Good luck on your trip, hope you manage to get decent weather. 
From Lands End to John O' Groats
- Thread starter Faheem
- Start date
We met Faheem and Mohammad at Okehampton services at around 2pm this afternoon. The inflow of traffic into Cornwall at the moment is very heavy. It took Faheem and Mohammad 4hrs to drive from Cardiff to Okehampton where we met. It's about 60 miles from our house and it's it's dual carriageway all the way but it took me nearly an hour and a half.
We were 90 miles from Lands End more or less so set off straight away and had to endure heavy traffic most of the way. We stopped at Penzance for a pee break and got to Lands End around 4.30pm.
Jill took some pics with Faheem's phone so I'm sure he'll post them when he gets online later.
Set off from Lands End 5pm ish and Faheem suggested if we could start the journey with a run over the moor to St Ives rather than go directly back via the A30 and I was happy to lead the way. I hope Faheem had his dash cam switched on as we had a nice drive over to St Ives then onto the A30 at Hayle.
We all headed up the A30 and we left Faheem and Mohammad at Fraddon where we peeled off for home. I covered 223 miles today including my run up to Okehampton.
Faheem and Mohammad are on their way to Bristol where they are staying tonight. The traffic leaving Cornwall looked it had eased a little so the guys should be at Bristol 9.30-10.00pm ish.
It's been a great day today and it has been a pleasure to meet another two nice guys in Faheem and Mohammad
We were 90 miles from Lands End more or less so set off straight away and had to endure heavy traffic most of the way. We stopped at Penzance for a pee break and got to Lands End around 4.30pm.
Jill took some pics with Faheem's phone so I'm sure he'll post them when he gets online later.
Set off from Lands End 5pm ish and Faheem suggested if we could start the journey with a run over the moor to St Ives rather than go directly back via the A30 and I was happy to lead the way. I hope Faheem had his dash cam switched on as we had a nice drive over to St Ives then onto the A30 at Hayle.
We all headed up the A30 and we left Faheem and Mohammad at Fraddon where we peeled off for home. I covered 223 miles today including my run up to Okehampton.
Faheem and Mohammad are on their way to Bristol where they are staying tonight. The traffic leaving Cornwall looked it had eased a little so the guys should be at Bristol 9.30-10.00pm ish.
It's been a great day today and it has been a pleasure to meet another two nice guys in Faheem and Mohammad
Haven't met Mohammad yet Garry but Faheem is a smashing guy.
Tony.
Tony.
Lovely Garry. Met Faheem a few times and he's a proper unassuming nice fella. Sounds like you've had a great day and Faheem is well on track to achieve his goal.
Hi @Jack Ratt Thank you very much for joining us on the way down to Lands End, thoroughly enjoyed meeting you both and it was very enjoyable bar some of the traffic on the way there. The roads back were really nice and I've got it all on my action camera so it will hopefully be in the time lapse.
I was doubting that we'd be able to do the 10 hours of driving within the day but looks like we managed to pull it off. From Cardiff to Lands End and back over to Chippenham, over to Aspatria today so a slightly shorter day for us.
I will post all the pictures and the videos in a later post as the WiFi here isn't very good!
I was doubting that we'd be able to do the 10 hours of driving within the day but looks like we managed to pull it off. From Cardiff to Lands End and back over to Chippenham, over to Aspatria today so a slightly shorter day for us.
I will post all the pictures and the videos in a later post as the WiFi here isn't very good!
Excellent start pal and good luck with the rest of the journey
If you remember, I took a road trip down to @t-tony in Florida. The 1.9 had 2200 plus miles on the clock for the trip and no problems. Also, @miller1098 drove the 3.2///M back from California and that was 3200 plus miles and no mechanical problems. Other problems...we tried to run on rear tires that turned out to be bald on the inside tread that we couldn't see looking at the tires from the outside part of the car. The tires couldn't take a joke. We had no wind screen and the wind beat the s*** out of us. Hugh's super white Welsh phosphorescent skin toasted up to a nice bronze. But the car took the trip like a champ and gave us the ride of our life. And try not to get any of those "Welcome to our neck of the woods greeting cards from the local county mounties..........Frankie
Maybe one day @miller1098 will tell everyone just how much it was...
Good on the outside and scary on the inside.......
Mr. Toast......
Sort of gave him that real 'cowboy look'....
I did JOGLE in 2009. My challenge was to do it without speeding. I did it in 13hrs 52 mins. I might still have the certificate somewhere. Register at the start, collect six receipts and send off for the certificate. I think it's £15, IIRC.
Careful, challenges become addictive...
NEWS
DTEC
Time for another, me thinks
Looks like lots of non-motorway driving - I like that.
I've considered doing the entire length of the A38 - it looks like you are pretty close to doing it.
Don't do the A1 Edinburgh - Darlington, go through Jedburgh - it's a much better drive unless you get car sick.
Yep.... definitely time for another one!!!
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Points
- 145
Let's get Skye out of the way first.
Plenty of time to talk about ideas when we're up there
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Points
- 145
Don't post that on PH.If you remember, I took a road trip down to @t-tony in Florida. The 1.9 had 2200 plus miles on the clock for the trip and no problems. Also, @miller1098 drove the 3.2///M back from California and that was 3200 plus miles and no mechanical problems. Other problems...we tried to run on rear tires that turned out to be bald on the inside tread that we couldn't see looking at the tires from the outside part of the car. The tires couldn't take a joke. We had no wind screen and the wind beat the s*** out of us. Hugh's super white Welsh phosphorescent skin toasted up to a nice bronze. But the car took the trip like a champ and gave us the ride of our life. And try not to get any of those "Welcome to our neck of the woods greeting cards from the local county mounties..........Frankie
Maybe one day @miller1098 will tell everyone just how much it was...
Good on the outside and scary on the inside.......
You'll get flamed - and quite rightly. If the facts on the ticket are true and for driving on those tyres, you deserve to wear an orange jump suit for a week with Big Bubba as a room mate
.
I feel that it is quite imperative that I post that picture and ticket. And for the best of reasons. Three people looked at those tires at the time the car was purchased. My cousin, who for years has owned high performance cars. @miller1098 who owns an ///M that is one year earlier than this one, and me. I own a coats 10-10 tire machine and a wheel balancer. For over 20 years I have changed or rotated and balanced my own tires. This car was also examined by an excellent 25 year mechanic and all of us failed to noticed the INSIDE tread wear of these tires. It's just not visible to the eye when standing on the side of the car. You can only see the outside tread. The car sits low enough to make the inside tread hidden from view. It has been discussed several times on this forum on the unusual way the tires sit in the rear as they are tilted to the inside from the top down. I've never seen this to this degree on any other car I've owned. Was it a dangerous situation? You're darned right!!!! And not a situation we entered into knowingly. It's posts like these that make forum members aware of a possible dangerous situation that could exist without their knowledge. I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. There is absolutely positive merit in what you are saying. But I feel that this post better serves the forum members in bringing to their attention the inherent danger in the way these tires are set on the car, the condition they could be in without their knowledge, and the rapid rate of wear that will occur shortening the life of even brand new tires. Respectfully........FrankieDon't post that on PH.
You'll get flamed - and quite rightly. If the facts on the ticket are true and for driving on those tyres, you deserve to wear an orange jump suit for a week with Big Bubba as a room mate
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Points
- 145
The damage to those tyres didn't just happen. It was a process over thousands of miles (unless you were driving like a looney). No excuse for not noticing it. If I can see the full width of the tread from behind my car (from about 20 feet in daylight), I can't see any reason why you can't.
The speed didn't just reach 107mph, and to do it in "heavy" traffic is idiotic, assuming that most of the traffic around you was at, or near, the 75mph limit. If you didn't see the camera car in time, you were going too fast (unless he was unmarked).
In my opinion, if you drive a high performance car, you have a responsibility to the road users around you not to put them in danger when you explore its potential.
I had a cracked disc on my M for a while, so I'm not immune to negligence. I know that it was a while because there was some rust inside the crack.
Anyway, how's @Faheem getting on?
The speed didn't just reach 107mph, and to do it in "heavy" traffic is idiotic, assuming that most of the traffic around you was at, or near, the 75mph limit. If you didn't see the camera car in time, you were going too fast (unless he was unmarked).
In my opinion, if you drive a high performance car, you have a responsibility to the road users around you not to put them in danger when you explore its potential.
I had a cracked disc on my M for a while, so I'm not immune to negligence. I know that it was a while because there was some rust inside the crack.
Anyway, how's @Faheem getting on?
This morning, as arranged, Faheem texted me to arrange our get together and departure from Beauly, just north of Inverness. We duly met up in the village 'square'.
Faheem's lovely blue 1.9 is a year older than my black one, which has twice the mileage. There again, I've got three times the mileage of Faheem (in years!)
We duly set off towards Ullapool, with Mohammad following in the 'escort vehicle' BMW.
After a while it started raining and a hood stop was called for, although the sun was still shining weakly.
During the 47 mile route of pleasant driving, there were several opportunities to let the cars stretch their legs legally, but there were also quite a few dreaded camper vans.
Soon we were dropping down towards Loch Broom between the mountains and the snow poles,
And arrived in Ullapool on the west coast, where Sara and I bade farewell to the Lejog travellers, who paused briefly before setting off north towards Durness, to then head east along the north coast to John O'Groats and Wick. Meanwhile we indulged in an early lunch of chips and a coffee, did some shopping in one of the best ironmongers anywhere, then drove back to the Black Isle on the east coast, with the hood down all the way.
It didn't seem to have been raining here, but the heavens opened as soon as the car was back in the garage.
It was great to meet Faheem and Mohammad, and another very nice Z3. They've certainly got a long drive for the rest of the day, and I hope they kept some dry weather for the rest of their run.
Cheers
Paul
Faheem's lovely blue 1.9 is a year older than my black one, which has twice the mileage. There again, I've got three times the mileage of Faheem (in years!)
We duly set off towards Ullapool, with Mohammad following in the 'escort vehicle' BMW.
After a while it started raining and a hood stop was called for, although the sun was still shining weakly.
During the 47 mile route of pleasant driving, there were several opportunities to let the cars stretch their legs legally, but there were also quite a few dreaded camper vans.
Soon we were dropping down towards Loch Broom between the mountains and the snow poles,
And arrived in Ullapool on the west coast, where Sara and I bade farewell to the Lejog travellers, who paused briefly before setting off north towards Durness, to then head east along the north coast to John O'Groats and Wick. Meanwhile we indulged in an early lunch of chips and a coffee, did some shopping in one of the best ironmongers anywhere, then drove back to the Black Isle on the east coast, with the hood down all the way.
It didn't seem to have been raining here, but the heavens opened as soon as the car was back in the garage.
It was great to meet Faheem and Mohammad, and another very nice Z3. They've certainly got a long drive for the rest of the day, and I hope they kept some dry weather for the rest of their run.
Cheers
Paul
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 208
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
I know you've been a member of the forum for a long time, longer that I have. You must have noticed the posts of Hugh and I flying to California to pick up this car. We drove it straight home. In the videos that were posted then and by me, several times afterward, on Interstate 40 in New Mexico and Arizona, if you're doing 75 mph, you could possibly, with respect to the cars and trucks around you, be the SLOWEST vehicle on the road. Unless you've driven out West on these roads, then you don't know what we're talking about. I doubt if you've driven on a superhighway that runs straight ahead of you so far in the distance that you can't see the end of it. Coming off a slight plateau, you can see the straight road ahead of you for over 100 miles. Did this wear occur over thousands of miles? I'm sure it did but I wasn't there to see every mile. If you recall, several members, about a year ago, posted just how shocked they were on just how fast the inside of these tires can wear on an ///M. Some new tires barely last 10,000 miles. Owning, at the time, a 1.9l, tires lasted considerable longer. As for seeing the entire tread of the rear tires, here is a picture taken at the time we got the car:
You can see the outside of the tire very well. But let me be fair to you. This picture shows a bit more:
But having seen the outside rim of the tires, you would never imagine the inside edge would be much different. I will be the first to admit that some tires on a car can be worn a bit more from one side to the other due to alignment, but I've never seen anything as drastic from one side of the tire to the other side as this...
and I've worked on cars all my life and I'm 68 years old. I do agree with you that I should have examined them more that I did at the time. I mentioned to Hugh that the further East we went, the more we had to comply with the speed limit as the traffic increased and the police begin to enforce the speed limit. That's why the ticket was from Texas and not New Mexico or Arizona....Frankie
P.S. Sorry @Faheem for going off topic. I know it's your post. My apologies...............Frankie
He was the first to post it on this forum..............Frankie@FRANKIE
Afraid i also have a comment to pass on that ticket and that is Hugh's address is displayed on it
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 208
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Thank you all, made it to John O' Groats today and have driven down to Tain. Weather this morning progressively got worse and as we approached Durness and made our way over to JOG. It did clear up a little as we approached JOG.
Here are some pictures of the trip so far
Lands End with Garry.
Batmobile spotted at the Cornwall Services
@andyglym territory in the Lake District
Cairngorms National Park - out of all the national parks that I have visited this has to be my favourite
@Pls It was lovely meeting you both today and your zed sounds fantastic for the number of miles it has, proves that if maintained these engines do last a long time!
Between Ullapool and Durness
John O Groats
View attachment 110887
I had some trouble with the zed along the way but my tools came in handy and nothing that i wasn't able to sort. The pipe going to the power steering pump started to undo itself and as a result I lost a fair bit of power steering fluid, I suspect this was because I hadn't tightened it up enough. So the drive belt came off, followed by the power steering pulley which gave me access to tighten the 17mm flare nut up.
Then my offside brakes felt like they were sticking and the wheel was very hot to the touch, I thought this would definitely stop me from making it to John O Groats, however after jacking the car up and removing the wheel this simply turned out to be a brake hose that was pinched and therefore preventing the fluid from returning from the piston when I released the brakes. That was also an easy fix and the brakes are okay now, although I stupidly put my hand on the disc and burnt it! I do think that the heat has caused the disc to warp a little but the zed is driving okay and I think it will get me back home safely.
We are 1600 miles in and have another 600 before we're back home which we'll be tackling tomorrow.
We stayed at some interesting places along the way, this Shepherds Hut in Beauly and small cottage near Chippenham were two of my favourite
Here are some pictures of the trip so far
Lands End with Garry.
Batmobile spotted at the Cornwall Services
@andyglym territory in the Lake District
Cairngorms National Park - out of all the national parks that I have visited this has to be my favourite
@Pls It was lovely meeting you both today and your zed sounds fantastic for the number of miles it has, proves that if maintained these engines do last a long time!
Between Ullapool and Durness
John O Groats
View attachment 110887
I had some trouble with the zed along the way but my tools came in handy and nothing that i wasn't able to sort. The pipe going to the power steering pump started to undo itself and as a result I lost a fair bit of power steering fluid, I suspect this was because I hadn't tightened it up enough. So the drive belt came off, followed by the power steering pulley which gave me access to tighten the 17mm flare nut up.
Then my offside brakes felt like they were sticking and the wheel was very hot to the touch, I thought this would definitely stop me from making it to John O Groats, however after jacking the car up and removing the wheel this simply turned out to be a brake hose that was pinched and therefore preventing the fluid from returning from the piston when I released the brakes. That was also an easy fix and the brakes are okay now, although I stupidly put my hand on the disc and burnt it! I do think that the heat has caused the disc to warp a little but the zed is driving okay and I think it will get me back home safely.
We are 1600 miles in and have another 600 before we're back home which we'll be tackling tomorrow.
We stayed at some interesting places along the way, this Shepherds Hut in Beauly and small cottage near Chippenham were two of my favourite