Lady Elanore

This does mean that the divers may only have 10 hours of air left to be found and surfaced. But, Imagine the joy of everyone if the sub' is found, a tapping is heard, a tether/float is attached and we all get to watch a brilliant Netflix doc, with real pictures and a brilliantly happy ending For those who haven't seen the doc called "The Last Breath" I strongly recommend it to you. It shows the staggering tale of the mother ship in a massive storm, it loses it positional lock, unfortunately this impacts 3 men on the sea floor busy fixing an oil well-head, as their diving bell is dragged along the sea floor. Unfortunately, a diver is trapped on the ocean floor with a severed oxygen.power line and the attempts to retrieve him are the most dramatic scenes I've ever seen on a tv. The underwater footage is better than anything James Cameron could conjure, and the jeopardy and heartache are 100% real. The pictures from the submersible camera that they send down are peerless in this respect. I think it's just available as a rental at the moment, but could be wrong. It is available to rent on Amazon and if any film/doc was going to give people hope about finding and rescuing some or, hopefully, all the trapped divers, then this is the one. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Breath-Richard-Costa-Parkinson/dp/B07QSQJPK8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IX8R5QEAOCOW&keywords=the+last+breath&qid=1687298371&s=instant-video&sprefix=the+last+breath%2Cinstant-video%2C91&sr=1-1

This is the diving device the French have. Hoping they will find the submersible and the pressure hull is still intact https://www.flotteoceanographique.fr/en/Facilities/Vessels-Deep-water-submersible-vehicles-and-Mobile-equipments/Deep-water-submersible-vehicles/Victor-6000

There is a French ship "Atalante" expected to arrive around midnight tomorrow and it has an autonomous robot (Victor 6000) that can dive to the depths of the Titanic. It just feels too little, too late, assuming the poor guys are still alive. My gut instinct is there has been a mechanical failure, possibly the dreaded pressure problem, but I also remember being 100% certain Terry Waite was dead after many years in captivity and no news or sign of him, so I keep an open mind and a hopeful heart. ❤️

Ford don't seem to think so, at least not a battery one. Although I feel a hydrogen car (using a cell) is still an EV. the title of the video is a bit misleading, but the CEO does have serious doubts about battery EVs. There's quite a bit online where he states about his concerns of Ford carrying on down the battery route ie infrastructure, Range, mining and minerals used etc. I'm quite excited by this news as I feel I can get behind Hydrogen cars (obviously many hurdles to overcome with them still), but Rolls Royce too are looking at Hydrogen fuel cells (but not hydrogen I.C.E.), as are many others in this growing area of potential alternative power

I don't want to have to pay for parking if I can have it for free, London is expensive enough as it is. It matters not whether I have to pay for parking and get free electricity, or pay for electricity and get free parking. In fact, on the return trip it means my M3 wouldn't really cost much more to drive home than my PHEV. I had written a lengthy reply explaining why I like to have my car within reasonable reach (it's a work related matter) where the charging possibilities are, where I stay in London and also the cost implications of my parking, but have now deleted that part of this post as it is clearly pointless to print it. I realise you are an EV fan, but IT DOESN'T WORK FOR ME AND MY JOB!!!!!!! Enjoy your EV. I don't want one thank you. They are an inferior vehicle for my needs. One day this might not be so. I won't reply any further on the matter.

It's funny, but the number of Teslas I've watch go around a track and suffer power drops (overheating) and brake failure are numerous. This one had the (very wise) track Pack, which adds the essential Carbon Ceramics. But that is just over 3 seconds quicker than a car similar to my M3 went round. I did save around £40-50k on the Tesla price mind you and I suspect the M3 could do that time numerous times back to back. I remember watching the TT Zero doco and seeing the faces of spectators when the first EV bikes to get around 100mph for a lap went past If only they could do more than one lap at a time it would be interesting to see how fast they might truly go.

That doesn't make sense. I have an 8 hour window when I am not at work and this was for 9 days! I either try and get 6-7 hours sleep a night, after being on my feet for over 15 hours straight (I also did enough steps to put me in the top 3% for 9 days straight! ). The nearest charger was about half a mile away, but I would have to drive there, walk back to the digs, try and get to sleep (remember I have 8 hours of free time) get up from sleep, walk back to car (so adding a total of another mile to my 8 miles a day regime) and try to get back to sleep for a couple of hours (not much chance having just got up and dressed to go move the car). If I leave the car charging overnight, I get hit with a penalty after 4 hours and I would still have to get up a bit earlier to move the car and hopefully find a decent parking space on a road near where I am staying. It's utter nonsense. Maybe 9-5 ers find it easy, but I was working 5-8+!! That's not 3 hours a day work either. I work hard, do long hours and time is at a premium. I'm sure some would stay in Chelsea, pay an extortionate amount for digs - there are some cheaper, but ropy B&Bs about, pay for parking (nice Q park nearby at £30+ a day) and return home with hardly any profit from their excursion. I work to make a living, a PHEV is just an inconvenience I didn't see happening. I won't make that mistake again if I have an alternative. Thank God I don't drive an EV. As I keep saying, it works for some, but not for me. I went into this thing with hope in my heart and a positive attitude, but now realise the error of my way. Also, not charging for long periods of time leads to other pain in the bum things, like the mileage calculator for electrical running displays nonsense. You might have 20 miles of range, but it displays 11. A flat traction battery means the car keeps monetarily switching to recharge mode (from its ICE) to keep it as a minimum charge (approx 2-3kWh) this is also necessary as I believe the heating comes from the traction battery. Anyhoo the upshot is economy drops even further. On the motorway the mpg is not end of the world stuff, it's merely hampered by the extra weight and complexity it drags around half the time. I'm at home at the moment and have done a couple of trips to the shops on 95% EV power, great, makes sense, would recommend it to people living this lifestyle, but my next big job, will cause exactly the same problems as above.

Nothing near me, or I would have done it. Having around 8 hours between arrive at my digs and leaving my digs the next morning, I would have had to find a charge point before retiring to my bed, charge the car for 4 hours, get up out of bed, go and unplug car, return to a hopefully still available parking spot, walk back to digs and go to bed again. I don't think so. 9 days of punishing work means you simply can't afford to lose a nights sleep. I was sufficiently tiered near the end of the gig I fell asleep travelling into work and missed my tube stop. Plus, the extra cost of charging away from home on a street, means it's probably cheaper to drive my return leg of well over 200 miles lugging around the extra weight. As for working in Chelsea, there is the congestion zone charge. So I stay where I can afford digs (a long way away) rely on walking and tubes, avoid congestion charge, avoid over price charging facilities, avoid disrupting what little time I have that isn't work or travel and save money from not staying in Chelsea. My next trip to London is similar in its hours, perhaps they are slightly less brutal, although not by much. PHEVS charge so slowly it's a pain. It doesn't work for me, except when I have time off at home. So until I retire, I won't be actively looking for another electrically assisted vehicle again. Pain in the bum for some of us, easier for others.

I think the best bit of the 3008 is its seats. Super comfy and have a built-in massage feature! The turning circle is astonishing too, something I didn't expect, but it turns around like a Nissan Micra.

Unfortunately, if I am not working, I am travelling, sleeping, eating or trying to find my hotel whilst lost in London or another city centre. So here is a recent example. I've just come back from a couple of weeks working in Chelsea. Get up at 05:00hrs, do bathroom essentials and go to work. Finish work and travel back to digs, arriving at 20:00-20:30hrs (all done on the tube and 4 miles a day pounding the London streets). I then try to wind down, sort out a couple of emails (self-employed ) perhaps grab a quick bite from my landlord (he is generous with nibbles - oooh matron) and an optional quick drink, then hit the sack. Car parked in secure street location a good distance away. The deep joy is that on the day I return home, I rise at 05:00hrs, go to work etc, travel back to pick car up, return to site in order to pick up the boss who was working an extra hour or so beyond my hours (he lives near me and it was my turn to drive this year), then drive back together to the frozen North with a dead battery and a full tank, arriving at home sowhere between 01:30-02:30hrs. No way to recharge as I can't afford 4 hours plus the mucking about time needed, in order to charge my car. A similar thing will be happening to me in the near future when I will make two return trips to London over 5 days and have a similar problem. Usually I travel to work, park at site where there is no charging facilities and as I'm working a 12 hour day, plus travel (try not to stay in hotels/digs as they are very expensive these days and I've not had a pay rise in 5 years) so I lug around a dead weight on the return trip. As I've said, when I retire, it might make sense, or if I was fortunate to work near to home it would be fine, but I don't, never have for the most part and similarly, never will sadly. It's worse if I go from job to job as the car doesn't see a charge for several days. We had a senior manager turned up hours late for a job recently, as he was travelling up from London and couldn't find a functioning, or available, charger at a service station. PHEVS/EVs, not for me thanks. Having said that my 3008 is otherwise a great car. Comfy, spacious, lots and lots of toys, good-looking design too. Oh and 300bhp when charged, helps keep it fun....for a short while.

I doubt my next car will have any electrical 'motive' power, unless it's one of those pretend hybrids with the teeny self charge batteries and that would be because I had no choice in the matter.

I've got to say that PHEVs can be a pain in the bum. I often charge up at home, drive a distance which will flatten the traction battery (it's nicely metered out during the course of the journey if you use the sat nav). But once away from home, I can't recharge. This is mainly down to the fact that PHEVS generally (or not at all afaik) don't have fast charging capabilities. They either do 3.7kW or 7kW charging, meaning you need either 4 or 2 hours to recharge. I don't have time to waste doing that sort of tethered recharge. I therefore fill up and drive around as a heavy 1.6 petrol car that is lugging around a crazy amount of excess weight. EV/PHEVS etc still do not work for me and I can't see that changing between now and when I retire. Once I no longer work I'll give EVs a proper look. but suspect I won't be able to afford one with decent range.

Good lord, the size of those burgers!

I take it that's Octopus Energy Coat on and already out the door...

It's quite some time since I updated this thread, so here goes. I've gotten used to the M3 and it is, as Steve Sutcliffe says, "a weapon". Astonishing performance from a paltry 3 litres and a rather podgy kerbweight. On a rolling start, alongside my beloved M4 (F82 model), in the dry and on a smooth road, in relatively warm weather.....I doubt the M3 (G80) would be much quicker, but everywhere else, in every other condition, the M3 is quicker...much quicker. It's simply nuts quick, owing to its traction and ability to hide its rather lardy weight. Cornering grip is great, turn in is superb, body control is nigh-on absolute and the brakes are actually pretty good. Build quality is almost faultless, with high quality materials everywhere. The ability to surprise 'performance' model Teslas is great fun (they believe a quick 0-60 makes their cars sports cars....not to mention the 0-60 figures quoted are with a 1 foot roll out). It also delivers moderately good mpg, considering its weight and performance and has plenty of room inside and in the boot. Even the looks, something I quite liked by the time I owned one and has grown over time, are praised by more people than any other car I have owned or driven (? Surprised me, given the initial, almost universal hatred of the design). And yet... I miss my old M4. The M4 was a car that tried to kill you basically. Wet weather was a tippy toe exercise, mid-corner bumps were interesting and you had to think before you flexed your toes. Cross-country and on a rough road it wasn't a fast car, it was a lairy, heart stopping, fun car. I loved it. It has surprised me, if I'm honest. The general motoring press has gone nuts for the new model, something they didn't always do with the previous version (all except Chris Harris who loved the previous incarnation more than the current one). Don't get me wrong, the M3 is a brilliant car and a wonderful thing to own, I realise I'm very, very lucky, but still.... It's odd really, I recognise the car is better in almost every way and by quite some margin, but to enjoy it properly on public roads, you need to be travelling as escape velocity speeds. The only things I can quantifyably point as dislikes, are the steering wheel (too fat) and the low speed ride (seriously jiggly, even on the softest setting). All the systems work, as does the remote phone app stuff, the interior is a triumph (there are still buttons and knobs) and as a tool to drive quickly in, it's almost peerless in its class.....and yet.... I keep looking at F types Jags, the P450 in particular. A car that is much slower, less well built, doesn't handle as well, has much crappier software and infotainment system stuff. It's thirstier and will cost more to run. It does have enormous character though, that dinosnore V8, the cruder suspension (at least in its handling), some weird design decisions.....and yet....those looks and that sound. So, go figure. My old M4 (F82) I would rate as a 8/10 car and the M3 a 9.5/10 car and yet I miss the inferior model perhaps it is my age, or the fact that cars are probably becoming too fast to enjoy properly on the public roads (although overtaking is still a hoot). I've always thought that true beauty has to have flaws to reach that elevated status and I think that I'm coming to the same conclusion with cars. A perfect car isn't necessarily the car you want, it's just the car you think you want. Disclaimer: I do still love my M3, I'm just trying to put into perspective that it is so accomplished, some of the character that can make a car special is lacking imho. In wet weather I do not necessarily agree with that view of course I think only Mustang drivers know the true nervousness of the M3/4 (F80 series models) in damp conditions

I'm definitely missing the point I posted it Oh what the hell, I'm half-baked with a ginourmous Moscow Mule.

This guy is asking for trouble and confusion ....

We've been using aluminium cable s in the national grid for decades. It's mainly to do with the weight over long stretched between pylons. They have to make it thicker (more strands) than copper, as it doesn't conduct quite as well. But the overall benefits outweigh the drawbacks. I think there is a rule called something like Kelvins rule/law? that determines when you switch from copper to aluminium. My grandfather worked on UHV powerlines and used to tell me tall tales about the stuff

I think it's easiest to think of the difference in pizza. Imagine the sweep and area that the blades cover and think of pizza (yummm). Then, if you think of the small turbine as a 9" pizza, you get nearly 64 square inches of loveliness but increase the diameter to 12" and you get 113 square inches of delight That small increase in diameter nearly doubles your amount of yumminess - Nom nom nom nom nom nom Disclaimer: Please don't eat windmills.

I've just seen this post, so sad. No words for it, just loving thoughts for him and his family R.I.P. John

My old M4 at Rother Valley (there was hovercraft racing going on that day!)

Having just seen wheeler Dealers and the projected cost of replacement parts, I'd be too frightened to get a Maserati I think. Although if you know where to go, then it looks like even the older Mazzers are potentially affordable... ....hmmmm 4.2 V8 Ferrari engine ...

I watched this ^^^ and then this... Now tell me which sounds best. They both sound beautiful, the complexity of the V12 vs the growl of the V8. In the end, I came down on the V8s side, which surprised me.

I think the used car market will struggle for a while yet. Used stock, especially the desirable 2-4 year old cars that PCPs produce (one of the main reasons dealers like to sell PCPs) are still in short supply. Chip shortages, which are still ongoing, if a lot better these days, mean manufactures prefer to sell higher spec cars and models and as these cars are in general short supply for the used market they are holding up well in their inflated prices. It will end one day, but I think we are a couple of years away from a more sensible pricing strategy coming to the mass used car market 😞 last year if you wanted a new 2.0 F type, it was a 12 month wait, if you wanted a 5.0 V8 it was around 6 months for the 450bhp model and even less for the silly SVR versions. Jaguar wanted to put their limited resources (Covid related issues) into the higher spec and higher priced models. Hopefully it will eventually lead to some bargains, but I'm not seeing any yet. I saw a big Merc dealer close in Manchester last year, partially because they couldn't get any decent used stock. 50% drop! Imho I can't see that happening. Mind you a half price V8 F type would be nice These things always seem to have more inertia than you hope for 😞

You would imagine they would set up for one size fits all and it probably doesn't make economic sense to drag around half your battery pack uncharged. Sounds like a couple of tonnes of extra mass to shift. Not being a truck driver, I always assumed they filled up to the brim (assuming they had the time), so I am only guessing that perhaps they don't?