I think unfortunately it is the case that they just dont want to do it, or can't.

Have you had a look for third party Merc or German car specialists nearby?

So recently, I've been driving a van, a hangover from my courier days. It belongs to the owner of the company I used to work for, I basically paid him what he paid the finance company. And to be fair to him, he let me keep using it after I'd left, but I think that's because he didn't want it sitting outside his house doing nothing but costing him money.

Anyway, as I've mentioned in other threads, money is really tight just now, what I was paying on the van was almost equal to a month's rent. Time to get rid.

Even though I'm working for webuyanycar, I'm not allowed to purchase any vehicles through my work, they all go to auction. I'm not even allowed to say to a customer I'd pay more than webuyanycar offered, sacking offence. For example yesterday, had a guy in with an 11 plate Renault Mégane. Was poverty spec, no alloys etc, but he'd kept it in really great condition, could eat your dinner off the seats, absolutely spotless. Webuyanycar bought it from him for 485 (that was me putting money back into it, original offer was 325) I would've happily paid 600 for that car any day of the week.

Anyhoo. Been looking through Facebook marketplace, specifically looking for a Mazda 3, I helped Gav buy his 2 years ago, and it's never put a foot wrong for him. Spotted one, 57 plate, 2 litre diesel, sport spec. 159k on the clock, mot till November. No service history, only 1 key, cosmetically fucked, but no warning lights on the dash, 4 decent tyres, decent wear left on the brakes. Went over to see it after work last night.

Lovely big polish lad, apprentice mechanic, so he'd already addressed the common rust on the arches. Think it's been lowered, definitely had the bumpers swapped, and the handbrake badly needs adjusting. But, pulls like a train in all the gears, didn't overheat, everything works. He had it advertised for 550. So, I broke out the ol' webuyanycar razzle dazzle. Told him the truth - if he brought that to us, he'd be lucky to get 200 quid for it. I ended up buying it (the entire car) for 350. Way I see it, if I get 6 months from it, I'll easily get 100 back through my work for it. And it means I can return the van to it's owner and not have that drain on my finances every month.

It'll confuse the locals though. A guy that's very similar looking to Gav, driving a car that's very similar looking to his!

Nicely done, always had a soft spot for the 3, the ex had one years ago and it was a great motor

There's no reverse gear in the new Tesla, only the accelerator. It just decides for you if you need to reverse or go forward.

You can override it by swiping a gear selector at the edge of the screen or using manual gear selection buttons set into the centre console (I think), but it has to be said that the steering yoke/lack of stalks thing is a bit daft.

My wife got a Tesla model3 performance the other week, so whilst we wait the eternity for the main family car we ordered to be produced, that’s all we have and it is by far the best car we’ve ever owned and that I’ve ever driven. I’m not into cars on any level, don’t get excited about engine noises and the smell of burning fuel or anything so that probably means my opinion counts for fuck all, especially to all you lot who seem to know cars, but that’s how I feel about the thing. Everything about it just works seamlessly and I’m surprised by how much I like it. It actually seems a lot better than the car we’ve got on order and I may just end up cancelling that one. The range is great, real world battery use is miles more than enough, there’s the cost and emissions benefits, the build quality is great - and is at least as good as the Range Rovers she’s had in the past, the tech and UI has been flawless, the driver assist stuff the best we’ve come across and I love the interior.

Really interesting side note here, every single friend of our kids who has heard we have one or have been in it think they’re the coolest thing ever. I presume they’re doing something with their marketing that may by missing out our generation because every single kid we come across think they’re the coolest cars on the road. Even the private school toffs with parents in, oh I don’t know, helicopters and lambos go home and tell their parents to buy one instead. So yeah, there’s some clear hearts and minds stuff going on at a younger level than all the grumpy middle aged men we are here.

I'm not encouraged by having to use one piece of software to disable another piece of software in a moving car.

I am not a Luddite - we are already reliant on software for ABS etc but software deciding whether I am going backwards or forwards is another matter entirely and I would need convincing it is as fault tolerant as it could be.

All the new UK Tesla chargers are CCS only rather than proprietary now (which requires an adaptor for older Tesla vehicles) and all of the older ones have all been upgraded to have proprietary and CSS connectors so that isn't really an issue anymore. Tesla had offered to open their charging network up previously, but I think that was in terms of having a partnership with another manufacturer and none of them went for it. What I understand now is that they are going to open it up to any compatible cars (which will be pretty much all new ones given that CCS is the standard in Europe these days). How that is going to be managed will be the most interesting part, especially in terms of queuing.

I've a feeling Tesla are aiming to be the Apple of car companies.

Just fitted me a set of 4d laser cut acrylic number plates. They look the business imo.

Yeah technically not 4d in a physics term, but 3d plates use a rounded gel to raise the digits slightly from the plate. Downside is they degrade quickly due to using a gel.

So some bright spark came up with a method of using laser cut acrylic blocks, black digits backed by whatever colour you want giving an actual 3d plate rather than a lumpy bit of gel. Problem was what to call it as 3d plate was already taken?….. hmmmm whats better than 3d? …..4D!!!!

I have a white backing on my digits which looks better on the yellow, but makes the front white plate really pop out. Clean plates too, no screws or a made by text on them. Youd be amazed the difference a clean plate makes without all the other shit the usually put on them

There's a very limited number of ways a person can flex with a white corsa, so fair play, I respect it.

afgavinstan wrote:

There's a very limited number of ways a person can flex with a white corsa, so fair play, I respect it.

Cheers Gav. I think.

Tbf shes not bad looking with black wheels, black roof and wing mirrors that form the Sri VX line spec.

Has tinted rear windows as standard but im tinting them much darker and my front too are getting a slight tint.

Loads of gadget spec too.

Just not realy fast enough.its nippy but not fast.

I love this more than is healthy. A new rally-focused special edition Morgan.





https://www.morgan-motor.com/morgan-forges-a-new-path-with-plus-four-cx-t/

It’s definitely not just a bit of off-road cosmetics, this thing is a serious piece of kit, built in collaboration with Rally Raid UK.

I read eight made at £170,000 (+tax).

I makes sense for them anyway. Sell just enough to cover the development costs. It’s a niche car, exclusivity will be part of the appeal. It acts as an advert for Morgan, an advert for their new chassis/platform’s adaptability, and hey can offer many of the special parts as options on standard cars (probably never will officially, but if you ask …)