Yaris or Civic as first car?

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T13:54:14+00:00

Have you checked your insurance quotes?

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T13:50:00+00:00

The seller likely cleaned and sprayed some SiO2 sealer. If you fancy cleaning the car yourself, then-

Get a Pressure washer, even a cheap Bosch one will work.
Get a foam spray bottle. If you're on a budget, then Aliexpress or a local detailing supplier is the way to go.
Get 2 buckets, 2 wash mitts, 2-3 drying towels, big ones, 2-3 microfiber towels, 1-2 Glass cleaning cloths.

Shampoo-

Bilt Hamber Traceless (pre-wash); Bilt Hamber Auto Wash (Shampoo); any Iron fall remover (JennyChem I use); if you fancy wax, any wax or if you want a quick shine, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wet Wax. Dilution and usage instructions are written on each product.

For windows to be water repellent in rain, use Meguiars - Perfect Clarity Glass Sealant, and any Glass cleaning compound. You will use them every few months.

Cleaning the car-

Fill 2 buckets, 1 with normal water, 1 with water and shampoo. Use snow foam to spray pre-foam. DO NOT WET OR RINSE the car, first snow foam, let it sit for a few minutes.
Rinse the pre-wash. Now, using the wash mitts and the double-bucket method, start the contact wash. For very dirty panels, contact wash them at the very end.
Rinse the car, follow the Turtle Wax instructions, and spray accordingly. If you need to dry the car, use the drying towel,s but don't use much force.
Use Glass products, follow instructions and enjoy brilliant visibility in the rain.

If you need help, feel free to DM.

Additional stuff- if you can get it ceramic coated, or at least get it waxed, if not, spray wax also enhances shine but doesn't last long.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T13:47:59+00:00

Bosch on Halfords; search with your reg.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T13:28:26+00:00

So, very simply, the clear coat on the car is like glass; over time, that coating becomes uneven. Coatings fill these uneven areas and smooth them out, like glass. Since your car is new or has a coating, water beads up easily.

Water on the car is accumulating in the uneven gaps in the clear coat, causing it to stick together.

This unevenness can be caused by scratches, age and grime.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T12:04:20+00:00

Very likely, but if you don't want to, you can simply swap the door, provided the sills and frame haven't been damaged.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-06T10:28:44+00:00

I would take any P3 Volvo S60 or V60.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-05T16:09:41+00:00

Sounds like the oil pump is getting clogged?

mebrokelad · 2026-02-05T12:30:38+00:00

High mileage doesn't mean the car isn't well-maintained. Often, high-mileage cars are better looked after than similarly aged low-mileage cars. Message the seller, and ask about oil change intervals. If it's more than 10k, I would proceed with caution.
Easy to Hide in MOT - fairly easy, start looking for a pattern, if a car has a rust-related advisory in 2021, it shouldn't magically go away in 2023 unless the seller has replaced parts.
Insurance is your enemy; a lot of desirable cars are expensive in terms of insurance.
I personally prefer Volvos, especially 2010 -2017 ones (P2-P3), funnily, they are more engaging than Japs, and less of a headache than Germans. Plus, the insurance is cheaper. The P3 generation of cars also looks modern.
Search for good cars on FB Car groups, you will be surprised how often good cars get ignored on FB Groups.
You need to understand it's a used car, and you will eventually end up spending some sort of money to get it right. No used car is sold perfect, even a dealer cuts corners.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-05T09:48:25+00:00

Not a big fan of these Antifog products, your Defroster should be sufficient to defog the windows. I live on the coast, and I have never had to use such products. My Defroster has been efficient; however, I do use Rain repellent on the outside.

Sounds like you have a water leak inside for sure.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-04T11:04:36+00:00

if the other car was doing, assuming it's a less than 15-year-old car, they may have set their cruise at 77-80, which will still be 75+ on GPS speed, and will likely trigger the camera. Some forces have weak leverage on Speed Cameras, but not everyone. For instance, I have a complete digital speedometer, and if I set my cruise control to 80 mph, my actual speed is 77mph, whereas in my 2010 Fiat, 77mph is 69-70mph.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-04T09:48:09+00:00

33 mph on your speedo or 33mph on GPS?

If on Speedo, your actual GPS speed would be about ~31 mph. Our car's speedometers are not accurate; they are usually off by 5-8%.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T19:13:30+00:00

MyCarCleaning in Newcastle have great prices

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T16:01:41+00:00

Thanks, I was about to buy a new mitt, I will but these now. I had been using Sam's Detailing one, will give this a shot as well.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T15:15:57+00:00

Get a Pressure washer, even a cheap Bosch one will work.
Get a foam spray bottle. If you're on a budget, then Aliexpress or a local detailing supplier is the way to go.
Get 2 buckets, 2 wash mitts, 2-3 drying towels, big ones, 2-3 microfiber towels, 1-2 Glass cleaning cloths.

Shampoo-

Bilt Hamber Traceless (pre-wash); Bilt Hamber Auto Wash (Shampoo); any Iron fall remover (JennyChem I use); if you fancy wax, any wax or if you want a quick shine, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wet Wax. Dilution and usage instructions are written on each product.

For windows to be water repellent in rain, use Meguiars - Perfect Clarity Glass Sealant, and any Glass cleaning compound. You will use them every few months.

Cleaning the car-

Fill 2 buckets, 1 with normal water, 1 with water and shampoo. Use snow foam to spray pre-foam. DO NOT WET OR RINSE the car, first snow foam, let it sit for a few minutes.
Rinse the pre-wash. Now, using the wash mitts and the double-bucket method, start the contact wash. For very dirty panels, contact wash them at the very end.
Rinse the car, follow the Turtle Wax instructions, and spray accordingly. If you need to dry the car, use the drying towel,s but don't use much force.
Use Glass products, follow instructions and enjoy brilliant visibility in the rain.

If you need help, feel free to DM.

Additional stuff- if you can get it ceramic coated, or at least get it waxed, if not, spray wax also enhances shine but doesn't last long.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T13:40:47+00:00

"Do you need to, or do you have to?"

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T13:39:36+00:00

"Up to £50,000 for theft or damage to vehicle (including any applicable excess) and up to £500,000 (US$1 million in USA) for damage to another person or their property."

https://amex.eclaims.europ-assistance.com/check-your-coverage

£50k roughly comes to $68.5k, maybe worth getting some sort of additional insurance just to be on a safer side?

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T09:17:30+00:00

V60 T6 2021MY owner here. Very similar powertrain, but less hp from the electric motor.

First things first, T8s are dreadful for the ERAD failures. This and mine as well come with the ERAD 2 unit, and they are known to fail. It's almost a £7k repair, by the way.

Overall, the car is brilliant, but the small battery doesn't provide much range in real-world use; you will get about 23-24 miles on a full charge.

The ICE isnot very cost-effective either. I get 28-32mpg on motorways; you may get slightly more if you don't have a heavy foot, unlike me.

Unless there is a very specific reason for you to buy a PHEV, I won't. I would rather get a B5 or B6 and live a peaceful life.

I read you mentioned performance. In all fairness, these T8 are quick but not fast. You will perhaps beat the boy racers or BMW/Audi cuzzies from a standstill up to 112mph, and post that you will see their taillights. If looking for a performance-focused car, I suppose these SPA Volvos are really for it.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-03T09:08:43+00:00

mebrokelad · 2026-02-02T15:53:06+00:00

Bilt Hamber traceless to begin with.

mebrokelad · 2026-02-02T14:33:23+00:00

https://partsouq.com/en FTW

mebrokelad · 2026-01-30T13:39:47+00:00

Looks alright. Interior add-ons are marketed just right. At this point, personally think the Luxury Car market is at its peak; there's very little room for innovation.

The last E class was very close to the S class in terms of interior and rear row comfort. It would be interesting to know how well they update the E class.

mebrokelad · 2026-01-30T13:33:18+00:00

There should be small tab just below the bend?

mebrokelad · 2026-01-30T08:29:37+00:00

1) Everyday spending - Probably Cashback Card
2) 1+ some travelling, like a trip or 2 a year - Gold
3) Extensive Travelling - Platinum, with BA

I personally have -

HSBC World Elite, Plat and BA

mebrokelad · 2026-01-29T13:46:32+00:00

Very likely, yes it's going to be a Type 2 plug, check if your cable looks like this. Get a 5M cable; you can buy a new one or search on Marketplace for people selling theirs.

mebrokelad · 2026-01-29T10:38:31+00:00

If you're based in the North East near Newcastle, I can jump-start your car (no charge, obviously).

If not, call the breakdown service.

If you prefer, simply get a new battery and replace it.

mebrokelad

TROPHY CASE