[PlaneMan]

Android Auto is very good on a phone by itself, when it’s on a bigger screen with some steering wheel controls (and bigger still buttons) it’s even better. Really impressed with it so far.

Managed to wash, clay bar and wax the roof and bonnet this morning before fatigue got the better of me. The kit I linked to earlier in the thread is amazing. The amount of crud the clay picks up is mental, even on a car that hasn’t had a lot of road miles.

Both the roof and bonnet now feel as smooth as anything, noticeably more so than the rest of the car. I think the kit will do my car at least 5 or 6 times so it’s well worth the money. Much cheaper than the options a dealer will offer, £149 from Suzuki, and I know it’s been done properly, at the dealers they could get anyone to do it-they may or may not give a s*it.

 

 

[PlaneMan]

I can only echo what the rest have said, best of luck to you and yours.

[PlaneMan]

Been using Android Auto a bit now and it’s very good, the first couple of times it was a bit hit and miss connecting with the cable but since then it’s worked perfectly. OK Google works a treat but the replies are LOUD.

Need to see what else it can do.

 

[PlaneMan]

I agree about people using the Blue Badge incorrectly. I’ve told people that they are abusing it when they say to me ‘I’m getting shopping for ‘whatever relative’, no relative in the car, and I’ve just taken a photo and told them that they are being reported and I hope you’re happy.

Lots of people seem to treat it as a licence to park how they want, even if the badge isn’t theirs. The badge is tied to the person, not the car.

[PlaneMan]

I forgot to mention the boot ‘tray’ , it’s a kind of reinforced foam with a (I think) rubber coating. It goes about an inch up around the sides of the boot, in theory if a small amount of liquid is spilt in it it won’t leak anywhere.

In the old Swift I had the same kind of thing, saved me when a tin of beer burst for no reason,  the vast majority was still in the tray. Asda, fair play, agreed to have the seat backs and boot sides cleaned properly.

[PlaneMan]

Unreal Gold.

[PlaneMan]

It’s got Android Auto so I can plug my phone in and use Google maps for the sat nav. I might take a chance on the sat nav upgrade sd card (only the top of the range gets it as standard ot the new Sport) on ebay for £38, that uses Here maps. It just seems too cheap, the RRP is £200 and the dealership has offered it to me for £100. That’s a lot for an SD card and a licence. It can’t be transferred to another car either, it’s tied to the original by a unique code.

Need to play around with Android Auto and see how well it works with various apps.

[PlaneMan]

New car picked up, mats came earlier along with a small rubber insert for the ‘phone shelf’ to stop stuff sliding about.

Bit of a faff to install the drivers mat as there is a retaining system that means removing 2 small squares of carpet from underneath the drivers seat. I’m sure for someone without my issues it’s a 2 minute job but it took me about 15 minutes and much groaning to get it done.

Super happy with the car so far, will have to keep an eye on the speedo though, it really wants to go.

[PlaneMan]

Had the first of 2 parcels for looking after the new car today, a Bilt Hamber kit.

Mats and other stuff were also due today but UK Mail messed that up, despite delivering the other parcel exactly on time. ?

 

[PlaneMan]

I also get that dust layer occasionally. Different stuff to the usual.

[PlaneMan]

I’m unlikely to visit to London again. The thing is many cities will have, sooner or later, congestion charges of one form or another. Cardiff is likely to do it within about 5 years IMO. It’s been tried already.

IMO it’s a good thing, some days there is a thin layer of dust on my car, pollution probably, and I’m on the edge of Cardiff, almost in the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

[PlaneMan]

Steve, if the wife is with you there’s no congestion charge, after you’ve registered, for blue badge holders.

[PlaneMan]

Thanks Ed, I’ll have a proper read tomorrow.

[PlaneMan]

My first thought was a spoof but I truly hope it’s real.

[PlaneMan]

Spotted this on HUKD. I nearly dropped my tea on my Chromebook I was laughing so much. ?

[PlaneMan]

JCD, you’re right. I use that power bank to charge almost everything, it’ll even do my Chromebook, slowly compared to the supplied charger but mostly that’s no problem.

[PlaneMan]

When there was very little passenger protection cars could be a lot lighter. Now with crumple zones, side protection and multiple airbags, not to mention all the gadgets and gizmos, weight is a real issue.

[PlaneMan]

Yes Ed, one of the reasons it was such a good drive.

[PlaneMan]

The new Swift is a super light car, 915 kg. That’s about a rugby player less than mine and a lot less than any other car the same size. The Up! GTI weighs 1070 KG.

That makes it great to drive and fairly efficient, of course if you drive at 70 in third it’ll be crap, economy wise.

The best thing is the turbo comes in at about 2,000 rpm so you don’t need to nail the throttle to make rapid progress, as a comparison the turbo in my mother’s Captur doesn’t kick in until about 3,200 rpm and you need to nail it to make rapid progress.

[PlaneMan]

Had the test drive and it’s better than I remember it. Feels really fast for a 0-62 of 10 odd seconds, everything is like mine but better.

After some negotiations I was about to leave as they wouldn’t go more than £3k for my car. Was asked to sit down and 10 minutes later I shook on £9.4k for the car and £3k for mine. TBH it’s worth the £9.8k they offered it to me for before so I’m chuffed. ?

Pick it up next Tuesday after the first service has been done.

[Author]

Posts