What did you do today?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I replaced the faulty ABS pump on my recently acquired E36 Estate. Wasn't too much of a cunt. The light went out first turn of the key JOB DONE.

[ghosty]

Went round some modernz dealers to scope choices out for my aunt, who wants a new hatchback appliance, £9k budget, up to 3 years old and with space for fully grown adults in the back. She liked the idea of a Jazz, that I've been trying to ward her off.

I found that: mid-2010s Fords have very low quality interiors, like cheap Chinese ebay tat levels. I like the current gen Fiesta that has incorporated acceptable seats and some better quality feeling interior materials, but the previous gen is fucking awful all round, on every model. Doesn't help that the Fiesta the dealer picked when I asked for one to compare to a B-Max had a flat battery...
The local Honda dealer confirmed further to me that Hondas are shit: the current Civic is now obnoxiously big, and the Jazz is overpriced for what it is by about £3000, and despite external appearance suggesting otherwise, has no more space inside than a typical hatchback. There's just no reason to buy one any more, they're awkward looking, and have nothing to differentiate them from any other typical hatchback offering. Also, the used car section of the dealer had nothing but five-figure price tagged Jazzes, almost all under two years old, many 19 plate. Not a good sign, I suspect some of them were pre-reg to fudge sales figures and try and get them out the door - the Jazz certainly isn't a common sight any more and I see why, there's just no reason to buy one whatsoever. Also the dealership had a very old fashioned, pushy approach, the rest of them just left us to it.
Went to look at Yarises on a whim though (I'd been mulling them over for a while), and was massively impressed. They just seem to have the best of everything: quality, comfort, space, equipment, price, and a good dealer experience too. As far as modern generic hatches go the Yaris seems to be a winner. My mum's fallen in love with the one we viewed at the local dealer and is now begging her sister to buy it...
I genuinely can't fault them, and the kind my aunt is looking at would still have manufacturer warranty running.

Interested to see how this goes.

[LynehamHerc]

Have you thought about Ups etc. All 4 of us fitted in reasonably comfortably with a 6'5" lurch and a 6' other son in the back.
Ours went to our youngest and now our eldest has bought a Citigo. He's just paid a bit under 7k for a 2017 with 17k on the clock.

[cros]

I came home off my holiday, mores the pity.

IMG_20190704_100852165.jpg (328.22 KiB) Viewed 4230 times

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Went round some modernz dealers to scope choices out for my aunt, who wants a new hatchback appliance, £9k budget, up to 3 years old and with space for fully grown adults in the back. She liked the idea of a Jazz, that I've been trying to ward her off.

I found that: mid-2010s Fords have very low quality interiors, like cheap Chinese ebay tat levels. I like the current gen Fiesta that has incorporated acceptable seats and some better quality feeling interior materials, but the previous gen is fucking awful all round, on every model. Doesn't help that the Fiesta the dealer picked when I asked for one to compare to a B-Max had a flat battery...
The local Honda dealer confirmed further to me that Hondas are shit: the current Civic is now obnoxiously big, and the Jazz is overpriced for what it is by about £3000, and despite external appearance suggesting otherwise, has no more space inside than a typical hatchback. There's just no reason to buy one any more, they're awkward looking, and have nothing to differentiate them from any other typical hatchback offering. Also, the used car section of the dealer had nothing but five-figure price tagged Jazzes, almost all under two years old, many 19 plate. Not a good sign, I suspect some of them were pre-reg to fudge sales figures and try and get them out the door - the Jazz certainly isn't a common sight any more and I see why, there's just no reason to buy one whatsoever. Also the dealership had a very old fashioned, pushy approach, the rest of them just left us to it.
Went to look at Yarises on a whim though (I'd been mulling them over for a while), and was massively impressed. They just seem to have the best of everything: quality, comfort, space, equipment, price, and a good dealer experience too. As far as modern generic hatches go the Yaris seems to be a winner. My mum's fallen in love with the one we viewed at the local dealer and is now begging her sister to buy it...
I genuinely can't fault them, and the kind my aunt is looking at would still have manufacturer warranty running.

Interested to see how this goes.

Yarisises are very good. My folks bought one in 2005 when they emigrated to Canada and it just never put a foot wrong. I'd look also at a Kia Cee'd if they're not too big, and the latest gen Picanto.

Fords? Yeah, I don't see where they fit in now and who buys them. Most dealerships are like armpits. Honda are a spent force in the UK now. They have alienated their entire customer base, many whom are dying off anyway.

[Arthur Foxhake]

Spent a fortune.
Got everything I need now to have the Mercedes camper ready to use in 3 weeks. Just need some time!
It'll be far from finished but should be useable for this season.
Solar is fitted and working better than expected, all the final connections are made on the gas, kitchen/mess area almost fitted out, first coat of gloss is on, suspension bushes ordered, MOT man found ( it's a big 'un, not your usual MOT bay needed)
TV and satellite on its way, more green paint on its way.
Can't wait to use it!

[CLINT]

Wow well done

[3VOM]

Failed an MOT again.

[mercrocker]

Did a 10 hour stint in the Cowley today. Only travelling from Lowestoft down to Southampton but we decided to follow the 1955 AA handbook maps (cross-checked with a modern atlas and backed up by sat nav when directional instinct wavered). We basically followed B roads and the odd stretch of A road until south of Newbury when we jumped on the last leg of A34/M3/M27 as by then we were bloody hungry and tired.

It was a cracking day out and I have been through villages and countryside I never would have discovered, Mrs Rocker proved her worth as navigator (we only had one bar of charge on her phone so satnav reference was minimal), we had breakfast at Kessingland, lunch in Southwold and tea when we got home! Cowley ran perfectly and oil and coolant levels appear normal on our return - the poor thing was rammed with luggage, too.

[LynehamHerc]

Sounds like a great day but I'm puzzled by one thing.

As far as I remember it's only about 10 miles or so from Kessingland to Southwold.
Should it be Southampton?