admiles

Nowhere did I say I don't accept change or that I can affect it. I simply said it was your opinion that "But driving a BEV (battery/electric) is so much more a pleasure and a more relaxing drive than driving an ICE ( Petrol/diseasal) car !!!" and that I didn't share that opinion. For me driving a ICE car is more pleasurable and relaxing than driving an electric car. We like different things. Nothing more or less.

Only because I inherited a leased company car with a change of role that thankfully departs in February. I take a view that it's better to put miles on that rather than my own car (which is staying). Need to make a decision soon on what to replace the Toyota with. What I found interesting is some diesels are actually better on BIK/Tax than petrol hybrids which surprised me.

Matter of opinion and one I don't share.

Yes all pre-COIVD.

The thing with Osbourns is though it isn't just a few people. They have a long and glorious history of issues (the kindest term I can use I think). If they're struggling it's of their own making. I can't think of any other retailer that I've heard of or read about having so many problems. I back this up with my own three experiences of dealing with them. Not pretty. To use your own terms in this case I think the cap really does fit...very well!

Or just people explaining their experiences with a trader to other modellers. Whilst being as nice as I possibly can Osborns have an appalling reputation. Your dealings with them many have been ok but many others, including mine all three times I tried them (I gave them the benefit of the doubt) really weren't acceptable.

We have!

It's certainly not how it's working in my area. Maybe in theory, but not in practice.

Generally they are. The problem comes when the schools are full of out of catchment children. That then forces children in the catchment area to find another school that has places, often many miles away necessitating the use of a car. Another problem are schools like the one my partner used to teacher at. They have all the English as a first language children placed there so specialist staff are concentrated at one location. Again most from outside the catchment area so guess what, lots of cars, taxis etc and very little walking to/from school.

We had landlord insurance from a well known reputable company. It doesn't cover any of what we lost. So how exactly were we "maximizing our profit"?

In our case (as evil landlords) we were left with £48k of unpaid rent, utility bills and damage to the one house we rented out (the house my partner lived in before she moved in with me). In nearly three years of occupancy of "tenant" paid two months of rent. The "tenant" blocked all inspection visits (and changed the locks). You can't honestly think three months rent (@£650.00 per month) as a deposit covers that surely? We let the house in immaculate condition with a new heating system, everything checked and signed off as required as should all landlords. The trust and respect has to work both ways no? Sorry but with our experience I can see exactly why some landlords fit pre-pay meters. I wish we had. Big mistake!

In my (rather painful) experience they come after the landlord. Hence many prefer pre-pay meters where they can't be left liable.

Varies from area to area I think. In Suffolk it's a free for all and getting a place in any school is becoming a problem. Sadly that means lots of kids getting driven to school rather than walking.

Maybe a return to not being able to pick and choose schools? Very aware of over stretched school budgets. My other half is a primary teacher and we fund school supplies out of our own pockets so the kids in her class have basics like pencils, pens, glue etc and have done for years. In an ideal world yes they would but sadly as we all know people, in general, have to work to set hours.

All good if you can actually get your child into your catchment school. We can't so have to use schools out of our area and 25 miles apart! Try walking then. And no children can't just be left early to play if you have to go to work unless there is a before/after school club which you pay handsomely for, if you can actually get a place. You can't just dump then on a playground and disappear. Not always as black and white as you think. Its a daft system that forces lots of parents to drive when they'd prefer not to.

Where do you stand morally where a tenant does a bunk and leaves the landlord to pick up their unpaid energy bills (not to mention unpaid rent and extensive damage to the house)?

The irony there being Suffolk itself isn't part of the Solar Together scheme and apparently have no plans to join.

The pound was already at it's lowest since 1985 against the dollar yesterday so I'd expect some pretty grim figures to come...

In the mid to late 70's my mother used to do Hoek Van Holland or Zeebrugge to just east of Munich in a day in a Fiat 128 with my as a baby on her own. Later trips involved a Metro and a then brand new MK1Clio. Ok not towing a caravan but is does show things haven't really progressed and look to be taking a reasonable step backward. Incidentally I'm now a week or so into my inherited leased company hybrid experience. I've given it a fair chance. I even wanted to like it but.....I can't. It really is a useless t*rd of a vehicle. Leaving aside the looks (Toyota C-HR) the functionality is just awful. It's not fuel efficient, just 4 mpg better than my 3 litre, 6 cylinder BMW so far, the battery is so small as to be all but pointless. It can do maybe half a mile or so in "EV mode". Ditching the motor and battery and just having it as a straight petrol would at least save some weight. The EV part really is just "greenwash". It adds nothing to the usability of the thing at all. The worst thing though is the awful gearbox/drivetrain. It feels like it a CVT gearbox (maybe it is?). Any sort of request for forward motion is met with revving like crazy, vibration and noise but no real forward motion. February and the end of the lease can't come soon enough!

Same here!

Nope it is apparently because people generally don't want light interiors. He currently works for Land Rover and has in the past worked for BMW, Mercedes and Volvo. He says light interiors are only specified about 10-15% of the time from new and in most cases there is the choice of lighter and darker options. In more run of the mill stuff I'd say you're right darker trim is pretty much standard. Personal choice at the end of the day. No right or wrong

According to a relative of mine who has been a car salesman for a very long time dark interiors are what most people want and specify. No help of course if you're one of the minority who doesn't want that. Personally the blacker/darker the better!

Quite how anyone voluntarily eat a Mr Kipling product is beyond me. They're the worst kind of sickly, processed cr*p! 🤮

Had a similar experience one evening with a dead 2 car 101 being hauled by a 31/1 from Peterborough to Ipswich. This driver was also very keen to get home. Some of the swaying over the fenland track (always noted for it's less than smooth ride) was memorable to say the least

Does anyone actually believe a single word that falls from the mouths of politicians looking to get elected?