Bluemarlin

If it's as thin to apply as ACF 50, it's not much of a chore to do annually David. My annual underbody spray of ACF 50 only takes about 15-20 minutes. I use a garden sprayer with a lance, which let's me reach everywhere I need without having to jack the car up. One of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08N58758Y/?coliid=I3IPVH0UFFFCFJ&colid=203AFAPEB1ZSC&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1 Actually not a bad price at the moment, on offer at £10.99 from £17.99.

I haven't come across that Malcolm, although many years ago a doctor once used dry ice on me to remove a verruca 🙂

The reason we don't know that is because it's not true. This is another conspiracy theory that took hold after someone falsely posted that BA were holding talks about banning vaccinated pilots. Of course this then spread amongst the bacofoli community, and was expanded to vaccinated passengers being banned due to potential blood clots. The Instagram post falsely claiming this was titled "Flying and Clots", and I think the clots it was referring to were those who fell for it. Trust the anonymous Instagram poster 🙂 As with most of these claims, the opposite is true and, if anything, airlines are actually encouraging people to get vaccinated. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/06/30/fact-check-posts-falsely-claim-vaccinated-people-cant-fly/5363419001/ https://www.factcheck.org/2021/06/scicheck-airlines-are-encouraging-not-banning-vaccinated-passengers/ It's staggering that you berate people for trusting scientists, whilst happily trusting some random social media poster, without even taking 5 minutes to do a quick google search to see if it's bs or not.

In for a penny, in for a pound. So that would rule out option 1 for me. Of the others my preference would be for 2, but only because I favour Dinitrol over Waxoyl. Alternatively, if you feel inclined, you could do it yourelf quite cheaply after cleaning up the affected areas. My approach has been: Remove wheels and arch liners and give the area a good clean, then spray inside arches and fuel/brake pipes etc with Dynax UB. Spray underside with UB, and any cavities with Dynax S50. The Dynax spray cans come with a lance for getting into cavities, and so make the job quite quick and easy. Once it's dried I then give everything a liberal spray of ACF 50 for good measure, and to get into any nooks and crannies. Finally I rub some ACF 50 Corriosion Block grease around the inner metal lip of the arches. The Dynax in the cavities and arches should be good for 2 or 3 years, but I do the underside annually, as it only takes about an hour. Even if you get it done professionally, I'd still probably give the underside a spray every year. I usually do that Sept/Oct after MOT and service, so the garage doesn't face an oily mess, and in time for winter road salting. Around April I then give the underside a good rinse with a cheap lawn sprayer on the end of a hose, to wash off any salt and winter crud.

It could be something as simple as a loose petrol cap, but otherwise you'd need a code reader to check the fault codes. Here's a couple of articles that might give you some ideas. https://studentlesson.com/understanding-vsc-light/ https://www.motorverso.com/vsc-light/

The "expert" is a university professor, and went on say : "I am not too convinced it will be global like the 2008 one, though some countries such as the US, Spain, Germany, some in Asia, seem to have dealt with inflation quite well and they are now on quite a strong recovery journey." So not really a global financial crash. Another "expert" added: "While the probabilities of an economic recession are now higher, the depth of a likely recession is expected to be modest." So it seems like it's cherry picking season again, as the claims aren't as extreme as presented, and are about calls for the BofE not to raise interest rates from the current 4.25%, and nothing to do with digital currencies. And before you say it, yeah, yeah, I know, "join the dots, sheeple" 😉

You're not thinking ahead and seeing the positives Eric, as there's a logic to 15 minutes cities and cycle lanes. When the governement send an emergency text alert to your mobile, warning of imminent disaster, it will only take you a quarter of an hour to get back to the safety of your bunker 🙂

Yes, nothing original in it. It seemed to be a rip off/rehash of Zeitgeist, which is years old. Now, whilst there's doubtless some truth to it, I suspect that's not his goal. Interestingly, he starts his video by saying that the only way to shield yourself from all this global financial shenanigans is to get rich, have multiple bank accounts, and have lots of properties in different countries, ideally caribbean islands. No doubt by the end of his video series, after he's scared people enough, he'll offer to sell you a course on how to get that rich. It's quite possibly true that things aren't always what they seem, and so of course it makes sense to ask questions. However, these internet conmen aren't the trusted sources you seem to think they are, and don't have the answers. Instead they're just smart enough to know that it's possible to make money as an online guru, using any permutation of fear, greed & s*x. I mean, ask yourself this. If people like this, and Alex Jones, are all just good hearted truth seekers, with the forces of evil stacked against them, then how come they're multi millionaires?

Sounds like you inherited a car with a few problems, possibly due to a previous electrical installation, and a dealer keen to just take your money. For the record, the hybrid battery rarely (if ever) shows fully charged on the info screen. That's not a fault, it's just how it is. During driving the battery gets charged, but also used, and the computer keeps it within the correct parameters. If the car drives ok and isn't throwing up any hybrid system faults, then I'd guess the system was working ok.

As I understand it, you know where the water's exiting the lid and into the boot, but not where it's entering. In the absence of a smoke machine, I'd start by running a hose over small areas of the boot, to see which area results in the leak. That would be my starting point anyway. If you haven't already, I'd also take the carpet up and remove any access panels, to make sure water hasn't collected anywhere.

These internet scam artists certainly know their market. Iman Gadzhi is a well known social media personality who makes his money by promoting a wealthy lifestyle in order to sell online get rich quick schemes and courses. A kind of Andrew Tate lite, without the s*x trafficking. He, and Tate, know full well that the kind of people that buy into these things are also prone to conspiracy theories, and both have done well out of talking about nefarious forces, desperate to shut them down for telling the truth. Funnily enough, Gadzhi did have some videos removed, which he claimed proved that dark forces were out to get him. Unfortunately for him though, it was later proven that he did it himself, as a stunt to try and prove his conspiracy theories, which he eventually admitted to. So, as I keep saying, you reallly need to check your sources before posting, as he's not the kind of guy I'd be trusting for my information. Although I think he'll selll you some crypto currency if you like.

Oh dear, where to start. I guess I'll lead with the fact that yes, I do usually fly out of Heathrow and, on a good day, can get there in 15 minutes 🙂 That said, regarding your question about whether it's a conspiracy theory, well it would seem so. What you present as breaking news is a report published 4 years ago, in 2019, by a bunch of academics, saying that airports should close from 2020-2029. Well, it's 2023 now and they didn't close. So yeah, unless by between 2020-2029, they really meant between 8.20pm and 8.29pm, and airports are secretly closing at these times, it's more scaremongering. As for the 10mph limit in Richmond Park, that has nothing to do with either driving, or greenhouse gasses, and is aimed specifically at cyclists. I cycle in Richmond Park, and the restriction is planned for only one tiny strip of road, which features a very steep hill. The overall speed limit in the park is 20mph, but many groups of cyclists use it as a racetrack, often exceeding the limit and overtaking cars. On that particular stretch it's possible for cyclists to reach speeds of 30-40mph+. For a long time reckless cyclists have posed a hazard to walkers, traffic, deer and themselves, and the Royal Parks have long been trying to find ways to mitigate this. So, once again it seems like a couple of stories have been taken out of context, to paint a false narrative, that's easily debunked in the never ending game of conspiracy theory whack-a-mole 🙂

I wouldn't be rushing to replace components on a "could be". As said above, get it properly diagnosed first.

To be fair Linas, isn't that V class interior pic of the custom, armour plated model, at around half a million? 🙂 You might be right though, so I'll heed your warnings and hold off on my order for now 🙂

I'm not sure why people would view it like an S class. The trend for executive/luxury transport seems to be moving away from saloons towards SUVs and minivans, and I believe the LM has 4 and 7 seat options, which you don't get with a saloon. From a passenger comfort point of view it's much nicer stepping into a vehicle than bending down. There's also plenty of Chinese money, and Middle Eastern, in the UK, who could afford it, and so with business and maybe embassy sales, it may be enough. Let's face it, it's not something you'd expect huge sales of, in any market. I agree with you that the average UK consumer might see it just as van, compared to an S class being a luxury saloon, but I'm not sure its intended passengers will see it that way.

To some extent yes, as in recent years luxury minivans seem to be becoming more popular than stretch limos. Obviously no good for groups of people, but then stretch limos aren't very practical for just one or two. Not everyone's thing, but I can see it appealing to some. Either way, I can see why Lexus would want a vehicle in that market sector.

I've been fortunate as the two dealers, Battersea (now closed) and Guildford have been pretty good. The service has been polite and courteous, and they've carried out the required services, with an information video, coffee, biscuits and courtesy car when needed. Can't ask for much more really. To be honest, I'm more appreciative of the fact that I only have to go once a year for annual service and MOT, with no additional expense, than the more regular visits I made to the garage with my previous Jag. Frankly I'd settle for average service and a car that needs little attention, than being on familiar terms with a dealer because I'm visiting them frequently.

I quite like it too, especially the interior, which I guess is what counts with that type of vehicle. Obviously it's not a mass market vehicle, but in London and other cities you see plenty of Mercedes luxury minivans taxiing people around, and so I imagine it's to compete with that. I can see it being used as VIP transport. Not a family vehicle to take the kids to school or football practice in, but I can understand why Lexus would want to have something in the executive travel space, as minivans seem to be getting more popular than limousines. I can picture it as the kind of thing you'd see politicians and other dignitaries arriving in, in films and tv shows.

I think this must something specific to the roadside assistance (possibly complaints due to the recent price hike), rather than an issue with direct debits in general, as I pay my extended warranty by direct debit and nothing has been mentioned.

Obviously it will vary from car to car, but technically mine will run on E10. I've tried various fuels and, on average I get around 25mpg or less on E10, worst for me being Sainsburys. However, if I use Shell E5, or Esso Premium (zero ethanol), I average around 31 mpg. As a result, I now don't bother with E10 as, with the extra mpg, I figure that the costs more or less balance out, at least enough so that it doesn't really matter.

Shhhh 😉

From the Bank of England website: "The digital pound would be denominated in sterling and its value would be stable, just like banknotes. £10 in digital pounds would always have the same value as a £10 banknote. If we introduced it, it would not replace cash. We know being able to use cash is important for many people. That’s why we will continue to issue it for as long as people want to keep using it." So no, they're not taking our cash away, despite fewer and fewer people using it. Imagine though if they did nothing, as more and more transactions took place digitally, and private organisations launched digital/crypto currencies. Over time the demand for pounds would decrease, devaluing it, and thus decreasing the income from our exports, and increasing the cost of our imports. Your cash would start to become worth less and less, as would your labour. There's no way of knowing what will happen, but it makes sense to explore the possibilities and various contingencies. What if they did nothing though, would you be happy? No. If independent currencies grew in popularity, and we lost control of our economy to foreign corporations and finacial institutions, you'd say that the government and the BofE were paid off, to sell the country and its population to the highest bidder. The same is true of covid. Had we not pursued policies of lockdown, masks and vaccines, then the government would have been accused of knowing but ignoring the dangers, in order to cull the population. Whether it's currency, covid, climate change or transport, no matter what the government do, or don't do, there'll someone typing away in their basement, saying it was all a carefully organised plot to either kill, rob or control the people. We live in a multifaceted world of wildly differing political opinions where, even at a relatively local level, we can't agree on basic things, like whether we have a border with Northern Ireland or not. Jeez, you'll struggle today to find a politician who can tell you what a woman is, and whether they have a ***** or not. And yet you think they're not only willing, but capable of highly complex and co-ordinated schemes, simply to do away with V8s and paper money. Covid, currency and climate change are not simple things to manage, but they're real, and their evolution has real consequences. In the absence of omniscience, it's likely that governments will make mistakes addressing them. Some people will have intelligent reasons for objecting, some will follow the chosen path, and all will blame and complain when the inevitable mistakes are made. Without doubt though, there'll be others telling us that whatever happens was all planned by George Soros, Bill Gates, and Fauci.

Persist with it Barney, mine has the extension that clips to the rear seats and still doesn't rattle, so I'm not sure it's that. First step would be to remove the cover to see if the rattle's still there, so you can narrow it down to that.

Sorry to hear of your troubles, but I'm struggling to grasp what the current problem is. You say that the car's running fine now, so what's the issue?

You're still missing the point Eric. People aren't saying that these things happening are the conspiracy theories, and instead it's the claims made about the evil motivations behind them that veers into bacofoil land. You're like a weather forecaster who says it will rain tomorrow, because the government planted chemicals in the atmosphere, and then claiming you were uncannily right all along when it rains. Seriously though, I don't know what I make of digital currencies. In principle it sounds ok, and of course, like anything, it can be used for nefarious purposes. Our present currency isn't based on anything tangible anymore though, and is really just a voucher with a nomimal value, open to manipulation, so I'm not sure how much diffference it will make. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Personally I'd like a 10 minute commute, but some evil schemes are impractical, and you just have to compromise 😉 Happy Easter, by the way 🙂