h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The reason, apparently, that BlueBug was so reluctant to go to work in the morning, to the point of switching off and simply stopping, is a stretched time chain.

We have, some mornings, stopped up to five times on the way through the village. She switches off, we freewheel to the kerb and I try to look as if I'm looking at the map or searching for a cd or something while the neighbours curtains twitch.

The stretch means, apparently, that the engine's messages about its fuel requirements don't reach the petrol tank. No fuel = stop.

Thing is, I'm Perfectly Capable of telling the engine and the petrol tank just how much fuel is necessary via the accelerator pedal. Been doing it for decades. Very sucessfully and without problems. (Well except that time the pedal got stuck full on on the M6. That was interesting.)

Who is designing these cars to cut me out of the loop? Who wants to be cut out of the loop?

I want my nice simple cheerful RedTinCan back . With its hand wound windows, its choke, its complete absence of little warning lights telling me the seat belts not done when it is, or to call the dealer immediately or soon or whatever.

ahhh the joys of mordern motoring!

As a Mechanic, of some years, I can understand!


RJR

I quite agree. There aren't enough simple systems anymore, that you can get your head round and repair.

Fortunately the Renault doesn't seem to break down. I've hardly ever lifted the bonnet on it...

sprout

I totally agree. There are times when things should just should be left alone. Engineers have to justify their jobs. "Improvements" follow. The problem is that the "new, improved" product often is less efficient and relaible than what it replaced.

Hey, Waz

You did put a real wheel back on it, yeah?

Hmmph.

There's another thing - what happened to proper spare tyres?

And another thing, BlueBug's picked up not one but two nails in nine months. TinCan; not one in eleven years.

Cars of today - high maintenance, temperamental, careless, think they know better all the time, sulky. Don't know what the world's coming to, I don't.