http://www.car4play.com/forum Car4play forum en-gb Sat, 02 May 2026 08:24:57 +0100 Copyright: Car4play webmaster@car4play.com (Technical) 5 car4play688595 Sat, 02 May 2026 08:24:57 +0100 The last few machines we have installed came with inlet hoses with an aquastop device fitted. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688595&v=e car4play688594 Sat, 02 May 2026 08:02:43 +0100 >> Don't. Pressurised hoses can and do burst and you can be sure it will be >> at the most inconvenient time. Nearly every home in the UK thats had hot and cold taps changed in the last 10 years, is connected by flexi hoses. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688594&v=e car4play688593 Sat, 02 May 2026 07:06:42 +0100 >>Don't. Pressurised hoses can and do burst and you can be sure it will be at the most inconvenient time That happened to us when we lived in a flat in Bankside, sowf lunden many moons ago. It wasn't our machine but the clowns (and he was a clown) upstairs. He wasn't in, so I had to 'help' his door open, to turn the machine orf (caretaker was there overseeing :) It's too easy to turn the water supply for the machine orf here, so will continue doing it, when she remembers :) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688593&v=e car4play688592 Sat, 02 May 2026 03:33:43 +0100 >> >>You turn the water on and off when you use the washing machine? How quaint! >> You've pointed out something obvious really, so mayhap we'll leave it turned on from now >> on. >> Don't. Pressurised hoses can and do burst and you can be sure it will be at the most inconvenient time. You will be out for the day and come home to find the house flooded, the carpet saturated and all the chipboard in your doors and kitchen cabinets swollen. Turn it off and be on the safe side. It happened to a friend of mine and was a major hassle. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688592&v=e car4play688542 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:24:50 +0100 Philips appliances are nothing to do with Philips anymore. The name is just licensed to other companies now. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688542&v=e car4play688531 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:38:48 +0100 >> I think that's the crux of it. Products made under the direction of Western >> brands will tend to be very good. I think when it's solely a Chinese company >> involved from start to finish that things become very hit or miss. Saying that I >> would still rather support European or UK jobs, but that's becoming much more of a >> challenge now! I too would rather support UK or European jobs. Reality is that the Chinese can equal any developed Western economy in design and manufacture products of high quality. They have space programs, world class defence technologies, aerospace companies, machine tool and automation etc etc etc. The quality of the product depends entirely upon what the customer is prepared to pay. IMHO we are no better than the Chinese, and in a few years will be playing playing catch-up in many areas. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688531&v=e car4play688526 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:05:21 +0100 >>You turn the water on and off when you use the washing machine? How quaint! Have you experienced a disastrous event before? Well bathtub, at all of our other owses (and y'all know we've had a few) the tap wasn't easily accessible. The washer is in the garage here and the tap is just above the machine, so, we've got into the habit of turning agua orf at the end of a cycle. You've pointed out something obvious really, so mayhap we'll leave it turned on from now on. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688526&v=e car4play688524 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:36:40 +0100 To be fair a lot of those legacy electronics brands were eagerly tripping over each other to outsource themselves to China. I recently purchased a Philips air fryer and an Alpine headunit thinking that I was helping to keep jobs in the EU..nope both Chinese made! I can't complain about the build quality of either product though. It is very good. I think that's the crux of it. Products made under the direction of Western brands will tend to be very good. I think when it's solely a Chinese company involved from start to finish that things become very hit or miss. Saying that I would still rather support European or UK jobs, but that's becoming much more of a challenge now! http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688524&v=e car4play688521 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:16:00 +0100 >> I bought 'the ole woman' a Chinese Haier washing machine last year (I'm good like >> that) >> >> Damn thing came up with an E4 error code yesterday with a full load in >> it. >> >> She had forgot to turn the water on. >> :) You turn the water on and off when you use the washing machine? How quaint! Have you experienced a disastrous event before? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688521&v=e car4play688520 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:27:29 +0100 I bought 'the ole woman' a Chinese Haier washing machine last year (I'm good like that) Damn thing came up with an E4 error code yesterday with a full load in it. She had forgot to turn the water on. :) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688520&v=e car4play688515 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:27:42 +0100 >> My fear is what will this Chinese car invasion do to the European car industry? >> Apart from the loss of cherished legacy brands, there will also be significant unemployment in >> the manufacturers and the support industries, with a knock-on effect to the economy as a >> whole. We can certainly kiss goodbye to meaningful car manufacturing in the UK. Downfall started 40-50 years ago with the failure of BL in its various incarnations to produce decent quality, reliable competitive cars. Whether unions, management or government policy it was a giant screw up. Salvation came as the UK joined the EU. Manufacturers saw the UK as the Euro area base for car manufacturing - Honda, Nissan etc. Along came Farage who removed any rationale for the UK as a European base. Only when UK car manufacturing was on its last legs did the Chinese appear. They now produce cars at competitive prices to a high quality - what most buyers want. UK nd European brands are all at risk - many will end up as China built and rebadged. Jobs - they will disappear. Folk will either go hungry, broke or find something else to make a crust. Precisely the same as happened with coal, shipbuilding, steel, switchboard operaters, etc etc etc. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688515&v=e car4play688514 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:02:16 +0100 "You should have been here when we had the nail varnish thread" Bringing back painful memories. All started with a simple queestion about pearlescent pink gel manicures http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688514&v=e car4play688513 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:23:03 +0100 >>I think you must have used a ship somewhere ? Aye, aye. Dover ferry, Cadiz ferry. 3 years later drove back through Portugal to Santander, ferry to Plymouth. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688513&v=e car4play688512 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:58:08 +0100 ‘Apart from tyres, you may have to explain to a few on here what they are 'cos their motors don't hav em. They may even claim the artificial whine stirs them more than a V8 at max throttle through a tunnel.’ This is a bit like EV sceptics explaining that they can refuel in 5 minutes. We know - very few drivers have only driven EV’s. We know how petrol stations work. But it’s not as binary as that. It’s possible to enjoy the sound/performance/smell of a V8 at full chat but drive something that runs on amps. Me, I would quite happily not drive an internal combustion engined car on the road again. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to do one more rally in a quick car. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688512&v=e car4play688511 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:30:16 +0100 http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688511&v=e car4play688510 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:27:59 +0100 http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688510&v=e car4play688509 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:22:21 +0100 >> whole. We can certainly kiss goodbye to meaningful car manufacturing in the UK. Err, that went many years before the Chinese export drive. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688509&v=e car4play688508 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:20:26 +0100 >> at the 'choice' we have now. Chinese iPhone or Chinese Android. And now the competition >> is gone, are they any cheaper? In real terms, Yes. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688508&v=e car4play688507 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:17:29 +0100 >> Maybe I'm just being snooty about them. The psychological and emotional factors in car choice >> are complicated aren't they. >> My fear is what will this Chinese car invasion do to the European car industry? Apart from the loss of cherished legacy brands, there will also be significant unemployment in the manufacturers and the support industries, with a knock-on effect to the economy as a whole. We can certainly kiss goodbye to meaningful car manufacturing in the UK. I mean remember when European made phones used to dominate? Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens, etc. Look at the 'choice' we have now. Chinese iPhone or Chinese Android. And now the competition is gone, are they any cheaper? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688507&v=e car4play688506 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:56:15 +0100 >> After a month with a Citroen C1 a few years ago I decided never to >> buy a 3 cyl car. The 3cyl ecoboost in SWMBO's fiesta is actually very good, pokey, quiet(ish) smooth(ish) frugal. I never have any issue with driving it. Ok its longevity is an issue for the unaware, but we are. Anyway, if it goes bang it will be replaced with a new leased Renault E5 Talking of which, I saw a Renault Alpine A290 t'other day, and it was "making progress" as they say. Looking it up on the net my eye was drawn to the forthcoming Renault 5 turbo 3e (swoon) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688506&v=e car4play688505 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:14:30 +0100 >> I really am disappointed with this thread. >> >> A load of petrol heads debating their favourite car colours. >> >> On a different more girly forum the debate would centre aound lip gloss, eye liner, >> and hair tints. >> >> >> You should have been here when we had the nail varnish thread. Five people flounced, another half dozen were banned and the owners threatened to shut the forum down if it didn't stop. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688505&v=e car4play688498 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:12:09 +0100 After a month with a Citroen C1 a few years ago I decided never to buy a 3 cyl car. Now we have a Yaris Hybrid clone, which can be a bit droney. Compromise is necessary when faced with navigating the minefield of tiny engines with forced induction, wet belts, DCT gearboxes, cylinder deactivation. I don't see any new cars now that I want to own for fun. That little Citroen was OK apart from the drone. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688498&v=e car4play688497 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:03:59 +0100 “crankshafts, tyres, big bore exhausts, V8 vs straight 6, etc etc."” “mostly going the way of starting handles, semaphore indicators and acetylene lamps I’m afraid. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688497&v=e car4play688496 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0100 >> >> Brave buyers. >> >> >> >> Brave from which point of view It's all very well having a warranty but it's pretty much an unknown quantity and there are widespread reports of non-existent spares availability. On the plus side of the ledger one could spend as much or more money on a much smaller new car from a legacy European brand and I suspect the popularity is driven by that. I suppose it still makes a lot more sense than anything from JLR. Maybe I'm just being snooty about them. The psychological and emotional factors in car choice are complicated aren't they. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688496&v=e car4play688495 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:54:27 +0100 I've owned two V8s, both Rover P6s. Two straight 6s, both Beemers. Two V6s, Ford Capri and Toyota Supra. I don't like 3 cylinder cars and could never see myself buying one. My present car is a Subaru with a flat 4 engine. I've owned 3 scooby doos but wouldn't buy another one as the 2 litre injuns only do about 35MPG. I can get over 40mpg out of it - if I drive like a mimser :) Oh, and I've only ever owned one diseasel - a little LHD Citroen AX which I drove to Tenerife & back. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688495&v=e car4play688491 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:07:24 +0100 "crankshafts, tyres, big bore exhausts, V8 vs straight 6, etc etc." Apart from tyres, you may have to explain to a few on here what they are 'cos their motors don't hav em. They may even claim the artificial whine stirs them more than a V8 at max throttle through a tunnel. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688491&v=e car4play688490 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:27:30 +0100 I really am disappointed with this thread. A load of petrol heads debating their favourite car colours. On a different more girly forum the debate would centre aound lip gloss, eye liner, and hair tints. What has happened to motoring that crankshafts, tyres, big bore exhausts, V8 vs straight 6, etc etc don't seem to feature. FWIW - I draw the line at black, pink, anything flourescent. Otherwise don't really care!! http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688490&v=e car4play688487 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:22:17 +0100 My only colour blocks are Black - Never looks clean and they always use a light undercoat wich shows chips and scratches, and white, which never looks clean. Pity about white there are some gorgeous shimmery pearlescent shades of white out there. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688487&v=e car4play688486 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:13:32 +0100 >> My guess is ongoing support - it's a new brand. If it's successful, great, if >> not, dealers may close, parts may not be available for repairs etc. Its not unusual or strange, Its a new brand just arrived, selling cars in large numbers very quickly. The support and logistics structure has not not kept up, in fact wasnt there to cover the sales spurt. Chery, the parent company, is a major car manufacturer, and has the resources and intent to support the sales growth. But it will take a while, and meanwhile there will be repair and support issues in the short term. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688486&v=e car4play688485 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:11:15 +0100 Been offered a Jaecoo 5 EV (61kWh) for £21,500 from a broker as a previous customer. Chery (Inc Jaecoo & Omoda) haven't come here to fail. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688485&v=e car4play688484 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:41:17 +0100 >> >> Brave buyers. >> >> >> >> Brave from which point of view? >> My guess is ongoing support - it's a new brand. If it's successful, great, if not, dealers may close, parts may not be available for repairs etc. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688484&v=e car4play688483 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:34:42 +0100 >> Just having a look at the stats for the most popular car colours of 2025. >> >> Grey remained top for the eighth year accounting for 27.6%. Silver was in 5th place. >> I'm not sure where silver ends and grey begins. I don't mind metallic greys, but >> for the life of me, I can't see the attraction of a colour where it >> looks like they forgot to put the top coat on. Reminds me of the Hillman >> Minxs my father had in the sixties. Wasn't a good colour then either. >> >> Now might be the time for me to admit that my car, a BMW, is finished in a colour that looks very much like primer that they couldn’t be bothered to paint. I only have myself to blame…I ordered it before any had been delivered to customers and so hadn’t seen any on the road. I wanted a panoramic roof, and ideally a light interior, and I wanted it pretty quickly. I didn’t want M Sport Pro whatever the blacked out version with illuminated grill is called. Almost all of the pipeline cars were top spec blacked out ones, but when the leasing co said they could get a one in standard M Sport trim with a panoramic roof, albeit with a black interior, in metallic grey for just after the launch date in October I said great, that’ll do. In my mind metallic grey would be a form of mid or dark grey with a definite sparkle. In turns out that Brooklyn grey, which is the primer colour you see an awful lot of three and four series in, is actually metallic. I’ve had it two and a half years now and while I’ve got used to it I wouldn’t say I liked it. But, plenty of people do for some reason! Having said that, I test drove the Audi A6 Avant e-tron as a possible replacement a few weeks which, if the images on the configurator are to be believed, comes in a really nice mid/bright blue/turquoise metallic. Turns out it looks nothing like the configurator and is almost a flat teal, even though it’s actually metallic. The other blue available is a sort of denim blue that’s not very nice either. So, once you eliminate the two horrible blues, your choices are white, black, two shades of grey or a beige. No reds or decent blues available at all - and Audi used to do some really nice metallic blues. So hopefully the BMW i3 or the new electric C class that go on sale later this year will come in better colours. The ‘fire red’ metallic that other BMWs come in is nice, as is the dark purple that I’ve seen on some 2 series. MBs ‘Patagonia’ red is also very nice - both BMW and MBs metallic red are worse versions of Mazdas Soul (?) red though which I think is one of the best colours available in recent times. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688483&v=e car4play688482 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:27:37 +0100 >> Brave buyers. >> Brave from which point of view? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688482&v=e car4play688481 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:32:47 +0100 >> On the subject of colour. I saw a Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 the other day >> which was a restoration project and described as 'hearing aid brown' :/ I had a Mk3 Escort that colour, I think it was Coral Beige. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688481&v=e car4play688479 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:09:37 +0100 I had a lime green Hillman Avenger once, not unlike this (without the go faster stripe and fancy wheels) https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C270483 It must have been Jubilee year 1977 as I can recall decorating it with the Union flag and other stuff... Or more likely SWMBO did it!! http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688479&v=e car4play688478 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:17:42 +0100 >> On the subject of colour. I saw a Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 the other day >> which was a restoration project and described as 'hearing aid brown' :/ Isnt that known as rust? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688478&v=e car4play688475 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:22:20 +0100 >> AIUI, Fisker owners were really left in the lurch after the company went bust because the car insists on "calling home" regularly and there was no server to answer the request "By August, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware reached an agreement to postpone Chapter 7 Conversion while Fisker continues to liquidate their assets. Numerous objections to the conversion were brought up in court, where the Fisker Owners Association (FOA), a community and resource hub to "help Ocean owners" with maintaining their vehicles, had argued that Fisker should be required to ensure that their vehicles remain safe and operable.[59] The judge agreed to allow the FOA to have a voice in the sale of intellectual property, including the equipment needed to maintain the current cloud based software that the cars rely on for over-the-air updates.[15] In October, American Leasing agreed to spend another $2.5 million for tech support, allowing the vehicles' software to be updated. Fisker's intellectual property is being given to its creditors per the terms of the bankruptcy agreement" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Inc. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688475&v=e car4play688474 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:17:51 +0100 >> >>Looks great under a bright blue Spanish sun. >> >> I've seen it on the Suzuki forum - looks grrreat Toni. >> She’s called Sofia, not Toni :-) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688474&v=e car4play688473 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:09:03 +0100 >>Looks great under a bright blue Spanish sun. I've seen it on the Suzuki forum - looks grrreat Toni. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688473&v=e car4play688472 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:04:51 +0100 >> ChrisM reminds me of a time when I also was going to Blackbushe to buy >> a car for SWMBO. >> >> "What sort of car do you want?" >> >> "A blue one". >> >> She got a blue Focus which lasted us many years. Bigger than she really wanted >> and a bit poverty spec but it lasted us many years. >> Which reminds me of my days in a BL parts dept and a lady came in asking for some plugs and points and a condenser for a car. "what car is it" A blue one.. Ok. but other techie said No No NO those are for a red one when I reappeared, Never saw the lady again. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688472&v=e car4play688471 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:44:13 +0100 On the subject of colour. I saw a Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 the other day which was a restoration project and described as 'hearing aid brown' :/ http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688471&v=e car4play688470 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:14:39 +0100 Saw a Jaecoo E5 today - absolutely spitting image, more than the others, of a Range Rover https://jaecoo.co.uk/jaecoo-5-ev http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688470&v=e car4play688469 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:46:46 +0100 I wonder if the Motability scheme is responsible for the number of Jaecoos on the road? I would be wary of ongoing support if it was my own cash, though if it were a lease then I wouldn't be too bothered. AIUI, Fisker owners were really left in the lurch after the company went bust because the car insists on "calling home" regularly and there was no server to answer the request. Apparently the same was true for a brand of electric cycles that did the same when the company when bust. Colour wise, my current car is grey, Mrs Zippy's is metallic red. I do like the metallic "soul red" that Mazda do, but my favourite for a long time was that deep metallic blue - "ink blue" I think - that Nissan did for a while. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688469&v=e car4play688468 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:31:55 +0100 >> >> A friends mother had a yellow MGB. Both quite lovely. >> ...and what about the car? http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688468&v=e car4play688467 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:24:55 +0100 >> My Subaru XV is silver, my Suzuki Vitara was silver. I like silver and grey >> cars cos they don't show the dirt. >> My 2019 Vitara is turquoise blue, a colour I specifically wanted wanted, that and SZ5 pre hybrid with the 1.4 manuel box combo. Looks great under a bright blue Spanish sun. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688467&v=e car4play688466 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:19:09 +0100 >> I quite like yellow cars but the ole woman doesn't (is this grounds for divorce?) >> i once owned a yellow Fiat 128 3 door estate. A friends mother had a yellow MGB. Both quite lovely. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688466&v=e car4play688457 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:03:17 +0100 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHmD3zvaYnM http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688457&v=e car4play688454 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:36:18 +0100 Quite a few Jaecoo's round my way, I suspect that what attracts people to.them is the high "bang for your buck" ratio? Can't be there looks surely? Hideous looking imho. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688454&v=e car4play688453 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:32:47 +0100 >> Brave buyers. >> Very few people with have bought them - they'll either be lease or PCP. Their ubiquitousness is remarkable though - we often don't see new-to-the-market cars for ages - Renault 5 EV, for example is still a rare sight around hers, but Jaecoo 7's are absolutely everywhere. http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688453&v=e car4play688450 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:49:14 +0100 From what I have seen yes if its warranty work and car is at garage undriveable. If its accident, and its your fault and you don't have courtesy car on your insurance then you are in trouble. (and I'm not sure if there is a caveat as to how long you would get it for) http://www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?m=688450&v=e