Quote from tristancliffe :

Harder on the clutch, and much more likely to roll backwards as you transfer from footbrake to throttle. It also means that you have to have your brake lights on, dazzling those behind you.

Only morons leave their foot on the footbrake after they've come to a stop. No need. Ever.

So you don't like the sweet vibrating sensation caused by warped brake discs?

Not when I'm driving. Parked up on "lover's lane" it might be useful though

Quote from Becky Rose :

Hell, maybe even Jack will get his dad to take a photo and you can get some real car porn photos?

Now thats just nasty

Quote from tristancliffe :

much more likely to roll backwards as you transfer from footbrake to throttle.

only if youre a complete moron

Quote :

It also means that you have to have your brake lights on, dazzling those behind you.

oh please do you just go around trying to come up with the most stupid reasons why something isnt a good idea? this is alomst as daft as claiming electric vehicles are dangerous because people are too dumb to look down the road before they set a foot on it

if someone cant start from a hill without the handbrake is dazlled by brake lights and too much of an idiot to look down the road good riddance to him we dont need genes as bad as his

Quote from tristancliffe :

Only morons leave their foot on the footbrake after they've come to a stop. No need. Ever.

I'm pretty sure it's a good idea to leave your foot on the brake after you've come to a stop in an automatic transmission vehicle.

I don't see what is so wrong with using the foot brake instead of the handbrake in most situations in traffic. My cars handbrake slackened to the point it was ineffective of holding the car round junctions in Malvern (a rather hilly town), apart from slight increase in clutch wear from the change in driving style and the need to commit more to pulling away rather than arsing about burning the clutch out I don't see anything wrong with it, infact it would probably reduce clutch wear for a lot of people.

Quote from wheel4hummer :

I'm pretty sure it's a good idea to leave your foot on the brake after you've come to a stop in an automatic transmission vehicle.

since that means all americans leave their foot on the footbrake he might have a point

You never been dazzled (slightly) by brake lights permenantly on on the car in front? It's a common theme. Automatics have Park, Neutral and a handbrake, so you can stop on a hill without using brake lights in whatever car (although Mercedes are harder than most with their silly foot operated parking brake).

I don't always use the handbrake on hill starts, but sometimes it's easier, quicker and safer. Nevertheless we shouldn't be encouraging Jack to do that whilst he's having lessons - it'll cause him to fail the test!

Quote from tristancliffe :

You never been dazzled (slightly) by brake lights permenantly on on the car in front?

no but i usually look at the (pedestrian) lights and not at the brake lights of the car in front of me so they dont get a chance to dazzle me

that aside theres not much harm that could be done
i have yet to see brake lights bright enough to hurt my eyes and the 0.1 seconds of burn in and adjustment to lower light levels they might cause at night are spent at less than 5kmh

Quote from tristancliffe :

I don't always use the handbrake on hill starts, but sometimes it's easier, quicker and safer. Nevertheless we shouldn't be encouraging Jack to do that whilst he's having lessons - it'll cause him to fail the test!

Well how is a learner expected to take off on a hill then? Learners aren't exactly renowned for fancy pedal work

It's possible to pull away without the handbrake on a hill (i've done it before) but the "proper" way is to get to the biting point then drop the clutch and give it some power as you release the handbrake.

Finding my car is much much nicer to drive than the instructors Fiesta now though - my car has character

Sorry, I meant we shouldn't be encouraging Jack to NOT use the handbrake!

Shot - At night, with modern cars' brake lights shining at you, it's very easy to get the little blob of 'blindness' where you looked at it (even if just out of the corner of your eyes). I don't know the right word for it - obviously it's not actually a 'dazzle', nor 'blindness', but they can be effing bright with at least 60W shining at you from 3 feet away.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who hates brake lights left on from the car in front.

btw those automatic handbrakes are horrible
you release the clutch and step on the gas pedal... the car doesnt move and your automatic reaction is to immediately step on the brake and start over

Quote from Jakg :

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2599 - £2.40 (ordered) - tape adaptor. - THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT - MISSING!

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2029 - £3.78 - holder. - HERE. WORKS!

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.688 - £1.41 - Cigarette -> USB Power cable (Can charge the Mp3 player via USB). - HERE. WORKS!

Still waiting for the cassette adaptor, but everything else works. Haven't fitted it yet, though, as I won't be playing any music 'till I pass my test.

Amazingly the stuff I ordered on the 21st was dispatched on the 24th, and turned up at my door ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD on the 28th. 4 Days from China to here, 3 days for second class from the next town .

Never had service this quick from DX.

I like the ghetto MP3 player hookup, but I think I would like to buy a new stereo - I would like a CD player and a way of connecting a 3.5mm jack source to it, and thats about it.

Cheap please - what would fit? what do you recommend?

Quote from Jakg :

I like the ghetto MP3 player hookup, but I think I would like to buy a new stereo - I would like a CD player and a way of connecting a 3.5mm jack source to it, and thats about it.

Cheap please - what would fit? what do you recommend?

What do you want to spend? There are nice pioneer headunits for around 100 pounds, which have a jack on the front. Just get something basic if it doesn't matter that much for you, but don't get the super cheap stuff, it won't last.

About holding your foot on the brake, there are a lot of morons in the world, which will think you're moving and slam up your back. So I keep my brake lights on. I also don't want to take the effort of putting on my handbrake so I don't roll back. I hate people who need 5 seconds when the light goes green, they need to turn the handbrake off, put it back in gear and then go.

And I agree to the fact you (Tristan) apparently is trying hard to find stuff to nag about. You might race cars and have a lot of experience, but all I see is a road raging (you seem to fuzz about EVERYTHING) and you seem to think you are a driving god (those people are the most dangerous on the road really).

And a last thing: I NEVER use my handbrake for anything but park my car.

But Tristan is a driving god, I was watching his onboard videos and that spin on the straight whilst half a minute in the lead which wrecked his car, that was just amazing driving *ducks the filthy look*

The thing about driving safely isn't not making mistakes, it's about not having an accident when you or a car around you does make a mistake. It's something only experience and attitude teaches.

Anyway regarding the stereo, unless you are looking to spend mega bucks does it really matter? Just pop down a local shop tell them what you need and what you have to spend and walk out holding a shiney new stereo. You can achieve the same effect for less cash at the local pub too, although this route isn't recommended for legal reasons.

I don't quite understand the logic off discussing and debating everything online before doing it. A stereo is what i'd deem a trivial purchase unless you are one of those people who like to convert the rear seats into a subwoofer, like, if you where choosing to fill up your car with petrol would you post here and ask what brand to chose? And before we get to it, yes there is a difference in quality between HP baked beans and supermarket own brands...

Because I want the cheapest one that'll do the job - frankly it can't be worse than what I have now, and anything better will just be limited by the speakers...

Plus I don't have a CLUE what will and won't fit my car, and if I went in Halfords etc I feel i'd leave with a shitty stereo and with about £150 less in my wallet...

EDIT - Pics of what I have now (taken off t'interweb, admitedly):

That there is a 'Double-DIN' sized headunit.
There are aftermarket ones available, but most are single DIN (half the height of yours).
It looks like the connectors are the standard ISO type, so all is good there.

A normal headunit should fit without problems, you'd just be left with a hole.
There may be a facia adaptor plate available from Autoleads for about a tenner that will make a single DIN sized unit look factory fit (ish) though.

Is there nothing cool I could do with the other DIN slot? I mean could I perhaps get something like a ciggarette adaptor that goes in there to give me more power slots or something?

Are there any cheap double-head units?

Nah, you can get those to sit on TOP of the dashboard. You want a TV in the double-DIN slot, so you can plug a PS2 into it w0rd.

YO DAWG PUT A RADIO ON TOP OF YOUR RADIO SO YOU CAN LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE LISTENING TO MUSIC


sorry, don't have an image editor here :P

My car uses a 1.5din size unit as standard, so I got a single din unit and a fascia adapter which gives me a useful place to leave my cigs, lighter etc. I expect there's something similar available for your car.

Same here - my 1.5DIN radio was replaced with a single slot Roadstar (with a USB socket on the front! ) and a little cubby box, that is now perennially full of rubbish.

Quote from sgt.flippy :

get the super cheap stuff, it won't last.

so what you can buy 20 of them and still not be at the price of a decent one

more importantly find out what iso connector configuration your car uses those are usually a pain with most brands