baser999

We had our 06 Forester photo-shot for the same reason a couple of weeks ago - believe Auto-Express will be out in the next couple of weeks. Photographer sent me a disk of 27 pictures - top quality work.

You just need to hope that after you've spent all that time on poshing it up, the weather stays kind overnight and on the way there - we went to Hampshire for the shoot and theres no facility there to go over the car again apart from giving it a quick dust and polish. He took photos inside and out and a couple under the bonnet.

Have a look at the AA site about driving in Europe - found it very useful.

You're going to need a 'vignette' for driving on the Swiss motorway system and its best to get this in advance - don't avoid it on the basis that you'll not use their motorways as its very difficult getting about on their other roads. You can get this via the Swiss Travel Centre (www.stc.co.uk)

We went through France, Belgium, and Luxembourg on our way to family in Switzerland in 2009 (about 1000 miles) and had no problems with roads, petrol, authorities.

Have a good time.

Thanks for the advice - he checked the bulbs out at the weekend, rubbed off the odd spot of corrosion and gave it all a bit of Wd40 and all seems well

Appreciate this isn't scooby-related but any advice would be welcome. My son has an 02 Peugeot 206 Hdi and is having a problem with the rear lighting. With the lights switched off all the brake lights, including the eye-level one, work ok. However, when the lights are on, the eye-level unit stays on all the time - the other brake lights come on as usual when he depresses the pedal but are dimmer. Any thoughts ?

just booked plane tickets now have to wait for december now to see where englands playing and get some tickets . luckily got family out there so accom isnt a prob

anyone else going ?

My son works at the BBC as part of the MOTD team so he'll be going to SA next year - tough eh? Follows his trips to the Euro footie last year, followed a few weeks later by Bejing for 9 weeks covering the Olympics. . . .and he had the nerve to say 'don't know what we'll be doing for a holiday' He's getting married next year and even brought the day forward so they didn't clash

They have a website www.easyselluk.co.uk although I appreciate it doesn't make them any more pukka

. . . Granby has stepped down and its been suggested pele takes back over, Is this is what is happening?

Where have all the pro-Pele crowd gone now? It was clear at that meeting at the Wharf a year or two ago, that although changes in the structure were desperately needed for Kent Scoobies to go forward, there were people there who still argued that Pele should be retained as RO despite all her personal issues at that time. We've heard all the arguments that 'without Pele the club would never have got off the ground . . . etc' but sadly things have to move on. No one ever asked her to leave, it was simply suggested that she just take bit more of a back seat, let others do the running around for a while until she'd got her home life sorted.

Ian has done a fantastic job since taking over as RO and personally I think its very sad that he's walked away from that role "because being here is no longer fun".

Like many before and now Yogi joins that list, I'm going to step away from the forum as well.

All the best for the future guys, wherever it might take you all

Sorry to hear this mate you've done a fantastic job in keeping the flag flying.

Sad times indeed.

What is really sad is the reason why Ians chucking it in . . . . the club's no longer a fun place to be

A car club should be a fun place, where like-minded people share their common interest and for someone such as Ian to no longer find there's any fun, well, what more can you say?

. . . the club just doesn't seem a fun place to be anymore . . .

Quite agree Ian - Ive only been here for 4 years but have noticed the difference over the past few years.

Leave the door open as I reckon they'll be others following you out

Another space has become available as T123VOR as had to pull out

. . . but the people of Bromley only go along to see Trevors shorts - they'll have to look at the cars now

Got a phone call today...................they've written it off.

That seems harsh, unless I had a very generous assessor. Mines on an 00 plate and was hit along the side by a bus - needed new wing, door . . .damage around £1200 which must have been in the order of 25% of the cars value? No problem. Then a month later the second accident - smacked the front end in - new bonnet, aircon rad, bar across front, both headlights. . .around £2300 . . which looks far more than yours. Perhaps I was just fortunate

Paddy walks into the pub and says to his mate Mick "..er, Mick, I just seen someone nicking your car"

Mick says "Did you see who it was, or what he looked like Paddy?"

"No sorry Mick. . . . tho' I did get the registration"

Black wrx, S600*** in Strood about 4.30 this afternoon

I thought I had, but seems to have dried up at the moment and most of the eBay ones don't have the connector included

Sent you a pm

You say the club will not move on without Pele, but i thought the whole reason you wanted shot of her was because you thought it wasnt moving on with her. I don't think it was a case of 'getting shot' of Pele, it was more a case of trying to help her out whilst she was clearly having more important domestic issues in her life that she needed to concentrate on. Sadly there were others on here that thought this was a move to remove her from the Club altogether which was never the intention and yet gave way to such a furious row on here last year.

Let me put across my thoughts on the running of this club. Kent scoobies has around, id guess 35 - 40 members all in, of which 10 - 15 are regular attendees, post regular posts etc. I do not believe a club of this size requires 2 "leaders" - it dosnt work in business and wont work here. Regardless of semantics and actual titles the club will have 2 leaders. When i first came here Granby organised, and still does, everything, he takes payment from us, including chasing payments, and then passes these on, he filled out all the forms for the BHP show and does these time consuming tasks without acting like a martyr. I can only comment on things that happened while i was here, and this is what i saw. Following on from previous debates and much heated argument on here, Ian took on the role of regional organiser, a role which was well suited to someone with the time and organisational skills needed - he also does his best to attend most events in which Kent Scoobies participate. I don't think that there can be anyone on here that will deny he's doing a very good job as our RO and as such there is no reason at all why he should relinquish that position, unless of course he chooses to do so. Similarly Big Jay took on the role of dealing with club merchandise.

Pele is still around, turning out for events whenever time allows and offering advice on technical issues and such like. Perhaps if the truth be known she welcomes the breathing space that she now has and is glad for someone else to have taken on the role of RO?

What's Mlr 500? Clearly as I don't know what this is, I'm not in the team

Hope its not bloody raining like it did first thing this morning - like the middle of winter on my way in to work at 5.30

Here we go again . . . .

spotted dunks about 9-20pm.

on britains got talent dressed up as a drag queen

Thought so too - although didn't realise he was dressed up as I've seen him in Chatham wearing that same outfit

It's on the old A20 at the top of the hill by the M25, I was heading towards Brands Hatch in the RB.

Yep, that would have been me - came home along the A20 and picked up the M25 - sorry didn't see you, else I'd have waved

Hence why i advise people to always ask for me.

Will be back in on Tuesday, so will speak to the insurers and see what i can do on the price.

Will do Gary - incidentally ran my details through one of the major search sites and the same insurers that you were placing the renewal through came up with a quote nearly £100 lower? How does that work - funny old business car insurance

Basser 999 going roung the round-about by Teardrop Industrial Estate about 2.30 today.

Where's that Rachel? I'd been down to Waldonways and came back up the A20 for a change. Were you in your car?

. . . .want to keep the car rolling whilst stripping.. . . .

not gonna be a pretty sight

Renewed with K.M as by far the cheapest although does anyone ever feel that they can't wait to get off the phone?

I agree they are very busy people and we do get a discount but every time got the impression it's "yep all done thanks, bye"

Just had renewal notice - up from £500 last year to £899! Had a couple of shunts in last few months, although only one of which was my fault, so thought I'd give KM a bell. Bloke I spoke to really didn't want to know, no effort to help or explain vast increase - just said to call Gary on Tuesday. He must have said 'mate' half-dozen times - not good PR from a company that probably gets a great deal of business through SIDC

Dunks is gonna be on the next plane out when he sees the pink in that first photo