CharlesM

The best couriers I have ever had are DPD (no wasted deliveries as they text you and let you change the time), then Parcelforce, UPS and Fedex. The rest are normally OK, but the hours I have wasted on deliveries is irritating beyond belief. UK Mail are 100% useless.

Amusingly, the tracking has been updated for the induction kit. UK Mail "attempted delivery" at 18.20, which is most odd because I was in then, as now, posting here. No card, no ring at the door, nothing. It being the Easter weekend, the next attempted delivery day is the 29th. UK Mail have so far never actually delivered anything to me, I've always had to collect it from Slough. I shall, as has become my practise, raise this with the seller and suggest that they might like to think again about charging me for delivery.

The OEM black (blue grey) mats arrived today, nice to see what the originals look like but not going in the car. They will be used though as a perfect template for the mats I'm having made in the US. Supposedly the induction kit is out for delivery to me today, but as it left the UK Mail depot 5 miles away exactly 8 hours ago I'm not holding my breath, that particular courier has never managed to deliver anything to me other than not at home cards, on one of the three occasions I was indeed not at home... Ordered some Osram Nightbreaker dipped bulbs too. These are essential!

I'll have a look when it's stopped raining. This may take some time.

A quick question, when checking the engine mounts for deterioration, what should I be looking for?

The one big doubt was the gearbox. When autos go wrong (I have bitter experience) the cost and grief are not worth it. I'd have moved this one on and found another. Anyway, the Valvoline has done its stuff - Dale at the garage who did the change said it was the first time someone had brought their own oil in and it was the most expensive ATF he'd put in a car!

I think I reset the TCM this morning - at least I removed the fuse for about 25 minutes as I lost it. In the trip to Halfords to get a replacement it must have had plenty of time to reset. I breached my fundamental rule of car spannering - always have a replacement bit handy for when you inevitably break or lose it... To be honest, the transmission is getting smoother with each extra mile. I think the thumping (which has definitely lessened) upon a hard kickdown is most probably engine mount related, so that would be my next port of call. Engine mounts are such a neglected part of the smoothness of a car, but I think a sudden change of revs and the shifting of more than one cog together is being amplified by worn mounts. The car has just passed 110k miles today and no sign of a change in the history. I'm really happy otherwise, so the car is now officially a keeper. Today's brim to brim brought a reduction of mpg to 28 from 29 last time, most probably due to twice the amount of local driving vs motorway and me revving the nuts off of it dementedly yesterday as I did a 40 mile run speeding up and slowing down to kickdown fast every 100 yards or so. Still nowhere near AhsyV6's range though - this was 307 miles with about a 11th of tank left. I took it up to the classic car guys restoring my Mercedes W114 and it got a lot of respect from the knowledgeable - Dave Richards there who is the project manager for Car SOS and also used to write for Classic Car weekly and Classic and Sports Car thought it a perfect idea - bombproof engine and mechanicals, and a very nice change from the German norm!

OK, just back from a forty mile run in the newly Valvoline transfused V6. For normal changing it is just oily smooth and responsive. However, while normal kickdown and downshifts are much better, there is a noticeable shudder on hard changes (I define that as heavy mash of right foot down on pedal). I shall give it a further long run tomorrow to give it another 100 miles under its belt then if it continues do as Hugheeze suggests above. I'd say it was about 60% better. Handling and togetherness a lot better with drop links done. That's progress all round.

Tomorrow the Peril goes in for the first ATF change to Valvoline. I shall reset the gearbox (remove fuse) afterwards and then see how it changes. Drop links will be fitted if located. What I initially thought might be FWD imprecision compared to RWD (my old Alpina B10 with rack and pinion takes a hell of a lot to beat) will hopefully be considerably reduced with those done. A trip to Coupe HQ is lined up for mid April for a full going over. I really like the car, it is comfortable, wafty when needed, dramatic when pushed on and does everything I need. For the price I paid it's shockingly good. Happy now with wheels, will change stereo and will do some reasonably inexpensive mods, finish the detailing and then just run it. I've located a wood and leather steering wheel which I like, and have ordered some mats (bespoke in the US - the German option was more expensive than I hoped and didn't include heel pad). All in all, I reckon an additional £500 over the purchase price will get me 95% of where I want to be. Thereafter, just small improvements and maintenance every year.

I used to be so sceptical about detailing products until I saw the results, an absolute top end detailer on my MB forum posted about it and I was hooked. Just beats any other product for freshening and protecting plastics etc, no residue and easy beyond belief.

I am used to doing old Benz ones and they are hard work with cruddy oil everywhere. The only place I found oil here was around the filler cap, so bad aim rather than leaks, and I really don't think this has been done before. This really did not take more than half an hour (I shall finish off tomorrow doing the power steering fluid reservoir better) and then a quick spray with Aerospace 303 and Bob's your uncle!

No cover it would appear - just checked my original engine bay photo from when I picked it up and it's not there either. Boo! It shall double my determination to see you in April at HQ, date is in the diary!

Put the rear wheels on, so the entire undercarriage is now shod with Dunlops, which are about the same noise as the Goodyears on the car before, but a much more supple ride. Plus the car knows it's a Honda with the centre caps in each corner. On a beautiful sunny afternoon I decided to clean up the engine bay. Hardly any effort to get it looking very nice and tidy, if not perfect. I refuse to use a power washer in the bay so some remote bits will remain dirty.

Very clear and very precise Dave. I'll let you explain the role of diff ratios too!

The ECP ones are called Q Drive at £8.39. Much as I like inexpensive things, I suspect they are not going to be prime candidates to do the job properly! GSF has Vetech at £14. I've found local factors who Blue Print list as stockists - I'll see if my local garage can get hold of them for Wednesday when it goes in for an ATF change. I'm keen not to drive around in a car with compromised handling now I know the fault exists.

I've had two bad (one very bad) experiences with MOTs prior to sale - the first one had an MOT station as neighbour to his business and the car got a clean MOT. An inspection on a ramp the next week revealed 3 areas that should have been fails (or advisories if you are being generous) the second was a car sold by an MOT station owner, clean MOT. It then transpired the ABS and airbag lights had been removed and, most alarming, the MOT was printed off but never actually logged with DVSA. So not merely was I driving a car without ABS and airbags, I was also driving it without a valid MOT. These it must be said look like clean recent breaks, and I have been aiming at speed bumps to test the suspension, which I suppose it has been!

Front right and left drop links have parted company on my V6 coupe. Honda part numbers are very helpfully listed above, but are there any other options? I think the ECP ones look excessively cheap. Also I picked up a bit of knocking in the track rod ends - time to change those too? If so, any suggestions, Honda or alternative?

Hopefully that will sort the clunking then! I can't say I've tested the handling particularly yet, cruising is not really the same as a back road run! However, the MOT was done 10 days ago. So either it's happened very recently, or was missed. Always nervous when I see things like this on a car soon after an MOT.

Final bit for the weekend, changed over the front wheels, which meant the centre caps could go on. Reassured to see no body corrosion in the wheel arches, nice copper slip on the front hub, and shiny washer into the centre of the hub (which had very shiny stud threads for the wheel nuts). I was perplexed to find on both sides this small drop link type thing loose from what looked like what it should connect to - no way I could get them to join as the lower arm was completely lowered, but didn't think they should be separate. Also the track rod end clunked on both sides when twisted, even though the rubber was in good nick. Worthy of further investigation.

To round off the day as it's rapidly chilling outside, I gave the front seats a good Gliptone condition, and started on the rear. The last owner had a large Staffie/Lab cross of delightful temperament (I didn't become lunch) but judging by the dirt and hairs in the back that's where he lived. The leather is also quite dry. However I was pleased with the extra strength Gliptone cleaner, and the whole car now smells fantastic. I had a crack at the plastic wood with my machine polisher with cutting pad and Farecla G3. Well, it seems to have come up very nicely. The big wear area on the cupholder cover has been reduced and the micro-scratching gone. For plastic wood, it looks Bentley good!

There was I out looking for a Woodlands plate on the car and suddenly I twigged what you were up to...

First time I looked it was the gloom of evening, so I blame that...

1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Took a wee while - I'd had enough of all things German, French or Swedish, wanted something a bit different but reliable and comfortable, didn't want a manual or an old diesel, looked at Preludes but didn't really want a 4 cylinder auto. Read up on the HAC and thought, umm, that might be it. 4. Not quite hooked, but working on it! To be hooked I want to get it right - I never judge a car until I think it is performing as it should be. This needs some small things - auto service, sort out front clunk, check suspension, put some soundproofing in, clean up and change stereo. Possibly get a thicker steering wheel (or add a cover - I suffer from carpal tunnel and need a bit more heft) 5. It was pleasant but not surprising to see one at the chap who sold me the wheels, but rather exciting to find another one within 100 yards of home. So almost there!

Gliptone extra strong cleaner and conditioner arrived today as did touch up paint, but I was busy and the sun's not out so it's too parky. Took the peril on a run up to the classic car restorers working on my 1970 Mercedes W114 coupe, and I found the folding rear seats very useful indeed for the dashboard that needed transporting. It's not an estate but this makes it surprisingly practical. I have to say on a nice clear motorway run it performed flawlessly, although the rear seats down did lead to a bit more road noise and the rear speaker sound became more muffled. A very comfortable car that I am really loving getting to know. Below the Mercedes - engine in and bay being fitted out with electrics and ancillaries - there had to be a photo or two to get it in the gallery section!

Still here this morning and I think one of the neighbours. A gold 2.0ES in need, it must be said, of a bit of a detail.