Diary of an Ordinary Van

[Altransit]

Well, both of my readers asked.

With nearly 2,500 views, I think there's more than just a couple of us viewing this thread

Agreed, you're quite lucky really. as your thread is "read by many, and commented on by few"

Keep it up vee4, this is a great read

[MrMPuk]

Careful, you don't want too many comments. Don't want this one going the same way as APSDS' thread.

[ake]

Careful, you don't want too many comments. Don't want this one going the same way as APSDS' thread.

[Vee4]

It's reassuring to know that some members are reading the Diary. I had contemplated trying to boost circulation by changing the title to 'Van Ordinaire du Jour' after recent media reports about another blog with a French title being made into a book and a TV series. I'm told it was the diary of a high class hooker but I must say I'm surprised that the training schedule of a rugby football player could attract so much attention.

[Vee4]

Back to more serious matters: I had been planning to post this for a while, in case it is useful to other members.

After much consideration, and advice from members, I decided to buy a TomTom for the Ordinary Van, instead of ordering the factory option. I bought it before the OV arrived:

Link to satnav thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=42067&start=0

I needed a bracket to use the TomTom in the Mk5 and I had my eye on the document clip which I never used for documents. I made a baseplate of 1.2mm (18swg) aluminium sheet, 8" by 4" (200 by 100mm) and fixed one of the commercially available self-adhesive dash mounting discs in the centre, flush with the front edge. I found that the slightly 'brushed' finish of the sheet would not hold the suction base of the basic TomTom holder in the long term. The remainder of the sheet was sprayed matt black to prevent glare and screen reflections. Self-adhesive foam strips were affixed along the edges to provide some friction and prevent sliding.

Metric to SWG conversion: http://www.simetric.co.uk/sigauge.htm

The result was quite satisfactory, putting the TomTom just to the side of the driver's field of vision and at a similar distance to the other instruments, avoiding the need to refocus. It was within easy reach for setting up. The wrist could be rested on top of the dash to steady the hand and minimise keying errors. The power cable dropped straight down to the 'cigar lighter' socket below, after looping round the back of the document clip.

TomTom holder in the Mk5:


The holder transferred directly to the OV as shown below. It enjoys the same advantages as above, and the power cable sneaks through into the compartment above the instrument panel where there is a convenient 12V socket.

The same holder in the Mk7:


There is another important advantage to this arrangement: the Ordinaryness is not compromised, i.e. no holes drilled, no fitting of extraOrdinary hardware, and easily removed without trace.

[madmark_50484]

How is the heated front screen now

I have been out to my car the past few days turn on the heated front and rear screens and they just melt the ice away just have to de ice the sides and mirrors

[Vee4]

How is the heated front screen now?

Hardest frost of the year this morning (-2°C) and it cleared within about 60 seconds, to the point where I could use the wipers. It was reasonably even across; the ice probably wasn't. The heated mirrors are an advantage over the MK5 (did I really say that?) which just had the heated screen.

[Vee4]

In the early hours, I found myself in Kent with snow all around. It seemed possible that the Ordinary Van would be called upon to demonstrate its stability-enhancing features such as BTCS (Brake Traction Control System) and ABS. There were three or four inches of snow on the roads, fresh snow falling fast, and the salt not yet taking effect (where it had been applied). In fact, I'm not aware that either system activated. After driving the Mk5 and the Mk2 (100L, a rather unwieldy vehicle) before that, I'm used to driving gently in slippery conditions, but the OV handled itself impeccably.

Eventually, as I headed north, the snow eased off. Many others were not so lucky. No doubt there are more testing conditions to come.

Some lines from Rabbie Burns, 'A Winter Night' (1786):

Blow, blow, ye winds, with heavier gust!
And freeze, thou bitter-biting frost!
Descend, ye chilly, smothering snows!

If you read the complete poem, you will see that he is talking about more than the weather ...

http://www.robertburns.org/works/144.shtml

Some other BTCS threads: search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=btcs
More about Robert Burns, Scotland's national bard: http://www.bbc.co.uk/robertburns/biography/

[Vee4]

Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Update

Readers will recall that the LEZ threat was on the list of factors leading to my purchase of the Ordinary Van:

viewtopic.php?p=456579#p456579

Questions from other members led me to check the latest news, and it's not good for those wanting to keep their Mk5 or earlier Transits:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/2526.aspx
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... d-taxis.do

The extension of the LEZ scope to include Transit-sized vans was scheduled for 2010, was then postponed 'indefinitely' and now is scheduled for 2012.

[ake]

I do like you Tom Tom mount, I just stick mine to the bottom right of the windscreen.

Isn't the MK7 Quickclear a huge improvement on the MK5 one

My early MK7 Transit doesn't have BTCS or ESP, but I've never had any problems in the snow, although my van is always laden, which I think helps

[winterheating]

I do like you Tom Tom mount, I just stick mine to the bottom right of the windscreen.

Isn't the MK7 Quickclear a huge improvement on the MK5 one

My early MK7 Transit doesn't have BTCS or ESP, but I've never had any problems in the snow, although my van is always laden, which I think helps

do the mk6 have both i rember a few years ago the mk6's i'd drove always flashed a light when wheel spinning or hard braking
my 100ps mk6 has the traction button and ABS fitted, but light never comes on, i can hear the ABS firing when skidding and recently in the snow it seems to fire the brakes on to stop a spinning wheel, but still no lights.
also with button pressed so its off (light on) wheelspins same as when off

[MrMPuk]

my 100ps mk6 has the traction button and ABS fitted, but light never comes on, i can hear the ABS firing when skidding and recently in the snow it seems to fire the brakes on to stop a spinning wheel, but still no lights.
also with button pressed so its off (light on) wheelspins same as when off

That sounds exactly the same as mine.

[ake]

Some of our newer MK7's do have it and the light flashes any time the wheels try to break traction, but even if you switch it off it still cuts in

[winterheating]

Some of our newer MK7's do have it and the light flashes any time the wheels try to break traction, but even if you switch it off it still cuts in

yeah thats how other vans ive drove have worked, just pressing the button seems to give you more to play with before it kicks in.

looks like mine has a problem then.

[winterheating]

my 100ps mk6 has the traction button and ABS fitted, but light never comes on, i can hear the ABS firing when skidding and recently in the snow it seems to fire the brakes on to stop a spinning wheel, but still no lights.
also with button pressed so its off (light on) wheelspins same as when off

That sounds exactly the same as mine.

would of thought your tdci will often become twitchy at the front even driving steady does it