JetSet

Yes Dave, a very good example, those cars are 2 to 3 cars too close. I'd estimate that 90% of drivers drive too close, 50% drive far too close with 15% driving dangerously close. I'd also estimate that 95% of drivers vastly overestimate their driving ability. I've managed 45 years at an average of 10-12k a year without a single accident and I don't consider myself to be a good driver either, safe, yes, good, no. To be clear though, I don't want to see the speed limits decreased or increased, I think the current 70 , which let's face it means 80 in practice is just about right. It's difficult to know what more we can do on education really, we already have a fairly tough driving test , much tougher than when I passed mine for example. All governments in my lifetime have spent millions on drink driving campaigns, and safety belt wearing...clunk click every trip. Everyone must by now know it's an offense to use a mobile while driving but millions still do it. Sounds good to me. I'd also add £1000 for each further mobile offense. I'd also fine companies that don't provide a hands free system for their employees who need to keep in contact with their place of work or customers, HGV drivers, reps, that sort of thing. Pete

Welcome along, looks like a genuine Nismo kit, very nice indeed. You are obviously a very trusting person to park up like that though .... . Pete

Looks like the rear wheels sit 4 to 6 inches inside the arches. Do they make 100 mm spacers Pete

I'm close to Cheshire Oaks . Pete

Yes, but speed will make things like tailgating and lane changing even more dangerous. I drove up The M56/M6/M62 today at a steady 70 and cars were passing me at 80-85 10 feet apart. There's a 2 or 3 mile stretch of the M56 near to Runcorn where they've painted Chevrons on the road with big signs saying keep 2 chevrons apart...ha at least 90% of drivers are less than 1 chevron apart . Indeed, the cars are better and safer due to various laws (seatbelts/drink driving,etc) as well as manufacturer advances (airbags/ brakes/tyres) so you are far more likely to survive an accident these days. In 1966 there were 8,000 killed on U.K roads, today that figure is less than 3,000 with double the traffic. Pete

I'm glad they got trounced and humiliated, a poor side full of average players that tried to foul, dive and cheat its way through the tournament. The refs have been far too lenient with them (and to be fair with the other teams too). Yes, I tipped Germany to win 2-0 but 7-1.... . Pete

HR Version came out in 2007, featured a taller more powerful (309 bhp) engine that had 80% different components. Usually identified by the raised or as it's normally called bulge bonnet. It also features twin intakes and a dipstick that is easily reached. Pete

Over the last 14,000 miles I've averaged 26.1. In the last 4,000 miles that figure has only fluctuated from 26.0 to 26.2. I've never reset the computer but have done a few calculations based on fuel I've put in and mileage. ASDA run, 6 miles there and back about 19.5 mpg, as little as 16 mpg on a cold winters morning . Motorway run at steady 70, 30.8 mpg. Wales run, over the 3 days 25.0 mpg. Economy run to step daughter in Sandbach and back (70 miles) 32 in my Zed, 28 in Caroline's roadster. She's averaged 21.6 in the almost 4 years she's owned hers but she changes up gears at around 4k compared to my 3k. Pete

7 years and 5 months . Pete

Awesome, but take care on that one ..... Pete

Yeah right! Pete

Overtook me on the M60 between Stockport and Manchester heading West yesterday evening. Was a Chilli Red on a 53 plate. Pete

Latest weather forecast. It'll rain tonight for sure but by qualy it should be dry, only a 25% chance of a shower. Sunday is really hit and miss, there'll be some heavy race disrupting showers around, 25% of catching one. Pete

On U.K cars it's not actually on the windscreen but underneath it with a small clear panel so you can read it. That's the idea anyway but it's very difficult to read even in good light. It looks to me that rather than a plate it's actually stamped onto the chassis so it could actually be there but not visible on JDM's. It may be a legal requirement in the U.K due to security reasons...it'd be impossible to swap VIN plates over if one of them is actually stamped into the chassis? Pete

Looks like yours has had a replacement windscreen at some stage. The number should still be visible but you're going to need a very powerful torch to see it. Pete

I walk around mine at least once a day, even if it hasn't been used for a week . Pete

I camped out every year from 1972 through to 1987, except for 1975 when I drove down to Silverstone on the morning of the race. That was the only year when I saw it rain during the race, a heavy shower sent car after car into the catch fencing, stopping the race at 3/4 distance. In 1976, the year of the heatwave, the GP was held at Brands Hatch and one night there was a massive thunderstorm that had campers in their all singing all dancing tents evacuating into their cars while my £30 MFI tent remained bone dry . Pete

Well, there is that . There's a guide somewhere on how to fix this without replacing any parts, Garage quoted me £50 . Pete

Hmm, none of those pics are visible to me. Pete

Mine has been clicking for 6 years, it won't do any harm to leave it till you get back. Pete

Rumour has it that Caterham have been bought by a consortium headed by Mansoor Ijaz, an American financier with an Arabic background. Colin Kolles has only been hired by the team as an advisor and as far as I can tell this team has no connection with the Forza Rossa entry which providing they have paid their entry fee should still go ahead. Pete

Weather forecast is not decisive at this stage. So far, Friday looks dry, Saturday morning 70% chance of rain dropping to 35% during qualy. Sunday 40% chance of a shower during the race. Some of Sundays showers could be heavy but the forecast should firm up by Friday. Pete

Caterham sold. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/28129627 A little confusing as Colin Kolles is the man behind the Forza Rossa entry and that was supposedly backed by Romanian investors. Pete

Bought mine for the looks firstly and for Japanese reliability secondly as I knew I'd be keeping this car for a long time. I considered other similar cars but after test driving a chilli red back in January 2006 decided it was the car for me. Performance for me is ample as I'm very unlikely to go much faster than the speed limit and I grew out of the traffic light GP many years ago. Rarity was also a big factor, I'd rather drive something different than say the corporate style that is prevalent today in Audi/BMW. Pete

Sadly, even the talents of Ricey couldn't remove the scratches, the paint is just incredibly thin and he was through to the bodywork within seconds. However, he did arrange for a respray in his workshop which was completed today. Delighted with the job that's been done, the paint match is brilliant and Ricey even valeted the car while it was down there . All is well in The JetSet household again. Pete