Chesterfield

Find one moderator, administrator or meet organiser that I had met or knew prior to them becoming part of the team in the first six months after I built the forum and you can be a moderator now.

This was discussed at the very outset of the forum, and we didnt want to go down the hierachy route. It also adds another task to the already large list of jobs that the team do. The problem is with "democratic" elections, is you end up with the popular people in the jobs rather than those that can actually do the job. What if those elected people leave or can no longer afford the time - do we hand the position to the second place candidate, or run the whole thing again? How many elections would have resulted in the removal of moderating staff that do other good jobs that often go unrecognised. For instance when there was the need for a stand against the ridiculous ammount of spam being posted, and there were toys thrown out of the pram by several posters, had there been an election at that time we could have seen the removal of a mod that does some excellent work organising the Wales event, but this would have seen them removed. Also, the relationships that are built between this club and other clubs and companies could also be jeapordised. Lets put it another way.. If I were to lose my position, who would have got the forum back online a few days ago? If Mike lost his position, who would manage the trader renewals and finances? If Chris's, ebized or beavis were gone - how successful would Wales be? Lexx put some great time in building relationships with Nissan, Martinmac has more contacts than you can shake a stick at, and Neo although often very quiet on the forum is an invaluable techy that has helped build what we see today. The team are not picked based on who we like and who we dont - they are invited to join based on how they have acted on the forum, how they approach subjects on the forum and their personality. Another point to consider is that we have neve been asked by any member whether they could become part of the team, and how they go about it. We have always had to ask people if they want to be part of the team. What we do acknowledge is that there is a distinct lack of female members on the team, this would be good to rectify - but finding somebody that can spare the time is often not easy.

Im just debating anything to keep me awake Lewis treated us to our first sleepless night. Only another 18 or so years of them to come I guess.

But how many housebricks get used as BBQ bricks? A wet brick trying to release the moisture at the rate a 1000F coal fire would have it try to do is likely to subject it to similar pressures that frost does. Its the reason fire bricks exist, and why things like pizza ovens dont just use ordinary bricks.

Fire up a bbq with a damp house bricks and the faces tend to pop off though. Thats why I'd suggest fire bricks, and why a properly installed bbq would use them too. The chimney and bricks up near the grill may be fine - but those at the bottom near the coals could be subject to 1000 F. Heating up to that from a damp brick could well pop the face or crack it imho.

But a brick on an outdoor BBQ wont be dried properly each time before use. They could well be subject to a rainy day one day/hour, and then a nice sunny evening when you fancy firing up the BBQ. Similarly how often have BBQs been ended by a downpour. This could rapidly change the temperature of the brick and if the bricks heat quickly while moist, they are much more prone to cracking. Standard bricks for a chimney is fine. We built the chimney on ours at our first house about 9 feet or so tall. That way it puts the output of the smoke about 3 feet above peoples heads when stood up. Cant find any pictures of our old house at the moment. Firebricks would be around a couple of quid each to do the main cooking area with. The rest you can then get in any colour/style you like to match your house/patio whatever and not need to worry about cracking or popping of the brick faces when you cook. Only disadvantages of a larger bbq, is that it may become the "focal" point of your garden, which you may not want, you will need more bricks, it will take longer and if you are cooking on woods and coals you are likely to get through more fuel as you will be covering a larger area, possibly unnecessarily unles you are cooking a feast. As for the cooking base, rather than even more expensive fire bricks, you could use a stainless steel plate, perhaps the inside/back of an old oven, as it is built to take high temperatures. You may find yourself replacing this though in time.

I think its the number of services in the time thats the concern. However, mine would fall in the same boat. It gets a service every now and then, but Im not going to be paying a couple of hundred pounds for a service each year on a car that does around 1200 miles. Its not moved since last September, and its not doing the Wales trip this year, it will probably stand for 9 months of the year if not more. It will be warmed through, engine oil level checked and the consitency of it checked - tyres rotated, and brake fluid checked for level too. If that knocks £500 or so off the value of the car when it comes to sell, then so be it, Ill more than cover that in saving service costs.

Id go double skin brick built and use fire/kiln bricks for the internal area. You can then use it as a nice fire to sit round afterward without cracking the bricks. Also consider building a tall chimney for it too, otherwise you just know its going to throw smoke just where you are sitting, and of course with a brick bbq you cant move it to redirect the smoke. You will have to move your seating are instead. Ensure you do as stew says and build a nice table/platform next to the bbq to store items. It can also double up as a log store underneath the table/bbq so you can cook on wood if you wish.

Thanks all - looking forward to it. And He is looking forward to his first family holiday, or short weekend break at least, to Wales in May Think Ive found the solution for us Liam... http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/lambo ... ls-leaked/

Actually - this is how much he means to me.. http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3807283.htm I wont have time for toys like that for a while. Ill take him out in a 458 or Aventador in a few years Yes One of those little wooden ones

Some know already and some don't, but last night saw the arrival of the most important thing in my life. At 9:12pm Tracy gave birth to our son Lewis. Mum and baby doing well. Its amazing how much ones outlook on life can change so much in such short a space of time.

Can we start a list of those interested in having any dents removed, we can then see if its viable again

Guess we will see when the gtr appears at the ring in competition in May You can take a 2010 gtr to 550 with just a remap iirc. No need to go performing surgery on the engine and replacing cams.

Jags have always dropped in value like a brick thrown into a pond though. Same as Rovers.... Not to mention Range Rovers... in fact anything "British" really. Having had an xf and currently owning a Range Rooney, I know they depreciate fast, but the new xj is in a whole new previously undiscovered league of depreciation. I lost around 36% in around 2 years on the xf, and that was with a new facelift model having been announced before I sold mine. The current xj is dropping that in a year! Perhaps it's all gas guzzlers dropping due to the continued high fuel prices? The gtr is not going to be bought as an every day gas guzzler though IMHO, so doubt it's the fuel pushing their prices down. Perhaps the legacy of the very early horror stories about gear boxes still haunt them? I'm guessing with things like the entry at the nurburg races in the gtr, Nissan will possibly shift some of these consumer doubts?

Agreed. The relatively "budget" cost of a car with super car beating performance is a big draw, and the running costs will have caught many out I'm sure.

I'd be surpised if a £35k gtr drops a huge ammount in two years though, but I agree, the running costs are not comparable to a 350z in any way IMHO. I'd be under no illusion that running a gtr would be a huge amount cheaper than running an exotic. Interestingly has anyone seen just how much the new Jag XJ's are depreciating!! 59k long wheelbase prem lux at 12 months old with about 10k on the clock can be had for 38k. Over 35% in one year! And I thought the xf was bad.

I think that's a little high. 2 years of F430 ownership including all the above and a ridiculously expensive extended warranty comes in at £1350 ish a month. That's factoring in about 5 times the mileage that I've done too.

I believe we are living in an age where it just has to be somebody or somethings fault. Trip or fall anywhere? It can't possibly be that you weren't looking where you were going. It has to be someones fault. Child misbehaving and running wild? Can't possibly be that they have been given no moral compass by their parents, it has to be some sort of disorder. I think it's almost becoming fashionable to have some sort of ailment or condition. I have seen real clinical depression, and it's a country mile away from half the people who claim to have depression.

I cant remember if the forum panels fit HR engine bays They fit the Revup, but uncertain about the HR. I guess we can test fit one at Wales if nobody knows for certain.

I really dont like the idea of poison. The mice can eat it, then run off back to their hide (be it in a cavity, a nest in a ceiling etc). There they will then slowly die, and rot, and smell - and you will be unable to remove them or detect them until the smell or stain makes its way through the plasterboard... Not a nice thought. Much better to have them dealt with instantly and be able to dispose of them imho.

I wouldnt necesarily walk away. If the car is good, and you can haggle the price of a service of the cost of the car, and it checks out OK with someone who knows the Zed, then it could be a car to buy. You can then get it serviced, make sure you keep all the MOT history in order to denounce the Mileage history from HPI and you could find its a decent car. If its something that worries you at all and you would rather have one without these issues, then you will be able to find other examples that fit the bill Im sure.

She's a narcisistic woman in her mid 40's that craves attention so much she dresses up as some sort of marvel comics reject. Its incredibly bizarre in a very sad sort of way.

You can only drive for 3 years in the UK on an EU license, so she will need to move over at some point. I think if you phone insurers rather than using their online systems, you may be able to better explain the situation and they may be able to take into account previous driving experience on an EU license.

Pest-stop Sure Set mouse trap with a bit of mars bar as bait. That easy to set you can do it one handed without a chance of harming yourself (but you dont have to). And very effective.

As you get to see members cars, you'll be spoilt for choice with what modifications to go for. You can go from the subtle to the quite outlandish and everywhere inbetween. You're bound to find something to suit