Davie's french attraction.

[CitroJim]

Delighted to see BigPug is now happy and healthy again Davie

[daviemck2006]

Big pug is reserved for long distance runs, at which she is unbeatable. The damaged repaired seat leon I bought last week today passed the MOT with no advisories. Quite why it ia a catageory s, which means structural I, or Graham my mot man doesnt know. It has a replacement front bumper, a replacement drivers wing and headlamp and thats it. No signs of damage or repairs to chassis legs, suspension or steering, there are some stone chips on the bonnet edge which suggests it was not painted, so it has been minor damage and should be nothing to worry about. I am happy with it.

[CitroJim]

Davie, that's excellent You are now sorted with two decent, reliable cars so now you can oncentrate on getting Gabby sorted

A great position to be in!

[van ordinaire]

Yup, I'd go along with that - you deserve a change of fortunes.

As for the Cat S Leon, probably just cost - the only determining factor for any insurance company decision (THAT is why some fool accepting that they should have the right/power to make such a determination is so, so wrong)

[daviemck2006]

It was probably similar damage to the one I hit a deer with, just the opposite front corner. It was given a cat S too

[daviemck2006]

Davie, that's excellent You are now sorted with two decent, reliable cars so now you can oncentrate on getting Gabby sorted

A great position to be in!

And a reliable van.one of the three will have to go in the spring when I have a go at sorting out gabbys fuel system and finishing her paint. I could make a fair profit on the red leon but I think its the most practical for a keeper daily. So the caddy or big pug? Thats actually a difficult one. They would be worth about the same, but the caddy would sell no problem, the 407 could struggle due to its over 500 a year road tax. The van is useful, have done a few little jobs with it for acquaintances which couldnt be done in a car, the 407 is a great toy. Two totally different motors yet I like both for different reasons. Its a quandry

[van ordinaire]

Steve Miller has the answer "Take the money & run"!

[daviemck2006]

I have spent a part of today aimlessly driving about in the dsg leon. I had not driven it before it went for mot yesterday. I will admit to being a bit worried about a semi auto gearbox after the disastrous c2 sensodrive I had in the past, and I have driven a c4 semi auto which was horrible too. However the dsg box is chalk and cheese compared to citroens efforts. It is super smooth pulling away from rest and gearchanges are indistinguishable. It has 7 gears, and the only way you know which gear it is in is with the small dash display. There was no hesitation while changing gear as the citroens had, and despite trying I couldnt get it lost between gears as the citroens did at junctions. Just totally smooth effortless travel. And a lot smoother ride than its sister vw golf has. I think it will be a good one. It is as comfy and quicker off the mark than the remapped 2.7 bigpug is! And caddyvan has not moved since I got bigpug back and may well be not moved unless it snows then I have control of the gears lol

[Zelandeth]

How you finding the behaviour at parking speeds, Davie?

That's where I really kept finding myself at loggerheads with the DSGs I've driven. Admittedly I tend to be slow and cautious when parking, but I always found with them that it was a case of nothing, nothing, nothing then with 0.00001% more throttle finding myself hurtling towards that brick wall at great speed. Especially on our driveway which is on a slight slope.

Also remember, even though they will do it without complaint...don't let it creep like a normal auto as you're effectively always slipping the clutch in that situation...I know you know your stuff so I don't need to say that!

[daviemck2006]

Parking is the most akward bit of it Zel. My drive is a slight slope too and I dont want to slam it i to the front of bigpug which it needs to be within about 6 inches of. There is a need to have very fine control with the throttle going over the 1 inch step between the drive and the pavement as its basically get up it then stop! Ive not really tried parking in tight spaces on the road yet, but letting it creep at idle cant be any worse on it than slipping the clutch on the manual whilst parking in a tight space.

[daviemck2006]

I realise now how much I have missed bigpugs effortless nature out of town. Its running faultlessly. Nitpicking just a little the only fault I can find in its behaviour is a slight sluggishness pulling away from rest. It has just had the transmission oil changed too. Thats comparing it to the leon, but its responses are instant. Around town its the far better car, just because ot this. Its transmission is unbelievably smooth. So if im doing local stuff its the leon, distance its bigpug. Caddy an has hardly moved the last two weeks. I want to convert it into a mini camper which will have minimal use anyway, and its euro5 so only£12.25 a month for road tax and the way my insurance is I can discount it. I would need to sell something, but I cant sell any of them yet! I dont have big standing costs for any of the vehicles, yes I know pigpug is in the highest tax band, but I have just got a decision on my pip claim and I can class one vehicle as disabled tax so thats bigpug then. No sence in putting any of the cheaper ones on the disabled tax! The i tention is to finish Gabby off in the spring, get her moted then I may let her go. I am now looking for a small car for daughter number 2 just for having something to take her girls to nursery, do shopping, just a 2nd car for her when her man is back to work and away with their golf. I am bidding on a 11plate 5 door toyota aygo, accident damaged from the same source as I got my Leon. It is a cat N, which is non structural, and the only damage is a bashed rear door. It is at 83k I think and has a full Toyota history. I think take the doorcard off, a size 11 on the door and push while someone is blowing a heat gun at it and the bask will become nearlt invisible. It should make a great town runaround for her.

[bxzx16v]

You can't beat a nice auto Davie for a relaxing drive .

Mark

[CitroJim]

Sounds like good news on your PIP Davie

Hope I'm reading that right...

[daviemck2006]

Sounds like good news on your PIP Davie

Hope I'm reading that right...

You are. Its a worry taken away, that has taken 7 months to sort out. And thats without any fighting over it. Its now fixed for 3 years so it will be a while before the worry starts again.

[CitroJim]

Davie, excellent