pinkpanther

The blooming birds woke us up before 6am😬 Would have missed it otherwise though😁

Grand sunrise this morning 😎

Flew over this morning - looked for a moment like it was taking our neighbours chimney pot with it!

Lovely sunset this evening and The Moon and Venus were bright in the sky ✨

Mine has had all the bulletins and a new steering motor. The noise remains 😬

Not able to walk far currently, so was chauffeured in my own car! Lovely colourful skies on the way back

23.5 gallons apparently! Makes my Jag's tank seem weeny by comparison 😁

Can only imagine the fuel tank is sufficiently capacious👍

How about this for a quality tow car? Warrants a better caravan though surely 🤔

I had considered going for a 2.0 TSi when I purchased my 1.5, as at the time they didn't qualify for 'luxury' car tax. The lack of varioflex seating, presence of the panoramic roof (I had one leak on a previous Yeti), 19" alloys/low profile tyres and concerns regarding long-term reliability of the DSG box ultimately swayed me towards a 1.5 TSi manual SE L - a decision I occasionally regret! Heaven only knows what the first year road tax would be on one nowadays? I suspect something like this would avoid the first year tax, but would ultimately have the luxury car VED applicable from year 2-5? Autotrader

This speaks volumes regarding the state of drainage in my locality!

Whilst I'm pleased I have new rear brake pads I can't help but think all the issues I have had with this car don't bode well for it's longevity. Slightly frustrating as I'd purchased the 5 year warranty extension, had added my choice of extras and had planned on long-term ownership. Guessing it takes a few days for the Digital Certificate to be updated with the most recent work?

My understanding is these are workshop guides to deal with commonly reported issues?

I think Harry has nailed the EV vs ICE car debate here I agree there should never have been a mandate to enforce the switchover. EV's definitely have a place, although hybrid, petrol and diesel do also and the ultimate choice ought to be with the consumer. The appetite for EV only appears to be muted outside the EU and UK it seems, and with the new administration in the US opting out of green energy targets will presumably be Stateside too? It would appear Toyota, Honda and Mazda may have been somewhat visionary in not rushing to embrace an EV only range. https://youtu.be/Vhi7zldGjBo?si=mAGzz3n8pzbqA5Cn As battery technology changes, which it might with solid state etc, then an EV might become an economically viable option for more individuals. There seems to be a fixation in the UK and across Europe that EV's should be the only option for a new car from 2030/2035 onwards which I've never agreed with. As ever he gives a very reasoned overview and his video is worth a watch if you have a spare 20 minutes or so (I tend to listen rather than watch in the car 😉)

I'd guess the suspension set-up (spring /damper rates) on the SEAT differ from the Karoq? I briefly owned a 2021 Octavia and found that a more comfortable ride than my Karoq, although didn't get on with the infotainment / main controls which are mainly accessed via the touch screen. The 1.5 TSi manual drivetrain in the Octavia also felt smoother and a touch more responsive than the same set-up in my Karoq for some reason.

Yes - rear brake pads were replaced as a result of a TPI. I'd noticed a noise from the rear brakes when setting off and had mentioned this when dropping the car off yesterday.

The service advisor thought it might relate to a TPI - I should know more later as the paperwork wasn't ready when I collected the car yesterday - I'll let you know 👍

My manual 1.5 TSi SE L will be two years old in a couple of weeks. It's had the second variable service today (at 35k miles) and I tend to have an oil & filter midway between so 4 oil changes thus far. Mine has undergone numerous attempts to resolve noise from the front suspension, most recently a new front anti-roll bar and also required a new steering motor shortly after I picked it up. There are numerous cabin rattles, although I recently realised one was emanating from the rear seat headrests which is fixed by lowering them when we have no rear seat passengers. The drivers door also has a rattle which has resisted attempts to resolve. I find the ride fairly unforgiving, which is perhaps not a surprise given the fairly rudimentary rear suspension and 18" alloys. I do drive an XJ8 on Air Suspension, so perhaps not a fair comparison! A switch to Michelin Cross-climates improved matters though 👍 Loving the Winter Pack+ During today's service the rear brake pads were replaced (under warranty), although I'm not yet sure why - will update when the paperwork comes through. The heated rear Varioflex seats often come in handy and the car is often converted to a three seater with a huge boot. I far prefer the button heavy Karoq cabin to the new Octavia with it's huge touchscreen. Also pleased to have a car with no lane keeping or speed alerts, so may opt to keep it for the foreseeable in order to avoid the latest supposed driver 'aids'. The car has never left us stranded, although the servicing main dealer did comment the battery needed a charge whilst servicing it today. I have a C-Tek with the comfort connect permanently installed so will plug it in 👍

The XJ is the same generation as mine (X350) although sadly mine is a little less shiny nowadays 😁

A friend was at the NEC car show in 2002 and took these. A virtual cream bun for anyone who recalls which film the XK featured in. I understand Aston Martin also created a chrome plated car but were warned not to use it on the road as reflections might blind other road users!

Spotted a stunning old 911 at the weekend 👌 L_20250209083738_42~4.mp4

5 pages here, although the fifth page only covers 'extra equipment'

I found the heavy duty boot liners available in Costco were an almost perfect fit and vastly cheaper than anything else 👍 Membership required though and they are occasionally not stocked.

I recall a post I'd made a while back regarding my Yeti & Karoq experience