Kick Those Shoes Off and Relax. It's the Delta 2017 Tea Break

[E.B]

Originally Posted by delta

Yep will do thanks Stuart.

The 5.3 was also a must have diff back in the day for Mallocks and other Clubmans cars in the Hillclimb scene, although as time progressed they would be modified with Ford centres for reliability. The standard Morris Minor Postie diff did not like the 160+ or so bhp of an A class 1700cc engine.
This shows the mod:
https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/De...-midget-sprite

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

That’s an interesting comment, Grant. You think the pressure to move away from ‘fossil fuels’ is going to extend to how we keep warm and cook in our homes in the not too distant future?

If "policies" are implemented as they are currently written, then yes.

When you see regulations for new properties enforcing all electric and no gas (or oil out in the boondocks) you will know they plan to force it through along with the cars.

One generation of gas boilers left and after that, maybe, it would be mad to install one.

I don't think any adult in politics has looked at the implications of that.

Once you start to eliminate the domestic gas demand you also make the distribution network uneconomic pretty quickly. That should help to make the gas costs even higher than the ever rising electricity costs. And should ensure its rapid demise.

IMO.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Delay! Not that I have any experience of them- just my opinion.....

Ironically, my modern thinking ‘green energy’ and ‘EV friendly’ supplier requires me to submit monthly meter readings, which are used to raise invoices. Cuts out the cost of having bods travelling round to do the same, I guess.

Nah.

Gives them cash flow.

Also lower risk of your eventual default on payments being for a large amount and thus should keep their risk insurance down.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by grantp

Nah.

Gives them cash flow.

Hence the incentives given to customers to pay a fixed sum on monthly d/d- which I wouldn’t ever agree to....

Regarding phasing out gas- the chaos in the main road through town at the moment is due to a new gas main being installed...... Go Figure!

[delta]

Originally Posted by E.B

The 5.3 was also a must have diff back in the day for Mallocks and other Clubmans cars in the Hillclimb scene, although as time progressed they would be modified with Ford centres for reliability. The standard Morris Minor Postie diff did not like the 160+ or so bhp of an A class 1700cc engine.
This shows the mod:
https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/De...-midget-sprite

Thanks for posting E B

[bauble]

Smart meters allow you to keep a very close check on your energy usage, monthly, daily, hourly readings can be viewed on line. You always know exactly what your consumption is and makes it easy to save if one wishes to.
When comparing deals from a variety of sources you can get a pretty accurate quote based on genuine consumption figures rather than estimated usage or the 'typical three bedroom house' approach.

If they work as intended they seem to me to be a good thing, although some here appear to have found that is not always the case.

I have little doubt that in the end if you do not have one you will find yourself on a Special Non-Smart meter tariff.

Go for it Viv, and never mind the doomsayers, Luddites, and trogloldytes that inhabit the Historic Section.

Bawb.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Hence the incentives given to customers to pay a fixed sum on monthly d/d- which I wouldn’t ever agree to....

Regarding phasing out gas- the chaos in the main road through town at the moment is due to a new gas main being installed...... Go Figure!

Will be needed for a while yet. I doubt the residents of Attleborough would relish being blown up due to a leaking main!

In any case, once something has gone through the approval and schudling process and contractors have been contracted, it will happen. It will cost even if it doesn't happen!

Mentioning which.

The hell that is the M1 around J24.

When they did the roundabout refurm a couple of years ago they spent a million or more putting in a rather strange little loop thing to get traffic from the A50 off J24 and onto J23A a mile south. Now they are completely re-engineering the whole thing once more and that odd little section will be eradicated.

Likewise around the same time they finished making the A453 between J24 and the outskirts of Nottingham and Dual carriageway. Now they are ripping up the point at which it and the M1 southbound exit join the roundabout and and redesigning everything once more with another year of chaos before scheduled completion.

Money? Who cares? Efficiency? Who cares? Sensible planning assessment and control? You what? More then many people's jobs are worth.

Utter chaos around here most of the day.

[grantp]

.

[grantp]

Younger daughter just got back from holiday yesterday after 36hr journey from Oz.

In to work today. Drives into town to meet a client - Nottingham. Less than 2 miles, took over an hour - and discovers her keyfob battery has died during the journey.

Can't lock or start the car - Golf Mk 7 .

She rang VW and explained. "Nothing you can do." they said. Apparently.

You tube found me a UK video about how to get access and make the lock operational and an American video about how to start the car with a dead key fob. 10 minutes to find, watch and relay the required information to get the car started.

I moved the car about 10 days ago - no problems except a warning about the fob battery so a sudden total failure seems odd. Anyway the real point is - why do VW helpline staff not know how to help a customer with this problem?

Do they not study You Tube?

Shame on them.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by grantp

Money? Who cares? Efficiency? Who cares? Sensible planning assessment and control? You what? More then many people's jobs are worth.

Utter chaos around here most of the day.

The various departments, both in local and national, government don't have the specialist knowledge to conduct these projects, and it has been getting progressively worse over the last twenty or more years ago.

Many years ago, one of my sons worked in Whitehall, first for the Treasury, then Dept of Transport and finally in Environment. He is a mathematician with a speciality in Economics, and he specialises in producing computer software models.

When he was in the DaFT, he was very briefly consulted about a proposed new road system, involving creating multiple one way streets, for St Albans in Hertfordshire. By coincidence, he knew the city very well having gone to school there, and spending the weekends there with his mother who lived in the centre of the city. And without much thought, he told them that it wouldn't work because the traffic density was too high.

And of course, they ignored him. The system was introduced at great cost, but by 8 a.m. on the very first day, the city became totally gridlocked and didn't improve all day until everyone went home. After a week or so of this nonsense, the old system was re-introduced. And my son's comments were, 'Well, I did tell them'.

After having his advice and work on various projects being ignored or overridden, he left to join the private sector where he earned at least double his civil service pay plus benefits. And a lot of his work revolved around advising on governmental projects for which the taxpayer ended up paying considerably more for than if he had remained in Whitehall.

[MGDavid]

Got my Winter Fuel Allowance today - just in time to pay for my race licence medical :-)
Thankyou all workers & taxpayers

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by bauble

Smart meters allow you to keep a very close check on your energy usage, monthly, daily, hourly readings can be viewed on line. You always know exactly what your consumption is and makes it easy to save if one wishes to.
When comparing deals from a variety of sources you can get a pretty accurate quote based on genuine consumption figures rather than estimated usage or the 'typical three bedroom house' approach.

If they work as intended they seem to me to be a good thing, although some here appear to have found that is not always the case.

I have little doubt that in the end if you do not have one you will find yourself on a Special Non-Smart meter tariff.

Go for it Viv, and never mind the doomsayers, Luddites, and trogloldytes that inhabit the Historic Section.

Bawb.

Thanks Baub, and trust you to sow seeds of doubt in my mind based on our other learned friends advice I'd pretty much made up my mind to decline the offer. Now I read your post closely followed by an email from Scottish Power pressurising me to book my appointment to have the meters fitted.
Oh decisions, decisions...

[bauble]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Thanks Baub, and trust you to sow seeds of doubt in my mind based on our other learned friends advice I'd pretty much made up my mind to decline the offer. Now I read your post closely followed by an email from Scottish Power pressurising me to book my appointment to have the meters fitted.
Oh decisions, decisions...

Viv. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.

Anyway, remember most of the people who contribute here are 'historic' by nature and resistance to modern technology.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by bauble

Viv. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.

Anyway, remember most of the people who contribute here are 'historic' by nature and resistance to modern technology.

....sez the man who just bought an old Corsa!!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

....sez the man who just bought an old Corsa!!

Quite! Saving the planet though by not buying new (or so I’m told....)

My reasoning for not having a smart meter now would be that it’s apparent from what you hear and read that the tech is far from perfect. Give them another couple of years......

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Quite! Saving the planet though by not buying new (or so I’m told....)

My reasoning for not having a smart meter now would be that it’s apparent from what you hear and read that the tech is far from perfect. Give them another couple of years......

I also wonder how many problems are caused by contractors rushing around, required to fit X number of meters in a given time? That is, a rush job not being done properly. That's just my take.

[Tim Falce]

Just caught a snippet of the budget, it seems one of my killer diesels (Mondeo) will get a tax increase of about £30 next year, not sure about how much the 18 YO Landcruiser will be. Well that's showed me, I'm bound to sell them now....NOT. In fact if they want to try and outlaw diesel cars I might even fit a nice small block Chevy engine in the Landcrusier, that should cut the pollution down.

[gary396]

No rise in fuel duty though. Thought they might start to increase it for diesels. For another budget perhaps?

[Mike Bell]

Tim, I read that the rfl increase on diesel cars (not vans) was only on new sales, not on existing...... I’ll check again!

Yep, that’s how the guardian website reports it.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Tim, I read that the rfl increase on diesel cars (not vans) was only on new sales, not on existing...... I’ll check again!

Yep, that’s how the guardian website reports it.

From the BBC:

Vehicle excise duty for diesel cars that do not meet latest standards to rise by one band in April 2018

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Tim, I read that the rfl increase on diesel cars (not vans) was only on new sales, not on existing...... I’ll check again!

Yep, that’s how the guardian website reports it.

Hopefully you're correct as the tables they show are said to come straight from the budgy book. never trust the BBC to get anything correct.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Hopefully you're correct as the tables they show are said to come straight from the budgy book. never trust the BBC to get anything correct.

From another internet source.....

New diesel cars failing to meet the latest emissions standards will face a tax increase in April, to fund a new £220m clean air fund, Hammond announced. The Chancellor said such vehicles will be subjected to a one-band increase in the first year vehicle excise duty (VED) rate.

And another....

Owners of new diesel cars will be hit with higher taxes.....

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

From another internet source.....

New diesel cars failing to meet the latest emissions standards will face a tax increase in April, to fund a new £220m clean air fund, Hammond announced. The Chancellor said such vehicles will be subjected to a one-band increase in the first year vehicle excise duty (VED) rate.

And another....

Owners of new diesel cars will be hit with higher taxes.....

They'll have to go for the electric market soon ...

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

From another internet source.....

New diesel cars failing to meet the latest emissions standards will face a tax increase in April, to fund a new £220m clean air fund, Hammond announced. The Chancellor said such vehicles will be subjected to a one-band increase in the first year vehicle excise duty (VED) rate.

And another....

Owners of new diesel cars will be hit with higher taxes.....

So it's pretty much going to affect no one, anyone who is buying a new car themselves isn't going to worry about £30-£50 more tax.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by grantp

They'll have to go for the electric market soon ...

I’m sure it will happen eventually, Grant, but sales are still so small (as a percentage of total), probably less of a priority.....