shyVRS245

Change of plan because the wife wanted to go for a 3 mile walk before dinner (6,000 steps) so I had to finish off my planned 2 hours of cycling after dinner (not ideal) but managed 52km again and 1,203 calories. Day 42 totals now 54 hours and 1,340km.

Morning session saw 1,300km passed after 28 minutes and 30,000 calories passed after 47 minutes. Completed 1 hour with 593 calories and 26km. Daily update later.

When I was at Kwik Fit recently getting the wife's Karoq MOT'd I asked about 215/50R18 Michelin CrossClimate All Season tyres and was shocked when they quoted with a 15% discount £807 for 4 including valves, balancing and VAT (fitted).

Well this is the 36 month and MOT update. Prior to the test decided to get Bosch Aero Twin front wiper blades fitted at Halfords for £34 and a Halfords rear wiper blade as the original ones were still on the car (rear was £15 fitted). Took the car to Kwik Fit in Ashby and it had a clean pass on everything tested (BTW found out they don't check rear wipers as so many saloons don't have them fitted anyway). Walked to Tesco's and did some shopping so car was ready when I returned with just a £39 bill to pay (all costs include VAT). Car has done only 6,000 miles in the last 12 months and when I got there it just clicked over to 29,000 miles. The tester reminded me to get the XDS oil changed at 40,000 miles but the Inspection service is due in 7 months (213 days) anyway so probably get it done then along with the brake fluid change. Car still allowing another 9,700 miles until the Inspection service but based on current mileage more likely to be at 32,500 miles.

You need a pole about a metre in front of your bumper with strong magnets fixed to it. This could be an idea for your next mod.

Decent tuners don't blow up engines even if you have upto 94bhp more than standard. This I know from 38 years of driving and 400,000 miles without a single engine problem. There are some bad tuners out there so as always buyer beware.

Well my Vrs245 bought new in August 2017 had a stage 1 map at 7,000 miles and stage 2 mods at 14,000 miles and went from 249 to 302 to 336bhp but over 29,000 miles it averaged 40mpg the same as my 2019 stage 1 Superb 272 Sportline Plus managed over 9,000 miles with 360bhp. All based upon my 27 mile each way commute using 99 octane Shell V-Power Nitro+ or Tesco Momentum. You can have performance and economy with the right tuner and the right commute.

Maintained my good average of 26kph over the 2 hours today so managed 52km and 1,184 calories which takes the Day 41 totals to 52 hours and 1,288km.

Having a good afternoon passing 29,000 calories and 90 minutes so far (884 calories) with 39km and got enough energy left for a final 30 minutes later despite 72 hours at work and just 5 hours sleep this morning. Funny how some days you feel like Superman.

Just had my first go on the bike in a week thanks to snow clearing on Sunday and having to MOT the wife's Karoq on Monday and ground out a 30 minute session with 12.6km and 285 calories. Hopefully the next 2 sessions today will get easier.

Living on or near a building site probably wouldn't help as trades persons have a habit of leaving nails and screws all over the pavement and road.

Talking punctures I'm currently on my 7th Superb since 2005 and never had a puncture (probably shouldn't have typed that). However statistically you should get a puncture once every 93,000 miles. My last one was on my 2010 Fabia estate and the can of foam was useless.

Personally having driven over 200,000 miles in various Skoda's from Fabia's to Superb's the main reason anyone buys a Skoda is not the brand name but the fact you get a lot of car for your money. They are spacious, practical choices not sexy or exciting to drive but the customer is left with 2 choices depending on budget and having had 3 Mk3 Superb's since 2016, the 1.4TSi manual SE OK but a bit boring, the rapid 2.0TSi 272 with 4WD and DSG is probably the best car Skoda currently make yet can be still economical given sufficient will power and my current diesel which after 100 days of ownership is probably the best car I have ever owned in 38 years of driving due to the equipment (has Canton, DSG, Virtual Dash, Reversing Camera, Blind Spot Monitors) yet is still on the third tank of diesel after more than 2,200 miles (3,500km) averaging 61mpg (14km per litre) which is amazing for such a large, comfortable and quiet cruiser. The sweet spot in the Superb range for me having owned SE and Sportline Plus models is my current SEL which has everything most owners require and I paid only £22,800 (less than 25,000 Euro's) for a 8 month old current 2020 face lift example (with only 6,250 miles or 10,000km) which is remarkable value in anyone's book. The 2 choices I should make clear are which engine and which level of specification to choose which makes all the difference to whether you love it our despise it.

Must be something that is at the opposite end to something good looking like the Audi was and boring to drive due to low road tax so probably a C Max 1.6TDi.

Silver or Gold look good on a Black car but darker Grey or Black don't look as good IMHO.

Done 787 miles on the third tank and more than 19 hours driving at an average of 41mph and will fill up in 1 week from now.

I have to laugh sometimes been using summer tyres for the last 38 years without ending in a ditch unlike the yellow Mazda MX-5 which ended up the wrong way round in a ditch having lost control on a roundabout near where I live. It was -2C this morning and I was running late because of the frost so did my 27 mile commute in just 36 minutes at an average of 45mph.

Hi no the 2014 Superb was traded not long after the clutch was replaced under warranty for a 2015 Octavia Vrs Tdi DSG and was never mapped. The only diesel to be mapped was a Mk3 Octavia 2.0Tdi SE which went from 147 to 186bhp and from 246 to 317lb/ft and economy on that car only dropped from 71 to 70mpg on a decent run. All my cars have been done by Ben at AmD in Grays, Essex close to the Mercedes dealership and IKEA. They charge £500 but you can pay interest free over 12 months.

Think it would be TSR or Traffic Sign Recognition.

You only get it on the main screen when using sat nav but not on the virtual dash unless it is specified as an optional extra.

Well I have done 129km in the last 3 days (about 80 miles) and 40km in 1 hour 30 minutes today. Day 40 totals are now 1,236km and 50 hours so some statistics so far. Managed an average of 30.9km per day at an average speed of 24.72kph (not bad going uphill all the time).

I could buy one but only if I sold one of my 2 homes and that might mean a divorce and me living in the car.......so perhaps have to keep dreaming.

Went past 28,000 calories this morning and managed 26km in 1 hour and only going to do 30 minutes this afternoon.

Nissan have launched the £180,095 Nissan GT-R Nismo which is more than £80,000 more expensive than the slightly less powerful GT-R Track Edition. I have always had a soft spot for the GT-R down to clever use of technology despite its 1,800kg kerbweight. This 3.8 litre V6 petrol turbo 4WD supercar now hits 0-62mph (0-100kph) in 2.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 196mph. Combined economy is a quoted 19.7mpg but I doubt many owners will average much more than 15mpg in the real world. The 7 speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox remains for lightning quick changes. Launched in 2007 with only 1 major face lift Nissan believe in Kaizen which means evolve and improve. There are quite a few carbon fibre body panels and the motorsport arm of the company Nismo assembles these cars by hand. Hiding behind lightweight 20" forged RAYS alloys are Brembo carbon ceramic brake discs in a mammoth 410mm size. The 2 turbo's come from the GT-R GT3 race car no less and the car makes 592bhp and 600nm not large numbers by 2021 standards but the car is the lightest yet at 1,725kg. The Bilstein adaptive dampers have been softened but the ride is still going to be firm as body control needs to be kept in check. The Dunlop Sport Maxx track focused tyres have 1 less groove than before to give a greater contact patch for even more grip. The motorsport turbo's increase response in the mid range by 20% and the car revs hard to the rev limiter unlike many turbo-charged cars. It sounds good with a nice hiss from the revised induction system with a V6 howl and revisions to the Titanium exhaust system. The light but delicate steering remains which is one of the highlights from the previous car. Only time will tell if this car evolves again or becomes something completely different such as a Hybrid like the Honda NSX or a full EV.

Wife was a bit stressed after being On Duty today taking calls so we went for a 3.8 mile (9,500 steps) walk after dinner.