What I did today thread...

[davebb]

Originally Posted by petey

Obviously I spoke too soon and I got a worded warning regarding a failed headlamp bulb....
I have a stock of 10 bulbs hiding in the footwell. I’d bought them because I was sick of changing them and paying Halfrauds prices:- postmark on the package was August ‘15 and how there are three left. I still bloody hate changing them though.

Have you got them on all of the time DRL,
if so switch them off,
Dave

[petey]

Whilst it’s true to say that a bulb will only ever fail as you turn it on (rather than at some point whilst it’s on) and therefore the more times you turn it on the more likely it is to fail, I consider that a smaller risk than say encountering a BMW that just hasn’t looked properly and creams into the side of me because I’m less obvious than I used to be resulting in significantly more damage than a blown bulb.

DRLs seem to spark a lot of emotive responses here, but the fact is the more Christmas tree you are, the better your chances of being seen.
I disagree with the function of some vehicles where they illuminate the dash and front lights only but my Volvo doesn’t do that, it sensibly shows light to all corners and I don’t have to worry about leaving my lights on.
There is an argument that says having 2 off 55W bulbs plus a bunch of other lesser incandescents on all the time has an impact on fuel economy but bluntly if my finances are that close to the wire I should have bought a car I could better afford to run rather than whine about the one I have.

(When I drive other vehicles, and I drive a huge variation of other cars, I generally leave dipped beam on all day anyway. My wife’s ‘17 mini has groovy funky LED headlights and they haven’t complained or failed in 17 months)

[ma70]

Agree with all the above... I'd much rather replace the odd bulb than have to find a replacement car.

[ASt85]

Originally Posted by ma70

Agree with all the above... I'd much rather replace the odd bulb than have to find a replacement car.

Agreed, the DRLs have a marginally lower current draw than the dipped beams anyway - anything that improves i.e. that which decreases the probable rate of impact is worth doing even if it comes down to an imperceptible decrease in mpg - if all else fails is has to protect the NCB on your policy simply because some other numpty sees you and so avoids hitting those seriously expensive bumpers aka fenders for our American friends

[ma70]

Just got back from a 200+ mile round trip to Leeds for the purposes of collecting an arcade talking parrot machine that drops plastic eggs with a gift inside... (it takes all sorts, and The Boss has always wanted one! Plus I may be able to swing my way into getting a 1982-ish B&O Beovision TV now )

The S80 drove beautifully, such a relaxing car for longer journeys & the cruise control was a boon. The two main things of note (aside from an exploding Mitubishi L200 engine halfway up that cloaked the M62 in acrid grey smoke!) are that I really want to replace the rear shocks sooner than later, and that I also want a proper mirror glass in the driver's door mirror. The stick-on "repair" that it came with has a hideous blind spot, such that when normally seated a car in the next lane out from us disappears from the centre RVM and can not be noticed until it's alongside and visible out of the corner of ones eye.

Very lacklustre, and caused me to give a poor lady in a red SUV quite the scare before I realised just how bad it was. Rest of the journey was spent leaning forward and making double-triple-quadruple sure the way was safe before moving out a lane... (incidentally, the SUV in question did not have any form of DRL active. Perhaps that would have let me know of her presence a little earlier!)

[vorlon7]

My old S reg 2.5 finally came to an end a whole selection of minor niggles + leaking steering rack and then clutch slipping very badly with what felt like the dual mass starting divorce proceedings so sadly even though I could have done the work parts cost just too much A quick train trip and now we have migrated to a lower mileage V reg 280000 2.4lx today fitted the rear taillgate trim repair kit to stop that noise and had a good look round for niggles so far osf door wont lock but will unlock on central locking speaker in that door u/s as well suspect someones been in there, rear os window I was told held up by wood as motor broken but in general car is amazingly tidy no rips or tears original rubber mats and so much quieter than the old one. Rest of day spent trying to undo crank nut on my daughters Yaris made up a lock tool and levering with a pole over a 5ft breaker bar no movement left to soak and get the torch on the bolt tomorrow then back to Volvo and/or my 1972 Saab 95

[ma70]

Lower mileage, 280000.... Wow, what was the old one on?

[vorlon7]

no idea of true mileage as abs rings and dry joints in abs module meant odometer and speedometer had been u/s for some time before I got it but last valid
mot mileage was higher 320000 if memory serves mileage is not the killer poor servicing is
Why do I buy old Volvos?
I am older than they are so they make me feel young
I can afford the Insurance because I have a large no claims bonus and have retired
They provide superb comfort (ok parking the QE2 can be easier) but cross winds etc don't faze them
They are easy to work on I have replaced drive shafts all brakes front back Sump O rings
Brake abs control unit (re-soldered) and rebuilt calipers and lots more with no special tools apart from Chinese Vardis
he last one in real terms cost me £200 excluding tax mot fees for 3.5 years
Whats not to love?

[Turbodave]

I took the D5 to the jetwash this evening... hasn't been washed since April. Front wheels were basically black and even neat wheel cleaner has had little effect. Best dig out the old bog cleaning brush tomorrow and give them a scrub.

[Georgeandkira]

Yesterday at 89,100 miles.
1) A common oil/filter change. Leftover oil time it was. Half Mobil1 0W-40 European, half Castrol 5W-40. The car's 14th overall.

2) Sent off my very first oil sample for analysis.

3) Discovered a washer pump had popped out from the reservoir's base and shoved it back into place. Voila' WORKING WASHERS.

Today:
1) Transmission drain & fill

2) Installation of inline transmission filter. ACDelco version of a Magnafine styled filter.