dutchie01

42 minutes ago, GMB said:

Ryanair will block your flight if you booked a package through another company. Then mess you around using the excuse of security to get you to pay for a seat in order to secure a simple boarding pass.  They did it to us from a booking by Love Holidays with Ryanair flights. What a palaver!

All for the profit. They absolutely dont care about your or mine opinion but why should they with a record profit of around 2 billion this year? their strategy works, just pay and shut up complaining is useless. Car hire companies can do thesame without blinking and eye. Goldcar and other B rated outlets will force you to buy their full insurance package if you show up and did already pay for the car. Complaining is useless, a real rip off. Next level rip off is the Germans charging you per month if you want another color on your 12 meter wide superscreen in where once was a dashboard. Heated seats? yes Sir per subscription of 5 pounds per month please. Next up will be a new car with all goodies active and working leaving the showroom and after 2 months the company remotely switches things off including reducing the capacity of the batterypack. Mark my words! Christmas ripp off in the local restaurant yesterday glass of Moet Champagne for only 18 Euro! The world has gone crazy..

All surcharches have absolutely nothing zilch nada to do with woke or politics. Its all about profit. If mu neighbour does it so can i. Look at the airline industry. They used to charge for you as a person to fly. Then extra for your baggage in the hold. Then extra for your trolly in the cabin. All to create added value and increase profit, nothing else. Parking lots are thesame. Dont know if you know but i know, a single parking area for a car is more profitable than a hotelroom!

1 hour ago, Brian Ellis said:

What’s criminal is how few of these awesome cars sold vs the German ***** box’s that sell in their 000’s. It’s quite beyond me why someone would buy a C or E 63 over one of these or an Audi RS/S 4 or 6. 
 

The GSF is seriously under rated albeit some motoring journalists seem to appreciate how awesome they are,

Probably because the GSF is very understated and not understood at all. You have to know this car to recognize it. Just look at the RS6 and the E63. you cant get more agressive flashy in your face styling than that, Combine that with thunderous noise and you have the preferred motor for those that seek attention. The GSF is way too civilized for that. It is not a motor you can show off with as nobody recognises it. 

International Politics especially in the Middle East is an international pokergame where everybody cheats. You never know what is true and what not, what happens behind the curtain remains untold.

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

and I wish someone would open the ears and eyes of the Pro Palestinians .......... the poverty and sadness of all in Gaza ........... the apparent starvation and deprivation of all those couple of million souls in Gaza .... we see that every day on the news

CONTRASTED   with the immense wealth of the bosses of Hamas esconced in their protected Ivory Towers in Qatar ....  good 'ol Qatar eh !  must be a delightful country .  you can tell, they live like lords especially all that shopping at Harrods 

The overall boss of Hamas I'm reading is worth about £3 billion, yes billion and his cohorts several, lots of  £ billions more ...... wonder how they do that then  .  wouldn't be amiss to pop some of that loot into helping their impoverished starving millions in Gaza ....  maybe !

Wonder why the Pro Palestinians don't insist on that happening  .  build some new hospitals when all this crap has finished, feed their poor and now homeless .......... Qatari Govt could be doing some more useful practical REAL stuff to help-out I'd have thought  ........   no need to take the world's donations off any others .  just confiscate the wealth of those that have probably " stolen " it from their People 

Wot would I know . .... I'm not up to speed with all the Social Media FACTS of life with all this ................

God Bless 'em All eh whichever gods the poor souls believe in 

Malc

 

Spot on Malc, some 6 billion of aid poured into Palestine in the last 7 years. Guess where it ended up. Starts with an H, ends with amas

Social media or TikTok generation. Short focus and base your opinion on another opinion that in most cases is shallow and uninformed. No time/interest or capability to dive deeper into the facts look at history and form an opinion of yourself. Easier to follow the herd. Clearly visible in the Israel/Palestine conflict and the entire Woke movement. Same for Anti Slavery and XR Rebellion type movements.

Full circle to education here as they dont read books dont get trained to look at subjects from different perspectives dont get taught the difference between facts and opinion. Even worse as you sometimes hear "a fact is just an opinion". 

Lots of things have changed since i was a student but i sometimes just dont understand todays ways of doing things. I remember we had 16 hours of language per week. Maths was repetition repetition repetition never ending until right. We were forced to read study and discuss a pile of books. I know its all very old school for todays youth but i am sure it was better. 

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

and the    Hotel Rip Off    scenario with the above is that in France and Germany if the hotel staff get fired then they just poison the Guests Food and the firing is justified ( maybe )  ! 🤩

Malc

In France they will simply occupy the hotel refuse to leave for months and hostage the management. All other hotels in the region will go on a support strike as will the suppliers. Taxidrivers in town will lay down their job as well as all lorry drivers. In Germany they will send in the lawyers, activate the trade organisation and trade unions.

Who was Hitler??   Ask todays youth and it seems to me the vast majority have no clue too long ago like Napoleon. Maybe someone on TikTok?

This security for employees is not only in France but thesame in most European countries. Germany, Benelux, Spain, Scandinavia etc. Only thing setting France apart is they take management hostage!  If the company is successfull and profitable but changes course so no longer need you or your department fine, but they will have to to pay no questions asked. And yes this could be expensive but all will be calculated in the total reorganisation package. Whats the issue.

Oh the irony. Years ago i dumped my BMW after the third breakin and total clean out of the cabin. Steering wheel, aircon, satnav, controllers all gone. My logic then was to go for a brand that has low sales thus no market for spare parst e.g. Lexus. I bought an IS300H and drove if for 4 yrs without any attempt to break in or worse. Happy days.

Just now, GMB said:

Ruinart was and still is a good champagne house and was usually great value/quality for money.

Since Moet bought them out they have kept the character and style but almost doubled the price. Moet have not interfered with the product.

We visited the house and cellars a few years back - very impressive. You can still book a visit, I think, but now they want about £25 ( check current prices)  for the privilege -but you will get to taste the whole range -probably about £25+ worth of champagne.😊

Why has the price gone up? Simply because Moet want a perceived quality wine in their range and people think that depends on price. It is now not value for money anymore and best avoided. Blanc de blancs Pre Moet = £39 approx. Post Moet=£89. Same Wine. Work it out for yourself.🍾🤨

So what is your preferred alternative to Ruinart? Pol Roger?

20 hours ago, GMB said:

Moet & Chandon is an OK champagne, not a patch on the Aldi product - Don't ask why, just taste it. Take a trip to Epernay or Reims and go for a few tastings A good cheaper alternative to staying in Paris and very easy to get to from the Gare de L'Est. Some of the smaller "houses" produce excellent wines. Not giving any clues 'cos they might put the price up.

BTW Have you seen the stupid prices lately £ 40 for Moet. £50+ for Bolly.  About 10 yrs ago we got some Ruinart Blanc de Blancs in Reims for £15 per half bottle IN A Restaurant!.    Those days are long gone.

ruinart, now you have my attention!

3 hours ago, Linas.P said:

I kind of agree that parking charges at hotels are unacceptable, but I would not call them "rip-off". The way I see it, it is a choice - if you feel that parking charge is unfair then you don't book that hotel, they lose business and they will make parking free. As a guest I ALWAYS expect free parking, if hotel does not provide it then I simply choose another hotel. We vote with our valet. 

There is no way that hotel in Shrewsbury can cost more than £40/nigh.

Its all about supply and demand. If demand is high prices go up. You will find absolute crap old ****ty hotels in a prime location in Paris, Rome etc called boutique hotels and they are full for 300 euro/night. always. Same for parking. Why should a city centre hotel give a secure parking for free? its a big asset. i see no problem in paying 30 Euro for that? Like you say maybe not the place for you. 

This year it seems to be quite different as the power seems to have moved to employees. You just cant get them. Raise your finger and you have a new job kind of thing. It is an international phenomena as i hear thesame in literally every European country and it is definately limiting growth of companies and even influences strategies. Do we have to start producing outside of the UK and where?

Automotive thesame albeit for different reasons. Germany is a mess with VW closing EV factories and moving production out of Germany to China. Legislation has become so strict that producers ( also non automotive) are rethinking their future. Confusing times we live in.

Its not coming Malc. Better keep driving your old and reliable horses, petrol will be around longer than us..

That bonnet! Surely there must be a massively tuned V8 with compressor on top inside that car. Something you absolutely need to cross the undiscovered highlands of London?

5 hours ago, GMB said:

So what can we do? Typical 4star hotel/ restaurant in Sitges for example £ 88 per night at the moment. Good Rioja Reserva 25 Euros per bottle. Fillet steak 28 Euros . It pays dividends to take the flight and not pay UK Hotel and restaurant prices.  Skyscanner  - from £30 to Barcelona.

I have been visiting Sitges for the last 25 years on average 5 times a year, was there again last week.  Its where i spend my days. Fully agree with the prices but its not only about the cost of the meat or bottle of wine. How many staff you got in your restaurant? chefs, waiters, cleaners? You have to rent the place. So at what cost? Taxes how much? You will soon find out there is a big difference between Spain and the rest of the world. Comparing is not always easy/honest. Nandos to a Michelin star restaurant. Why are they so expensive?? Its cost. 2 cooks and machines in one place and 250 seats compared to 20 cooks and 30 seats in the other? Which hotel you normally use in Sitges?

Thats why they they say in the restaurant business, you loose money on the food and make money on the drinks.

Could be correct. Just looked at the Dutch Lexus site and the RC has gone and the LC is offered at limited avaiability from stock only.

13 minutes ago, LenT said:

 

 

Mind you, I’m also losing interest in F1 for similar reasons.  These days the place to see really competitive on-track racing is at a Touring Car event.  Better still, a Classic Car meet with the heady aroma of Castrol R! 

Historic GP is fantastic as well. The wide spread of machines from 12 to 4 cylinders from the fifties all the way up to the seventies. Big suicidal ( in my view) CanAm thundermachines. When they fly by you feel it in your bones and hope all goes well. The Danger. E grand Prix is a clinical non event that nobody asked for. Vegan burger anyone?  

Could be more to do with the combination of electric vehicles and racing. It just does not seem to work does it? The E series is mostly ignored by spectators and press alike. No noise, no smell, no emotion. Manufacturers have pulled out as there is just no return on their big investments ( as it is mostly ignored). So it surely seems to be the wrong approach for motor racing.

Hotelprices almost doubled compared to pre Covid, and guess what, theyre all full

1 hour ago, Theo86 said:

What was your favourite and why?

great list makes me jealous. My favorite is the Lancia or the 190 cosworth

long time ago after saying goodbye to motorcycles i owned some sporty vehicles manufactured in Italy.

First one an Alfa Romeo GT Junior 1600 Bertone coupe. Bloodred and breathtakingly beautiful. Rust killed the romance. Best gearbox i ever had. Then another Alfa, the GTV 2.0 gearbox in the back transaxle. More GT than sports. Tuned engine, lighter flywheel, drank like an alcoholic. Sold after the breaks stopped working in the middle of town. 3rd one much later Alfa 75 INDY. again 2.0 and transaxle basically same car different shape. Great to drive when it worked. Got stuck in 3rd gear in the middle of Paris traded it in for nr4 the wonderful Alfa 164 with the V6  Busso engine. I think only 204hp but fast it was. And dangerous with FWD and left or right wheelspin. Just could not get the traction on the road. Had it for a year and a half and had 3 new clutches. When i literally had the gearstick in my hand, pulled it right out of the mechanism, i had enough. No more Alfas for me. I then entered decades of sensible companycars so here you go!

For me its about value for money. If i find an extensive buffet with fresh of everything plus a chef preparing every egg fantasy that exists and they charge 25 euro fine no problem even if i only take one sandwich and a coffee.

same amount for old croissants and some chocolate bread ( you guessed it French breakfast) is getting away with legalized theft.

same with cars really?