(Home) Manual/website - Townie benchmarks

Following the 'manual or web site' thread and Ian Dunse's contribution:
Ian, your word file sounds like a good start and I would appreciate a copy of your file but i still wonder if it could include a distillation of definitive info into a facts sheet of bench-marks. For instance, MPG seems to be a point of conjecture. MPG depends on driving style and manufacturer's figures can be very different from bitter experience. However, what we have here - with the board of knowledge - is a great opportunity to debate a figure for MPG to which we can all work. This is more valuable than manufacture data which measured done in prescribed conditions with brand new engines etc. More valuable is the hard experience of collective vehicle owners with a variety of driving styles. May I suggest that someone with web programing skills develop a link for contributors to this site to submit their MPG for three driving styles (i suggest)
1) purely town driving with aircon etc
2) motorway without aircon at strictly 60mph(?)( best to pick a figure that can most readily be adhered to) and
3) an average of both. An average could be taken and recorded as agreed benchmark stats for those concerned as to whether or not to get a service.
Perhaps it could list contributors and automatically calculate the average from mpg/contributor count. It could also display best and worst (!) just to give a hint of accountability. The more sensible contributions the more accurate the info.
Another issue (by way of example) that will eventually affect many of us is the aircon. (and con is about the size of it) A definitive statement on the law would be helpful. I understand that R12 is illegal to produce but can it be used after re-claiming?. Is a conversion necessary? How much for? I am sure that most owners would travel to obtain a good deal and have it done well by a bona fide dealer. So who does good conversions? I am also led to believe that R12 was replaced by a substance that is iteslef to be superceded by another chemical 5 times more expensive. Does this require yet another conversion?? This would be usefully stated in a benchmark document made up from contributions. An added benefit would be that contributors could check the benchmarks before mailing the same questions time after time - I guess this is also where your word file would be useful.
Yet again - one contributor has referred to an engine map and grid - this is brilliant! It facilitated an extended debate on what bit was what (and wasn't). Perhaps diagrams could be linked in for reference in discussion, contributors photos of good and poor examples of components such as pistons, injectors (-similar to the famous spark plug bit in the Haynes manuals), and here is the techie whammy - sound files of the dreaded 'clonk', video media footage of 'too smokey' and 'not smokey enough to worry about'- from those with the technology and inclination to contribute.
There are other examples but I shall break for a response . . !
Mark - (#671) Mark Adams, 27 Jul 01

Mark
You mad keen people, you wear me out!
My creation of the file that records all the threads posted on this site was in direct response to Mark Charles' (author) declaration that the board may run out of space and that there was no archive facility. I thought it a shame to lose all the valuable info so about 2 months ago, I happened to have a few hours spare and I cut and paste all the posts into a document. I now feel obliged to keep it up to date. Subsequently a fellow contributor to the site who I shall not name unless he wants to come forward himself, contacted me with a view to creating an on-line manual based upon this board. That's all well and good if you are a techno-junkie and have the time for setting up and maintaining such a project. Personally, I don't have the time nor the inclination as I work with computers all day and am glad to get away from them at night and weekends. Hence most of my posts are made during the working day (don't tell my employer!). What you are asking for sounds like a good idea but requires time and effort to setup. Are you offering? You also seem to be asking for a lot more than is readily available on this site so are you asking someone else who may have this knowledge to author a definitive manual? A lot to ask of someone for no return if he already has that information to hand. I think the best you can hope for is a consolidation of posts and, I'm sure the afore-mentioned person may come out of the closet when his brainchild is ready (I've seen the pilot and its looking good).
Regards
Ian - (#674) Ian Dunse, 27 Jul 01

Thanks for that Ian,
I don't have the expertise to author a site - let alone the time to maintain one but i was aiming to prompt response from a wide audience - perhaps there is a techie out there!
I accept your comments regarding practicality issues and I hope my ideas don't appear to detract in any way from the tremendous value of this Bok or your own distillation of it. It looks as if it might be necessary to cut and paste on a monthly basis and if so I am certainly happy to take on a months' worth - perhaps this is one way we could share the site maintenance. I wonder if this current growth rate will decrease anyway once most of the main technical queries have been answered and discussed. Perhaps its' just the time of year! Aircon in July- Probably 4X4 queries in the Winter.
I shall email you directly rather than on this BoK - and hereby confirm this for the benefit of other contributors who may take it upon themselves in future to re-design this particular wheel!
Mark - (#675) Mark Adams, 27 Jul 01