Tom's TDCi Titanium X...

[Toms306]

Lol, just a figure of speech.

[Connor]

Did you take the oil filter out of the box? Sure it had one to begin with lol

[Toms306]

Nah it was inside the air filter when I got it, pretty good fit tbf.

[Piggy]

nice move mate. Hope things turn up good for you.

Don't forget, when a cloud doesn't appear to have a silver lining, there is always rattle cans!

[Matt-Rallye]

Looking good Tom!

Just don't say 'back at home'... It is home! It's 'back at the parents house'

Amen to that JJ!

Fantastic to see you making progress again tom also the focus looks really nicely beaded up in that wet pic!

Personally i have tried the clay bar and a clay mitt.. and i choose the clay bar everytime!

[7057sam]

I kept calling mine a house even though it's a flat

Nice to see you settling in ok.It still surprises me how quite it is around are way condisering the amount of people that live here.

[Toms306]

nice move mate. Hope things turn up good for you.

Don't forget, when a cloud doesn't appear to have a silver lining, there is always rattle cans!

Thanks James.  Sod rattle cans, just throw money at a problem, seems to fix anything.    Seriously though, I've been here a week now and it definitely seems like I made the right decision for once.  

Looking good Tom!

Just don't say 'back at home'... It is home! It's 'back at the parents house'

Amen to that JJ!

Fantastic to see you making progress again tom also the focus looks really nicely beaded up in that wet pic!

Personally i have tried the clay bar and a clay mitt.. and i choose the clay bar everytime!

Yeah it does look good beaded in the rain, G3 quick detailer ftw.  Shame it's scratched and swirly when dry atm.

What don't you like about the clay mitt?  I was thinking of using one over a bar for speed and ease, I tend to run out of effort/get bored half way through detailing so anything to save time and energy is good lol.

I also don't have an outside tap where I am so looking at getting something like this to save trips up and down for buckets of water to rinse lol - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/streetwize-p...er-p199662

I kept calling mine a house even though it's a flat

Nice to see you settling in ok.It still surprises me how quite it is around are way condisering the amount of people that live here.

Lol, tbf I've lived in a bungalow for the last 19 years and always called it a house...  Fortunately I'm not pedantic...  

Yeah it is quiet, so close to everything as well.  I'm even looking for a cheap bike as theres so many cycle paths round here!

[1616six]

Clay mitt from G3 ftw, so much easier although be careful not to get carried away with pressure, it's so easy to cause marring with a mitt - but I never use my clay bar anymore, mitt is awesome!

I've also just got some more Sonax BSD on the eurocarparts sale, £6.99 but using EXTRA10 it's even cheaper.. considering it's usually £15 a bottle!

[procta]

cars with massive boots are great for moving! now you just need a little project now

[Toms306]

cars with massive boots are great for moving! now you just need a little project now

If a local 'light' fix-up comes up that may be a possibility for a little extra funds...

[Toms306]

So, quick update - had various brake issues.

Didn't look too bad from the front...



Ruined on the back, turned out the inside pad on the passenger side was binding as well as other issues with both the discs and pads.



So changed them...



Painted calipers...



And now the brakes actually work for the first time since buying it, plus no squealing or binding.


Then yesterday decided to have a detailing day, basically wash, rinse with watering can, clay with G3 mitt, polish with SRP, wax with Nattys paste, windowlene on windows, wheel protector on alloys and endurance gel on tyres. Came out quite well...







Photobombed









And a bit of beading




Went to alive & v dubbin' last weekend, and cars on the green this weekend...hopefully find something similar next weekend as well lol.

[kentiiboii]

Looks good tom, makes me quite like the looks of these focus :-)
Good to see your getting your self about mate :-)

[procta]

looking great tom! I need to give my 306 a f*cking good bath! poor cow is looking very sorry for its self!

[Toms306]

Cheers Kent, it's grown on me as well...

Cheers Andy, it's not had a proper detail like that since about February!! Looks so much better when it's been done.

[Toms306]

Missed 55,000 last night!



Not much to report except it's really eating the miles now, unfortunately MPG is still only around 55mpg average but that's the problem with mostly motorway or town lol, only seems to be any good at ~45 on a B road. Think I bought it on 46,XXXk so nearly 10k done now, also not far off a year of ownership, just under 2 months away. Don't know where the time goes!!

Some of you may remember I attempted Ace back in March which ended badly. Well, I've got some longer trips planned in the next few weeks so thought I'd attempt a longish trip last night as it was Ace again so 4 months-ish since the last try, was no point attempting Ace but tried the reverse route of the one I took last time so up towards Newmarket. Not gonna lie it didn't all go well, I didn't even get half hour away before the waves of panic, gutsache and nausea started, which in turn cause silly mistakes. It must be the anticipation of the distance that done it as I've been doing loads of driving lately, much further than that, without it getting so bad. I did try pushing through it but it just wasn't sensible, so turned back and headed home and surprise, surprise, started feeling better pretty soon. So at that point decided top push my luck a bit again and head down towards Colchester, didn't feel so bad doing that although still getting occasional waves of panic - until I got to the A120 turn off to create a circle without doubling back on myself - its a road I haven't been on before and is rough as f*ck - cue lots of panic and nausea, got in such a state doing that I wished I'd just gone back the way I came!! Eventually I got to the Manningtree turn off (single carriage B road) and instantly felt better - no-one about and good conditions so really gave the Focus some stick (forget how well it handles tbh) - but without any panic or nausea!? Got to manningtree and parked up and had a wander by the river in the sunset, trying to avoid the scary swans lol. Was nice tbh. Headed home feeling much better but while I was on a roll thought I'd push it a bit further in time rather than distance and sit somewhere away from home for a while - first place turned out to be a dogging spot lol, so quickly moved on and headed down to view point at Felixstowe instead, windy as hell but quite interesting to watch the containers get loaded up and see the tiny tug boats steering enormous ships... Listened to the new Years & Years album (surprisingly good if that's your thing!) and headed home after that, narrowly missing a black cat running across a dark road at 70 lol.

So all in about 4 hours, 3 of those on the road. No idea how many miles or fuel I done, don't really care lol. But whats frustrating is it seems I can do many miles/hours on the road, but not in a straight line, only locally or the panic kicks in which brings on gut issues and nausea, which in turn makes the panic worse, and it comes in waves rather than just dying off.

Not really sure how I can overcome that, anyone any ideas? Really considering trying pro help again, though it was completely useless last time!

Also contemplating taking 'vlogs' of these sort of events, it may help others in the same position realise they aren't alone, give those without an issue a better understanding and maybe others with similar issues could offer advice. Just an idea atm though, I don't even have a camcorder lol.

[Eeyore]

Do everything. Sounds like youre not doing too badly. Im sure we could convoy to ace one week if that helps?

Also where was the dogging spot?

[Toms306]

Also where was the dogging spot?

I thought you'd already know?

Not sure convoying would help tbh but I'll keep it in mind. I'm not overly fussed about going to Ace tbf, but there are a few other things coming up I'm hoping to attempt so we'll see.

[procta]

your getting on really well tom! you had your 1st takeaway yet?

[Iceman299]

I 'm guessing a passenger took that pic, yeah? 

[Toms306]

Of course. I certainly didnt!

[procta]

Of course.  

Thank f*ck for that tom! I have been tell you for ages to get a takeaway

[Toms306]

So, another little update... Someone from the Ford forum asked if I'd activate his cruise control last week...so while I had the cable out scanned mine for faults...no DPF faults stored for the first time since February!!

Also fitted a pair of gel badges, I've had them a while but kept umming and arring about them...still not totally sure but they fit the black and silver theme and my front badge had gone cloudy anyway.






Also tried yellowing the fogs twice! Once with film and once with Amberlight. Couldn't get a uniform finish with either though so will stick with clear lol.

Out for a drive yesterday came across this place, Copella apple orchard, the ones that go in the juice, didn't realise it was round here tbh, pretty cool.



And had a good day out today at Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Festival, hundreds of nice cars and the Hall and gardens were nice to walk round as well. Also met up with JJ and his 309 briefly! I didn't get burnt though. Shame they hadn't bothered mowing the field for parking though...cue lots of hot engines/exhausts sitting on long dry grass... As far as I know there weren't any fires lol.

[7057sam]

Yeah that copella place is in Boxford, Sudbury

The gel badges look good,nice to see your getting some trouble free miles

[Toms306]

Headed for a classic Ford meet in Essex today...unfortunately took 3 attempts to leave Ipswich, then got stuck on the A12 because somehow it always ends up looking like this when I drive on it!



So gave up on that lol. Trip to the seaside this afternoon instead, and passed 56k...



1000 miles in 3 weeks...oops!

[Strikeforce]

If you dont like the new badges ford guarantee there badges so if yours are faded take them back.
Im sure theres a form to fill out and take to the dealers but its an option if you need it!

[Toms306]

Yeah up to 10 years iirc, so may get them replaced eventually. The black ones are growing on me though!

[Niall]

I like the badges actually! Subtle change IMO.
Oh and FYI, the A12 is ALWAYS like that. I fail to see how Essex people can manage to roll their cars so often on a straight bit of road lol.

[Toms306]

I like the badges actually! Subtle change IMO.
Oh and FYI, the A12 is ALWAYS like that. I fail to see how Essex people can manage to roll their cars so often on a straight bit of road lol.

Lol, they're too busy applying fake tan and teeth whitening kits I reckon.

There is a reasonable back way to Colchester but after that it ends up a lot further to avoid the A12 unfortunately. Would've taken nearly 2 hours to get to Battlesbridge avoiding the A12 yesterday!

[Toms306]

Happy Anniversary to the Focus and I...1 year today! Don't know how she's put up with me for so long...

As it was our anniversary I decided to treat her and get her wet. Don't be disgusting, torrential rain caused floods we had to drive through. But hopefully I haven't done a Dum Dum, dreading tomorrows start haha.

So, some stats -

I've covered 10,422 miles.

Put 790.88 litres of diesel into the tank costing £862.63. The years actual MPG average is 56.7. The years trip computer average is 57.4, surprisingly accurate.

Costs over the year:

Mods - £48.37
Cleaning products - £49.11
Servicing (one major, one minor) - £130.94
4 Tyres - £237.75
Tracking (x2 ) - £71.99
Cruise Control Retrofit (new wheel and airbag cover) - £147.01 minus old wheel sale £15 - £132.01
Aftermarket DPF - £199.98
Front pad and disc change - £91.85
New Alloy - £50
Tax - £30
Insurance - £372.06
RAC - £56.88
Reverse Light Switch - £8.34

So with the fuel as well, that totals as = £2341.91

Or £195.96 a month. Guess I over estimated costs then, even a pov spec Peugeot on just add fuel would cost more per month lol.

Or 22 pence per mile, Not bad considering just under half of that is fuel tbh!

Must admit, I thought it was going to be worse than that, and most of those costs would've been similar with most cars, DPF and cruise wheel are the only specific costs really, I couldn't be without the cruise control so that was worth it for me. The DPF not so much, in hindsight I wish I'd spent the money on a removal remap as I doubt I'll have that sort of money 'spare' again for a while.

So yeah, we've lasted a year out of the expected two...hopefully the next year will be cheaper...though the fuel bill be higher.

No pics because despite her looking lovely atm with tonnes of wax and beading it was just too wet for me to get out and take pics lol.

[bashbarnard]

I love how ocd you are about this. Im like yaah kept a car. Dont add up how much ive spent as ill cry.