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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 1:27:06 GMT
All very well, but the trouble is, like their beer, their electricity is only half strength.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 10:32:59 GMT
Speaking of washing machines and winter driving, my wushy mashy died on Sunday morning. Its bearings have been grumbling for a while, but when it tried to escape from its integrated cubby and dispensed a load of rusty water on to my whites wash, it was time to call it a day. So off I went to Currys in the snow to get the cheapest integrated machine they had in stock. An 8kg capacity (look away, big brand fans) LOGIK machine for £270 since you asked. Yes, the door doesn't quite fit properly and I've got some extra farting about to do to get it perfect, but hey ho. If it lasts 5 years that'll do me, I could have spent way more than double for one which lasts 10 years. But there you go.
On leaving the house with the car unloaded I realised it was the first time I'd driven our Merc in snow. It has summer (Continental) tyres. It slid all over the bleeding place, even with "C" gearbox mode on and a very, very light right foot. I am actually going to consider getting some winter tyres for it. The drive back with 63 extra kgs over the back wheels was a bit better.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Dec 11, 2017 11:20:56 GMT
'Sfunny: I was dreading the CLS (also on regular - very wide - Continentals) in snowy Durham but it behaved surprisingly well; no unwanted lateral deviations, and stopping performance that was OK if I told myself to look at a point 10m short of the stop line and plan my braking for that.
Thinking about it, the key phrase in Vić's post may be '63 extra kg'. I was carrying three adult-sized passengers, plus luggage, plus emergency footwear, clothing and food, which must have added up to more like 400kg, so there was plenty of weight on all the wheels.
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Post by Humph on Dec 11, 2017 13:51:39 GMT
It must be how you’re ‘driving’ Al. I’ve been up to Skipton this morning ( -8C ) and now I’m in Buxton in the High Peak. Been on some “interesting” surfaces but apart from an occasional flicker from the TC light, no probs so far.
Bleedin’ southerners...
😎
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 14:00:08 GMT
Speaking of washing machines and winter driving, my wushy mashy died on Sunday morning.... On leaving the house with the car unloaded I realised it was the first time I'd driven our Merc in snow. It has summer (Continental) tyres. It slid all over the bleeding place, even with "C" gearbox mode on and a very, very light right foot. I am actually going to consider getting some winter tyres for it. The drive back with 63 extra kgs over the back wheels was a bit better. Bit of a dilemma there Al, do you put the old machine in the boot as ballast until springtime then dump it at the tip or recycle/repair it for spares for the Leaf ?  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 14:11:54 GMT
Now there's an idea. I could use the old machine door to make a sun roof.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Dec 11, 2017 14:12:51 GMT
The heavy bit of a washing machine is mostly the concrete blocks. A Leaf is made of steel and batteries, so it really doesn't need any more ballast - which ought to mean there's a best-of-both-worlds solution. 👐
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 14:24:23 GMT
I was thinking of reusing the motor to give it a boost, never thought of the door as a sunroof. Clever thinking..
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 15:21:49 GMT
It must be how you’re ‘driving’ Al. I’ve been up to Skipton this morning ( -8C ) and now I’m in Buxton in the High Peak. Been on some “interesting” surfaces but apart from an occasional flicker from the TC light, no probs so far. Bleedin’ southerners... 😎 Sure. I've never driven a heavy, powerful, rear wheel drive car with summer tyres in snow before, so I expect I've got something to learn there. It doesn't really snow much around here though. I know it needs a light throttle input, and smoothness is the thing, but I still had the rear wheels scrabbling for grip. Any other tips for a soft southern softie?
I'd have taken the C1 I'm babysitting at the moment as my snow car of choice out of the three at my house currently, but I didn't fancy getting a washing machine in and out of it. Likewise the Leaf, which was quite happy in the snow on its Michelin eco tyres.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Dec 11, 2017 15:27:08 GMT
I'd have taken the C1 I'm babysitting at the moment as my snow car of choice out of the three at my house currently, but I didn't fancy getting a washing machine in and out of it. Do they have delivery vans in Reading? Or have they all been stolen? 😈 |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 15:39:12 GMT
Even if there are, they're not usually of much use when you want a thing on the same day unless Amazon have the thing you want on a same day delivery. And to be honest I didn't even bother checking that for the thing I wanted. I haven't got time to be skiving off work to wait for such an item to be delivered - it won't readily go through the letter box. Next weekend I'll be busy going out to a gig in London with my mates and putting up the tree/decorations etc with the family, so I wanted it done and dusted and ready for use by the time next weekend came.
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Post by Humph on Dec 11, 2017 18:10:59 GMT
It must be how you’re ‘driving’ Al. I’ve been up to Skipton this morning ( -8C ) and now I’m in Buxton in the High Peak. Been on some “interesting” surfaces but apart from an occasional flicker from the TC light, no probs so far. Bleedin’ southerners... 😎 Sure. I've never driven a heavy, powerful, rear wheel drive car with summer tyres in snow before, so I expect I've got something to learn there. It doesn't really snow much around here though. I know it needs a light throttle input, and smoothness is the thing, but I still had the rear wheels scrabbling for grip. Any other tips for a soft southern softie?
I'd have taken the C1 I'm babysitting at the moment as my snow car of choice out of the three at my house currently, but I didn't fancy getting a washing machine in and out of it. Likewise the Leaf, which was quite happy in the snow on its Michelin eco tyres.
If the wheels break traction, lift off, if the steering starts to wash out, lift off, treat all the controls as if they were your lover, never brake and steer at the same time, never accelerate and steer at the same time, find the sweet spot on a balanced throttle through bends, start off in 2nd if you can lock it in gear. Leave at least double the stopping distance you normally would and start your braking early and gently. Above all, be smoooooooooth. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 18:22:39 GMT
>>treat all the controls as if they were your lover,
I tried. But it got stuck and it was difficult to get out again.
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Post by tyrednexited on Dec 11, 2017 19:42:29 GMT
..... treat all the controls as if they were your lover..... ...somebody did that with Esp's lad's Punto, and look where that got them...... Had a very pleasant day walking in the Peak District today. The roads were fairly reasonable, but there was more than a fair share of "idiot" driving, including one very close shave for a youth in a C1. No real problems at all, though I picked a companion up on a very steep road in Sheffield, cleared of snow, but well-iced. (The 'bin lorry gave up whilst we watched). Left to return home literally just as the sun dropped behind the hills, and after a day of full sun, the temperature was already -4C. |
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Post by Humph on Dec 11, 2017 20:05:17 GMT
Came home over the Cat and Fiddle this afternoon, well, the Buxton end of it anyway until it spurs off for Congleton. Stunning views.
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