Tom's TDCi Titanium X...

[procta]

i am like that, once i have had me fun. Just remember to keep this one topped up and up to scratch.

[RetroPug]

Well after spending 2 days driving the '6 I cant wait to take the Focus on a long drive tomorrow lol.

I cannot wait to drive the gti6 again.

[7057sam]

Well after spending 2 days driving the '6 I cant wait to take the Focus on a long drive tomorrow lol.

I cannot wait to drive the gti6 again.

This is me,can't believe it's been 4 months already,2 to go  

Flatford/manningtree isn't to far from you,nice walks and free parking if you know where to go

[Toms306]

Already done Flatford and Manningtree lol. Flatford was those pics above.

Also done Mistley and got scared by some massive aggressive swans!

[Toms306]

So, did Stowmarket, Needham, Claydon, Hadleigh, town centre, home today. About 60 miles of fuel wasting and I'm so glad I did it in the Focus not the '6!! I didn't find the road you meant though, I took the B1113 and it cant have been that one! Definitely finding a bit more driving confidence with the Focus now, slowly though.

Also time for another MPG update.

604 miles, 46.85 litres = 58.7mpg... Doesn't look like it'll ever hit 60mpg over a tank! However the price of diesel means it was only 8.75 pence a mile, cant really complain at that! Also, I was sceptical about 'better' fuel making any difference, but I had been getting an annoying intermittent judder at a constant speed of high revs and low load ever since getting it (stuck behind old people/farm machinery/mopeds etc) it went as soon as you let off of gave it more throttle and never gave any fault codes. However it hasn't happened at all on this tankful of BP...coincidence? Not sure, so I've gone for another tank of BP as its the same price as Sainsburys anyway, will see what happens.

[Toms306]

Not much to report...except picking up yet another nail in a tyre and scuffing a sidewall on a kerb. The trick is park by low kerbs, keeps the wheels tidier.

Detailed the car yesterday though, no pics as it was dark time I'd finished! Did the usual, but also added some leather cleaner/conditioner to the seats and added some liquid sealant to the wheels - really odd stuff, just runs straight off a dry microfiber lol, so hopefully will have the same effect on the wheels...may use it on the paintwork if it does work well.

In other news, we're going on a ~120 mile round trip this week, I'm sure that can only end well.

[1616six]

At least leather is wipe clean!

[procta]

good on ya tom!

[Toms306]

Correct Jordan...the leather conditioner/protector stuff should make it even easier to clean as well.

But joking aside, with that trip looming I wanted to get a 'dry run' in beforehand. My sister is away this week so I'm getting a bit of time to do things which is good!

So, this won't mean much to most of you, but some will recognise the place, and for those that don't, it's where the first major 'incident' happened back on August 3rd 2010, Chelmsford services, about an hour away, 50 or so miles. Not been down there since that, also not been so far from home since, also first time I've used the A12 since getting stuck on it last year. So later in the week I only have to go an extra 15 mins further to see my Aunt who is terminally ill unfortunately, but my own issues have stopped me seeing her for several years.










Also took a picture of the two clean together...but the quality is so bad they don't even look clean.




Must admit MPG wasn't great though, sat at a fairly steady 70mph on cruise (occasionally having to slow for other inconsiderate people lol) and the average was only 57mpg, it actually rose when I came off the 70mph road and did 45 mins of 40ish through backroads (the top of the A12 currently has a 40 limit with average speed cameras for literally no reason at all so was quicker and nicer to take the backroads at the same speed!). Not sure what the optimum speed for MPG would be in the Focus, is there a mathematical way to work it out or is it just trial and error?

[procta]

best of both worlds there tom, Derv and perv!

[7057sam]

Well done tom

little step's towards your goals.

Could this be the a stepping block to go further to castle combe with rowell in April? ?

[Toms306]

Combe in April would be a pretty big leap lol.

However I am aiming for Mod Nats in May...

[7057sam]

Combe in April would be a pretty big leap lol.

However I am aiming for Mod Nats in May...  

Ok or fcs or pugfest this year? 

Even I wouldn't go to mod Nat so I think if you do that you'll definitely conquer  some of your demons.

[Toms306]

Why wouldn't you go there? Main reason is it's 2 hours away, Combe is 3.5!

[Connor]

If you go to combe, then you might as well come 10mins further down the m4 and ill do your tracking

[1616six]

Combe in April would be a pretty big leap lol.

However I am aiming for Mod Nats in May...  

Ok or fcs or pugfest this year? 

Even I wouldn't go to mod Nat so I think if you do that you'll definitely conquer  some of your demons.

I was just thinking this. ModNats is a chavfest full of burnouts, handbrake turns & yout's smoking weed. I'd never go again!

Have a lovely time Tom!

[Toms306]

Each to their own... I missed out on being a youth so that sounds like my sort of thing. I actually liked chavvy cruises, only stopped going because theres always an old bastard in Scooby that ruins it for everyone else and causes such a massive police presence you just get paranoid.

No other car shows closer though are there? I might not even like it, but there must be something that I'll like eventually, surely.

[Toms306]

So, it happened today, ~150 mile round trip as I came home on the back roads after getting stuck on dual carriageway yet again! Took 1.5 hrs to get there, 2hrs to get back avoiding A12 traffic. And neither of us broke down lol.

Now where the hell is this sense of achievement I'm supposed to have? Don't feel any different!

That said, I can't think of a car I'd rather done the journey in, was sunny and dry going, but dark, raining and unfamiliar roads coming back and the Focus was great tbh! Would like a few more mpg at 70 but meh, theres more to a car than mpg!

[procta]

So, it happened today, ~150 mile round trip as I came home on the back roads after getting stuck on dual carriageway yet again!  Took 1.5 hrs to get there, 2hrs to get back avoiding A12 traffic.  And neither of us broke down lol.

Now where the hell is this sense of achievement I'm supposed to have?  Don't feel any different!

That said, I can't think of a car I'd rather done the journey in, was sunny and dry going, but dark, raining and unfamiliar roads coming back and the Focus was great tbh!  Would like a few more mpg at 70 but meh, theres more to a car than mpg!

getting the f*ck there and back on your own! that's achievement!

[Toms306]

I know it should be, but I'm not feeling it, shouldn't I be feeling something?

Also, on my own is much easier than it would be with someone else lol. I found the drive back really comfortable/relaxing tbh even though it was a long one, just settled down, reclined the seat a bit, turned the radio up and cruised back... Was nice! Wish I could do it more often tbh.

[procta]

I know it should be, but I'm not feeling it, shouldn't I be feeling something?

Also, on my own is much easier than it would be with someone else lol.  I found the drive back really comfortable/relaxing tbh even though it was a long one, just settled down, reclined the seat a bit, turned the radio up and cruised back...  Was nice!  Wish I could do it more often tbh.

there you go! you have said it your self! sitting in traffic, just stay settled, and relaxed and let things move on.
listen to the radio will do away with the mental problems.

[Toms306]

If that was true they'd prescribe radio on the NHS.

Nah it was out of traffic anyway, I relaxed after getting away from the traffic and onto the dark, twisty, wet, dangerous backroads compared with the safe 20mph dual carriageways.

[Poodle]

So what, you've just proved it's not that big a deal and you should sort your shit out and get out there.

[Toms306]

No, I managed to go somewhere on one day with an empty house, a week of prep, and a ruined bathroom, didn't eat for the rest of the day and had colossal gut pain all night because of it... I couldn't have done it again today so I guess that's why I don't see it as an achievement lol.

But what it does prove is how much I can do when I'm not trying to work around people here.

[procta]

you do realise that the gut thing will phase away from you, as that sounded to me your gut problem was nerves of going out.
you should be ok now.

[Tom]

Thats it now, it will get easier and easier now you've made the leap!

[Toms306]

you do realise that the gut thing will phase away from you, as that sounded to me your gut problem was nerves of going out.
you should be ok now.

Its not quite that simple unfortunately.

Yes explosive sh*ts happens if I've planned a day out, and that's the best way as then there's nothing left to come out! But of course it makes you feel awful inside, and then when you eat later on it causes a lot of trapped wind and goes straight through pretty much (so no way Id eat out lol). I used to do that everyday to get through school and college and I honestly don't know how I managed it looking back now! Its also partly to do with OCD though, I cant go out until I've 'been' at least 3 times in case I'll need to go while out...problem is since not being able to have a routine I often cant go enough when I need to, then after half hour out I'm desperate again. But again that's something that would be much easier if I was on my own with a solid (no pun intended ) routine and a better diet.

[Seb_Ryan]

Well this thread is aload of shite..

Sorry tom had to be said! Lol

[Toms306]

Lol, had such a good photo op earlier if someone wasn't right behind me.... Literally a massive pile of bullshit on the edge of a farm. Well ok maybe it was horse but same difference.

[Toms306]

So, back on topic away from shit...!

Drove up to Framlingham Castle yesterday, quite interesting to think people were living and working on that site nearly 1000 years ago!  Well I thought so anyway lol.  Running out of places to go though, so need to find something else to 'do' at the end of a journey.  Have also given up the 2nd car idea, that's not up for discussion, it's done with now lol.

Time I got to the fuel station today I was running a little low...





Must admit though, still drove fine with sod all fuel left.  MPG wasn't great though as I've done a lot of fast driving in the wind this week - and I've noticed wind is the biggest issue for MPG!  So when the wind dies down mpg might rise a bit lol. This is the reason I get better mpg one way on fast roads, can't believe I didn't realise it before!

Heres the running total of calculated MPG and pence per mile so far...

Date------------MPG---PPM
17/10/2014----59------9.9
05/11/2014----56------10.2
18/12/2014----60------9.0
13/01/2015----56------9.2
06/02/2015----59------8.7
25/02/2015----57------9.1


Seems odd it alternates between one good tank and one worse!