Saabfan's Blog

The London to Hastings is only a month away

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

The first London to Hastings bike ride in aid of the British Heart Foundation is only a month away.

I got the bug for events like these after completing the London to Brighton on 20th June. Three days later I signed up for the London to Hastings.

This event is slightly longer than the London to Brighton - 61 miles vs 54 miles. There is also 50% more hills. I'm already a faster and stronger rider than I was back in June and can't wait for the event.

The ride starts at Crystal Palace at 8am (although you can start later) and goes through Knockholt, Tunbridge Wells and Wadhurst finishing at Grosvenor Gardens in Hastings.

Just like the London to Brighton, this ride is supporting the British Heart Foundation. I'd encourage everyone to put their hands in their pocket and donate something to this great cause and show your support for me doing this ride. This will be my longest ride so far. Even if you can only spare a couple of quid, it will make a big difference. This charity means a lot to me.

London to Brighton bike ride preparation

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:24:00 +0000

As some of you will know, I'm taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride on Sunday 20th June, one year earlier than planned.

As I only found out I was taking part last Friday, I haven't got long to plan for it. OK, it's not a completely daunting task but it is my longest ride yet, by far. I want to make sure I'm prepared. I have a fuelling strategy from my triathlete colleague and now have SPDs and slicks to help me.

Although my bike is running well in most gears, I'm not totally happy with doing the ride with it not being perfect. After phoning several local bike shops I found one that can look at the bike before the weekend. Result.

My day will start at 4.30am with the ride starting at 8am. I have compiled a list of things to take on the day. Any feedback welcome.

London to Brighton Checklist

Bike
Heart rate monitor
Heart rate strap
Starting Pack
Pump
Puncture repair patches (in pump)
Tyre levers
Sun cream
Hand wipes
Drinks bottle x 2
Hydration bladder (filled)
Energy sweets
Energy gels x 3
Energy bars x 4
Energy drinks x 4
Recovery drink x 1
Lock
Sun glasses
Waterproof jacket
High-viz jacket
Multi-tool
Helmet
Gloves
Saddle Pack
SPD Shoes
Spare socks
Phone
Emergency charger
Car charger (to charge the phone on the way)
AA Batteries

For those of you interested in the route, I've plotted it on RideWithGPS.com

If anyone wants to track my progress on the day they can courtesy of Google Latitude.

Just a final note about sponsorship. The ride is in aid of the British Heart Foundation. A charity devoted to the biggest killer in the UK - heart disease. My dad died from heart disease at the age of 55 so this ride is important to me. Please dig deep and sponsor me if you can at http://bit.ly/bD5eUb

My New Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:54:00 +0000

I've not posted anything on here for a while because I've been busy with my new toy.

At the beginning of March I ordered an new bike through my employer's cycle to work scheme. I've got myself a Specialized P1 All Mountain.

I've not ridden a bike since I was 17. As a non-cyclist I found it hard to ride any distance at first. I’m now riding up to 15 miles in a day and a minimum of 50 miles a week. I’ve also lost over a stone in weight. Without the Cycle to Work Scheme I doubt I would of got the kick up the arse I needed.

I have big plans for cycling but at the moment I'm taking it one step at a time.

Below are details of my mileage so far.

Commuting 92.40 miles
Recretational 81.25 miles
Total 173.65 miles

Average Speed 7.35 mph

Top 10 Dunking Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:57:00 +0000

What's The Best Biscuit for Dunking?

During February me and my colleagues challenged ourselves to find the best dunking biscuits. Here's the results:

1	Chocolate Hob Nob (25 Sec's)
2	Caramel Digestive (20 Sec's)
3	Hob Nob (20 Sec's)
4	Oreo Cookie (17 Sec's)
5	Plain Chocolate Digestive (17 Sec's)
6	Jammie Dodger (13 Sec's)
7	The Ginger Nut (12 Sec's)
8	Chocolate Chip Cookie (9 Sec's)
9	Chocolate Bourbon (7 Sec's)
10	Custard Cream (6 Sec's)

Other Biscuits Tested

Malted Milk (3 sec's) Rich Tea (4 Sec's) Shortcake (6 Sec's)

Special Mention Biscuits (Biscuits that are not typical dunking biscuits)

The Shortbread Finger (1 min 40 Sec's) Jaffa Cake (4 Sec's) The Pink Wafer (1 Min)

Embrace Life - always wear your seat belt

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:46:00 +0000

www.embracethis.co.uk

Saab 9-5 EuroNCAP Crash Test

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:49:00 +0000

The 2010 Saab 9-5 looks to go into production soon so it's great to see that it's the latest vehicle from the Swedish manufacturer to attain the coveted 5star maximum for safety.

Spyker Buys Saab

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:44:00 +0000

ZEEWOLDE, The Netherlands (26 January, 2010) - General Motors Company and Spyker Cars N.V, today confirmed the details of a binding agreement over the transfer of ownership of Saab Automobile AB of Trollhättan, Sweden. The transaction is expected to close in February and Saab Automobile will exit the orderly wind down process in line with that timetable.

The transaction will be accomplished as follows:
Spyker acquires from Saab Automobile Investering AB, a subsidiary of General Motors ("GM"), all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Saab Automobile A.B. ("Saab") for a consideration of USD 74 million ("Purchase Price").

The Purchase Price will be paid in two instalments. The first instalment of USD 50 million will be paid on the date of completion of the transaction, expected to take place on or before February 15, 2010 ("the Closing"). The second instalment of USD 24 million will be paid on July 15, 2010.

The Share Purchase Agreement is subject to the execution of a EUR 400 million loan agreement between Saab and the European Investment Bank ("EIB"), guaranteed by the Swedish Government. Today, the Swedish government announced approval of this guarantee. The guarantee is subject to approval by the European Commission, which is expected shortly.

Upon completion of the transaction GM will retain redeemable preference shares of USD 326 million. The preference shares represent less than 1% of the voting rights in the capital of Saab. The mandatory redemption date is 31 December 2016 and Saab has the right to request voluntary redemption at any time prior to this date. The preference shares carry a dividend entitlement of 6% starting from January 2012, increasing to 12% as from July 1, 2014. The dividend over 2012 will be added to the principal, but as from January 1, 2013 the dividend is payable in cash. Should Saab have insufficient distributable reserves to pay the cash dividend it will be added to principal increased with a penalty factor.

In order to allow Saab to operate on a stand-alone basis outside GM, Saab and GM will enter into a number of ancillary agreements. As part of the transaction, Spyker intends to negotiate the acquisition of all the outstanding shares in Saab Great Britain Limited, the UK distribution, marketing and sales company for Saab from General Motors UK Limited.

Spyker will issue a corporate guarantee not exceeding USD 10 million for Saab's obligations to and for the benefit of the financing company GMAC.

Spyker will as soon as practically possible convene a general meeting of shareholders to approve the transaction. Spyker obtained irrevocable voting undertakings to vote in favour of the transaction representing the voting majority of its current shareholders.

It is the intention to change the name of Spyker Cars N.V. at that general meeting of shareholders to Saab Spyker Automobiles N.V.

As back-up financing, Spyker entered into a EUR 150 million Equity Credit Line Facility with GEM Global Yield Fund Limited ("GEM") for a term of 3 years. According to this facility, Spyker may issue shares to GEM at 90 per cent of the volume weighted average price of the shares over a period of 15 trading days following a draw down notice sent to GEM by Spyker. In relation to the GEM facility, Spyker has issued to GEM share warrants in respect of 1,570,000 ordinary shares at an exercise price of EUR 4 per ordinary share. The warrants have a 5 year term.

The object of acquisition

In spite of media reports that certain parts have already been sold off, the object is Saab as a complete entity and going concern with all IP rights, trademarks, facilities and other
infrastructures. The sale of pre 2003 Saab 9-3 and current Saab 9-5 technology to BAIC in December 2009 did not result in any part of Saab's business being divested or devalued. On the contrary, Saab has already started the production of the new generation Saab 9-5 in Trollhättan.

Both Saab management and Saab GB management prepared an estimated balance sheet as at 31 December 2009 for the purpose of this transaction. These estimated balance sheets are still subject to final account closing and audit procedures.

Spyker Cars does not yet have a balance sheet as at 31 December 2009 ready for reporting purposes. As such, it would be premature to show a pro-forma combined balance sheet for Spyker, Saab and Saab GB as at 31 December 2009.

Therefore Spyker only disclose an indicative combined balance sheet of Saab and Saab GB as at Closing date based on the estimated balance sheets for both entities as at 31 December 2009, adjusted for the impact of the transaction items as at Closing date.

It should be noted that the indicative closing balance sheet is based on the latest estimated balance sheets of both entities by Saab and Saab GB management which are subject to final closing and audit procedures and therefore subject to change, and does not reflect any potential fair value or purchase price allocation adjustments. The indicative closing balance sheet should therefore not be considered as the actual closing balance sheet, but only as an indication for the assets and liabilities to be acquired at closing date.

Saab's and Saab GB's combined revenue amounted to some EUR 1.0 billion in 2009 (2008: EUR 1.6 billion). Earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation amounted to EUR 0.4 billion negative in 2009 (2008: EUR 0.3 billion negative). In 2009 Saab sold 39.903 cars and produced 20.791 cars versus selling 94.751 cars in 2008 and producing 89.086 cars.

RESTRUCTURING AND MANAGEMENT BUY-OUT

As from Closing of the Saab acquisition, the ownership structure of Spyker will change as follows:

Tenaci Capital B.V. ("Tenaci"), a company wholly owned by Mr. V.R. Muller has made a successful bid on Mr. V. Antonov's current shareholding in Spyker consisting of 4.6 million ordinary shares. As agreed in 2007, when Mr V. Antonov acquired his shares in Spyker, Mr. V. Antonov will cause the transfer of the priority share to Spyker if and when he would dispose of his shareholding. A resolution to cancel the priority share will be proposed at the upcoming EGM.

Messrs. N. Stancikas, M. Bondars and Mr. V. Antonov will retire as members of Spyker's Supervisory Board effective as per the date of Closing.

Tenaci will grant to Spyker two loans. One for an amount of USD 25 million towards payment of part of the Purchase Price for Saab upon completion of the transaction. A second loan for an amount of EUR 57 million for repayment of all of Spyker's current outstanding loans to banks and other financial institutions controlled directly, or indirectly by Mr. V. Antonov. This loan mirrors the existing terms (including the lender's right to convert EUR 9.5 million into ordinary shares at a conversion price of EUR 4.00 per share).

The sale will be subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory, governmental and court approvals. Other terms and conditions specific to the sale are not being disclosed at this time.

Victor R. Muller, Spyker's CEO, stated: "We are very much looking forward to being part of the next chapter in Saab's illustrious history. Saab is an iconic brand that we are honoured to shepherd. We are delighted to have secured the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of loyal Saab employees, suppliers and dealers and to have given reassurance to the 1.5 million Saab drivers and enthusiasts around the world. It was breathtaking to see so much support from the global Saab community over the last months which not only shows the strength of the brand but also helped us in our relentless determination to get the deal done."

"Spyker Cars will provide Saab with the backing required to compete as a competitive global brand along with an entrepreneurial leadership team sensitive to the uniqueness, heritage and individuality of the Saab brand. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Vladimir Antonov for his formidable support during the past two years. His contribution has allowed Spyker to get to the point that this transaction was made possible. I also want to extend my gratitude to Messrs. Stancikas and Bondars as Members of the Supervisory Board. They have made very valuable contributions to our company during their respective terms."

"Finally I would like to thank the Swedish Government for its constant support for our efforts culminating in granting the Guarantee in favour of the European Investment Bank today for an EUR 400 Million loan to Saab which we hope to secure in the coming weeks."

Jan Åke Jonsson, CEO of Saab Automobile AB said: "It has been a challenging 15 months for Saab but our global organization has shown a fighting spirit that will serve us well going forward. The agreement with Spyker Cars has secured Saab's future and will enable us to maximize the brand's potential through an exciting new product line-up with a distinctly Saab character."

"Today's news is great for Saab's customers, dealers, suppliers and employees around the globe. The level of passion and support shown to Saab over recent months has been remarkable and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those people who continued to believe that Saab deserved a future. Now we aim to get back to the execution of our business plan and with the continued support of our employees and business partners I am confident we will succeed."

Nick Reilly, President GM Europe, added: "As a responsible corporate citizen in Europe, and throughout the entire period, GM has always had the hope to find a positive solution for Saab that would avoid a wind-down of the brand. We have worked very hard with many parties, including governments and investors, and I'm very pleased that we could come to such a positive conclusion that preserves jobs in Sweden and elsewhere. GM will continue to support Saab and Spyker Cars on their way forward."

Playstation Network looking to better Xbox Live?

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:30:00 +0000

I recently took part in a survey from Sony on the future developments of their Playstation Network (PSN).

They are looking at possible subscription models, trying to gauge what services users might want, and how much they are prepared to pay. With potential costs aside, some of the suggested features are actually quite good. Take a look below at what Sony might offer in future.

Customer Service Priority Access
Priority access to PlayStation's customer service both online and via phone should you need technical help or have questions about your products. This feature gives you support with little to no waiting.

Exclusive Experiences with Sony Brands
Get member-only access to attend exclusive Sony events and experiences throughout the year, including those offered by PlayStation, Sony Pictures, and Sony Music.

Extended Console Warranty 3 Years
Get your PS3 warranty extended to 3 years as part of your overall subscription (requires you to keep your subscription active). The standard warranty on your PS3 is 1 year.

Access to Beta Games
Get access to Betas of popular games not yet released at retail (Betas offer bigger experiences than typical game demos). You will have the ability to play these games before others do.

Early Access to Store Game Demos
Get member-exclusive early access to PlayStation Store game demos. You will have the ability to play these game demos before others do.

Early Access to All Store Content
Get early access to select free and purchasable game related content on the PlayStation Store before it's available to everyone else. This includes games, add-ons, themes, avatars, as well as free game demos.

Member Demo Sharing of Full Game
Share a level of a game that you just purchased for your PS3 with a subscriber who doesn't own the game. Your friends could do the same. This would be an exclusive demo not available otherwise to those who haven't purchased the game.

Cross-game Voice Chat Access
Get exclusive member-only access to cross-game voice chat. This is the ability to use your headset to voice chat with friends on your PS3 regardless of what they are doing on the PS3.

Full Title Trial - 1st Hour Is Free
Download full versions of select Blu-ray and PSN game titles and have the chance to play the entire game (single or multiplayer) for free for the first hour. After that time you will have the option of purchasing the game to continue playing.

Token Wagering
Get a fixed number of tokens per month you can wager with other players in competitive online games. These tokens could then be built up and redeemed for free PlayStation Network games and other content.

User-to-user Challenges
Unlock developer-created challenges while playing games. Compete with your friends to see who can be the first to complete these challenges. The PS3 will automatically offer and track challenges and winners and would post results. An example of a challenge is 'first to get 10 trophies' in a particular game.

Free Access to PSOne Classics, PSP Minis, and PS3/PSP Themes
Get a fixed number of PSOne Classic games, PSP Minis (bite-sized games), and PS3/PSP themes per month to keep for free for as long as you are a subscriber. The PlayStation Store offers these types of content for £1.25-3.70 each.

Discounts on Store Content
Get weekly member-exclusive discounts on specific games, game add-ons and themes on the PlayStation Store. Discounts may range from 20-50% off regular retail prices.

Member Only In-game Content
Get exclusive member-only in-game content for your PS3 or PSP such as new game play options, unlocked in-game weapons or player slots, exclusive levels, costumes/skins, and PlayStation Home spaces.

Trophy Alerts
Get automated alerts on your PlayStation XrossMedia Bar, PlayStation.co.uk, and via text message (if you so choose) that alert you when your friends get any trophy or a specific one. This feature is customisable - you can choose which friends to receive alerts from and what kinds of alerts.

Cloud Storage Space for Games
Store your game saves on a virtual secure saver. This would allow you to access your game saves at any point in time, and from any PlayStation 3 or PSP console you are logged in on.

Online Music Service
Get a streaming music service that allows you to choose your channel based on music style, artist type, etc. and listen to an unlimited number of tracks. This service would be for use outside of playing a game and similar to Pandora or a Last.fm.

Automatic Downloads and Updates
Customise the types of updates you want your PS3 to download automatically. These include game updates (patches) for games that you own, firmware updates, and game demos downloaded on your PS3 without manually having to select them and wait for them to finish downloading. Your PS3 can be set to automatically turn on for updates and turn off after completion.

Loyalty Programme Rewards
Get rewards the longer you are a subscriber and also earn rewards by engaging with PlayStation such as buying games, downloading films, and rating products. Rewards can include full versions of PlayStation Network games and digital movie rentals from the PlayStation Store.

Facebook Connectivity
Access to member-exclusive Facebook features on your PlayStation 3, such as viewing and linking your Facebook accounts with their PSN ID's, updating your status, editing, uploading and sharing photos, and viewing photo albums of your friends on your TV.

Catch-up TV
Get access to popular TV programmes and films through service providers such as Hulu, simply by clicking an icon on your PS3 XrossMedia navigation bar.

Online Video Subscription Service
Access a video streaming service on your PS3 without the need to insert a special disc into the drive each time to access the service. A separate subscription would also be needed with the third party streaming service provider to enjoy the service. Enjoy thousands of popular films and TV programmes for streaming on your PS3.

Playstation Network Portable ID

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:51:00 +0000

In anticipation of getting my PS3 back tomorrow, after suffering from the Yellow Light of Death, I've updated my PSN account and created a Portable ID.

Find Road & Map Errors On Google Maps?

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:01:00 +0000

I was discussing the unusual naming of some streets near where I live with a colleague and decided to bring up Google Maps find them. I noticed that Google Maps had some of the street names missing and some where incorrect. So, I thought I'd do my bit and report them. I thought this was going to be a difficult task, but surprisingly it was fairly easy. Google use TeleAtlas and Navteq for their mapping data and because of this, you can report the issues directly to them. To find out which one to report it to, just look for their company name in the bottom right-hand corner of the Google's maps.

Find Road & Map Errors On Google Maps? How To Report Them

Save Saab - Owners Convoy on 17th Jan 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Details at a glance:

Participants list: Click here to add your name

 Individual Saab owners from various areas meet at :

From Midlands, Northern areas -  8.30am-9.00am M1 Jct 15a - Northampton Services (Rotherthorpe)
From London, Kent and Essex areas -  9.00am-9.30am M25 Jct 23 - South Mimms Services
From West, South-West areas -  8.00am-8.30am M4 between Jct 12 and 11 - Reading Services
Proceed to Luton via M1, Jct 10
10.00 - 11.00 - Meeting of Saab owner convoys CAR PARKING and line up of cars at Stockwood Park, Discovery Centre London Road LU1 4LX Luton
11.00 - 12.00 - Time for meet and greet, Car Show, photo shoots, etc.
12.00 - > - Depart of Cavalcade for Drive by to the Saab UK Headquarters,  Griffin House Osborne Road Luton Bedfordshire, LU1 3YT
Proceed via A505 to Imperial War Museum, Duxford
13.00 onwards - Arrival at Duxford Museum and line-up of 50 cars
Best examples of 62 years Saab car history in front of Wing Co Joe's Café
Raffle of Saab memorabilia

------

The Worldwide community of Saab owners is not only following the news concerning the proceedings of the negotiations of GM with prospect buyers of Saab, but is trying to have their voice heard as well!

Where, with the sale of other parts of GM operating companies, the main concerns were about employment of the local staff, in the case of Saab the loyal fans and proud owners of cars of this iconic marque want to keep this unique Brand alive.

Of course, we also want to support the thousands of people who work in this business in Sweden and the UK.

Throughout more than 60 years of the existence of Saab cars, the dedicated engineers in Sweden have developed many technical innovative solutions, benchmarking the industry and leading the way in safety and fuel efficient technology.

We don't want to see this legacy split up, the teams of dedicated engineers being torn apart and State of the Art production lines being dismantled and sold as scrap!
Our fear is that GM Is reluctant to sell Saab as a functioning entity for fear of creating a possible future competitor.

In our opinion this risk is non-existent as Saab owners are a species in their own right. Saab used to build unique cars, appealing to it's own group of admirers.
Cars with character, stubborn and firm. Cars for people who enjoy the driving experience, not floating smoothly suspended over a US highway, but to be out there on the twisty narrow European roads, with fog and rain and snow and ice.

Unfortunately GM appear not to be aware that it was it's specific character that made Saab such an appealing car. This large car manufacturer tried to re-brand it as a more luxurious brand, for middle class, middle of the road clients in an attempt to pump up the production volumes. This did not work out.

Like good food and wine, smaller production volumes can give the best quality because of the attention, quality control and specific taste. Something that you love or hate, but not a product you swallow without giving it a second thought.

Despite the cool Scandinavian image of the brand, Saab drivers are passionate and emotional about their brand. Don't let it die, but give it back to the people who love and will care for it, and who like to drink their Aquavit without Coke.

To further improve the awareness of our Appeal, the worldwide Saab community is organising Save Our Saab Support Convoys on 17th January 2010 in many countries.

The UK Convoy will head for the Saab UK headquarters in Luton, from where a cavalcade will commence to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford as a tribute to the aerospace legacy of Saab.

We kindly ask the Media to give as much coverage as possible to this subject to prevent the silent dismantling and death of a unique brand that has already given so much regarding safety and technical innovation to the car industry and can continue to give us so much more!

You can contact us via email:
josephine.gatsonides@laposte.net
07738470117

More information can be found on:
http://www.saabsunited.com/
http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/
http://www.rescue-saab.com/en/index.html

NEWS // SCHUMACHER BEGINS THREE DAY GP2 TEST

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:09:00 +0000

NEWS // SCHUMACHER BEGINS THREE DAY GP2 TEST, originally uploaded by ColdTrackDays.com.

And you think the snow is bad?

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:00:00 +0000

People are complaining about the havoc caused by snow across Britain but it could be worse. Have a thought for those living next to Lake Geneva in Switzerland in 2005.

The 26th of January 2005 it was a day that will not be forgotten by the swiss people who live on the shore of Lake Geneva. A rare conjunction of intense cold (-8 to -12 degrees Centigrade), very strong winds, blowing at over 110 kmh and the waves getting so high that the spray of droplets immediately froze as soon as they touched anything! The result was a world covered by ice.

Powered by Mercedes-Benz Live 09

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:07:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to get tickets for a special event at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands in Surrey - Powered by Mercedes-Benz Live 09.

An amazing line up of drivers and cars appeared in an environment where fans were able to get within reach of their heroes. Thousands of autographs were signed and a truly memorable day was had by visitors and stars alike. 2008 Formula 1™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton and his team mate Heikki Kovalainen showed their supreme driving talents with a series of hot laps, and in Lewis’s case, “no-handed” doughnuts in his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 race car.

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit and Brawn GP test driver Anthony Davidson demonstrated this year’s championship-winning Brawn GP car in its first public outing since the team won both of this season’s F1 world championships; and the thundering V8 C-Classes from the German Touring Car DTM Championship thrilled the crowds with British drivers Paul Di Resta and Jamie Green behind the wheel. Rounding off the action were displays from Alexander Sims in his F3 Euro Series car and the Mercedes-Benz World Silver Arrows Display Team.

TV commentator Steve Rider interviewed all drivers on the stage including Brawn GP Team Principal Ross Brawn, who give a fascinating insight into his team’s remarkable debut winning season. Formula 1™ legends David Coulthard and double world champion Mika Häkkinen also met fans of all ages throughout the day with interviews, autograph sessions and driving parades.

Created with flickr slideshow.

(extracts from honestjohn.co.uk)

Meguiar's - The Art of Detailing

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:15:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of being able to attend a Detailing Day at Meguiar's in Daventry. Meguiar's have over 100 years experience in creating quality waxes and polishes. They are market leaders in car care products and have a product for everything.

One lucky Saab owner had their car worked on. The results can be seen at the end of this post. There was plenty of car cleaning theory and a practical demonstration on restoring a cars paint finish.

This is what we learned.

Secrets of the Pros
Professionals understand the critical value of each of the following appearance care steps:

1. WASHING
Removing loose contaminants on the top of your car's paint surfaces.

2. CLEANING
Removing bonded and embedded contaminants, blemishes and oxidation that washing cannot remove.

3. POLISHING (Not waxing)
This is the key step for restoring rich, vibrant paint colour with sparkling, swirl-free high gloss. BEWARE: Not all products labelled "polish" are truly pure polishes. Some are abrasive and some are waxes. Meguiar's polishes are pure polishes.

4. PROTECTING
Applying a barrier coat of tough waxes, silicones, resins and/or polymers on top of the paint finish to repel contamination and oxidation.

5. MAINTAINING
Removing the daily accumulation of surface contaminants (i.e. fallout, diesel exhaust, overspray, hard water spots, tree sap, bird droppings) the instant they are discovered, before they have time to bond or etch into the paint finish. Meguiar's Quik Detailer A3316 quickly removes fresh contaminants on the spot without scratching your paint finish. Carry it in your car for ready use. (Maintaining has become the most important step for keeping a sharp car looking sharp all the time.)

Paint Surface Evaluation Test
Wash and dry both your car and your hands. Now run your finger- tips across the paint surfaces, which should feel as smooth as glass. If not, you are feeling bonded contaminants That can be safely and quickly removed using our Quick Clay Detailing System G1116 and Oxidation be removed with a mild, clear coat safe, abrasive cleaner like Meguiar's Clear Coat Body Scrub A1016 before applying polish or wax.

Removing scratches, swirl marks and blemishes
Meguair's have 3 new products for restoring your paint finish.

ScratchX 2.0
Meguiar’s introduces a new and improved formula for isolated scratch and scuff removal. This new formula, specially designed for hand application to quickly remove isolated scratches, fingernail marks, paint transfer and car park scuffs. Unique micro-abrasives correct these defects fast and are clear coat safe.

SwirlX
Spider webs, holograms, light towel mark swirls… Car guys tell us that eliminating them is their number one problem. In response we have developed SwirlX to easily remove minor swirls and light scratches from all paint finishes. SwirlX is clear coat safe and consumer friendly. SwirlX can be applied by hand or with our DA polisher and leaves a brilliant, swirl-free surface that maximises gloss and reflectivity.

Ultimate Compound
Meguiar’s has revolutionised rubbing and polishing compounds with Ultimate Compound. Our new abrasive technology quickly removes stubborn oxidisation, stains, bird droppings blemishes and other sub-surface defects while polishing the surface to a mirror finish. Whether working by hand or with our DA polisher, Ultimate Compound is the perfect choice to prepare your paint’s surface for your favourite Meguiar’s wax.

Protection Test
To determine if your paint has enough wax protection, wad a clean, dry towel and rub it against the TOP surfaces of your car after it has been washed and dried. If you hear squeaking, it needs to be waxed.

Important Car Washing Tips
Do not use dish-washing detergents or cheap car wash shampoos because they can strip off paint protection and accelerate oxidation. Only wash your car when it's cool and in the shade to avoid water spotting. Start at the top and work down. Soft water is best.

Tree Sap Mist
During Spring and Summer, trees release tree sap mist. Unlike droplets of sap, tree sap mist can travel for long distances before landing on parked cars or cars passing by. It's impossible to avoid, yet easy to remove when it first lands, by maintaining with Quik Detailer. Hardened deposits of tree sap are best removed with the Quick Clay Detailing System.

Tyre Care Tips
Avoid ordinary silicone emulsion protectants that cover surface contamination with a shiny synthetic coating. These cause tyre discolouration and decay. Clean your tyres while you dress them with a complex formula like Meguiar's Endurance Protectant that cleans, beautifies and protects in one easy step, leaving tyres looking like new, and free of that "plastic" look.

Wheel Care Tips
Most wheels now come with clear coat finishes that require special care. Do not use abrasives or scouring pads on these wheels. One of the safest, most effective wheel cleaners is Meguiar's Hot Rims. It contains no acid, toxins or abrasives yet effectively removes stubborn road grime and brake dust and leaves the surface bright and shiny. It is the product recommended by BBS, the world- renowned wheel maker.

Interior Care
Common silicone emulsion protectants cover over surface contamination, create glare on the dashboard, and leave seats and steering wheels dangerously slippery. Use non-silicone vinyl cleaners and one step cleaner conditioners such as Meguiar's Natural Shine G4116. Only use specialised leather care products (like Gold Class Leather Cleaner & Conditioner G7214) on leather surfaces. Use safe, specialised cleaners such as Meguiar's Carpet & Interior Cleaner G9416 on carpets and fabric upholstery.

Clear Plastic & Window tinting
Maintaining clear plastics and window tinting is a delicate matter. These materials can easily scratch and lose their original clarity. We highly recommend the use of PlastRX G12310 to safely remove surface contaminants and gently restore optical clarity. Use it on window tinting, convertible rear windows, instrument panel lenses, helmet face shields, sun glasses and hundreds of other clear plastic surfaces.

Special Detailing Tips
Use 100% cotton terry cloth towelling on your paint finish. The nap protects the finish from particles caught between the surface and the towel. Synthetic blends may scratch your surface. If your polishing cloth pulls colour your finish is probably not a clear coat. Avoid turning your application cloth over to its other side to apply a different product, because some ingredients may penetrate through and change the chemical balance of the product. Avoid putting pressure on tops of ridges where your car's paint is the thinnest. Use Meguiar's Quik Detailer and a soft 100 % cotton terry towel cloth to remove wax residue from emblems, lettering, etc.

Get Expert Answers to Your Surface Care Questions E-mail info@meguiars.co.uk

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Goodwood Breakfast Club - 4th October 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

I went to the Goodwood Breakfast Club on 4th October. The theme was ‘Maserati Magnifica'. There were a decent number of Maseratis but sadly no MC12. There were lots of Ferrari's and a few Lamborghinis and Lancias. Enjoy the photos from the day.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Petrol Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:56:00 +0000

I've owned my current car for 4 years and 4 months. In that time I've made a note of how much I've spent on petrol every time I've filled up. I thought I would share this data with you. If you're wondering what the huge spike is in October 2006, well that's BP Ultimate 102 which cost me £2.42 per litre!

The average cost per litre over the 1,583 days is 97.1p.

Geek Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Saabfan's Geek Chart

Found this interesting site that charts your social networking use over the last 30 days. The chart is live so will update automatically. Currently there is no Facebook access.

Facts on Saab Cars Registered in the UK

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Using anony-mised DLVA data, GMAP Consulting have compiled detailed statistics on almost 250,000 Saabs currently registered in the UK.

Almost two-thirds of the 247,200 Saab cars registered in the UK belong to men, demonstrating a clear masculine bias. A further 13.19% are company car-owned and 17.82% are owned by women.

Saab vehicles account for 0.658% of the UK car parc and is ranked as the 25th most favoured brand by UK customers.The 9-3 is the most likely Saab to be seen on the roads, accounting for 58.05% of the marque’s registered cars. This is followed with Saab 9-5 with 20.95% and Saab 900 with 14.10%. All UK Saabs are classified as medium family cars (72.38%) or large family cars (26.98%). Yet only 28.03% have automatic transmission.

Birmingham leads the way as prime Saab territory with 5.2% of the vehicle parc: 12,791 cars have been registered there. Other hotspots, in order of share, are Reading, Leicester, Glasgow, Bristol, Guildford, Chester, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Sheffield. Together, they contain 20.54% of all UK Saabs.

More than a third are younger than four years old, including 13.83% under two years; 27.4% are more than 10 years old.Private plates are not regular fodder for Saab owners with just over a fifth (22.95%) choosing them to appear on vehicles.

The top two favoured colours are black (23.47%) and blue (22.88%) which together makes up 46.35% of all UK Saabs. Silver/aluminium (21.91%) and grey (13.41%) follow close behind.

At the other end of the scale, there are 12 pink and one multi-coloured Saab.

Original Source: SAAB Owners Club GB

Not long until my birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

It's my birthday on Nov 9th and I'm sure you'll want to buy me a present ;-).

If you're wanting to buy me a birthday, or early Christmas present but don't know what to get, I've compiled a wish list on Amazon specially for this ;-)

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Aids/HIV by numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:25:00 +0000

With news of a potential HIV vaccine being developed, it's interesting to see the devestation that HIV/AIDS causes.

The HIV virus which leads to Aids originally transferred to humans from chimpanzees from West Africa to become one of the biggest killers of modern times.

Every day, 6,000 people under the age of 25 are newly infected with HIV/AIDS.
Every hour, 40 children die of AIDS.

Globally, 33 million adults and children are living with HIV/AIDS.

An estimated 77,400 people were living with HIV in the UK at the end of 2007, of whom more than a quarter (28 per cent) were unaware of their infection.

There have been 25,171 diagnoses of AIDS in the UK to date.

At least 18,560 people diagnosed with HIV in the UK have died, and at least 80 per cent of those deaths followed an AIDS diagnosis.

A total of 2.1 million deaths were due to HIV/AIDS in 2007, including 330,000 children.

Over three-quarters of those deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa.

Only 31 per cent of people in need of Antiretroviral treatment in low and middle-income countries currently have access to it.

Only 33 per cent of HIV-positive pregnant women have access to the treatment they need to prevent transmission of the disease to their newborn children.

Source: Telegraph

Mercedes Benz World

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Yesterday I took my family to Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands in Surrey. It's free to get in and there is plenty to keep car enthusiasts entertained. Hope you enjoy my photos from the day.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Player

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:12:00 +0000

Goodwood Breakfast Club - 2nd August 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I went to the Goodwood Breakfast Club on 2nd August. The theme was ‘Soft top Sunday'.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Detox - Week 1 Update

noreply@blogger.com (Toby Field) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:20:00 +0000

Having done the Detox before for 4 weeks I thought it would be fairly easy. However, this first week has been more difficult than expected.

The tiredness has arrived quite early but the surprise this time round has been headaches. I've had light headaches after the first day and even though pain killers seem to work, the headaches come back later in the day. I'm not sure if they are attributable to the withdrawl of caffeine or just coincidence.

The other issue is drinking. Having tried water, fruit juice, squash etc., I'm getting a bit bored. I really miss diet coke and coffee!

I've had the chance to eat chips on many occasions but have resisted and even eaten less, rather than eat the chips.

Roll on the rest of the month!