coldel

I didnt say take away the specials? Not sure where you got that from. They tend to turn out a few of these train races each series and its just my opinion but I tend to switch off as its all too predictable. My point was to remove the dead wood - as I say the bits that feel like they have run their course and replace with something else - what could that be? Well thats the trick and I would suspect it will be a mix of ideas Clarkson had before he left that probably havent had the chance to implement, ideas CE will bring and also with new staff behind the scenes some other ideas. What are they, well if I could answer that right now I wouldn't be sat here at my desk I would be starting up my own TV show... ...at the end of the day, you only have to look at shows like Dr Who, Match of the Day etc which over the years cut out the crap parts that were tired and worn and beefed up with something new and exciting. TG in its current format was a revamp of a revamp of a revamp, so I find it quite bizarre that current TG viewers seem to think doing a revamp now is a bad thing.

Again its conjecture that CE will just sit in the studio and not do drive outs, I appreciate you would not like to see him not driving, but you are assuming that will be the case, we will have to wait and see what happens with his other commitments which he hasn't yet said he will definitely carry on with i.e. radio. Its a good question though, what do we want it to be? CE seems to have indicated he will stay true to the ethos of the show and evolve rather than make any drastic changes - for me I would be looking at the weaker areas (what do you fast forward through when watching it on playback/netflix?) and then seeing what you could fit in there that is different but dovetails with the stronger areas that remain. Things like the news are pointless in my opinion, often not very funny and take up a lot of time and to report 'news' which by the time it hits our screens has been debated on here and by various online news sites well before TG hits our screens. I also felt that the car reviews by May and Hammond when doing them solo were really poor, they had little screen presence and their voices just carried no weight. I would certainly like this area improved as I felt as a threesome they were great, but May and Hammond going solo were pretty awful. I also want something more than 'who can get there fastest me in my car or you two on the train' it was really getting tired (although having not watching the last series they may have evolved this). Its always going to be a difficult one, the first series sans the terrible threesome, so expect some backlash from the die hards, the people that would defend Clarkson punching staff in the face etc who even if they watched an amazing next series would moan anyway. We will see lapsed viewers coming back to see what the new show might bring. Then there is the big majority in the middle who need to get that fix of 'car entertainment' so lets see - the real test will be to see after three years where TG sits.

I would imagine pounding along the motorway the cold air rushing into the engine bay negates a lot of the engine heat, I would think though sitting in traffic will have a detrimental effect (although if you are in traffic loads more power makes no difference!)

There were also some 'funnels' available on here some time back which fitted the standard box to make the airflow more efficient. Not sure if anyone is still doing them?

I think if you are basing your opinions on Chris Evans of the last 5 years then you are missing the point really - as Dan said DFYT etc were TV defining shows, and he did it more than once on more than one media type, no mean feat. In terms of the right man for the job he has all the credentials and I just cannot agree that he isn't the right guy in terms of being a petrol head or capable of producing a great entertainment show - thats pretty baseless looking at the evidence. It could fail because GTi man doesn't want to watch it, but that's also an assumption based on someone car collection from what I am reading above and nothing more, you dont even know what the content is yet. As reading in the press today, he has already put out a tweet for ideas and someone suggested putting Clarkson, May and Hammond in the reasonably priced car which he has said yes to. I just cannot even consider the argument that he is going to arrive and turn it into 60 minutes of looking at cars in a garage and talking about the spec. It will still have entertainment value, anyone that has made hundreds of millions I would expect can see that.

Debating, bickering, all friendly banter! Chris Evans does have money, he wont not have money, he has lots of cars he is fanatical about - I appreciate the theoretical scenario Graham but that isn't what is reality right now and the person we are debating - reality is he is a bloke passionate about his cars on an obsessive scale, which by definition makes him a petrol head. Yeah yeah its not how you stand by your car I don't drive fast as I am too scared of damaging my car because I am not a great driver!

I cannot for one second think that he would spend ages looking at a car on top gear talking about it sat in a garage and that would be that, just because he might have before it doesn't mean in any way that's his only presentation style. You said that 'driving fast doesnt interest him...' as if that was relevant and making a point of your view that he wasn't a petrolhead, so yes I agree you didn't specifically say but you included it as to imply it backed up your point. A petrol head as far as I am concerned is simply someone who is fanatical about cars, which Chris Evans is, I cannot see how its even open to debate as to whether Chris Evans is a petrol head as clearly by definition, he is. In terms of entertainment shows, I think if anything CE is more qualified looking at his CV than either Hammond or May (whose other shows scattered around on freeview are quite frankly rubbish) to make an entertainment show, its what he has made his millions from, irreverent entertainment. He might well fail for other reasons and the possibility is really there and we shall see, but I don't think it will be because of the reasons cited so far i.e. that he isn't a petrol head or that he can't produce an entertainment show.

Why would fast driving define a petrolhead? I don't like track driving, I am not a fast driver out on the roads, but I spend untolds amount of my life looking after my cars, making them look immaculate, then enjoy driving them - am I therefore not a petrolhead? All my friends say unequivocally that I am? If you lookup the definition of petrolhead there is actually one that simply says 'a car fanatic' it doesn't say anything about driving fast. Even looking up the word fanatic as a definition it means someone who has an 'obsession with zeal' which from what I can see Chris Evans has. I think people are mixing the word petrolhead with some other definition of what they want in the next top gear presenter...just my opinion of course.

Yes the three mates having a laugh worked really well and it wont be the same, but it shouldn't be and it needs to take its own path with the presenters they have. All you will get if you try and replicate it are people complaining 'its not the same' etc. I am rather neutral about Chris Evans but happy to watch the show and see how it goes, admittedly I got bored of the old format and had stopped bothering to watch it. But is Chris Evans a petrol head, who knows, its all conjecture and interpretation based on the limited info you read in the media. I certainly saw as many petrolheads as I did posers at Goodwood (I was there with the guys off this forum actually who are all petrolheads!).

Welcome I think with the direct debit scheme in place for VED the extra is a bit easier to absorb as you can manage the cost - so really it shouldnt really be a consideration when purchasing a car, as you say get the right one for you!

When I have seen him interviewed by top gear guys and on other occasions (like when he was at Goodwood the other year and I was stood a yard away as he spoke with a few guests) he displays in general good intimate knowledge of cars, events, history - he doesnt strike me as a rich guy sticking cars into a lock up never to be seen again but someone who has that passion and knows his stuff.

When you want the job.....at your price....you don't jump and down with glee at the prospect so that you don't get offered the millions you want. But jury is out in my book as to whether he makes or breaks the show. I was going to mention the money aspect of course and fully appreciate your not going to show enthusiasm, but, no need to be quoted publically saying, I dont want it. Fully agree he will make or break it, he is a very large character but in a different way to JC, much more diplomatic but has a large ego that needs massaging just as carefully. I cant argue with the masses though and know I am in the minority. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/chris-evans-originally-ruled-himself-out-of-top-gear-to-avoid-becoming-a-pawn-in-a-game-10325248.html It could be something he made up post job acceptance but there is an element of believability that he didnt want to have a load of gossip (and it would have been) going around when his mates were still sorting out their BBC careers. At the end of the day, we can only rely on what the media tell us and believe it to be true (unless anyone on here has gone around to CE house and had a heart to heart on the subject?) - given that he is worth £100m+ I am pretty sure arguing over £800k vs £900k on a BBC contract is rather inconsequential, and it could well be that he just didnt want to get involved in a big public issue at that time - I know I wouldnt!

Second that

In all honesty if you are worried about heat soak stick with the standard box with drop in panel filter. Anything else enclosed cone or otherwise is exposed to the engine bay and will be hotter - could be wrong but pretty sure GLRNET on here told me of someone who tired the Apollo and it was crap.. Its pretty common knowledge that induction kits add little if anything to performance, you only add them for noise. Personally, I wouldn't pay the big premium for what is just a cone filter with a plastic cover on it.

V very sound advice, check this out before buying!

Well my Celica has been repainted at some point...can I safely assume that lovely new coat of paint wont fade as long as it was done in say the last 10 years? (given the previous comments about new paint not fading?)

Most imports just use a convertor - are the UK clocks plug and play? Someone tried that and the GT4 forum on a celica and they didnt work.

Cat C does not necessarily mean its been crashed, the category rating is based on cost of repair not the type of damage. If a car is keyed and has its windows smashed via vandalism its quite plausible to be a cat c write off. As the above advice says though, get it checked over up on the ramps, look for ripples in the bodywork under the bonnet, boot etc where things might have moved, make sure the car drives straight and brakes straight etc.

Think how much better it would have looked if it weren't so faded though... Its called character

I am not sure thats factual, more heresy, I have also read that the other way round, jdms give 10bhp more Just on this point, its proven that JDM GT4s have more power than UK GT4s - so maybe there is something in it. Back on topic, after looking over Darrens 240z at the weekend, did you know that the basic layout of the Zed has been pretty much the same from its inception - despite being many iterations older his 240z had the cubbies behind the seats, the rear turrets intruding into the boot, even the bonnet has flaps either side that lift up to expose the battery and fluid box. Also has the triple gauge in the middle that is tilted towards the driver. Didnt have a bass speaker behind the driver though...

My 2002 red vauxhall looked alright

Not sure why they are complimenting him, the guy on the other side of the road probably took evasive action - the whole situation came about because the guy is a ***** for driving like that when he clearly can't read road conditions.

Roadsters look fine with the roof down, even in standard format in my opinion - its when that roof is up it suddenly turns into a flintstones car or something and looks a bit wrong!

Don't forget to service it first Joking aside, look at Amyzed's roadster, she has had a lot of aesthetic changes made to it and looks stunning.

If anyone deserves a Happy Birthday on here its lynx!