chopchop

Andy, that was NOT my experience when I hired a car at Manchester airport 3 weeks ago. They demanded both the paper and the card. - Richard

That Draper tool's precisely what I use, and I've found it does the job admirably. My Golf needs a rotary tool for the rear caliper pistons, as the handbrake works on the rear wheels.'' I bought one, as I have various family cars to deal with, but over here, Canadian Tire will lend you a tool for free if you buy your pads from them. I've always found those cube things with the various-sized tits on them which you're supposed to use with a 3/8" socket to rotate the pistons to retract the handbrake mechanism absolutely bloody useless. - Richard

Given that the main winter condition here is slippery roads rather than deep snow, I've narrowed the choice down to Nokian Vatiivas or Nokian WRs, both of which are available in the 235/70-R16 size. I understand that apart from being significantly cheaper, the Vatiivas are more of a truck tyre, ie better-suited to the Discovery - than the WRs, which are more of an ordinary car tyre. Either can be left on all-year-round, and have the same 100,000km warranty here, which kind of confirms year-round suitability. I understand that the Vatiivas are the only tyre which also have a good "winter" rating. The winter Firestone M&S "knobblies" which I bought and used in the UK are not really much use here in winter, as they are hardly siped at all, so they can be forgotten. All your help and advice is appreciated, as would any further comments be, as I haven't actually purchased anything yet. - Richard

Given that the main winter condition here is slippery roads rather than deep snow, I've narrowed the choice down to Nokian Vatiivas or Nokian WRs, both of which are available in the 235/70-R16 size. I understand that apart from being significantly cheaper, the Vatiivas are more of a truck tyre, ie better-suited to the Discovery - than the WRs, which are more of an ordinary car tyre. Either can be left on all-year-round, and have the same 100,000km warranty here, which kind of confirms year-round suitability. I understand that the Vatiivas are the only tyre which also have a good "winter" rating. The winter Firestone M&S "knobblies" which I bought and used in the UK are not really much use here in winter, as they are hardly siped at all, so they can be forgotten. All your help and advice is appreciated, as would any further comments be, as I haven't actually purchased anything yet. - Richard

I need to think about replacing my Discovery 200Tdi 205-R16 tyres soon, but this standard LR size (as was) effectively 205/80-R16 is very much a non-preferred size over here in N America. I don't want to increase my revs at all, and I understand that 225/75-R16 is about the same rolling-radius wise, also being readily available here. I believe the standard LR (6J ??) rims are fine for this extra width. My objection is that I'm going to a wider tread footprint which will likely provide poorer grip in slippery winter conditions. Any help/advice appreciated. - Richard

Hammer a cork up the dog's ar** prior to the start of every journey........ - Richard

Fit Jate rings to the rear chassis members. - Richard

Surely the operation (1991) must be via a relay, as the switch is a spring-loaded one without an "on" detent position, in other words it doesn't have a permanent "on" position. Unless it was operated via a relay, surely the wipers wouldn't stay "on" until you press the switch again? The rear "wash" switch, as you say, doesn't operate the rear wiper at all. I reckon I might have a 5-pin relay kicking around (off a Metro fuse box) so i might see if it would work ... Is there any real risk of buggering anything up by doing so, other than blowing the odd fuse? It would just be nice to have mine working like the 1992-on ones do! - Richard

Welcome to Alberta, and Cowtown, home of 2 Discovery TDis - but I've never actually seen the other one reputed to be around. - Richard

May be worth a try - I'm sure I have a suitable switch somewhere in my Sodbury stuff from 5 years ago! Anyone know if the relays or circuitry are likely to be different? - Richard

Precisely, but that doesn't eliminate errors caused by non-standard tyres. Even standard tyres will generate some error as the tyres wear down by 7 or 8 mm new >old. Never rely on a 200TDi fuel gauge - it typically doesn't move off "full" for about 150 miles! - Richard

"The best I have had is about 34MPG & the worst about 23MPG. I have checked my speedo & it is accurate also." ..... As quoted above mirrors precisely my fuel consumption experience with my 200 TDi manual 4-door Disco over 14 years. Frankly, I don't believe that a Disco can achieve 38mpg in any normal, everyday driving situation, unless perhaps someone lives in East Anglia or Holland, and is driving at 45-50mph all day in 5th gear. Eliminate the tyre errors, the normal overreading speedo/odo error even with the recommended-size tyres, and I reckon some of these absurdly good figures fall off the cliff. Also, you can't assume that when the warning light comes on, there is ever a consistent capacity required to fill up. - Richard

So ... even more confusion... - Richard

I like it here - fresh and new and untainted - and if Fi's staying, so am I! Best solution would be to merge the other one in here, move over the archives and ditch all the other baggage and carp. - Richard

Hmmm.... So none of you bright chaps/chapesses out there have a solution to this Solihull balls-up, do you?? - Richard PS - Fortunately, for most of the year here, there's very little rain.... Apart from the 14" of rain we had this June...!