FlintstoneR1

The real rules are here guvnor' https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates

For several consecutive years till 2012, while the kids were in their teens, we've followed a similar idea to Nickguzzi. Taking a variety of relatively leisurely routes, stopping off at some amazing places along the way. Especially as two of the teenagers were studying history, places like Versailles (History students with a student ID card get reduced price entry), Perigord region (Roman remains, Beynac castle where Richard the Lionheart lived, Domme (Knights Templar), etc.), Lascaux, Roc St Christophe, Dijon, Limoges, Mulsanne (driving the Le Mans 24 straight with my 19-year old driving and me pretend co-driving was a hoot = "Flat 3 km!, unless you want to stop for a coffee at Les Hunadiers", Canoe trip down the Tarn gorge, to name just a few of the more memorable "stop offs". Last time there in 2012, we "discovered" the Cevennes, almost by accident. I'd always wanted to check out the Millau bridge, after rallying several years running through the valley it now crosses, some 20-odd years ago, before it was built. So we booked a random camp site found in "Cool Camping", while en-route south just 2 days before while staying near Angouleme. Site was about 1.5 hours east of Millau, slap bang in the limestone plateaux area, with caves, fascinating geography, and real live vultures taking their breakfast on the cliff top, while you ate yours at the camp site café in the valley below. Binoculars and telescope provided! Even the local village garage in Meyrueis, although run down, had an amazing collection of classic British sports cars, Allard, Triumph TR2, TR4, MGC, MGTD, etc. All just sat gathering dust in the shed that used to be garage workshop. Anyone who likes views, I recommend the drive up to the weather station at Mont Aigoual. Fantatstic place. Its the area where the French go for their holidays, so apart from a couple of Dutch families, we were the only Brits in a camp site of maybe 40 pitches. Local agriculture dominated by milksheep for Roquefort cheese (another amazing spot to visit, just west of Millau). Sheep brought down off the hill every evening past the campsite - to avoid being got by the high pasture wolves - so we learned on our last day there! Perhaps just as well we didn't know that beforehand? We've only heavily used Autoroutes to get south of Limoges. Then on, N and D roads for the most part. Although we did meet up for a couple of days one year, with some friends who had Autorailed to Barcelona, then were working their way gradually back to Le Havre ferry via Pyrenees, Massif Central, etc. They did indicated the rail trip was expensive. OK - I'll shut up and stop sounding like a French Tourist advert now...... Next year Germany, then I can stop off for a drive round the Nordschleife.....Maybe?

Agree it must be possible - works on mine ever since I picked it up.

Nothing beats a Yeti for its distinctive side profile though. Even I have trouble distinguishing all the other QQ clones from each other. Looked very seriously indeed at the QashCow and QQ+2 before deciding to buy a 3-year old Yeti last year. After considering and discarding the others as not really in the same league. Interior space (or lack of in the QQ case, compared to exterior footprint and price), was a significant factor. Haven't regretted a minute of the Yeti decision. Yeti suits my family's needs perfectly. It's over 100,000 miles now, but not showing any signs of needing replacement. Plan to keep it at least another two years. When it does eventually come up for replacement, on current form, the shortlist for that will be extremely short. Either another Yeti 110 or a Yeti 140. Bit like when I replaced my previous BMW at 240,000 miles. The only thing considered to replace a 6-cyl BMW, was another straight six BMW. This one a diesel. Being so picky means your search can take a little longer, till the right car comes up with proper service history. (And by that, I don't mean one that has simply had maximum recommended oil change intervals and little else. Stamps in a service book aren't enough IMO. Need proper documentation, receipts, job/work lists, the lot! You can tell I used to live around the fringes of the classic car fraternity!?)

Shane, Have you tried any of these yet, here: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?ei=1-aQU9aeKIaY0QWx-oGIDA&ved=0CAUQqS4oAg#q=window+regulator+repair+ford+focus

These people: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Your-Show-Plate?_rdc=1 will make you plates for £22/pair. Either road legal fonts, etc. or non road legal "show plates" with alternative fonts or wording (for use off-road only). I had some replacement road plates made for my previous BMW with the small print along the bottom consisting of the make and model of the car (as a kind of reverse to having your window glass etched with the reg. number), my name and postcode, BS AU145a, etc. I figured that if dealers can use their name and postcode as the body commissioning the plates to be made up, then in the same role, I could use my name and postcode. Never had it quibbled in five MOTs with that car.

We'll be seeing lots of them in Yorkshire on 5th July then!?

50 months old. 102,000 miles. Don't think I'd get much joy out of Skoda? Not for a £19 part anyway. Both Rainworth and the specialist independent I bought the car from 14 months ago had never seen or heard of the same problem. So I conclude my SM is a one-off. Perhaps its exacerbated by the fact it's invariably parked overnight tail first down a rearward sloping drive? Perhaps affecting the way rain water pools along the top edge? But that's such a narrow gap anyway (good build quality on the Yeti - very consistent panel gaps). For sure if the lens gets a crack, I'll be onto Ebay for some fresh / salvage units*. Meanwhile, I'll let you know if it proves I've cocked up with the drain holes idea. I have the T15 Torx and the gaffer tape at the ready. ( * Just by comparison when I replaced a broken rear lens unit on my previous car - a Ren-Oh Grand Scenic - the "made in China" pattern replacement actually fitted better than the original. But I wouldn't expect that on the Yeti. Build quality is shall we say - "superior" to the Ren-Oh. No idea what Dacias are like. Haven't seen enough close up.)

In the early 70's when I still had my Mini Cooper, getting out and peeing on the grime covered headlights was quite effective! Warm water being more effective, particularly in sub-zero weather. Less risk of the "nozzle" freezing up too. That was in the days when taking a leak in a lay-by was less socially unacceptable than it is now. Not to be advised when you had your mother as a passenger mind!

The headlamp washer jets on my BMW are very effective. OK, they don't remove absolutely 100% of the baked on grime. Have to use a wipe for that. But they do make a very noticeable improvement when used in typical conditions of dirty spray, damp, salty road, following another vehicle.

Yep! Was checking the pressure on my Yeti's spare yesterday and noticed it was a 195/60 R16 size, while the tyres on the car are 215/60. So the spare is fully 2cm narrower. Surprised I was! Till I found this thread. Need to double check the spare's aspect ratio % when SWMBO gets home with the Yeti, but to my mind, if correct, I read that as a difference of some 24mm in diameter (640 vs. 664). Some 3.6%. More than the 2% tolerance normally recommended as a maximum. Would that not throw off the traction control and possibly ABS if used on a front axle (2WD Yeti)? Potentially makes a mockery of having a "full size" spare at best? Or will I find the spare is 195/65 when I re-check? Which would give a 660mm dia. I'll be needing a pair of new tyres soon. Plan 'A' had been to utilise the never been used spare for one (swapping from the pristine steel wheel it is on, to one of the alloys). Then just buy a single extra tyre to match (it's a ContPremiumContact2). Now I know why previous owner had never done that! That'll be me off to Blackcircles then, for a pair of 215/60 R16s. Probably from Kumho if they're in stock. Failing that Hankooks like those fitted all round when I bought the Yeti in 2013.

Hi Silver, A few reasons: - Already drained over half a pint of water out of the offending cluster by the route you describe. That's how I discovered the bathing in a swimming pool had corroded the metal contacts in the lower tail light section to the point the contacts just crumbled into ferrous dust. - Holes are in the lowest part of the back of the units, in the lower face of the reflector immediately below the fog light bulbs, so any further water ingress has an escape route instead of becoming trapped in the bulb spaces. Bit like having drain holes in the lower edge of a door. - In a normally dry area, pointing down, so chances of water getting in that way are less than zero. Even during a pressure wash. Unless the car is submerged in 4' of water of course, in which case the light units will be the least of my concerns. - There are no cracks in the outer lenses, hairline or otherwise. - Close examination of the units once off the car, revealed the sealing on the top edge between the outer lens and the moulded reflector body was where the water was getting in. If it can happen once, it can happen again. - There was evidence of condensation quantities of water in the left side unit already. Now it has somewhere to escape before it builds up to reach the contacts. - We'll see how effective, or ineffective the modification is over time. If I think water is actually getting in that way, it's a simple enough job to seal the holes with some gaffer tape. LOL.

There were at least 4 out on the SV yesterday Graham! 1) I spotted 1 lurking about the showground Service Area at Builth Wells. That was probably the course car you mention. 2) 1 on radio duty in Halfway forest - least I think that was where I saw it, only a fleeting view and I was "otherwise occupied" calling the notes at the time. But from recall it was Junct 3, a HpR. Hence on my side and slow corner, so I had chance to look up. Possibly black, but it was under the trees at the time. Definitely a Yeti as was head on to my line of sight under braking for the corner. 3) 1 on the start line of Crychan Main. 4) Then your Dewi of course on the stage stop line in Cefn. Was a very pleasant surprise to have chance to say "Hello" on the stop line. Half expected you might be on Radio somewhere, but stop line was a complete surprise. Shame it wasn't a longer chat, but we both had jobs to do at the time I guess. On the run back to Builth Keith, my driver, was amazed: K: "So you're telling me there's an internet forum specifically for Skoda Yeti?" H: "Yep - Graham on the stop line back there and I are both members!". K: "Everywhere we go round here, there's someone who knows you by name!". H "I've been competing on this rally on and off for maybe 15-20 years!" We were celebrating the second time we saw you, as this was the second event on the trot we had got Kermit the Avenger to the finish of a Rally in one piece. 2nd in class was just fine, considering we did the first for stages with a very intermittently working intercom. Just got to do the same finish in three weeks time in Keilder now.....

Thanks Carlo - good thought. For a £17 part on a 4-year old Yeti though, that sounds like a lot of hassle. Posted the OP just to find if anyone else had encountered the same? After talking to Jonathan at Rainworth, sounds like extremely rare indeed! To the point I now realise, possibly even unique. Excellent parts service from Rainworth. The new carrier is now fitted and working just fine. Have also re-sealed the top edge of the lens unit while it was out, as it seemed that was where the water was gaining ingress. Also drilled a couple of drain holes in base of each fog light lens back, both sides. In case it happens again. In a part of the unit that is 100% when fully fitted to the car. That should cure it!

Exactly! Different set of correspondents who contributed to the two different surveys. I've contributed to the Auto Express and Which? surveys regularly. I'd be surprised if there was the same cross-over between AE and What Car? Always had the impression reading What Car was very similar to reading the Daily Mail. At least the paper they print the Mail on is absorbent!

Can only echo that - even for a relatively obscure part like a rear light bulb carrier. AND Rainworth are loyal, long term supporters of the Dukeries Rally. :clap:

I had some Hella 100w H1 headlamp bulbs that I ran as main beams in a succession of cars for at least 10 years. In a rural area you do quite a bit of night driving on main beam, also when acting as chase/management car for rally cars on events in the dark. Only reason I haven't got them now is I forgot to swap them out when I sold the last car they were fitted to. Not advisable to be fitted to cars with plastic lens covers though.

Good wifi in nearly all locations though!

Cheers Marcus. Our Yeti came on a set of Hankooks. Seem fine. Will need a new pair soon. Considering either them or Kumho, or possibly a single HK and swap one for the (unused) spare? Depends what deal I can do with the local fitters for "3 off, 3 on".

Hi Kenny. Done a bit more research now. All the rear lights advertised on Ebay are lens clusters only that do not have the bulb carriers fitted. Most of them actually say so when you read the item detailed descriptions. Spoke to Jon at Rainworth Skoda today, who confirmed it would be very rare indeed to get the two parts together as a single unit. They are not normally sold that way. Either way, he's sorting me a new bulb carrier for under £20 - which I'm quite happy with. Jon also confirmed that it's unheard of in their experience to need a new carrier for the reason I do - so not about to be an epidemic of them! Mine must be a duff one. Although visibly pristine. Might run some sealer along the top seam of the lens unit when I put the new carrier in. See if that keeps the wet out.

Not a lot wrong with Kumho IMO Marcus! I've run them extensively in the past on my both my Grand Scenic and on a succession of BMWs. In KH15 and KH17 guise on the Scenic for just short of 100,000 miles in total - found these to have very good wet grip actually, better than either the Falkens I tried once due to shortage of supply in the right size for the Kumhos, and particularly better than the Michelin Energy tyres that the Scenic was fitted with for the first 50,000 of its life. Life/mileage was about 2/3 the Michelins, but cost between 1/2 to 2/3. So the economics were clear. My BMW 323i ran 2 sets of KH17s over approx. 80,000 miles, and you don't put Ditchfinders on a performance vehicle - unless you really do want to spend time in the ditch. Dry grip very good also and breakaway very progressive and predictable. About to put some 255 width Kumho Ventus on the back of my current BMW. Having driven a similar 330d with those and found they suited me admirably. We've run Kumho competition tyres on a succession of rally cars for over 10 years. Both gravel pattern and slicks for tarmac. When you're pushing to the limits of adhesion and beyond all the time, you need a tyre you can trust. You don't voluntarily keep going back to the same brand without that - especially when you easily get through between 4 and 8 tyres per event. You have lots of opportunity to change brand if you want to. In fact just about to swap to Kumho for a Historic rally car (different driver), for this weekend's event in Wales. From a rival brand. Finally - no, I don't work for Kumho. Just have aquired a respect for the Korean products over a 20 year period. I do however have to declare the set going on this weekend were won as part of a prize draw in the Roger Albert Clark Rally Championship. Very happy with that though - as would have chosen them next anyway.

No I'm not - I'm in Yorkshire! :sun: Oh - you mean the name of your servicing dealer! Not my real name? Oops Given my real name away now? Marie - Have you changed the colour of your sweater - or your Avatar's sweater? Sure I remember it in another colour? Or is my memory playing tricks?

My 330d runs out at 14.5ppm for the diesel TriggerFish. To which should be added 3ppm for servicing costs. But then I do around 95% on Motorway, albeit at (ahem) quite close to a steady 70mph, traffic permitting. Sounds like we share a taste for grunty, fuel efficient motors. But then a 4.7 mile trip, where the Beemer had barely got into its stride, let alone warmed up, I'd be lucky to get under 20ppm, fuel alone.

Glad that quote came from another forum! Hate to think anyone in here was such a "stupid duffer" as to mix up Douglas Bader with Guy Gibson.........

Buy a car that was built in the EU outside UK, and came at a competitive price because of the rules for trade within the EU, then vote to leave the EU? Defies logic?