Diary of an Ordinary Van

[ake]

Do what I did, keep your MK5 in your avater and put your new van in your signature

[Vee4]

Today's task: to organise the spares kit

It's been a long old day - started 0435hrs in the Mk7 and finished at 2315hrs in the Mk7. No better way to start and end the day.

What is needed to keep the van fully functional and looking as if someone cares for it? Here's a start, with more to follow:

1) Lamps not already included in the Mk5 kit

Amber-tinted turn signal (12V/21W)
Amber-tinted turn signal side repeater (12V/5W capless)
Upper-mid brake light (12V/16W capless)
Front fog lamp (H11)
Rear interior festoon lamps

2) Mirrors

LH mirror glass
LH mirror cowl
RH mirror glass
RH mirror cowl

3) Wheels (I prefer the Ordinary look)

Wheel nut caps
Hub covers

4) Fuses

5) Bodywork and Trim

Rubber buffer for left rear door striker

Additions:
18 May 2010

[Vee4]

Today's topic:

Hill Launch Assist or HLA

The other night, I was manoeuvring on a customer's driveway, on a slope, in the dark. It involved doing a three-point turn while trying to avoid a low roof and trees and trying not to drive on the flower beds - fairly typical, you might say. The HLA was fighting me while I was doing this. It certainly made me think about having it turned off completely.

It may be all well and good on a straightforward slope on a normal road, but in a confined space where you need to rock back and forth without changing gear, the HLA is a nuisance.

From the handbook, here's how it can be deactivated while in use:

a) apply parking brake
b) open any door (inc. cargo bay)
c) drive off uphill without re-applying the brake
d) wait for two or three seconds until the the HLA deactivates automatically
e) if the HLA is active in forward gear, select reverse gear
f) if the HLA is active in neutral, release the clutch pedal
g) if the HLA is active in reverse gear, select neutral

Have you memorised all that? There will be a test ...

Links:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37499&start=0&hilit=hill+launch+assist+hla
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33261&start=0&hilit=hill+launch+assist

[ake]

Mine doesn't have that and from what you say I am glad

[Vee4]

Mine doesn't have that and from what you say I am glad

That's the HLA. I'm not sure when it became standard. ESP (incorporating BTCS) was listed as an option in the August 2006 brochure. In the November 2008 brochure, ESP (incorporating HLA and BTCS) is listed as standard. The owner's handbook states, "Your dealer can permanently disable the HLA if required." The handbook also states that the automatic (anti-hijack) locking can be disabled, but on my van it was off and I had to have it enabled. I would expect all options to be enabled when delivered, unless specifically requested.

[Vee4]

Today, I took the Ordinary Van to the Ace Corner:

ACE CAFE SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2009 11AM-4PM

There were fewer members at this one than the meet in June, but that meant there was more chance to chat. There were some non-members too - apparently there was an announcement in one of the print magazines. Thanks again to petervanlee and Andyg for organising.

[ake]

Today, I took the Ordinary Van to the Ace Corner:

ACE CAFE SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2009 11AM-4PM

There were fewer members at this one than the meet in June, but that meant there was more chance to chat. There were some non-members too - apparently there was an announcement in one of the print magazines. Thanks again to petervanlee and Andyg for organising.

I take it the ordinary van is the Dark Blue one in Pollags pics

[Vee4]

I take it the ordinary van is the Dark Blue one in Pollags pics

Thats the one. It's called Blazer Blue this year, but it's similar to the Mk5 which was known as Ontario Blue. The Ordinary Van is still nice and shiny whereas the Mk5 was more of a matt finish after 12 years of weathering.

[Vee4]

On Sunday morning, I went out for a run (on foot, not in the Van) and there was one point where I emerged from a footpath onto the side of a country lane. As I paused for breath and a drink from the water bottle, a Mk7 (09 plate) similar to the Ordinary Van came down the lane. I was struck by how quiet it was - it seemed to glide past! That set me thinking about vehicle noise levels and how they are assessed. Even the new V5C Registration Certificate has a 'sound level' entry.

V5C 'Sound levels' for the Ordinary Van:

U.1 stationary (dB(A)) 87
U.2 engine speed (min-1) 2625
U.3 drive by (dB(A)) 73

I couldn't find any detailed explanation of the measurement criteria on the DVLA website, but this was on the Department for Transport website:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environ ... noisetest/

Check this website for a technical explanation and a slightly cynical take on the use of A-weighting:

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/TableOfSou ... Levels.htm

There may be more on this topic at a later date, once I find out how the V5C figures are derived.

[Vee4]

The pads on my Mk5 used to last over 50,000 miles, and I only remember one set of rear shoes in all the time I had it. In my (as yet) limited experience with the Mk7, I feel that I am using the brakes more because there seems to be much less 'engine braking' effect, although that may be because I haven't got used to the 6-speed box and TDCi engine. I had already been thinking to myself that the pads will not last as long as the Mk5.

Then mikeouk asked about the short life of his brake pads:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53061&start=0

[Vee4]

An extra Ordinary day. There was some light rain this evening, but not enough to see if there are any leaks ...

[Vee4]

The Ordinary Van has been busy and in some places with no access to the internet - hence the lack of Diary entries in recent days. Even this posting is being made on a dial-up connection!

There is plenty to report, but I'll just mention here the first opportunity to check the distance travelled on one full tank of fuel (80 litres capacity on the SWB/FWD Mk7):

The warning light came on after 640 miles, and the trip computer said 60 miles to empty. At 643 miles (no, I didn't want to find out if the 60 miles was accurate), 74 litres were needed to fill the tank again. That was with a mix of highway and city driving, and 42.1 was the highest MPG figure seen on the trip computer.

[Vee4]

A small investment but it worked out well: the 'Passenger side A-pillar grab handle' costs just GBP15 as a factory option. I will post a photo when I get a minute, in case it may be of interest to others. I carried an elderly passenger at the weekend and the handle was in just the right place to assist with access to the cab.

Photo added 30 October 2009:



Taken from the driver's position, you can see that it does cut in to the top right corner of the mirror but that's not normally where you're looking.

[MinorMatt]

643 miles and 74 litres works out to be 39.5mpg

Sounds pretty good to me! And it will get better as the engine frees up a bit

[Vee4]

It's been a tough couple of weeks and I've had trouble staying awake to write up the Diary! Serves me right for not having a proper job, I suppose. But then I probably wouldn't have the Ordinary Van ...

643 miles and 74 litres works out to be 39.5mpg

Thanks for doing the sums, MinorMatt. There will be more on this subject. I've set up a spreadsheet to accumulate data over a longer period. Members could also consider the site used by pollag, which does it for you:

http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/

Today's item of Transit Trivia:

I uncovered the Olyslager Ford Transit Motor Manual (No. 102) from 1971 that I used with my Mk1 (along with Haynes, of course). It has example prices and it shows that in October 1965, the V20 (17 cwt payload) cost GBP606. To translate that to 2009 prices, you could try this site:

http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

Ford's 'on the road price' for a basic T260S is GBP17,346.00 as of 01 July 2009:

http://www.ford.co.uk/Commercialvehicle ... andFinance

In case you've forgotten, it's 20 cwt (cwt = hundredweight, 112 pounds weight) to the Imperial ton.

17 cwt = 17x112x0.45359237 = 864 kg

This online conversion site will enable you to work that out in pennyweight or troy ounces:

http://www.sciencemadesimple.net/weight2.php