What Have You Done To Your Merc Today?

[MSG2004]

Had my car washed today - 23 quid outside wash only - the last time I had it washed was IIRC was 7/9 months ago.

 

[ALFAitalia]

£23....bloody hell.... did they wash it in single malt! Tenner tops around here! Loads of competition though.

 

[AMGeed]

£23....bloody hell.... did they wash it in single malt! Tenner tops around here! Loads of competition though.

£15 around this way although I don't partake in car washes any more since some idiot got the pressure washer too close and took off some clear coat on my E55.

 

[ALFAitalia]

That must have been a serious washer.. or more likely lifting clear coat. I also never use hand wash places...I'm not quite so old and infirm that I can't wash my own car....yet! I do use a jet wash though.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

My man maths are doing just the same in my head with a pair of exhaust tips.

Do it, do it, do it!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Up and out early with Mrs D riding shotgun for a tour of the Cotswolds. It was overcast and murky when we ventured outside just after 0600 but by the time we arrived at the starting point - just after 0800 - the skies were blue and the sun was shining.

First a wonderful breakfast with friends at Buckland Manor hotel near Broadway, before a mildly spirited drive across to Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield near Caffeine & Machine (Stratford) to see the Vulcan bomber which was absolutely superb.

We had a private tour, including a demonstration of electrical systems and a detailed explanation of the cockpit. Unsurprisingly they didn’t fire up jet engines! Whilst no longer airworthy, it’s an absolutely incredible piece of modern history.

We got a little carried away at the Vulcan and arrived at The Duck on the Pond near Banbury more than a little late, even taking a more direct route. The food was superb, and excellent value. Highly recommended if in the area.

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

www.bucklandmanor.co.uk

XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society | Supporting the Maintenance and Preservation of XM655 in a taxiable state

xm655.com

The Duck on the Pond | Pub Restaurant in South Newington Oxfordshire

 

[ToeKnee]

Up and out early with Mrs D riding shotgun for a tour of the Cotswolds. It was overcast and murky when we ventured outside just after 0600 but by the time we arrived at the starting point - just after 0800 - the skies were blue and the sun was shining.

First a wonderful breakfast with friends at Buckland Manor hotel near Broadway, before a mildly spirited drive across to Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield near Caffeine & Machine (Stratford) to see the Vulcan bomber which was absolutely superb.

We had a private tour, including a demonstration of electrical systems and a detailed explanation of the cockpit. Unsurprisingly they didn’t fire up jet engines! Whilst no longer airworthy, it’s an absolutely incredible piece of modern history.

We got a little carried away at the Vulcan and arrived at The Duck on the Pond near Banbury more than a little late, even taking a more direct route. The food was superb, and excellent value. Highly recommended if in the area.

View attachment 169922

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

www.bucklandmanor.co.uk

XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society | Supporting the Maintenance and Preservation of XM655 in a taxiable state

xm655.com

The Duck on the Pond | Pub Restaurant in South Newington Oxfordshire

The touchdown cafe at wellesbourne airfield doors a brilliant breakfast, often used to go there in my cobra days. Must good again soon.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The touchdown cafe at wellesbourne airfield doors a brilliant breakfast, often used to go there in my cobra days. Must good again soon.

The good people showing us round the Vulcan said the breakfast is highly recommended. I must go back. Maybe we could do an MBClub Get Together there some time.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Our local tip about 5 miles from us is very clean and clear. Where I have got caught out the local Wickes DIY store - I try to park away from the entrance - 50% of the time I've seen at least one nail/screw on the ground and I pick it up take it home and then bag it and bin it.

You mean you don't collect them in a plastic box of odds and sods screws for future use??

 

[SpikyMikey]

Up and out early with Mrs D riding shotgun for a tour of the Cotswolds. It was overcast and murky when we ventured outside just after 0600 but by the time we arrived at the starting point - just after 0800 - the skies were blue and the sun was shining.

First a wonderful breakfast with friends at Buckland Manor hotel near Broadway, before a mildly spirited drive across to Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield near Caffeine & Machine (Stratford) to see the Vulcan bomber which was absolutely superb.

We had a private tour, including a demonstration of electrical systems and a detailed explanation of the cockpit. Unsurprisingly they didn’t fire up jet engines! Whilst no longer airworthy, it’s an absolutely incredible piece of modern history.

We got a little carried away at the Vulcan and arrived at The Duck on the Pond near Banbury more than a little late, even taking a more direct route. The food was superb, and excellent value. Highly recommended if in the area.

View attachment 169922

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

Luxury Country House Hotel & Restaurant in the Cotswolds - Buckland Manor

www.bucklandmanor.co.uk

XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society | Supporting the Maintenance and Preservation of XM655 in a taxiable state

xm655.com

The Duck on the Pond | Pub Restaurant in South Newington Oxfordshire

I have to confess to being rather fond of the Vulcan

 

[SmartAmg]

I have to confess to being rather fond of the Vulcan

Agree. Awesome Plane.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I have to confess to being rather fond of the Vulcan

Check out this view

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Cockpit is cosy, so best not to fall out with your neighbour!

 

[fabes]

Thread drift but I still remember seeing and hearing it as a wide eyed 7 year old atop a large grassy knoll in Three Crosses (where we lived) as it / she was doing a display turn in just in front of us for the Swansea airfield airshow back in 1975.
It howled.....

What else have I done on the Merc today?
Just bought more Chemical Guys Matte shampoo for the SLK as first bottle nearing empty

 

[SpikyMikey]

Cockpit is cosy, so best not to fall out with your neighbour!

View attachment 169930

Can't imagine what it must have been like sitting in a cockpit like that on the 16 hour round trip from Ascension to Port Stanley on one of the Black Buck Missions.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Can't imagine what it must have been like sitting in a cockpit like that on the 16 hour round trip from Ascension to Port Stanley on one of the Black Buck Missions.

Absolutely mind blowing. There are five crew seats. And you can sit in three of them but not in the pilot or copilot’s seat. The only seats you can seat out from are the Pilot and Co-Pilot and their field of vision is absolutely tiny.

If they had a weapons systems failure which also took out their back up systems then one of the other crew members had to lie in a tiny void beneath the Pilot and Co-Pilot to see down in order to deliver their payload manually.

It’s remarkable that people chose to do this, and even more when you consider that they knew that in the event of scrambling for real they were probably never returning home, especially in the Cold War era which is what they were built for.

The guy who explained the cockpit to me did 1000 flying hours over four years, plus time spent in the cabin but not airborne. That’s a long time in a truly tiny space, thousands of feet in the air surrounded by jet fuel, explosives and nuclear weapons!

 

[W1ghty]

Changed 3 spark plugs on the CLK , I know , I know there should be 4 !
When I unboxed the 4 of them one was different so email back to MB to ask for a replacement on the hurry up . I’m sure there is a lesson somewhere in there about checking your parts before starting a job .
I stuck one of the old ones back in for Mrs W to use in the meantime.

 

[ToeKnee]

The good people showing us round the Vulcan said the breakfast is highly recommended. I must go back. Maybe we could do an MBClub Get Together there some time.
View attachment 169925

Good idea Rob, but the cafe car park is tiny and invariably full every time I've been.

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Check out this view

View attachment 169929

Rob. I’ve just solved your garage/carport conundrum.

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Washed the dirty begger (van) and ordered the plastic side trims/skirts for step removal on the car.