sasha@lazytrips

3.2 TT's are 4wd no? They are an Audi version of 4wd which means it is front-wheel drive 95% of the time with 4wd coming on for sharp acceleration or cornering. I've also had a TTS for 2 weeks at one point and in all honesty other than the flappy paddles it felt no different to the 3.2 version - if anything was less tourquey.

It was rather obvious that the whole thing was a complete waste of everybody's time right from the start.

Well the McLarens seem to be doing reasonably alright on the long runs that they have been doing and the Force Indias are pretty fast despite their aero not being up there with the top teams. We'll just have to wait and see

I have a sneaky suspicion that Mercedes have developed a monster engine and are taking their time working out an aero package. These times mean nothing as they were set in last-year's car but I doubt there isn't a very good reason why their new car isn't coming out until later on in the month.

Oh hang on. An intro thread that actually has pictures!

As recent attempts to source some wheel nuts has shown me, there is a distinct lack of decent quality wheel nuts at a reasonable price in the UK. Get some of them in stock - people constantly need replacements for one reason or another.

Thats pretty cheap for a plate! It's just a standard-type plate for my model year but would be simply awesome in the long run. Who knows. Maybe I'll get a bit of money in a few months

Funnily enough the one I'm interested in is quite a bit more expensive on DVLA than other providers. Still way too expensive for now.

I know the exact plate I want, but the cheapest I've seen it is £659

get the colour you want and get one with the GT pack. These cars will keep going for a long time. I swear mine feels better at 95k than it did at 50k.

We've got the new shape TT with the 3.2 lump in it (pretty rare as they stopped making them fairly quickly) and a zed, so this is coming from experience of driving both a lot over time. In terms of things like the interior, panels, aircon, steering wheel and all that jazz, TT wins hands down. Absolutely fab quality, all the knobs work very well and feel solid, aircon is fast and very comfortable, road noise is low in comparison. Note: the sound system in the Audi is tonnes better than the Bose in the zed (although I am pretty sure it is also made by Bose). In most other aspects, I very much prefer the zed. The ride, speed, power and all that stuff puts a smile on your face that doesn't exist when you're driving a TT. At the same time it's rear-wheel drive and has the looks in comparison to what is predominantly front-wheel drive (the 4-wheel drive system hardly ever kicks in in reality) and looks like a TT. *** If you want a powerful car that is fun and exciting, the zed is for you. If you want something to go to the shops in, keeps its value, blahdiblah blah blah, keep the TT. Despite the power and engine being somewhat similar, the feel is completely different. The TT's engine is set in perpendicularly within the bay to predominantly drive the front wheels and the layout is almost a straight-six (very narrow angle) which feels very different to drive than a genuine V6 motor.

A normal private plate with whatever you want it to display according to all regs = perfectly normal. A plate with stupid spacing, dodgy screws/bits of tape/bolts/whatever that apparently maybe potentially sorta looks a little bit like a cool word = chavtastic.

and the price of all those + auxilliary parts + price of car is less than a non-written off one?

Sure does. This has been thoroughly tested by yours truly through physically completely running out of petrol once - obviously for research purposes.

will be interesting to see what Schumacher comes out with when Mercedes release their new car. He is traditionally very hands-on and involved in the development process and usually does particularly well when big engineering changes are required to adjust to new rules...

There is the additional argument that it is ultimately your choice of purchasing a wide-tyred rear-wheel drive sports car and not your employer's fault that it can't get you to work when other sensible cars will. It's like buying a lambo, then phoning up the next day to say that unfortunately your lambo is too wide for the track that takes you to the main road hence you can't come in to work.

I personally disagree with most comments. I think that if you are a capable enough driver and drive according to the conditions, there's no reason not to take the car out. Turn ESP off and drive carefully. I do every day and have done through all the weather over the last few years.

Just in case you were wondering who the madman flashing at you repeatedly was, tis me.

run.

Ive never noticed this!!! Thanks Dave!! I feel like a genius using it since the day I got the car!

Is it just me or have lotus gone to town with a massive new aero device underneath the front end of the car and something that vaguely resembles an air intake.

I was generalising because people who space their number plates in "kewl" ways are usually very similar to those who stick in bolts to try and make up letters.

I'm English and Russian dual national. My opinion is the same

hm.

I was very tempted I tells thee.