Nothing exciting but gave the 5 a wash n brush up!
TBH, it always come up nice
Barrie
11 Likes
Looking great Barrie
1 Like
Hiya Steve! Hope youâre well? 
Barrie
Yeh good mate,the old boys quiet though lol,busy being a grandad I guess
Flat out I believe 
. Seriously though, met up with him earlier in the week, he needed something for the Launch Edition car, which I had!
Take care!
Barrie
1 Like
Down to Stoke Mandeville for a new steering wheel on my ND from Royal . Job done in 30 minutes , and back home via Silverstone to get a (distant ) fix - screens now prevent my seeing anything from my cheeky spot but sundry 911s by the sound of it , and something bike engined .
Crikey what a difference a decent wheel makes - I never did like the standard effort . Grippy ,lovely feel , a thick rim and with a slightly flattened bottom (quiet at the back ) - so much nicer to use .
I had the car remapped at Roddisonâs last November and this was the first long run . Previously the car did 39 - 41 mpg regardless of driving style or road . Now it does 36- 38 if I drive spiritedly (which I tend to do far more after the remap) but today , on M1/A1 and A /B roads I did a total of 412 miles at 46.8 mpg and an average of 52mph. Pretty good I think .
5 Likes
Had a run to Eastbourne from Hailsham, beach walk snd back via Beachy Head with a merc in front of me who kept giving it lots of throttle and then loads of braking like he was trying to wear his pads out. He couldnât seem to keep it from wandering into the other lane either
I didnât touch my brakes for any of it once we got past the chicane at Beachy Head and we werenât going fast to my mind. I was still behind him as he pulled in at Birling Gap and so we did as well.
Wife went down to the beach as he stood around smoking and I did think about telling him his steering and brake lights had a fault as they kept coming on.
I didnâtâŚso wanted to.
He looked fitter than me and less likely to take the joke than most. I actually wonder if he stopped there because he thought if he carried on Heâd embarrass himself in the next set of bends and thought Iâd drive on. 
3 Likes
Had a run to Eastbourne from Hailsham, beach walk and back via Beachy Head with an MX5 behind me who kept up with me all the way, even when I was giving it lots of throttle and then loads of braking as I was trying to wear my pads out so as to have an excuse to get rid of the Merc and get an MX5 for half the cost of replacement Merc pads. I kept admiring the MX5 in my rear view mirror and at times, I couldnât seem to avoid wandering into the other lane, ooops.
He was still behind me as I pulled in at Birling Gap and YIKES! GOSH! he did as well.
I was so in awe of the MX5 I just stood around smoking while the wife went down to the beach and I did think about asking him if he wanted to swap there and then. The car, that is, not the wife. Ha ha!
I didnâtâŚso wanted to try that joke out.
He looked fitter than me and less likely to take the joke than most⌠. I actually wonder if he stopped there because he thought that Iâd think that if I carried on Iâd embarrass myself on the next set of bends and have to ask him for help in extracting me from a ditchâŚ
10 Likes
So sorry, couldnât resist! No offence intended 
4 Likes
And you,any bunch of fives meets coming ?
It was a bit odd my wife doesnât notice stuff, doesnât know much about cars but even she thought it was strange and weird driving in front of us without me pointing it out to her.
Iâve had people trying to push me by tailgating with the 5, but never seen someone try to do it in front of me, certainly not in a way that made me think they couldnât handle a car. Last thing Iâm gonna do is rise to bait, I want to keep this car not bury it in a ditch.
1 Like
Absolutely. May be coincidence, may not be, but this week, with the partial easing of restrictions, it seems there has been a rush of blood to the head for some on the roads, with civility and tolerance seemingly in short supply. Or maybe thatâs evidence of a return to normality! 
Quite.
My NA is going in for a service today despite Nicola Sturgeon decreeing I can go anywhere I want.
Judging by a few antics on the by-roads the other day, looks like this weekend in Scotland could be a bit rabid so Iâll be keeping off the roads till week days.
1 Like
I have only done short local drives in my 5 and only a couple of thousand miles in my company over the last year but my observation is that people have forgotten how to use their indicators.
3 Likes
and whilst its not always the case the bigger and posher the car the more âforgetfulâ the drivers seem to be
1 Like
Well pleased. Was there when the MK1 got itâs long sump drain.
Measured what came outâŚjust under 3.4 litrs. Allowing for stuff in the oilways & buckets, looks like itâs used nothing over 2.5k hard miles. Good to knowâŚas Iâve decided to give it a good ( cough) run to the Great Glens tomorrow anyway.
Itâs either that or unrequired gardening dutiesâŚwhich Doris is perfectly capable of doing.
1 Like
Some post-work car work and Project Sound has moved on a little. Got into the back panel and after some blood sacrifice and teeth-gnashing managed to basta- sorry, creatively adapt, the existing faceplates to fit my snazzy new rear speakers. Almost a shame theyâll be covered up again as they do look pretty nifty. Then got cracked on and made a start on sound-deadening the back panel. Not professional standard by any means and not finished yet but as long as it works 
6 Likes
The speakers look like a jet turbine, very cool and the sound deadening, well looks like youâre doing it correctly. A very thorough appearance.
I have been tackling etched salt in the the paint work.
When I bought this car I did not like the Copper Red, it was flat and boring. I would have picked another color but the history, mileage and price got me. Now I have done work itâs a nice color, red with red metallic, shows very well in the sun.
This is all the horrible salt. Vinegar, snow foam, shampoo, degreaser, Goo Gone, I tried a lot of things but they didnât touch it.
Meguiars ultimate compound a microfibre cloth, a few little bits left but itâs a lot better.
Little pic of the metallic, although my phones camera is very poor so doesnât show too well.
So not much left to do, then will be washed, clayed and sealed.
3 Likes
Thanks pal, appreciate it and yes, they do look like jet engines Love the look of them.
Well done on the paintwork, looks so much better! Much love and care gone into that, you can see it 
1 Like
I agree - looks great. I polished mine at weekend and after a couple of days there seems to be dust in the air as the car is dusty inside and out, so needs ANOTHER wash⌠good job I find this an enjoyable job, just a shame it doesnât last!