X12ARC officially retires 22/02/08

[Crombers]

The long awaited retiral of my MINI is now official as I pick up the keys of my new car on Friday 22/2. Along with the car comes a new job as I'm leaving the 'packaging industry' to move to 'agriculture', starting Monday 17/3. This new 'fixed' position is based in Ingliston so I'm moving to 'diesel' (no surprise there eh!). After much searching & deliberation I have opted for a 3 door Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.4 TDCi. It's 4 months old & I've opted for Silver again as it hides a multidude of sins (I'm a full time member of the manky club). Bought the car from Motorpoint & yup the car was 1st registered in the UK so I get the remaining 32 month warranty. The car will also double up as a Driving Tuition vehicle as I prepare for my Part 3 ADI exam sometime this year (I've currently got a Trainee Licence).

My MINI will now reside in a nice garage, to be pampered with polish & wax etc etc, once I enquire to the 'Dazzle Club' as to what products to buy & how to apply the nice smelly stuff :)

[AndyP & Lenore]

Congrats on the new job Crombers.;) Bit of a commute for you though.:(

If you're looking for advice on what nice smelly products to buy you could always have a look at my own confused thread here. (http://www.newminiscotland.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=13317)

A.:D

[Scottie]

congrats on the new job, I myself are just counting down the weeks until I give up work for the Summer. Yipeeeeeeeeeeeee.:D :D

[Gismo]

My MINI will now reside in a nice garage, to be pampered with polish & wax etc etc, once I enquire to the 'Dazzle Club' as to what products to buy & how to apply the nice smelly stuff :)
Nice one on the new job, as for being in the Manky Club, erm nope, you're FIRED (as per Alan Sugar) :D

[Craig]

Nice one on the Job front mate - hope the M8 slog doesn't do your head in. :eek: :)

One of my friends has the same model of Fiesta and gets fantastic mpg.. It will be a good hack. :D

All the best with the new job and the new new job when you finally pass. :cool: :cool:

Now to get the cleaning products sorted... you know my number...;)

as for Manky Club - your in denial mate. :D

[N12 JLK]

had a panic attack there, thought you had traded in the MINI for a Fiesta then I read on. I can now go to bed happy that you didnt:) .
Hope you enjoy the new job

[Bumble]

Well done on the job front !

[The Dogfather]

Good luck with the new career. As a former Fester TDCI owner :o I can assure you that driving the MINI at the weekend will become all the sweeter ;)

[weefossy]

Well done big man on the new job. :D I did the M8 going the other direction for 4 years :( It's all about timing, when you leave in the morning and when you return at night. Once you get that right, you get used to it. Just make sure you have some good music on board.

[Colin]

Hope the new job goes well. :D My boss used to do the Edinburgh to Glasgow trek, not for the faint hearted, but like weefossy says its all about timing.

[Ivano]

Congratulations on the New Job......

[Burple]

Congrats big man! Hope the trek is kind to you!

Get that Mini cleaned! :D:D:D

[Crombers]

Cheers folks re the new job ;) it sure is a trek but £££ talks. Mind you it takes me 45 mins to an hour to get from Newton Mearns to Milngavie every day so hey ho.

Crackin deals on the wee Fiester at the mo as the new model (shared platform with the Mazda 2) will be out early next year (iirc). First ever diesel for me & on the test run (10 miles +) it preformed adequatley for a mile muncher & I'm glad I up specced to the Zetec as it just looks & feels that bit better than the base models. The Fiesta was also chosen on the basis that you can clearly see the speedo from the passenger seat (for ADI purposes), try doing that in the new Corsa :( & many other newer model cars.

As far as the M8 trek is concerned I might not be too bad. I will NOT be going M8 all the way as to get from Newton Mearns over the Kingston Bridge & out past the Bellshill cut off would be a complate mare :eek: . I'll be using the new Newtons Means to East Kilbride by-pass & then over the Cathkin Braes in the diection of the M73 then on to the M8. 7am dayshift start will be a doddle but the 7pm nights will be another story. Drove out to Whitburn last night & once beyond Bellshill it was a doddle, wonder what it'll be like around M8 Junction 2 cut off mind :confused:

Now to the cleaning products (sorry BS, but I always said that once retired the wee fella would be spoiled rotten :rolleyes: ;) :) ). Will be calling CD, MC & JK etc looking for purchase advise & then the detailing work from yours truly will begin in earnest, or where is that Ian King when you need him :D

Hail the polish :p

[Scottie]

you could always just move to be near your new job.;)

[ianking]

Now to the cleaning products (sorry BS, but I always said that once retired the wee fella would be spoiled rotten :rolleyes: ;) :) ). Will be calling CD, MC & JK etc looking for purchase advise & then the detailing work from yours truly will begin in earnest, or where is that Ian King when you need him :D

Hail the polish :p

Tis here my man.

I have been thinking about holding a NMS detailing day. I could get a volunteer to bring along a very dirty Mini and I could go over it (the full works) with an able assistant, Mr Nicol perhaps and show everyone the wee tricks of the trade and what products you require etc.

Im sure my old boy would let me use his unit on a Sunday. Does this sound like a good idea.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Tis here my man.

I have been thinking about holding a NMS detailing day. I could get a volunteer to bring along a very dirty Mini and I could go over it (the full works) with an able assistant, Mr Nicol perhaps and show everyone the wee tricks of the trade and what products you require etc.

Im sure my old boy would let me use his unit on a Sunday. Does this sound like a good idea.

Sounds like a cracking idea, and I'm sure our very own Bonnie Scotland would be happy to allow his car to be pampered - for a good cause after all.

A.:D

[monkimagic]

Good luck in the new Job,;)

[Craig]

Sounds like a plan Ian, give my car a few weeks of no clean and you can use that.! :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[The Dogfather]

Sounds like a plan Ian, give my car a few weeks of no clean and you can use that.! :eek: :rolleyes: :D

Everyone knows what a clean MINI looks like, you should work on something a bit more exclusive, and I might be able to help out there :D

[Scottie]

you can have my 2 cars if you want Ian. Not Mini's but still ;) ;) I'll even let you use the pc or rotary on them

[ianking]

Well if folk are up for this I will start orgainsing this weekend. Could perhaps do this in April some time. I think it should be on a Mini though;) .
If it is quite dirty then that would be good, and not dirty as in normally a clean car that has skipped a wash. We need to find a car that just gets a wash once every couple weeks and nothing more.

Could say that the person who gets the free service would donate some cash to a charity of my choice.

I will double check with my old boy to ask if we could use his unit one Sunday.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Ian, can I suggest you start a new thread for this, so as to stay on-topic.

A.;)

[Gismo]

Ian, can I suggest you start a new thread for this, so as to stay on-topic.

A.;)
Well, i just blew ma corn flakes all over my keyboard :D and nope, not on topic at all :eek: :rolleyes:

[Crombers]

Well if folk are up for this I will start orgainsing this weekend. Could perhaps do this in April some time. I think it should be on a Mini though;) .
If it is quite dirty then that would be good, and not dirty as in normally a clean car that has skipped a wash. We need to find a car that just gets a wash once every couple weeks and nothing more.

Could say that the person who gets the free service would donate some cash to a charity of my choice.

I will double check with my old boy to ask if we could use his unit one Sunday.

Fantastic idea mate, as I really hav'nt got clue :o (Jason did try but I've fallen by the wayside)
Totally agree that it should be a MINI & the one your looking for sounds like mine :D.
As for giving to charity, sound idea :)

[Crombers]

Tis here my man.

I have been thinking about holding a NMS detailing day. I could get a volunteer to bring along a very dirty Mini and I could go over it (the full works) with an able assistant, Mr Nicol perhaps and show everyone the wee tricks of the trade and what products you require etc.

Im sure my old boy would let me use his unit on a Sunday. Does this sound like a good idea.

Brilliant idea :cool:

[Duncan Stewart]

Congrats on the new job :D and hope you like driving the Fiesta.
We've had a couple of Fiestas and think the are great to drive (and completely trouble free)

[Smurf]

Congrats on the new job!!

Guess I won't be seeing you in the traffic as we both head from Milngavie / Bearsden to the south side of the city... ;) :D

Good luck with the M8 commute, just don't do it anywhere near 4 or 5pm!!

[Crombers]

Congrats on the new job!!

Guess I won't be seeing you in the traffic as we both head from Milngavie / Bearsden to the south side of the city... ;) :D

Good luck with the M8 commute, just don't do it anywhere near 4 or 5pm!!

Cheers :D

As of 7/3 'nope' we won't be 'bumping' into each other on the North side, but as always I will pick your car out (graphics) a country mile should we pass again ;)

[Crombers]

I will double check with my old boy to ask if we could use his unit one Sunday.



Any update on this one sir? :)

[Crombers]

I really love it when some plans just don't turn out :D

With a week to go pre new job (see page 1) I get a call from a friend asking for my CV. Invited to 'open day interview' 12/3 & offered position 14/3. Quickly contacted Edinburgh job people to say "thanks but no thanks" & started 'new' new job 17/3 (same day as I was meant to start new job)

Now working in East Kilbride (doddle from Newton Mearns) for DHL based in a Sainsbury (try something new today) Regional Distribution Centre.

Just thought I would pop back here & mention as I'm not doing the daily hack through to Ingliston & back. Must admit i'm kinda glad i'm not as I reckon that would have worn me down after a while & some of you guys did mention it might be a pain.

Also should mention that the Fiesta is doing very well, 55-60MPG & liking all the wee toys it camewith (these heated front screens are brill when frosty).
Now good as it is it ain't a MINI & it really does highlight what a fab wee beasty the R50 is. Stepping from a Fiesta it feels like a race car (low seating & fab handling) & I have to say I'm even liking my MINI like never before.

Happy days :yes nod:

[Colin]

It's funny how things turn out, glad it all worked out for you :thumbs up:, that drive would have been hard going.:yawn: