[beerman]

If that is the worst God gives him for smoking he is doing well... I don't think car designers are obligated to design a car for a diminishing number of smokers, most killed the lighter and ashtray years ago.

If it was a Hyundai v Kia situation for basically the same car, you would go the Kia, 2 extra years warranty, and more likley a cheaper purchase price.

But if it is not coming thats a shame....

[Dazzler]

If that is the worst God gives him for smoking he is doing well... I don't think car designers are obligated to design a car for a diminishing number of smokers, most killed the lighter and ashtray years ago.

If it was a Hyundai v Kia situation for basically the same car, you would go the Kia, 2 extra years warranty, and more likley a cheaper purchase price.

But if it is not coming thats a shame....

I don't think Hyundai are considering a Hybrid SUV for Australia. We will probably get the Ioniq eventually which I much prefer the styling of...I might just have to live with the lower seating position.

[beerman]

Reckon it would be popular as an uber at the right price too.....

[AlanHo]

Hot weather, just me in the car, 10 miles by motorway. 30 miles on main roads, 12 miles in town with traffic, junctions, traffic lights etc.

I was astonished at the economy.



That works out at 3.8 litres/100 km.

Each time you switch the engine off you get a 30 second display of the last journey's economy

[Dazzler]

I wish they would hurry up and release it here. It would be ideal for us. I really do want another Hybrid next time and an SUV (with higher seating would be ideal)

[John B]

@alan, That is brilliant economy.

@AlanHo , That is brilliant economy.

[Shambles]

@alan, That is brilliant economy.

That's the wrong "alan"

* Shambles wonders whether the mentioned "alan" will visit the forum after a 8.5 year absence

[John B]

whoops    If alan is getting good economy would that put it right.

[AlanHo]

I finally got round to detailing the Niro car’s bodywork today. The weather was warm, dry, bright but slightly cloudy.

I started off by claying the whole car using a clay Mitt http://tinyurl.com/ycku29z4
and lube as follows http://tinyurl.com/y73f6h69

I then applied 2 applications of Jetseal 109 Chemical Guys - Jetseal 109 - Clean Your Car
followed by an application of Meguiars Gold Class Liquid Wax Meguiars Gold Class Liquid Wax 473ml

It took me just over 5 hours to complete the work – but remember I am now very old and things do tend to take longer.

I am very happy with the result – but it is not easy to show how shiny a car really is when it is painted white.

[Dazzler]

You are amazing for your age Alan! I reckon less than 5% of 80 year olds could have done that all in one go. I certainly couldn't these days. Would have definitely taken me more than 5 hours anyway! 

[The Gonz]

I can see the brilliance and quality, Alan, and not just in the car's appearance.

[John B]

Well done Alan, it sure looks nice. I reckon your economy will be even better with the slipstream. 

[AlanHo]

I had my car Christened in the Lake District last week. We returned to the car left in a public car park and Libby spotted that the hatch was dented. Much too high to be a towbar and difficult to show up on a photo being a white car. There are two dents, the bigger one about 4 mm deep but difficult to describe because the panel is convex and the impact has distorted the profile




image hosting for websites

I have obtained 4 quotes - the lowest from a mobile dent repairer at £150 plus Vat and the highest from a well respected local body shop who carry out a lot of insurance repairs at £450 plus Vat. I have placed the order with a small body shop used by car enthusiasts for modding at a cost of £200 cash with free courtesy car. A tiny beat-up Toyota Aygo. They were final buffing a BMW series 5 in red metallic when I visited and had done a splendid job on a crushed rear bumper and dented rear panel. They cannot do my car until July 3rd because they are so busy.

[Shambles]

What a crock 

Pity you didn't have a rear camera running at the time.

[Dazzler]

That's a bugger Alan. Some bloody careless sods around!

[eye30]

Any idea what may have caused it?

[AlanHo]

There were a lot of farmer's vehicles attending the nearby market - some pulling trailers with animals and all sorts of stuff on them. I can only speculate that it was one of those because a car or van would have hit the bumper - not half way up the hatch. I can't even be sure it happened there - it could have been elsewhere and we didn't notice it.

One thing for sure - swearing about it did nowt to get the dents out.

The guy doing the repair insists on removing the badges, rear lights and hatch lining so that he can bash out most of the dents from the inside, fill any imperfections in profie and respray the whole hatch. He was horrified when I suggested he could do a local repair and feather the paint in. He needs it for two days because he will not apply the clear coat until the paint is totally dry. It is only a 2 man business on a small trading estate with a spray booth in a corner of the workshop. Filling and sanding is done well away.  I will only have the big smooth KIA badge put back on - the Niro and the hybrid badges can be left off to make it easier to clean the car.

[Dazzler]

One thing for sure - swearing about it did nowt to get the dents out.

I love that word nowt! You make me laugh Alan. 

An 80 y/o debadging his car.. Cool! 

[AlanHo]

Those who have migrated from a Venga to a Niro will have noticed that the Niro has a lower seat height.  My wife, who has less flexibility than me – misses the higher seating position of the Venga.

After a few grumbles over the past 3 months I decided to do something about it – so I made some 25 mm thick packers from some hardwood and painted them matt black.  You need 4 front packers and 4 rear packers if like me you modify both front seats.

Each front seat is fixed with 4 M10 fine thread bolts 25 mm long under the head. Hence I had to buy some replacement bolts 50 mm long.

Fixing the spacers is easy if you first slacken all 4 bolts, leave the rear ones loose and remove just the front bolts. If your car is like mine, you will find that the bolts have been ratcheted very tight. You can now insert the front packers and fit the new M10 bolts. Again don’t tighten them fully.

Now remove the rear bolts, insert the packers so that the bolt hole lines up with the 11 mm dia hole in the packer and the location peg (used on the Assemble track to facilitate aligning the seats) is in the 15 mm dia hole in the packer. Insert and fully tighten the rear bolts, go back to the front bolts and fully tighten them. You are now finished.

Metric Fine 10.9 Grade Self Colour Steel Hex Flange Bolts & Set Screws - Spalding Fasteners
Make sure you order M10 fine thread bolts 50 mm long.

Seat Packer Dimensions
http://image.ibb.co/kwzmNv/Niro_Seat_Packers.jpg

Front Installation
http://image.ibb.co/h4vhvF/Front_Packer.jpg

Rear installation
http://image.ibb.co/mkaRNv/Rear_Packer.jpg

I didn’t tell my wife about the mod and was interested to see whether she noticed.

She went out in the car today and upon her return asked me if I had done something with the seat height adjuster – because she slid into the seat rather than dropped down. She remarked – it was just like driving the Venga. So I told her about the mod and it earned a few house points.  SUCCESS!!!

It’s amazing what an extra inch can do for a marriage.

[Shambles]

nice idea, nice work, nice report, nice conclusion

[AlanHo]

nice idea, nice work, nice report, nice conclusion

You omitted "Nice author"

[Shambles]

You omitted "Nice author"

Steady on fella

[Dazzler]

nice idea, nice work, nice report, nice conclusion

 

Loved the punch line! 

I might consider something similar for Trish's seat in the SR. Interestingly although the SR is quite low, the door shape makes it easier for me to get in and out than the Calais! My friend Dorian noticed it too (without prompting - he has some slight flexibility issues too)

[beerman]

I know you would have taken this into account, but how will the mod hold up against the original design in a crash situation?

[Surferdude]

I know you would have taken this into account, but how will the mod hold up against the original design in a crash situation?

And possibly more importantly, in an insurance situation.

[AlanHo]

I looked at the seat structure and the rather flimsy frame would be the point of failure and not the mounting point. In a forward crash the seat belt absorbs the deceleration energy until the air bags take over.

In a rearward crash the head rest and seat back impart a considerable rotational force on the seat which would put a tensile load on the front mounting bolts no greater than they would sustain without the packers.

Thats my theory and I'm sticking to it.

[Dazzler]

I looked at the seat structure and the rather flimsy frame would be the point of failure and not the mounting point. In a forward crash the seat belt absorbs the deceleration energy until the air bags take over.

In a rearward crash the head rest and seat back impart a considerable rotational force on the seat which would put a tensile load on the front mounting bolts no greater than they would sustain without the packers.

Thats my theory and I'm sticking to it.

..and you'll do your block if they don't honour a claim! 

[AlanHo]

I could always pack it in.

[mickd]

Rarely see seats that have come away from floor,  usually seat frames get bent or twisted.
If the hit is big enough to rip out the seat that your sitting in, i dont think you'll be worrying about anything.
Suppose Al could now get some 25mm steel square tube to replace the wood in case it starts to wear.

[AlanHo]

@mickd - that seems like a good plan.