or has at least one of us learnt to time-travel ?? It’s ok from today 😁 Took me a few seconds……
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 16, 2024 9:31:40 GMT
This chart explains why the UK and Europe should just give the fuck up with this “saving the planet” bollocks. The local population suffers and no benefit is given to the rest of the world.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 15, 2024 15:34:08 GMT
This time an Octavia Kombi was provided at Flughafen Wien. Auto, diesel, the biggest engine available (I think). They have that Škoda family look, which is no bad thing as they look like cars and offer no pretence about market segment, stylisation or premium-ness. It also makes a far better job of swallowing luggage than Eva, despite being the class-size below. Not having a boot full of batteries and "plushness" probably helps but does demonstrate some of my following family-car related statements. Inside it has all the guff modern cars have: cruise control; automatic lights, Apple CarPlay, keyless entry, untold storage etc. It is worth remembering that there was a time not long ago where AirCon was the preserve of Sales Director's car - most middling sector cars now have enough FG for anyone buying a car as white goods, proving that the likes of us that spec all kinds of shite (me....) are simply spoiled 1st worlders with too much budget. And for those of us (you....) that are still "dials must be circular and show me the revs over which I have no control" (sorry - just kidding) this one had an analogue dash. I must say I had no real issues with the speedo and can honestly say I never looked at the rev counter once. This is odd for me as a motorcyclist as the biggest, most prominent thing on a bike dash is the rev counter. However the auto box did its thing really well and mated to a pretty muscular diesel lump there were no issues at all with progress. So good and bad. Good: it is fast and gains that speed at a decent rate; it is unbelievably frugal (I'll do that at the end); it swallows an entire family and its luggage without even having to slide the boot cover out of the way; it handles extremely neutrally and gives you confidence to set the cruise at 90(ish) kph on a winding country road and not have to go near the brake pedal; visibility is excellent; and cabin noise is quiet enough for the pretty average sound system to not have to overwork itself. Bad: Can't say I like the cruise controls on the end of a stalk with the cancel button being a slider on top of the stalk. I use the buttons a lot on Eva and other cars without Voodoo cruise but these are bit fiddly and the cancel slider all too often had me indicating in error (yes: I know I can dab the brakes but that pisses me off as a following driver so I try to avoid it unless I'm actively slowing down); The seats in Škodas continue to be great and shit in one offering. Lots of adjustability; decent support in places and rubbish elsewhere. I know I'm not the best example having had spinal issues but the way it makes you distribute your weight makes my left knee suffer some agonies and my left hip has also been grateful of the trips to the volcanic spa during the week; The aircon could be a bit better but as I said, it's a luxury to be glad of when it was 26C and clear skies in April. The CarPlay not operating via Bluetooth is wanky. I always have a decent pack of cables but plugging in and out is just a PITA; and The lane assist always defaults to "on" and I hate it. On Country roads I'm sure it's a danger: it would sooner put you in a hedge on the side of the road or kill a cyclist rather than cross the centre dashed lines. As a saving grace this had a single button on the wheel that took you straight to the cancel setting, unlike the last one I had that required me to employ a NASA engineer to find the off setting each and every time I wanted to cancel that stuff. So as a conclusion: Škoda make the cars the whole of Europe needs and should own by default. They are reliable, well made, well equipped, safe to drive and look like cars as opposed to guppy fish, whales, sex-organs or whatever else designers think the fuck they're creating. This Octavia is probably the default model choice. When I saw the Autogefühl walk round the very newest Superb estate I said it looked to be a preferable proposition to the new 5er Touring in terms of looks, major controls and space. Based on this Octavia experience it's very difficult to come to any other conclusion. Finally that MPG: 1200kms of mixed driving in a week, into two city centres (Brno and Bratislava - and let me tell you that, as a regular London driver, driving to the centre of Brno a 5 mine walk from the cathedral and just pulling up at the kerb and parking for free as long as I want is little short of the modern-day equivalent of interplanetary travel!), motorway thrashing, village driving, shopping and milling about. 61 mpg, which I find astounding. I am by no means a ballet dancer with the throttle pedal so I can assume much more is achievable. What was more amazing was that the final refill was the OMV on the A4 about 11kms from the airport. From there the car did 44mpg, wholly on the Autobahn. This means that the village, town and milling about stuff was likely into the 80s. Amazing car. Apart from the driver's seat.
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Milano...
Apr 13, 2024 11:08:47 GMT
via mobile
Post by Big Blue on Apr 13, 2024 11:08:47 GMT
It amuses me this Italian thing of naming cars after their home cities and getting away with it - Ferrari Modena, Alfa Milano. I note there are cries that the car is illegally called “Milano” as it is built in Poland and connot bear a name suggesting it is an Italian product.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 12, 2024 18:57:13 GMT
Never forget the composer Guiseppe Verdi has his British counterpart in the English big-band leader Joe Green.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 12, 2024 18:04:14 GMT
So I can attempt the Calais-Salernes record previously set before the advent of speed cameras this July?
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Milano...
Apr 11, 2024 16:40:50 GMT
via mobile
Post by Big Blue on Apr 11, 2024 16:40:50 GMT
Morris Oxford…..
Although that was intended to express the grandeur of a University City along with its stablemate, the Austin Cambridge.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 11, 2024 16:36:40 GMT
Could be either. Prices slashed and no after sales or service. Nissan pulled out of a rescue package so they’re effectively worthless. Should introduce a one make race series with the remainder stock. Talking of stock: delisted from NYSE.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 10, 2024 14:08:16 GMT
Another vote for the i4. I am getting used to the front end, but that’s party due to the shock of the new 5er which I can’t get on with at all at present.
The overall proportions of the car are optimal and, like Ed, I am a fan of the green but that Tanzanite blue is great. As to the interface, even though Eva is now a generation and a bit behind BMW are still the best at it. I’m currently in a Skoda Octavia Combi (more on that later) and whilst I’m used to it now there are still foibles in the controls I’m finding irritating.
Great choice.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 10, 2024 13:51:38 GMT
Yes, the customer service I've had from Porsche during and since buying it has only been ok...definitely not as good as BMW. I know I was a repeat customer of Vines but I was spending half the money and I wonder how people get and keep new customers if you don't treat them extra-well upfront. Whenever we have a new client, I work on the basis that we have to actually deliver a better and more responsive service than that client expects in order to distinguish ourselves from our many competitors. Simply being "as good" doesn't really cut it in today's hyper-competitive environment. Not sure you can count Vines as typical BMW dealer experience: IIRC they’re still old school owned and managed away from the likes of Inchcape etc. I’ve used Vines Guildford a few times: definitely a cut above.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 10, 2024 11:02:20 GMT
Closed auctions have always been around for ex-demo and UK in-house fleet cars.
The options thing is far outweighed by the fact you, the buyer paying for the car in the first instance, is restricted on spec mix by the importer / manufacturer. Go to the Merc build-a car and try to spec a red CLE with dark brown seats. Can’t be done.
There’s a song called “Freedom of choice” by DEVO……
BMW also already know all about your car all the time. An independent with access to the service computer should be able to update the options on there as well so the system knows your car has them and is allowed them.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 1, 2024 18:24:50 GMT
No different to the proliferation of Lonsdale t shirts in Germany, worn under an open top so that the “Lo” and “le” were not visible.
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Post by Big Blue on Apr 1, 2024 18:20:52 GMT
I always wanted a Ferrari. I have long admired the 456GT. There must be a reason why I won’t buy one as I pass my mid 50s into late 50s, mortgage free and all that. No idea why I wouldn't just jump in. Ah. I see in 2021 it was serviced by a garage literally walking distance from my house. Then less than a year later required corrections following a “full” health check yet in the (less than) 2 years since has required an air con overhaul. So yeah. Maybe not.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 26, 2024 9:31:34 GMT
Can I be a listener on the phone call where Racing says, in his extremely cultured tones, “my good friend “Blarno” has advised that you could assist me.”
😂
(apologies for such snobby humour but it made me laugh)
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 24, 2024 9:23:54 GMT
Says it all! I like these but not sure that’s a “highlight” but I suppose for an ‘84 131 it is.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 22, 2024 11:36:10 GMT
I didn't know there were tolls in Czech. I didn't pay any when we were over at Christmas although we weren't on a motorway there. Don't recall having ever seen any sort of sensors though and our hosts have never said anything about tolls despite going to Prague each time we've been across. Here’s a clue 😉 Like SK there are different classes of “motorway”. Some are not toll roads so don’t need a stamp. If it hasn't got that white sign with the circle in it you don't need a stamp.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 21, 2024 23:15:25 GMT
I use this one I think. Whichever one I use it’s the one Martin uses as he suggested it. Feel free to correct me, Martin. www.insurance4carhire.com/
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 21, 2024 21:22:31 GMT
Oh yeah: price.
Italy can be ferociously expensive. You pay nothing for hundreds of kms then sudden go through a toll and it’s €50+ The others are all around €10-15 for a ten day vignette.
Also are you collecting and dropping the car at the same location? If not there will be a charge.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 21, 2024 21:14:10 GMT
Cross border: use Sixt or Europcar or Avis as they will have reliable support in each country. There will be a cross border charge to cover insurances and any support. Yes: Skoda. Even the Scala is big and comfy enough and the rental one I last had was a Monte Carlo spec and had everything FG. Passes: - Italy is pay as you go, like France. Select the correct lane as we once went in the cash only one and luckily had enough! - I think there is a mobile app for Slovenia vignette, if not here's the website: evinjeta.dars.si/en. I used it last summer. - There is a website and app for Austrian vignette but it's utter bollocks. Due to purchasing laws you have to have a cooling off period of 10 days so if you don't know the reg of your car 10 days before travel you can't use the ASFINAG app because you could buy a 10 day vignette then cancel it 9 days later. It's an utterly shit thing. That said any petrol station will sell you a vignette and the border lay-bys have self-service machines. I think AT is the last country to have stick on vignettes! The rest are all camera controlled based on license plate. - SK has electronic vignette. App is called eZnamka and it's brilliant, simple etc. - CZ one is here: edalnice.cz/en/index.html#/validation. They might have an app too - I'm always already in SK or AT so don't need the app. - If you venture into Hungary the app is called Mobilfizetés. Again, easy to use etc. apart from selecting the right class of car, which I always seem to have an issue with. Remember if you set your nav to avoid tolls and/or motorways and want to see some decent scenery you don't need any of these but your journey time will be about two-three times longer. Most vignette passes are minimum 10 days, to avoid passers through paying the minimum each direction of a 14 day break!; then one month; then a year. Nice journey. All those countries are fabulous.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 21, 2024 10:31:40 GMT
Sell it to some dodgy looking bloke on the corner by the kebab shop.
Should be fine.
I was like John and just did as I was told.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 20, 2024 12:01:33 GMT
Ferrari movie on Sky.
An opportunity to watch a car based film that W2.1 will also watch. It was great - not just cars and gear changing too much like it could have been. I suddenly remember the history of the '57 Mille Miglia when the race scenes started so the ending was less of a shock than it may have been.
Definitely a great watch, cars or not.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 14, 2024 16:53:12 GMT
Eva was coated in something when I bought it. It’s amazing when you just wash it and dry it. I think it was about £500 but that was part of the BMW new car stuff. I had it on my S1000RR as well.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 12, 2024 14:02:52 GMT
Well, he’s broken his insurance claim virginity Glad no one was hurt: we had all sorts of horrors as teens in terms of maiming and deaths in accidents. I also recall Marlene witnessing a young driver going into the trees on the Witley- Milford road years ago at the national limit as a minimum. Car was smacked to bits but the boy was unscathed. Agreed: Minis and 500s are default young peoples’ cars these days. That’s a nice looking one. Mine still aren’t interested in driving
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Random
Mar 11, 2024 21:13:23 GMT
via mobile
Post by Big Blue on Mar 11, 2024 21:13:23 GMT
Market’s fucked.
Was speaking to a prominent figure in the SMMT recently: the used market for electric cars is Dodo material. With this kind of deposit contribution so is the new market!
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 11, 2024 18:17:11 GMT
Volvo Amazon should be able to be delivered free from Scandinavia with Prime.........
I'll get me coat.
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Post by Big Blue on Mar 11, 2024 14:04:13 GMT
So what if Horner goes to Haas or Alpine? Or even Aston? Lays out a five year plan, calls Newey and starts the process over again when the new regs kick in?
Would be actually interesting as opposed to this red-top-headline shite.
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