Car Talk

[Mouldy]

Having spent many years driving trucks for a living, with up to sixteen forward gears and in the early days with crash boxes, I’m more than happy now to select Drive and let the gearbox sort it out for me.  The DSG box in our ŠKODAs is excellent and can be operated with the flappy paddles if required.

When I get too old for my motorcycle, I may get an old convertible, in which case I’d opt for a manual though.

[CambridgeCabby]

46 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

 

When I get too old for my motorcycle, I may get an old convertible, in which case I’d opt for a manual though.

When ????

[FairTmiddlin]

Just driven 195 miles this AM. Apart from starting off, I changed gear 3 times, not exactly a hardship was it?

[floydraser]

6 hours ago, FairTmiddlin said:

Just driven 195 miles this AM. Apart from starting off, I changed gear 3 times, not exactly a hardship was it?

But it's not Bank Holiday Friday. 

 

[Mouldy]

7 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

When ????

Not sure how I take that! 😉 

7 hours ago, FairTmiddlin said:

Just driven 195 miles this AM. Apart from starting off, I changed gear 3 times, not exactly a hardship was it?

Eh?  In the UK.  I’ve done that in France, but I don’t believe it’s possible over here.

[bucket]

7 hours ago, FairTmiddlin said:

Just driven 195 miles this AM. Apart from starting off, I changed gear 3 times, not exactly a hardship was it?

My mum used to drive like that........

[CambridgeCabby]

Presume you used drive , reverse and neutral ?

[BroadAmbition]

Over here in Germany having a ball. Derestricted sections of the autobahn MrsG ordering me to stick to the limit  160kph + and cruising 

Griff

[twowrights]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

Over here in Germany having a ball. Derestricted sections of the autobahn MrsG ordering me to stick to the limit  160kph + and cruising 

Griff

Shove it in top gear. 

[BroadAmbition]

We are here at last 8:5 x Hrs to do a 4:5 Hr journey. From Rotterdam - Gross Zimmerm. Roadworks, tailbacks, volume of traffic, wrong turns etc etc

Tomorrow we face a four Hr drive to Lake Constance for a week then back here for second week  need  more Diesel & some Adblue

Griff

 

[ZimbiIV]

We recently went down to just 1 car, not much of a problem.

Jill does not drive very much except shopping and always asks if I need our car.

Today she came back and said MY car needs filling up!

paul

[MargeandParge]

3 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Over here in Germany having a ball. Derestricted sections of the autobahn MrsG ordering me to stick to the limit  160kph + and cruising 

Griff

They are going through Horning at that pace now the sun is out.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[Turnoar]

41 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

… Tomorrow we face a four Hr drive to Lake Constance for a week then…

 

I went there about thirty years ago, on the German shore, there was a floating barge with a bar which I consumed a few 0.4l of draft Guinness aboard.

Lovely part of Germany, enjoy!

[oldgregg]

14 hours ago, Turnoar said:

I went there about thirty years ago, on the German shore, there was a floating barge with a bar which I consumed a few 0.4l of draft Guinness aboard.

Lovely part of Germany, enjoy!

@BroadAmbition Will also find a solar-powered boat on Lake Constance which looks VERY familiar.... I did a double take when I saw it.

[BroadAmbition]

On our way, 245 miles  30c

Griff

 

[ExSurveyor]

I spent a few days there before covid. A beautiful area. We stayed at Friedrichshafen. A visit to the Zeppelin museum is a good call.

 

 

[Bikertov]

21 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Over here in Germany having a ball. Derestricted sections of the autobahn MrsG ordering me to stick to the limit  160kph + and cruising 

Griff

I managed an indicated 165 MPH on my GSXR1100 (with luggage) on the Autobahn, back in '92 when I was touring Europe on 2 wheels

Very exhilarating indeed !

[Bikertov]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

On our way, 245 miles  30c

Griff

 

Travelling light then ...

[oldgregg]

5 hours ago, Bikertov said:

I managed an indicated 165 MPH on my GSXR1100 (with luggage) on the Autobahn, back in '92 when I was touring Europe on 2 wheels

Very exhilarating indeed !

I managed 190.... Trouble is it was kilometres an hour and I was driving a rented diesel Astra estate 🤣🤣

[Mouldy]

6 hours ago, Bikertov said:

Travelling light then ...

Should have taken the bloody van.  Might have been able to fit it all in! 😉

[Turnoar]

1 hour ago, oldgregg said:

I managed 190.... Trouble is it was kilometres an hour and I was driving a rented diesel Astra estate 🤣🤣

Only trouble would have been if the cam belt had snapped!

[grendel]

9 hours ago, Bikertov said:

Travelling light then ...

griff is- his is the brown bag

 

[BroadAmbition]

Arrived safe, a four Hr journey that took 7 x Hrs. Roadworks & volume of traffic. The cottage is spot on

Griff

 

[oldgregg]

On 19/07/2024 at 20:03, Turnoar said:

Only trouble would have been if the cam belt had snapped!

I'm not sure it would have made a noticeable difference to the performance 

Seriously though, I remember it actually having surprisingly sharp handling on the mountain passes but extracting any performance out of it was painful. I'm not great with rented diesels (unless they're six-cylinder BMW ones with an auto box) as I've never owned one but I think the acceleration needed measuring with a calendar.

[CeePee1952]

On 19/07/2024 at 17:51, oldgregg said:

I managed 190.... Trouble is it was kilometres an hour and I was driving a rented diesel Astra estate 🤣🤣

Back in the mid 80's I was posted from Bovington to Detmold (Germany). We travelled from Weymouth (private hiring) all the way to Detmold in a Wolseley Hornet loaded to the gunwales. Once we had disembarked in Vlissingen (Holland) I think we averaged 50 mph on the autobahns! The old girl made it though and we didn't break down once! She lasted through until the first winter when the snow/ice and grit salt finally got the better of her!

Chris