Liz Turner
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I wash my hands of it

7/28/2012

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Richard is threatening to write a new blog called Man Car Washer. I just tried to help. He tells me my methods are sloppy. There's still dirt on that wheel and the chammy was too dry.
   My methods usually involve paying a man, either a man at the kiosk for the car wash, or an Eastern European outside the supermarket.
   The answer is simple. Next time he can do it (perfectly) himself.

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Launching Woman Driver Watch

7/26/2012

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Tilly Masterson: are bad drivers sexy or something?
Why is it that in a movie or TV series, you know that if a woman gets into a car, she's going to end up upside down in a ditch with a zombie trying to get in through the windscreen? Or at the very least she'll almost drive the hero off the road.
   I was so relieved recently to see a film where this didn't happen. Click here to see which film, plus my lists of top bad women drivers in the movies or on TV.

   I'm going to keep adding to the list - so please join Woman Driver Watch, and let me know if you spot any more pointless examples of a female character driving - well - like a 'woman driver'.


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Mini Cooper S Convertible for sale

7/21/2012

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We're selling our Mini!
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Very smart interior
Our lovely 2004 Mini Cooper S Convertible is for sale - we need something more boring and frugal for motorway commuting.
   It's in excellent condition, and has a full Mini service history. Its current mileage is 62,200.
   It comes with an Extended Mini TLC XL maintenance package up to 80,000 miles (free MoTs and servicing). It's recently had a full service (inspection 2) and two new front tyres.
   The MoT runs until October and it's taxed until the end of September.

It has six-speed manual gearbox, the desirable Chilli pack, and a high spec including: 
  • front and rear electric windows, electric heated power folding mirrors
  • leather seats
  • air con
  • power convertible top
  • factory-fitted Mini iPod dock, Harmon-Kardon hi-fi w/radio boost
  •  chrono pack.
We'll looking for £6,750. Contact me via my contact form above, or the ad in Autotrader


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Buying guide for latin ladies

7/20/2012

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Pleased to see that Decisive Latino magazine recognises that women love their cars. The story says that 'women have elevated buying to a science' according to a survey conducted by LeaseTrader.com. The online magazine then gives a snappy guide to cars most likely to appeal to latinas. That's great, but I'm not convinced about some of the cars. Mazda 3, yes, Jaguar XJL yes please, and Dodge Challenger definitely, but Kia Rio? Buick Verano? Are you sure?

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Remembering Jon Lord, a true gent

7/17/2012

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Jon Lord was friendly, funny and a real car nut
I was very sad to hear that Jon Lord, keyboard player and a founder member of Deep Purple, had died at 71.
   Interviewing him for the Me and My Car page in 1988 was one of my most enjoyable assignments for Autocar magazine. He was late, but kept phoning to apologise because he was stuck in traffic while I played with the family's chinchillas. When he finally arrived, he cracked open a bottle of champagne to say sorry. Transcribing the tape later, I could hear us both getting more giggly as the bottle was drained. (The unfortunate snapper was driving.)
   He was friendly, completely down to earth, modest and funny. For some reason I remember him explaining how someone from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band had got drunk and fallen asleep on his sofa. When he'd opened his eyes and gazed up at the wonderful plaster hexagons on the ceiling now above us, he'd announced he needed to improve it, and painted exquisite little universes in the smallest sections.
   At the time Jon had a BMW 750iL, and he swore he'd had to get the band back together and go on tour to pay for it. He talked about his many previous cars, including classic Yanks, a Porsche 911 Turbo, a 1962 Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Ferrari 246 Dino he loved but couldn't bear to watch disintegrating in British weather. I was also pleased to hear he'd owned a Rover 2000 TC.
    He described this, his fourth BMW as a 'glorious car'. He said "This is everything I want in a car: it's huge, so I can carry my in-laws, children and groceries and it's extremely fast.
   "The first thing you notice is it's a damned good-looking saloon. Then you notice it's very well put together, the proportions are beautiful and sitting inside it is a great feeling."
   He loved all the BMW's electronic gadgets, having become a bit of a computer buff though developing his keyboards. He divided time into BCT and ACT: before and after car telephone. I'm sure he must have loved mobiles and tablets when they arrived. I'm so glad I met him. My sympathies go to his family, friends and many fans.
  

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Long Live the Electric Car!

7/16/2012

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In UK cinemas from July 20, on DVD August 6
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The indomitable Gadget and his electric Porsche 356
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Elon Musk - or is it Tony Stark?
I’ve just enjoyed Revenge of the Electric Car, sequel to Who Killed the Electric Car? – the story of how GM created, then rounded up and crushed its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles while their owners (including Danny DeVito) protested and wept.
   This time director Chris Paine gets incredible access to the heads of major companies and creates a tense drama, pitting three determined men against one another in a race to create a successful electric car.
   Old-school ‘Maximum Bob’ Lutz has seen the (electric) light and is championing the extended-electric Chevy Volt. He admits GM was given a kick in the pants by Silicon Valley upstart, Elon Musk – described as the closest thing to the real Tony Stark from Iron Man, who creates the hugely desirable Tesla. Finally, there’s the ice-cool Carlos Ghosn, who apparently doesn’t get out of bed in the morning unless there’s money in it, who has bet his career and possibly Nissan’s future on the volume-selling Leaf.
   My favorite scene shows Lutz and Musk sneaking a peek at the Leaf during the Detroit auto show, both looking slightly worried. Bob has also been looking at the Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams) electric car, but Musk reckons he doesn’t have time to look at what everyone else is doing.
   Toyota’s Prius and other EVs and hybrids don’t really figure in the film, but sticking to the big three makes it very watchable.
   Just one man, Gadget, joins the story to represent the army of tiny companies creating their own EVs. As the players face potentially career- and dream-shattering crises, Gadget suffers the most heart-breaking set-backs, but definitely has the best parties.
   The issue of where the extra electricity needed for thousandswill come from is skated over with a couple of shots of super-green powerplants in Iceland and Israel. None of the main players are asked to comment on it, which is a pity. But then, they probably don’t worry too much about how oil gets out of the ground either.
   This is a well-paced, gripping film that captures the excitement of creating something new that could change lives. You don’t need to like cars or understand techy stuff to enjoy it, either.

In cinemas from July 20, DVD 6 August.

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Carlos Ghosn was asked to run GM. He declined
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Bob Lutz is known for his love of jets and muscle cars
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Love is strange

7/13/2012

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I was able to hop into this beast at Millbrook
The Range Rover Evoque is like a pedigree dog that used to be a hunter but now just snaps at the heels of unsuspecting visitors. So why do I like it so much? And am I the only one to think of Sylvester Stallone?
    I was able to get behind the wheel at the SMMT Test Day. Click here to read more.


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Cheap and very cheerful

7/13/2012

1 Comment

 
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Old-shape Ka was fun Photo @Ford Motor Company
I found myself driving a year 2000 Ford Ka yesterday and today I’m in a 2008 Fiesta.
   I really liked the Ka, I’d forgotten what fun they are. They look quirky (remember Ford’s New Edge styling?), the 1.3-litre engine is peppy and they’re fun to drive. This one had been loved by an older couple. It had 64,000 miles on the clock and was selling for £995. If it had had air-con, I’d have bought it.
   The Fiesta is meh. It does the job, but it looks boring and the controls are all so light, it like stirring porridge. I’m not keen on the looks of the new Ka either.
I wonder if I could find a Streetka? 1.6, leather seats, open top, lovely.


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Driving up! to the country

7/4/2012

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Photo by Richard Eccleston
I’ve read a lot of things about the VW up! being good at things a city car shouldn’t be, so I decided to take it right out of its comfort zone - to the country.
   Richard and I were heading for Cardigan Bay to sit and stare at the sea and to watch some dolphins (Click here to read more on www.cbmwc.org). It was a three-ish hour journey, taking in chunks of unlovely motorway and some truly twisty lanes. So I booked an up! from the VW press office.
   For full story click here

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The sound of music

7/4/2012

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Music - another reason to row in the car
Wasn't music supposed to be the food of love? Richard’s Valentine’s card this year read “I love you so much, I pretend to like your music.” It was a joke. He doesn’t pretend at all.
   I don’t know if we’re unusual, but if you drew a venn diagram of our musical tastes, the shape in the middle would be like the petal of a daisy. This makes life uncomfortable on a long drive. We’re not too bad at remembering maps, sweeties, bottles of water etc, but we never think about music until the last minute. Then we each grab a handful of CDs the other one doesn’t want to listen to.
    In a nutshell, he likes weedy voices and strummy guitars, and he likes Bruce Springsteen. No he loves Bruce Springsteen. Now I respect the big B; I’d put I’m on Fire or the one about waiting for me if I fall behind on my iTunes. Unfortunately, though, a lot of the classic E. Street Band plinky plonky hands-in-the-air stuff puts my teeth on edge. There, I’ve said it. so send me your hate mail.
   Me? I’m easy to please; I like Wire, Sufjan Stevens and Blanche. My current favourite is Gotye - three albums of brilliance. Richard is probably the only person in the world who hasn’t seen that video.
   So we set off and politely take it in turns to pick, but it doesn’t work. A long boring drive is even more tedious if you don’t like the music. And it’s almost worse trying to listen to something you love deeply, aware that the person next to you is huffing and wondering, why the hell does she like this rubbish?
   Neither helps the driver, who - after all - needs to be concentrating about what’s on the road, not being irritated by what’s on the audio system.
   The answer would be to get really organised and make up an iPod playlist of stuff you both like, interspersed with just a few ‘you picks’, then plug it into the car.
   Will we ever do it? Will we ever tidy the shed, make a file of recipes or throw away the shoes we haven't worn for a decade? Our cats have more chance of learning it’s bad manners to stick their feet in people’s food.


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