Thanks for all the input – some contradicting as always on here – with lots to consider.
Hadn’t thought of the train, looks straightforward enough. We’re thinking of the 2nd week in September so the August holiday should be over – made that mistake in Rome.

I guess the answer may be yes. While replacing todays bust one, with what turned out to be my last spare, another snapped.

Oh, and qwerty, yes.

You’re complaining for paying the retail price for an item “just in case” you may need it from a large chain store whose customer base is either generally the uninformed bike buying public or people who need something desperately. And then you are expecting them to take it back and refund you because you didn’t use it.

Pretty much the same – know all about failing the sock test! Yes an FS helps take out some of the jarring but it’s still about good bike fit.

i had a zaffira for 5yrs, it was ace
i now have a astra, it is shyte

Interesting, the Haynes service manual cover both vehicles in the one issue, ie they’re the same. My wife’s got an Astra, won’t have another. She wishes she never got rid of her Alfa.

At that mileage and age I’d be concerned that its not been used enough, juts short runs to the shops, school etc. not good. 80k on a TDi, barely run in.

What do you mean by pulley? The cam belt runs the water pump and past a tensioner, it’s recommended to change all the same time ie if the pump needs changing put a new belt on and vice versa, but no pulleys. If that’s what you had done, go back. Or do you mean a pulley on the external drive belt, alternator, AC etc.? In which case it could be just bad luck the cam belt went.

Halve the milage/time interval on the Alfa

What unit do you have at the moment? I bought the US maps download from Garmin and run them from the SD card in my unit when I’m there.

Unfortunately I believe it’s per piece of luggage.

From their e-ticked email.

Checked baggage
Adults and children: 1 bag at 23kg (51lbs)
You may be charged for extra or overweight bags. There are restrictions on what you may pack and on the dimensions of your bags.

Same situation last week, front spring went and trashed the tyre. Opted to change both even thou the other had about 4/5mm trad left.

Listen to what you’re told.
Put your weight through your leading leg and lean into the gun. Move the gun smoothly in a straight line, don’t create and arc. Push or pull with the hand on the forend and let your whole body move with it. Keep your head down on the stock, just lifting a little and you will miss and you’ll end up with a bruised cheek.
For a first timer you should only get something easy, incomers/going away are a good place to start. Follow the line and pull through. As the bird disappears, fire. On a crosser, move with the line of the clay, pull past it before firing. Keep the gun moving as you and once you have fired.

Clown Bike :wink:

…. I’m surprised it’s lasted this long.

Both of them for the same reason but from either end of the scale.

RIP WRC.

I got a large. Standover’s not brilliant, specially compared to the 182 Inbred but OK. I’d guess you’d be closer to a medium???
Changed the stem for a shorter one also.

As I said you’re welcome to try, if only popping over for a sit on it up and down the road.

Paul (cheeky) and I bought the Race earlier in the year and it seems fine so far – was riding it last Wednesday, looks like the Comnp is same frame (probably) with a Recon rather than a Reba and a few pieces of lower level kit. Could be a good buy (Wiggle I assume).
You’re welcome to try mine.

OK, you know where I am if you need any help.
S.

Hugh, always change the rings, cassette and chain at the same time. No matter what others may say, it’ll never work properly otherwise.

Are you riding tonight?

No you don’t.

they do if they want to recover the data from the existing drives.

Additional Information

You will need to have the original OS installation discs that were shipped with your product in order to re-install your operating system, other applications and any backed up data after your hard drive is replaced.

As mentioned, backup should already be a routine.

Apple

….. will replace your hard drive with a new one, free of charge, under the iMac 1TB Seagate Hard Drive Replacement Program.

OP

So now we have to buy an external hdd each,

No you don’t.

2nd Steve, Duthie Hill is excellent. Veloce Velo in Issaquah do demo Turners, park up near the I90 and ride the Grand Ridge trail over to Duthie and make a day of it.

As you say the Boeing tour in Everett is well worth it, as part of their supply chain we had the shop floor tour, engineering and size of the things awesome.

Call your insurance company beforehand and tell them when you are picking up the car, they will issue a certificate to take effect from then, use that on the way over to get the tax from the nearest post office. There’s usually a couple of hours grace on your old car to cover time delays.

2. If not, then have any aftermarket parts been made available instead of Ford parts?

Not for most of their stuff. Had to replace a hose last week, £50 for basically an elbow joint between the EGR steel pipes and the inlet manifold. Split in pipe causing all sorts of problems, common fault according to Talkford (good resource).

I renewed with M&S last month, the £4k limit remains in place for renewals however if you are a new customer (ie doing the old online and cancel trick)then you are subject to the £1k limit.

M&S are underwritten and administered by AXA, i did get a quote through my car broker for AXA direct that covered single items upto £8K each but the other policy limits were lower and excesses were higher.

Car Insurance – are they scamming me?

of course they are……

On the previous model (B5.5) it used to state the engine power in PS on the vehicle information plate on the driver’s side B pillar.

The “Red i” or in fact D or T was used for the engine power hierarchy in the range at any one time, the more power the more red. Again for the B5 & B5.5, initially the 90ps was without and the 110ps had a red i, as they introduced the 115, 130 & V6’s the combination changed up to a red TDi.

Feeling like i have wasted £40.

Sorry Hugh. Would have suggested you do it properly, not mess about with these half cocked methods ie UST rims and tyres. Worked every time for me over the last 10 years by just fitting the tyres and pumping up with a JoeBlow.

Hugh, a track pump works just fine.

Adam as other re the pawls. If not it could be the ratchet ring and if it’s like an XC hub you’ll need to send it (whole wheel) back to Hope. Check it earlier rather than later, I killed one on the climb from the crocodile pit last year and they couldn’t save it.

Had a 96 2.0 16v auto and over a year and 25k it averaged 24.7mpg. Swapped it for a 2.5 v6 and over about the same time and distance got 27.2mpg. Electric (sensors) were a nightmare.

Talk to them but in a civil manor, usually works better in the long run than ranting now. If something more serious than a piece of missing trim happens down the line a good relationship may be beneficial.

Trim pieces are probably a special order part compared to mechanical bits so may have to come from Japan, I know not good but get them to check. I had to wait a couple of weeks for Ford to get a suspension bolt from Germany. They change these things often and there are many variants depending on trim level , ie fogs or not, colour coding etc. so even if they look the same there may be subtle differences between yours (presumably a couple of years old being SH) and the current showroom model.

Mazda Northants were part of Autohous who were always OK with me on the VW side, although I noticed the day they their refurbished showroom now says VW Northampton, don’t know if it’s a change of hands or rebranding (as with Audi up at Sixfields)

Can be a bit of a lottery I’m afraid. If you’re unlucky to come in to the hall behind a plane full for non English speakers then it’ll take a while, happened to me at Dulles with a plane full of mainly elderly Japanese. Not their fault, more the system. Don’t recall a fast track system as such like here. Maybe a biometric line if you have that. Allow an hour minimum, more for transfers.

Dulles is also a bit of pain with the strange Thunderbird like buses between the terminals.

Went through BWI last autumn no problems.

Came back through Heathrow T5 last month the quickest ever. Looking at the time stamps on text messages, entering the passport hall at 12:20, waiting for the car park bus at 12:31 including collecting bags.

If your thinking of driving over the water to Marin Co. I can recommend Caesar’s Cyclery in San Anselmo (v near Fairfax), I rented a Kona Satori 29er from them last week for a blast around the Tamarancho. They also do road bikes if that’s what your after.

Always had good service, used them on four occasions now including multi days.

Goto your “my t-mobile” page, click on “my phone” then take the “configure your phone for messaging, internet and email.” option, follow the instructions.

If any of you read EVO, Metcalf had one recently, selection of twitter quotes.

Interesting car the Ampera, achieved 37miles on battery during 62mile journey. Used 0.7gal of fuel driving like a loon so that’s ‘87.9mpg’

biggest issue with Ampera is mpg when battery used up but got closer to 50mpg this afternoon

137 mile round trip in Ampera today, full battery to start but no charge at lunch stop. Av 47.3mpg (35miles was on battery). Disappointed

An Ampera? “I’m disappointed..” Correct; seems to only makes sense if your journey is mainly on battery power :-(

Ampera best EV I’ve driven but price will always be the issue as you’re buying a car with 3 engines & huge battery

Doesn’t sound like the answer. Where did you get 235mpg from?

The guy in the Wellingborough store told me not to bother with them as the signal coverage at home (Bozeat)is rubbish.

I believe he had to sell the California (and a few others) to fund the 250GTO. Lost money apparently due to the engine not being original, something those in the know didn’t tell him when he bought it but just watched on. Pit falls of auctions, at any level.

£460 road tax & 24mpg……………..

……….buzz to drive but cheap cars for a reason, running/maintenance costs.

Agree, call and speak to Greg (001-951-677-1711), if he can’t sort you out then no one can. Got me a HL chain stay last year from the parts they salvage from their PX frame scheme.

Thanks for the ideas, I’ll look into them.

Russia is the current leader for dashboard cams, insurance scam avoidance.
Jalopnic
No.9 is something……