What was noticeable was the tyre life Avons were shockingly bad and were worn out in half the miles the mid range budget brands were doing. If you aren't going to do a lot of miles Avons seem good value for a decent tyre but if you expect to keep the car long term and do more than 10k on the tyres ...

The DVSA also actually do market enforcement of them too: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-market-surveillance-unit-programme-results-2023/vehicle-market-surveillance-unit-results-of-the-2023-programme#tyre-labelling Wet grip performance Of the 20 different tyres tested for wet gr...

Those wet weather/fuel efficiency/noise labels are not standardised from manufacturer to manufacturer. They are based on the manufacturers own tests.

For mid-range tyres I don't think you can beat Avons.

Handling the two thermostats, did there look or feel to be a difference in quality? Or do you think they were either of identical quality, or both from the same manufacturer but just in different boxes? Definitely a clone as there is no part names or numbers on the castings with no evidence of them...

Handling the two thermostats, did there look or feel to be a difference in quality? Or do you think they were either of identical quality, or both from the same manufacturer but just in different boxes?

The coating on other, less prestigious manufacturers, is a thick plastic sleeve.

How manufactures get away with not sealing brake pipes to stop this is beyond me as its safety critical, but it's highly unlikely to bother the first or second owners. Hence the lack of protection.

Last time I worked in a main dealer, brakes were bleed using a diagnostic tool.

TBH those brake pipes would probably clean-up

Start soaking the brake calliper bleed nipples now.

Castlebrom lived an extra 40 years thanks to John Egan. BL wanted to close it in the very early '80s.