Honest John (The Daily Telegraph): Your Views?
Discussion
Personally I have emailed him for advice on an issue with a dealer (who valeted the wifes car and damaged the paint - then tried to deny it had any responsibility for the damage as it was their valerting company (sub contact) who had caused it!!!!)
The response I received was both prompt and effective, I passed on his comments to the Ford main dealers - resulting in the problem being resolved quickly.
Cant say fairer than that!
The response I received was both prompt and effective, I passed on his comments to the Ford main dealers - resulting in the problem being resolved quickly.
Cant say fairer than that!
topless_mx5 said:
I emailed asking for advice on £1000 cars. Got a reply saying he can't make a recommendationst as it is likely to be a heap of trouble.
Useless.
And yet completely right?Useless.
for £1,000 you buy on condition. To recommend a particular make/model of car from the tens of thousands floating on the edge of the scrappy dependent on how badly it might fail MOT would be madness.
Think man!
Edited by Wadeski on Monday 11th August 00:00
It's a Torygraph site and worryingly more right-wing than PH. The demographic is such that the answer to any question is always "Honda Jazz". The forums are not what the internet is about and should be avoided. I like the car-by-car breakdown bit though. I mailed them a recall notice and they posted it.
I know from a very good source that he used to be an investigative journalist and is rather wary of people as certain previous investigations would like to 'have a chat with him'. Hence the crap hat and bad glasses as a bad disguise. Time may have diluted this though.
He isnt a experienced dealer but took it up once leaving journalism. And also uses a lot of other knowledge to pass himself off as a knowledgable.
And his name is really Peter.
Oh and he isnt against asian imports as he's banging a thai girl.
His sites ok, but the mods are a nightmare and consist of a fat chick and a mondeo man.
Do like his auction reports though.
He isnt a experienced dealer but took it up once leaving journalism. And also uses a lot of other knowledge to pass himself off as a knowledgable.
And his name is really Peter.
Oh and he isnt against asian imports as he's banging a thai girl.
His sites ok, but the mods are a nightmare and consist of a fat chick and a mondeo man.
Do like his auction reports though.
heebeegeetee said:
I was at the Armed Forces memorial just two weekends ago at Alrewas, when coincidentally they were commemorating the Korean War. We got to see some details of the torture that was handed out to prisoners of war, (though wasn't sure if it that done by the koreans, or the japanese in WW2).
Either way, if you take a bit of time to learn about the atrocities that has been dealt out to many people who you'll pass by today in your local high street, you might think about your stupid, crass, vacuous comments.
But hey, you're free to make them.
Mind you, in fairness to you, in schools today they'll teach you all sorts of nonsense about global warming, but they'll teach you absolutely f
k all about how we came to be free today, and even less about how thousands of people living amongst us today, you know, old people who get on our tits with their crap driving, have actually paid their dues in blood so that we can be free to live the lives we do.
Either way, if you take a bit of time to learn about the atrocities that has been dealt out to many people who you'll pass by today in your local high street, you might think about your stupid, crass, vacuous comments.
But hey, you're free to make them.
Mind you, in fairness to you, in schools today they'll teach you all sorts of nonsense about global warming, but they'll teach you absolutely f
k all about how we came to be free today, and even less about how thousands of people living amongst us today, you know, old people who get on our tits with their crap driving, have actually paid their dues in blood so that we can be free to live the lives we do.
This (he was a patient) is how my great uncle died so I although I was slightly taken aback when I read that letter in the DT, I can understand why the anti-Japenese sentiments run so strongly in that generation
Workshy Fop said:
The demographic is such that the answer to any question is always "Honda Jazz".
Or W124 Merc E-Class. I appreciate them but, surely they've reached a level now? I enjoy the column but then I often take his answers with a pinch of salt.
Bangs on about BCA's Sure-sell like there's no tomorrow as well. He ought to mention that their high buyer indemnities means you've more chance of getting less than if you took it round your local indy auction house. I notice his auction reports are only from BCA Blackbushe too. Presumably on some kind of retainer?
Edited by 2fster on Monday 11th August 09:10
Dogwatch said:
When Japanese cars became established in this country there were stories of ex-POW's (captured in the Far East)who swore they would never have anything to do with them.
This was especially prevalent in the North West in the 70's as the Cheshire Regiment really suffered at the hands of the Japs during WW2.Dogwatch said:
When Japanese cars became established in this country there were stories of ex-POW's (captured in the Far East)who swore they would never have anything to do with them.
Whilst it doesn't make a lot of sense (I doubt Mr Datsun was a camp guard) if you heard what the Japanese did to our prisoners it would make sense them having some resentment. My grandfather was a prisoner on the Burma Railway and rarely spoke about the stuff he'd seen or experienced out there as it made such an impression on him.Strawman said:
The double wire is to distinguish between cars and HGVs etc. As you can imagine without reference to the wheelbase you can't determine speed
Why? If you know how long it took the front wheels to travel 1m, then you know how fast they are going.You you think the back of the car might be going faster or slower than the front?
Dogwatch said:
When Japanese cars became established in this country there were stories of ex-POW's (captured in the Far East)who swore they would never have anything to do with them.
A friend of my parents was like that. He changed his mind and bought a Datsun after experiencing British "engineering" in the form of a new Morris MarinaBT52 said:
Strawman said:
The double wire is to distinguish between cars and HGVs etc. As you can imagine without reference to the wheelbase you can't determine speed
Why? If you know how long it took the front wheels to travel 1m, then you know how fast they are going.You you think the back of the car might be going faster or slower than the front?
If a honda jazz goes over the lines first then yes, you could work out its speed, however then a 3 axle vehicle goes over it and messes the timing up because its last axle is seen as the first axle of the next car which is 5 minutes behind it.
now it's all gone to pot... hence them being used as traffic counters and not speed measuring devices.
I used to find it funny how HJ would always recommend the same cars, almost regardless of the writer's requirements, he went through various stages of recommending: Seat Leon 20VT, Yaris D4D, BMW 320d and teh MK2 Mondeo TDCi 130 when they were new.
Wonder how smug he feels now that many 320d's have suffered turbo failure and the Mondeo fuel pump failure?
Wonder how smug he feels now that many 320d's have suffered turbo failure and the Mondeo fuel pump failure?
markmullen said:
Dogwatch said:
When Japanese cars became established in this country there were stories of ex-POW's (captured in the Far East)who swore they would never have anything to do with them.
Whilst it doesn't make a lot of sense (I doubt Mr Datsun was a camp guard) if you heard what the Japanese did to our prisoners it would make sense them having some resentment. My grandfather was a prisoner on the Burma Railway and rarely spoke about the stuff he'd seen or experienced out there as it made such an impression on him.Never spoke about it, ever.
Died very early too, 55.
Paul Dishman said:
Dogwatch said:
When Japanese cars became established in this country there were stories of ex-POW's (captured in the Far East)who swore they would never have anything to do with them.
A friend of my parents was like that. He changed his mind and bought a Datsun after experiencing British "engineering" in the form of a new Morris Marina
He had that car till he was too old to drive and loved it, said it helped him bury some old ghosts too lol! I think the current generations forget the suffering of our forefathers too easilly.Mrs DL has a Honda Jazz which she really likes (she has ne real interest in cars) but older generations of her family have muttered about it being Japanese.
What's really putting me off is they're now made in China. I know it's hard to avoid for some items, but I'm very uncertain about a Chinese built car. It's not even as if it's cheaper - it's still at the Japanes built price!
What's really putting me off is they're now made in China. I know it's hard to avoid for some items, but I'm very uncertain about a Chinese built car. It's not even as if it's cheaper - it's still at the Japanes built price!
sniff petrol said:
I used to find it funny how HJ would always recommend the same cars, almost regardless of the writer's requirements, he went through various stages of recommending: Seat Leon 20VT, Yaris D4D, BMW 320d and teh MK2 Mondeo TDCi 130 when they were new.
You're absolutely right, he then moved onto the Mitsubishi Colt and the Honda Jazz as somebody alluded to earlier."Honest John, I want a capable 4x4 as a tow a horsebox and need room for two large Hungarian Vislas in the back. What do you recommend?"
"Reader, what you need is a Honda Jazz. It has a wonderful chain cam engine and very versatile seating. If you buy from broadspeed.com you'll be able to get it cheaper than list too."
Great, just great.
I exaggerate slightly, but yes I do mean slightly, I've seen some of HJ's replies nearing the lunacy of the above.
Wigeon Incognito said:
"Honest John, I want a capable 4x4 as a tow a horsebox and need room for two large Hungarian Vislas in the back. What do you recommend?"
"Reader, what you need is a Honda Jazz. It has a wonderful chain cam engine and very versatile seating. If you buy from broadspeed.com you'll be able to get it cheaper than list too."
Great, just great.
I exaggerate slightly, but yes I do mean slightly, I've seen some of HJ's replies nearing the lunacy of the above.
"Reader, what you need is a Honda Jazz. It has a wonderful chain cam engine and very versatile seating. If you buy from broadspeed.com you'll be able to get it cheaper than list too."
Great, just great.
I exaggerate slightly, but yes I do mean slightly, I've seen some of HJ's replies nearing the lunacy of the above.
Lunacy indeed, everyone knows the correct answer to the requirements is an MX5Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff