Steve123

Hi, im afraid I’d need my teenage daughter to upload pictures here, and she’s in lockdown at Uni, but what they are really only 18 inch by 24 inch illustrations of various badges and scripts of Jaguars and Daimler’s over the years. I can’t even tell if they prints or originals. They are all beautifully done on dark brown artists board. I plan to sell them on eBay so would like to be able to title them properly. cheers.

When recently clearing out the loft above one of my garages, I found a number of coloured illustrations printed on expensive card. They are all either Jaguar or Daimler pictures, mostly of the detail of wheel hubs, boot and grille badges etc. To me they look like design study drawings created possibly for approval at Board level. The previous owner of my houses was a director on the Jaguar board, and also a avid fan of the marque. He is long dead. i intend to advertise them on eBay, but don’t know what the commercial name for them would be. Any graphic designers or ad men out there who know what these things would be known as ? Thanks

My gardener, a wise old bird, has told me about a weird thing that had happened nearly every night for the last couple of weeks in his garden He has two divergent paths that run parallel in his garden about four feet apart. One is made of paving slabs, the other of tamped gravel. In between is a strip of lawn. For some years there has been a well established bees nest sunk into the lawn right on the edge of the paving slabs. Every night, bar when it rains, something has built up over the entrance to the nest a circular layer of gravel about a foot across. It rises to a cone over the opening. He also says that the same white pebble is put on the top centre of the cone every night. Photographs support this. I’ve told him it is squirrels, but he has replied that he shoots these when he sees them in the elms bordering his garden, and anyway squirrels aren’t active at night. Anyone got any ideas ?

Another thing I’ve noticed that has changed is this - Buyers nowadays seem to be much more reluctant to bid until the very last moment ; it never used to be like that . I think it keeps the bidding lower.

Good point, Gareth. I did intend to be more specific, but I’m not entirely sure. My company car was a Ford Granada Ghia at the time, so does that make it the late seventies perhaps. Certainly the name Dum Dum does seem familiar, so I’ll try that. I do remember just how useful the stuff was. It did not stick to the fingers and remained infinitely malleable at all times. Thanks for the assist. Cheers.

Some few years ago, we regularly took our baby in the back of our 911 convertible when touring Tuscany. I heavily modified the Porsche child car seat so it incorporated a blind over her head, and she always wore a tiny little white linen flying helmet, but she loved it. In fact, the only time she ever cried was when we took her out of the seat. The helmet was altered over the years for subsequent Tuscan tours in other 911’s and a couple of Aston’s. By the time we finally changed to a car with more rear seat legroom [ a Bentley ], she’d gotten out of love with the helmet and just preferred to let her hair flow behind her in the slipstream. Being blonde she attracted a lot of attention in Italy.

I think that’s what they are called, you know, those large spring onion shaped outside heaters. Last night I sparked ours up to warm up the orangery prior to going for a swim in the pool. Some few minutes later the wife shouted “ Fire, fire “ and pointed back to the house where clouds of smoke billowed from the orangery. Galloping back to the House we discovered that the bottom had dropped out of the chiminiere and had set light to the wooden flooring just below it. When it had cooled off this morning I examined the !Removed! thing, only to discover that amongst the ashes there lay a perfectly round and symmetrical piece of iron which was a tad smaller than its counterpart inside the bottom of the spring onion. This made me wonder if these heaters come with a whole in their bottoms and a covering plate, perhaps for emptying. Anyone got any ideas ?

In the olden days, car manufacturers, when they ran wiring thru the cars bulkhead from the engine bay to the cabin, either used rubber grommets or occasionally a soft, squidgy and bendy black mastic. This stuff always remained soft, squidgy and bendy. I have had many potential uses for it over the years but don’t know what it is called. I could use some right now to seal off some outside lights. Anyone know what it’s called ?

Teenagers and reliability ? Just not possible. I myself have now seen the winder rotate in both directions. Curiously, though, I see it rotate much more anti clockwise than the other way, but at least it does swing both ways, if you’ll pardon the pun. cheers

Hi Gareth, Thanks for your very helpful suggestion. I had no idea that such sprays we’re available, I shall certainly get some. The purpose of my original request for help is really just to brainstorm, so ideally I might find a solution, or alternatively I get enough ideas to talk knowledgeably with the the garage , thus permitting me not to be an idiot ripe for exploiting. Cheers, Steve

By the way, to those of you who are trying to help me with the screech from my B8, it is a 2016 model. The 2006 was an earlier car. Thanks.

According to the brochure it should rotate in one direction for two minutes and then stop for six minutes. It will then recommence in the other direction for the same time periods. At great expense I have bribed my teenage daughter to sit still and observe it. She says that it seems to comply with the time periods, but that she’s only ever see it go in one direction. She was, though, on her iPad for most of the time, so she may not be the most reliable observer. I guess I’ll have to watch it myself. Would it make any difference ? P.S. The watch second hand is turning, though, so that’s a start.

Neither am I. Where did you see it ?

During lockdown I have cleared out two garages with lofts above, one workshop, three storage sheds, one summerhouse, a potting shed and the house and attic above. I have found an enormous amount of useful stuff, some of it never even used. Ordinarily, this would all go to a local charity shop but they’re not open. So I’ve bought loads of wrapping paper and bubble wrap and am now eBaying it all. Most items find buyers but I am astonished at just how many people win the auction and then don’t pay up. Of course, they don’t get the item, but it is !Removed! irritating. eBay are useless in dealing with the problem ( I don’t think that they do anything at all ). Anyone else ever have this problem with useless buyers ?

In the eighteen months since I bought a very expensive gold watch, I have had to cope with three attempts to steal it ( they were all overseas). I’ve now decided to wear a less expensive watch some of the time. It is a Tissot automatic and I have bought a watch winder to keep it up to power between wearings. However, despite being fitted to the winding machine the Tissot hasn’t started. The handbook of the winder states that if the watch has a “ low power reserve “ it may not benefit from being placed in the winder. The Tissot wasn’t used for a couple of years prior, so had no power reserve. Any know how to restore a dead power reserve ?

Q

They didn’t say if they’d tried that. I will get them to do it. Thanks.

Sorry for the delay in replying. We’ve been badly affected by Covid 19. Your idea is good.I will see what I can do. Thanks.

Although I only use independent Audi approved garages [ I am lucky enough to have two nearby and closer than my main dealer], I recently received an email circular sent by the MD of the chain which owns my local Audi dealership. It was, in common with many other businesses, advising that they are still here to support their clients ( I’ve never done ANY business with them ) through these difficult times. I am tempted to reply that if they can do that now, it is a shame that they never rang back or replied to my text messages from before the current COVID pandemic. In fairness, I should say that despite buying a new Alfa Romeo Guilia Quatrofoglio for my wife two years ago, my local Alfa main dealer is probably even worse, they didn’t even ring back when I expressed interest in buying my daughter a used Guilietta earlier this year ......but somehow one expects more from an Audi main dealership.

Hi, my RS4 B8 has 80,000 miles on the clock. It has recently had a high pitched whine or screech develop in the engine compartment. My local independent Audi garage who specialises in S and RS Audi’s had it overnight for a diagnosis but was unable to define what it is. They speculated unsurely that it might be the air con pump, but clearly didn’t know for sure. Although they made a suspension change on the car earlier this year and I am pleased with that, my confidence in them has been a bit shaken now. I know I have not provided much info here, so please fire away with any questions you might have. Many thanks, Rosanne.

Four years ago, after many years of driving Aston Martins, I defected to Bentley by buying a Continental GTC. I've just returned to the Aston Martin fold, and bought a 23,000 mile one lady owner DB9 Volante . It is impossible to describe just how right an Aston feels after the GTC. The Bentley was a great car ( what's not to like about a 200 mile an hour car with four wheel drive ? ), but the DB9 fits like a glove and drives like a dream. I've bought the Missus a very low mileage ( under ten k ) one owner S4 Quattro Avant V8 ( year 2007 ) in order to make her amenable to my spending nearly £50 k on the Aston, and she loves her Audi ( as do I ), so everybodys happy. Is there any reason to think that the S4 will become a classic ? Incidentally, having collected the Aston and driving home on the M1 with the top down, the growl of the S4 could be heard over the silky purr of the Aston's V12......,.at least until I accelerated !

Hello Trevor, I'll certainly offer up a few words in the manner you suggested, although it might take a tad or two to cover it all. Insofar as offering a review of the Audi is concerned, well, I might have to get " 'er indoors " to do that since I bought it for her to replace her V8 BMW X5 when that got nicked. The Beamer was a cracker of a car, very fast and very stylish, but its petrol consumption was fearful - it even made the Bentleys thirst for petrol seem like a Duchess sipping Earl Grey at a Bishops tea party. The one specific comment I will make about the S4 though, is that it has vastly increased my !Removed! life ! After going out for a drive in it the wife comes home with a sparkle in her eye and a glow on her cheeks . By Jiminy, I'm then frequently dragged upstairs by the scruff of my neck with nary a moment to park my Montecristo. I tell you, amigo, when I hear that V8 turn up the drive I now go and hide in the potting shed ! Luckily, the dogs know when she's about three villages away since they can hear a finely tuned engine approaching from about five miles away ; so when they start kicking off I generally pick up the whisky decanter and make a bolt for the Petunia patch. The latest holiday venue we are considering are the Italian Lakes ; can they not be accessed via the Stelvio Pass ? Weatherwise the Lakes don't compare too well with the Cote d'Azure ( hardly surprising really, given their proximity to the mountains ) , so it is by no means a foregone conclusion even yet as to where we'll go. Ciao.

Hello Trevor, Sure enough, the women in this household were able to overcome the registration difficulties I experienced yesterday. However, in order to offer a vehicle review one is required to submit too much personal information for my liking. What with vehicle cloning and identity theft ( the latter happened to me about ten years ago and I only put the repercussions fully behind me about two years ago ) I have a distinct aversion to disclosing personal information, especially since I retain all of my personal plates for transfer to successive cars. i am more than happy to offer a review of the Bentley for your chum but not in the manner you have requested. Sorry, but I'm sure you understand. PPS Having double checked with my wife who got the Portsmouth to Santander ferry crossing quote, she tells me that it was £940 even with an interior cabin ( they were no exterior cabins available even in mid September ). I'm comfortably off but even I blench at that price ! cheers.

I've just tried to access your suggested review site but with no luck so far. I often seem to have problems with the " I'm not a robot " element, so I guess it's me and not the site itself. I'll get the womenfolk on it tonight ; they're much younger and more IT savvy than me. cheers.

Hello Trevor, It sure expensive..........and the quoted price is that for a crossing in mid September, the first time I can get away this year. i have long considered both Germany and Austria as potential venues, but generally discount them since I cannot be sure of the weather there even in Summertime. Nothing really cheeses me off than going on holiday in a convertible and then having to keep the top up because it is raining - hence Portugal being considered. The two ragtops we own are generally only ever used when the Sun is shining, and in England that's getting less and less often, so a Continental driving holiday is when they come into their own. In the UK my wife and I switch between our Audi S4 Quattro Avant or an Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Sportwagon. Both are very fast fun cars to drive so we're quite happy to leave the drop tops in the garage until we have a holiday. Let me tell you an amusing story about the Aston and Bentley. I've had Astons for years . A second marriage to a much younger woman twenty years ago brought along my first sprog. The brat was quite happy being trundled around Europe every year in various Astons, but as she got older she got taller, as they do. Eventually, at about aged fifteen she started whinging about no leg room in the back of the DB9, and, moreover, she wanted to bring a pal on holiday with her. So, after many rows and temper tantrums ( mine, not hers ! ) I p/xd the Aston for the GTC. Our first holiday in the Bentley and we'd taken a pal of hers, Isobel along with us. Since Isobel was going on her family holiday at the end of the first week of ours, the plan was that her Dad would meet up with us wherever we happened to be in the South of France and he'd pick her up and take her back to the UK so they could start their holiday. We happened to be in Antibes and we agreed to to do the handover at a bar on the seafront for lunch on the Saturday morning. Expecting him to turn up in his Jaguar XK8 we were surprised when this beautiful triple black Mercedes C63 AMG growled up. He'd flogged the Jag for the Merc the day before and was running it in on the trip to us. My daughter took one look at the Merc. said " Forget about the Bentley, Dad, I want to go on holiday in the Merc. ! " and then buggered off back to England with her pal and her Dad. So, we had the Bentley for one week of the purpose it was intended for, and , having now passed her Driving Test, she's never been in it ever since ! Mind you, there was a happy ending, since I rang the Bentley dealer and promptly bought the Aston back from him ! Cheers.