Barry

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.engadget.com/amp/2017/02/14/toyotas-10-millionth-hybrid-sale-hints-at-a-greener-future/?client=safari I found this article stating that Toyota have now sold 10 million hybrids. For me, hybrid is over complicated pointless technology. People buy them thinking they are saving the planet. Mining the lithium to make the batteries causes more damage to the environment than most people realise. Driving a 40 year old muscle car every day will cause less pollution than manufacturing a new Prius. I've had the misfortune of driving and working on Priuses (Prii?) a few times and found them to be completely soulless. They are the automotive equivalent of lentil flavoured fat free organic yoghurt served on boiled tofu.

I came across this on the interweb. I don't know if it's any use to anyone but it's interesting. http://www.automobile-catalog.com/ Full specification on every car ever built. Dimensions, capacities, performance, fuel economy etc.

Yes I meant the Henry is the daddy for cleaning cars. It comes with attachments. The little tiny car vacuums aren't up to much.

Ford Capri 3.1 RS

The Henry is the daddy of all vacuum cleaners

Mercedes Sauber C292

@Gaurav yes that's the one. I don't know about warranty, I just fix it when it breaks. I can't remember the KMs off the top of my head but something tells me it's around 80k. Sorry if I've scared anyone off but I just tell things the way I see them. I always recommend Japanese cars over anything because the build quality and materials are way better. Even though I've said a lot of bad things about the Range Rover, they are a lovely car to drive, I just wouldn't own one. The air suspension is wonderful on rough roads but it is problematic and you have to remember that when you have a problem with air suspension, it's not like having a broken spring where you can just drive home and get it fixed. The whole car falls down onto the road and you lose all suspension capabilities and it becomes unsafe to drive. The new jaguar engines have fantastic pulling capability and can make something 2+ tonnes move surprisingly quickly. There aren't many people in UAE capable of working on them properly though. I know of a Range Rover specialist in Dubai who rebuilt one and it blew up again after 200km. Then there's stuff that should be relatively simple like crankshaft pulley bolts. They should all screw in one direction but some engines are left hand thread and some are right hand thread. There isn't a lot of technical information on them out there either. Even the main dealer wasn't able to give me simple torque settings and I had to do a lot of research for myself.

I don't get the jeep thing and I don't want to get the jeep thing. I've heard it hurts when you pee. Anyway, barbie drives a jeep. That tells me all I need to know.

Another Renault, SL27 Traffic

I look after a 4 year old HSE for a customer. In the past 8 months I've rebuilt the engine, two new front suspension units have been fitted, new front level sensor, new water pump, front lower arm bushes, rear wheel bearings, rear subframe bushes, front and rear drop links, 2 cv joint boots, new brakes all round inc discs and pads, fixed a problem where the dashboard said the bonnet was open when it wasn't. Someone else has rebuilt the rear differential at some point too. None of these were cheap repairs. This will give you some idea of what to expect in terms of reliability down the line. On the plus side, they are a comfortable vehicle to drive and you can play warning light bingo every time you go out.

@Rahimdad I can't offer an explanation as to why Renault gave their cars numbers rather than names but a lot of them disappeared sadly. The 5 became the Clio, the 19 became the megane, the 21 became the Laguna. I guess it saved money from paying a designer lol. One of my earliest car memories was my dad racing a Renault 16 stock car. That's why I posted a brown 16 earlier. His was exactly the same but with a big Mickey Mouse painted on the bonnet. He had a bad accident one day, hit the wall and as he was getting out another car hit him from behind. He had the battery mounted in the back seat area. It flew out past his head and landed in the middle of the spectators. My mum never let him race after that. Anyway, I digress, Renault 25

This is something I never hear about. Does it even happen? I regularly see people leave their keys in the car, engine running and go into the shop to buy stuff. You would have to be crazy to do this where I'm from. Leave the keys in your car, and chances are it won't be there when you come back. It'll either turn up somewhere with a different chassis number and registration or it will be taken into a shed and stripped overnight for parts and the shell will be on the scrap boat to China the next morning.

I love those Pagoda SL's. I've restored 7-8 of them and know every nut and bolt on them. Mechanical fuel injection, those where the days. Datsun 240z

Mercedes 220 SE

When I started working here, I got confused a lot as the terminology is slightly different. For example, one car came in and I was told it needed balance rod ends. I never heard of a balance rod end before and asked someone to show me. Ah! Drop links! Similar has happened to me a few times. So just for fun, here is some car related slang mechanics use in Ireland. If you have any weird words from your own country, I'd love to hear it. Car - Yoke/Rod Race car - Slut/Slag Cheap car - Shunter Big car - Bus Car that overheats a lot (yes, you jeepers boys) - Kettle Brakes - Anchors Engine - Plant/Donkey Gearbox - Gearbag Heater - Stove/Oven Seats - Chairs Tyres - Rubber Headlights - Candles Battery - Electricity Twincam - Twin tub Petrol - Juice Colored diesel - Ribena

Renault 18 GTX Group A spec

Isn't that just the 2016 model with a bad wrap? There's a Mercedes that drives around Karama, last years C Class, and the guy has wrapped it to look like a prototype of a new model. It caught me out first time I saw it but I figured it out.

Renault 16

Nissan S15

You're welcome. It's nice to be appreciated. This is what I do and it's what I enjoy doing.

@Gaurav anything goes as long as it's car related. It's just a bit of fun. Nissan Silvia S13

@Gaurav your pajero bit me on the thumb too 😂

@Allstar the clue is in the name, COUNTING 😜 Austin 10

I guess it's perceived luxury because is supposedly a British brand. Most people don't realize it's Indian owned and they're just driving an expensive Tata 😂 Speaking of using a single spanner, when I was working in the plant industry, there used to be an old guy who worked with me. Proper old school, rough and gruff. When it came to fixing hydraulics he only ever carried 2 or 3 spanners in his pocket. When they didn't fit, he stuck coins between the spanner and nut and made it fit.

Defenders are crap. They're slow, uncomfortable, noisy, unstable at speed and you need a degree in welding to own one in a wet country. For some reason, some people just love them though and are prepared to pay an extra premium to own one. It's possibly due to easy self serviceability. I guess it's like jeep owners here. Most sane people know they're crap but a few keep buying them and paying too much for them.