bonelorry

Thread revival but had a very poor experience with Simpsons Colne yesterday... Went to view PFL 230 VRS yesterday afternoon and as a dealership they didn’t meet my expectations and it is doubtful I will ever go back. It went downhill from my initial enquires which where via email, I had to tell the salesman I originally dealt with to back off as he was giving me the usual don’t miss out on it there's loads interested and my colleague is talking to someone about it now….This was Thursday and it still hadn’t sold when I viewed it 2 days later. Told him I don’t respond to pressure selling and I was not prepared to place a deposit on the car without seeing it in the flesh first as in my vast experience of buying used cars it has been rare that they are ever as described. During a telephone conversion I asked very specific questions regarding the exterior condition of the car and at multiple points stated I am very particular and I am looking for top example, I was told that it hadn’t been painted to his knowledge and it was an outstanding example that they had looked after and they knew the car well as a dealership etc. I thought it was worth the trip from Sheffield to Colne to view it so made an appointment and went yesterday afternoon, Within 30 seconds of looking at it alarm bells where ringing at all the defects in the paint on the drivers front wing, Certainly not a factory finish and I have seen many vehicles over the years that have had VAG approved bodywork done and this certainly was not one of them! As I worked my way around the car I established the entire drivers side and areas of the passenger side had been repainted, Really poor finish with imperfections in the paint and masking lines everywhere in the door shuts and tailgate. Compound was visible on all the masking lines where it had been painted upto with the paint finish ranging from average to shocking especially on the door tops below the window seal...Very rough and looked frosted in appearance rough to the touch. The salesman who I did all the initial enquires with was not present and had handed it over to a young salesman who in his own words said he had learned a lot from me in the 10 mins I spent in total going around the car and pointing everything out, Both myself and even he was amazed that such a vehicle would meet the criteria for an approved used Skoda at a main dealership and he apologised for my wasted journey. He wanted to bring his Manager out to look around the car with me so I could point out what at that point he felt must have been missed by someone else prior to the car getting put on the forecourt. This is when my attitude changed because within seconds I was then treat like an idiot by this particular manager, Asking me questions about my profession and why I am so particular, That no other customers look in so much detail at a used car, Why I have owned so many cars and what I am doing with them, That its a 6 Year old car and it is to be expected for any used car to have seen bodywork and then admitted he was aware there was some cosmetic damage on the car which required it to be painted before they took it in as a part exchange and the prep team where aware of it. Then he said it is clearly not the right car for you but it will be for someone else, I said yes and I feel very sorry for whoever that might be because selling crap like this car to people at top money who don't have the underpinning knowledge of what to look for is dishonest. As a main dealer people put their trust in you and Skoda as a brand and if this is the standard of used stock you are selling and the level of customer service you are offering then good luck but you are not having my money. I have written a complaint but had no reply as yet, I will never go there again though.

No worries, I have not been posting much on here. I have had Timing Belt, Water Pump & Aux Belt done on the Golf so it should hopefully be good until August 2022 when its due another Major Service. I have to admit, The Wife has just ordered her next Car on PCP which comes next March (Non Skoda unfortunately) and it has spurred me on to begin looking again but I am not doing it with any real intent and will be waiting until after Winter before making a decision.

Bought a 10000 Mile, 2002 Honda Hornet 600 which I collected yesterday. Needs a bit of cosmetic TLC but will keep me busy in any spare time I have, I probably wont be making a thread on it though.

Cheers Gaz, You know I was very close to buying one of those myself in Jan/Feb 2020, Before I bought this MK6 Golf I had just sold my Fabia VRS and also sold my Motorbike so had a good amount to play with and was seriously close to buying a cheap daily driver and liked the idea of having a MK7 Golf GTI Clubsport 40 as a second occasional use Car as a toy. We all know what happened in March 2020 with Covid so I simply stopped looking, As and when the first Lockdown was relaxed I ended up buying another Motorbike in May and then got this Golf in August. I do still look as I am in a better financial position now so could afford to keep the Golf and buy a second Car as a toy but with the aggro I have had this Year will have a break from looking as I become obsessed with it and spend Hours trawling the Internet and seeing the same Cars advertised day in day out. It is hard because I know I have high standards and I wouldn't mind if I found something that needed a bit of TLC, The odd Car park dent removing, Some Detailing and a Wheel refurb but could be made into a nice Car and was spot on in every other aspect but nothing I viewed was a good enough base to start with and regardless of how nice a Car is if its missing Services or has not been Serviced properly there isn't a lot that you can do about it so you either take the risk and live with it or walk away...I would walk away every time as I know it would do my head in. The MK6 will be here to stay for a good while, As said if I do buy another Car it will be used as a toy and not a replacement for the Golf

And..... I am keeping the Golf, The Golf flew through its MOT a few Weeks ago and had Minor Service with Oil & Filter change using Genuine VAG Quantum Longlife 3 5W30 Oil & Bosch Oil Filter with New Genuine Sump Plug. The Car had a Major Service last September and Brake Fluid changed when I had the Calipers replaced so didn’t really need anything else and I have only done around 6500 Miles since buying it a Year ago. Next job in October is the Timing Belt, Water Pump & Auxiliary Belt. Then it will be going back into Winter mode with its Steelies. Why am I keeping the Golf? I have had an absolute nightmare finding a Car to replace it with and as I have a bit of time spare this evening I am going to share my experiences over the past 6 Weeks with you with you about the Cars I have viewed, Bought and even rejected... 1. Skoda Octavia VRS TDI, 66 Plate Car located in Louth at a VW Specialist. Very Low Mileage with less than 20K and described as totally immaculate. The Drivers Side Sill had been Repainted very badly with most of the overspray all over the OSR Rear Suspension Arm, Handbrake Cable and Wheel Arch Liner. 2. Another identical Car to number 1, Thankfully this was located local to me and I was in the area so no time wasted. Absolute shed though, Covered in Dents, Chips and Scuffs. Interior was not very nice either. 3. 2016 Ford Focus ST-3 TDCI Estate in Stealth Grey located at Inchcape VW Altrincham/Manchester, It was an 18000 Mile Car and looked stunning in the images but while I was actually there viewing the Car one of the Valeters pulled it off a Display Ramp on the forecourt for me to view the Car properly and ground the front bumper on the floor. I expressed my frustration and wasted journey to the sales manager who offered a Smart Repair but the Bumper looked mis-aligned to me as and was bowing out on one side and the panel gap between the Bumper and Wing was well out...Basically a Bumper off Job and possibly a New Bumper to make it 100%. 4. Skoda Octavia VRS 230, 66 Plate, 44000 Miles, Located at Listers VW in Leamington Spa. I was sent a video of the Car, Loads of images and so I thought it was worth the trip down. Instantly I could see the Car was a bit rough around the edges, Wheels needed refurbing, Bad Smart repair on the Rear Bumper, Damaged Window Seals and was missing Services in the History so walked away. 5. While viewing Car number 4, On my way back to Sheffield I called to Listers Skoda in Coventry to view an 8000 Mile, 69 Plate Octavia VRS DSG 245. The Car I couldn't fault at all and would have bought it however the Salesman I dealt with was a complete bell-end. From the word go I was given the impression that as I had not made an appointment and just turned up I was a massive inconvenience to the Staff there, I was given the Keys and left to look around the Car I had gone to view. The Chap I dealt with came outside and asked me if it was a Diesel I was specifically after? I told him the Car in front of us is actually a Petrol VRS which is what I was after and straight away he began to disagree telling me I had made a mistake and that it was a Diesel. Then proceeded to get into the Car, Start the engine and revved it before getting out and saying that I was infact correct and it was a Petrol. We went inside and I pointed out that the price in the Screen on the Car was in fact £300 more than what the Car was advertised for on their Website and on the Approved Used Skoda Network, Again he disagreed with me and said the price in the Windscreen was correct. We got down to the numbers and he offered me an extended Warranty, Service Plan etc going forward and then asked how I was funding the purchase and I said with Cash/Card Payment from Savings. He immediately said for me to forget the extended Warranty and Service plan as that was only available to buyers that went on Finance, Then went on to tell me that I should leave my money in the Bank and get the Car on finance which I found very rude as he had absolutely no right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do with my money. I should have walked out at this point but I really liked the Car and decided to make a very reasonable offer which to be fair was inline with other similar age/mileage examples on the Approved Used Skoda Network and given I wasn't eligible for the Warranty/Service Plan etc I felt I should haggle a bit and at this point he went online to look at the Figures and said I was correct about the price difference Online vs in the Window and then said that I could have it for the Online Price as it was already discounted by £300 which I knew it wasn't. He then turned his Monitor round and pointed out that 11 People where watching the advert on approved used website and that with that much interest in the Car he was confident if I didn't buy it someone else would, I told him that although 11 People are watching it those 11 People are not sat in the Showroom offering to buy the Car however I was and would have put a deposit on the Car there and then. He wasn't interested in me as a Customer and that came across quite clearly, I stood up and walked out at this point. Guess what, They still have not sold that Octavia Today over a Month since I viewed it and they have now reduced it even further to a price I would have paid for it on that day. 6. Skoda Octavia VRS 230, 66 Plate 33K Miles, After all of the hassle travelling around viewing all of the above Cars I made the Cardinal Sin of buying a Car without seeing it in the flesh. I bought it from a Skoda Independent located in Southampton after spending Hours on the phone asking countless questions, Seeing 15-20 mins of HD Video and loads of images I decided to go for it. It arrived and although I had the Thread deleted off here which I made I rejected the Car within 5 Mins, I had paid for it Delivering on a Transporter and it was driven 300 Miles by a less than desirable character. The Car was simply not as described and basically needed the Front End Repainting due to excessive Stone-Chipping which I was not told about. So the Car was rejected, Collected by the same Bloke who dropped it off and he decided to have a pop saying it was all a waste of his time and because I had rejected the Car he wasn't going to get paid. I gave him a F-Off Tablet and once my Money was refunded gave him the Keys and asked him to get off my property. Serves me right though for been lazy, I won't ever buy anything based on someone elses opinion ever again as People are just out to mis-lead you and rip you off. 7. VW Golf GTI Performance Pack, 16 Plate, 30K Miles. Drove down to Parkway VW in Derby to view this. Instantly I could see it was not a very nice Car Cosmetically so didn't bother asking for anymore information on that Car. 8. Whilst in the Derby area I had another Car lined up to view, Skoda Octavia VRS 245, Similar to the Challenge with all the Toys on a 2018 Model with just 18000 Miles. I had been talking to the Dealership the Night before and told them I was in the area the following day and at that time the price was £19990, I rang the Dealer after viewing Car number 7 and said I would like to come a view the Car. I pulled up and saw the price in the Window of £21300 and was met by another Jobsworth with a beaming smile painted on, I mentioned the Cars price increase and he simply said "Everything's gone up" I told him I was interested but at the original price as I wasn't prepared to ay another £1300 for no reason and he said there was no negotiation on that Car and that £21300 was the price. So I calmly walked out with my fists clenched ...Another wasted journey. And they have now since reduced the Car back down to £20300 a Month on. 9. Skoda Octavia VRS 230, 66 Plate, Meteor Grey and just 15000 Miles! located at Border Skoda Dumfries. I saw this and actually got excited as you might have noticed I have been after One of these. I actually put a deposit on this as the Dealership was closed last Sunday and I didn't want to miss out, I was sent a load of Images and a Video and I was planning on going up to view the Car Today. Salesman said the Car had Full Skoda Service History and I asked to see the Printout. Too good to be true, The Car was never Serviced until it was 3 Years old which was disappointing. Got my Deposit back, I didn't even bother getting into a discussion about the fact the Car clearly doesn't have Full Service History and that it doesn't qualify to be an Approved Used Skoda in the first place. 10. Golf GTD Estate, 66 Plate, 33K Miles. This was located at DACE Specialist Cars in Stockport. A supposed German Car Specialist. This was a Telephone enquiry, The Car is 5 Years old so is due its Timing Belt changing. The Salesman who thought he knew everything would not have it that the Timing Belt was due and kept quoting the Mileage and not the Interval that it was due. I could here him banging his keyboard and eventually he agreed it was due but that they wouldn't be prepared to do it anyway. I told him to stick the Car up his Rectum and hung up. German Car Specialists my backside. 11. Last One, I promise. VW Golf GTI Performance Pack, 66 Plate, 19K Miles. This was at an Independent located near Birmingham and had been traded in. One elderly Owner from New, Looked absolutely stunning and Full VW Service History done every 4000 Miles. I thought, This sounds like a winner and well worth viewing! It took them 3 Days to get me pictures of the Service Book as they couldn't answer what the Car had actually had done when Serviced. I quickly realised that the Car had been Serviced by VW every Year but had only had a Basic Lubricant Oil/Filter change each time and nothing else. Not to worry, I rang the Dealer and said I was still interested but that the Car never had its Brake Fluid done at 2 & 4 Years, Never had Spark Plugs at 4 Years, Never had the VAQ Differential Service at 3 Years and that it was also due a Coolant change as its now 5 Years old. I was happy to get all of the work done myself if the Car was as good as it looked in the pictures and had quotes from VW of £550-£600 to get all the work done as it was overdue. Given the Car was up at £21000 and was priced £1000 too high for a non VW Main Dealer, I asked for some money off the Car to contribute towards the Work doing OR if they would be happy to get it all done at their expense and I would pay the asking price. They wouldn't budge a penny or agree get any of the work done, Even though they agreed the Car was infact overdue for all the above work. This for me was the final straw. I have honestly never struggled so badly to buy a used Car, Over the Years I have now owned over 45 Performance Cars ranging from 5 Years old to 20 Years old and I totally get that sometimes you have to view a couple before finding the right example but this time has just been a nightmare. Been a bit old school and saving my Money for Car/Motorbike purchases means that whatever I buy is not just to fuel my Hobby but also it is an investment and I pamper whatever I buy. Not all but I think the Majority of people nowadays that get Cars on PCP and then hand them back after 24/36 Months just don't look after them, They use and abuse them and then hand them back. Then I come along and see a 1 Owner Car at a Main Dealership, Full Main Dealer History and then go and view it and its a total shed and when some of these Cars are over £20K in Money I really expect perfection for my money because if I had bought a Brand New Car and ran it for 2/3 Years it would be going back onto a Forecourt wanting nothing. I have bought £4000/5000, 10 Year old Cars in the past which have had 4-5 Owners and have been Cosmetically and Mechanically better looked after. Even my current Golf in this Thread was far superior to any of the Cars I have viewed over the past 6 Weeks and that was the catalyst for wanting to keep it. Why should I spend 4 x Times the amount that the Golf is worth for something that doesn't tick all the right boxes? So I would like to thank you for reading, Apologies if I have gone on but I needed to vent.

Bit of an update on this Thread, I sold the Fireblade this Morning, Been using it regularly and done around 800 Miles on it since May but made the decision to sell it now rather than store it over Winter and then have to MOT, Service it and fit a Pair of New Tyres to sell it next Year. Anyway I put it on ebay on Monday Morning and it went Mental, I had a best offer sent which I accepted and the chap came this Morning and was blown away with it. No haggling and just took it away :) On the look out for a cheap Honda Hornet or Yamaha 600 Fazer to keep my Insurance going and to have a Bike that I am not too anal about to use over Winter if we get some reasonable Weather.

It is gone, All sorted. Money is in my account. Thanks mate

Well as some of you know, Things did not go to plan so the Golf is going to be with me for a little while longer!

Had a bad experience with Listers Skoda Coventry when I visited last Friday, I was in the area as I had been to Listers VW Leamington to view an Octavia VRS 230 which although the Car was not upto my standards the Salesman there was superb. I had already seen that Listers Skoda Coventry had a 69 Plate Octavia VRS 245 DSG in stock so on my way back to Sheffield called in. From the word go I was given the impression that as I had not made an appointment and just turned up I was a massive inconvenience to the Staff there, I was given the Keys and left to look around the Car I had gone to view. The Chap I dealt with came outside and asked me if it was a Diesel I was specifically after? I told him the Car in front of us is actually a Petrol VRS which is what I was after and straight away he began to disagree telling me I had made a mistake and that it was a Diesel. Then proceeded to get into the Car, Start the engine and revved it before getting out and saying that I was infact correct and it was a Petrol We went inside and I pointed out that the price in the Screen on the Car was in fact £300 more than what the Car was advertised for on their Website and on the Approved Used Skoda Network, Again he disagreed with me and said the price in the Windscreen was correct. We got down to the numbers and he offered me an extended Warranty, Service Plan etc going forward and then asked how I was funding the purchase and I said with Cash/Card Payment from Savings. He immediately said for me to forget the extended Warranty and Service plan as that was only available to buyers that went on Finance, Then went on to tell me that I should leave my money in the Bank and get the Car on finance which I found very rude as he had absolutely no right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do with my money. I should have walked out at this point but I really liked the Car and decided to make a very reasonable offer which to be fair was inline with other similar age/mileage examples on the Approved Used Skoda Network and given I wasn't eligible for the Warranty/Service Plan etc I felt I should haggle a bit and at this point he went online to look at the Figures and said I was correct about the price difference Online vs in the Window and then said that I could have it for the Online Price as it was already discounted by £300 which I knew it wasn't. He then turned his Monitor round and pointed out that 11 People where watching the advert on approved used website and that with that much interest in the Car he was confident if I didn't buy it someone else would, I told him that although 11 People are watching it those 11 People are not sat in the Showroom offering to buy the Car however I was and would have put a deposit on the Car there and then. He wasn't interested in me as a Customer and that came across quite clearly, I stood up and walked out at this point. Guess what, They still have not sold that Octavia a Week on! On my way Home I was given a Courtesy call from the Salesman at Listers VW Leamington to see how I got on at Listers Skoda Coventry as I had told him my plans to view the other Octavia VRS, I told him what had happened and although it was nothing to do with him he apologised profusely and after he had come off the phone with me spoke to his area Manager about it. He then contacted me again later that Day to say they could do an internal transfer and move that Octavia VRS from Coventry to Leamington if I was interested and I could buy it from them instead but unfortunately due to the additional costs of moving the Car etc I would have to pay the full asking price so I declined. I did however write a lengthy email to the Salesman at Listers Leamington expressing my Thanks for all his help even when it was nothing to do with him and that I would happily buy a Car from him in the future but that I will never step foot in the Coventry Dealership.

New Thread made in the Octavia Projects section, My friend who is buying the Golf had a little test drive in it yesterday and was very happy with it. All goes to plan he will be collecting the Golf next Week when the Octavia VRS lands. The Golf has been a superb Car to be fair and I am glad I bought it, I have had it for just shy of a Year and in that time its been faultless apart from needing a pair of Rear Brake Calipers which is standard on most VAG cars of a certain age. My mate is getting a cracking Car.

Officially the end of the Thread for the Golf, I am returning to Skoda Ownership and have just put a Deposit on an Immaculate, Corrida Red, 66 Plate Octavia VRS 230 Edition which I am very much looking forward to getting! Will make a New Thread as and when

Just to give a final update to the Thread, Firstly the Baby arrived on the 13/6/21 and all is OK. I am still looking for a replacement Car but the good news is that the Golf is going to the same Friend who bought my Skoda Fabia VRS which has taken all the hassle out of advertising it or haggling over P/X Prices. I am currently off Work so have been doing some Car hunting when time allows, Viewed a couple of 2016 Skoda Octavia VRS's one with 18000 Miles and another with 30000 Miles but both Cars where not as described and cosmetically not up to my standards. One had been painted on the Sill and there was overspray everywhere (I made a thread on here about that one) and the second was just neglected. I also viewed a 2016 Ford Focus ST-3 TDCI Estate in Stealth Grey Yesterday, It was an 18000 Mile Car and looked stunning in the images but while I was actually there viewing the Car one of the Valeters pulled it off a Display Ramp on the forecourt for me to view the Car properly and ground the front bumper on the floor. I expressed my frustration and wasted journey to the sales manager who offered a Smart Repair but the Bumper looked mis-aligned to me as and was bowing out on one side and the panel gap between the Bumper and Wing was well out...Basically a Bumper off Job and possibly a New Bumper to make it 100%. Anyway I won't be buying that one.

Well its showing as Sold on the Dealership Website, I hope whoever has bought it has seen the poor repair because if not they have been well and truly ripped off.

Im sure I looked at that one myself a week or so ago. Couldn’t remember if it was DSG or Manual as I have viewed so many recently.

Off topic, Was it the Race Blue Manual VRS you bought out of curiosity? Done around 40000 Miles?

I am in the market for a nice MK3 VRS 2013-2016 and I agree that some prices are a bit optimistic…. Theres a Meteor Grey, 2016 VRS Estate, 220BHP TSI at Hendy Skoda Salisbury up at a whopping £18990.

I get it, As said it is just an item of Stock to a Dealership/Salesman and to the majority of People that own Cars they are just a tool to get them from A to B. I buy my Cars outright from money I have saved over many Years, I try and get the best examples I can and while I own them they get pampered and want for nothing. They are my mode of Transport but also my Hobby and an investment. My issue is like Yesterday I was dealing with an alleged VW Specialist, They are Authorised REVO Tuning Dealers and should know the VAG range very well. So I was disappointed when the Car was not as described upon inspection and I had already told the Salesman on the Phone what my expectations where and that I have high standards but was assured it was a superb example. I had presumed that they would be a bit more particular about the Used Stock they Sell and would have better standards than the average Dealership and also understand the expectations of Enthusiasts when they are dealing with them. I always do an MOT History check on anything I buy or enquire about as you rightly said when a Car/Motorcycle fails on basic items which should be checked regularly by the Owner Alarm Bells begin to ring, I was in the Motor Industry as a Manager for 8 Years upto 2014 and saw vehicles that came in for MOT's and/or Servicing that had no Oil on the Dispstick and when the Customer was asked when they last checked the Oil they said they hadn't done it since it was in with us 12 Months ago for its last MOT & Service Rightly or wrongly my expectations when I am buying a Used vehicle are very high, I have sold many Performance Cars to fellow enthusiasts over the Years and to some multiple Cars and I have been nothing but 100% honest about everything good and bad regarding the Car because that is how I would want to be treat if I was looking. The last Motorcycle I sold was purely off the my Owners Thread on Detailingworld, I didn't even advertise it. Like you I also enjoy the hunt, Even though I get a bit disgruntled when I have a wasted journey something else always comes up and when it does it is really satisfying and makes the effort worthwhile. I am never going to lower my standards even if it does make things difficult for me P.S My main reason for making this Thread was to alert any other potential Brisky Members that might also be looking for a MK3 Octy VRS that if they are considering viewing this Car then they know what to expect and won't have the wool pulled over their eyes.

Cheers for the replies, I told the Salesman during the initial enquiry that I have high standards and I am into Detailing my Cars and although accept wear and tear typical of what you would find on a 5 Year old Car I was after an immaculate example. He said you will not be disappointed with the Octavia…Unfortunately I was. I have owned around 50 Cars now with the majority of them Performance models so its not the first time I have had a wasted journey. As someone rightly said earlier in this Thread, Its just an item of stock to them and they couldn’t really care either way. He said 99% of people wouldn’t spot what I had which says to me that he has no intention on pointing it out to any future potential customers or reducing the price to reflect the actual condition of the Car. It was a shame as the rest of the Car is superb but the quality of the bodywork repair is shocking and has ruined the Car in my opinion.

Travelled from Sheffield to Louth this Morning to view what was described as a totally immaculate/showroom condition Octavia VRS which disappointingly was not as described. https://www.louthvolksworld.co.uk/vehicle/Used-SKODA-OctaviaTDI-vRS-For-Salein-louth-licolnshire-U546/ Just to give a heads up to any fellow members if they are considering viewing the Car but the Drivers Sill has been Repainted very poorly and the OSR Inner Wheel Arch, Suspension Arm and Handbrake Cable is all covered in Blue Overspray. The Sill is smooth in places where it should be textured, Very poor workmanship. Salesman claimed they had not seen it even though its been in their workshop for the Timing Belt changing so will have been on the Ramps etc. Anyway its not a £16000 Car and I had a wasted journey Today.

The Golf is still going well, Now on 55600 Miles so I have only actually done 5000 Miles Since buying the Car in August 2020. I have had a few issues with the Alloy Wheels after having them Refurbished which I made a thread on for those that have not seen it... https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=426460 They are getting Re-Done Tomorrow for the 3rd time using a different Batch of Powdercoat and Lacquer so that should sort it. My Activity on here and my input to both the Car and Motorbike Ownership Threads might not be as frequent going forward, We are expecting a Baby at the end of this Month and I don't think I will have the spare time between working Shifts to keep making a Blog and documenting everything I do. I intend to carry on looking after my Cars/Bikes to the same standard though! I am also thinking about selling the Golf for something a little Bigger and a bit Newer, A 2013-2016 Skoda Octavia is ticking all the right boxes and I have been looking for a good one now for a few Weeks. Would love a VRS Estate and in TSI/Petrol form too but we shall see. I will keep you all posted.

Another small but satisfying job done on the Fireblade this Morning, Something which bugged me from the day I purchased the Bike was the Front Casing on the Instrument Cluster. At some point in the Bikes lifetime I can only presume a Fluid of some sort has been spilled onto the Clear Acrylic Part which you view the Speedo/Rev Counter through and unfortunately it has left behind some marks which would not polish out. I noticed it when I purchased the Bike but as I got some money off the asking price and the fact that the rest of the Bike was in superb condition for its age I didn't worry about it too much and put it on the list of To-Do's. A quick glance on Fowlers Parts Website shows a full schematic breakdown of my Bike in Parts with the associated Part Numbers and availability for each item (Right down to every Nut & Bolt) I saw that the Instrument Cluster came in multiple parts but that the Front Piece was detachable and could be purchased on its own. The price for this part was £150 though which is a bit steep, Decided to stick the part number into Ebay and a couple came up in the States and also quite a few Chinese non Genuine offerings but I didn't like the idea of that. Anyway I kept looking and on Saturday and Brand New Genuine Honda item came up for £60 in the Box, I didn't mess about and bought it straight away. A quick search on the Fireblade owners group showed a guide on how to remove the Speedo from my Model of Bike which someone had done to replace some of the Bulbs within the Cluster, This guide to be honest looked very long winded and involved removing the Fairings, Front Nose Cone and took about 2 Hours. Anyway the Part arrived this Morning so I had a look at what was involved, I quickly realised I didn't need to remove any of the fairings at all! Unbolted the Mirrors, Removed the 6 x Screws that secure the Front Windscreen and then with the Steering on Full Lock and there are 2 x Securing Bolts that go through the Frame to hold the Mounting Bracket that the Speedo sits on. Undo these Bolts, Remove the Wiring Harness multiplug from the back of the Cluster and the entire Bracket with the Cluster can be removed in One piece. Then I simply removed the Cluster from the Bracket off the Bike and Split the Speedo to fit the New Front Piece. 45 Mins in total and job done Original Casing, Marks can be seen... Cluster removed from Bike, New Genuine Honda Casing... New Front Cover fitted, Old item below... Back on the Bike, All working as it should...

Managed to finally put my leg over the Bike and got out last Week for the first ride! It had been Sunny and the Roads had dried out the Day before but I knew I wouldn't get out for too long as more heavy Rain was forecast at Lunchtime, I literally got back into the Garage and 10 Mins later the first clap of Thunder was heard! First calling point was my nearest Shell Petrol Station to fill up with some V-Power, Took it steady and kept the ride urban for the first 10-15 Miles as I was mindful of the New Front Brake Pads I had fitted needed bedding in a bit and they don't exactly inspire confidence during this period. Also I have never ridden one of these so the entire Bike feels very different from the last couple I have owned, It has quite an aggressive seating position with high foot pegs and low bars...Typically Superbike. Low Speed they can be quite clumber some and hard work but they are not really built for 30MPH riding First thing I noticed within Minutes of riding was how light and agile the Bike felt, Literally tips itself into a corner and is as stable as you like. Also as its a bit more old school the Throttle actually has a Cable instead of the Fly-by-Wire that my BMW had so you feel instantly more connected to Throttle inputs and the Engine responds with every small input you ask for. Once I was a bit more settled on the Bike after around 30 Mins of riding I headed out to a few decent twisty riding roads which I know pretty well and picked up a bit of pace, Think I was in 3rd Gear and gave it the beans for the first time to pass a couple of Cars and I was impressed with just how tractable the Motor was even at low RPM. Sounds superb too with the Akrapovic Exhaust. It doesn't have that explosive instant hit that the BMW S1000R had but the thing with older Bikes from this era is that they are very turbine like in the Power Delivery and the Gearing is considerably higher on the Fireblade so 3rd Gear on this is equivalent to 4th Gear on the BMW. I don't want to make out like the Fireblade is a slouch, Its far from it! I will admit coming from the Modified Hayabusa in 2020 and then a virtually brand new state of the art BMW S1000R Sport earlier this Year I didn't expect too much from a 15 Year old Fireblade but I was silly to think that because in reality it is still a 180MPH machine that will do a 10 Second 1/4 Mile and hit 100MPH in 5 Seconds from a standstill. I should no better as I had a 1999 Fireblade a couple of Years back which was a superb machine even today. You quickly realise though that there's no ABS, No Rider Aids, No Electronics to get you out of the **** and you are going get out of this Bike what you put into it. This all adds to the experience though and I think it will take a few more rides to get to know it better before I can get the best out of it. Am I glad I bought One, Yes absolutely! Its a Bike I have always loved the look of and promised myself I would own one if the right example came up. I would still like to get a second Bike though so I have a bit of choice and it will keep the Mileage down on the Fireblade too but nothing has come up as yet. I will keep you all posted though.

Did a bit more on the Fireblade yesterday Afternoon after work, Went through the rest of the Bike... : Removed RHS Rearset & Pillion Footpegs, Stripped, Fully Degreased and re-assembled. : Replaced the Front Brake Pads as they where around 60% Worn, Rear Brake Pads are like New and are Sinters. Went for some EBC HH Sinters which I won on ebay. They where bought in error by someone and I paid 50% of what they normally sell for. Happy days. : Brake Calipers & Pins degreased, Cleaned, Pistons pushed back by hand. : Lower Fairings Degreased, Cleaned and Hand Polished. : Re-Aligned the Exhaust, It was slightly off centre as can be seen in my pictures earlier in this Thread. Cleaned the Carbon Fibre and Titanium Link Pipe. : All Plastics/Fairings and Tank Hand Polished, Touched up a few Small Chips here and there. : Noticed a Bolt Head Cover/Cap was missing just below the Seat, Popped onto Fowlers to look at the exploded view of the Parts and found a Genuine Honda item for £2.80. Couple of pictures... Missing Cap/Cover...

Its here! Every now and again days go just how you want them to, Worked early this morning and halfway through my shift got the call to say the Bike was ready for delivery. I had been home 20 Mins and the Van pulled up outside Just want to say that Jordan Bikes who I have been dealing with now for a number of Years have really gone above and beyond, In addition to the Major Service they have done on the Bike and removing the Alarm they have also fitted a Brand New Chain & Sprockets free of charge as their Technician said there was a couple of tight links and they wanted it right for me so replaced the lot. Superb! As always, The bike was put straight onto the Ramp in the Garage and the deep cleaning commenced. Spent around 5 Hours this Afternoon on the Bike and its not yet finished. Not found anything unexpected on the Bike, It does have the odd age related mark but its 15 Years old so this is no surprise. It is already looking much better after a bit of TLC. So far I have... : Removed the Lower Fairings ready for deep cleaning tomorrow. : Removed the Rear Hugger & Chain Guard, All Degreased, Cleaned and refitted. : Rear Swingarm area all Degreased. : Front Engine Area & Exhaust Cleaned, ACF-50 Applied. : LHS Rear Set removed, Full degreased, New Genuine Footpeg fitted as old item was damaged slightly. : Replaced RHS R&G Frame Bobbin, It was slightly scuffed from the previous owner getting the Bike down the side of his house. Did its job and protected the Fairing. : Fitted some R&G Paddock Stand Bobbins, Found these in my toolbox. : Replaced x 5 of the M6 Fairing Panel Push Clips. Its coming on, Will be doing some more on the bike over the coming days. Some pics of todays efforts...

And onto the next Bike/Project As some of you know I have just sold my 2020 BMW S1000R Sport last Week and have been scouring the Used Bike Market for something no replace it with, I had a shortlist of about 10 Bikes all differing in age and style of Bike. I had a 1999 Honda Fireblade a few Years back and always promised myself a 2006/2007 Model if the right example popped up and in the Red/Black Colour Scheme. In my opinion these are one of the best looking Fireblades with the Underseat Exhaust and Upside Down Forks, The Styling changed post 2008 and I have never been much of a fan of those later Bikes. Well last night the stars aligned and the right Bike in the right Colour located at a Dealership I know very well came up. Spotted the advert during my Break last night, Finished my Afternoon shift at 1am and drove up to Leeds this morning for when they opened as I have missed out on Bikes like this in the past so wasn't going to let it happen this time. Did all my usual poking around and for a 15 Year old Bike it has the usual very minor age related marks here and there but it really is superb and I had to remind myself of its age when I was been hypercritical. I decided I was having it and got the Deal I was happy with, The Bike is getting a Interim Service including Oil & Filter, Spark Plugs, Brake Fluids. They are removing the Datatool Alarm as they are a PITA and I hate them, They are Delivering the Bike and knocked £200 off the price. Happy Days! Comes at some point next Week so will be going straight into the Garage for some usual Bonelorry treatment. The Bike... 2006 Honda CBR1000RR-6 Fireblade, Last of the Lightweights 176KG/170BHP. No Electronics, No Rider Aids etc. 11300 Miles 4 Previous Owners Very good Service History with about 8 Stamps Has a few really nice extra's too Akrapovic Carbon Can with Titanium Link Pipe £700 Worth Genuine Colour Coded Rear Pillion Seat Cover Genuine Honda Tank Protector R&G Aero Frame Protectors Powerbronze Screen Rear Paddock Stand Bobbins Future Plans... The Bike is already very well prepared and is a credit to its previous owners but I want to go through it all. I want to replace the Front Screen for an MRA or something like that, The Powerbronze one fitted is showing its age. Replace the Paddock Stand Bobbins for some Evotech Items. Other than that just leave it alone and enjoy it, Obviously it will be for Summer use only and on a limited Mileage basis but I am planning on getting a Second Bike of similar age but that offers a totally different riding experience to keep my options open but we shall see. Couple of Dealership Images, Will post some fresh ones when I get the Bike...