Chesterfield

As long as you actually have to look down the scope of a sniper rifle to make a long distance shot, Ill be happy. The millions of "no scoping" prepubescent idiots that think "no scoping iz cool yeah innit", will probably not be happy, but alas, I don't much care.

Just for you Lyndon: http://www.kontraband.com/videos/23360/ ... ight/#show

Why not look at the Altea FR ? Same performance as the Leon, but more room in the back, sliding rear seats for added practicality in the boot when you need it. Much easier to get the little one in the back, and the best bit, you'll get one for less than the Leon, yet its a bigger car We have one and love it for the practicality, as well as its economy and performance. As its an Atea rather than a Leon, the insurance is cheaper too, as not as many folk have accidents in Alteas as they arent as desireable by the boy racers

and what makes you think that? Because you're not.... No it hasnt. Its just the first cars they put the 296bhp engine in, all cars 06 model to the new 07 bonet bulge twin intake had the same engine. Yes you do Not true - there were lots in ireland with these wheels on, and many found their way to mainland UK with these wheels on too. Only if the previous owner fitted them, from the factory they came with the exact same bits as every other engine. Yes it did.

I have two flags, one banner and an even shelter - Just let me know what you need and when you would like to pick it up. All that lot will fit in a standard empty 350Z boot, so if you need it all, its no problem Im around all weekend and next week - but sadly cant make Japfest now due to visitors coming.

When I went to the Grand Prix at Silverstone you could take your own food / cool box if you wanted. Loads of people had their own picnics etc.

Personally I think that bit is wrong. Ive been pulled for a plate that is perfectly legible by ANPR, but a slight spacing change. No screws, tape or other alterations just one character moved by 15mm so its closer to the last three letters than the first one. If the plate is legible, detectable by ANPR and on a car that is hardly going to be used if you wish to avoid attention/detection (bright yellow 350z), then why the ticket. Its for the stats. Crime detected, Crime resolved. I know they exist, the police know they exist, everyone knows they exist. And when the regional force is looking like they may need a bit of a boost to make sure they exceed their targets - the motorists will know they exist too. Im also afraid that the "no pay rises for the public sector" may increase this sort of activity too, as bonuses will no doubt be rife in order to circumvent the no pay rise policy. Which means those targets will need exceeding by a good margin. My advice is to ensure your cars are sqeuaky clean, as we could see a period of trivial offences being ticketed every time. Of course this will be publicised as a "zero tolerance campaign" or a "crackdown to prevent an epidemic" etc etc. The authorities must think us general public have three heads and are the result of cousins marrying.

And back to normal again today Thank everyone - it was a great day

They look fan bloody tastic Hugh!

Awww thanks guys no presents for the cars this year, but couldn't really think of any. I'd even forgot it was my birthday until yesterday out for a meal and maybe a bottle of wine and watch a film after, living the dream

What Stew says is right - however you cant apply the pre 1st Sept 2001 rules. Its the date the plate was fitted, not the date prefix of the plate itself, therefor the following will apply: Character Height 79 mm Character Width (except the figure 1 or letter I) 50 mm Character stroke 14 mm Space between characters 11 mm Space between groups 33 mm Top, bottom, and side margins (minimum) 11 mm Space between vertical lines 19 mm The plate itself does NOT have to be a standard size. (otherwise there are several thousand Rover 75 owners and Landrover owners in for a shock). The plate must provide the borders and spacing as per the above, but if a mark has less than the 7 standard characters, it can be smaller. Hence the "minimum" in the margins statement - a standard plate with a short registration will meet these "minimum" levels. If it were a fixed 11mm border rather than minimum 11mm, all shorter registrations would require trimmed plates, otherwise the 100mm+ borders left and right would not conform. What you cant do is cut down a large plate to make it a small one, as you will trim off the BS mark, which along with the manufacturers details, need to be displayed to conform to standards. heres an example of a short plate, perfectly legal:

I got a few on the camera at home of the stand - will get up later hopefully

I agree on both points, its a stunning car in the flesh, the three exhausts just remind me of a max power corsa though

Having had a few of these tickets over the years, I have come to consider them a running cost of having a private plate. Or at least one that has some "spacing" issues. What annoys me is that the DVLA price these plates knowing full well what they spell when spaced incorrectly or altered slightly, then they want to see fines dished out when you do just what they are encouraging bay pricing them as they do anyway. Examples from the DVLA's last auction would be: A110 YDS - mis spaced and its A1 10YDS (Loyds). £3400 ANG 13D - mis spaced ANG13 D (Angie) - £1600 They know full well these plates are priced in this manner as they can spell words when mis spaced, yet fine you when you do just that. Thats the DVLA promoting or glorifying crime imho, but its a money spinner so nothing will change...

But his plate is misrepresented. Just because the copper is wrong on the width issue does not mean that the ticket for a "non standard number plate" will be dismissed. Indeed it is non standard, just for one of the reasons mentioned rather than both. Its like saying, no officer I only hit him with a bat, not a bat and a brick, so I intend to fight the assualt charge. It simply wont fly and you are likely to have either the fine increased or the possibility of the registration mark being withdrawn alltogether. Id take the £30 or whatever it is on the chin, get the screws removed, and wait to be done again for just the smaller plate. Then you can fight it all you like knowing that the copper will be embarrassed at the end of it. It all depend on what the ticket is for. If on the ticket it ONLY says "non standard size", then fight it (but get the screws off first). If it also includes any statement about it being misrepresented, then the ticket will stand.

The new 458 is a fantastic car. Not driven one yet, but having been sat in one a few days ago, I would agree that the switch gear on the steering wheel is a bad idea. The suspension, starter, traction control etc I can live with, but moving the switches for the lights to the wheel is just daft, and I may go as far as dangerous. The interior, save for the addition of the screens, and a more "focussed" drivers area, where all switches and controls are angled toward the driver, doesnt feel too different from the 430. The exterior is beautiful though. The front end is a great step forward, the one thing Im not so keen on on the 430 is the look of the front, its just too similar to the 360 and is my least favourite part of the car. The 458 front just looks amazing, though it too is not without flaws. Where do you put the numberplate? Notice the one Clarkson was driving had no plate on it, and neither did the one back in the studio. The dealer I was speaking to on Friday sparked up the same discussion with me. They even mentioned that another dealer thought there was a loophole suggesting that if a car was not manufactured with a bracket or mounting area for a plate, you didnt need to put one on. That was until they got pulled. You only have that thin flat strip on the front, leaving most of the plate unsecured and covering half the ferrari badge in the grill. Small issue I know, but its still a point to consider. The exhausts at the back just remind me of a Corsa or some other "tripple exhausts are cool" barry car. But boy do they sound nice. The standard exhaust on the 458 blows the standard sound of the 430 away. No need what so ever for a Tubi here, and its enough to convince a standard exhaust 430 owner to get a tubi as a matter of neccessity! The most crippling factor, and something that I thought Top Gear would pick up on, is that even though Ferrari want to get waiting times down; the wait time if you walk into a dealership today and put your money down is almost 3 years. So while it may be a good step forward from the 430, just like the 370 is from the 350, you can't get one even if you want one. Which means many people (myself probably included) will do one of two things, they will buy a relatively new 430 thats been chopped in by someone who got on the 458 list early, or they will wait 3 years and buy a second hand 458 that someone else has suffered 60K's worth of depreciation on in about 2000 miles! The 458 is a great car, the lights and indicator switches on the wheel I think could prove very dangerous (do Ferrari owners not get accused of being cocks enough without now having an excuse to not indicate too?) and many people would love one, but if you didnt get your name on the list two years ago, you arent getting one now until 2013. Just when the first batch of second hand ones will be appearing at reduced rates and low miles.

Here you go Stew: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Pe ... /DG_181503 As long as the spacing, character stroke and margins are correct, then its fine. A five character plate can be smaller in terms of width than a standard plate for 7 characters. The height will of course be the same, but if the officer thinks that all plates must be the same width, then he is very much mistaken. I'd direct him down to the nearest land rover dealership and ask him to look at the rear plates on the forecourt. That should keep him in tickets for a month or so. They can and probably will make the ticket stand on the grounds of the dots/screws, so not worth arguing imho. The fact still stands you are correct on the width issue though.

Id just turn the car on its side before taking them next time Though on topic, how the hell they intend to use that little lot without having a smash is beyond me.

I think after seeing these and the pics of your work car, you need to have a word with whomever sold it you. The camera that is, not the car. The lens appears to be mounted incorrectly

As above, do the homework and find what prices cars can be had for elsewhere. If you have a choice of cars you want to buy, dont be afraid to walk away from any individual place if you arent getting the deal you want.

It is amazing isnt it. Hundreds of active members, free club and free tickets to shows and still we cant give them all away

Its a common question answered in forum help: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=33185

My Nissan dealer couldnt help, and neither could a few tyre places when I had this problem. Many wouldnt want to use any tools to get them off for fear of damaging the wheels. If you find yourself in that situation (hopefully you wont), there is a tool that the AA have which can be found here: http://www.lockingwheelnutremover.co.uk ... glish.html If you know a friendly AA man he may be able to help, failing that then this tool will get them off without damaging wheels or the locking nuts. Its brilliant. I tried chiseling, reverse threaded sockets, air guns and small sized sockets, all sorts. I visited the company above and used this tool and they were off in 2 minutes with no damage at all.

Will run the routes later, but I think Caenby Corner is somewhat out of the way for myself. It may be better to have another meeting point closer to Cadwell, or the park itself and meet there for 8am for those who would be travelling out of their way to Caenby. There is normally an area as you enter these events where you can meet the rest of the group. Id suggest that for anyone not going to Caenby Corner. I shall also PM my telephone number to all on the list so people can get in contact if they are going to be late or lost. I suggest people PM me theirs back in case we need to advise you of any last minute meeting point changes.

The exhaust on the Fezza gets enough crap on the rear already without it spitting bloody flames out the back, same for the Zed with the speedracing rear. Im guessing non standard exhausts/CAT's on any cars doing that.