Delta's tea-break thingy, the lighter wassname - 2013

[Peter Mallett]

Dunno, those 3litre Granadas were pretty quick in consideration of their size. Remember the Sweeney?

[Al Weyman]

I had an estate I used for cabbing work with a York diesel engine conversion and an overdrive box as fitted to the Scimiter, fabulous looking car in golden brown metallic and a lovely conversion, just a shame they used that pig dog of an engine that had starting issues. Diesel cars were a rarity back then and I remember there was a strike or some fuel crisis on and huge queues at the pumps and I used to drive straight to the diesel pump and fill up much to the fury of those in the queue. I even invited one to do the same till he realised the error of his ways just in time!

[Moosehead]

Went to New Quay on the Welsh coast yesterday, lovely day in the sun with some great driving roads too. Only spoiled by a blinding headache on the way home and getting stuck in the holiday traffic which was mainly caused by unnecessary coning off of lanes and temporary traffic lights giving priority to farmers tracks!!

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

Then of into the cellar to have a good look in the deepest corners. I found an Armagnac the grapes of which were harvested when Queen Victoria was still alive. Think about that!

I do like a drop of Armagnac . . . can't say I've sampled anything harvested when Gordon Streeter was a lad

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I do like a drop of Armagnac . . . can't say I've sampled anything harvested when Gordon Streeter was a lad

Bloody cheek you young whippersnapper !!!!!
(did you get my phone message) ?

[GORDON STREETER]

I think I'll start a "Daily Rant" thread to get the woes of the day off my chest after getting held up collecting spares this morning
Why do people buy a top of the range Merc/Beemer/Audi etc and creep along at less than 30 mph in the middle of the road !!!!
Ok they can do what they like with their own money but why buy the model with a zillion HP ?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I think I'll start a "Daily Rant" thread to get the woes of the day off my chest after getting held up collecting spares this morning
Why do people buy a top of the range Merc/Beemer/Audi etc and creep along at less than 30 mph in the middle of the road !!!!
Ok they can do what they like with their own money but why buy the model with a zillion HP ?

Was it an "Eco" or "Blu" version or whatever they call them? I expect they were just doing their bit to save the planet. Or it could be the Nanny who doesn't have a licence taking the kids to school.

Or one might enjoy the concept that the new car has a fault and dropped into limp-home mode.

I had the same sort of problem today. South Leicestershire has, in recent times, become littered with 50mph limits on many of the busier cross country routes. So everyone does 45. Except the council vehicles which seem to be limited to 39.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Why do people buy a top of the range Merc/Beemer/Audi etc and creep along at less than 30 mph in the middle of the road !!!!
Ok they can do what they like with their own money but why buy the model with a zillion HP ?

Because they have the money and have to buy the 'top of the range'! How many Cooper S Minis do you see pottering arond with wife, mistress, girlfriend or daughter driving. An ordinary Cooper or One would suffice for the majority, and leave the hi-po version for us blokes and ladies that know how to drive! (Or think we do....)

[garcon]

It's the same flawed logic that means 95% of people in the UK seem to buy diesels when they really don't need them. Why would you buy a diesel unless you do enough miles to make it financially advantageous?

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by garcon

Why would you buy a diesel unless you do enough miles to make it financially advantageous?

Why not?

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by garcon

...... Why would you buy a diesel unless you do enough miles to make it financially advantageous?

better for towing trailers?

[garcon]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Why not?

Because they're dirty, smelly, soot chucking tractors that sound crap?

Originally Posted by MGDavid

better for towing trailers?

I'll give you that one, as long as it is a trailer with a race car on it and not a caravan. Ever.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by garcon

Because they're dirty, smelly, soot chucking tractors that sound crap?

Nah, I've emission tested some new diesels and they don't even give a reading on the meter. Now my wife's Clio or my Landcruiser, they're a different story but both essential for what we do.

[garcon]

True enough today's models are very nearly as clean as their petrol equivalents. Still get the diesel stink when you fill up though. And they still sound rubbish.

I drive a diesel too, but then I'm doing 20k miles a year so it's the only sensible option ... I prefer the drone of the six cylinder unit over the clatter of a four pot, but I'd still far rather be driving a six or eight cylinder petrol.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by garcon

I'll give you that one, as long as it is a trailer with a race car on it and not a caravan. Ever.

Mine's a caravan converted into a race kart trailer, am I OK?

I tried towing with a petrol, blew the head gasket so have gone back to smelly old diesel!

[PeterMorley]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Nah, I've emission tested some new diesels and they don't even give a reading on the meter. Now my wife's Clio or my Landcruiser, they're a different story but both essential for what we do.

Does the emission test look for the extremely fine particles that cause all sorts of health problems?
The particulate filter is presumably meant to remove some of them but what are the emissions like when it is regenerating?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Nah, I've emission tested some new diesels and they don't even give a reading on the meter. Now my wife's Clio or my Landcruiser, they're a different story but both essential for what we do.

Any thoughts on DPFs Tim?

I suspect that the economics of diesel usage have been changed in ways that may not yet be fully understood. But I'm no diesel expert.

I reckon we could get to a point where it is almost better to scrap a "middle aged" car - say 6 or 7 years old - than to spend money keeping it on the road.

If so things will get rather interesting unless the service costs at that point are greatly reduced. Used car price volatility and and then availability could become "very interesting".

No doubt the market will find a way to balance itself but it could be somewhat different to what people are used to.

This (no doubt nuanced) item from the USA makes interesting reading in places.

http://www.dieselpowermag.com/tech/1.../photo_04.html

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by grantp

Any thoughts on DPFs Tim?

Yes, probably more expensive than Viagra.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Yes, probably more expensive than Viagra.

Do they do the same job?

[terence]

Come on Tim,keep up.

[Al Weyman]

I am an LPG fan and have 2 vehicles converted, one I did myself and they dont show up on the C02 test either plus its half the price of Diesel. A nice clean fuel IMHO. No little soot particles either, I do a lot of van signwriting and even brand new ones always have those sooty deposits on the rear of the vehicle even a few miles after being cleaned

[garcon]

I can see the sense in converting bib old petrol lumps to LPG, but I've always had this sneaking suspicion that if I pay for a conversion the govt will immediately treble the duty.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I am an LPG fan and have 2 vehicles converted, one I did myself and they dont show up on the C02 test either plus its half the price of Diesel.

You sound like an LPG salesman, Al!

To be fair, the cost of conversion has to be factored in, plus the poorer fuel consumption when running on gas.

Going back to diesel versus petrol, across a lot of mainland Europe the latter is more expensive so even in small cars diesel becomes the default choice......

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Going back to diesel versus petrol, across a lot of mainland Europe the latter is more expensive so even in small cars diesel becomes the default choice......

Funny that Mike, it doesn't seem that many years ago that diesel was as cheap as chips compared to petrol, I wonder why that is !!!!! ?

[midgetman]

We did the calculations recently and there's not enough savings to worry about either way (petrol v diesel), so the decision came down to a big old Pug estate diesel because it's got the mid range torque to drag the kart trailer.