Wendy

I too am bored with Top Gear and only watch it when bored. i find Fifth Gear much better. I am surprised at so many of you not liking Vicky Butler Henderson though. What about Suzi Parry - does she get the same views? Wendy

To include fuel in that equation makes it very cheap motoring. My servicing costs for sure are more than £585 per annum and my car is a good one. Interestingly, the rate per mile on your example was 43p. Not good for those of us that are only able to claim 40p per mile travel expenses. Hence under pressure the Government is looking into this as it has remained unchanged for years and years.

Along with you lot, made me realise, I have fallen totally in love :luvlove: - with my car and unlikely i will ever sell it. :D The funny things - albeit not at the time - Unable to open Drivers door and had to crawl across passenger seat for several weeks until could get fixed - resulting in a rather bad back !! Intermittent faults - on most things esp. water leaks and alarms. Forced me into parking in the garage even when I have known there is hardly the room to get out - just to keep it clean and then had my friends take the mick !! Be a complete child and Buy a Ram air Filter :lol:

I did wonder if it was an age thing - so Thanks for explaining that. Wendy

Why do you say it would not effect Road Tax? Am I missing something/being dim ??

Does anyone know the emmissions for the VR6? Not at home so can't check and everything I have looked at on the web does not include the Corrado. Cheers Wendy

Track Days - Yeah !! 8) I have my next one booked for 29th July at Silverstone :D :D :D This is in a Honda Civic Type R with Instructor at £248 for 3 sessions on Track each lasting about 20 minutes. Personally I think this is excellent value. I have spoken with them last week stating I would now like to drive other vehicles and am waiting an response. This is at least a way of getting a real feel for the whole experience before you commit yourself too greatly on the finance front. It would also provide the opportuntiy to walk through the paddock and speak to many of the owner/drivers for their experiences and advice. I found the Tracks further North to have slightly friendlier more approachable people. Before I receive masses of abuse - I am from the more southern part of the UK too. ! It is just true. Good Luck and enjoy.

I am what you call a Credit Card Tart !!! - Await Toad's response to that !!!! :) Same as VR6 (Steve), have a Credit Card with Zero % on purchase till Jan 09, with 6K limit. Have stacked this to the hilt and put by the money each month into an Interest acc to pay off just before the Interest is chargeable. Earning money on the back of a Credit Card really apeals to me. Also another with a 3.9% Interest for the life of the balance. My everyday Credit Card - I use constantly which I pay off in full each month - mainly I do this - one for the extra time to pay, but also, I find it an easier way of keeping in touch with my finances. For anyone who needs a Short Term Loan (Say 4 years) - the cheapest is normally to extend the mortgage, as long as you are strict enough to pay it off. Wendy

Dom, I agree, great idea to put up something like this. I find, if everyone ensures they keep the car behind with them (knowing where they are going), then that automatically prevents the group from spliting up. Also, if the car infront of you has sped off, as long as he, does not turn off the main route without waiting to ensure you have observed his direction change, then again no one should be lost - back to keep the car behind with you. Hope that helps too. Look forward to some good convoys :D

I personally don't like air bags, admittidly I am one of the few on here who they would do more harm than good - being quite small they are more likley to suffocate me than save me. I dread the day when the car I own has them automatically fitted. I wish they had a feature to be able to turn them off. Seat belts - well - having a Step Father who was rather large - who had he been wearing one in an accident where the car rolled, it would have killed him - means I don't feel these are right for everyone either. However, his injuries, disabled from the neck down, he actually always stated when he was alive - that he would have rather died. He lived for about 13 years after. Also, the injuries that seat belts do cause are quite horrific, having something strapped across your body is throwing out your body, neck and spine in an accident situation. Some people wearing seat belts after an accident never get over their spinal injuries - ask a physio their opinion on this. Although it might not do much for your clothing especially girls in skirts - a full harness is the only safety belt to have - in my opinion. Guess its like everything in life - we have to consider the majority - hence I am turfed out of all public places to smoke - dammed Nanny state !! I feel as safe in my Corrado as I think you can. I would feel safer still, if the standards for passing the driving test were a set standard - but with the amount of appalling driving out there - they can't be. Bring on re tests every 10 years. Oh and Ban all women from driving 4x4's and Volovo's - they think they have the complete rights of all the road - irrelevant of other drivers. Obvioulsy needed to get that little lot off my chest !! :)

Guys, A recognised sound coming from the car if the clutch is going is a small gru sound when you pull away from standstill. Ask a mechanic to give you the actual sound, you would recognise it immediatly. Very difficult to explain sounds in the written form. :lol: Anyway - just collected my car from Stealth, new Clutch , head gasket, chains and tensioners, CV boot, starter motor, brake fluid change, spark plugs and a hefty bill - but oh my God - its like a new car. It's quite hard to believe how used to the ckutch I had become - the new one is like a feather to surpress. Wendy

The Ram Air Filter is the only one as far as i am concerned. :) Slightly louder than the K & N at idle, but awesome over 3000 revs.

Mk11 16V Golf GTI 1987 Fab car. My husband or should I say Ex hubby had it when we split up, although he did offer it to me. Then he used to bring it round for me occassionaly to go out and have a burn. :lol:

Sorry to hear of your plight with lack of finances, like it was said before we all go through it at one time or another. I am really very good at stretching money as far as it will possible go, so if i may make a few suggestions. First - Income - You already mentioned beating. I know Farmers are quite often willing to pay for Shooting of rabbits and foxes- so maybe worth contacting a few. Then there are Saturday jobs, worth contacting the Temp Agencies and local papers for this. Supermarkets may not pay brillantly but combined with the staff discount may be worth a try. Pubs - better pay and very social at the same time. Guess my main advise here actually would be to try and not let pride get in the way. What about offering to clean people's cars in your street? A student friend of mine did this - not asking a specific price but letting the owners decide what to give. He often got £10 - £15 per car. 4 - 6 cars a day = good money. Can you rent out a room? I have done this for years, it's easy money.( My current lodger is paying for my Track Days !! - A means to an end) Second - Expenditure - Ideally set yourself a budget - this may sound daunting but will let you know exactly where you stand. Even if you don't set a budget - pay your rent, council tax heating bills, water etc etc first. Then food, buy enough for the month when you get paid, make use of the 2 for 1 buys, but don't get caught into buying things you don't need. I would however buy one treat a month which will make you feel better - just a pack of biscuits can do it. Always shop for food when you are not hungary its massively cheaper !! If you don't have a freezer, buy a Second Hand one from the first week of Extra pay, you should get one for £20- £30. As you don't have the money to go out socially - if you are not a natural cook - learn - borrow a cook book or two, preferably Jamie Oliver - he has a nice rough and ready attitude to cooking. Everytime you cook, cook enough for 4, and freeze 3 of the meals. This saves you cooking every night - but also saves on the heating bills and you have convienance meals of your own. Lunches - when bought daily are a huge waste of money. Get into a habit of making your own. Sandwiches, Salads, Soups. i always make mine the night before when cooking dinner, that way it is not such a chore and besides I would never do it if I left it till morning ! Supermarkets - In order of cheapness - Aldi, Morrisons, Asda. I would try to avoid Tesco and Sainsburys. Markets are worth visiting at the end of the day when they need to sell everything off and do so very cheaply - a good way to get your fresh fruit and vegetables. Petrol - most local papers these days advertise the cheapest fuel in the local area - take advantage of it. Clothes/Shoes - TK Maxx, Tesco's, Asda, otherwise any other store at Sale time only. Social stuff - again there is loads to do that costs nothing - walks, bike rides, musuems, volunteering - there is masses of scope here and you would be re-imbursed your out of pocket expenses. There will be loads in your local area just Goggle for more info - there are things in most areas of anyone's interest. Car - as your girlfriend does not use her car. Could you pool your resources on this - ~Lay yours up - just for a few months, claim back the tax - (if you can get it off the road), reduce your insurance premium and pay your girlfriend for an additional driver on hers and go halves on the running repairs? Alternatively, could you get a lift to work - would cut fuel bills. Years ago, on a very low income, even sub letting a room in my flat, I managed to get a small but very useful hand out from the Low Income /Benefits agency - I don't know what organisation they call themselves these days, but worth a try. I would also, still try to put lose change of copper and 5p and 10p's into a pot. This way when really really skint there will be a little savour to buy that pint of milk, buy £5 of fuel or a small treat. Finally, with phones, electric etc - are you on the best tariff. That's all - and that was the brief version !! Hopefully it was not too daunting and just inspired you further. Think it shows, I definetly have had my broke moments and for any of those who know of my misfortune being in a bad car accident 4 plus years ago - my resourcefulness of stretching money was what meant I kept my house and sanity. Just remembered Your Christmas presents - and not having bought any. Can you make stuff - like carpentry your thing ? Dig around Skips for useful materials etc etc Good Luck Wendy

How low can you run the tank when it gets into the red question ? This i find really interesting and very amusing. Mainly as despite quite a number of years driving, I have only in the last year started to push my luck after running out of fuel when I was 19. It has taken quite a while to get over the embarrasement of the experience :lol: Typical 19 year old, broke, running car on fresh air! Driving to work, car, broke down. Was sat in lengthy queue of traffic at the time. Got out of the car, knowing the problem, to tell the blokes in the white van behind (yeah - can you believe it?) that i had broken down and needed a hand to be pushed out of the way. They asked, if I knew what was wrong. I did admit the problem. :oops: They were great and offered me the fuel in the can they carried around. Except, I had no money :oops: To this, after laughing :oops: they said I could have it anyway. :D So, back to the VR, (many years after), it has taken a while, to allow the car to run for more than 5 miles on the red, whereas now !! I have worked out on the steep slope down out of my village, the fuel gauge significantly increases giving me more confidence to run the car longer. I have since completed about 2 miles almost off the red - scary and I won't be reguarly trying this. But, I think overall, there has got to be a gallon, or 5.8 litres I think that is ?! I am sure all cars will differ and besides everyone drives differently with different fuel economies, so this is just my experience - note the disclaimer - should anyone run out of fuel ! :lol: Does the Owners manual not have something on this?

RE the 40p a mile for Sub Contractors that was mentioned earlier. I agree - this is a price paid per mile, but is to cover all the costs of running the car. I keep a running total of all my annual car costs to enable me to compare it to the 40p per mile. This I do, to ensure I am claiming to my best Tax Advantage. (Hence being able to accuratly record the true running costs in an earlier post !!) This last year - I would have paid approx £20 less in tax by swopping back to claim my actual car running costs. I did not however take this option, as at this point i had handed my Accounts into my Tax Accountant and it would have cost me more in his fees to administer this. Wow, you guys are certainly paying handsome prices for fuel and i thought it was bad here. I don't need to get started on the condition of our roads and the increased prices not being put back into this. To say it winds me up - very badly is quite an understatement. :evil: :multi: This has scarely made me think of the heating in my home - OIL !!! I can't imagine what price hike that has had - UGH ! My neighbour advised me earlier that heating oil is however pretty much static at around 36p per litre - as has been all year. This should be increase has been passed over to Vehicle Fuel prices, to stop people turning off their heating or freezing to death in Winter. (Bearing in mind, when I moved here 7 years ago, oil was 19p a litre. !!) Anyway, Not sure about this, as the few people in the scheme of things that have oil central heating in the country does not equate to the surge in fuel prices. I wonder how many Forums around the country are discussing this right now? And, what are any of us doing about it apart from letting off steam ? Maybe we should ?!

What happened, week before last, fuel at 101.9 for Super Unleaded. This week 103.9 !! Back to costing me £60 plus to fill the tank. Not happy. :( What happened to all the rallying around that happened some years back when fuel got to over a £1.00 a litre? Is everyone else earning significantly more now or just being letharic in attitude to this? Think I will move to Bournemouth - always significantly cheaper there !!

Honda Civiv Type R - umm!! Well, I have driven the above at the 6 track days I have done this year, which include Donnington, Brands, Oulton Park, Croft and Snetterton. So a fair mix there to get a good feel of the car. It has been great for the Track Days - I don't own it but hire it. Initially I kept hitting the Rev limiter, just not enough room in 2nd (I do have a tendancy to find this in most cars though to be fair) Handling - it is immensly forgiving and handles very well, doing just about everything you ask of it. It sits right down and has a solid feel about it. Even if you do get it badly out of shape - which i may have , it was not at all frightening and I managed to rectify it without too much effort. Snetterton was the first time I felt the car lacked power at the top end. It does Rev high, actually nearer 8500/9000rpm and there are alot of gear changes to get the best of its performance. The dash in my opionion is disgusting, but then I am not one for big dials and indicators flashing everything at you like you are an idiot. Would I own one - No, far to common for me and if I am honest - the look of them does not do it. Then, the sound - what sound - it's dismal. Besides, i am already looking to see what cars are out there to complete Track Days in next year - which in itself says it all - I want more fun. I have spoken to my Instructor about turning all the gizmo's off. He says, he has tried this along with other Instructors and apparently they all agree - it is practically undriveable. For me, I actually prefer VR6 Corrado. Of course, when i get my Porsche - if anyone says it's Common - they will be dead !! :lol:

Re the oil - I know !! Sorry, but it's true, the car never uses any - well 1/2 a litre every two years - to be exact. I do not drive my car hard until oil temperature is up to 80 degrees and do very few short runs, rarely sit in traffic for more than a few minutes. Don't know if all this has some bearing - but makes sense to me to be assisting in the little oil usuage. Having previously had older cars that certainly did burn oil, I keep checking every time despite having owned my Corrado for 5 years now. I wish I did not go through tyres so quickly though. Well, its not that quickly, its combined with the 12k miles i complete per annum - minimum and therefore just feels like i am always buying new tyres. The tracking, cambers etc are fairly reguarly checked, the wear is even, so it is just down to the mileage, oh possibly a little spirited driving at times - but rare of course !!!! :lol:

I check mine reguarly, normally as part of the Car Wash Routine. Oil - never needs any - ever ! Water - occassionaly - when problems started to arise, otherwise hardly ever - like once annually Type Pressures - also about 5psi every two weeks on one tyre in particular. Will take note to get this checked as suggested earlier - Thanks

I too think Alonso will be returning to Renault. Flavio won't be bothered by his tantrums and will soon kick him into touch. They are both of Latin tempermant !! As for Kovaliaon (or however you spell his name !! :lol: ) I think he is just the right material for McLaren. Would be good to see.

Yes, Uncle Vince is doing this job. Of course my car engine has been treated well. :D Still uses no oil between services - and only a little water - hoses perishing, new radiator some months back. Even then I caught it very early and no rise in temperature gauge in car, so know i have not damaged the head gasket either. With the Clutch replacement will also be new Chains and Head Gasket although chains not causing a concern. Vince advised due to the labour time to do the clutch, it is wise to complete these at the same time. It's booked for the end of November so hopefully the clutch lasts that long, did learn years ago how to drive a vehicle without a clutch, would find it terribly embarrassing at every jucntion, roundabout etc. :lol:

The R8 is stunning, seen one in the flesh too. What a shame I am not multi rich as i would add this to my collection of wants - specially after 5th Gear's eport last night too.

Hi all, Booked car into Stealth for new clutch, mine is on the way out at 149750 miles. Wondered what sort of mileage others had got from their clutch before having to change. Wendy

Nissan 350Z Hardtop & BMW Z4 Coupe for my day cars Exige for the Track and 911 or R8 for the weekends !! If only !!