Was anyone planning an impromptu competition to find the comfiest looking retro car interior?

Don't bother, I've already won...

I was brought up on the basis that 'Want Doesn't Get.'  Therefore, this Friday I would like this please... 

A Nissan whatnow?

I'll tell you what grinds my gears. Films where they remove the front seat headrests during in-car scenes for a better view of the rear seat passengers.

I mean really, it's like driving around with no bootlid - ie. NOBODY DOES IT!

Slightly off topic, but did anyone see this documentary about those crazy Swedish girls that repeatedly survived getting run over? It makes for very compelling, yet even more disturbing viewing.

Thought for the day is automatic wipers and lights - good or bad?

Yesterday I endured three hours on the M1 in heavy rain and near-laughable amounts of spray. Around 50% of the midday vehicular sailors around me didn't have any lights on. Not good.
The thing is, many of these cars were relatively new, premium or sub-premium family hatches and saloons; the type that are more than likely to be equipped with automatic wipers and lights.

My first question is that do manufacturers not program the headlights to come on when the wipers are on constantly? If not then why not? Visibility was reduced to probably well under 100m in places, and if my learnings of the Highway Code are correct that is the definition of foglight funtime. However noone seemed really bothered about the comedy lack of vision, no doubt presuming that their cars had sorted the lights out for them and that the integrated safety features would keep them safe if their tailgating landed the driver in even deeper water. 

The second part to my end of day rant stems from a snippet I read earlier this week (although I can't remember where). It regailed the story (a possible internet myth) of a chap driving through a tunnel just a few metres long. The car's nannying brain felt the need to deploy some lighting for half a second then shut them off again. Another vehicle further along the lane sees this flashing as their right of way to pull out of a side road, causing the inevitable steel faceplant of doom.

The average human brain is a highly complex organ capable of dealing with millions of sensory inputs and able to make constant quick decisions, unrivalled by anything that man could ever recreate at any cost.
Yet you can buy an ECU for a Renault Megane (with auto wipers) on ebay for £120. I'll stick with the better solution, thanks very much.

What were they thinking? 

This is quite disturbing.

However, things like the project on show here really make the UK and its motoring enthusiasts. FACT.

This (rather neglected of late) blog has come in for a pleasing amount of publicity recently through means of fluke and WD40, so being the polite and appreciate type it makes sense to say a thank you for all the kindness.

First of all, the T shirts featured in Auto Express 'new products', then more recently Jonny Smith of Fifth Gear showed marvellous taste in automotive-based attire in last weeks show (see the amusing electric car feature again here).

To top things off, those lovely fellows over at Autoquake only went and named www.thecardisco.com as one of their top ten motoring blogs for some reason. Take a peek at their great site in return if you fancy some great deals.

My spell checker seems to think I want to write 'belt pensioner' instead of 'belt tensioner'.

Bit harsh.

What is going on here?

£50,000 for a Subaru Impreza? Do they not realise that Michael Carroll has spent all of his winnings?

Is this the world's worst classified advert?

Note to Self: When typing 'Help for Heroes' in an email, hitting the keyboard letter to the right of the 'o' can have disastrous results...

In a moment of common intrigue last week, I entered my registration number into the website of those annoying chumps webuyanycrapcar.com just in a hope that it would make the advert music leave my brain.

They offered me £70, (out of which I'll still have to pay a £49 admin charge) and then sent me an email a few days later to try and persuade me again. This mail explained the pitfalls of selling privately, presumably because I hadn't dutifully accepted their kind offer.

1. "Classifieds are costly" - yeah, like £20 or £30. Your admin fee is twice that for starters.
2. "Haggling is difficult" - to some maybe, but going with WBAC is effectively just taking the lowest offer anyway. Even the world's worst haggler could do better by just saying they'll sell the car if they get a mango flavoured Solero in return.
3. "Cheques might bounce" - who still pays by cheque for a car? Especially when you can get three lots of £70 from a cash machine in one day...

However the one that really got my back up was this:

4. Test Drive dilemma: "Buyers will want to test drive your car but it's unlikely they'll be insured to do so - so who pays for any damage?" 

Nobody you irresponsible twats, the clue is in the statement, if they are uninsured then they don't drive it. Not rocket science now is it?

So the question is, shall I go down for some free haggling practise? A recent report has suggested that the employees are told to haggle 25% off the quoted price as a minimum. I reckon I can get the full £70.

I sold a cheap car a couple of days ago. I thought you'd like to know how the bargaining went when the guy came round to look at it:

Potential Buyer: "How much will you take?"

Me: "£500 should do it."

PB: "How about £450?"

Me: "Nope, sorry."

PB: "I'll toss you for it."

Me: "Pardon?"

PB: "I'll toss you for it."

Me: "I don't understand."

PB: "We flip a coin, if I win I get the car for £450, if you win then I'll give you £500."

Me: "I've never heard that one before."

PB: "It's a great idea."

Me: "£475 if you never use that technique again on anyone as it's not a proper bargaining tool."

PB: "Deal."

Can't be arsed to put your motorbike back together to sell it? Meh, just use a photo of a toy version... http://tinyurl.com/2wfpf8f

I have just found out a fantastic McLaren MP4-12C fact. The wiring is hexagonal aluminium for tighter packing and 4kg less mass. Now there's a great pub fact for you all.

Is this the most exciting transmission you have ever seen? No, really...

Apparently this isn't a real Zonda?!