Mat's BX Blog

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:21 pm

Can I ask who you are insured with for your divebus/camper? Reason being that I've previously had a good deal with Adrian Flux insuring the van (it was £170 this year although that's a significant increase) and the BX with them. As I can't use my NCB with another vehicle, it made things expensive if I insured them with different people. Finding a company who was prepared to deal with both a modified car and a DIY converted campervan has been difficult!

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:56 pm

It is Adrian Flux who I got the insurance with, my dive bus is also a Japanese import and Adrian flux are the owners club recommended insurers. (Mitsibushi L300 Delica). My no claims is on the Delica and my TGD auto is on limited mileage classic insurance through another company. The wife has the TZD insured in her name with her own NCB with me as a named driver.
One policy for all would be much easier but doesn't seam to work out.

Des Smith · Post by **Des Smith** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:47 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:Same happened to me and the BX insurance. Shopped around and Bradford & Bingley came in at the same as last year. Sure enough; all sorted.

Phil, I'll say this once, and very quietly so no-one else will hear...

SAGA

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:35 pm

Footman james are very good as are lancaster!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:13 pm

Might have found insurance for £205 - just waiting for a call back

Took the van for an MOT today - got a pass after they had put on a set of wipers. Annoyingly I had a set I had meant to put on, but forgot

Oh well, can't grumble for £12! I got them to check over the injector timing I had set by ear the previous year, I reckoned it was slightly out. Turns out it was very close, just a tad retarded. Now adjusted so hopefully I'll squeeze a few extra mpg out of it.

rayfenwick · Post by **rayfenwick** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:49 pm

mat_fenwick wrote:... very close, just a tad retarded...

Like most of the locals here

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:58 pm

Oh dear, they seem to be breeding!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 2:51 pm

Have I missed a trick? Did you buy another bx?

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:55 pm

Sadly not - I'm just storing it for Matt H as he picked up the 205 earlier this week. He kindly let me take it for a spin, which was rather a lot of fun!

I don't know whether it was mainly down to the extra stiffness of the shell, larger antiroll bars or the more responsive feeling steering, but the handling was fantastic. Completely different feel to mine, and not a bad sounding engine too!

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:21 pm

He was being a bit cagey about where his 16v was going. Now we know!

After driving the old grandad yellow break then going out in my 16v last week my thoughts were exactly as you describe Mat as to sensation : everything is tighter/firmer/faster..

How about inviting your special 'Stig' testdriver over to give it a thrashing ( the one who redesigned the Discovery!)

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:41 pm

toddao wrote:everything is tighter/firmer/faster..

Sounds like my ideal woman...

toddao wrote:How about inviting your special 'Stig' testdriver over to give it a thrashing ( the one who redesigned the Discovery!)

I didn't tell Matt, but had he seen what I accidentally did to a Ford Ka he might not have been so keen to let me play!

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 10:05 pm

Glad you liked it!

That Ka looks quite impressive... I'd love to know how you managed that

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 10:37 pm

Well, the story goes as follows...

A couple of years ago a friend was having a stag weekend, and part of the 'entertainment' was buying a few scrap cars, and racing them around an area of waste ground. After one car wasn't trailered to the event, and another ripped its fuel tank out on a rock during the practising we were left with a total of one Ford Ka for the timed laps. Sadly that too was on borrowed time, after the front end had touched down too vigorously after a jump, and pierced the radiator.

I volunteered first, so that the engine would be the least seized for my run and set off happily sliding the car around. Unfortunately I hadn't spotted a telegraph pole on the inside of one of the corners, and the slide I'd just recovered from meant I was now on a collision course. I *just* clipped it with my front wheel, but that was enough to flip the car onto its roof, and tear a driveshaft from the gearbox.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:16 pm

We now have another car, for the grand sum of nothing! OK, it cost me a few hours cutting some firewood - we swapped some wood

for this

It's failed the MOT on quite a few things, but mainly time rather than money needs to be spent on it. Should be a cheap runabout for Lana until things pick up a little bit. It's a bit small for carrying the dog around in, but I reckon with the seats down she should fit!

In other news, it's raining here (as usual!) Slightly worried that the river might wash away the bridge and leave us stranded...
Anyone for a spot of kayaking?

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:57 pm

Nature is so much cooler than the city. We used to have a meek little stream by our place that would suddenly go in spate. Not as big as that one though.

Can you still get the wood back?