Your pre-flight checks routine?
Discussion
It is surprising the amount of people seen driving in the morning, looking like they are still getting dressed - misted up screens, on the phone, no lights, not wearing a seatbelt…
My commute is an hour each way, and I like my music. I hate messing about deciding what music to play whilst I am in the car, it’s far too time consuming. Once I'm in the drivers seat, I like to be off as soon as possible. So my routine on getting up in the morning is:
Remotely boot up my HDD music server in the car using the transmitter keyfob on my keyring. Log into it via my tablet or home PC via wifi, and browse some music albums or playlists to play, whilst I have coffee and toast
Or copy and paste any new files on my home PC to the car system whilst I’m in the shower. Set play and hit pause.
So once I'm out to the car - if it's frosty - a quick spray of neat IPA from an aerosol on all the windows, no scraping needed. Heated front screen ensures that any ice melts in seconds. Get in the car, hit play to start the music, position water bottle in cup holder, check for sufficient starbursts in the door pocket, seat belt on, clutch down, start engine, hold ~ 1000 rpm for a few seconds, fuel level check, lights on, wipe screen, handbrake off and – today - to the sound of Canned Heat On The Road again – lift off!
I’ve shaved at least 10 minutes off my departure time using this method.
My commute is an hour each way, and I like my music. I hate messing about deciding what music to play whilst I am in the car, it’s far too time consuming. Once I'm in the drivers seat, I like to be off as soon as possible. So my routine on getting up in the morning is:
Remotely boot up my HDD music server in the car using the transmitter keyfob on my keyring. Log into it via my tablet or home PC via wifi, and browse some music albums or playlists to play, whilst I have coffee and toast
Or copy and paste any new files on my home PC to the car system whilst I’m in the shower. Set play and hit pause.So once I'm out to the car - if it's frosty - a quick spray of neat IPA from an aerosol on all the windows, no scraping needed. Heated front screen ensures that any ice melts in seconds. Get in the car, hit play to start the music, position water bottle in cup holder, check for sufficient starbursts in the door pocket, seat belt on, clutch down, start engine, hold ~ 1000 rpm for a few seconds, fuel level check, lights on, wipe screen, handbrake off and – today - to the sound of Canned Heat On The Road again – lift off!
I’ve shaved at least 10 minutes off my departure time using this method.
1/ Turn on electrics
2/ Turn on oil pump and check flow rate is reasonable
3/ Go around to front and open fuel tap
4/ Tickle carburettor until fuel is seen
5/ Wind starter manually to pre-engage starter
6/ Get in, check magneto turned on
7/ Retard ignition
8/ Operate starter
9/ Wake up half the street
10/ Advance ignition to about 2/3rds of full
11/ Engage first gear and move off
No doors or windscreen, car was built in 1930. Starter is pre-engaged as much as possible as even a 1934 book mentions this as being advisable to prevent early wear of the ring gear.
2/ Turn on oil pump and check flow rate is reasonable
3/ Go around to front and open fuel tap
4/ Tickle carburettor until fuel is seen
5/ Wind starter manually to pre-engage starter
6/ Get in, check magneto turned on
7/ Retard ignition
8/ Operate starter
9/ Wake up half the street
10/ Advance ignition to about 2/3rds of full
11/ Engage first gear and move off
No doors or windscreen, car was built in 1930. Starter is pre-engaged as much as possible as even a 1934 book mentions this as being advisable to prevent early wear of the ring gear.
Turn on at master killswitch
Turn ignition to get the fuel pump on
Leave for 20 seconds to get pressure up and fill the bowls in the carb
One good pump on throttle
Hold throttle halfway down and start (choke mech not connected)
Tickle at 1800-2000rpm for 20 seconds then see if it will idle on its own
Reverse down the driveway, make the pots and pans rattle in our neighbours kitchen, 2 doors down
Turn ignition to get the fuel pump on
Leave for 20 seconds to get pressure up and fill the bowls in the carb
One good pump on throttle
Hold throttle halfway down and start (choke mech not connected)
Tickle at 1800-2000rpm for 20 seconds then see if it will idle on its own
Reverse down the driveway, make the pots and pans rattle in our neighbours kitchen, 2 doors down
1st thing in the morning routing:
1) Glance at tyres while walking around the car to check they're not flat (tricky with low profile tyres).
2) Get in car
3) Ignition on, let glowplugs glow for 5-10 seconds when cold, clutch down, crank engine
4) Radio faceplate out of glovebox and on
5) Firm prod on brake pedal to ensure nothing disastrous has happened to brakes overnight
6) Heater / aircon on if needed to demist or keep cool/warm
7) Lights on if needed
8) Quick screenwash to remove pollen and dirt
9) Make sure coolant is at 10 Celsius or more before I set off in cold weather to be a bit kind to the engine
9) Away I go.... (and try to be gentle on the engine for the first few minutes)
1) Glance at tyres while walking around the car to check they're not flat (tricky with low profile tyres).
2) Get in car
3) Ignition on, let glowplugs glow for 5-10 seconds when cold, clutch down, crank engine
4) Radio faceplate out of glovebox and on
5) Firm prod on brake pedal to ensure nothing disastrous has happened to brakes overnight
6) Heater / aircon on if needed to demist or keep cool/warm
7) Lights on if needed
8) Quick screenwash to remove pollen and dirt
9) Make sure coolant is at 10 Celsius or more before I set off in cold weather to be a bit kind to the engine
9) Away I go.... (and try to be gentle on the engine for the first few minutes)
Turkey said:
1st thing in the morning routing:
1) Glance at tyres while walking around the car to check they're not flat (tricky with low profile tyres).
2) Get in car
3) Ignition on, let glowplugs glow for 5-10 seconds when cold, clutch down, crank engine
4) Radio faceplate out of glovebox and on
5) Firm prod on brake pedal to ensure nothing disastrous has happened to brakes overnight
6) Heater / aircon on if needed to demist or keep cool/warm
7) Lights on if needed
8) Quick screenwash to remove pollen and dirt
9) Make sure coolant is at 10 Celsius or more before I set off in cold weather to be a bit kind to the engine
9) Away I go.... (and try to be gentle on the engine for the first few minutes)
About what i do too.1) Glance at tyres while walking around the car to check they're not flat (tricky with low profile tyres).
2) Get in car
3) Ignition on, let glowplugs glow for 5-10 seconds when cold, clutch down, crank engine
4) Radio faceplate out of glovebox and on
5) Firm prod on brake pedal to ensure nothing disastrous has happened to brakes overnight
6) Heater / aircon on if needed to demist or keep cool/warm
7) Lights on if needed
8) Quick screenwash to remove pollen and dirt
9) Make sure coolant is at 10 Celsius or more before I set off in cold weather to be a bit kind to the engine
9) Away I go.... (and try to be gentle on the engine for the first few minutes)
Apart from no8, as mine in a garage.
4a.... wait 5 secs for fuel pump to kick in.
4b..... wait 45 secs for O2 sensors to pick up.
9/9a
be gentle for 10/15 min 
I shall amend my Landy routine:
1. Approach Landy, desperately clicking at the dying fob to unlock the doors, usually once I'm right up close.
2. Open door, dump any loose things I'm carrying onto the centre seat then climb up on the step and get in.
3. Check the handbrake is engaged, then foot down on the clutch, engage keys and release steering lock.
4. Switch on the ignition, wait for the low plugs to warm up.
5. Start engine
6. Select required demist settings
7. Select required lights
8. Seat belt on
9. Door closed
10. Wipers if required
11. Into first, handbrake off and gently drive out of the garage, taking care to not swipe the mirrors off
1. Approach Landy, desperately clicking at the dying fob to unlock the doors, usually once I'm right up close.
2. Open door, dump any loose things I'm carrying onto the centre seat then climb up on the step and get in.
3. Check the handbrake is engaged, then foot down on the clutch, engage keys and release steering lock.
4. Switch on the ignition, wait for the low plugs to warm up.
5. Start engine
6. Select required demist settings
7. Select required lights
8. Seat belt on
9. Door closed
10. Wipers if required
11. Into first, handbrake off and gently drive out of the garage, taking care to not swipe the mirrors off
1. See what the weather is doing to determine which car I shall use.
2. Where is said car.
3. Try and locate correct key for said car. In the sofa, or the floor, coat pocket (copious).
4. Find drop posts frozen.
5. Return to house.
6. Put kettle on.
7. Make cup of tea.
8. Realise I want to unfreeze drop post.
9. Walk out to frozen drop post with cup of tea.
10. Back to house for kettle.
11. Drop post unfrozen. Drop drop post.
12. Find car door is frozen, window stuck to car seals.
13. Find kettle is empty.
14. Back to house.
15. Put kettle on.
16. Make cup of tea.
17. Realise I want to unfreeze car door.
18. Walk out to frozen car door with cup of tea.
19. Back to house for kettle.
20. Car door unfrozen.
21. Get in car, start up engine.
22. Stop car engine.
23. Back to house.
24. Need toilet due to all the cups of tea consumed.
25. Walk back to car.
26. Start up engine.
27. Stop engine.
28. Realised it's Saturday, or working from home!
2. Where is said car.
3. Try and locate correct key for said car. In the sofa, or the floor, coat pocket (copious).
4. Find drop posts frozen.
5. Return to house.
6. Put kettle on.
7. Make cup of tea.
8. Realise I want to unfreeze drop post.
9. Walk out to frozen drop post with cup of tea.
10. Back to house for kettle.
11. Drop post unfrozen. Drop drop post.
12. Find car door is frozen, window stuck to car seals.
13. Find kettle is empty.
14. Back to house.
15. Put kettle on.
16. Make cup of tea.
17. Realise I want to unfreeze car door.
18. Walk out to frozen car door with cup of tea.
19. Back to house for kettle.
20. Car door unfrozen.
21. Get in car, start up engine.
22. Stop car engine.
23. Back to house.
24. Need toilet due to all the cups of tea consumed.
25. Walk back to car.
26. Start up engine.
27. Stop engine.
28. Realised it's Saturday, or working from home!
007 VXR said:
About what i do too.
Apart from no8, as mine in a garage.
4a.... wait 5 secs for fuel pump to kick in.
4b..... wait 45 secs for O2 sensors to pick up.
9/9a be gentle for 10/15 min
I'd love to have the same routine as you, sadly I've got a 2 litre Diesel MG, and not a Monaro. Hoping to get on the correct path soon with a 6 cyl 330i in the next 12 months.Apart from no8, as mine in a garage.
4a.... wait 5 secs for fuel pump to kick in.
4b..... wait 45 secs for O2 sensors to pick up.
9/9a
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