jamesm

I have Monday off but will either be planning to head all the way home on the Sunday night and have lie in the next day, or if my other half decides to come and keep me company, then we might stay in Banbury on the Sunday night and have a day in the area on Monday, heading home Monday night.

Either way, once on the road, I like to just keep going and will head back up the road in one with a stop for food half way.

I think there are a fair share of to$$*rs driving most cars on the roads. There is also a big difference between people who are just generally annoying open the road, and those who are down right dangerous.

People's response to the poll is probably in a large part based on who they took a dislike to on the road that day, for what ever reason, as it would be fresh in their mind.

My girlfriend thinks I am more of a maniac in my cheap runaround than the Subaru!

According to today's Daily Record, a recent poll on the most hated drivers on the road has seen Subaru drivers gain 23% of the vote putting us a second, after pensioners taking their BMW's for a Sunday run.

At least we weren't first!

Very sad to hear.

Condolonses to all the families involved.

The current highest tax band (£400) only applies to cars registered after March 2006. If your car was registered before this date, then the tax is £210.

This all changes of course when the new tax bandings come in to effect next year as all cars registered from 2001 onwards will be affected with the tax for an Impreza going up to something like £415 for a WRX and £450 for an STI. Unless the PM does another U-turn between now and then.

Mine was bought as a daily runner but I do around 20,000 miles a year and it really hurt the wallet so I started rummaging though the classifieds and got myself a cheap commuter.

So Monday to Friday, you will find me in a 12 year old turquoise Pug 106 diesel. Even driving hard I get almost 60mpg.

Still do around 9,000 miles a year in the Impreza though. Always planned to keep it 3 years and change it for a newer STI but in the current climate and with the amount it has depreciated, I think I am likely to keep it for the long term now as a weekend/fun car and spend a bit of money modding it once the loan is paid off, and buy a better everyday car.

i got 375 miles with no fuel light on and worked it out to 35mph on my recent trip to france

You mean 35mpg Neil? Or is the secret to getting 375 miles out a tank travelling at 35 everywhere.

The best I have done is 30mpg. That was on a long gentle run up north. Normally at around the 25mpg mark.

The McRae run could be interesting. Long drive at 60mph, could get some surprisingly high mpg figures.

[then think about how you can get the money to put in a bid for either of the SWRT prizes we've been offered

What is the going rate for selling a kidney these days?

Looking good. Stands out from the crowd. I like it

Reminds me, I really must order my Tshirt and stickers!

C'mon the Bugeyes.

Welcome mate.

subaru over here are iconic cars as there are very little dealers here. less than 24hours i have had the local police at the door reguarding the car as he quite likes them and he said he would take 1 if came in left hand drive.

Reminds me of last year when I went to Germany with my Mate in his Celica GT4. ot off the ferry at Rotterdam and customs pulled some of the other lads over and surrounded the car. They asked him to get out and open the boot . They then asked (insert Dutch accent as appropriate) "So what horsepower does it have?" They then looked at the engine and sent him on his way.

Have a good one and if you find any of the VPower100 that we found in Germany, give it a go. Good stuff!

i heard on the news they were checking for folk using red diesel

Terzo Neil is in France. They won't find him.

Just read this post.

I actually quite like it. It is different and individual which is no bad thing. Orange wheels do work on it too.

Looking good Gus. One of the few cars I really like in white

Looking good

Looking very good. And all by hand too!

The original Impreza came second on it's first world rally (1993, 1000 Lakes) and we all know what that went on to achieve.

So second for the new Impreza on its first time out is a pretty good beginning to build on!

1. Nanaki

2. mctwistuk - 100% will donate something as well either champagne or spirits

3. mctwistuk's better half - 100%

4. Andy - 100%

5. imy - 100%

6. Mr Kebab Nemesis 100%

7. Mrs Kebab Nemesis 100%

7. Paul555sti

8. st3ph3n - 100%

9. Nicola - 100%

10. Gordyq

11. STI Pretender

12. Mrs STI Pretender

13. NKWRX

14. G.T. (will sort you out with a raffle prize mate)

15. Gus The Bus - 100%

16. STi_Bandit

17. Bandits Babe 002

18. JamesM - 100%

19. Mrs JamesM - 100%

20. empty_heed

21. empty_heeds friend

22. Ally-b 100%

23. Mrs-b 100%

24. Playsatan - 100%

25. Mrs Playsatan - 100%

26. JohnnyR6 - 100%

27. Mrs JohnnyR6 - 100%

28. Squiggle - 100%

29. Terzo neil - 100% will donate some spirts

30. jimser

31. caitlin

32. marky.t.s - 100%

33. scary mary - 100%

34. wee marky.t.s - 100%

35. Irish Al

36. Lyndsey

37. Neofox

38. Neofox's other half

39. Stubaroo - 100%

40. Mrs Stubaroo (Lindsy) - 100%

41. Coulty

42. Coultette

43. Bobby C - 100%

44. Mrs Booby C - 100%

45. Greersport - 100%

46. Greersport - 100%

47. Meercat - 100%

48. Meercat - 100%

49. Scooba - 100%

50. Whitey - 100%

51. Whitey's misses - 100%

52. Scoobymark - 100%

53. Misses Scoobymark - 100%

54. Jnr Scoobymark - 100%

55. G.Mac

Reserve List

1. Wilky - 100% (Ill sit on the floor)

2. Mrs Gus the Bus - (100% if she can get a space)

3. Kaylz _555

4. Mr. Kaylz_555

Not sure of the set up of the lights on the UK300, but on a standard bugeye, you simply cannot change the bulbs without taking the headlight unit out. Just a case of taking the screws out, unplugging it and lifting the unit out. Change over the bulbs and slot it back in. Time consuming, but pretty straight forward.

From memory for mine, full instructions are set out in the handbook.

1. Nanaki

2. mctwistuk

3. mctwistuk's better half

4. Andy

5. imy

6. Mr Kebab Nemesis

7. Mrs Kebab Nemesis

7. Paul555sti

8. st3ph3n

9. Nicola

10. Gordyq

11. STI Pretender

12. Mrs STI Pretender

13. NKWRX

14. G.T. (will sort you out with a raffle prize mate)

15. Gus The bus ( I will too )

16. STi_Bandit

17. Bandits Babe 002 or was it 003

18. JamesM

19. Mrs JamesM

What exactly did you rub own using this sandpaper? And how fine was the sandpaper?

I had a large chip in the rear nearside door. I had touched it up, but you could still see it a mile off. So I used some very fine wet and dry paper, 2500 then 3000 grade, to try to rub the lump of paint flat.

This is what you get.

The machine together with the intensive polish then polished out the light marks on the paint. At the end, the obviousness of the touched up chip was really reduced.

Perhaps a bit foolhardy to set out and do this with only minimal practice, but it did the job.

Jim Clark is always good although I felt it lacking something last year. This year was fantastic though and a great weekend with the opportunity to get round a good number of decent stages. Still just doesn't have the atmosphere it had in the early days of the closed road event, base in Duns and running at night though.

In the end I managed on Saturday, Abbey St Bathens (Int and half the national), Ayton (int and a few nats), Langton (int and a few nats again), Fogo (all ints and nats) and Edrom (all ints and nats again). On Sunday it was off to Bothwell (all ints and Reivers), Leitholm (Reivers 2 runs and Ints once) and back to Bothwell for the Reivers.

Was good to bump into Imy and Grant, and meet Scott, Rosie, Gordyq and Gus the Bus.

I am not a photographer by any means but here are a few of my efforts with my wee point and click camera

Abbey St Bathens

Ayton

Langton

Edrom

Leitholm

Bothwell

Stunning drive from Steve Bannister to 2nd overall in the Reivers in his Mk2. If Fenwick's time penalty had stood, Bannister would have won. Proof that on a dry day, a seriously sorted Mk2, with a bit of luck and a lot of talent can mix it with the best of them.

Cheers for the comments guys.

A trip through the 4 fields to get to the Langton Stage on the Jim Clark Rally has now covered it in orange dust! Oh well, you buy them to drive, not just to make shiny.

I am a complete novice at this. I thought I was being adventurous last spring when I bought a clay bar for the first time!

Perhaps the wet sanding was more naivety than bravery! Saw it on Detailing World and thought that looks easy! Just cut a wee bit of paper, wrapped it round the bottom of a pencil and rubbed using soapy water. Probably could rub it back more as it is still a raised a bit but I have definitely taken the edge off the prominence and looks no bad.

Still the odd swirl in the sunshine, but pretty pleased with it none the less.

If it is like a newage, then it is pretty easy to take the unit out and in.