C16 RKC's Project 2003 CL500 (and other stragglers)

[suty455]

Best pressie ever for you all wish you well

 

[c16rkc]

Thank you everyone for your best wishes, it is greatly apreciated.

Nerdy time everyone

This may just make everyone yawn... but if there are any other nerds like me on this forum - it might be of a little interest.

It has always annoyed me how dishonest I find trip computers in cars, and for that reason I record my fuel station visits in "Fuelly"; an App for Android phones, which gives me "tank to tank" MPG data.

When I bought the Citroen, I had the idea to also store the "indicated" mpg (when I remembered ) from the trip computer, in the notes. So I now have a nice comparison. This also shows how I was driving the Citroen super, super carefully when I first bought it, and my driving has settled more recently. I think the cold weather also negatively affected my MPG, but we shall see if that's true in the coming months.

The "actual" MPG is incredibly erratic, which I take to be because each full tank fills to a slightly different level, as well as possible inaccuracies in the fuel station pump gauges. So I have added a line of best fit, and even though the "indicated" figures are less erratic I have also added one for that too. The two comparative lines of best fit do line up pretty well.

The error between "actual" and "indicated" averages at 15% - I think this is pretty shocking really. So if I think I am getting 50mpg, and chances are I am really getting just over 43mpg in real life. This explains why so many people think their 00's diesel luxury cars can do 40-45mpg, where as in my experience they struggle to do 40mpg, and tend to be more like 35mpg at best.




I do wonder if manufacturer's knowingly make the trip computers inaccurate, as it is odd they all "over read" rather than under read. Along with the fact that most people judge their cars by a single journey they did with a pre-warmed engine, this does provide a misrepresentation of the actual economy you can get from a given car.

I look forward to making this a full 12 months soon!

As if that was not nerdy enough... I have found more cool data

It turns out I also did this with my Black Audi A6 Avant 2.0tdi auto. But the MPG for this car had an error of 12%.

I don't think the line of best fit works as well with this car.

 

[W1ghty]

Thank you everyone for your best wishes, it is greatly apreciated.

Nerdy time everyone

This may just make everyone yawn... but if there are any other nerds like me on this forum - it might be of a little interest.

It has always annoyed me how dishonest I find trip computers in cars, and for that reason I record my fuel station visits in "Fuelly"; an App for Android phones, which gives me "tank to tank" MPG data.

When I bought the Citroen, I had the idea to also store the "indicated" mpg (when I remembered ) from the trip computer, in the notes. So I now have a nice comparison. This also shows how I was driving the Citroen super, super carefully when I first bought it, and my driving has settled more recently. I think the cold weather also negatively affected my MPG, but we shall see if that's true in the coming months.

The "actual" MPG is incredibly erratic, which I take to be because each full tank fills to a slightly different level, as well as possible inaccuracies in the fuel station pump gauges. So I have added a line of best fit, and even though the "indicated" figures are less erratic I have also added one for that too. The two comparative lines of best fit do line up pretty well.

The error between "actual" and "indicated" averages at 15% - I think this is pretty shocking really. So if I think I am getting 50mpg, and chances are I am really getting just over 43mpg in real life. This explains why so many people think their 00's diesel luxury cars can do 40-45mpg, where as in my experience they struggle to do 40mpg, and tend to be more like 35mpg at best.




I do wonder if manufacturer's knowingly make the trip computers inaccurate, as it is odd they all "over read" rather than under read. Along with the fact that most people judge their cars by a single journey they did with a pre-warmed engine, this does provide a misrepresentation of the actual economy you can get from a given car.

I look forward to making this a full 12 months soon!

As if that was not nerdy enough... I have found more cool data

It turns out I also did this with my Black Audi A6 Avant 2.0tdi auto. But the MPG for this car had an error of 12%.

I don't think the line of best fit works as well with this car.

I’m not giving you a “like” for that , it’s far too dweeby

 

[MCFastybloke]

Fantastic news for you all, Canaries are nice

 

[SmartAmg]

Fantastic news for you all, Canaries are nice

On Toast?

 

[MCFastybloke]

Made a tosh of my education.

 

[AMGeed]

Never mind the car.
Great news to hear your son has finally finished his treatment.
All the very best to you all and you'd better start saving for a great family holiday!

 

[Sam87]

My brain went into limp mode trying to understand all that calculation. I can't imagine what would have happened if I tried to do the same thing
I filled up the wife's Polo this morning and as soon as the light comes on, it normally takes £52 to fill up. Today I put £70! Why that happened i have no idea
Fantastic news for Aston and your whole family

 

[c16rkc]

Oh dear Sam - that means you can't join the Nerd club at the front of the bus with the teachers

You'll have to sit at the back of the bus with all the cool kids....

Don't you go throwing things at us Nerds...

 

[c16rkc]

Birmingham

I've not posted much for the last couple of weeks, because I sent my phone off for repair, and it look over two weeks to get back (Aston dropped it and cracked the screen last summer).

But I'm looking forward to doing a few things and posting a few updates...

But we are in Birmingham this week, and one of the things that's happened over the last few weeks might be evident in the next photo...



In case you don't spot it, Lindsey's car has new wheels!

I'd intended to get Lindsey's wheels refurbished, but then she got a flat tyre and ended up using the Mercedes S class.

I thought it would be quicker to just buy her some brand new wheels, and she chose these swanky ones. I think they are replica E-Tron ones. I think they suit the car well.

Boy are those Audi tyres wide, I think they were 255 front and back. I got Pirellis in the end as I could not put cheap ones on the car that ferries my wife and kids about.

So today we are at some crusty hotel in Droitwich. I miss getting a nice air conditioned luxury room for me and Lindsey... now thanks to the two chimps, we have to find some Faulty Towers type place that has 3 beds in the room... sigh...

So I have now met Indian Basil Faulty who owns the place.

We went for food and hoped to tire the kids out so they'd go to sleep OK. All I could find was this graveyard... but needs must...



Getting the kids to sleep was a nightmare last night, as they are used to separate rooms.

They spent all evening giggling and being a pain. Aston "went for a wee" maybe 10 times before Mummy said no more. Then after he pleaded she let him have one more wee and preceded to do the most enormous squelchy poo I have ever seen... wiping it off his cheeks made me feel sick, and the bathroom smelt like a sewage works afterwards. Then me and Lindsey got the giggles and there was no hope.

I think we may well have got to bed about 9:30pm... but Spencer not only wakes whining like a Labrador every 2 hours, but also kept falling out of bed, so Lindsey had to sleep with him... Lindsey and me both have red eyes and feel half asleep this morning. But the kids are bright eyed and fully rested... how does that work?

One last thing....

Does anyone else cringe when they see these bright while sheets...?

After a full mixed grill at the pub for tea, I spent the whole night worrying every time I farted, just in case I havn't wiped properly and there might be a skid there in the morning...



Nothing there yet.

 

[Sam87]

The Audi looks great with the new wheels!

I hope you have a great time with family in Birmingham
Your comment made me laugh out loud about the fart

 

[W1ghty]

The Audi looks great with the new wheels!

I hope you have a great time with family in Birmingham
Your comment made me laugh out loud about the fart

It made me sick up a bit because I was eating !

 

[c16rkc]

It made me sick up a bit because I was eating !

Well that will teach you to pay full attention to my posts rather than reading while stuffing your face

 

[Sam87]

It made me sick up a bit because I was eating !

 

[c16rkc]

Sorry its been a while...

Well it really has been some time since my last update. Life has just been so busy and I just don't seem to get the time I used to.

I do have lots to update on here... but as all I have is a few minutes sat on the Sofa with Aston and Spencer, while they watch TV before bed time, I'll just leave everyone with a few snaps of the Mercedes.

It's looking really nice now, and I confess I've learnt to like those front lights I hated so much originally. Oddly I still havn't really bonded with the car, and I don't really know why. It just doesn't feel very "me" though it is starting to get there.

But regardless, I do think it looks very handsome now, and I do love the colour.











Its amazing how the photos hide every chip and scuff

But Lindsey has been using it this last week, and coming down the road it does look very smart. We also took it out last weekend and it was very surprising how many people Lindsey noticed were staring at it as they passed it in their own cars - I started to wonder if there was something wrong.

Time will tell if I keep it or not, but for the time being I think I pretty much have it how I want it now.

I just need some new plates and a replacement radar shield in the front grille (both on order as of tonight). Then if I do decide to keep it I'll have the scuffs and dinks sorted.

 

[SmartAmg]

Sorry its been a while...

Well it really has been some time since my last update. Life has just been so busy and I just don't seem to get the time I used to.

I do have lots to update on here... but as all I have is a few minutes sat on the Sofa with Aston and Spencer, while they watch TV before bed time, I'll just leave everyone with a few snaps of the Mercedes.

It's looking really nice now, and I confess I've learnt to like those front lights I hated so much originally. Oddly I still havn't really bonded with the car, and I don't really know why. It just doesn't feel very "me" though it is starting to get there.

But regardless, I do think it looks very handsome now, and I do love the colour.











Its amazing how the photos hide every chip and scuff

But Lindsey has been using it this last week, and coming down the road it does look very smart. We also took it out last weekend and it was very surprising how many people Lindsey noticed were staring at it as they passed it in their own cars - I started to wonder if there was something wrong.

Time will tell if I keep it or not, but for the time being I think I pretty much have it how I want it now.

I just need some new plates and a replacement radar shield in the front grille (both on order as of tonight). Then if I do decide to keep it I'll have the scuffs and dinks sorted.

Looks good, Chris, they are a fine looking motor.

 

[c16rkc]

Birmingham

So going back to May, we were in the Fawlty towers wannabe hotel in a small Birmingham village.



The night in the hotel was like something out of a sitcom. We tried putting them to bed, but Aston and Spencer giggled, made fart noises, and visited the toilet for a wee wee a billion times. I didn't think they'd ever go to sleep.

In the end we had to put a chair with a Towel over it in the middle of the room so they couldn't see each other anymore, and I had to lay with Spencer for over 90 minutes until he fell asleep. He is more of a fidget than his mother, and I was kicked, headbutted and slapped many, many times as Spencer continuously flapped about.

I was ready to strangle him...

It was past 10pm by the time both boys were asleep, and Lindsey and me were asleep not long after; hoping we'd get a lie in.

Fat chance...

The following morning both toads were up at 5am.



Aston had to make peace with having no Netflix, Disney, or Amazon! :LOL:



We came down and had the most awful Breakfast, made worse by Spencer acosting the other guests and continuously trying to escape.

Then we headed out and found something to amuse the pests.



Later that morning we visited Lindseys Sister and her family, and had a great day with them.

The next day we visited a farm and kids play park.




Then the third day we visited a farm and dinosaur Park.




Escaped narrowly from a T-Rex.




The boys tried to escape in a helicopter...




To be continued...

 

[SmartAmg]

Brilliant, Chris looks like you had a great time.

 

[c16rkc]

The following day we visited a stately home.





The boys had fun in the woods.



Then the next day a museum, followed be some shopping...





Then the following day we headed home...

A fantastic holiday!!

 

[c16rkc]

A good clean of that noble steed

The Audi A7 had done us proud on the trip to Birmingham, so when we got back I decided to give it a good clean!

Lindsey loves her new wheels!