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Simply fantastic product and fantastic people. I had been suffering from white exhaust smoke and burning oil. I came across lots of symptoms on forums and came across the dreaded swirl flap issue. Needless to say I was very concerned and got in touch with PMW. There help, advice and expertise was invaluble.
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It has just occurred to me that this blog, being concerned as it often is with ‘green motoring’ and general environmental issues connected to road transport, sometimes comes across as a bit of a car-bashing weekly.
Well, this post will be different as for once we are going to have a plain and simple appreciation and acknowledgement of the fact that often cars grant us immense freedom and can positively enrich our lives no end (I’m not talking about being stuck in a rush-hour commute here obviously).
Important as it is to continue to debate the political and economic points on the climate change issues, and indeed to monitor the moves of the hugely powerful motor industry, this week’s blog will take a break from all that in favour of something far more simple - a few thoughts on the positive values of having a car.
Now I have for a long time considered myself someone who has no interest in cars as consumer desirables (I don’t follow new products or fawn over expensive sports models) or as a potential hobby (I can’t sit through more than 2 minutes of Top Gear without being bored or annoyed by the chuckling boys’ antics). However I do own a car, and even occasionaly use it where no suitable public transport option is available - and also recognise how lucky I am to have this freedom of (semi) affordable movement.
In the current climate of intense environmental debates, it’s often pretty easy to forget that having access to a car (not even necessarily owning one) can open up opportunities for great experiences, otherwise unfeasable or inaccessible.
For me personally it was the option to travel on summer holidays with friends in a car - suddenly affordable because we could carry our tents and stoves and therefore bypass expensive accommodation - that made me first appreciate having one. It occurred to me the other day while driving that these fantastic adventures would have been largely impossible were it not for the fact that I had a driving license and car.
This is just one simple example, but the wider point it leads me to consider is that, while reducing our dependence on cars should be a common goal (for both environmental and economic reasons), so too perhaps some environmentalists (including myself) should recognise that if possible some place for the car should still be reserved even in our wildest utopian green visions. Not all areas of the countryside for example will ever be connected by public transport - so how else to continue to explore and enjoy them without the access granted by cars? Something I believe is worth remembering in the coming discussions over emissions and green motoring technologies…
Dejan Levi
Future Mercedes-Benz luxury class models will offer a new SPLITVIEW technology that will benefit both drivers and front seat passengers.
The technology will first be introduced in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class which is scheduled to hit the market in the summer of next year.
It works by allowing two different images to be shown simultaneously alongside each other, meaning that a driver can view their satellite navigation system, while the front seat passenger is relaxed watching a film on the eight inch screen.
There is no concern that the two images will merge together as a filter masks the display, meaning that images can only be viewed through sitting in a set position and the pixels allow only one image to be witnessed by each car user.
Article continues at Mercedes News
The latest in BMW’s long and successful roadster family has been revealed. The all-new BMW Z4 will go on sale in May 2009 and features a host of innovations never before showcased during BMW’s 75 years of roadster heritage.
The BMW Z4 is the first to come with a two-piece, electro-hydraulically operated Retractable Hard-Top roof that can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. The new roadster is also the first vehicle to be offered with Adaptive M Suspension. Electronically controlled dampers offer three different configurations and lower the ride height by up to 10mm for a more dynamic drive. By way of comparison, the Sport+ setting of the new car is comparable to the outgoing BMW Z4’s standard ride comfort level.
For full specs and photos visit CarPages
Porsche is proud to present the first official photos of the Porsche Panamera. In its design, profile and silhouette, the unique four-seater stands out clearly as a new member of the Porsche family.
Conceived and designed as a four-door grand touring sports car, the Porsche Panamera combines numerous talents in typical Porsche style: sporting driving dynamics, a generous and versatile interior, and the supreme driving comfort of a Gran Turismo. Joining the 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars and the four-wheel drive Cayenne, the Porsche Panamera is officially the fourth Porsche model series.
The designers of the Porsche Panamera have succeeded in positioning this unique car as a brand-new and truly different model while nevertheless retaining the looks of a typical Porsche. Through its proportions alone, the Porsche Panamera stands out clearly in its market segment: measuring 1931mm in width and 1418mm in height, the Porsche Panamera is both wider and lower than comparable four-door models. The unmistakable, sleek GT silhouette is created by an overall length of 4970mm and short, sporting overhangs front and rear.
Read more at CarPages
Dear Pete,
I just thought I would write to let you know how impressed I was with the honesty and level of professionalism I felt when I visited. You carried out valve clearance checks on my BMW E46 M3, I was dreading taking it to a BMW dealership due to their high costs and low standards. Your price and professionalism were great, to top it off my car sounds great.
Many Thanks
Dave Clifton (Essex) 12/11/2008
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has rather amazingly gotten away with yet another wilfully stubborn and reckless decision last week. This time it’s his repealing of the Western extension to London’s congestion charge zone, which was introduced under previous mayor Ken Livingstone, that has caused shock and incredulity.
The future looks a little like this: charging in the Western zone will cease sometime in 2010, costing TfL somewhere in the region of £55-70m and no doubt contributing to an increase in congestion and, consequently, pollution. So, just to recap, Boris has decided to make London’s public transport body poorer, the city’s air dirtier, its roads more crowded and finally its CO2 emissions greater. Now I don’t live in London myself but nonetheless the issue seems pretty black and white to me. Question is - how on earth has this measure got through?
Ah yes - apparently Boris cites the justification for the move as being that it upholds democratic and economic principles. The problem is that in the current economic climate it’s almost guaranteed that any policy which provides ‘economic relief’ to the struggling public is sure to get by. In short, Boris is a supreme opportunist who knows exactly when to take advantage of the general public’s disorientation and hardship.
Why not also sell off all of London’s buses for fifty quid each, and then pass on a fiver to every resident of London? No more economic downturn! No more credit crunch! Boris is a genius! Well for about 5 minutes anyway, until we realise that we actually have to live with the consequences of such policies for a lot longer than it takes to spend a few extra pounds at the pub.
Boris says people want the congestion charge scrapped. What they actually want is ANYTHING that will decrease the pressure on households trying to make ends meet amidst rising bills and job losses. Instead of coming up with viable ways to improve the stability and prospects of London’s economy, he is shamelessly reducing ‘democracy’ to a convenient buzzword for justifying a foolish and short-sighted policy.
While most of the world wakes up to the intrinsic relationship between environment and economics (i.e. if we ignore the former in order to prioritise the latter, we’re in serious trouble) Boris is seemingly happy to pretend its 1988 and not 2008 for the sake of popularity. If he were serious about actually improving the economy of London then maybe he would consider some effective and long-term policies that are environmentally sustainable and hence will be economically viable next year as well as this month. Sadly this doesn’t seem likely at the moment.
I’m curious what positive measures Boris has in store to alleviate the problem of congestion and pollution in the capital. Judging on his environmental record thus far i’m not expecting much, though i’d love nothing more than for him to turn round and prove me super super wrong. We’ll see…
Dejan Levi
