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MacW

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Posts posted by MacW

  1. The original was one of my favourite cars of all times, I remember having 3 or 4 toy Stratos's as a kid.

     

    This new one looks like someone described the original to the set/equipment designers of Buck Rogers and then left them to try and build something like it.

     

    Not a fan :protest:

  2. Depends on the wording of the ticket.

     

    If it specifies the width as being an issue then fight it, if it's vague and only mentions the legal area under which it is given then you're right and it's not worth doing.

     

    Forgive me, it's Monday morning and I'm always combative until I've had my minimum caffeine intake. :blackeye:

  3. 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.

     

    Sorry, couldn't disagree with this more. If you have a ticket and are being charged for something that is legal then fight it everytime.

     

    Make it clear you hold your hands up for the misrep but point them in the direction of the rules posted above. For the cost of a stamp and the 15 minutes to write the letter it's hardly too much effort.

  4. You got the ticket because it's quick and profitable.

     

    If you're sure you're right and the ticket is for the size as well as the misrep of the lettering then fight it. They only take these to court if they know they can win but they issue the tickets under pretty much any circumstances as most people find it less hassle to pay than to contest.

     

    If you read the PistonHeads forums you'll find 3 or 4 of these cropping up everyday.

  5. Use decent strength fishing line to cut through the bonding tape under the spoiler then use a credit card and Sticky Stuff Remover (yellow can, can buy it in halfrauds) to gently remove the residue. It'll take a while and is not very exciting.

     

    Then just polish the area with a light compound to be sure it's all gone.

  6. Just ask if it's their best price and dont say anything or move. Just look at them. For at least a min.

     

    Most human beings get extremely uncomfortable with long silences and will do anything to break them. Even drop the price by a lot.

     

    Try it, but remember the more uncomfortable you feel, they will feel that too. It's like playing chicken. :D

     

    Honestly, if anyone did this to me I'd turn and walk away and be thankful I didn't have to deal with the weirdo anymore. :blink:

  7. Don't tun away purely because of the mileage, mine had 83k on it when I bought it and has behaved pretty much perfectly (although is having the drop links replaced next week).

     

    If treated well these engines should run & run & run.

  8. It's possible, mine was originally black but the previous owner swapped it all including the steering wheel, handbrake and gear knob.

     

    I think it was swapped with Nurrish but I could be wrong on that.

  9. You can get some stuff that you put on gravel to stop cats using it as a litter tray. It has a smell that cats loath but im not sure our senses pick it up. I wouldnt recommend putting it on your car but if you put it around your car it might help deter it.

     

     

    Failing that use the air rifle as MBS says...

     

    :evil:

     

    Don't use an air rifle, if you miss you might hit the paintwork.

  10. It doesnt come down to running costs in this possible swap. You need to decide which boxes you want to tick. a bit like stats on a car in a computer game.

     

    Evo.

    - Performance - 7

    - Looks - 3

    - Comfort - 1 (due to steering wheel, boost controller and uncomfortable seats)

     

    350z.

    - Performance - 5

    - Looks - 7

    - Comfort - 8 (due to leather, gadgets galore etc)

     

    All boils down to what you want out of a car. 350z is a good all rounder and the evo is soley made for performance.

     

    My brother has an FQ320 and I have a Zed - Ive driven both extensively. :)

     

    The MR FQ Evo's actually have very good seats and a decent equipment level (insluding 2 back doors and 2 back seats), so I think you are being a bit harsh on the comfort thing, but Id agree, the thing my brother dislikes most about his Evo is the chavvy looks.

     

    Performance, the Zed is a brilliant car to drive and great fun with it, but the Evo destroys it in pretty much every department (other than drifting ;)) The Evo is also much easier to mod - with a decat and a remap you are looking at 400/380 from one, which I think you would agree is adequate. Add 4WD and the AYC and the Evo is up there as the second fastest point to point car Ive ever driven (after a GTR) :)

     

    Running costs are a shedload more on the Evo though, particularly if you do some miles. 18mpg is about as good as you are going to get without driving like your Mum, they need servicing by an Evo specialist every 4K miles ideally, they go through tyres very quickly, insurance is going to be higher and things like clutches will go more quickly too.

     

    TBH, drive it and see what you reckon. Both are very good cars, but the Evo is not for everyone ;)

     

    I have every respect for the Evos from a technical perspective, but it seems to me that they were designed purely for performance with very little thought to the finer aspects.

  11. 3 categories for cars, everything fits into 1 off these pretty much

     

    - performance

    - looks

    - comfort

     

    It doesnt come down to running costs in this possible swap. You need to decide which boxes you want to tick. a bit like stats on a car in a computer game.

     

    Evo.

    - Performance - 7

    - Looks - 3

    - Comfort - 1 (due to steering wheel, boost controller and uncomfortable seats)

     

    350z.

    - Performance - 5

    - Looks - 7

    - Comfort - 8 (due to leather, gadgets galore etc)

     

    All boils down to what you want out of a car. 350z is a good all rounder and the evo is soley made for performance.

     

    Couldn't agree more.

     

    I looked at Evos before getting the Z but decided I wanted some creature comforts and dignity as well as a bit of speed.

     

    Still quite like the Evo X tho.

  12. You've got a spare tyre and jack under the carpet in the boot, although it's only a space saver.

     

    One thing to keep in mind, if the worst happens and you do break down one of the first questions the RAC/AA European people will ask is "When were you planning on returning to the UK?". They'll ask it as if they're being chatty and interested in your holiday.

     

    Your answer to this question should always be, "Tomorrow".

     

    The fine print in their Ts & Cs states that if the car can be repaired before your planned return date they will not offer any assistance in repatriating your car should you decide not to have the local Nissan garage repair it for you. Meaning if Nissan Switzerland tell you they will charge you 10,000 euros and it will take a week to repair then the recovery company will wash their hands of you if your original return date is further than a week away.

  13. Not a problem to most of us if you post asking for clarification on specifics.

     

    As for dealers specs, you have to remember that Nissan dealers sell Micras and Qashqais. Occasionally someone really inconveniently trades in one of those strange 350 thingies at which point they have to quickly Google some stuff to put on the sales card.

     

    I'd imagine some dealers would have to go away and double check if you asked them for a 4 door 350z.

  14. had mine on a week and not massively impressed to be honest. The windscreen treatment stuff is good but the wipers themselves don't seem to make great contact on drivers side so when clearing the windscreen it leaves a smear across my field of vision. Expected more from the glowing reviews on here!

     

    The PIAA wipers seem higher than the stock ones so it may be that your jets aren't hitting the screen in that area anymore.

     

    Have a check of where the water is hitting and see if the jets need adjusting, I know mine did.

  15. iPhone is more a fashion accessory than a tech device.

     

    You can get exactly the same performance (better in some instances) without paying hundreds of pounds. Choosing to pay money for something you can get for free can only come down to vanity.

     

    Don't get me wrong, I'm just as susceptible to new shiny things for the sake of new shiny things as anyone else but for once it would be nice to hear an iphone buyer admit they bought it purely to have the latest toy than trying to justify it on tech grounds when the rest of the phone world caught up or overtook them while they weren't looking.

  16. Sounds good.

     

    Unfortunately tomorrow I have flights to Spain for the weekend, guess I'll just have to concole myself by watching the final amongst a bunch of screaming and dancing Spaniards :yahoo:

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