Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 3]

[AstonZagato]

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several over cars

This. The Aston isn't practical for a lot of my journeys. But I use it whenever it does suit - including using it as a station car.

[torqueofthedevil]

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

I'd imagine it's because most people wo can afford them can afford a nice every-day car too as they don't want to clock big miles up / save it for more special occasions / lots of expensive cars aren't actually great to drive every day.

The 2nd car then gets parked in a garage and after a while it just doesn't get taken out that offer for a spin. Every 3 or 4 weeks it might be taken out for a drive to the coast / nice town for a night away etc.

I've had a second car and it never got used

[Hugo a Gogo]

all the 6 gear manual cars nowadays, isn't it a bit of a waste of time having all those ratios? 5th is for what, hard acceleration between 100 and 110?

we're not talking track day cars here, diesel estates and the like

99.9% of the time, you'll either want the gears up to 4th, for acceleration, which will take you well over the limit, then 6th for easy cruising

is it just something that helps the official fuel figures?

[singlecoil]

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several other cars

I'm not a rich person myself, but I am familiar with their ways, and indeed they will have several other cars. But I can't see the point of buying a nice car and not using it. I could understand it if it was a classic, an original DBS for instance, but a brand new car is going to cost them a LOT even if they never drive it.

[Tango13]

P-Jay said:

Exige77 said:

The Don of Croy said:

5 valve cylinder heads.

Are they still in vogue? Wasn't it Audi who trumpeted their adoption in the A4, another usp over the inferior rwd efforts from their countrymen?

I understand it helps the 'breathing', but has emissions control overtaken this element? Is it still fitted to high output R8 engines etc?

5 Valver in my Wife's Mk 4 Golf.

Boring, crappy, characterless and slow engine.

They went back to the old motor after a very short time.

I'm pretty sure, okay I'm cynically sure, that VAG only every made a 5 valve engine so they could say the first A4 were 20v like the old Quattros.

Saying that, the Ferrari 355 was 5v too.

I thought Yamaha beat them all to the first 5v head on the FZ750?

[Ayahuasca]

Hugo a Gogo said:

all the 6 gear manual cars nowadays, isn't it a bit of a waste of time having all those ratios? 5th is for what, hard acceleration between 100 and 110?

we're not talking track day cars here, diesel estates and the like

99.9% of the time, you'll either want the gears up to 4th, for acceleration, which will take you well over the limit, then 6th for easy cruising

is it just something that helps the official fuel figures?

In my Defender I use all six speeds in high range, and normally just 1, 2, 3 and 4 in low range. 3 low is actually the same as 1 high. So you could say I use 8 different speeds.

[AstonZagato]

,

singlecoil said:

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several other cars

I'm not a rich person myself, but I am familiar with their ways, and indeed they will have several other cars. But I can't see the point of buying a nice car and not using it. I could understand it if it was a classic, an original DBS for instance, but a brand new car is going to cost them a LOT even if they never drive it.

The key word is rich. You may well have a chess set, or a game of scrabble at home that you rarely use. Why do you have it? In case you want to play. The cost to you is trivial. The ultra rich have stuff like houses, cars, mistresses that they rarely use. They have them in case they want to play. Same principle, different scale.

[TheEnd]

I guess bought as second cars and weekend toys is a big part of it.

Day to day might be a diesel Merc or a Range Rover, with the fancy sports car for sunny weekends.

[P-Jay]

AstonZagato said:

,

singlecoil said:

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several other cars

I'm not a rich person myself, but I am familiar with their ways, and indeed they will have several other cars. But I can't see the point of buying a nice car and not using it. I could understand it if it was a classic, an original DBS for instance, but a brand new car is going to cost them a LOT even if they never drive it.

The key word is rich. You may well have a chess set, or a game of scrabble at home that you rarely use. Why do you have it? In case you want to play. The cost to you is trivial. The ultra rich have stuff like houses, cars, mistresses that they rarely use. They have them in case they want to play. Same principle, different scale.

There is certainly a number of people who buy very expensive cars, and either because they can't stomach the running costs or want to minimise depreciation keep them for "best".

Mileage is pretty brutal on values of high end stuff too, with most everyday cars I think most people don't really worry about mileage too much before 50k and don't start thinking it might become troublesome before 100k, but will run from the hills from a Ferrari with 30k or at least want it very cheap (relatively of course).

Seems a bit sad to me that some Aston gets stuck in the garage only venturing out now and again when the sun shines, but then if I only drove it, when it was going to be fun and not another 40 min drive to the shops on a drizzly Feb morning or something I might only do 3k a year.

[P-Jay]

Hugo a Gogo said:

all the 6 gear manual cars nowadays, isn't it a bit of a waste of time having all those ratios? 5th is for what, hard acceleration between 100 and 110?

we're not talking track day cars here, diesel estates and the like

99.9% of the time, you'll either want the gears up to 4th, for acceleration, which will take you well over the limit, then 6th for easy cruising

is it just something that helps the official fuel figures?

5th in mine is most efficient at about 50-60, sort of rural a-road cruising, 6th is pure motorway cruising though, below 60 it's thinking about stalling, or at least juddering.

4th seems only there to offer a smother bridge between 3rd and 5th though - 3rd is long enough for slip roads and whatnot and as you say once you've joined the motorway, unless I went a bit nutty and fancied giving it all up to 140 4th's a bit pointless.

[SpeckledJim]

P-Jay said:

AstonZagato said:

,

singlecoil said:

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several other cars

I'm not a rich person myself, but I am familiar with their ways, and indeed they will have several other cars. But I can't see the point of buying a nice car and not using it. I could understand it if it was a classic, an original DBS for instance, but a brand new car is going to cost them a LOT even if they never drive it.

The key word is rich. You may well have a chess set, or a game of scrabble at home that you rarely use. Why do you have it? In case you want to play. The cost to you is trivial. The ultra rich have stuff like houses, cars, mistresses that they rarely use. They have them in case they want to play. Same principle, different scale.

There is certainly a number of people who buy very expensive cars, and either because they can't stomach the running costs or want to minimise depreciation keep them for "best".

Mileage is pretty brutal on values of high end stuff too, with most everyday cars I think most people don't really worry about mileage too much before 50k and don't start thinking it might become troublesome before 100k, but will run from the hills from a Ferrari with 30k or at least want it very cheap (relatively of course).

Seems a bit sad to me that some Aston gets stuck in the garage only venturing out now and again when the sun shines, but then if I only drove it, when it was going to be fun and not another 40 min drive to the shops on a drizzly Feb morning or something I might only do 3k a year.

Mileage 'correction' services.

All the 35,000 mile Ferraris a decade ago are doing 3-9,000 every year and are on 42,000 now.

[Ayahuasca]

P-Jay said:

AstonZagato said:

,

singlecoil said:

Willy Nilly said:

singlecoil said:

Why do so many people buy very expensive cars and then not drive them much? There's an advert on a PH page showing various Aston Martins several years old , some of them having done less that 3,000 a year.

Probably got several other cars

I'm not a rich person myself, but I am familiar with their ways, and indeed they will have several other cars. But I can't see the point of buying a nice car and not using it. I could understand it if it was a classic, an original DBS for instance, but a brand new car is going to cost them a LOT even if they never drive it.

The key word is rich. You may well have a chess set, or a game of scrabble at home that you rarely use. Why do you have it? In case you want to play. The cost to you is trivial. The ultra rich have stuff like houses, cars, mistresses that they rarely use. They have them in case they want to play. Same principle, different scale.

There is certainly a number of people who buy very expensive cars, and either because they can't stomach the running costs or want to minimise depreciation keep them for "best".

Mileage is pretty brutal on values of high end stuff too, with most everyday cars I think most people don't really worry about mileage too much before 50k and don't start thinking it might become troublesome before 100k, but will run from the hills from a Ferrari with 30k or at least want it very cheap (relatively of course).

Seems a bit sad to me that some Aston gets stuck in the garage only venturing out now and again when the sun shines, but then if I only drove it, when it was going to be fun and not another 40 min drive to the shops on a drizzly Feb morning or something I might only do 3k a year.

I met a guy year ago who bought a brand new Ferrari 328 from the factory, drove it home to Derby and ten years later it only had about 2,000 miles on the clock. He pushed it onto the drive every now and then, polished it and pushed it back into the garage again. Takes all sorts I guess.

[Vipers]

Why did some car makers stop making orange indicators covers which took white lamps, and made white covers which take orange colours lamps.

The painted ones loose their paint and although they work, fail MOT's as being too whitish. So we have to replace a perfectly fine lamp.

I use the word lamp as electricians always you put bulbs in the garden.

Edited by Vipers on Friday 3rd July 06:05

[MarshPhantom]

P-Jay said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

all the 6 gear manual cars nowadays, isn't it a bit of a waste of time having all those ratios? 5th is for what, hard acceleration between 100 and 110?

we're not talking track day cars here, diesel estates and the like

99.9% of the time, you'll either want the gears up to 4th, for acceleration, which will take you well over the limit, then 6th for easy cruising

is it just something that helps the official fuel figures?

5th in mine is most efficient at about 50-60, sort of rural a-road cruising, 6th is pure motorway cruising though, below 60 it's thinking about stalling, or at least juddering.

4th seems only there to offer a smother bridge between 3rd and 5th though - 3rd is long enough for slip roads and whatnot and as you say once you've joined the motorway, unless I went a bit nutty and fancied giving it all up to 140 4th's a bit pointless.

Problem with 6th is lack engine braking on the motorway.

[TheExcession]

How does a skunk cope with smelling like a skunk?

[paolow]

An aircraft one that has been bugging me, well a couple if anyone is kind enough to assist?

When the cabin 'bongs' sound is there a set meaning? I know that in supermarkets (poor analogy I know) one bell means clearance (for booze etc) two means assistance, I cant remember what 3 is but 4 was for a blatant shoplifter - or someone that looked like a skank.

Best I can find is:

one bong for a cabin crew call, two is for a message to be passed from the flight deck, 3 is for T/O or landing imminent and >3 there is something serious going on. Is that correct?

One that sticks in the mind is bongs going "high low high low" which I assume is message to be passed and immediately repeated?

Also, if I was in a light plane (single engine prop or similar) that had a sudden issue (engine failure or whatever) and Heathrow / Gatwick were closest and I declared a PAN / Mayday - could I land at such a major airport if given clearance?

I've done some googling but there does not seem to be a clear answer!

[BristolRich]

Araldite...specifically the two part mix in squeezy tubes.

Open a new tube of both parts. Use once screw cap on tight, put away. Use again, tighten cap, put in tool box as it will be needed again soon...

Open tool box two days later the Adhesive part has emptied its contents into the tool box. Cap still tight, no obvious damage to tube but sticky as anything and contents now all over my tools

Why does it do it?!

[Hugo a Gogo]

MarshPhantom said:

P-Jay said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

all the 6 gear manual cars nowadays, isn't it a bit of a waste of time having all those ratios? 5th is for what, hard acceleration between 100 and 110?

we're not talking track day cars here, diesel estates and the like

99.9% of the time, you'll either want the gears up to 4th, for acceleration, which will take you well over the limit, then 6th for easy cruising

is it just something that helps the official fuel figures?

5th in mine is most efficient at about 50-60, sort of rural a-road cruising, 6th is pure motorway cruising though, below 60 it's thinking about stalling, or at least juddering.

4th seems only there to offer a smother bridge between 3rd and 5th though - 3rd is long enough for slip roads and whatnot and as you say once you've joined the motorway, unless I went a bit nutty and fancied giving it all up to 140 4th's a bit pointless.

Problem with 6th is lack engine braking on the motorway.

then bang it into 4th if you really need engine braking

[thismonkeyhere]

One regarding the mahoosive trains in the USA (though might also apply to a certain extent to more normal trains here?):

In the huge long trains they have in the states; the ones that are so long they have four locos on the front, another four in the middle, and some pushing at the very end, all the locos are controlled by one man (or woman) in the front loco. But how? They are a long, long way apart.

The obvious answer, I suppose, is that every single wagon has appropriate cabling and couplings to enable the front locos to connect to the middle and back ones, but that does seem to me to be an awful lot of cable and an awful lot of plugs & sockets with associated increased risk of connection problems?

Could also be wireless I suppose, but this also seems fraught with risk.

Anyone know?

[droopsnoot]

thismonkeyhere said:

One regarding the mahoosive trains in the USA (though might also apply to a certain extent to more normal trains here?):

http://www.railway-technical.com/us-musp.shtml