1972 ST Clone

[Hugo 356]

May be worth checking your insurance. Classic policies often include free breakdown recovery - used mine twice in a year some years ago and didn't affect my premium

[BILLY BEAN]

Interesting point about the AA – I have just sent an e-mail to their press office to get the official word on this as it could have far reaching ramifications (as in the majority of classic car owners not having the cover they've paid for...).

Why do the AA have to check with DVLA before assisting? Makes no sense to me......

No idea Clive.

[BILLY BEAN]

May be worth checking your insurance. Classic policies often include free breakdown recovery - used mine twice in a year some years ago and didn't affect my premium

Good point. Thanks for the input.

[anglophone1]

My cluster policy with Chubb has excellent European breakdown cover as part of the deal......

[KS]

OK, here's the response from the AA:
Hi Keith, thanks for getting in touch. We'd only attend cars that are road legal, taxed, insured and have a valid MOT. If a car is MOT exempt, we will come and help. We'd like to look into your friend's experience and raise it as a complaint. Please ask your friend to contact us directly via Twitter DM or Facebook private message or by calling 0344 209 0556.

[BILLY BEAN]

My cluster policy with Chubb has excellent European breakdown cover as part of the deal......

Don't wish to know about your "cluster" Clive.

[BILLY BEAN]

OK, here's the response from the AA:
Hi Keith, thanks for getting in touch. We'd only attend cars that are road legal, taxed, insured and have a valid MOT. If a car is MOT exempt, we will come and help. We'd like to look into your friend's experience and raise it as a complaint. Please ask your friend to contact us directly via Twitter DM or Facebook private message or by calling 0344 209 0556.

Thanks Keith.
Just telephoned the number and got to the "first time complaint" option. For my delectation I then listened to a spiel about insurance. On speaking to someone I went through what happened and made it clear that the service was not fit for purpose, given numbers to call that simply cut off and it was impossible to speak to anyone despite trying alternative numbers. I made the point that the car is a historic vehicle and is MOT exempt. Additionally that there are thousands of historic class vehicles in the UK which do not need an MOT and some of the owners maybe AA members and require service. I pointed out that I was in a fortunate position in getting local help. However, if I had been on the motorway, for example, I would gave been without assistance. My two calls for assistance yesterday were logged on the AA system. I said I want to be reimbursed my membership fee as I feel I have been conned. I was told that I would get an acknowledgement of my complaint within 5 working days and a complaint 'handler' would be assigned to my case which could take eight weeks. I said I hope I did not have to call on the AA in that eight week period. We shall see what happens.

Given advice from Clive: I will contemplate my cluster to see if that helps.

[anglophone1]

You need a Chubb Masterpiece Cluster!
https://www.chubb.com/uk-en/individuals ... motor.html
No connection - just a very satisfied customer- they run a discount scheme for PCI members.

[BILLY BEAN]

You need a Chubb Masterpiece Cluster!
https://www.chubb.com/uk-en/individuals ... motor.html
No connection - just a very satisfied customer- they run a discount scheme for PCI members.

Clive, house, contents and four cars covered by Chubb Masterpiece policy already. Been with Chubb for more than 20 years. Don't know why I did not think of it at the time.
Regards,
Kirk

[BILLY BEAN]

CAR WASH.
Not had a great deal to report to forward the 'story' of the ST. The last time I used it was pre the latest lock down and the car was pretty dirty even by my sloppy standards of car cleanliness. I live off an unmade track which gets very muddy at times and I can get plenty of proper mud on a car just travelling 60 metres out of my garage. Still the car was put in the garage dirt and all after its last outing.
I have also had Covid, not hospitalised, but have felt grim and recovery for an old fella like me is likely to be protracted. Covid was a Christmas present from my sister in law. Memorable that. With self isolation over some days ago I determined today to wash the ST. Rush of blood to the head obviously or a little known symptom of 'long Covid'?

Snow foam, two buckets, water at 12°, Nilfisk pressure washer, natural sponge, high quality chamois leather, micro fibre cloth and warm air gun at the ready? Nope! I dislike washing cars and do so reluctantly. As for polishing them: I remember doing that once in 1968. Never to be repeated.
My 'prefered' car washing method (car washing purists and anally retentive types look away now ) is to give the car first a quick blast with a pressure washer and then "get down and dirty" with a bucket of warm water liberally treated to washing up liquid. The warm water is for the benefit of my hands rather than the removal of dirt. Ecover washing up liquid I might add. It used to be Fairey but I now make a nod to the environment and it is kinder to my skin. My weapon of choice for slopping on the soap solution is any old Spongetex temporarily liberated from the domestic cupboard in the utility room. This does mean car washing can only take place when SWMBO is out. Other makes of cheap sponge are also available. After exhausting myself for 20 minutes going over the car ( covid recovery means I get tired quite quickly) it is another quick blast with the Nilfisk. Drying off? Well sort of. Using the Spongetex to get rid of the excess surface water does not take long. For those wondering? Yes the same knackered Spongetex used earlier but I did give it a bit of a rinse to get rid of the worst dirt it was holding onto.
Well that's enough excitement for one day. One day I might even make a cursory clean of the interior.....but not today. Car put back in the garage.
If you were expecting something more interesting. Sorry. I will endeavour to do better in the future when we can get out in our cars again.

[Lightweight_911]

.

Your approach to car washing sounds very similar to mine Kirk - the only differences being I favour an actual 'sponge' - synthetic of course - & some genuine car shampoo (unknown brand) which I acquired for free many years ago - plus a hosepipe in place of your pressure washer.

Glad you weren't hit too badly with the virus - good luck with the continued recovery ...

.

[Bootsy]

Yes hope the recovery continues - we have Covid in the house at the moment but so far I seem to have avoided it

[BILLY BEAN]

Thank you Andy and Thomas for your kind words.

Andy: pleased to hear about your car washing preferences. We are ploughing a lonely furrow in the car washing stakes.

Regards, Kirk.

[keith fellowes]

Kirk, heard on the 'grapevine' that you had been hit by covid and I hope that the recuperation continues. This disease has tragically got a bit too close to home

[anglophone1]

Kirk- you have inspired me- I thought I was the only lazy wash/ polisher.
Get well.
Bootsy - keep safe.
C