PeteH

True. My grandson, (they live in Texas) elected to have the "Stick Shift" (a subaru). As much on the premise non of his mates would want/be able to drive it.😁 Pete

That take me back, Used to be fascinated watching the old pipe fitters do that with up to 3" pipe even, for the Engine rooms of older steam trawlers, when I was a Young apprentice. "Playing" in a Big sand pit with Oxy Acetelene or Oxy propane, or from the forge, and a huge steel platform with holes and steel "pegs". Craftsmen at their Best. Pete

Google comes up with the following:- GL-5 gear oil is not recommended for older cars because it has more extreme-pressure (EP) additives than GL-4 gear oil, and the additives can react with copper and bronze: EP additives GL-5 gear oil has about twice the amount of EP additives as GL-4 gear oil. These additives help the oil function under extreme pressure. Copper and bronze The sulphur and phosphorus additives in GL-5 gear oil can react aggressively with copper and bronze. API specifications API GL-4 and GL-5 are specifications set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that determine the performance characteristics of gear oil. The API specifications for gear oils are not backwards compatible with each other. For older vehicles, you can use a mineral oil based lubricant that is formulated without EP additives. Some companies, like Millers Oils, have developed products specifically for older vehicles. I topped up the Axle in Plum, back last year, with GL4 that I had on the shelf for a while. Availabilty of GL4 does not appear to be an issue, But the prices vary from around 21 quid for 5 litre, to the stars I think. Double what was on the container I used last year!!😭 Pete

Don`t know if this is of any help? But I noticed that many older double glazing panels often had a few grains of Silica Gel sealed into them. Pete

Seems to be "piece of string" length. But most battery warranty`s are at least 3 years now. Pete

"Finger error", happens a lot these days😭 Battery on "Stop/Start" equiped cars, they have a tendency to fail early it happened on the last Quashqai. Our neighbour had to replace hers recently, and several other people have said the Batteries don`t even last the full "warranty" period. I have found a good OBDI reader is worth it`s cost. The one I have (i-carsoft) was paid for by avoiding just two trips to the Local Mercedes Dealer to reset Seat switch "errors" at £80+VAT a time. It will deal with up to 10 vehicles if necessary. Pete

Had a look on the UK tesco site, they are only showing the Simonitz version currently?. Is that the one?. Pete

Washing up liquids? 99.9% have salt in them, and is probably the worst possible stuff to use on Vehicle Paint. Pete, I too have heard stories about the effect of "snow foams" on OLD paintwork. Not been tempted to use anything other than a decent car wash on the "old" cars, so far, But I seem to be able to throw just about anything remotely "soapy" at modern paints? To be honest, as far as moderns go they mostly get washed at the "Hand Wash" run by a group of Asian Guys next to the Supermarket, they do a cracking job inside 15min for just a tenner. Maureen`s Quashqai got a full "free" valet at the last service. 👍 Cannot think of anything worse than cleaning a car in weather like we have here today, Never got above 5C all day and it`s already down to 3C and falling. I have screen covers on already because we need an early start in the morning. Pete

I often see that when away in the Motorhome, and try to log on via site Wi-Fi. I have dedicated Mobile connection anyway with a Vitrually unlimited data Dual Sim Router, we stream T-V through, as well as up to 10 other devices. The vast majority of such W-iFi conections are "unsecure" anyway, so good anti-virus is esential. I`m still using Webroot which, so far,🤞 has been 100% at flagging up dodgy sites and hacking attempts. Recomended by youngest son, part of who`s job it is to keep sections of national security secure. Pete

And yet Doug, I have always wetted down the car with a hose before I get stuck in with the sud`s? I would have thought that rubbing with a sponge on grit would produce more not less tendency to produce scratching? I do know that waterless cleaners are looked down on within car valeting circles for that very reason. Some thing I asked about a few years back when I was tempted, for use on my Motorhome in Spain where vehicle washing/use of hoses was banned. In the end, we got a right downpour one day, so I went out in my wet gear with brush and suds and let "god" do the rinsing off.👍😁 Pete

Guy, not far from us, used to recycle his old flower pots into "Bill and Ben" charcters. Allegedly a "nice little earner", he always had two or three by his front gate for sale!. I recycled nearly a bin full a few years back, they had been lurking behind a shed since we moved in in 2010!. Pete

Lots of years since I had much to do with structural fabrication, but as I recall, in adding stifeners you must ensure the stiffener tapers off? For instance in Naval Architecture, virtually all stiffeners are fully radiused not just "square". This reduces the stress concentration at the change of angle or section. Part of the reason why openings in industrial/Marine, Steam Boiler`s are 1) Oval, and 2) have reinforcement adjacent. Thereby reducing stress concentration. The mathematics involved are very complex, If your doing it manually one calculation can cover several pages. All done by computer program`s now as I understand? An interesting aside, It is also the reason why most Aircraft Windows are either Oval or seriously radisued in the corners, It was found to be the combination of a high stress concentration, and poor finishing that led to the 1950`s "Comet" disasters. Pete

60+ years of using Vaseline on battery teminals, always worked for me, I usually scrub them with wire wool or similar, the old "pan scrubbers" are good, followed by a wash with brake cleaner, before applying it to the posts. A light spray of lithium grease over the top helps to prevent formation of "crud". I find that a Failing battery cell, often manifests showing a full charge imediately after charging and then rapidly drops voltage as the "dead" cell drags the other cells down. Currently researching Li-Po batteries for the Habitation side of the Motorhome, they are still bloody expensive though, but sustantially lighter in weight, (2x100ah = 1x 110 LA) and need a whole different charging regeim, but tolerate being discharged further. Second Solar panel is in my sights too. Pete

I bought a really Cheap one, under £30, from E-Bay a while back as we needed to clean a Green house on an Allotment. It does work, no where near the power of my "mains" one, but certainly as well if not better than a hosepipe, adequate for cleaning in remote situations, came with 2x recharagable Li-Ion batteries and a selection of fittings. If, like us, you use it from a bucket is empties quite rapidly. I have`nt used it yet on a car, but it can allegedy use the "power foam" washes. Something I must try sometime?. This One :- Pete

A recent "scourge" is the rise of the electric scooter capable of exceeding 15Kmh, often "ridden" by juveniles with absolutly NO conception of the conseqences of riding them with or without lighting and Tax,Insurance,and MOT without a helmet either. One locally has already been confiscated by police, and the under age rider is pending appearance in court. It allegedly hit a pedestrian who finished up in A&E. fortunately caught on CCTV. Pete