Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The Motorway





Lets face it, you are not going to blast down the M3 at 90 mph. But you will manage 70 on the flat bits. It's a bit noisy and after about an hour and half you will want to get out for walk. But it is do-able.
If you have a Fairway with overdrive, you will find a little square button somewhere on the centre console that switches on the overdrive. When overdrive is on, the green light at the top right of the dashboard will go out, and you will feel the gearbox shift into "fifth gear". In fact it changes the ratio for all the gears in the gearbox, a bit like changing the front cog on a racing pushbike. When you get off the motorway, just press the button again and the light will come on, and the gearbox will shift back to normal. Another way to think of it is like this - If the green light is ON, you are in sport mode...

8 comments:

  1. Hi there, I thought the light should be on when driving around town and you turn it off when you're on the motorway.

    Actually, I've re-read your post, should the last bit read:

    ...just press the button again and the light WILL COME BACK ON, and the gearbox will shift back to normal.

    hoorah for the fx4

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well spotted Mr Marsh, I've corrected it already. Thanks - Dis

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey, with ref to these lights! mine have all gone out and the Overdrive doesn't work for the round town bit, is it a Fuse or a Relay? and where do I locate it as I am not thick but it's baffled me......Many Thanks....Barrie in Surrey

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh and by the way have just gotten back from my Parents place in Suffolk! and they loved it down there even the School Kids which surprised me as you'd think that they would be into the Flashy Cars on the Road today, my English Bull Terrier ALFIE loves it to.

    It drove superb down there and back at a steady 70MPH, only problem was on the way home at around Marks Tey on the A12 the freakin Bonnet flew open and luckily didn't smash the windshield just crease the edge of the back end of the Bonnet a little and it happened where there was very little Hard Shoulder..so be careful fellow Cab owners on the Wide open Road..Barrie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry Barrie - I wouldn't know about the mechanical aspects of the overdrive... you'll need advice from a mechanic on this... Can anyone out there help ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi
    Great article!
    Just a quick note though... since the Green light means "Overdrive OFF", shouldn't your last sentence read "Another way to think of it is like this - If the green light is OFF, you are in sport mode... " instead of "Another way to think of it is like this - If the green light is ON, you are in sport mode... " ?
    Cheers
    Theo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aaargh
    green light on for normal driving
    green light off for motorway driving

    ReplyDelete
  8. hi ive bought a fairway taxi its a lovely thing, ive nearly finished restoreing it now. its sherwood green, ive drove it from crawley london all the way to norwich norfolk, what a reliable cab i hope to have it back on the road as a taxi soon if the pco permits, after all my hard work.would just like to say thanks for all the info very useful

    ReplyDelete