I suppose it's a good thing to be overcharged on a battery.
Zardoz wrote:
I suppose it's a good thing to be overcharged on a battery.
Whilst I doff my cap to your splendid pun, price-wise £220 for a new battery, fitted and coded is actually a perfectly respectable amount to pay, and certainly less than a main Audi dealer would want.
(I'm not saying it isn't a ridiculous price in and of itself, for a replacement battery on a modern Audi, you're going to get gouged.)
In simple terms you can't just put 'a new battery' in, it has to be an Audi-compliant battery, and the battery has to be coded to the car using a unique serial number. Without doing that the car won't 'accept' the new battery and will refuse to acknowledge one has been installed, and will continue to operate in power save mode and constantly moan about having a fucked battery in it.
So to replace a battery in my car you have to (a) Get an Audi approved battery with the serial number on it and (b) Code the battery to the car using a VAGINA-COM or similar, at which point the car accepts that a new battery has been installed, restores full functionality to all systems, and stops moaning all the time about the terrible state of its battery.
Modern technology eh?
Sounds like a printer cartridge model, to me.
MaliA wrote:
Sounds like a printer cartridge model, to me.
Indeed. By all accounts you can try to dodge the official route by using cheaper alternatives, same as you can with third-party printer cartridges. However, whilst I don't mind risking 'grey market' solutions with a £150 printer, I'm somewhat less inclined to do so with a substantially pricier car, there are plenty of stories out there of folks trying to save a few quid on batteries and being left with badly behaving Audis afterwards.
I was under no illusions when I bought the S4 that it was going to be an expensive fucker to run and maintain, so I'll just roll with the punches when it comes to nonsense like £220 batteries.
Hearthly wrote:
First thing that doesn't work properly on the S4, and it's hardly a deal-breaker, but the MMI system seems to have an issue with really long MP3s.
Basically, with these very long MP3s it's a bit hit or miss as to whether it remembers its location in the track from turning the car off to turning it back on again. Sometimes it 'forgets' where it was up to on the most recent session, and goes back to where it was up to the last but one time the car was turned off.
Basically, with these very long MP3s it's a bit hit or miss as to whether it remembers its location in the track from turning the car off to turning it back on again. Sometimes it 'forgets' where it was up to on the most recent session, and goes back to where it was up to the last but one time the car was turned off.
viewtopic.php?p=939665#p939665
Ahhh right, the new battery has totally fixed this.
...
That's odd.
That's odd.
Done my first oil and filter change today, pretty chuffed with myself.
Had to nip out for a 19mm socket as the ones I had only went up to 15mm.
The gloves I bought were too small, only 96 more pairs to use though.
Auto Glynn engine cleaner is superb at getting oil stains off Indian stone drives.
Next week, the wife's RAV4. Looks easier if anything.
Had to nip out for a 19mm socket as the ones I had only went up to 15mm.
The gloves I bought were too small, only 96 more pairs to use though.
Auto Glynn engine cleaner is superb at getting oil stains off Indian stone drives.
Next week, the wife's RAV4. Looks easier if anything.
While I was underneath I spotted a hole on either side of the exhaust pipe, just in front of the cat. 
Ohohoho, title
Zardoz wrote:
Next week, the wife's RAV4. Looks easier if anything.
If RAV4 oil filters are anything like the ones on my Celica, it'll be glued on so tightly that you'll need He-Man to even just start unscrewing the damned thing.
Get yourself a good chain filter wrench
Also, remembered that BMW made the last generation of M3 in a four-door saloon model and now my wallet's itching again. 730d or M3? 
Already looking, Gaz!
Was hard enough getting the one out of my Leon.
Maybe I should have started turning it the right way from the beginning.
Was hard enough getting the one out of my Leon.
Maybe I should have started turning it the right way from the beginning.
Treated myself to a 6l oil pan too.
#yolo
#yolo
Insurance renewal again. How I hate it. My renewal quote beggared belief, up from £443 last year to £644. Got it down to £363 after an hour or two off faffing around on comparison sites. Yes, it's a reeeeeesult, but I didn't enjoy it very much.
My car ran lovely this morning 
Next job: Front brakes (slight wobble lately when light braking so I'm guessing I've warped my disks)
Next job: Front brakes (slight wobble lately when light braking so I'm guessing I've warped my disks)
Zardoz wrote:
I'm guessing I've warped my disks)
Ouch, get well soon.
Alternatively
Title
Quote:
I was under no illusions when I bought the S4 that it was going to be an expensive fucker to run and maintain, so I'll just roll with the punches when it comes to nonsense like £220 batteries.
Each month a guy in the department forwards an email from a leasing company he uses.
It has various offers and deals on leasing cars.
This month there is an S4 Auto Quattro that appears to be well loaded (Sat Nav, heated seats, rear sensors phone system) for £288 a month with 10,000 PA on a 2-year deal.
A one-off payment of £3600 is also required, so that makes it around £430 a month, last time I looked at our work scheme you couldn't get a basic 320 BMW for that.
asfish wrote:
Each month a guy in the department forwards an email from a leasing company he uses.
It has various offers and deals on leasing cars.
This month there is an S4 Auto Quattro that appears to be well loaded (Sat Nav, heated seats, rear sensors phone system) for £288 a month with 10,000 PA on a 2-year deal.
A one-off payment of £3600 is also required, so that makes it around £430 a month, last time I looked at our work scheme you couldn't get a basic 320 BMW for that.
It has various offers and deals on leasing cars.
This month there is an S4 Auto Quattro that appears to be well loaded (Sat Nav, heated seats, rear sensors phone system) for £288 a month with 10,000 PA on a 2-year deal.
A one-off payment of £3600 is also required, so that makes it around £430 a month, last time I looked at our work scheme you couldn't get a basic 320 BMW for that.
That's not too bad, I assume it's not a brand new S4 though?
I have no idea how these leasing scheme things work we don't really have them over here, does the cost include servicing and maintenance, and fixing stuff if it breaks, or does that all come out of your own pocket?
The point of leasing is you get a new car. Usually includes servicing, not always tyres.
BikNorton wrote:
The point of leasing is you get a new car. Usually includes servicing, not always tyres.
Servicing is an option. And normally an overpriced one.
Hearthly wrote:
asfish wrote:
Each month a guy in the department forwards an email from a leasing company he uses.
It has various offers and deals on leasing cars.
This month there is an S4 Auto Quattro that appears to be well loaded (Sat Nav, heated seats, rear sensors phone system) for £288 a month with 10,000 PA on a 2-year deal.
A one-off payment of £3600 is also required, so that makes it around £430 a month, last time I looked at our work scheme you couldn't get a basic 320 BMW for that.
It has various offers and deals on leasing cars.
This month there is an S4 Auto Quattro that appears to be well loaded (Sat Nav, heated seats, rear sensors phone system) for £288 a month with 10,000 PA on a 2-year deal.
A one-off payment of £3600 is also required, so that makes it around £430 a month, last time I looked at our work scheme you couldn't get a basic 320 BMW for that.
That's not too bad, I assume it's not a brand new S4 though?
I have no idea how these leasing scheme things work we don't really have them over here, does the cost include servicing and maintenance, and fixing stuff if it breaks, or does that all come out of your own pocket?
Yes its brand new, I know the work lease scheme includes everything, so you can have them come to work and do tyres and the servicing is included even insurance I think.
With the S4 deal I think you just get the car, these sorts of deals are really popular as you can get cars that were normally well out of you league financially. One of my mates at work had been saving for years to get a good deposit on a an A3 (not sure of the model but its the same sort of car as the 300bhp golf) he now just accepts the fact he is setting aside £200-300 a month and leasing it.
The S4 is tempting as my own car allowance would cover it, but with a car paid for already and a 2nd child due anytime there is always something better to spend £400 a month on.
This is a snip of the S4 deal
12 months up front is fairly cheeky on a 24 month lease. I've only just one to terms with paying 6+36 next time out.
EXCITING ROVER UPDATE!
It's MoT day!
It's MoT day!
MaliA wrote:
EXCITING ROVER UPDATE!
It's MoT day!
It's MoT day!
Are you running on a book on what it'll fail on?
Kern wrote:
MaliA wrote:
EXCITING ROVER UPDATE!
It's MoT day!
It's MoT day!
Are you running on a book on what it'll fail on?
It'll pass, because God hates me.
Good luck?
MaliA wrote:
EXCITING ROVER UPDATE!
It's MoT day!
It's MoT day!
Just picked mine up. Straight pass with no advisories.
Kern wrote:
MaliA wrote:
EXCITING ROVER UPDATE!
It's MoT day!
It's MoT day!
Are you running on a book on what it'll fail on?
Battery insecure, new tyre needed, wiper blade, headlamp adjustment. £125.
Have you tried talking to your battery? If that doesn't work there's always counselling.
Give it my best wishes.
Give it my best wishes.
That reminds me, I need to book mine.
Huh, someone on Facebook has taken umbridge to a photo of an unmarked pilice car in Shrewsbury (large white ford thing, VX17 CKV) being out up, because there's "less chance of creeping up on a burglar, now". Which is odd.
MaliA wrote:
Huh, someone on Facebook has taken umbridge to a photo of an unmarked pilice car in Shrewsbury (large white ford thing, VX17 CKV) being out up, because there's "less chance of creeping up on a burglar, now". Which is odd.
Police apologists eh?
Man gets presented with a $57,000 repair estimate from Mercedes to fix his R63. Decides to do it himself in his garage.
(The R63 was a very limited run of what is effectively a minivan with a 507HP 6.3L V8 in it.)
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture ... 00-repair/
There's a fantastically engrossing thread to read, it starts off with the guy researching the car and buying it, then on Page 7 disaster strikes (it starts smoking like crazy, and there's coolant in the oil).
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum ... 824/page7/
The thread's still running but he's basically managed to take it all to pieces, and put it back together again, doing a repair for a couple of thousand dollars in parts that Mercedes wanted over $57,000 for.
There are loads of pictures and it's a really good read.
(The R63 was a very limited run of what is effectively a minivan with a 507HP 6.3L V8 in it.)
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture ... 00-repair/
Quote:
We all know how rare the R63 is. Less than 200 examples were ever built, making the V8-powered minivan a hard car to find. User "Mazdadeuce" over on the Grassroots Motorsports forums decided to pick up a white example with 94,000 miles on the clock from a Mercedes dealer without any kind of warranty. Sadly, 12,000 miles into ownership, one of the head bolts near the back of the engine failed, causing everything to go to hell.
So, Mazdadeuce took his ailing Merc to the local dealership to assess the damage. In the end, they came back with a staggering $57,515 repair estimate to rebuild the engine. Absurd? Yes. But that's the price of late-model German luxury.
So, Mazdadeuce took his ailing Merc to the local dealership to assess the damage. In the end, they came back with a staggering $57,515 repair estimate to rebuild the engine. Absurd? Yes. But that's the price of late-model German luxury.
There's a fantastically engrossing thread to read, it starts off with the guy researching the car and buying it, then on Page 7 disaster strikes (it starts smoking like crazy, and there's coolant in the oil).
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum ... 824/page7/
The thread's still running but he's basically managed to take it all to pieces, and put it back together again, doing a repair for a couple of thousand dollars in parts that Mercedes wanted over $57,000 for.
There are loads of pictures and it's a really good read.
Attachment:
r63.JPG
Attachment:
r32_2.JPG
Expensive month this month. Having remedial work done to the Celica by my trusty specialist, and also some cosmetic stuff too.
General servicing, including fixing various minor niggles - £450. This could have been worse, as the sunroof wasn't working and a local garage has diagnosed it as the mechanism being fucked, which would have meant cutting the roof out and welding it back in with a new mechanism - trusty mechanic just replaces the faulty switch
Cutting out a growing patch of rust on my near side rear arch, then fabricating and welding in a replacement patch, including painting - £400.
Undersealing the car for rustproofing - £120.
Refurbishing all four wheels to repaint them in white and get rid of kerb marks - probably near £400.
Have now asked trusty mechanic to powder coat my brake calipers while he's got it, too.
Oh, and Jem's Fabia has had a massive coolant leak for months. Took it to be looked at while we were away - leak diagnosed as being in the water pump. Cam belt also looked like it was hanging on by its last thread so replaced that too. £253.
Hopefully all the remedial work will minimise future expenditure on the Celica though.
General servicing, including fixing various minor niggles - £450. This could have been worse, as the sunroof wasn't working and a local garage has diagnosed it as the mechanism being fucked, which would have meant cutting the roof out and welding it back in with a new mechanism - trusty mechanic just replaces the faulty switch
Cutting out a growing patch of rust on my near side rear arch, then fabricating and welding in a replacement patch, including painting - £400.
Undersealing the car for rustproofing - £120.
Refurbishing all four wheels to repaint them in white and get rid of kerb marks - probably near £400.
Have now asked trusty mechanic to powder coat my brake calipers while he's got it, too.
Oh, and Jem's Fabia has had a massive coolant leak for months. Took it to be looked at while we were away - leak diagnosed as being in the water pump. Cam belt also looked like it was hanging on by its last thread so replaced that too. £253.
Hopefully all the remedial work will minimise future expenditure on the Celica though.
Ouch. Old cars are expensive aren't they? Things I need/want doing:
Short term:
Wheels refurbed
Rear window privacy glass
New front and rear red H badges
New front wiper arms
New driver side wing mirror
Scratches and paint chips resprayed
Japanese shape registration plates
Longer term:
Mugen grille and front bumper lip
Full respray or vinyl wrap in championship white
Wheels refurbed in CW
Supercharger kit
Short term:
Wheels refurbed
Rear window privacy glass
New front and rear red H badges
New front wiper arms
New driver side wing mirror
Scratches and paint chips resprayed
Japanese shape registration plates
Longer term:
Mugen grille and front bumper lip
Full respray or vinyl wrap in championship white
Wheels refurbed in CW
Supercharger kit
Careful with the number plates - you could get pulled by a particularly arsey plod - JDM sized plates (well, motorcycle plates) are technically only legal on imported vehicles that can't fit a standard UK plate.
Lonewolves wrote:
Ouch. Old cars are expensive aren't they?
All cars are expensive. My Octavia has needed nothing but scheduled services (4 so far, all free) and a pair of front tyres in the last 41k, but I've been paying a few hundred quid a month in depreciation.
In other car related news, I did the Morgan factory tour on Monday which I can highly recommend as it's a fascinating place. Only downside is I'm now trying to work out if I should buy a three wheeler
GazChap wrote:
Careful with the number plates - you could get pulled by a particularly arsey plod - JDM sized plates (well, motorcycle plates) are technically only legal on imported vehicles that can't fit a standard UK plate.
Is that true? Hmmm.
Lonewolves wrote:
GazChap wrote:
Careful with the number plates - you could get pulled by a particularly arsey plod - JDM sized plates (well, motorcycle plates) are technically only legal on imported vehicles that can't fit a standard UK plate.
Is that true? Hmmm.
Yup.
GazChap wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
GazChap wrote:
Careful with the number plates - you could get pulled by a particularly arsey plod - JDM sized plates (well, motorcycle plates) are technically only legal on imported vehicles that can't fit a standard UK plate.
Is that true? Hmmm.
Yup.
That's not clear. It seems to refer to having characters that are smaller than the UK legal size. I'd get UK legal size lettering just with a different shaped plate to match JDM.
Wasn't it built in Swindon, though?
MaliA wrote:
Wasn't it built in Swindon, though?
Yep!
Lonewolves wrote:
That's not clear. It seems to refer to having characters that are smaller than the UK legal size. I'd get UK legal size lettering just with a different shaped plate to match JDM.
Don't think it's possible to get two lines of 79mm high characters on to a motorcycle sized plate and retain legal spacing around the characters.
You'd have to be ludicrously unlucky to get pulled for it, though.
Dr Zoidberg wrote:
All cars are expensive.
This, basically.
By the time I've had the brake pads and suspension bushes done on the S4, it'll have cost me about £1500 in two months.
In fact, quick tot up:
Tax - £330 (my own fault for getting a car in the 'planet fucking' category, although there are higher brackets than this)
Insurance - £380 (IIRC)
Service - £280
Battery - £220 (lol)
Brake pads and bushes - £300 (guesstimate, labour will be the arse on the bushes apparently)
And then it's about £50-£60 a week in petrol as well. (Again my own fault for using the flappy paddles far more than is necessary and howling the bollocks out of it.) Plus whatever it's depreciating by as well.
If you're driving anything other than a disposable junker then car ownership is basically one of the best ways to set fire to many thousands of pounds per year.
GazChap wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
That's not clear. It seems to refer to having characters that are smaller than the UK legal size. I'd get UK legal size lettering just with a different shaped plate to match JDM.
Don't think it's possible to get two lines of 79mm high characters on to a motorcycle sized plate and retain legal spacing around the characters.
You'd have to be ludicrously unlucky to get pulled for it, though.
SUVs often have squareish plates with full sized lettering.
Yeah, those aren't Japanese-sized plates. Jap plates are the same size as those often found on motorcycles (although the SUV plates you mention are also often seen on motorbikes)
Mate of mine took delivery of this beauty at the end of last week.
88K on the clock but drives like a new car, you can't argue with Honda's bombproof mechanicals.
240bhp to the rear wheels and very little in the way of driver assists. Quite a spirited drive!
This is a 2009 model so it's got the traction control as standard (prior to that even that nod to good behaviour wasn't fitted so get it badly wrong and it will just launch you into a nearby field).
Have to say I have a massive soft spot for fast Hondas, (I've had a Jap import Prelude Type-S in the past, and of course the Type-R was my car before the S4, and a mate had an S2000 over a decade ago), and having had a blast in this S2000 I can well remember why.
This cost £9K, apparently values are on the rise for nice ones now.
88K on the clock but drives like a new car, you can't argue with Honda's bombproof mechanicals.
240bhp to the rear wheels and very little in the way of driver assists. Quite a spirited drive!
This is a 2009 model so it's got the traction control as standard (prior to that even that nod to good behaviour wasn't fitted so get it badly wrong and it will just launch you into a nearby field).
Have to say I have a massive soft spot for fast Hondas, (I've had a Jap import Prelude Type-S in the past, and of course the Type-R was my car before the S4, and a mate had an S2000 over a decade ago), and having had a blast in this S2000 I can well remember why.
This cost £9K, apparently values are on the rise for nice ones now.
Attachment:
s2000.JPG
You seem to have forgotten about the Merc.
Lonewolves wrote:
You seem to have forgotten about the Merc.
Oh yes, deleted from the memory banks already, apparently.
This is how I manage to function within something vaguely resembling normal parameters despite a lifetime of catastrophically self-destructive and expensive decisions in all aspects of my life - outright denial.
