Every time I park in a nearly empty car park within 10 minutes someone has to park next to me! Apparently people like something to park near but it does my head in!
So basically Matt would absolutely love as a trade in, A Nismo R Juke with an aftermarket eBay body kit with 3D plates and remapped to about 400bhp and fitted with either a Lidl or Aldi dash camera that's not hard wired in so the power cable hangs in the way of the gear leaver. If anyone can help him out with this it would be hilarious to watch 😁
That thing about mechanics not repairing stuff is just so true. I live in germany and had already two cars that were "not worth repairing" and one motor swap. My F-Pace 300hp diesel had some engine issue so my Jaguar Dealer said the repair would be 22.000 Euros and basically not worth it. One day a mechanic from czech republic came to my clinic, and we started talking a little about cars and I told him about my problem... He said he cant promise anything but 2 weeks later he diassembled the entire engine in a normal garage and fixed the engine for 900 Euros.... Since then I put another 45.000 kilometres on it and had no issues....
I had to scrap my wife's beloved A-class due to a faulty starter motor because all 3 garages I asked for a quote couldn't be bothered to put a new one in. They all sucked the air through their teeth and said that the job would take a long time and they'd lose money if they fixed my car, rather than doing a few quicker jobs instead. I understand to a certain extend that everybody wants to make good money but when something like this happens it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. I felt cheated to lose a car like this, even more to see my wife very upset. Even solicitors do pro-bono up to a certain extend to balance the good and bad in the universe a little, but mechanics don't care apparently
I spent a fantastic childhood adolescence under cars with my dad. He was an "amateur." mechanic but brilliant he taught me everything for changing plugs to a total strip down and rebuild of an entire engine and gearbox. He was severely dyslexic and couldn't read very well. He relied on pictures in the workshop manuals. I was able to help as I grew but to him a picture painted a million words.
I'm a car mechanic and a very old school one, I partially agree with you, most mechanics these days are part fitters but it's not completely their fault! Modern cars are designed in a way that you have to replace a whole component instead of a small part that failed inside it, the overcomplication and amount of electronics on cars makes it really hard to fix anything and usually it's cheaper just to get it replaced... but saying that because part A and B can't be opened and fixed then the mechanic will also replace part C,D ect which could be repaired! I agree there with you but I blame the engineer or even accountant that designed the car too!
Garage charge labour by the hour so half the time it can be cheaper to whip out a part and change it instead of spending hours stripping it down to repair.
VW GOLF mk4 window winder motors. It just needs the motor replacing, but they manufacture them in such a way that you cannot take it apart easily, and you have to buy a complete mechanism including the runners...
@@ThatLeeNoble I remember watching a video of somebody in Pakistan or similar spending hours carefully repairing a plastic tail light cover, a £20 part in the UK.
@@tonynewcombe9075.... Yep they're a throw back to the old pressed metal plates or the ones with stuck on plastic letters and numbers that took longer to clean than the car did
@@mr.b.4048 .... Not 100% sure I've seen them advertised and they just look like 3D plates to me .... Not sure if it's the ones with a coloured band under the numbers and letters
The ‘remap’ one is tricky… I completely agree with you about folks who go to some backyard programmer just to chase bhp numbers at the cost of everything else. However, there are some reputable firms out there who provide tried-and-tested remaps that remove coding put in place purely to meet emissions targets. If you get one of these, you end up with a car that runs healthier whilst bringing more smiles per mile.
I feel that manufacturers use the same engine in a whole range of sport levels but simply tweak the mapping to achieve a 'Sport' version of the same car, add some trim perks and £3000 to the msrp
All good points Matt in the main. My pet hates and ripe for Room 101: motorists who drive too fast in car parks, those that can’t be arsed to indicate and those that pull out in front of you to then drive way too slow.
Some moderns are so badly designed that their indicators are not always easy to see even if the driver is using them. Cars used to have big orange things on the corners rather than tiny afterthoughts tucked away in the headlight unit. I've noticed with Fiestas from the front it can be easier to see the indication of turning from the DRL going off rather than the actual indicator flashing.
Yes, I agree, and the drivers that overtake in a stupid place, then turn right, usually making you stop cos they have to give way to the rush hour traffic....🤬
You missed one Matt. Car dealer ‘admin charges’ when buying a used car. It seems to be the new rip off. I would rather walk away from a deal than pay an admin charge.
Agree, if i see a vehicle i like and think i will go and see it and then see an admin charge, i bin that one and carry on looking elsewhere. There is a used car dealer near me that has a £250 admin charge! Absolute rip off merchants.
Not sure about the remap going in the bin Matt. I had a 130 bhp 1.9 tdi passat and got an economy map which actually did improve the power, torque and got me an extra 30 bhp and 5mpg. I put the map on the car at 100k and sold it at 160k still on original clutch and turbo. I do agree some of the more extreme maps should be binned though. Great content as always Matt.👍
Also depends on who is doing the map, a mate had a map done at some random place and it was crap, he then took it to a reputable place and like you said he got more power, more torque, slightly better mileage and nicer to drive.
I think it's people not understand how they work typically a stage one map on a decently maintained car will be fine (depending on how good the fuel quality is in your country) if you just stick on a S2/3 remap with no parts to match Ur cars going bang
The mechanic one rings true! Especially the one that doesn’t know what is actually wrong so just keeps replacing parts, at your expense, until the issue goes away!! Good video Matt, love a rant!
I wholeheartedly agree with you top (bottom) 10 Matt. Might I add a few more? 1. Lowered suspension. 2. Blacked-out rear light clusters. 3. Touchscreens. For the love of God, give me my buttons back! 4. All SUVs (sorry Matt) 5. Unnecessary and dangerous ‘safety’ features like lane keeping assist and emergency braking. 6. Uninsured drivers! 7. The new 20mph speed limit in Wales. 8. ULEZ and congestion zones. 9. BMW’s design team. 10. Puncture gunk; give me my spare wheel and Jack back!
Yep, agree with those - I want buttons for air-con, radio, heated seats etc. Massive wheels too! What's all that about? Big wheels, means thinner tyres, giving a worse ride.
Plenty to agree with there. My pet peeve is driving through miles and miles of speed restricted roadworks and NEVER seeing anyone working on the road or they are working on the road on the other side of a 3 feet tall concrete barrier.
@@willtaylor6112 no need to bring race into it bro a lot of people have these types of plates including the geezer who posted this video who is white lol
Matt, i think the anti Dash Cam is very wrong! I had an L322 in 2017 which i loved, i was driving through the New Forest and got caught behind several cars getting abuse from some Lycra Fasc1sts. When i went to pass them i got the same abuse and the scrappy doo litle one smashed my mirror flat. I stopped and his mate ran into the back of my car. i called the Police and the Lycras said it was my road rage. But due my having a Dash cam. The copper then did scrappy do for road rage and public order. He later contacted me for the footage and said without it it would be me being done. Get front and rear cameras fitted always
you are 100% right - buy and install any dash cam even from Lidl and Aldi. Even a crap one is better than none. An insanely dangerous piece of driving I witnessed one day I obviously caught on said camera and another road user and I (as calmly as possible) challenged the driver of the car. You guessed it the idiot promptly got out of his car and wanted to have words shall we say. All i needed to say to him as i rolled my window down was that everything you say and do will be recorded and if he didn't want me to send the footage into GMP then get back in your car and go about your business. He calmed right down and even apologised...amazing. Late for work apparently. It's the keep fit stuff in the centre aisle at Lidl and Aldi you need to leave well alone - cos you'll never use it..!!
Strange thing about number plates with misplaced letters and numbers is that the police don't seem to prosecute and MOT testers don't seem to fail them.
Haha yes. The craze for wrapping cars will probably go the same way as vinyl roofs did back in the day. I took my fiat supermirafiori for a black vinyl roof fitment. Looked quite good actually!
My 131 (1975) leaked through the top of the windscreen after the dealer fitted a sunroof to the black vinyl roof. Replaced it in 1978 with a 3L Ghia Crapheap, that one only had a leaky steering rack and head gaskets!@@allosaurusfragilis7782
I dont see an issue with Vinyl wraps. As long as its done well and not a ridiculous colour. Its a much cheaper way of changing the colour than a full respray.
I agree with the one about insurance. It's meant to cover people's risk, but they treat it like it's borrowing, and also discourage claims by hiking up premiums severely.
The government need to step in with insurance. I agree, it’s needed but it has to be affordable for all. If you want high level of cover, then yes, Pay £2000. But what if you own a Chevy Cadiz and drive 30 miles a week? £150 tops. We live in RipOffBritain
@@alanwllms5172 Getting a lower level of cover is ironically more expensive. If you're young its more expensive to be the 2nd driver on someone elses car even if you have your own vehicle.
@@alanwllms5172 I understand your point, and I agree insurance in the UK has gone a bit crazy, but your example isn't great. Insurance cost is basically decided by statistics. And, statistically speaking, you are more likely to have an accident if you drive few miles than if you drive often. As with everything else - the more often you do it, the better you become at it. Also, your vehicle's cost is only a part of the insurance cost, assuming you have comprehensive cover and not just 3rd party. If they give you dirt cheap insurance because you drive a 30 year old banger, what happens if you do some expensive damage to a new luxury vehicle? Which isn't hard to do, considering how many expensive sensors & cameras they have all over their bumpers. If you pay just £150/year, it will take them years/decades to recoup the cost of that one payout. Average cost of the vehicles on the road plays a big part in the insurance cost, and that price has shot up a lot in the last few years. The OTR (on-the-road aka car + delivery charge + road tax etc) cost of cars has almost doubled in the last 10 years, even in the budget and mid-range cars segment. Repair costs have also climbed a lot for various reasons. All of these increase the payouts that insurance providers have to cover.
Yes to everything you said. I would also add heating controls being hidden inside the touchscreen infotainment systems. Infuriating. also, "its Giverny Green" had me rolling.
Touchscreens in cars are madness. Now when I am cleaning cars you clean the screen and the radio comes on, but they have taken away the big OFF button you used to get.
@@Hollowevego on.. I set my car to 19c auto, extremely rarely touch it (and it’s either a swipe of the screen or most commonly I tell the car what I want). It’ll auto de-mist the windows too. I honestly think people are stuck in the past.
Great video Matt I agree with you on all of them. But you have missed some Matt - Blacked out lights - Very dark tinted windows - Nurbergring racetrack stickers - Vauxhall Racing stickers on a 2007 Zafira - Fast Ford Racing stickers on a 2009 Focus or Mondeo - Because Corsa and Because Fiesta
#11 Lane keeping systems, #12 auto wipers #13 dazzling LED headlights / auto dip headlights #14 electronic handbrakes #15 touch-screen anything #16 over sensitive anti-collision systems #17 Ad-blue #18 small indicators #19 lack of temp gauges
I think you’ve got the smart motorway thing wrong. Yes, the abolition of the hard shoulder and the appalling amount of time it takes to make a motorway “smart” is a disgrace, but being able to travel at 50 mph through heavy traffic, without the constant braking and accelerating is good. The M42 works well for this and as it was an early smart motorway, it has more emergency refuges. The Nissan Juke: awful thing, but I’d be more concerned about the Audi S3, which in its earlier versions has become the car of choice for dangerous drivers. I hate to think how much rubbish modifications, almost wrecked engines and gearboxes there are out there. Jukes are just pathetic.
@simonwilson7581 that's a BMW/Audi thing, you can program the indicators to US spec where they are on all the time as marker lights. I agree they look bloody silly
touch screen for all controls. Bring back buttons for heating, AC etc. Go to a garage these days and the majority don't have mechanics there. They are all called "techs" ie a person who will plug your car in to the code reader and fit a new part to fix your problem or fault based on the response from said code reader machine.
Total agreement with you Matt, how about day running lights, when they are on the dashboard is also illuminated, this gives the hapless dink behind the wheel the impression that their lights are on at night, common sight at night on the Costa del Sol 😎
Hi Matt. Love the discussion topic. I'm with you on all points... with one specific exception. A stage 1 remap on a modern turbo diesel from a specialist makes total sense in the UK (where even cheap fuel is of reasonable quality). Noticeable higher peak power (but nothing silly) within the tolerances of the engine and drivetrain, often better mpg, and often better smoothness. Have had this done on more than one car with no detrimental impact, only more poke when you need it. Cheers, James.
just to understand more about the issue: if stage 1 remap done good to power and mpg within the tolerance of the parts, why doesn't the manufacture make it as standard for every car? thx
@@___Q-botbecause the vehicle manufacturer use a generic ECU, with a generic setting and they also have to follow regulations set by different countries, plus different parts of the world the environment is also different. For example one of the eu regulations states there much be a flat spot in power between 1000rpm to 2500rpm, which means your using fuel but not getting any benefit from the engine, but you will get higher emissions. The flat spot is for 200rpm. This may not seem a lot but to an engine and fuel economy it is. Everyone seems to think that a ECU remapping is about power and speed. When it is not. A credit remapping will give you an optimum performance for the engine. So to remap a vehicle correctly it is basically a mix of a number of things economy performance and gearing, fuel, rpm. If you every get the chance to look at a vehicle ECU, you will see the number of different settings within it for different stages of the engine and gearing, all have a function at a set time, depending on what the engine has been asked to do. There are a number of fuel maps, and number of Rev’s maps, plus loads of other maps, if one of these is not correct then it can change how the engine performs. So vehicle manufacturers use a generic setting it’s not the best map and it’s not the worse map. Its say a good average map. A good remapper will work out better settings of the maps. Which should result in better economy by about 20%, performances 35%, torque 40%. These percentages are up to. To get higher or close them them, then things like the exhaust and/or spark plugs, and other parts may need to be upgraded. But then your getting into the area of stage 2 remapping, which again is different, then more parts changed for stage 3 which is normally racing or drag race performance. But for the normal public using every day vehicle a stage 1 basic, you will see better results on economy, power, torque and parts working at an optimum.
I agree with this not all mapped cars are thrashed and abused my car is a performance car and is garages and only used for occasional use and certainly isn’t thrashed. It’s about drive ability
@@Vince_Paul I don't see how regulations can prevent better economy. AFAIK, the regulations are about emissions, and those are measured per mile/kilometer. If you use less fuel to travel the same distance, surely your emissions would also be lower, as burning fuel is what causes the emissions in the first place. " For example one of the eu regulations states there much be a flat spot in power between 1000rpm to 2500rpm, which means your using fuel but not getting any benefit from the engine, but you will get higher emissions." This makes no sense. The regulations are aimed at reducing emissions. I find it hard to believe there is an emissions regulation that forces manufacturers to burn more fuel without any benefit to it. Can you provide some source for that? I'm fairly familiar with the Euro emission standards and I don't recall seeing anything like this. "But for the normal public using every day vehicle a stage 1 basic, you will see better results on economy, power, torque and parts working at an optimum." Define "optimum". Optimum performance - potentially. Optimum longevity - doubtful. If you increase the power output, you are undeniably increasing the stress on various components as they have to handle the extra power, which negatively impacts the lifespan of those components. PS "Stage X" isn't really a thing, it's just a marketing jargon without a strict definition... if you ask 5 different people what "Stage 1" means, you'll get at least 5 different answers, so better to not use that pseudo-terminology at all.
Can I add roadworks where the road is completely closed for days with a ridiculously long official detour when only one side of the carriageway is being worked on and if this was Japan they'd do the whole job in one night.
The lack of a spare tire with wheel, including emergency 'compact' spare ones. Too often tires and wheels get damaged so the can of goo is totally useless. The ability to put on a spare tire and wheel can be lifesaving, means you don't need a costly tow or stuck someplace maybe for days if a holiday weekend waiting for a tire and/or wheel.
Agree with all ten. An old friend of mine in the real world, who had a decent role at the Ministry of Transport - he wrote a section in the Highway Code - was dead against Hard Shoulders being removed to create a fourth lane and the consequences, therein, of variable speed limits. He told me that the Hard Shoulders of all motorways he was aware of were not constructed to the standards as regards the other three lanes - no proper foundations laid, basically tarmac on a soft verge - as they were envisioned only be used in case of breakdown/emergency, and not as a fourth lane for thousands of vehicles using them everyday, that they would quickly subside as a result, leading to more capital having to be spent to put right, and ALL the consequences of that. He was shouted down.
Totally agree with 3 d plates. Another gripe people who never service their car or clean it and then expect when your selling a car it to be perfect marking down the tiniest detail
I agree with everything bar one, remapping. Sure, I can completely understand your point with the Ford Focus or Golf GTI owners etc remapping their cars to absurd limits. There are however, little gems in the car industry where manufactures have purposefully tuned down engines to sell as a cheaper variant. Examples would be the B47 18d derivative BMW in say a 518d or a 3.0TDI 218ps Q7 which are exactly the same engines/mechanical components as their higher output variants, the 520d and 272Ps 3.0TDI Q7.
You're sliding blissfully into grumpy old man territory with every video mate! Congrats haha But you're right on 10/10 - he said ushering himself into the grumpy middle ages man section :D
My one bug is all the paperwork you have to sign now when buying a car that has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual purchase. I just want to pay & go, I don't want GAP insurance. or anything else, just want a car.
Came to say this, if you have slight mods like an exhaust or some, might as well optimize. Manufacturers have to manufacture for the lowest common denominator fuel quality, climate et al. As you said, usually comes with improved fuel economy.
Agreed. I'd say a remap is essential on vehicles made in the last 10 years, especially motorcycles as they strangle them to get through emissions regulations. A remap just fixes an issue.
@@rotteneffekt4416 don’t get me started on 24/7 50 mph road works . Forcing traffic to bunch up with the trucks . Only way to filter is to in cut others up or sit at max 55mph as safer risk points . 4yrs ago it was meant to changed to 60 mph stop that. No common sense. Every time slow speed cause accidents just lower even more . What happed to making motorway 80mph like most of Europe . The Standard of driving in the uk is dreadful . cruise control on and forgetting or not caring about anything else. Motorways used to be great now they just make blood boil .
Totally agree Matt...as for Mechanics...Skilled Mechanical engineers are a rare breed these days. Main dealers have young lads who are fitters and they charge £120 per hour to swap parts that are totally servicable.What about Citroen's 😁
Great list Matt but I’ve got to pull you up about insurance. NFU Mutual is owned by the customers. They don’t usually argue about your claim. They include breakdown cover as standard and their bonus system means premiums usually reduce the more you stay with them. Great for normal car drivers (and also motor traders!) By the way, - no I don’t work for them. 🤣🤣🤣
The French have made plenty of cool cars. More interesting and stylish than the Germans which just live off the badge. Peugeot are making some striking stuff these days.
Totally agree! I would put all SUVs in room 101 (except for those that are really used to go off road). A few more would be touch screens (gimme buttons!!!!!), grey paintwork as the only no-cost option, fake exhaust pipes, tyre inflation gunk instead of a real spare, those silly sweeping indicators ….and probably many more things that I can’t bring to mind just now.
Dashcams definitely work mate. I can kinda tell that you never owned a dashcam. I would love to see you coming back at it after an insurance scam attempt. It makes explaining accidents a whole lot easier and often insurance companies give you a couple percentage off your insurance bill.
While on the subject of pony number plates I was waiting for Matt to say tacky BO55 number plates but i guess that wouldn’t be in keeping with the wall art…
Some hot takes here Matt, mostly I’d agree with you - except remaps, there’s a time and a place for a remap. But engines like the BMW M57 and N57 were fitted in the 25d, 30d and 35d variants - nothing wrong with mapping these. I’m sure there’s others similar to this!
Just out of interest when you remap an engine, did you tell your insurance company because you’re supposed to and if you don’t you’re not insured should the worst happen… even changing the wheels to non-standard is something that will invalidate your insurance if you don’t tell them.
I went with a lady friend who was looking at buying a new Honda Accord. The dealer talked over her and mainly to me. He seemed surprised when she didn't buy it 😂
Not so sure on remaps. I did one to my Lexus IS, which just made it a better, and more efficient, car for the weekly Trans European commute. Remap, + dpf removal + exhaust + egr deletes are a massive red flag though.
Excellent agree with these, the mechanics certainly resonate! However, try living in Wales where the average speed now appears to be 17mph stuck behind timid people driving a Nissan Micra ( or Juke!! ) who refuse to top that speed now, previously it was a heady 25mph. I can't believe how liberating it feels to drive in England.
Great calls! You forgot the horrendous color wrap and window tinting though. I sort of disagree about the remaps, to. I have a Transit van, and it was sold in 100HP-125HP-150 HP and 175HP guise. Now the block, engine, gearbox and brakes and everything are the same, except on the 175HP version which gets natty alloy wheels and a stripe. Guess what... all that separates them is a restrictor plate on the turbo and... a remap. DUH!!
Garages thankfully I haven't needed to use them very often but last September my alternator broke every garage was we are very busy can't look at it for at least 3 weeks, what good is that. Anyway a neighbour suggested a garage they said bring it in tomorrow which I did but after them not touching it for 6 days and no sign as to when they would I removed it. And finally found a garage that got on with it right away. When I worked in a garage in the sixties we put ourselves out to help people and made time for peoples urgent jobs. We repaired things with the minimum of new parts because we mended anything we could.
I dont, some body kits rejuvinate old classics to look more modern, getting a body kit that looks decent is the key. As for remaps, certain cars such as BMW 318d and 316d have same engine, same turbo and most likely same clutch but difference is most likely down to software limiting the engine.
Relating to technicians just wanting to bolt on new parts, running an 18 year old pickup in the philippines has been an education. Here they really do strip components and fix them, from window regulators, to starter motors to steering racks. It's wonderful and much more affordable. The DAILY! rate where I live is about 15 quid.
Car Insurance. I'm with a well-known insurance company and I bought an Astra SRI before Christmas and through their website the quote to add it my policy, including multi-car discount was well north of £400. Tried a comparison site, surprise, surprise, my insurance company quote on there for the same car significantly over £100 less. In fact they were the cheapest.
Yes, Yes and Yes. You missed people who slow down on motorways to overtake - These are the ones who pull out and pass at a really slow speed then speed up again after passing. Room 101 for them 🤓 Thanks Matt 👍
I've seen so many people pass me and then slow down and wait to come back into my lane. Wtf are they doing ? An overtake shouldn't involve the vehicle being overtaken.
I think this should be an annual video, with 5 new entries every year, with the explanations for each entry getting more and more bitter and angry as each year passes. Already looking forward to seeing the next one😂👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Agree with all but remapping. There are nuances. My car is remapped but also serviced every year and anything that breaks is fixed immediately. Wash and vac every week too. 2008, E92 335d on 140k.
I had a dodgy MK3 escort in lime green with an RS bodykit with twin headlight conversion lol it was only a 1.3! But I used to leave some xr3i's at the lights usually as they were thrashed to death and knackered - a year later I removed the bodykit to find little to no metal underneath then off to scrap yard 😂😂
On private plates, those that try and vaguely spell their name but then feel the need to print their name on the plate (where the dealership would normally be) explaining what the plate means 🤬. We’ve got private plates, they’re personal to us and don’t need to explain anything to anyone if they don’t understand the plate
I saw something on TV the other week suggesting people took all the extras off their car insurance to save money. I had done this a few years ago and then had an accident and couldnt claim for the injury. Soon put personal injury cover back on.
3 stripes on a BMW grill . Entry level BMW's - de badged . Black alloy wheels (always look to me like someone has nicked their wheel trims!) and N.I. plates - GAZ. ,BAZ etc. .
The original concept for smart motorways in the UK was fairly sound; the implementation though cut costs, and many of the refuges/hard shoulder areas were skipped to save money. And that means that breakdowns have been happening in live lanes, and that meant that people have been dying. Otherwise, agree wholeheartedly with everything you say.
You've hit the nail on the head. I couldn't agree more with your chosen 10, particularly the non OEM parts from Aldi. I would only add Vauxhall's, all of them, every single one makes my body turn out in hives.
Matt i'm a hgv driver and i know with absolute certainty that when the smart motorway limits change there is a 1 minute grace period so there's no need to slam on the brakes.👍
Yep. Matt complaining about having to drive at 50mph through roadworks makes me suspect that his penalty points are probably justified. Being an HGV driver myself, I know how tight these lanes can be in roadwork zones, especially given the growing trend towards tank-like SUV style "cars". I agree with him on his other points though.
It’s a hell of a long shot, but if you can find a mechanic from Zimbabwe use him, those guys are a dab hand at fixing stuff with replacement the last resort. I lived in Joburg and used a couple of guys, saved a fortune.😙
This is peak humour haha About motor traders, it's crazy how much difference it makes when you deal with nice people. You never really expect much going to a car dealer, but when you call and they call you back, and are friendly and polite and all that, it's always a nice surprise. I can't figure out how there can be so many traders out there who haven't figured out that being pleasant is good for business.
Not sure about remaps. My Mazda 6 2.2D came with 2 options 150 and 175bhp. Only difference is 10 lines in the ECU tables. So it can take 175 from factory so remapping your 150 to 175 is fine. Totally agree on the rest.
Good list. Incorrectly spaced "private plates" really trigger me😂. As an old school ex mechanic, I have to say that in many cases, stripping and rebuilding a component will cost a customer more in labour charges than fitting a new one, which will also benefit from a warranty. Also, I used to loathe the distrusting customers who thought they knew better and mistrusted a diagnosis, only to be found wrong.
My mate had a 2 litre Vectra which he used for pulling a small caravan ,which he said it really struggled to tow this small caravan ,I said that should pull it no problem ,but he didn't listen ,went to a used car garage ,told salesmen his diesel Vectra wasn't powerful enough to pull this small caravan ,so the Saleman sold him a used jeep Cherokee 4.4 petrol !!!!! And told him it would be just as economical as his Vectra Mate had it a month and had to sell it as was getting 16 mpg !!!!!
There's only one car I've ever come across that a remap made a difference, and that was a Discovery Td5. The standard tune is so bad that the car has virtually no go below 2000 rpm. The manual is bad enough, but the automatic is positively dangerous. A mild remap does work wonders for low-speed performance on these engines, but please don't try and get loads of power out of one. You know the gearbox won't take it and you know you'll be warping exhaust manifolds!
Totally agree with you Matt as I’ve been looking to buy a used car for a while now, I don’t have a huge budget but after being burnt on my last car purchase I’m being very cautious this time around, so much so that I’m happy to pay for an advanced RAC/AA full multipoint inspection, which includes not just the inspection but photographic evidence of the vehicle, a test drive and a historical inspection of the service and faults from the vehicle’s ecu, I always ask the seller if they’d be happy for this inspection to be carried out and low and behold the car has suddenly just been sold or they simply don’t have the time! If you’re happy with what you’re selling and are being completely honest with your description why wouldn’t you be happy to have an inspection!
if i was selling a car and you asked me to have some AA guy to poke around it then take it for a drive, i would refuse too. Nobody drives my car until money changes hands. least of all some random guy claiming to be from the AA.
I’d have to say #1 is absolutely the unrestrained, unregulated, ever increasing in intensity, LED light systems on new vehicles. Most are at the point now of absolutely idiotic brightness and not needed in urban environments. It’s not like when a car used to come at you with high beams on and you could give them a flash to let them know. Now some have 8-10-12 led projectors across the front of the car and if you give them a flick of your highs, you are likely to have your eyeballs seared out. It’s like an 80s van Halen concert on wheels. Let’s see some sensibility and legislation to lower these levels to respectable levels in the city and tech to reduce glare. If there’s no one in front of you, light all you want. Heck, even my 2012 Jaguar XFR could sense approaching and following and wouldn’t allow high beams!
I agree with all your comment except for dash cams, I have one which gives peace of mind in the hope that the footage would not be needed. These days many garages, mostly dealerships, call their workshop employees technicians.
I bought a car last year, I point blank refused all the so called add on’s . The salesman was a trier though. 😂😂. The middle aisle! That cracked me up 😂😂
They are always a theme in every car club I have been in. Many drivers seem to think the road in front of them should be illuminated like a football stadium. They always buy the cheapest junk from online auctions. I always point out that if a court finds they caused an injury accident, they will loose their house, their car and everything they own, is it worth the risk. My comments are invariably unwelcome.
Personally, my best purchase was a heated seat cover from the middle of Lidl. The only thing i missed about my last car was the heated seats but these are a great substitute. Then again, i am of a certain age
Well done Matt especially for the Juke comments! However the motor trade has three main levels: Technician (of which there are few), Mechanics and Fitters who deal with component replacements. Unless you find the 'WHY', then replacing the defective and collateral parts how will you know that the car will not return with the same issue.
Matt as you know i love your channel and agree with most of your gripes but i have had 4 cars remapped by reputable companies and lets face it some car companies offer the same thing and call it something else. I have never had an issue and has massive power and economy gains and very little insurance increase. I would say i did over 150k in these modified cars with zero problems because i checked the torque limits on things like gearboxes first😊
Agree with 99% of this , apart from remaps. Every turbo car I’ve had in The last 20 years I’ve had remapped . Never had an issue , big increase in mid range torque better mpg . Probably some dodgy maps out there , stick with the well known ones you won’t have a problem .
A custom map from a trusty tuner that also has a dyno is the only right way to do it imo. Although, when it comes to buying a car that's already been remapped from an owner that you don't know.. Yeah I would assume it's been trashed, too, and avoid it for sure.
I agree with most if not all but want to add parking sensors on a small car like a 90s micra or a matiz, that size of car. If you can't park them, walk or get a bus
Brand snobbery is my single biggest hate Second is the big dealerships that want to hook you on an interest deal when all you wanna do is throw down some cash and drive off
I agree with everyone of your choices except for the dashcam. After being run off the road by an imbecile one day, I would not drive without one. At least next time it happens, I can prove with oik it was.
I’ve got to say I’m finding it hard to disagree with anything you said Matt!😂 Car dealerships are the one thing I empathise with. Something (buying a car) that should be so enjoyable is completely ruined by a feeling of dread trying to decide whether you’ve chosen the right dealership to buy from. It’s a minefield, one that’s been recommended by a friend or family might be the best option 🤷🏻♂️ interesting video though 😀
My 'old school' mechanic told me about 5 years ago that his is a dying trade - "garages don't have mechanics any more, they have fitters - just fit new parts whatever the problem is!"
Agree but would also ad EVs, SUVs, touchscreen dash, ULEZ, electric hand brakes, expensive used car prices, black box insurance and lack of manuel transmission as an option
I agree with all of those, with one caveat. It is okay to remap a 2002-2005 Range Rover TD6 (BMW engine). The map slightly increased the bhp and altered the torque (still below X5 levels) which made it a much nicer drive and more efficient. You knew your gearbox was made of chocolate and was going to die at some point anyway, so you might aswell enjoy your driving up until this enevatable time arrived 😂
Agree with all except the dashcam, decent dashcam behind the rear view mirror can be very useful for insurance purposes etc, go pros all over the car are a bit chavy though 😉
For insurance purposes? You are insured. That is it. Whatever happens you are insured. Unless..... You put a dashcam in your car, and it records you after the pub, or speeding or breaking the law in any way and and then you will find they will not pay out! The way they lower your premium for having a dashcam is not catching some fool jumping on your bonnet but by you being a fool and invalidating your own insurance.
Cheers for the reply. If the insurance scammers stamp on the brake and you rear end them you'll have video footage to prove what really happened. If a cyclist accuses you of driving too close and causing them to fall off you'll have video footage to prove otherwise. In an accident you'll have video footage to prove what actually happened saving heaps of paperwork etc. You could also challenge any speeding charges and other road offences 'if you were innocent' as you have the time and date plus speed all recorded on the dashcam video. Numerous other plus's in having a dashcam ( in my opinion ), no discount from my insurance for having one installed. And the insurance company or anyone else can only have dashcam footage if I offer it to them, my dashcam isn't operated or monitored by my insurance company, so zero chance of my insurance being invalidated due to dashcam videos. More pros than cons in having a dashcam. Although it's personal choice isn't it.
Ah yes, that was cathartic. I agree with these so much. I think I'd add 'murdered out' or blacked out cars including dechrome (of factory trim), bad tints including chameleon tint on the windscreen and stanced cars.
Agree with all of your points, however, as regards remapping it appears that some manufacturers do this for their demo cars. I bought an Audi TT (2004) 225bhp from Audi UK when it was 10 months old. On its first service at Audi, the service manager called me as he wanted to discuss the remapping with an uprated chip and the oversized turbo on the car as these invalidated my warranty. I pointed out that I had not touched the car mechanics and it was bought direct from Audi UK. He then twigged that it was their demonstrator car and we should say no more.
Liked this Matt. Not only is 1984 my favourite book, I pretty much agree with all your choices. Except smart motorways. Accepting your points, most of the time they run smoothly and it’s nice to have a bit more space on the motorway instead of dicing with death in 3 lanes, especially through the West Midlands. Also you missed a chance at the end to really bury the duke 😂👍👍
People park next to your car when the car park is empty
Every time I park in a nearly empty car park within 10 minutes someone has to park next to me! Apparently people like something to park near but it does my head in!
Yeah and then struggle to get out of the car👍 that doesn't make sense
Drives me mad that does, to the point where I say something to the person or move my car lol
People who park next to another car in a half empty car park. Why?
Safety in numbers 😂
So basically Matt would absolutely love as a trade in, A Nismo R Juke with an aftermarket eBay body kit with 3D plates and remapped to about 400bhp and fitted with either a Lidl or Aldi dash camera that's not hard wired in so the power cable hangs in the way of the gear leaver. If anyone can help him out with this it would be hilarious to watch 😁
Ain't the Nismo R juke the absurdly rare one that is basically just an even fatter GTR?
@@tiagobelo4965that’s the Juke-R, the Nismo RS is the “sporty” juke with the Clio RS engine
@@tiagobelo4965 that's the one buddy 👍
That was achievable until you mentioned 400hp from a Nissan Juke 😂
@@andrewwaller5913 ua-cam.com/video/37l3uLbU_-U/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared there are a few out there🤣
That thing about mechanics not repairing stuff is just so true. I live in germany and had already two cars that were "not worth repairing" and one motor swap. My F-Pace 300hp diesel had some engine issue so my Jaguar Dealer said the repair would be 22.000 Euros and basically not worth it. One day a mechanic from czech republic came to my clinic, and we started talking a little about cars and I told him about my problem... He said he cant promise anything but 2 weeks later he diassembled the entire engine in a normal garage and fixed the engine for 900 Euros.... Since then I put another 45.000 kilometres on it and had no issues....
I had to scrap my wife's beloved A-class due to a faulty starter motor because all 3 garages I asked for a quote couldn't be bothered to put a new one in. They all sucked the air through their teeth and said that the job would take a long time and they'd lose money if they fixed my car, rather than doing a few quicker jobs instead. I understand to a certain extend that everybody wants to make good money but when something like this happens it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. I felt cheated to lose a car like this, even more to see my wife very upset. Even solicitors do pro-bono up to a certain extend to balance the good and bad in the universe a little, but mechanics don't care apparently
A mechanic is a physicist.
You mean automotive technician.
I spent a fantastic childhood adolescence under cars with my dad. He was an "amateur." mechanic but brilliant he taught me everything for changing plugs to a total strip down and rebuild of an entire engine and gearbox. He was severely dyslexic and couldn't read very well. He relied on pictures in the workshop manuals. I was able to help as I grew but to him a picture painted a million words.
@@thegrandmuftiofwakanda do you even own a dictionary? There's more than one definition of mechanic.
@@kabukidreamboy Yes but one of them isn’t a spanner monkey that changes the brake pads on the misuses Ford Fiesta.
i’m glad you feel comfortable and in a safe space it took a lot of courage to come out and admit that you like range rovers
No no, it's a hate crime to mock disabled people 😂
@Relaxationvideos88 - ‘Barugzai’ is Latin for ‘Monkeypox’. (it may be Greek however though)
I'm a car mechanic and a very old school one, I partially agree with you, most mechanics these days are part fitters but it's not completely their fault! Modern cars are designed in a way that you have to replace a whole component instead of a small part that failed inside it, the overcomplication and amount of electronics on cars makes it really hard to fix anything and usually it's cheaper just to get it replaced... but saying that because part A and B can't be opened and fixed then the mechanic will also replace part C,D ect which could be repaired!
I agree there with you but I blame the engineer or even accountant that designed the car too!
Garage charge labour by the hour so half the time it can be cheaper to whip out a part and change it instead of spending hours stripping it down to repair.
VW GOLF mk4 window winder motors. It just needs the motor replacing, but they manufacture them in such a way that you cannot take it apart easily, and you have to buy a complete mechanism including the runners...
@@ThatLeeNoble I remember watching a video of somebody in Pakistan or similar spending hours carefully repairing a plastic tail light cover, a £20 part in the UK.
@@ChishanFipz be lucky to get a genuine window reg for a mk4 now
@@user-ue6iv2rd1n
They probably don’t have minimum wage legislation
4D/3D plates do serve a purpose to be fair. They tell me all I need to know about the owner before I’ve seen them.
I used to work with someone who stuck those ridiculous plates on his car. I can confirm he was a complete tw@.
They are a shit to clean !, but sheeple buy them. 😅
@@tonynewcombe9075.... Yep they're a throw back to the old pressed metal plates or the ones with stuck on plastic letters and numbers that took longer to clean than the car did
What is a 4D plate?
@@mr.b.4048 .... Not 100% sure I've seen them advertised and they just look like 3D plates to me .... Not sure if it's the ones with a coloured band under the numbers and letters
The ‘remap’ one is tricky… I completely agree with you about folks who go to some backyard programmer just to chase bhp numbers at the cost of everything else. However, there are some reputable firms out there who provide tried-and-tested remaps that remove coding put in place purely to meet emissions targets. If you get one of these, you end up with a car that runs healthier whilst bringing more smiles per mile.
Was looking for a comment like this, not all remaps are bad
Car that runs healthier but doesn't meet emissions standards 🤔
@@rallychamp2003In my defence, I never said healthier for humans. 😆 I meant it’s not getting choked to death on its own exhaust gasses.
I feel that manufacturers use the same engine in a whole range of sport levels but simply tweak the mapping to achieve a 'Sport' version of the same car, add some trim perks and £3000 to the msrp
@@AaaaandActionyep exactly
I agree with all 10. A resolute and clear full sweep of ten. Fake badges, daft number plates, and the Nissan Puke.
love spotting an 'm' badge on the rear of a 116d, it's a weird thing to feel embarrassment for other people
or a debadged 316d. the single exhaust pipe gives it away though!
RS6 badge on one side...2.0TDi on the other
In Spain last year I saw an M badge on a Peugeot 206.
Even weirder when it's on something like a 435D. Like, that's a good engine
@@Franatixx Haha, I have a debadged 435D. Looks identical to a 420D from the outside then does 0-60 well under 5 seconds!
All good points Matt in the main. My pet hates and ripe for Room 101: motorists who drive too fast in car parks, those that can’t be arsed to indicate and those that pull out in front of you to then drive way too slow.
Yep. I get beeped at quite often for "driving too slow" in car parks. I think a fast walking speed is fast enough in a car park.
Some moderns are so badly designed that their indicators are not always easy to see even if the driver is using them. Cars used to have big orange things on the corners rather than tiny afterthoughts tucked away in the headlight unit. I've noticed with Fiestas from the front it can be easier to see the indication of turning from the DRL going off rather than the actual indicator flashing.
I had no idea you knew me so well
Yes, I agree, and the drivers that overtake in a stupid place, then turn right, usually making you stop cos they have to give way to the rush hour traffic....🤬
Your wife hates it when I pull out both in front and behind of her
You missed one Matt. Car dealer ‘admin charges’ when buying a used car. It seems to be the new rip off. I would rather walk away from a deal than pay an admin charge.
100% with you there
It's to cover the costs of the numbers ... Those 9s and 5s are very expensive.
@@jimmyccam you could be right. But they ain’t going be getting my contribution!
Agree, if i see a vehicle i like and think i will go and see it and then see an admin charge, i bin that one and carry on looking elsewhere. There is a used car dealer near me that has a £250 admin charge! Absolute rip off merchants.
@@ChrissBeerReviews i know its mad, why put the cost of the car up, they want you to buy it but want to add admin fees !
Not sure about the remap going in the bin Matt. I had a 130 bhp 1.9 tdi passat and got an economy map which actually did improve the power, torque and got me an extra 30 bhp and 5mpg. I put the map on the car at 100k and sold it at 160k still on original clutch and turbo. I do agree some of the more extreme maps should be binned though. Great content as always Matt.👍
Also depends on who is doing the map, a mate had a map done at some random place and it was crap, he then took it to a reputable place and like you said he got more power, more torque, slightly better mileage and nicer to drive.
I think it's people not understand how they work typically a stage one map on a decently maintained car will be fine (depending on how good the fuel quality is in your country) if you just stick on a S2/3 remap with no parts to match Ur cars going bang
The mechanic one rings true! Especially the one that doesn’t know what is actually wrong so just keeps replacing parts, at your expense, until the issue goes away!!
Good video Matt, love a rant!
Yes, exactly!
I wholeheartedly agree with you top (bottom) 10 Matt. Might I add a few more?
1. Lowered suspension.
2. Blacked-out rear light clusters.
3. Touchscreens. For the love of God, give me my buttons back!
4. All SUVs (sorry Matt)
5. Unnecessary and dangerous ‘safety’ features like lane keeping assist and emergency braking.
6. Uninsured drivers!
7. The new 20mph speed limit in Wales.
8. ULEZ and congestion zones.
9. BMW’s design team.
10. Puncture gunk; give me my spare wheel and Jack back!
Lane assist is a great addition but shouldn't be relied upon.
Yep, agree with those - I want buttons for air-con, radio, heated seats etc. Massive wheels too! What's all that about? Big wheels, means thinner tyres, giving a worse ride.
@@54356776 sadly, lane assist doesn’t work on the country lanes where I live. Constantly tries to put me in the hedge 🫣
I think we can guess your generation...
@@mariemccann5895
Which would that be ?
Plenty to agree with there. My pet peeve is driving through miles and miles of speed restricted roadworks and NEVER seeing anyone working on the road or they are working on the road on the other side of a 3 feet tall concrete barrier.
😂😂well said Mine aswell I bloody hate it
To be fair they work mostly at night. They did when I worked on the tarmac.
@@lazylad8544 mate up in Glasgow they close the M8 motorway most nights without a workman to be seen for miles
Testing the warning matrixes at 2am, saying a lane is closed(, they're not,) or queues likely at slip roads, at 2am. That last one is comical.....
The stretches are too long, mile and miles of roadworks but here's the thing the sign ROADWORKS is a farce as there is very little WORK going on
I can’t lie bro “BO55” number plates need to be on the list too they’re tacky
Usually found on a shagged 20 year old German saloon with 150k plus miles
Everyone knows it's shorthand for D**kh**d. Loose it Matt, pls....
@@Thb202 you also forgot driven by Asians
Any private plates. Just spend your money on a good holiday.
@@willtaylor6112 no need to bring race into it bro a lot of people have these types of plates including the geezer who posted this video who is white lol
Matt, i think the anti Dash Cam is very wrong! I had an L322 in 2017 which i loved, i was driving through the New Forest and got caught behind several cars getting abuse from some Lycra Fasc1sts. When i went to pass them i got the same abuse and the scrappy doo litle one smashed my mirror flat. I stopped and his mate ran into the back of my car. i called the Police and the Lycras said it was my road rage. But due my having a Dash cam. The copper then did scrappy do for road rage and public order. He later contacted me for the footage and said without it it would be me being done. Get front and rear cameras fitted always
you are 100% right - buy and install any dash cam even from Lidl and Aldi. Even a crap one is better than none. An insanely dangerous piece of driving I witnessed one day I obviously caught on said camera and another road user and I (as calmly as possible) challenged the driver of the car. You guessed it the idiot promptly got out of his car and wanted to have words shall we say. All i needed to say to him as i rolled my window down was that everything you say and do will be recorded and if he didn't want me to send the footage into GMP then get back in your car and go about your business. He calmed right down and even apologised...amazing. Late for work apparently. It's the keep fit stuff in the centre aisle at Lidl and Aldi you need to leave well alone - cos you'll never use it..!!
Strange thing about number plates with misplaced letters and numbers is that the police don't seem to prosecute and MOT testers don't seem to fail them.
That's what's wrong with this country - not enough prosecutions for motorists with slightly off number plates.
If the rules for number plates don't matter, they should cancel the rules. Otherwise one would expect the rules to be enforced.@@Ian8008
You've missed one Matt! Vinyl wrapped cars or car windows looking like Oakley Iridium sunglasses! Great video, Richard
Haha yes. The craze for wrapping cars will probably go the same way as vinyl roofs did back in the day. I took my fiat supermirafiori for a black vinyl roof fitment. Looked quite good actually!
My 131 (1975) leaked through the top of the windscreen after the dealer fitted a sunroof to the black vinyl roof. Replaced it in 1978 with a 3L Ghia Crapheap, that one only had a leaky steering rack and head gaskets!@@allosaurusfragilis7782
I got my 75k Lexus LC wrapped to protect it from stone chips, what’s the problem?
I dont see an issue with Vinyl wraps. As long as its done well and not a ridiculous colour. Its a much cheaper way of changing the colour than a full respray.
I agree with the one about insurance. It's meant to cover people's risk, but they treat it like it's borrowing, and also discourage claims by hiking up premiums severely.
The government need to step in with insurance. I agree, it’s needed but it has to be affordable for all. If you want high level of cover, then yes, Pay £2000. But what if you own a Chevy Cadiz and drive 30 miles a week? £150 tops. We live in RipOffBritain
@@alanwllms5172 Getting a lower level of cover is ironically more expensive. If you're young its more expensive to be the 2nd driver on someone elses car even if you have your own vehicle.
And charge exorbitant interest
@@alanwllms5172 I understand your point, and I agree insurance in the UK has gone a bit crazy, but your example isn't great. Insurance cost is basically decided by statistics. And, statistically speaking, you are more likely to have an accident if you drive few miles than if you drive often. As with everything else - the more often you do it, the better you become at it. Also, your vehicle's cost is only a part of the insurance cost, assuming you have comprehensive cover and not just 3rd party. If they give you dirt cheap insurance because you drive a 30 year old banger, what happens if you do some expensive damage to a new luxury vehicle? Which isn't hard to do, considering how many expensive sensors & cameras they have all over their bumpers. If you pay just £150/year, it will take them years/decades to recoup the cost of that one payout. Average cost of the vehicles on the road plays a big part in the insurance cost, and that price has shot up a lot in the last few years. The OTR (on-the-road aka car + delivery charge + road tax etc) cost of cars has almost doubled in the last 10 years, even in the budget and mid-range cars segment. Repair costs have also climbed a lot for various reasons. All of these increase the payouts that insurance providers have to cover.
Yes to everything you said. I would also add heating controls being hidden inside the touchscreen infotainment systems. Infuriating.
also, "its Giverny Green" had me rolling.
Touchscreens in cars are madness. Now when I am cleaning cars you clean the screen and the radio comes on, but they have taken away the big OFF button you used to get.
@@NotRubensDadMine has a screen clean mode.
I’m ok with removing heating buttons because heating should be a set and forget anyway
@@mamba101that’s not how heating in cars works. Climate control…. Actually I can’t be bothered.
@@Hollowevego on.. I set my car to 19c auto, extremely rarely touch it (and it’s either a swipe of the screen or most commonly I tell the car what I want). It’ll auto de-mist the windows too.
I honestly think people are stuck in the past.
Great video Matt I agree with you on all of them. But you have missed some Matt
- Blacked out lights
- Very dark tinted windows
- Nurbergring racetrack stickers
- Vauxhall Racing stickers on a 2007 Zafira
- Fast Ford Racing stickers on a 2009 Focus or Mondeo
- Because Corsa and Because Fiesta
god i haaaaate "because ......." stickers. its an embarrassment.
You just hate black people don’t you.
#11 Lane keeping systems, #12 auto wipers #13 dazzling LED headlights / auto dip headlights #14 electronic handbrakes #15 touch-screen anything #16 over sensitive anti-collision systems #17 Ad-blue #18 small indicators #19 lack of temp gauges
Those haptic touch buttons that cars seem to have now, just yuck. Proper buttons, more buttons!
I think you’ve got the smart motorway thing wrong. Yes, the abolition of the hard shoulder and the appalling amount of time it takes to make a motorway “smart” is a disgrace, but being able to travel at 50 mph through heavy traffic, without the constant braking and accelerating is good. The M42 works well for this and as it was an early smart motorway, it has more emergency refuges.
The Nissan Juke: awful thing, but I’d be more concerned about the Audi S3, which in its earlier versions has become the car of choice for dangerous drivers. I hate to think how much rubbish modifications, almost wrecked engines and gearboxes there are out there. Jukes are just pathetic.
Auto wipers on a Subaru are actually really good. Every other car gets them wrong.
Come on now, all the auto wipers on my cars have worked perfectly, until they're needed.
@simonwilson7581 that's a BMW/Audi thing, you can program the indicators to US spec where they are on all the time as marker lights. I agree they look bloody silly
touch screen for all controls. Bring back buttons for heating, AC etc.
Go to a garage these days and the majority don't have mechanics there. They are all called "techs" ie a person who will plug your car in to the code reader and fit a new part to fix your problem or fault based on the response from said code reader machine.
Total agreement with you Matt, how about day running lights, when they are on the dashboard is also illuminated, this gives the hapless dink behind the wheel the impression that their lights are on at night, common sight at night on the Costa del Sol 😎
Who thought having running lights at the front but not the rear was a good idea? Idiot.
My gf's mom bought a Duke, shortly after I had watched your video about it. She was chuffed about it! Thinking back to your video, it made me smile.
I'm sure Matt said the new version isn't so bad. Maybe Nissan saw his earlier video and took note.
Hi Matt. Love the discussion topic. I'm with you on all points... with one specific exception. A stage 1 remap on a modern turbo diesel from a specialist makes total sense in the UK (where even cheap fuel is of reasonable quality). Noticeable higher peak power (but nothing silly) within the tolerances of the engine and drivetrain, often better mpg, and often better smoothness. Have had this done on more than one car with no detrimental impact, only more poke when you need it. Cheers, James.
I agree had my diesel remapped and the fuel consumption improved massively. The by product of this was also a boost in performance 😊
just to understand more about the issue: if stage 1 remap done good to power and mpg within the tolerance of the parts, why doesn't the manufacture make it as standard for every car? thx
@@___Q-botbecause the vehicle manufacturer use a generic ECU, with a generic setting and they also have to follow regulations set by different countries, plus different parts of the world the environment is also different. For example one of the eu regulations states there much be a flat spot in power between 1000rpm to 2500rpm, which means your using fuel but not getting any benefit from the engine, but you will get higher emissions. The flat spot is for 200rpm. This may not seem a lot but to an engine and fuel economy it is.
Everyone seems to think that a ECU remapping is about power and speed. When it is not. A credit remapping will give you an optimum performance for the engine. So to remap a vehicle correctly it is basically a mix of a number of things economy performance and gearing, fuel, rpm.
If you every get the chance to look at a vehicle ECU, you will see the number of different settings within it for different stages of the engine and gearing, all have a function at a set time, depending on what the engine has been asked to do. There are a number of fuel maps, and number of Rev’s maps, plus loads of other maps, if one of these is not correct then it can change how the engine performs.
So vehicle manufacturers use a generic setting it’s not the best map and it’s not the worse map. Its say a good average map. A good remapper will work out better settings of the maps. Which should result in better economy by about 20%, performances 35%, torque 40%. These percentages are up to. To get higher or close them them, then things like the exhaust and/or spark plugs, and other parts may need to be upgraded. But then your getting into the area of stage 2 remapping, which again is different, then more parts changed for stage 3 which is normally racing or drag race performance.
But for the normal public using every day vehicle a stage 1 basic, you will see better results on economy, power, torque and parts working at an optimum.
I agree with this not all mapped cars are thrashed and abused my car is a performance car and is garages and only used for occasional use and certainly isn’t thrashed. It’s about drive ability
@@Vince_Paul I don't see how regulations can prevent better economy. AFAIK, the regulations are about emissions, and those are measured per mile/kilometer. If you use less fuel to travel the same distance, surely your emissions would also be lower, as burning fuel is what causes the emissions in the first place.
" For example one of the eu regulations states there much be a flat spot in power between 1000rpm to 2500rpm, which means your using fuel but not getting any benefit from the engine, but you will get higher emissions."
This makes no sense. The regulations are aimed at reducing emissions. I find it hard to believe there is an emissions regulation that forces manufacturers to burn more fuel without any benefit to it. Can you provide some source for that? I'm fairly familiar with the Euro emission standards and I don't recall seeing anything like this.
"But for the normal public using every day vehicle a stage 1 basic, you will see better results on economy, power, torque and parts working at an optimum."
Define "optimum". Optimum performance - potentially. Optimum longevity - doubtful. If you increase the power output, you are undeniably increasing the stress on various components as they have to handle the extra power, which negatively impacts the lifespan of those components.
PS "Stage X" isn't really a thing, it's just a marketing jargon without a strict definition... if you ask 5 different people what "Stage 1" means, you'll get at least 5 different answers, so better to not use that pseudo-terminology at all.
Can I add roadworks where the road is completely closed for days with a ridiculously long official detour when only one side of the carriageway is being worked on and if this was Japan they'd do the whole job in one night.
Well done Matt,congratulations on getting your knowledge printed in the express,love your car test videos,cheers Michael.
The lack of a spare tire with wheel, including emergency 'compact' spare ones. Too often tires and wheels get damaged so the can of goo is totally useless. The ability to put on a spare tire and wheel can be lifesaving, means you don't need a costly tow or stuck someplace maybe for days if a holiday weekend waiting for a tire and/or wheel.
Matt I hate the modern headlights that bounce and seem as though they flash and dazzle you when approaching. Put them in the bin they are a hazard.
Current Prado is the worst at that
Agree with all ten.
An old friend of mine in the real world, who had a decent role at the Ministry of Transport - he wrote a section in the Highway Code - was dead against Hard Shoulders being removed to create a fourth lane and the consequences, therein, of variable speed limits. He told me that the Hard Shoulders of all motorways he was aware of were not constructed to the standards as regards the other three lanes - no proper foundations laid, basically tarmac on a soft verge - as they were envisioned only be used in case of breakdown/emergency, and not as a fourth lane for thousands of vehicles using them everyday, that they would quickly subside as a result, leading to more capital having to be spent to put right, and ALL the consequences of that.
He was shouted down.
A cheap solution using hard shoulder, as an extra lane. All just nickels and dimes......
Good post.
Totally agree with 3 d plates. Another gripe people who never service their car or clean it and then expect when your selling a car it to be perfect marking down the tiniest detail
what? what is the problem with these? and what makes them 3d? being embossed?
Absolutely agree… there is plenty of people like that, what we need is a customer review, not only business reviews ;)
I take it with 3D plates, there is something else meant than those ones from 1970s and 80s? It’s been a while since I have seen one of those too.
I agree with everything bar one, remapping. Sure, I can completely understand your point with the Ford Focus or Golf GTI owners etc remapping their cars to absurd limits. There are however, little gems in the car industry where manufactures have purposefully tuned down engines to sell as a cheaper variant. Examples would be the B47 18d derivative BMW in say a 518d or a 3.0TDI 218ps Q7 which are exactly the same engines/mechanical components as their higher output variants, the 520d and 272Ps 3.0TDI Q7.
You're sliding blissfully into grumpy old man territory with every video mate! Congrats haha
But you're right on 10/10 - he said ushering himself into the grumpy middle ages man section :D
😂😂😂 its like watching a modern Chris Harris video
My one bug is all the paperwork you have to sign now when buying a car that has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual purchase. I just want to pay & go, I don't want GAP insurance. or anything else, just want a car.
Totally agree to 9 of the 10 .
Nothing wrong with a little remap without going mad . Better fuel economy safer overtaking power .
Came to say this, if you have slight mods like an exhaust or some, might as well optimize. Manufacturers have to manufacture for the lowest common denominator fuel quality, climate et al. As you said, usually comes with improved fuel economy.
Agreed. I'd say a remap is essential on vehicles made in the last 10 years, especially motorcycles as they strangle them to get through emissions regulations. A remap just fixes an issue.
@@rotteneffekt4416 don’t get me started on 24/7 50 mph road works . Forcing traffic to bunch up with the trucks . Only way to filter is to in cut others up or sit at max 55mph as safer risk points . 4yrs ago it was meant to changed to 60 mph stop that. No common sense. Every time slow speed cause accidents just lower even more . What happed to making motorway 80mph like most of Europe . The Standard of driving in the uk is dreadful . cruise control on and forgetting or not caring about anything else. Motorways used to be great now they just make
blood boil .
Without a shadow of a doubt.
Mapping done right is not a bad thing. A little older cars are not made for todays fuel.
What about overspending on used cars trying to flipp'em?
😊
As always, Matt shows his best both as a car guy and as an actor or tv presenter!
You are so right about smart motorways. They should stop them now.
Totally agree Matt...as for Mechanics...Skilled Mechanical engineers are a rare breed these days.
Main dealers have young lads who are fitters and they charge £120 per hour to swap parts that are totally servicable.What about Citroen's 😁
Great list Matt but I’ve got to pull you up about insurance. NFU Mutual is owned by the customers. They don’t usually argue about your claim. They include breakdown cover as standard and their bonus system means premiums usually reduce the more you stay with them. Great for normal car drivers (and also motor traders!) By the way, - no I don’t work for them. 🤣🤣🤣
I did not know this. I'll have to keep that in mind.
Yes I go along with that. I've been with them for 30 years. Simples!(oh sorry I couldn't resist).
All the way through I'm thinking the Nissan Puke has to be on the list, you didn't disappoint me. The only thing you missed was all French cars!
Sounds like someone's only experience with french cars was a mistreated, rusted out 1.1 carbed saxo
The French made some good cars years ago, 205GTi for a start! Just not anything in the last 25 years.
The French have made plenty of cool cars. More interesting and stylish than the Germans which just live off the badge. Peugeot are making some striking stuff these days.
Lane assist. Or anything that brakes or steers for you. Or beeps at you, or flashes. Or just anything that interferes with driving a car.
Ha!... You're trying to swim against the tide of progress, dude.... the result of which is.....drowning...!!!
@@andymccabe6712 lane assist most definitely isn't progress 🤣
Totally agree! I would put all SUVs in room 101 (except for those that are really used to go off road). A few more would be touch screens (gimme buttons!!!!!), grey paintwork as the only no-cost option, fake exhaust pipes, tyre inflation gunk instead of a real spare, those silly sweeping indicators ….and probably many more things that I can’t bring to mind just now.
Dashcams definitely work mate. I can kinda tell that you never owned a dashcam.
I would love to see you coming back at it after an insurance scam attempt.
It makes explaining accidents a whole lot easier and often insurance companies give you a couple percentage off your insurance bill.
You missed his point. Rewind your dashcam and you will hear he was only talking about budget middle-isle products.
While on the subject of pony number plates I was waiting for Matt to say tacky BO55 number plates but i guess that wouldn’t be in keeping with the wall art…
Some hot takes here Matt, mostly I’d agree with you - except remaps, there’s a time and a place for a remap.
But engines like the BMW M57 and N57 were fitted in the 25d, 30d and 35d variants - nothing wrong with mapping these. I’m sure there’s others similar to this!
Just out of interest when you remap an engine, did you tell your insurance company because you’re supposed to and if you don’t you’re not insured should the worst happen… even changing the wheels to non-standard is something that will invalidate your insurance if you don’t tell them.
I went with a lady friend who was looking at buying a new Honda Accord. The dealer talked over her and mainly to me. He seemed surprised when she didn't buy it 😂
Not so sure on remaps. I did one to my Lexus IS, which just made it a better, and more efficient, car for the weekly Trans European commute.
Remap, + dpf removal + exhaust + egr deletes are a massive red flag though.
Excellent agree with these, the mechanics certainly resonate! However, try living in Wales where the average speed now appears to be 17mph stuck behind timid people driving a Nissan Micra ( or Juke!! ) who refuse to top that speed now, previously it was a heady 25mph. I can't believe how liberating it feels to drive in England.
Great calls! You forgot the horrendous color wrap and window tinting though.
I sort of disagree about the remaps, to. I have a Transit van, and it was sold in 100HP-125HP-150 HP and 175HP guise.
Now the block, engine, gearbox and brakes and everything are the same, except on the 175HP version which gets natty alloy wheels and a stripe.
Guess what... all that separates them is a restrictor plate on the turbo and... a remap. DUH!!
Much the same with a T6. Make the 100 into 150 PS with a recap.
Garages thankfully I haven't needed to use them very often but last September my alternator broke every garage was we are very busy can't look at it for at least 3 weeks, what good is that. Anyway a neighbour suggested a garage they said bring it in tomorrow which I did but after them not touching it for 6 days and no sign as to when they would I removed it. And finally found a garage that got on with it right away. When I worked in a garage in the sixties we put ourselves out to help people and made time for peoples urgent jobs. We repaired things with the minimum of new parts because we mended anything we could.
As a vehicle engineer (not a mechanic) I completely agree with All of these!
I dont, some body kits rejuvinate old classics to look more modern, getting a body kit that looks decent is the key. As for remaps, certain cars such as BMW 318d and 316d have same engine, same turbo and most likely same clutch but difference is most likely down to software limiting the engine.
Welp as an engineer shouldnt you make them serviceable
Relating to technicians just wanting to bolt on new parts, running an 18 year old pickup in the philippines has been an education. Here they really do strip components and fix them, from window regulators, to starter motors to steering racks. It's wonderful and much more affordable. The DAILY! rate where I live is about 15 quid.
Car Insurance. I'm with a well-known insurance company and I bought an Astra SRI before Christmas and through their website the quote to add it my policy, including multi-car discount was well north of £400. Tried a comparison site, surprise, surprise, my insurance company quote on there for the same car significantly over £100 less. In fact they were the cheapest.
Yes, Yes and Yes. You missed people who slow down on motorways to overtake - These are the ones who pull out and pass at a really slow speed then speed up again after passing. Room 101 for them 🤓 Thanks Matt 👍
I've seen so many people pass me and then slow down and wait to come back into my lane. Wtf are they doing ? An overtake shouldn't involve the vehicle being overtaken.
People who drive down the middle lane of a three lane Motorway when there is nothing in the inside lane.
They passed their test in a tram car.
I was waiting for privacy glass - it never arrived! :O Good list though - agree with it all :)
This comment 👆🏻 gangster glass is just rife now even on low end cars.
Ah yes, Mafia glass. Used to hide ugly people, not using seat belts, smoking dope, delivering drugs, etc.
Cringe old people
I think this should be an annual video, with 5 new entries every year, with the explanations for each entry getting more and more bitter and angry as each year passes. Already looking forward to seeing the next one😂👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Agree with all but remapping. There are nuances. My car is remapped but also serviced every year and anything that breaks is fixed immediately. Wash and vac every week too. 2008, E92 335d on 140k.
Thats one for the list - people who feel the need to wash their car every week.
What about car manufacturers putting fake twin exhausts on cars that really grinds my gears . great content by the way.
If it's not a V12 Ferrari it shouldn't have 4 exhausts.
The body kit one reminded me of seeing a lime green hand painted Cortina with a full wooden body kit. Priceless.
Yes I guy I once worked with had hand painted his 1980’s fiesta with purple gloss paint using a brush.
😂
I had a dodgy MK3 escort in lime green with an RS bodykit with twin headlight conversion lol it was only a 1.3! But I used to leave some xr3i's at the lights usually as they were thrashed to death and knackered - a year later I removed the bodykit to find little to no metal underneath then off to scrap yard 😂😂
the grand old duke or the nissan?
Sweeeeet!!!!!
On private plates, those that try and vaguely spell their name but then feel the need to print their name on the plate (where the dealership would normally be) explaining what the plate means 🤬. We’ve got private plates, they’re personal to us and don’t need to explain anything to anyone if they don’t understand the plate
I saw something on TV the other week suggesting people took all the extras off their car insurance to save money. I had done this a few years ago and then had an accident and couldnt claim for the injury. Soon put personal injury cover back on.
3 stripes on a BMW grill . Entry level BMW's - de badged . Black alloy wheels (always look to me like someone has nicked their wheel trims!) and N.I. plates - GAZ. ,BAZ etc. .
The original concept for smart motorways in the UK was fairly sound; the implementation though cut costs, and many of the refuges/hard shoulder areas were skipped to save money. And that means that breakdowns have been happening in live lanes, and that meant that people have been dying.
Otherwise, agree wholeheartedly with everything you say.
Smart motorway lane should only be used as a live lane when traffic has slowed down to a crawl
You've hit the nail on the head. I couldn't agree more with your chosen 10, particularly the non OEM parts from Aldi.
I would only add Vauxhall's, all of them, every single one makes my body turn out in hives.
Couldn't agree more, and I've got one (corsa for the wife), nasty horrible thing. Cheap though.
Matt i'm a hgv driver and i know with absolute certainty that when the smart motorway limits change there is a 1 minute grace period so there's no need to slam on the brakes.👍
Yep. Matt complaining about having to drive at 50mph through roadworks makes me suspect that his penalty points are probably justified. Being an HGV driver myself, I know how tight these lanes can be in roadwork zones, especially given the growing trend towards tank-like SUV style "cars". I agree with him on his other points though.
It’s a hell of a long shot, but if you can find a mechanic from Zimbabwe use him, those guys are a dab hand at fixing stuff with replacement the last resort. I lived in Joburg and used a couple of guys, saved a fortune.😙
I visited a taxi owner who had 300 of his own skoda octavias, he employed 2 polish mechanics because they fixed the part, saved him a fortune.
Matt - you've just made me feel awefully fortunate, as I only really hate one thing in life. People! 🤣🤣🤣
This is peak humour haha
About motor traders, it's crazy how much difference it makes when you deal with nice people. You never really expect much going to a car dealer, but when you call and they call you back, and are friendly and polite and all that, it's always a nice surprise. I can't figure out how there can be so many traders out there who haven't figured out that being pleasant is good for business.
I'd like your advice on the value of my car - I'ts a 2019 Nissan Juke with a remapped engine, sporty body kit and private plates
But are the Reg Plates 3D lol
Not sure about remaps. My Mazda 6 2.2D came with 2 options 150 and 175bhp. Only difference is 10 lines in the ECU tables. So it can take 175 from factory so remapping your 150 to 175 is fine.
Totally agree on the rest.
Good list. Incorrectly spaced "private plates" really trigger me😂. As an old school ex mechanic, I have to say that in many cases, stripping and rebuilding a component will cost a customer more in labour charges than fitting a new one, which will also benefit from a warranty. Also, I used to loathe the distrusting customers who thought they knew better and mistrusted a diagnosis, only to be found wrong.
Every single registration plate on the road is a 'private plate' 😳😅
My mate had a 2 litre Vectra which he used for pulling a small caravan ,which he said it really struggled to tow this small caravan ,I said that should pull it no problem ,but he didn't listen ,went to a used car garage ,told salesmen his diesel Vectra wasn't powerful enough to pull this small caravan ,so the Saleman sold him a used jeep Cherokee 4.4 petrol !!!!! And told him it would be just as economical as his Vectra
Mate had it a month and had to sell it as was getting 16 mpg !!!!!
There's only one car I've ever come across that a remap made a difference, and that was a Discovery Td5. The standard tune is so bad that the car has virtually no go below 2000 rpm. The manual is bad enough, but the automatic is positively dangerous. A mild remap does work wonders for low-speed performance on these engines, but please don't try and get loads of power out of one. You know the gearbox won't take it and you know you'll be warping exhaust manifolds!
Totally agree with you Matt as I’ve been looking to buy a used car for a while now, I don’t have a huge budget but after being burnt on my last car purchase I’m being very cautious this time around, so much so that I’m happy to pay for an advanced RAC/AA full multipoint inspection, which includes not just the inspection but photographic evidence of the vehicle, a test drive and a historical inspection of the service and faults from the vehicle’s ecu, I always ask the seller if they’d be happy for this inspection to be carried out and low and behold the car has suddenly just been sold or they simply don’t have the time! If you’re happy with what you’re selling and are being completely honest with your description why wouldn’t you be happy to have an inspection!
I have often thought about an inspection before buying but having read your comment I will do the same as you in future. 👍
Those inspections are not worth the paper they’re written on. Drive away and something happens? They will wriggle out of any responsibility.
if i was selling a car and you asked me to have some AA guy to poke around it then take it for a drive, i would refuse too.
Nobody drives my car until money changes hands. least of all some random guy claiming to be from the AA.
I’d have to say #1 is absolutely the unrestrained, unregulated, ever increasing in intensity, LED light systems on new vehicles. Most are at the point now of absolutely idiotic brightness and not needed in urban environments. It’s not like when a car used to come at you with high beams on and you could give them a flash to let them know. Now some have 8-10-12 led projectors across the front of the car and if you give them a flick of your highs, you are likely to have your eyeballs seared out. It’s like an 80s van Halen concert on wheels. Let’s see some sensibility and legislation to lower these levels to respectable levels in the city and tech to reduce glare. If there’s no one in front of you, light all you want. Heck, even my 2012 Jaguar XFR could sense approaching and following and wouldn’t allow high beams!
I agree with all your comment except for dash cams, I have one which gives peace of mind in the hope that the footage would not be needed. These days many garages, mostly dealerships, call their workshop employees technicians.
I bought a car last year, I point blank refused all the so called add on’s . The salesman was a trier though. 😂😂. The middle aisle! That cracked me up 😂😂
LED headlights. Great that you can see 20 miles in front of you. Pity the rest of us in the oncoming traffic stream are blinded at that point
My brand new car came standard with them.
They are always a theme in every car club I have been in. Many drivers seem to think the road in front of them should be illuminated like a football stadium. They always buy the cheapest junk from online auctions. I always point out that if a court finds they caused an injury accident, they will loose their house, their car and everything they own, is it worth the risk. My comments are invariably unwelcome.
Personally, my best purchase was a heated seat cover from the middle of Lidl. The only thing i missed about my last car was the heated seats but these are a great substitute. Then again, i am of a certain age
Lidl Richard.
I’ve got two very good ratchet straps.
Well done Matt especially for the Juke comments! However the motor trade has three main levels: Technician (of which there are few), Mechanics and Fitters who deal with component replacements. Unless you find the 'WHY', then replacing the defective and collateral parts how will you know that the car will not return with the same issue.
Wholeheartedly agree about the Juke! I'd chuck the Toyota CH-R in there with it.
Matt as you know i love your channel and agree with most of your gripes but i have had 4 cars remapped by reputable companies and lets face it some car companies offer the same thing and call it something else. I have never had an issue and has massive power and economy gains and very little insurance increase. I would say i did over 150k in these modified cars with zero problems because i checked the torque limits on things like gearboxes first😊
Agree with 99% of this , apart from remaps.
Every turbo car I’ve had in The last 20 years I’ve had remapped .
Never had an issue , big increase in mid range torque better mpg .
Probably some dodgy maps out there , stick with the well known ones you won’t have a problem .
Agreed not to mention brands that have the exact same engine and chassis across 3 different models but give them a variety of HP
A custom map from a trusty tuner that also has a dyno is the only right way to do it imo.
Although, when it comes to buying a car that's already been remapped from an owner that you don't know.. Yeah I would assume it's been trashed, too, and avoid it for sure.
I personally think remaps are just for degenerates - just wastes a car. Wouldn't touch a car that's been remapped.
Agree. My Celtic Tuning remap has transformed my VMW 335d, torque up by140Nm and BHP by 87.
@@Jasonrm92
I wouldn’t sell you mine anyway .
Anyone who thinks car enthusiasts are degenerates is a wrong un if you ask me .
Don't forget the CVT gearbox on the Jukes, Agree with all 10!
Bit surprised and a little disappointed TBH that Nissan Duke wasn't on the list twice.
I agree with most if not all but want to add parking sensors on a small car like a 90s micra or a matiz, that size of car. If you can't park them, walk or get a bus
Brand snobbery is my single biggest hate
Second is the big dealerships that want to hook you on an interest deal when all you wanna do is throw down some cash and drive off
Especially when said brand is actually crap but is viewed as a top marque.
I agree with everyone of your choices except for the dashcam.
After being run off the road by an imbecile one day, I would not drive without one. At least next time it happens, I can prove with oik it was.
Oik still won't believe he's blameless,what expert driver would be wrong? But the police and insurance company are the ones that matter.....😅
I’ve got to say I’m finding it hard to disagree with anything you said Matt!😂 Car dealerships are the one thing I empathise with. Something (buying a car) that should be so enjoyable is completely ruined by a feeling of dread trying to decide whether you’ve chosen the right dealership to buy from. It’s a minefield, one that’s been recommended by a friend or family might be the best option 🤷🏻♂️ interesting video though 😀
My 'old school' mechanic told me about 5 years ago that his is a dying trade - "garages don't have mechanics any more, they have fitters - just fit new parts whatever the problem is!"
Agree but would also ad EVs, SUVs, touchscreen dash, ULEZ, electric hand brakes, expensive used car prices, black box insurance and lack of manuel transmission as an option
I agree with all of those, with one caveat. It is okay to remap a 2002-2005 Range Rover TD6 (BMW engine). The map slightly increased the bhp and altered the torque (still below X5 levels) which made it a much nicer drive and more efficient.
You knew your gearbox was made of chocolate and was going to die at some point anyway, so you might aswell enjoy your driving up until this enevatable time arrived 😂
Agree with all except the dashcam, decent dashcam behind the rear view mirror can be very useful for insurance purposes etc, go pros all over the car are a bit chavy though 😉
For insurance purposes? You are insured. That is it. Whatever happens you are insured.
Unless.....
You put a dashcam in your car, and it records you after the pub, or speeding or breaking the law in any way and and then you will find they will not pay out!
The way they lower your premium for having a dashcam is not catching some fool jumping on your bonnet but by you being a fool and invalidating your own insurance.
Cheers for the reply.
If the insurance scammers stamp on the brake and you rear end them you'll have video footage to prove what really happened. If a cyclist accuses you of driving too close and causing them to fall off you'll have video footage to prove otherwise. In an accident you'll have video footage to prove what actually happened saving heaps of paperwork etc. You could also challenge any speeding charges and other road offences 'if you were innocent' as you have the time and date plus speed all recorded on the dashcam video. Numerous other plus's in having a dashcam ( in my opinion ), no discount from my insurance for having one installed. And the insurance company or anyone else can only have dashcam footage if I offer it to them, my dashcam isn't operated or monitored by my insurance company, so zero chance of my insurance being invalidated due to dashcam videos. More pros than cons in having a dashcam. Although it's personal choice isn't it.
Ah yes, that was cathartic. I agree with these so much. I think I'd add 'murdered out' or blacked out cars including dechrome (of factory trim), bad tints including chameleon tint on the windscreen and stanced cars.
Agree with all of your points, however, as regards remapping it appears that some manufacturers do this for their demo cars. I bought an Audi TT (2004) 225bhp from Audi UK when it was 10 months old. On its first service at Audi, the service manager called me as he wanted to discuss the remapping with an uprated chip and the oversized turbo on the car as these invalidated my warranty. I pointed out that I had not touched the car mechanics and it was bought direct from Audi UK. He then twigged that it was their demonstrator car and we should say no more.
Liked this Matt. Not only is 1984 my favourite book, I pretty much agree with all your choices. Except smart motorways. Accepting your points, most of the time they run smoothly and it’s nice to have a bit more space on the motorway instead of dicing with death in 3 lanes, especially through the West Midlands. Also you missed a chance at the end to really bury the duke 😂👍👍