>>4498
That's a fine looking vehicle for the money.

I've lately become a little bit fascinated with really old cars.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZBFR-jxb9U

It's interesting to see sow much has changed and yet how much remains the same, and I always find it a little bit enchanting when pre-WW2 tech and machinery is still serviceable and usable today. It feels like it comes from an altogether different era of history.

I'm afraid my Meriva has sensed my thoughts about its 'spongy' steering and decided to throw one of them EPS failures at me.

Luckily it's only popped up when I was parking at work this morning, and hadn't decided to spontaneously fix itself when it came to going home so I had a very invigorating drive home. Works the muscles.

Now I'm not sure what to do. I know Merivas have EPS problems as a matter of inevitability but I can't say I've had any prior issues with it, and I'm not sure if the previous owners did either. Most people describe it as being intermittent but mine just seems to have fucking given up completely, I start the car and the EPS light is either already illuminated or the steering wheel will have a spasm then turn off the EPS to save itself.

Main problem with this is that it's expensive to fix and I have no money (that I want to spend on a car). I also like my slow, ugly schoolrun car and wasn't planning on ditching it any time soon as I only do a few thousand miles a year.

>>4539

You could stick it up for sale for very slightly cheaper than one with working EPS and hope for the best, people with the inclination to do their own work might see it as a decent investment. It's a long shot but you lose nothing by popping an ad on gumtree really.

Other than that there's not much you can do - pull the EPS fuse and the car will continue to operate without power steering quite happily, though it's probably not the most pleasant ways to drive around.

>>4539

I drove my old car with dead power steering for a full year and a half before I flogged it. I eventually got used to it, and whenever I'd get in someone else's car and eventually my new new car, it felt like driving a light and weightless cloud. I think it was actually giving my arms a bit of a workout too, I had slightly better muscle definition that's gone away since.

She needs premium, dude! Premiuuuuuum!

>>4533
I imagined that'd be the case, though the US octane scale is slightly different to ours - their '87' is our 95, meaning that it was still asking for our 98/100. Either way, I put the good shit in anyway since I only ever run it on unleaded if I really want to put my foot down or can't find LPG close. I fill it up at the Costco where it's the same price as normal fuel everywhere else.

It seems to understand fuel delivery somewhat as the MPG figures on the dash seem a bit lower when I'm on LPG, but that might just be confirmation bias as I'm not always staring at it. It does get confused though, since it's usually only running on LPG under heavy drain conditions (startup and heavy acceleration), it thinks half a tank of fuel will only get me about 20 miles.

>>4535
s/running on LPG/running on unleaded/

Fuck's sake. Time to get off here and focus.

>>4526
To me, it doesn't make much sense.

Supermarkets sell the product as cheap as possible to get people into the shop itself.
On the other hand, Shell/BP/Esso etc. have wafer-thin margins in urban areas and so whilst their prices are higher they make the product itself as low-quality as they can get away with because they need every last penny to turn a profit.

The premium fuels definitely have extra additives which might clean your engine, and the higher octane etc. might give better economy depending on your engine, but I don't believe that there is any difference at all between regular fuels.

However it is worth remembering that as fuel pumps measure volume, during a cold snap you can cram just a little bit more fuel by weight into the tank for the same price, but also I have heard that the refiners tweak the blends very slightly through the seasons to counteract this, as well as to control evaporation.

>>4537

Also,
don't bother with redex, nowadays it's just kerosene with some red dye in since people get a bit antsy about some of the spicier chemicals that could be in there.
Get some of the cleaners sold by Forte instead, it's sold as a "trade use only" product, but it's easy enough to find online, and it gets well recommended by a lot of people in the trade who claim it can get cars through an MOT after failing emission checks.

The hivemind strikes again, because I've come to the same conclusion recently - I've had a couple of MX5's before and I love them, but I'm not going to pay three grand for a "mostly" rust free mk1.

As far as I can tell, the MK3 mr2 is massively overlooked, mostly just because it doesn't look at good or interesting as the two that came before it, and it's also a little underpowered because Toyota didn't want to piss on their Lotus deal by putting the Elise engine in it, though it's a simple enough swap for those inclined to a bit of wrenching.

It will be very reliable and I just can't see how it wouldn't be fun, I'm definitely going to get one. I've narrowed my search down to one from 2003 or up, that's the facelifted version, with 6 speed box instead of 5, and a few engine improvements that will help with reliability. Really the only thing to be worried about on the engine are the pre-cats, which can deteriorate and be sucked into the engine and cause damage - the facelift fixes this, but it's a quick and well advised job to look into doing anyway. But it's a toyota, it will run forever.

I can't really think of anything for 4 grand that would be any more fun for any less hassle, honestly - there will be nice Celicas, GTO/FTO or maybe even 200sx's in that range, but I wouldn't advise most of them because they probably won't be as well sorted as a MK3. Really if you want to spend 4 grand, find a nice Mk2 MR2, the 170bhp version - they're getting on in age but still feel like a proper sporty car, and you don't see a lot of them about they're a lot of fun, but finding a good example you will be spending at least 3 or 4k.

I have a feeling the MK3 will be noticed by more and more people in the coming years, as MX5s start to dwindle in numbers, and they'll shoot up in price.

I don't know anything about cars but I've always wanted an MR2 ever since I saw an MK1 about thirty fucking years ago. One day I'll get one and no doubt spin out and fuck myself into a lamppost thirty seconds later like Richard "The Hamster" Hammond because I have no idea how to drive a real car whose course isn't being constantly corrected by a dozen different computerised units .

>>4517
It's Tesla, just about everything they do is cuntish.

>>4517

Tractors have had it for a while, sucking dry the general populous is the next logical step.

About ten years ago Elon Musk was being lauded amongst my nerdy friends as an incredible technological innovator and entrepreneur. I don't speak to those friends any more so I don't know if they have revised their opinion, but in the time since Musk seems to have done everything possible to destroy his public image. I would never consciously buy a product from this cunt.

>>4517

The premise underlying 'Glasshouse' by Charles Stross is that there was a cryptological culture war in the past (our future) and as a result nobody in the present (also our future) knows anything about what happened in the past (possibly also our future).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WTSsTdUy4o
This thread makes me think of that episode of Silicon Valley.

>>4521
Alright Mark, thought you were dead?

I've been intending to get a dash cam, particularly as I had a lorry drive into me and claim it was my fault a few years back, but I haven't got round to it it.

Uploading footage online for the sake of it is a bit weird though.

The lycra-clad vigilante who shopped stationary Guy Ritchie texting behind the wheel: Road safety warrior prides himself on having caught 358 drivers breaking the law in one year and being responsible for 574 points and £35,400 in fines

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8552401/Guy-Ritchie-gets-six-month-driving-ban-cyclist-catches-texting-wheel.html

Imagine spending your life being this much of a snitch.

My dash cam's card deliberately only has an hour of storage space, such that I can never become of these twats who uploads shit to UK ROAD RAGE DASHCAM ACCIDENTS FUNNY 2021 COMPILATION #64 UK.

That said, SHITTING PEUGEOT is a quote I use very frequently.

>>4472
Alternately, he might encourage the offenders to not to do it again.

>>4496

Some people try shit on because they think they can get away with it. When it turns out that they didn't, they are less likely to reflect on their incursion as they are apt to find the fucking cunt wot snitched on 'em and make their life hell.

>>4479
I could have done it with a pole and some rope for half the price.

>>4480
I fail to see how lynching Eastern Europeans gets anyone a new roundabout.

>>4481
Cheap labour. Didn't that lad who used to post driveways on here hire a bunch of Slavs?

>>4474
Potentially a good idea if drivers understand it.

The biggest worry I have is that people in cars will assume they have the right of way exiting a roundabout, where cyclists will be going straight around without stopping. There's going to be at least a fair amount of near misses where cars slam their brakes on right before the crossing.
The other problem would be cars waiting to enter the roundabout blocking the cycle lanes, especially lorries.

They've had to close it already because some numpty drove into a Belisha beacon.

Fuck's sake.

Use online comparison shopping, be "creative" about your job title, see if adding an older relative as a named driver brings down your quote. Once you've found a cheap quote, take down the quote number, give the insurer a ring and have a go at haggling. If there's anything interesting about your car and/or bike (classic, modified etc) give Adrian Flux a ring.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-insurance/

>I understand it's not a direct translation, but I'm hoping it'll help rather than hinder - right?

If you've done a lot of road cycling, you'll probably have a habit of riding well over to the left rather than taking the whole lane. Your CBT instructor will probably pick you up on it, but it's something to be aware of.

>Would you recommend a bike other than the two I've mentioned?

Any CG 125 derivative should be basically bulletproof. They're designed to be ridden into the ground in the worst third-world conditions. I'd advise you against a dirt bike because of the knobbly tyres and the tall seat, but a Suzuki GN/GZ 125 or a Kymco would also be a fine choice. Lexmoto make some startlingly cheap but slightly tinny CG 125 derivatives, but the parts are so cheap that it's no disaster if something goes wrong.

>Have I missed anything?

Get yourself a helmet with a five star SHARP rating. Lazer, Nitro and Caberg all offer top-rated lids for under £100.

https://sharp.dft.gov.uk/

>What should I expect from the CBT and more importantly, the proper test?

Message too long. Click here to view the full text.

> I am in no rush to jump on a superbike or even anything mid range for a good long while,

If that's the case then you may want to get your A1 first, particularly if you're going to commute/practice on a 125 a lot. That'll take the pressure off to "upgrade" before your CBT expires and lets you take the test on the same bike you intend to practice on.

If you're certain you want to go straight for an A license then block-book a few lessons in the days before your test (any school worth its salt will strongly recommend at least one) to get the hang of the 600cc bike you'll be using. This is particularly true if you spend a lot of time on your 125. Unless you expect to be cool as a cucumber during the test it's really quite easy to fall back on muscle memory and make small mistakes, which add to nervousness which leads to more mistakes That was my experience at least when trying much the same approach you describe.

>>4435


>If you're certain you want to go straight for an A license

I'm not really certain, I just assumed it just made sense to go straight for A since I'm old enough to do so. I don't just plan on jumping into my tests with just my own 125 experience, I will book a proper block of lessons, the most popular/recommended school around here does a 20 hour DAS course, I will be going for that so I can get proper experience and tuition on a 600. Unless that's what you did and still recommend doing the smaller test first.

You don't really need to "earn your stripes" on a 125 to prepare yourself for a DAS course. You can just do the DAS straight away and then get yourself a bike that's almost as light as a 125 but with a bit more oomph, maybe something in the 250-400cc range. Once you get used to the extra weight of a bigger bike, they're actually easier to ride and more confidence-inspiring than a 125.

The Mod 2 should be fairly easy if you already have road sense from driving a car combined with the DAS instruction, and most schools book in practice slots at Mod 1 test pads, so passing is mostly just a matter of good instruction, practicing the manoeuvres, and managing nerves.

>>4433

>>4432 here

Yeah, little light bikes can be great fun. I used to live in rural Wales, and they are a delight to chuck around windy, scenic, country roads. I do miss riding bikes, especially on a warm, sunny day in quiet parts of the country.

The YBR was great. I may have been lucky and got a good one, but the only problem I had, is that the speedo cable went, which I was able to fix myself and I'm pretty hopeless with mechanicing. Must have had it for a year or two. Not so good on the bigger roads though, as it's top speed isn't great. If I was to get another bike in the UK, i'd get a 250 these days. I'd want a bit of extra oomph.

My last riding experience was in SE Asia where everyone rides about 125 max, hence traffic is slower and riding there has a different feel to UK. This will have an impact on my personal opinions of motorbikes.

This one ticks all the boxes for me.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908080916134?sort=relevance&price-from=1500&maximum-mileage=70000&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&year-from=2010&radius=50&postcode=bh204ae&price-to=2000&page=1

Japanese cars tend to be very reliable and you'll get another 100,000 miles out of it easily. That's about 5 years worth of driving, if you're commuting to Bournemouth.

>>4371

OP says he doesn't know much about cars; buying a write-off can be a minefield, even if it looks straight.

>>4372

It looks tidy enough, but I'd want to see a service history before buying anything with that sort of mileage. 150k is a perfectly reasonable mileage for something that has been well looked after, but it could be on death's door if the owner's idea of routine maintenance is "take it to the garage when the grinding noises get unbearably loud". The assortment of stains on the upholstery aren't a great sign. It's also being sold on trade terms, so you're pretty much shit out of luck if it's a lemon.

I've just passed my test and I'm looking a runabout. Unfortunately at my current residence the insurance seems to be extra wank, so I've had to downsize my expectations from superminis to city cars.

That in mind I've been looking at Hyundai i10s mostly, and also found a Fiat Panda 1.1 from 2010 with 39000 miles on it.
There's those peugeot/toyota/citroen city cars in the same cost bad but they've got no space in the boot at all so I want something boxier for when I want to carry things.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201910233606284

I just want someone to give me an opinion before I go have a look. I like Pandas too; they're pleasingly boxy and practical, the cabin is less hideous than the toyota Aygos of similar vintage and the body is better looking than the blobby i10 or old kia picantos.

>>4419
Panda is definitely a good choice for what you're looking at - but don't write off those Toyota Aygos; you might think they look a bit shit for your first car, but the bit you haven't discovered yet is maintenance, and those Japanese cars are way more durable and reliable than the Italians.

>>4420
Aygos are rebadged citroen/peugots built in the Czech republic.
Yeah they're more or less reliable and cheap to maintain but they're not toyotas underneath.

I'm not really a Bike Guy but this sounds like a solid plan to me, too, as long as you're confident you can get the parts and keep a bike that old running.

Also I've never seen a bike with sidecar park in a motorbike bay, you'd probably end up taking up two or three spaces.

>>4326
I like the plan in many ways, but the only problem is that with a sidecar you lose one of the primary benefits of having a bike - filtering through traffic; you would essentially be the width of a small car, and so would end up sitting in a lot more traffic than you would on a normal bike.

Have always wanted one too (particularly some of the old BMW ones) but not as a main/commuting bike.

>>4328

The handling of a sidecar outfit is really fucking weird. You're totally asymmetrical and the weight distribution changes radically depending on who or what is in the sidecar. It's not like you have to totally re-learn how to ride, but there is a fairly steep learning curve and a lot of your instincts can get you into trouble.

>>4327
I think pretty much every old Soviet machine was designed to be easily fixed with a hammer and some basic tools...but I've heard that the biggest problem is that you'll be doing a lot of fixing. I've never seen a sidecar in a motorbike bay either, but I've also never seen anyone riding a sidecar bike either.

>>4328
Very true, that's why I emphasised it being an alternative to a small car in this very specific set of circumstances. There isn't much benefit if you don't need to haul a bunch of shit within central London, or greater London if the ULEZ extension in 2021 proceeds as planned.

This is some weird maths homework, lad.

Unless you're aiming for 0.1psi accuracy, fuck-all, just do it.
If you are aiming for 0.1psi, then know that the forecourt gauges aren't rated for that, and atmospheric pressure changes far more than that, even before you do crazy things like driving up hills.
It's nice to have them all roughly right, but I suspect I'd not spot 0.5psi difference even on mad tyres like ACB10s for road use, and 1psi for regular stuff.
And that's a distressing image.

>>4315
Ok thanks

>>4251
I am so glad I don't have to commute on the roads at this time of year. I'm looking forward to the day our autonomous car overlords refuse to drive because of the weather.