trabitom99 wrote:Especially not if there's a big rusty brake drum visible behind it

That's where this tat comes in



But what about the non-classic look of red steelies? From that brochure I can't see if the blue car has blue wheels or white ones???

macplaxton wrote:That's where this tat comes in

Yuk, it's getting worse and worse!

macplaxton wrote:But what about the non-classic look of red steelies? From that brochure I can't see if the blue car has blue wheels or white ones???

Blue ones! "Frontspoiler in Wagenfarbe lackiert ebenso wie die beiden Außenspiegel, Felgen ..."

They say the car was available in all colours (in allen Farben lieferbar), so I guess red steelies would have been done too. Never seen the finished product in the flesh though ... My old "343 Touring" was a 1980 model with the stubby bumpers and a standard paint job.

Cheers

Tom

OMG! Blue!! Body coloured steelies just whiff of "The body kit and decals cost loads, so no money was left over for alloys"

Anyway, back to feckin' gardening...

Hi Tom.
Looks like you had a great trip. Beautifull town.
That Bar with Bomb writtin on the side takes me back a bit
Cheers Mark.

PS Mr macp never mind the "feckin" gardening. Test that clock

I would Mark, but there's a inspection tomorrow and I've just tidied up two bags of broken glass bottles, plastic bottles and other crap the yoofs that sit on the corner toss into my useless bit of grass....

Work tomorrow afternoon, if I'm still clear Friday, testing will commence!

Testing: yes please! Ever since I stopped wearing a watch I miss a working clock in a car

macplaxton wrote:I've just tidied up two bags of broken glass bottles, plastic bottles and other crap the yoofs that sit on the corner toss into my useless bit of grass....

Sounds familiar. I could add "plastic dog poo bags" to that list, with filling of course.

MCHUDD wrote:Looks like you had a great trip. Beautifull town.

We were only there for 1½ hrs, but you need some kind of destination on a test run I'm planning to go take the car on a long scandinavian road trip next summer, but since it's only done about 250 miles per year in my period of ownership I need to make sure everything's working properly. I'm taking the alloys off again in my lunch break to have them balanced, they're a bit more jittery than my old summer tyres on the steelies.

Cheers

Tom

I forgot to add cat poo to the list. Dirty smug feckers. I need to get a super soaker and get the vermin!

Rather cautious and sensible approach there doing pre-trip testing. Just throw caution to the wind - I got away with it as you know.

True! However my plans are a little more ... how shall I put it ... hectic? Assuming all goes according to plan I'm aiming for:

Bonn -> Nordkapp via Sweden: 2600 kms in 3 days
Nordkapp -> Bonn via the Norwegian coast: 3800 kms in 8 days

My itinery has very little room for roadside repairs. It can all go horribly wrong

Cheers

Tom

EDIT: steelies are back on again, wheel nuts done up to 115 Nm

Only just spotted this thread.

Thanks for posting Tom, great pictures and looks like a fun trip. It's good to give them some exercise sometimes. You've done well to get so much mileage out of those points.

Obviously, I prefer the standard look, given that all my 300s are on their standard steelies

trabitom99 wrote: EDIT: steelies are back on again, wheel nuts done up to 115 Nm

Phew!

trabitom99 wrote: Bonn -> Nordkapp via Sweden: 2600 kms in 3 days
Nordkapp -> Bonn via the Norwegian coast: 3800 kms in 8 days

Wow, that's an impressive plan! I am scared just planning a trip from Cambridge to the Netherlands next summer! I always worry that my cars won't be able to handle it, but maybe I should get over myself and remember that driving is what they are designed to do.

Get over yourself Sion! (or invite me as mobile mechanic)

Fuel was a 1/3 of the cost of my c. 3500km trip. Next time it'll have to be the Honda or the dizzler. I'd love to go smoking around a few Umweltzones for the craic. Do you think I'd get away with it Tom?

macplaxton wrote:Get over yourself Sion!

Funnily enough, I knew exactly that would be your response Rich!

Quick tip: Check any breakdown policy regards repatriation, most I've seen restrict the value of repatriation to that of the car. I prefer to self-insure in that regard and have the credit card handy - I haven't had AA cover since 2003. I think I've some limited breakdown cover off the back of my motor insurance, but I've never used it.

S10NPH wrote:It's good to give them some exercise sometimes

Absolutely! A car that's just standing around gets constantly worse ... The DLS hadn't been moved for 9 months or so, and all the usual things start going wrong, little electrical niggles, brakes sticking etc. A bit of exercise is great, especially if the weather's fine.

S10NPH wrote:Obviously, I prefer the standard look, given that all my 300s are on their standard steelies

I like it too, but the tyres on my steelies are from around 2002 and the temptation to fit Leos is just too great It'll be the 13" Hercules for the moment though, as the winter rubber is still OK (I hope).

macplaxton wrote:Fuel was a 1/3 of the cost of my c. 3500km trip. Next time it'll have to be the Honda or the dizzler. I'd love to go smoking around a few Umweltzones for the craic. Do you think I'd get away with it Tom?

Probably, yes! You'll be fine as long as you don't speed or park.

Fuel will be the biggest cost for me too, but it'll be devided up between me and an old friend who's coming along. Thanks for reminding me about the insurance cover too, I need to check that ... The last time I told them what value it was, was several years back.

Cheers

Tom