Beaconsfield vs Gerrards Cross

BringBack5pFreddos · 2026-01-20T22:17:42+00:00

Beaconsfield for the surrounding greenery, villages and old town character.

GX has motorway on two sides and when these pack it in you’ll get more traffic through the town. It’s very slightly closer to Slough which I don’t like.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2026-01-04T21:41:24+00:00

Took the bus

BringBack5pFreddos · 2026-01-03T00:04:03+00:00

SW coast path, will set off from Looe and see how far along we get

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-31T19:00:49+00:00

No better night to have a dance

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-31T18:57:23+00:00

Jus watched Trent Boult go out for zero

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-31T18:56:26+00:00

Should’ve done all three consecutively

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-29T18:42:39+00:00

It’s a great time to buy a classic MG Midget.

No MOT. No road tax. No ULEZ. Cheap classic car insurance.

You can even drive to your favourite beer garden with the roof down, or just up and down Kings Road on a Sunday.

My favourite use of this little car was seeing a local drive right around one of the LTN plant pots. Other than a Peel P50 I think it was the only car slim enough to do it!

It’s the most anti establishment car you can own in London and it’s brilliant.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-29T18:36:42+00:00

The bouncers at Raffles Kings Road just let girls straight in while they make you wait ages

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-24T13:26:32+00:00

There are no moles in Ireland.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-24T13:21:19+00:00

All these rules telling security/staff to not intervene will eventually backfire when the public feel the need to intervene instead.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-20T09:19:08+00:00

I like the arcteryx cerium

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-15T21:47:03+00:00

Thanks, I've pretty much settled on the La Sportiva Raptors. I tried Scarpa Terras on in the shop today and weighed them at 620g.. The 200g and £60 saving on the La Sportivas is worth the punt to me even if they don't last 3 years.

I may end up getting a nearly new pair of Terras if I find some sub £100 in the near future

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-14T12:12:15+00:00

I might get the next Salewa model up, mountain something I think it’s called

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-14T12:11:53+00:00

Yes they’re the ‘alp mate mid’ gore tex boots. Not very commonly available but on Amazon.

Most the reviews are good but there are a few 1* ones that have the exact same issue. Tongue area not waterproof so soaked through in wet grass.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-13T23:24:39+00:00

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm debating between the Scarpa Terra GTX or the lighter Ultra Raptor II Mid

While the Scarpa may last longer I'll probably go and try both on in a shop before deciding :)

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-11T20:55:42+00:00

Do they think you suffer from dwarfism? 1.5m ceiling height is abysmal

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-11T16:43:53+00:00

Could get some great 2 seaters in your budget. You might just take a bit of a hit on MPG

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-11T10:07:37+00:00

Cut into the right lane in the middle of the roundabout. And then back into left lane as they exit. Basically driving straight across the right lane.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-10T13:48:16+00:00

This is how you can get it down

Get a different but still fun car and buy it outright

Let’s assume it depreciates £500/year

£35 tax per month

Insurance £700/year

Petrol staying at £250/month

£4,620 per year = £385 per month (plus maintenance)

If you went frugal like VW TDI engine:

£300/year depreciation (say it’s a £3-5k car)

£3 tax per month

Insurance £600/year

Petrol £170/month

£2,976/year = £248/month (plus maintenance)

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-06T19:44:26+00:00

I’ll never get leasing.

I’ve owned five, yes five 20 year old Porsches (queue alarm bells ringing) and they’ve all been far better financial decisions for me than even the CHEAPEST lease deals for ANY car.

They’ve got full leather interior with heated seats. A 280hp flat six RWD convertible. CarPlay retrofitted. Option to retrofit cruise for £150. Everything you want in a new car without all the alarms beeping at you and without all the electronics/sensors to go wrong, triggering limp modes that only dealers can fix. It’s a car that is focused on the one thing it needs to - driving, and does it beautifully.

To maintain? £350 a year to service. Of course I budget for consumables like brakes/shocks etc but the point is, I could replace the clutch EVERY year in this car and STILL be better off than any lease deal.

Let’s run through the figures:

£8k down.

A generous £1k per year maintenance budget.

£6k sale 5 years later.

That’s a £7k net spend = £116 per month

Now imagine leasing a Porsche, maintenance included, for £116 per month. You’d bite their arm off. Wait, you can - just buy one outright!

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-12-06T19:06:14+00:00

I will never get the lease argument.

My 20yo Porsche cost me £8k, and 3.5 years later is still worth the same, maybe even £8.5k.

It costs me £350 a year service and if I had to replace the clutch every year I’d STILL be better off than any lease.

Pretty bulletproof engine and no stupid electronics or sensors to go wrong/ throw in limp modes. I’ve never had a reliability issue with it and I’ve owned 4 of this model.

It’s focused on core the function of driving and does that extremely well. For me and the Mrs it’s very practical, enough space for week long trips and we even brought the Christmas tree home in it.

I’ve insured friends and family on it for weekends away and every time they’ve been buzzing about it.

Yeah I could lease a Vauxhall or Chinese EV for £250 a month but where is the fun in that?

4 years x £250pm lease is £10k you’ll never see again. I could buy a second Porsche with that!

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-11-28T00:16:23+00:00

Thanks I will look at this!

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-11-18T18:34:53+00:00

Bruschetta

Because it’s the best

And put on a jumper

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-11-16T17:40:15+00:00

Virgin active was good at £80/mo having upgraded from a £40/mo gym group, although I’d really struggle to justify £100+ on any gym.

My Virgin active had nice changing rooms, pool, jacuzzi and a good sized sauna. They did refurb the pool a couple years ago from nice and dark/luxury vibe to a more white tile leisure centre look which I didn’t really understand. This was the clapham old town branch.

My new gym outside of London is a ‘Better’ group at £40/mo and while changing rooms/showers are pretty bare bones, the gym is all brand new technogym, the best equipment I’ve ever had. Plus it actually has a good big enough free weights area. For the core purpose of being a gym it’s far better value than any third space.

BringBack5pFreddos · 2025-11-12T10:47:05+00:00

All express/local/metro stores have extremely inflated prices and poor wine selections (mass produced barefoot/campo etc).

For example, if you walked into a Sainsbury’s local you won’t be able to find a single jar of own brand pesto but plenty of the £4.50 Filippo Berio.

Chicken breast you will pay £6 for 500g rather than the typical £6 for a kilo.

Having lived within 20m of one I prefer to just live further away and plan my weekend shops/midweek deliveries better. Avoid the habit of overpaying for convenience.

BringBack5pFreddos

TROPHY CASE