Old v New
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gucu
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Old v New
Good morning all
I wrote a post about the old v new debate. Can you comment and let me know what you think? What you would change please?
[url]https://gucu.org.uk/musings/the-60-year ... ern-fleet/[/url]
Thanks
Rich
I wrote a post about the old v new debate. Can you comment and let me know what you think? What you would change please?
[url]https://gucu.org.uk/musings/the-60-year ... ern-fleet/[/url]
Thanks
Rich
- Bill_qaz
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Re: Old v New
Nice artical, the only thing I would change is the cover picture. Maybe better background, lovely cornish scene and full car.
Constructive comment not criticism
Constructive comment not criticism
Regards Bill
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mrs.smith2012
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Re: Old v New
That was excellent, really well written. The picture is really nice but I do agree that a nice scenic pic would do the article justice too. The writing itself… no need to change a thing!
- svenedin
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Re: Old v New
Nicely done. The whole concept of the sustainable car has been going on for many many years and was often mentioned by Charles Ware. It is a great idea to keep this idea current as it is just as valid now as it was then.
Stephen
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
- geoberni
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Re: Old v New
Nice little piece, but as already mentioned, I'd put a more interesting header photo.
I'm with you, I find modern cars too tech heavy, some of it is appropriate to be 'Green' but much of it is simply vanity projects for the design team.
Only last night, I was driving home up the A1 in the Stamford area and was passed by some little white vehicle driving on the DRLs only.
No lighting at the rear.
I know it was only running on DRLs because I passed them minutes later just as they were turning off and the passenger side white light was alternating Amber as the Indicator, proving the bright lighting to the front was only the DRLs.
So large over bright DRLs and permanently lit Dash instruments = numpty driving without correct lights!!!
Designer Vanity!!
Stills from my Dashcam, which isn't the greatest quality at night. .
Clearly no headlights illuminating the road...
. .
Bright DRLs up front.... with Indicator.
Edited to correct my typos

I'm with you, I find modern cars too tech heavy, some of it is appropriate to be 'Green' but much of it is simply vanity projects for the design team.
Only last night, I was driving home up the A1 in the Stamford area and was passed by some little white vehicle driving on the DRLs only.
No lighting at the rear.
I know it was only running on DRLs because I passed them minutes later just as they were turning off and the passenger side white light was alternating Amber as the Indicator, proving the bright lighting to the front was only the DRLs.
So large over bright DRLs and permanently lit Dash instruments = numpty driving without correct lights!!!
Designer Vanity!!
Stills from my Dashcam, which isn't the greatest quality at night. .
Clearly no headlights illuminating the road...
. .
Bright DRLs up front.... with Indicator.
Edited to correct my typos
Last edited by geoberni on Tue Jan 13, 2026 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Basil the 1955 series II


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mike1864
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Re: Old v New
DLR = Daytime Lunning Rights?
Not to be confused with the Docklands Right Lailway!
Not to be confused with the Docklands Right Lailway!
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gucu
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Re: Old v New
Hi All
I changed the picture. This summer I'll grab some better ones! In the meantime what DLR actually means is...
Durability Leads to Rosie
Decades Lived: Rosie
Daily Life with Rosie
Driving Legend: Rosie
Dedicated Labour on Rosie
Dream Liner: Rosie
Definitely Loved Rosie
Distinctly Lovely Rosie
Thanks for all the comments.
Rich
I changed the picture. This summer I'll grab some better ones! In the meantime what DLR actually means is...
Durability Leads to Rosie
Decades Lived: Rosie
Daily Life with Rosie
Driving Legend: Rosie
Dedicated Labour on Rosie
Dream Liner: Rosie
Definitely Loved Rosie
Distinctly Lovely Rosie
Thanks for all the comments.
Rich
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gucu
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Re: Old v New
Sorry couldn't resist another post:
https://gucu.org.uk/musings/no-dlrs-all ... ying-ones/
https://gucu.org.uk/musings/no-dlrs-all ... ying-ones/
- svenedin
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Re: Old v New
I think Daylight Running Lights were an EU directive. In France it had been law for many years that headlights should be turned on when driving on motorways in foul weather even in the daytime. I assume, but do not know, that DLRs were thought to reduce accidents.gucu wrote: ↑Tue Jan 13, 2026 11:58 am Sorry couldn't resist another post:
https://gucu.org.uk/musings/no-dlrs-all ... ying-ones/
I used to drive at night in areas with lit streetlights on sidelights only as I felt it "saved" my sealed beam headlight filaments and they would last longer. I was an impoverished student back then and a sealed beam unit was expensive. Now I find the new Highway Code quite confusing. In para 113 it seems to be the same as the old Highway Code. You must use headlights at night except where there is lit street lighting. But then in para 115 you must use headlights in built up areas at night. Well these are the areas that will have lit streetlights.....It's irrelevant to me really as I would not just drive on sidelights these days and would have dipped headlights switched on anyway.
Also of note para 115 regarding handbrake and brake lights annoying drivers behind. This was mentioned on here recently but I forget exactly which post.
Stephen
113
You MUST
ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h), or 20mph (32km/h) in Wales, unless otherwise specified
use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226).
Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise).
Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25, (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched
114
You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders
use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226).
In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.
Law RVLR reg 27
115
You should also
use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen
keep your headlights dipped when overtaking until you are level with the other vehicle and then change to main beam if necessary, unless this would dazzle oncoming road users
slow down, and if necessary stop, if you are dazzled by oncoming headlights
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
- geoberni
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- geoberni
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Re: Old v New
All came about following research about the Scandinavians using headlights in daylight. Volvos always had lit headlights globally from the early 1980s.svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Jan 13, 2026 12:17 pmI think Daylight Running Lights were an EU directive. In France it had been law for many years that headlights should be turned on when driving on motorways in foul weather even in the daytime. I assume, but do not know, that DLRs were thought to reduce accidents.gucu wrote: ↑Tue Jan 13, 2026 11:58 am Sorry couldn't resist another post:
https://gucu.org.uk/musings/no-dlrs-all ... ying-ones/
I believe, from chats I've seen elsewhere, that Scandinavian vehicles have rear lights included in their DRLs; I've seen mention of people discovering that their car has a setting in their 'hidden menu', enabling them to alter the DRL setup.
Basil the 1955 series II


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mike1864
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Re: Old v New
In my Mazda CX5 I notice (from boot reflections of the car in front) that my front DRLs go out when the handbrake is applied. I suspect the rear DRL lights do the same. But I can't see the anti-dazzle logic of that, if they are only 6W tail lights.
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moggiethouable
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Re: Old v New
For anyone that raises the electric V co2 emissions argument, you can have an equivalent amount of co2 buried by a third party.
Making your travel carbon neutral and not requiring all the co2 produced by making a new car.
see www.climeworks.com
Making your travel carbon neutral and not requiring all the co2 produced by making a new car.
see www.climeworks.com
Happiness belongs to the self sufficient
- Bill_qaz
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Re: Old v New
Apparently Mazda is one of the unusual ones that the rear tail light come on with the DRL.
Regards Bill
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Paladin1962
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Re: Old v New
Bemused to discover the lighting regulations over there... if we had some recourse to deal with the searchlights supplied on new cars and trucks here, I'd surely make use of it. On the main point, the ongoing preservation and conservation of an existing vehicle is near and dear to my heart. I hesitate to admit the actual number of vehicles I've owned; most would look quite askance at such poorly invested money...
But, I tend to be entirely unimpressed with "modern" vehicles even though my daily driver is a 2012 Jetta (simply a conveyance IMHO and nothing of noteworthiness)... I'd rather soldier on with something old and full of character, which is my plan for Nigel once he's finished (is any car ever finished?)... Oldest operational one I've owned so far was a 1952 Plymouth Cambridge with a sidevalve six... simple, straightforward, dependable, easy to repair and maintain, still supported fairly well parts-wise, but definitely not as well supported as the Minor!
But, I tend to be entirely unimpressed with "modern" vehicles even though my daily driver is a 2012 Jetta (simply a conveyance IMHO and nothing of noteworthiness)... I'd rather soldier on with something old and full of character, which is my plan for Nigel once he's finished (is any car ever finished?)... Oldest operational one I've owned so far was a 1952 Plymouth Cambridge with a sidevalve six... simple, straightforward, dependable, easy to repair and maintain, still supported fairly well parts-wise, but definitely not as well supported as the Minor!
