Quick Winter Evening Wash
2019 Subaru Crosstrek/XV PHEV
Interesting review of the phev xv/crosstrek.
Bad points for me? Quite a bit of boot space lost 🙁 and no flappy paddle to manually override the CVT. Would want that for the b roads.
Other bad point, so far at least, is no turbo option. Just 2.0 normally aspirated. Still want to see them try the 1.6 turbo from the levorg. I think that would make a good combo for performance and economy.
Good points? Performance sounds similar ish to diesel xv! And can run on full electric for town driving.
Real world mpg still not really known. Hoping to see 45+ but balancing that with electric for short journeys and town driving could possibly justify it.
Random Fibre Speed Test
Random fibre speed test this morning shows over 70Mbps download! 😀
Happy plusnet customer for 15 years!
The Weekend Office
Too much to do and so little time..
Brake lines on the focus now all replaced! Now just need to sort out the arches and part of the sills.
Sound familiar? Yep, the same sort of repair that’s required on the Impreza. Although the Impreza a little worse under the skin 🙁
A message to the Millenial Generation
I urge everyone to take 15 mins of their time over the weekend to watch this video. Not just ‘millennials’ its relevant to everyone!
It does a good job of summarising my own thoughts and feelings about the modern world and the people we share it with. We can all help each other.
Once
Not my video, but a reshare from facebook.
Petrol Fumes
You know, I’d love to get back to a point when owning a car is about keeping up to date with regular maintenance, maybe the odd improvement and be able to enjoy driving them rather than rebuilding. 🙁
The focus has got it’s MOT coming up and needs a fair bit of rust repair work on it (Similar to the WRX). Got the week off work so able to spend a wee bit of time on it, but doesn’t look like it’s going to be anywhere near enough time to get it sorted (probably didn’t help
The odd bush replacement here and there or brakes no problem but when it comes to rebuilding rotten panels (arches and rear sills) It may seem like fun for a while but takes a lot of time to clean up, find good metal, re-fabricate, weld, fill and paint.
Could source replacement arches/sills but the overall cost of the bits would be more than the value of the car, and would still have to weld them in place and paint so wouldn’t save that much hassle really.
For a classic/project car, sure it’s fun to chip away at it but not for the daily runabouts. Wheel bearing already replaced and rear brakes have been given a strip down and clean up. The front brake lines have seen better days and will need replacing, although I’ve yet to discover their windy path through the engine bay.
On the plus side if this the left to a garage to do the work it’d cost several times what the car is worth! And at least if it gets through the next MOT it may have some trade-in /
Would be nice to be able to replace it with something newer with less corrosion but sadly not a feasible option at the moment. It’s still a great car to drive but years of moisture and salt having the inevitable
The WRX project is defiantly on the shelf. Couple other cars in the family also have MOT’s approaching and have priority. ;(
Wee trip to the V&A Dundee
Toyota Mirai Spotted
Spotted this strange machine earlier. Looks wise not entirely pretty but the Hydrogen Fuel Cell badge on the back caught my attention!
Toyota Mirai. I still say this is the future of motoring out of the city as opposed to all electric!.
Interesting to see it in this part of the world as I believe the closest hydrogen station is about 60 miles away. quite a round trip for fuel unless they commute or just visiting.
Parking Buddies
I am such a child
Top Down
Wee cheeky shot of the xv this morning.
Really like how the blue fleck shows through in direct sunlight
