Haha! Howling at the replies, thanks all. Young’uns do seem to be able to tuck and roll extremely well when they come a cropper don’t they?

Re. the brake I‘ll get it angled down a bit and maybe swap to the left as I’m not used to the back brake on the right! Also great shout on the pads.. I reckon helmet, knee and elbows is what I’ll do. Will try and enjoy it even if the local yoofs give me a load of shit!

If you don’t need the practicality of the 5 door hatch, go for the 440i. They’re better nailed together and quieter cabin on long runs.

The car I came on here to suggest has already been mentioned, the M140. I had one (well the M135) for 4 years. There is not a better balance of performance and practicality in my view. I had the auto and the ZF8 ‘box is sublime and mated to the 6 pot motor it’s a match made in heaven. If you do go for one – check for creaky steering and rattly back box on cold start. Common issues, and expensive (the steering) to fix but most should have been fixed under warranty if the 1st owner was on the ball.

Technology is fantastic when it works isn’t it?! Sat on the sofa and read this, held the little voice button down on sky remote, said “Staged” and now 15 minutes later I’ve watched episode 1! 😊

Thanks for the recommendation. Absolutely tremendous stuff!

Thank you for responses all. After a few posts I realised I was over-thinking it as per usual.. I’ve just bought a 32” TV. Sony Bravia something or other. Can’t go any bigger given space available and it’ll be mounted above where my feet/pedals are so should be spot on. Thanks again

I’m hoping it’ll be ok. Plasterer is one of my mates from school so called him before shelling out thick end of 80 quid on 4 bags. He said it was fine. I think the performance issues were slow set times in winter and not great for skimming old walls butt this is going on brand new boards. Plus it only came out the factory on 25th May so nice and fresh. Anyway he’s coming tomorrow to do it so it’ll have to be alright! Cheers

Thanks for the responses all. My mate was in wickes and I just happened to tell him about the shortage this morning. He spotted some Knauf multi finish and picked up 4 bags for me, said there was a couple of pallets. £19 a bag mind but better than waiting weeks on end!

Thank you for the responses and suggestions all. I’ve sent a few messages out to sellers on Gumtree and FB marketplace around the £15-20 mark.. Loads out there for £35+ a bag but I can’t bring myself to do it. supply and demand eh?!

I had considered getting it tiled but it’s a quite a big cost increase and not so keen on panelling. Looks like I’ll have to just wait it out. Cheers

Bollocks. Thanks you for the quick response WCA. I would have thought as production was stopped the use of plaster would have dropped similarly but apparently not

I’ve been really struggling for words with this whole story but I think Pie, in that clip up there ^^^ may have saved me from finding them. Superb summary and the 4×4 **** mobile comment was the icing on the cake. Pie for PM

Forgot to add – those sea sucker things are a no-go due to the glass roof. I looked into it and don’t think it is worth the risk – cases of cracked/broken glass when people have used them. We have a towbar rack and roof racks on my wifes car which will still be used for mountain bike duties. I couldn’t spec the Tesla towbar when I ordered mine and subsequently found out it is not an option on the Performance model. I may buy the Tesla roof bars in the future.. will see how things go.

I picked up a Tesla M3 about a fortnight before lockdown through my work lease scheme. I have barely driven it but I had to collect from Leeds and drive home to Newcastle so got a good stint in it immediately. It is a fantastic car and a joy on long journeys – my wife has a 320i and it makes the BMW feel pretty agricultural to drive!

I (used to) do quite a bit of driving for work – mainly regional stuff in North of England and Tesla was the only car that would work from a charging infrastructure perspective – this was the real deal breaker for me. A colleague has the i-Pace and whilst it is a lovely thing the charging network for everything else is just not there yet.

As noted above, the M3 is one of the most efficient EVs out there and whilst you would never get the quoted range unless you drove at 25 mph with nothing turned on, they are pretty good compared to the competition. The very slippery body of the M3 also means wind noise is very low at motorway speeds.

It’s not without its drawbacks though. Main one, as above, is the saloon format. I can’t quite fathom why it is not a hatchback – it even looks like a hatch with the high back end (another problem the high back end causes is the rear view mirror points up a little). Build quality is not there yet sadly.. my rear left light cluster (the one where the charge port is!) has got a silly amount of condensation in it.. quite common I have heard and not replaced until it gets much worse which is disappointing. The fit of some of the panels is not perfect either.. mainly around the doors and front end and (this is worst bit) my steering wheel is not quite on straight.. this is concerning when the car will hit 60mph in 3.2s and the bloody wheel aint on straight! There is no servicing at the moment through the work lease scheme but I intend to get this looked at ASAP once things are up and running.

Overall I love the car and it is light years ahead of anything else on the market IMO. The view out the front is amazing due to the long sweeping windscreen, uncluttered dash and very low front end. I am an absolute petrol head through and through and I’m converted – I sold an M135i to get this and I don’t regret it for a second. Harry Metcalfe does a fab review of the M3 here including the charging side of things:

Ha! I feel your pain. We live in a dormer bungalow so half the upstairs has flat roofs and the loft is absolutely tiny.. got told just last week to “just put it in the loft”.. It’s better than the approach to putting stuff in the garage mind.. my other half just opens the door and throws stuff in from the kitchen, doesn’t even bother turning the light on! So if anyone has some garage magic I’ll have some of that too.

I have these brass fittings from Screwfix and they’ve been leak free for years. The hose nozzle isn’t very useful and I just continued using the trigger gun I have:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/brass-hose-fitting-set-4-pieces-4-pcs/13866

Bit late to the thread. This is an extremely sad and depressing situation. I think scandal42 on the previous page is spot on:

“The people going out just driving and ignoring lockdown guidance are more likely to be the **** in society who usually drive like arseholes and treat cyclist like shit.”

Take the utter bellend who lives 5 doors down from me, chief of the pops and bangs dickhead brigade, I’d say he goes out on average 3 times a day for between 5-20 mins a time. Presumably to the tesco along the road or the corner shop (both less than a mile away) to buy vape shit. I know this because he has an outrageous exhaust on his car and rinses it from cold every time he leaves his drive while I’m trying to WFH/look after my daughter in the house.

He has driven like an utter arsehole for the past 5 years (we live in a 20 zone and he comes past my house at 40ish most days) and low and behold he’s out and about constantly, ignoring lockdown rules. It’s so predictable and depressing but it’s not just him, plenty of them about.

I went out for a spin on my CX bike yesterday and whilst I probably only encountered 20 or so cars, at least 5 overtook me poorly and I had 1 tosser shouting abuse at me for having the cheek to go out on my bike. There’s some reet horrible arseholes out there. Stay safe all.

PS LOL @ “slagmum”!!

I’ve used this on our flat garage roof after it started leaking:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/cementone-roof-repair-compound-grey-1kg/10990

Really good stuff but nasty to work with.. buy a cheapo brush and just bin at the end of it.. it’s really thick soup like stuff but works a treat. The small pot (linked) doesn’t go that far so if you’ve got a large area to cover get the big’un.

Makes sense, especially as the boot is not power operated so someone will have had to go round manually opening specific cars.

That is strange, don’t think it is to do with air circulation as they all look like Model 3s and they are saloons. As a side note, the red looks much brighter in the flesh than on the website.

The hot weather seems to be good for the batteries, mine normally ‘leaks’ a couple of miles charge every 24 hours when idle.. the other day it went up by 1 mile!

Thank you. Will have to resend as it’s been a few days. Cheers

How long did it take people to get their Endura code?

563. Deary me. Quite a jump from two days ago.

Why is an EV out due to high-mileage? A Tesla would seem to hit your other requirements spot on apart from this. BIK goes to 0% next month, executive looking, etc.

Loads of people at our place have them that do lots of miles. Just need to plan around the supercharger network but shouldn’t add too much (any?) time into long journeys above and beyond sensible rest stops, providing you can charge fully at home overnight. I think the Model X (SUV) even extended the free supercharging deal for a time as well.

I’m getting a Model 3 so will need to pay for supercharger use but the car itself is less expensive than the S/X..

One thing you don’t hear much is people saying they have an SUV because they like it.. There’s always loads of: space, safety, visibility, etc. etc arguments but few people every just say I have an SUV because I like it.. It’s a bit like Jim Jefferies on Americans and guns:

1.30 in

My mate has just got an X5M.. thick end of 600bhp.. says he’s getting about 14mpg but he wanted something “practical” for his son (who is 2) and his pram etc.. It is without doubt the stupidest car I have ever been in. Mind bogglingly fast for a big old lump mind! He should have got the M5.. saved £20k and a been whole 3 mpg better off.. not to mention a much cooler car.

Another pal has just got an X5 as well – the one with the massive grille because he likes big cars and lad at work is wanting to trade his 4 series in for a RR Sport because he likes being high up. It’s madness. As Chris Harris says in the vid “they cost so much and offer nothing in return”.

Can you tell I’m not a fan..?

Chris Harris has this covered.. 2.25 onwards.

Thank you for all of the responses everyone and the jokes – I’ve had a good giggle, especially the negotiation with terrorists comment!

I’ve tried the pinning arms with my legs manoeuvre a couple of times and whilst she DOES NOT like it, it is helpful in getting things done quickly!

Cheers
Nick

Hybrids camping out in charging bays is utterly ridiculous. In my view, if it has an ICE it shouldn’t be allowed, simple as that. There’s a 330e parks bang in the middle of Newcastle most days in a charge bay.. winds me up something rotten. It has a 2 litre turbo petrol motor FFS!

I’ve ordered a Tesla M3 through what sounds like a similar scheme at work. The Long Range or Performance (maybe not on ride height) should meet you requirements. Most have heated seats (M3 has them in the back) as less impact on battery than cabin heating from what I understand. Can’t get a towbar on the M3 Performance if that’s a factor. What about a Model S? Better looking in my eyes and more useable hatch format.

We looked at other EVs but plumped for Tesla mainly due to the supercharger network.

I think I’ve recommended these to you another thread, but we have some Pirelli Sottozero 3 (I think) RFTs on my wifes RWD 3 series and they are tremendous. Marked up with M&S and have gotten my wife to work (and back) at the hospital a number of times in the snow. They have sipes and very large gaps between the tread blocks. Not cheap but I will certainly buy another set once they’re done. Bought them from Camskill, Black circles had nowt.

I haven’t been in any muddy fields with it so can’t comment on that, but I have in my car.. so can confirm Michelin Pilot Supersports are not the tyres you are looking for!

Cheers Mashr – we don’t want to resort to the phone but running out of options. Interesting that your son suddenly decided he was having none of it!

Cheers Beaker, aye I think we’re just going to have to persist with her. Just hoping she twigs sooner rather than later!

It’s that bad I had considered it!

As noted above by Fatmountain, sodding SUVs. They cost so much in fuel, tyres, space, etc. and offer so little in return just because people “like to be high up” FFS get a grip. My mate has just got a petrol engined X5 with the thick end of 600bhp as he now has 1 small child and needed something big and practical. He’s a **** idiot.

Absolutely howling at some of the comments, thanks for the responses all! 😂

We went to Center Parcs for the 1st time a couple years back with my side of the family and I wasn’t sure it was for me.. Now I’m an absolute convert – despite my OP full of shite, boring and judgmental patter I really do enjoy it, even sitting in the front room of the lodge tutting at all the people I outlined on the previous page.

I totally agree with the comments above re. car use – I’m absolutely certain some people would drive to the pool if it was allowed. It’s so nice not having cars cutting about the place 24/7. I live on a main road, albeit in a 20mph zone and you don’t realise the extent of noise pollution from motorised vehicles until it’s taken away for a week.

Our daughter is only 9months old so we’re taking advantage of the cheaper rates for the moment.. once she’s in school any tips on where to go for a nice swinging holiday in the UK? Any links to that mumsnet thread?

The japanese mercedes, I wish!

The only reason I’m considering one Iain is that they’ve just become available through a work lease scheme at a very competitive price, and it’s fully maintained/insured etc and unlimited mileage. I completely agree, £700 is bonkers money.

Thanks BA, I hadn’t really considered going non-Tesla for the charger. If the only functional difference is a automatic flap it sounds like a generic one may be better so as not to be locked into a brand of EV.

Really useful Simon, thanks. I didn’t realise the grant was unavailable for the Tesla unit. That’s disappointing. Will delve into that link tonight over a beer or 8.. thanks!

I’ve just went from Virgin 100 fibre (measured approx 30MB on my phone) to standard Talk Talk broadband through the phone line..

Virgin wound me up something rotten. Deal went from £29 to £50.50 a month which I just could not stomach regardless of how fast it was..

They will budge but you need to be patient. 1st call to discuss costs they offered £49 (jokers), maybe 5 days later offered £38 and then another 5 days they offered £29! I had already arranged the new broadband when the £29 offer came through. Absolute joke. I’d still be with them if they kept me on the same deal or were quicker to offer the £29 FFS.

Anyway I now have much slower broadband measuring about 12MB on my phone but it is only £17/month with £50 cashback. Absolute chew on sorting it all out. No other options for fibre other than Virgin in my area so I’m destined to spend the next forever bouncing between fibre and standard broadband each time the price jumps.

What a dickhead. I hope his insurance company tell him to piss right off.