Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[CitroJim]

Zel, this perpetual exhaustion... I think you and I need to talk...

[myglaren]

It's a trade off though. Driving meant that I got to travel in the Activa rather than the hateful Audi. Ten minutes across town to Tesco is bad enough, never mind to the other end of the country.

I've noticed Audis crashing over minor bumps in the road and of course heard all the complaints about the harsh ride.
I have only ever been in one, and only once, recently.
My son in law bought an A6 3L and we went for a drive in it. Hate to admit it but I was quite impressed, it was quick, quiet and very comfortable and the suspension was quite good. We were on not particularly good country roads and it handled them quite well.

Won't be buying one though. Sarah (his wife/my daughter) hates it.

Laura, my youngest daughter, was out in her boss' A6 a few days ago and was again impressed, her first try of an automatic. She stuffed a coffin in the back of it that shocked a few people

She won't be buying one either.

[Zelandeth]

Being an L that will have a lot softer set up.

Probably one of the compounding factors for us is that being company cars they're always specced up to the hilt...that usually means the "S-Line" package including the wheels being bolted straight to the chassis and 29" wheels without any tyres.

Other issue I have is with the seats. They have no padding. I'm a skinny guy, so don't have any padding built in. This isn't helped by the fact that I'm emphatically not the same shape that the industry standard human being they model the seats after. As such I've zero chance of actually getting comfortable. The rear seats in the last few had head rests which (I assume in the interest of reducing whiplash risk) were like bricks and were at least 6" too far forward, as such having a neck wasn't compatible with the seat.

[myglaren]

Oops! The 'L' is as in 3 Litre V6.

I have no idea if it has any other letters to it's name.

Seats were fine but unlike you I am reasonably tolerant of different seats. My eldest daughters C3 I admit are rather wanting.
Loved the seats in both my youngest daughters 2 SAABs (and my second daughters SAAB).
Also the youngest's Rover 75.

Waiting to try Sarah's MX5 - she bought it more for the seats than anything else - she has a spinal injury that ruled out the older model MX5s, the Audi TTs and BMW Z3s and Z4s.

[van ordinaire]

. . . the "S-Line" package including the wheels being bolted straight to the chassis and 29" wheels without any tyres. . . .

[daviemck2006]

I hate to disagree Zel, but my daughters a4, which had the most god awful suspension that I ever had the misfortune to work on was an s-line. So they do have suspension between the wheels and chassis, just despite, or maybe because of, the most complicated design is crap. I agree about tha 29" wheels and no tyres though!

[Zelandeth]

I guess there's a lot of options involved too Davie.

Sadly as ours are always company cars which we only keep four months, they're usually loaded up with a plethora of absolutely stupid options in the interests of getting the best resale value.

[Zelandeth]

So that's another just under 400 miles home done.

Very grubby thanks to slightly damp road all the way, but not a beat missed - just as expected.

Definitely need to have a proper look at the front end though, there's definitely a hollow clonk/rattle on uneven surfaces. My gut feeling is drop links. She will be in for the MOT within the next seven days anyhow so will ask for that to be checked then. Whatever it is will be getting changed by my local trusted garage - I don't need around with anything involving taking that sort of stuff apart. Has caused me enough pain in the past to be worth paying someone else to do it.

[Hell Razor5543]

If it is the drop links make sure to get good ones (Lemforder are a recognised quality name), as people who have used cheap ones usually have to replace them within 10,000 miles.

[Zelandeth]

If it is the drop links make sure to get good ones (Lemforder are a recognised quality name), as people who have used cheap ones usually have to replace them within 10,000 miles.

Oh you're preaching to the converted there, I'm well aware of the fact that cheap parts are almost invariably a false economy (OEM Lada ones which are almost invariably cheaper than aftermarket bits), so decent kit will be used.

[Michel]

Zel, this perpetual exhaustion... I think you and I need to talk...

Can we have a meeting with all 3 of us, I'm f@cked with it too Jim!

[white exec]

M.E., thyroid ? They were issues for me.

[Michel]

M.E., thyroid ? They were issues for me.

Thyroid is certainly one of mine I take 150mcg of levothyroxine per day, I was diagnosed with CFS back in 2012 as well Chris. I just “get on with it” though some days it’s ... not easy, as you’ll know.

[Zelandeth]

You know the stories you always get when buying an older vehicle, "the original owner spared no expense, changed the oil every six months irrespective of mileage..." and the like.

I think on the strength of this, I'll actually believe it this time...

Possibly the cleanest top end I've ever seen in any engine.

Reason it was apart was to change the cam cover gasket which was the source of the only apparent oil leak.

Was surprised to find that rather than just dumping the pipe from the PCV system straight into the intake manifold, this actually splits it off with a line going to each cylinder branch...assume to keep everything balanced?

Nice five minute job. Half of which was figuring out how to wrestle the engine cover out of the way. The driver's seat needs to move about a half inch further back.

[white exec]

Clean! Looks like it's just been solvent cleaned!