Just a bike with twice as many wheels. Should be called a quike really.

Looking at an old Elise, as I'm commuting 50 miles each way on country roads.
It's that or a wafty barge to do it in comfort, but I think I'd just get bored, lose concentration and stick it in a ditch.
In reality: another MX-5. Wondering how bad the turbo conversions on ebay are, as I like a bit of boost, and driving around lag makes me concentrate a bit more than having it all on tap. Taking on someone else's abomination is fine.
Other suggestions for a cheap chuckable commute car? Only really want to spend £5000 or so at the moment. More funds will become available in a year, so I don't have to live with this forever (so holding off on the Elise for a bit is fine). Don't want toys or comfort, do want at least the option of a roof. Probably don't want a bike. Something small and underpowered to rag the tits off would maybe be fun, but maybe get wearing.
Could get an aging electric car and get my kicks by trying to eke enough range out of a marginal battery - but they tend to close a lot of roads around here in bad weather, and diversions are long.
Fuel consumption is at least a bit of an issue, or an RX8 would appeal. maybe it does. http://www.fuelly.com/car/mazda/rx-8 reckons 18mpg. Nah, fuck that.

I've got a real hankering for a Volvo 240. They're growing into something of a design classic, the ultimate in boxy 80s design. You're looking at the thick end of £8,000 for a tidy one these days, so you might do alright out of a restoration project.

>>4256
Not the estate? I've always had a soft spot for those.

>>4255

If you're willing to do the work yourself or at least pay someone else to do it, an MX-5 with a turbo in it is a FANTASTIC choice and I doubt you'll want to get rid of it after a year. The story goes that the car was originally designed to have a turbo in it from factory, so they work well if you get an appropriately sized (small) one.

I personally would still trust an already built one as it's going to have been owned by an enthusiast. There's a couple of excellent owner's clubs on facebook so check them out for sales too. There's a couple on ebay right now that are reasonable, that four grand(ish) grey Eunos won't lose any value for you for sure. You'll probably make money on it after the year.

I love the RX-8 but for many reasons it's not a great car to have as your only car. If you're looking at them you need to factor in a trip to Leeds and the ~£3000 you will have to pay Rotary Revs at some point. You might be able to get one with the work done already for five grand, but even properly maintained by an expert (literally can only recommend Rotary Revs) they still top out at 25mpg. A rotary engine is also the complete opposite experience to a turbo, with huge long flat revs. It's fun to hit 10k every time you change gears, but the acceleration is really not that exciting.

I almost recommended a 350z as it's what I replaced my RX8 with, but unless you spend a good chunk on new shocks and nice tyres it's not exactly chuckable - and even then it's still heavy. It's a fucking lovely V6 though.

My last idea would probably be the one I'd go for, but only because I've done the MX5 thing enough. It's what I consider to be one of the best kept secrets in terms of RWD hoonmobiles - The BMW 325ti. They're ugly as sin, but far lighter than any other E46, and they also don't rust like the coupe and saloons do - you can get an absolutely perfect one for a couple of grand and they're fucking FUN. They're faster than a 330 coupe because they're about 400lbs lighter, and they handle as well as an MX5, which as you know is about the highest compliment you could give a car. And it's a 2.5l straight six so who the fuck needs a turbo. Highly recommend thinking about that one, as it's something not many people consider when thinking about cheap fun.

I appreciate it would be essentially useless in good old Blighty, but my dream one day is to take two months off, buy one of these, and roadtrip the U.S., selling it when I'm done, Roadkill-style.

>>4253
> In an attempt to actually get people to post in it, tell me about the car you really want and could feasibly afford.

A rover 420 gsi, because it was the first car I ever went joyriding in.

>>4257

If you're going for an old Volvo estate, it has to be an 850 IMO.

I like these Mercs. Perhaps a W201 or W210/211.
The dashboard is alright too, especially that without the wooden parts.

>>4263

They're very handsome, but I can't see one without thinking of an Albanian pimp.

Someone told me that I should be using water from my tumble dryer rather than windscreen wiper fluid; apparently the water is pure from being boiled so shouldn't leave any streaks. It sounds plausible, but it also sounds like utter bollocks.

>>4265
Isn't it just easier to buy distilled water if you believe that?

>>4265

What >>4266 said.

I just use that Rain X stuff on my windscreen though, it stops streaks no matter what fluid you use and also reduces fogging up which is nice.

>>4266

Distilled or de-ionised water is an excellent option for cleaning glass. Most window cleaning companies have switched to using water fed pole systems with deionised water, because they don't need to use detergents or squeegees to get a streak-free finish and therefore don't need to use ladders.

It's less necessary on a car windscreen if your wiper blades are in good condition and it'll only do anything useful if your washer fluid bottle is spotlessly clean.

>>4265

https://www.diaryofanadi.co.uk/?p=18771

Here's a guide on being streak free

>>4269
I want to streak free!
I want to streak free!
I want to streak free from your eyes
You're so self-satisfied, I don't need you

>>4259
This board seems to possess a distinct fascination with MX-5. Why?

>>4271
We're raging poofters.

>>4271

It's a really good budget enthusiast's car. Older MX5s are rather unfashionable, so they're really cheap compared to pretty much any other RWD roadster. The handling is stellar, they're reliable and easy to fettle, the parts are reasonably cheap and they're not terribly expensive to insure. I'm not sure it's possible to have so much fun for so little money in any other car.

Back in my day, the Mini had a similar place in car culture. They're too knackered and too collectible to be decent value these days, but the MX5 is a worthy replacement.

>>4271

Because as >>4272 we're gay as fuck and need something that looks good parked outside a salon.

All that aside, they're incredibly fun cars with responsive, direct handling that makes them ideally suited to this country's many winding B roads. They're not very fast but that's not something that really matters in Britain, especially on a twisty road - you'd be surprised what sorts of cars you can embarrass in an MX-5 on a road with enough turns in it.

They're also cheap and easy to fix, and were designed from the ground up to be budget sports/track cars. I fail to see what the mystery is in their popularity.

We encourage the poofter meme to keep the prices down.

Cracking little cars, if you like a car that feels like the controls do something, rather than ask a computer if it wouldn't mind, at its convenience, thinking about starting doing something if it's not too much trouble.
Driving schools should use them, to remove a few layers of abstraction between what you do and what you get. Visibility is also pretty good, and the low down position concentrates the mind.

>>4273>>4274>>4275
Got it. I wouldn't call it unfashionable though. It's pretty decent and nifty to me.

I've read a few reviews of the new Hilux and asked some knowledgeable folks. All say it's still decent. One review featured a test drive somewhere in the bush of the Russian Far East. As the driver told, he could easily go 100+ kph right across the terrain without much trouble (if any). Pretty impressive to me.

>>4276

>I wouldn't call it unfashionable though

I woudn't either, but the tired old 'hairdressers car' thing still seems to crop up a lot, or at least it did ten years ago - not sure if that's because I just hung around a lot more teenagers and manchildren ten years ago, or that the charm of being a Clarksonesque petrolfascist has worn off. I'm not even sure where that idea came from, it might well have been a Top Gear joke, or perhaps they really were driven by salon workers when they were new, I'm too young to know, the Mk1 was born the same year I was.

The MX5 club I was involved with had a good dose of people taking the piss themselves, example pictured.

>>4277
Clarkson and friends absolutely adore the MX-5, so it is unlikely to have been them. They’ve made jokes about the type of people who own them in the past, middle aged men with 20 something girlfriends, but nothing about hairdressers. They call the Audi TT a hairdressers car.

Another favourite.

Also do you lot happen to know if this armoured car is really infamous/famous and for what?
I don't remember who'd told me this though.

>>4281
Was it used in The Troubles a lot? I know it only as one of the "basically useless" units from the Wargame series.

>>4282

That's the Saracen, which was a direct descendent of this, the Saladin. The Saladin was knocking about in the 50s and served us for our few campaigns in the middle east around that era. I think the Yanks had them in Vietnam too, it was never a British only vehicle.

>>4283
> our few campaigns in the middle east around that era
Yes, that's exactly what I was told about this machine and its use. 'Somewhere in the sands'. Damned if I remember why it was deemed infamous.

>>4284

I honestly don't know either. The most notorious thing about it to me is that it preceded the much more famous Saracens, which the SAS liked to roll around in over in Ireland, amongst others.

I couldn't remember how to fasten my seatbelt earlier but then it clicked.

>>4285
What's so special about the Saracen then, besides that?
Maybe I confuse the two. I doubt it, I remember the name quite clearly.

>>4287

That's it really, the Saracen's legacy is that it ended up being chiefly used to enforce apartheid in South Africa and quell Irish rebellion during the troubles. The tank itself is an unremarkable six wheeler, the only notoriety is in how it was used.

If I had to guess the earlier Saladin might have similarly stood on necks in the desert back in the day.

>>4288
Sounds plausible enough.

>>4256
>...the ultimate in boxy 80s design.
I'd say a BMW E30 or Mercedes W124.

>>4290
Forgot to add: Alfa 75 - last of the rear wheel drive Alfas (until recently with the Giulia).

I want a daft 90s car lads. Something like a Sierra or Escort. Hopefully something cheap that just about runs, but won't fall apart on me when you get above 40.

Not even a fancy high end one, but one of the charmingly shit ones, where the seats were too soft and the dashboard was all square; but you were pinned back in your seat if the driver put their foot down.

Any recommendation?

>>4292

I've had very many daft 90s cars, but most of them were japanese, not really the Sierra or Escort types, and there's only so many times I can recommend an MX-5.

Most of the exciting hot hatches and stuff from that era are eye wateringly expensive now, anything worth driving (the fast ones) are rightly considered classics, but I wouldn't fancy dropping twenty grand on one.

I think it was the very tail end of the 90s, maybe even the 00s, but there were a few charmingly shit Mondeos with V6 engines in them that must go cheap these days. The Focus....ST something? ST170 I think? They were proper fun but again more naughties than nineties. Fun sleepers though.

If I wanted that proper 90s feeling I'd go for anything featured in the TOCA back in the day. Actually, as I'm typing I just remembered the Volvo 850 T5 - you can get an ex rozzer one for a couple of grand (there'll be a load of well kept and modded ones for way more than that) and they fit all of your critera, particularly them being a bit shit and boxy. They're terrifying once you put your foot down, though.

>>4293

Me again, found this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-850-T5-manual-1996/254137341777?hash=item3b2bc41751:g:LLEAAOSwcSJccZxx

If you don't buy it, I might, so please buy it, I'm trying to save up.

Please also let me know if you want an extended, rambling tirade about 90s JDM cars.

>>4290
Don't forget the Maserati Biturbo.
I was quite weirded out when I saw one first.

>>4295
I take back everything I ever said about Maserati's being ugly, fat, etc. That's perfect.

An old slav-shite car I'm posting only because I've stared at Maserati's windscreen wipers too long. The interesting thing about is that its wipers were powered by the car's engine, mechanically. The faster you go, the faster they wipe.

>>4296
It's quite uncharacteristic of everything I've ever seen from Maserati. And it's considerably pretty in its boxiness.
They also had a sedan, 430, in a similar rather plain and bland design. Concerning Biturbo though, I wouldn't call it bland.

>>4297

That's hilarious. I'm very fond of the similarly functioning mechanical fuel lift pumps, as they make perfect sense, the more your engine goes the faster you need the fuel.

The idea of you needing to drive faster because the rain is heavier is beautifully Slav.

>>4299
Or put in the neutral and rev the engine a bit. Which is silly just as well.

>>4295
>>4298

That grille forces me to see it as some sort of clandestine Lancia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxExqeCGvWA

@26:15 Fastest road legal car - Vauxhall Victor with a 2000hp V8. 0-60 in 1 second.

Saw a rather well-maintained W123 today, driven by some older bloke in his late 60s.
Think he was mildly flummoxed by my interest towards his 'old shite beater' car.

This thing.
No idea how it got here.

>>4256
I think I've stared at this car long enough to re-consider my opinion about it and appreciate its existence all out of sudden. Unsure why yet.

>>4304
How come you barely see Toyotas on the road these days? You'll see the odd Yaris, but Toyota seems to have declined in popularity considerably.

>>4306

I see loads. Yaris are popular, Auris and Prius are used by a load of taxi/uber drivers, I see a lot of RAV4s on the lower end of the middle class school runs, and I see plenty of Hilux knocking about on building sites etc.

I even see a couple of 86's around.

>>4306

They're so boring that you don't notice them. There's absolutely nothing distinctive about their design language these days, no styling motif that announces "this is a Toyota".

>>4308
They are still reliable, aren't they?

I drunkenly ran my car into a kerb yesterday and I paid for it because I've fucked up the tyre. Got two Michelin Primacy 4s for £115 fitted which isn't too shabby, shame my car cost 5x that.

In other news, it failed its MOT last Friday because the handbrake force was too shitty. Replaced the disc brakes (which were only about 3 months old but for some reason had worn unevenly), didn't change anything. Got some new discs to install as well, hopefully the frame isnt wonky.

Replaced the anti roll bar dust covers too, and got a new fuel filter.

All for a fourteen year old renault.

I've surely become a bit too fond of old Volvos. They are alright.

>>4312
I've seen a few of them around recently. They're smaller than I remember.
Fucking minis have warped the world with their lardiness.

I've noticed since turning 30 insurance quotes have dropped dramatically on a lot of motors, some of the sportier stuff dropping by half. It's a shame I had my midlife crisis at 25 as I've gone through most of the fun cars I've wanted anyway.

I did notice I can get a pre-1994 Land Rover insured for less than £150 a year now, though. That might actually offset the diesel it'll drink.

Am I going to end up commuting to work in a car that's barely younger than I am, again? Probably. Watch this space.

>>4319 Get an LPG converted V8? Don't know how foul the running costs would really be. (I've just been looking for a towcar that'll do low miles, so I've been pondering slightly demented landys / rangies.)

>>4320

I haven't had direct experience with them, but most of the Landy nuts I've spoken to over the years claim that the Rover V8 is so thirsty that even running LPG it's more expensive than a diesel variant. There is a rough but solid looking V8 with the conversion already done on eBay right now but I don't know, having a big tank in the back of a 90 seems silly, there's not really that much room to start with, I'd want to fit a bike or two in the back quite often.

If I was going to be thrifty I'd probably get a TDI and look to install a kit so it can run on veg oil. I can get oil for free if I'm willing to clean it myself, plus hopefully there'll actually be biodiesel infrastructure one day.

I drove someone's Mini Cooper S today, I think I want one.

Never had a supercharged car before, that seems as good a reason as any to get a two grand-ish one.

If I enter a pay and display car park without dedicated motorcycle parking, can I just park in an empty strip of space somewhere out of the way or do I need to pay to use a dedicated spot for a car? I see plenty of people park the former way but I'm wondering what the likelihood of getting penalised by a car park attendant is.

>>4323

I know this is a shite answer but it really does just depend on the car park, who runs it, and possibly how much of a cunt the attendant feels like being.

Logically the company should want you to park outside of a bay because that means they have room for another customer. I reckon as long as you're not blocking anything (I'm sure you're not) then you'll probably be fine, but really the only way to know for sure is to ring whoever runs the car park and ask.

>>4322

I bought one. I think I was making clients nervous showing up to places in my rusty dodgy looking Micra so my internal justification is that a Mini always looks quite nice and normal and a car you'd expect a consultant to show up in at your place of business, but it's actually still almost as cheap as a Micra.

>>4331
> but it's actually still almost as cheap as a Micra.
Wait till you supercharger goes!

- @14:47 Have you got it up yet?

- @31:57 Dick Seaman - Race Car driver.

- @38:48 I've been banged around enough on this show.

This one turned to be noticeably smaller than I expected.

Is there such a thing as a modern coupe you can sleep in relatively comfortably? I quite like the idea of going on road trips and saving on hotel costs but don't fancy getting a van or an estate.

>>4335

Not really a coupe but my Skoda Octavia was big enough to sleep two people this way.

>>4335
Not sure what you mean by "modern", but as long as you take the spare wheel out (or pad around it), you could probably get an alright night in the back of my Celica.

If it was me, I'd just get a roof tent.

>>4338
Yeah sleeping in a car for a night is fine - but any longer and an actual tent (even a small one) will be a far more comfortable sleep.

Lads. I have a license, and I finally have a job. It's all very confusing, should I buy some old beater for a couple of grand, or pay monthly for something else? Why is it all so confusing? £300 for a new merc doesn't sound bad, right? i'm deathly afraid of something going wrong with a second hand car, and some mechanic making me his slave.

>>4340

Dear god, do not take on finance. Just don't.

It's absolutely not worth it, and if you damage the car (you will) or go over the mileage (you will) you'll end up bent farther over a barrel than any mechanic could ever bend you, even with his special mechanic bending tools.

Also, 'a couple of grand' will get you way more than an old beater. You can get an incredibly solid car for that.

How old are you, how many miles do you travel to work, and do you need anything specific? (room for a dog, a bike, etc)

>>4341
Yeah - couldn't agree more - there are many of these monthly Personal Contract Hire/Lease/etc out there, and they are superficially attractive, but they are a terrifically poor way to buy a car. Buying a new car is no guarantee at all that it won't break - as it's new (and if you buy it on a contract), you'll probably end up taking it back to a main dealer for servicing, which is expensive.

>>4340

It's not particularly exciting, but you can get an old Corsa or Micra with about 30,000 miles on the clock for under £2,000. A car with that kind of mileage will last you for years without any major trouble.

Even if you buy a dud and it's only good for scrap after a year, you've still spent £1,600 less than you would have paid to lease a Merc for a year. If (more realistically) you get four or five good years out of it with little more than routine servicing, you will have saved the better part of £15,000. If you're a young lad, it'll cost you an absolute fortune to insure anything vaguely nice. As >>4341 suggests, there are a lot of ways that leasing companies can screw you with unexpected payments at the end of your lease agreement.

Would you rather drive a Merc, or have a couple of very nice holidays every year? Would you rather drive a Merc, or live in a bigger house in a nicer part of town?

>>4341>>4342>>4343
Thanks lads. I try to stay grounded, and I think buying a car for a couple of grands sounds better. It's just weird how everyone gets a nice flashy car with the latest plates on finance. It's like a status thing, and maybe I was getting sucked in for that.

I sat down and had a good introspection. I don't need anything outlandish, just a car to help my mum with her shopping for when she gets rid of her car, to drive up to friends, and work (which is an odd 30 mile round-trip in heavy traffic). Maybe a small automatic hatchback would be nice. If I think back, the kind of cars I like are probably cheap now, such as all those Japanese cars in all the games I used to play in (1990s Polo, Civic, and anything Japanese really).

I have been looking at Autotrader and Gumtree. Are there any other places to try?

You're probably doing the right thing.
I've always just bought something cheapish and run it for years - had some nice stuff but never new(er than 10 years).
Just taken delivery of a leased Merc A-class, while my proper company car gets sorted out. I'm not enjoying it (throttle response measured in weeks), and I don't like having to worry about mileage and kerbing the insanely huge, ride-destroying wheels. Satnav sucks, and I can't just mount a phone cradle to the dash with a few self tappers or glue, like usual.
This is just griping - but it really feels as if new cars, and leases, just aren't for me. I like shitboxes, and will be buying a battered landy to maintain equilibrium and sanity...

>>4344 - you haven't ruled out an MX-5, so I'm duty-bound to suggest one. Go on, they're nice, and fun to drive.

>>4344
>I have been looking at Autotrader and Gumtree. Are there any other places to try?

If you can find a little bit more money, CarGiant - they buy ex-lease/finance/fleet cars, usually young, sometimes high mileage cars. Have bought a couple of cars off them (and about to buy another). A bit more than £2k, you'll need nearer 5, but recommended all the same and better than a contract hire/finance deal.

>>4344
>anything Japanese really
Always fancied a Nissan Cube but the MPG and rarity of them puts me off, still, looks boss.

>>4347
Eye of the beholder, and all that.

>>4348
It doesn't get much more Desu Desu Kawaii Mr. Miyagi than that

Some say these were designed just like Saab used to design their planes.

>>4350
They really were - tremendous vehicles.

Picture related, my first proper car.

>>4351
It's sort of rare. I wouldn't ever recall about it if I hadn't a 9000 parked nearby, with the 'on sale' sign.
I think it's been carrying that sign for about two years now, perhaps three. Not a bad car visually; I haven't been inside or driven it to form my own opinion fully though.

>>4352
9000's were okay to drive, but they're a bit big. The 900 light pressure turbos were a lot more fun.

>>4353
That's alright, I fancy barges.
Speaking of which I can't help but post this.

Saab 9-5.
I have a marked dislike of 9 to 5. 9-5, on the other hand, is alright.

>>4355
The 2011 9-5 is, IMO, one of the best looking modern cars ever made.

>>4356
Looks a bit bloated to me, though I admit I've never seen one IRL.

I surely didn't know that Mazda produce pick-ups.

This little thing.
I'm told that it should stick to the road like glued because of low centre of mass.

>>4375

I've always sort-of wanted one. I've had a Skoda VRS with the same 1.8t 20V engine that was in the most popular first TT models, and arguably is the car and engine that put Audi back on the map in the modern car world, which is saying a lot since they had to be recalled for being deathtraps initially.

Considering how fucking rapid a half-decently tuned 1.8t in a Skoda Octavia was, I can hardly imagine the fun you'd have in a sports car package. "cheap, old, fun sports car you can get on ebay for a grand or two" is exactly my brand, and it's pretty much just about the only 00's-10's midmarket sports car I haven't owned yet. I hope you get one so I can live vicariously through you.

>>4376
I doubt I'll ever own one.
Add having long legs into the mix, that makes driving smallish cars somewhat uncomfortable.
Picture attached is a car that arrived yesterday when I rang the taxi service. It looks as if it should be spacious, it isn't.
It's cramped inside. Bonus points for feeling the roof with your head - and sometimes with your jaw - when driving over the speed bump.

7th generation Toyota Hilux.
I'm unsure if I'm {d,}evolving into a redneck or simply fancy how these cars tend to keep on the more conservative side of the automotive production, emphasising easy maintenance and ruggedness.

>>4377

It's a really cheaply built Mk2 Astra, of course it's going to be shit.

>>4379
It drives alright, compared to old Ladas, for example.
It's just way too fucking tight inside.
It feels way less restrictive on the back seat of an old Skoda Favorit hatch.

These wheels.

I am the KGB.
Get into the car.
Lots of leg space in there, at least.

I need to sell my old car and get something that meets London's ULEZ standards before I have to start paying £12.50 just to drive in my neighbourhood in 2021. Essentially it just needs to be something newer than 2006 so it meets the Euro 4 emmissions standards.

What's the most reliable post-2006 car you can buy for under £2k? It'll probably be something Japanese, but what in particular? I'm not picky and my only requirement is that it needs to be an automatic with 4 four seats.

>>4383
A Suzuki Swift would do you, but old automatics can be a nightmare. Can't cook or won't cook?

>>4383

A Yaris. Super reliable and utterly boring.

I am a precursor to a Leon.
Get in the car.

>>4383
Maybe try looking for either Citroen C1, Peugeot 106 or Toyota Aygo. They are all the same car, with minor cosmetic differences. Though the 4 door models are quite a bit rarer than the 2 doors.

Jaguar XK150, the one mentioned in Forsyth's The ODESSA File.
A fancy sports car, even more so if it's in the after-war FRG.
>>4376
I like Octavias (and not only Octavias, Rapid and Superb are alright too).
Then again, never driven one myself.

I didn't expect to be jammed into the seat when this little blue bugger took off.
One thing, I'm not driving one with an empty stomach, ever.

>>4388

Shame all classic jags didn't come with a welder as part of the tool kit

Saw this the other day on some sort of young-timer club gathering of sorts.
Its interior is somewhat odd, specifically the dashboard.

>>4391
It reminds me of Lancia Beta and VAZ-2108.

>>4392
And speaking of Lancias, Delta is handsome.

>>4393
I've wanted to fuck that car since I was 11 years old.

>>4394
I never liked it before a sudden re-evaluation recently. No idea why, it's irrational.

>>4393
I think that's a Delta Integrale. One of my friends had one. Just an awesome car in its day and frighteningly quick.

I increasingly feel like the only option remaining to me is to buy a 70s Datsun and put a 90s engine in it so it can keep up with traffic. A Sunny with an RB20 or something.

>>4397
What's special about it?

Saw this badboy parked up at a carboot sale, datsun 100a. They're seemingly rare as hens teeth now, wouldn't mind dropping £2k on one

>>4397
Rust magnets I've heard though.. Like the idea though. If only I had a garage. And an engine hoist... And a fucking clue about fixing cars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsrKk8cvfts
Just found this criminally under-watched car video on the S2000.

I just passed my test at a ripe old age. Do many people actually use P plates in England? Would either of you pay any heed of them?

My exciting life history means that I've grown up in the two british isles jurisdictions that mandate R plates so going without seems strange and liberating.

I like the fat old volvos sure but I've very infrequently seen Volvo C30s around and the weird rear end on them really catches my attention. I think they look great with some of the later tweaks to the body, much more interesting than most of the Volvo fleet at the moment.

>>4402 I only rage internally when someone's a dithering fuckwit, so you'd not notice I rage a bit less when the ditherer's showing a P-plate.
Please do indicate when you're coming off a roundabout, though. Cunts round here don't bother, and if I'm towing, a sequence of them mean I sit there like a twat as they turn off in front of me - plenty of gap but I can't use it because of their idle cuntery.
So yeah, use P plates, can't see why not.

>>4404

Nobody indicates off roundabouts anywhere in my experience, it's equally as frustrating as a pedestrian playing the "Will I die or not?" game.

>>4402
Cogratulations on that lad.
I got my licence when I was 18. Ironically enough, never driven anything since. Feels slightly weird, being able to drive legally yet at the same time not so much due to lack of experience.
I like cars though.

I was too tired to fully appreciate this thing. Let's just say, almost every car that allows me to position myself on the backseat comfortably is a decent car.
It's quite high in it too yet it doesn't cause any grief getting in and out.
>>4396
It is, you are right.

>>4403
Personally I dislike most cars with needlessly large light clusters like that. That huge lump of red plastic isn't particularly elegant.
And don't get me started on that Geordi La Forge thing on the old Honda civic.

Did about 200 km long round-trip in this car with a workmate yesterday's night, sort of emergency situation.
The average speed was about 90-100 km/h and it didn't really register, even on the local shite roads.
The downside is that now the roof of most sedan cars feels too low, even when there's more than enough space between it and my head. Same for the size of the windscreen.

>>4409
Where are you from, lad? Giving distances in km, talking about "sedans", but also using the term "windscreen".

>>4410

Also having an 'emergency situation' that requires them to speed around in an unmarked white van - very Bydlo.

>>4410
Some third-world der Arshloch der Welt as our teuton invaders duly noted once, mate.
My English is fucked, yes.
>>4411
It wasn't unmarked sadly, otherwise we'd fly 120-130 km/h.

Somebody from the neighbourhood bought a Challenger recently. Never seen it blazing down the street, never heard any kind of characteristic roar either.
I'm unsure how I feel about it.

Well the power steering packed in on my way to work this morning. I know because of the little steering wheel on the dashboard, and suddenly having to wrestle the fucking thing around even the slightest bend.

Doesn't feel very safe anyway. How likely is it gonna cost me a fortune to get fixed?

>>4414
What car do you have?

>>4414
Might just be a belt snapped.

>>4415

2010 Fox.

>>4416

It works for a bit when I first start the engine, then dies when I start actually steering. Electronic problem maybe?

>>4416
looks like it's electric
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1722191

Taking the bumper off to get to it sounds like a bunch of no fun...
Still, £300 or so for a new pump is hopefully not a showstopper if jiggling the connectors doesn't fix it

I think I'm going to order a Cybertruck.

>>4422
If you plan on having someone chuck a brick at the window I'd give it a miss. Also remember that, as with any other Tesla, everyone else will know you're a massive bellend.

>>4423

I don't think my current car would withstand a brick to the glass either so I'm not missing out. And I think most people already know I'm a massive bellend, I used to drive an Audi.

>>4424
Audis are fine, everyone knows that BMWs are for bellends.

>>4425

Audis are for people who think they're better than BMW drivers. They're the same people though, really.

The only way to avoid judgement is to drive a Nissan Micra.

>>4426

I don't think I've talked about it here, as I think most people aren't a fan of them, but I've been having a lot of fun with my R53 Mini. A little supercharged nugget that handles much like a proper Mini, it really sticks to the road, and as hot hatches go, is pretty excellent. Drives like a mental 90s hatch, but has nice, modern BMW sourced amenities like stability control and heated seats.

Not too horrific to work on, everything is quite tight and stacked on top of each other in the engine bay but that's to be expected - it's not poor design as much as it is just not having the room to do otherwise.

Anyway, I bought it in March after selling my silly expensive car, with the goal being to run and enjoy a relatively cheap car while saving for the dream, a new GT-R. I've changed careers since then so that won't be happening for a while now I'm on entry level money again, so I'm happy that I've put the hours and the money into the Mini to make it run as well as it possibly can. Upgraded some bits and get 220bhp out of it.

The only real gripes with it are usual weird german things, like the decision to weld many of the underside bolts in to the car, which in 15 years in Britain, most have rusted to fuck and snap off when you try to remove the nuts, and the cabin plastics get a bit rattley. I'd be furious with this stuff if I'd bought it new, but I got it for a grand on ebay so I'm not that bothered that I have to weld new bolt threads on or pop rivet. The paint is knackered, but that's a good thing - life is too short to park at the far end of the car park for fear of dings and scratches.

The one major problem is that it's not a proper Mini, and every time I drive it I wish it was. My grandma had one, and actually loves my BMW mini, but despite having similar handling and a big speedo in the centre of the dash it's hardly the same.

Not sure why I felt the need to post this, have just been driving it a lot this week around twisty Yorkshire roads, and I've had a great time doing it. It's just a shame it looks the way it looks.

>>4428
> it's not a proper Mini

Yer, I dunno. I hear what you're saying about the BMW taxes that get added onto the car/servicing bills, but on balance I think I'd rather have a German mini than an original one.

>>4429

>on balance I think I'd rather have a German mini than an original one.

You're probably right, and the only reasons I pine after the classic minis are because I've never owned one, and I'm a car bore who likes old vehicles. They're not exactly practical daily drivers though.

As for the BMW Minis, they're absolutely smashing little cars and I think they only really get flak because of the Mini badge. If they'd have called it a BMW 160S or something, I doubt there'd have been as many people complaining about them back in the day when they were released. They've kept the handling of a mini which is the most important thing, it really is like driving a go kart.

I'm only really talking about the first generation of Binis, though, it seems every time they refresh the lineup the cars get bigger, and presumably drive a lot less excitingly.

I don't think I'd recommend one, not an older one, to anyone who is unwilling or unable or unequipped to do the majority of work on it themselves - nothing is 'difficult' on the car, but there's quite a lot of little tweaks needed to keep them (the S models at least) going and it's just all squished in there, meaning that many of the parts need an hour or two of labour just to access, let alone service or replace, and it's the labour that can rack up a hefty bill at the mechanics.

To illustrate my point, here is what BMW call "front end service mode", which must be German for "whole front of the fucking car off mode". These cars were definitely designed to only ever be serviced by manufacturer, but I suppose that's true of just about every modern car.

LS400 Acquired.

It's mint, LPG converted so I get ~35mpg if I was spending the same amount of cash on petrol. It's been really well looked after and has a fat stack of documentation.

70mph feels like 30 in my old Celica, and there is something... childishly empowering? about knowing you can smoke 90% of cars you see on the road in something that looks more like a boat.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from it, but it makes zero fuss about getting to 60 in under 7 seconds. It just goes "you want 70? here you go".

There are so many little touches and features which were absolutely mind-boggling in 1998 and many cars don't have to this day:
- The steering wheel moves into position when you put the key in; - The centre console box has an air-con vent to keep your wine cool;
- The seat belt clips have small lights in so you can find them at night;
- The gauge cluster has a smoked glass front and is always lit up, so there's a little icon to tell you when the lights are on;
- The rear windows turn as they go down to stop the 'pulsing' noise you get when both windows are down;
- Both rear seats have cig lighters and ash trays;
- ELECTRIC FUCKING HEADRESTS

The previous owner has kitted it out with bluetooth and USB ports all over the car (which I would have done anyway), and app-controlled LED lights which admittedly does look cool at night.

>>/£$€¥/7918 , I think it's probably the one you were looking at.

>>4444 - The rear windows turn as they go down to stop the 'pulsing' noise you get when both windows are down;

I've got a golf - it's utterly unbearable with the windows down any amount except full. What the hell? Don't they test, or don't they care? Sure, it's got aircon, but sometimes I'd like the windows open.
(Yeah, MPG, but fuck that. Fuel's free, and I wouldn't do it often, even if it didn't make a massive wubbawubba noise that melts my brain.)

Nice car, there, m80, enjoy it!

>>4445
>Don't they test, or don't they care?

Presumably adding a mechanism to alleviate it costs money and adds technical complexity, and since you can alleviate it by just opening the other side window the same amount, I guess it's low on the list of features to add? That, and most cars have air con.

It's called Helmholtz resonance if you're interested on reading up on the physics of it.

>>4446 unfortunately, it's not (reliably) fixed by opening other windows by any amount, that's why I'm grumpy about it.
It's not simply Helmholtz, as there are lots of other ports in the chamber and a load of hard-to-model squishy shapes.

>>4447
Ah. Sorry to hear that. Get yourself an LS400, then, I suppose.

>>4444
Another thing I've discovered today - if you have the wipers on the continuous setting, they'll automatically drop down to intermittent if you stop, and speed back up when you move again.

It's just all these little things, it's amazing.

I was thinking of using my bennies to get a cheap old MX-5 but I think I'll just stick with my motorbike. Now that the lockdown restrictions are easing and the traffic is increasing, I've remembered that driving can be a real chore.

>>4450

Driving an MX5 is never a chore. They're fucking great.

Motorbike is a winner for the commute though, I can't argue that.

>>4445

>Don't they test, or don't they care?

The way modern cars are made and sold has really lowered the bar on what a manufacturer will deem acceptable in their products - in some cases, they might actually deliberately neglect features on certain marques - VAG might sell less Audi A3's if their Golfs look to have the exact same feature set - it would be bad business for people to truly internalise that they're ultimately the same car.

Even without that little conspiracy, cars are built to a cost more than ever, and are built for PCP financing - they do not need to last or be relevant for longer than about three years, anything after that is a bonus for when the dealer resells the thing and makes a bit of commission.

Back in the day, cars were much more labour intensive to build - people didn't buy a new car every couple of years, and the manufacturers didn't want you to either, as keeping up with the demand would cost them too much in infrastructure. So you'd meticulously design your cars to run and run and run, to maintain that brand image and goodwill, so that when your customer would eventually need a new car, they'd come back to you.

The Japanese market is and was pretty different to ours or the US - the way that the majority of Japanese people live, work, and commute means that your cars are usually for special trips and are well looked after, meaning that a car really can be very complicated and feature rich without the worry of too many people ruining your hard work with neglect or misuse.

These days, competition in the auto market is waged not in the spec list or peformance numbers, but in the adverts and the finance packages. This isn't to say modern cars can't be reliable or well made, it's just that those are secondary concerns to safety regulations and mass consumer appeal. I must admit I have no idea why people seem to like the plasticy, clinical interiors of most modern cars, but then I suppose a great deal of people don't know any better or simply don't care, as long as their car gets them to work or the shops, or has the right badge on it.

>>4452 I did some electronics development work for a massive automotive company (through a depressingly long string of intermediates) and the emphasis was almost entirely on reliability and it not fucking up the other systems in the car (of which there are too damn many)
The testing was extravagant, orders of magnitude tighter limits than a regular CE-mark or FCC approval. (This means that the manufacturer can assemble a car out of anything they have approved, and have a pretty good chance of the assembled car passing approvals). Makes sense, but fuck me it was hard, if I'd not been on time & materials, it would have bankrupted me.
Anyway, automotive companies do seem to care, just not necessarily about the things I care about as a driver.

>>4453 And yes, I'm partly to blame for VW getting away with the golf - I didn't test drive it, just picked it off a list, clicked some option boxes I fancied and waited for delivery. Generally it's pretty adequate. I'd probably still have said yes, even after a week's trial, since it was the only electric car on the list.

>>4453

This is interesting, because modern car electrics certainly do not have a reputation for reliability. Not trying to say you or the industry are shite, just that like you say, they're so inherently complex that they seem to always trend towards failure.

I'm only a hobbyist mechanic, but have owned and worked on a lot of cars. EOBD becoming a standard seems to me to be when cars really shifted from being mechanical headaches to electrical ones.

Admittedly some are better than others. My instinct is that you worked for a Japanese company, but I don't suppose I'd doubt any manufacturer would do just as you describe. Unless it was JLR, I'm not making a cute little joke here, the cars they make now are criminally flimsy.

>>4455
>>4454
I used to work at a car factory, and one of the primary reasons for wank electrical reliability is that to save costs, the company used the absolute minimum gauge wire they could get away with. Over millions of wires in hundreds of thousands of cars a year, saving a couple of grams of metal on each car is a big saving.

What that meant is that electrical warranty claims were through the roof, and instances of broken wires/improper crimping to connectors were probably the biggest subset of warranty claims that I personally saw.

Most cars these days are properly rust-treated and use silly amounts of plastic where possible, so it's unlikely you'll see cars starting to rust all over in the future, but electrical problems will be a fucking nightmare.

>>4456

Yes, I have definitely noticed shockingly thin wires on new cars. A loom issue has never been a fun thing to diagnose, but a complete nightmare on something like that.

As you say, the used car market in ten or so years is going to be a fucking horror show. I'm into old (90s mostly) cars, and in that scene your worries are mostly rust - everything else will work, it takes a lot to truly break an engine, and you can still replace it even if you manage it, but in recent years you can't even put the wrong lightbulb in a car without the ECU throwing a code. I truly have no idea what the classic car scene will look like in 30 years when something like the Range Rover Velar is a classic - will anyone actually be able to keep them running? Car enthusiasts will shift from mechanics to programmers.

Speaking of the Velar, it's a true shame that these cars are so unreliable. The only real viable way to own one is to buy it new and take advantage of the warranty. Plenty of people are fine with that - they don't work on their own car so it doesn't really matter when it stops working, as they'll get a courtesy car and it'll be fixed, but I can't live like that. I absolutely love Land Rovers and Range Rovers, the Velar in particular is an incredible vehicle, both on road and off, but I can't imagine buying one second hand, it would just cost you so much time and money.

Cars are my hobby and they have a pretty bleak future. All the cars I love now will either be rust piles in 30 years, or will be unable to run or have to be heavily modified to continue to run on higher ethanol content fuel. The on board computers that make up the real driving character of modern vehicles will either have to be cracked or replaced, and even then every part of the car is computer controlled, so fixing them on your driveway with a spanner and a bit of patience isn't going to be viable anymore. And electric cars are cool in their own right, but are basically more of a consumer appliance than a car when it comes to maintenance - i.e, the manufacturer does it and nobody else can.

>>4457

I'm of the opinion that there won't be much of a second hand market in a few years. For all the big talk about a shift to electric cars to try save the environment, the market will still run on making sure people buy a new one every 3-5 years on a lease.

Tangential to the thread, I've had my car about 10 years now. I reckon it's got a few more years left in it, but I'm getting sick of the annual "will the garage try to rip me off or not" at MOT time. What's the cheapest you can get a decent PCP with service plan? I'm really loathe to spend any considerable sum on a car when you can get perfectly serviceable second hand cars for a grand or two, but I do like the idea of the convenience that all the maintenance is accounted for.

>>4458

A PCP plan will almost always cost you more than just buying and maintaining a reliable second hand car. I would be surprised if you could get a car and comprehensive service plan for less than £150 on the most basic car, but admittedly it's not something I've ever shopped around for. A lot of these service plans and warranties don't cover everything, so you have to be careful.

You can buy warranties and service plans for any car, mind - might be worth looking into. Again, I do all my own work on cars so it's not something I know too much about.

>>4458 My eGolf has first service at 18000miles/three years, so if I don't need new tyres, it'll go back untouched*. Even proper cars won't want much maintenance at all in the first few years, so while you might feel comforted by the offer, it's not worth much. Warranty should make them fix problems, pip or not.

*The next owner will have to deal with it. Good luck to them, used early-adopter electric cars that left the factory with marginal range are going to be shiny but worthless after three years. I guess they can be urban shopping cars 'til they die / get scrappaged.

>>4457 Aluminium cables and crimps are coming. Brace yourself for a complete fucking nightmare.

>>4458
>For all the big talk about a shift to electric cars to try save the environment, the market will still run on making sure people buy a new one every 3-5 years on a lease.

It's worse than that.
It's going to be a case of:
"Hey this 4 year old car I bought only lasts 50 miles on a full charge."
"Sure we can fix that, it's £6000 for a new battery pack and £500 labour because we've got to strip the entire chassis to get at it."

I shudder at the thought of the massive mountains of lithium batteries that are going to be piled up waiting for "recycling" in the next ten years.

>>4462
>>4457
Maybe if the cost and complexity of maintaining cars goes up, public transport utilisation will go up? Wishful thinking?

My plan is to keep an old, low pressure diesel car that is mechanically basic but well regarded enough to still have parts available today, or at least simple enough to machine them. Then I'll have a classic car that will run forever, exempt from emmisions and MOT. If emissions laws change for classics, biodiesel is a thing, and low pressure diesel engines have little problem running on straight veg oil with minimal modification. Worst case scenario, an EV engine could be made or adapted for it. And I'll not once have had to deal with an engine code.

The obvious choice would be and early 90s 4x4, a defender or hilux, or a more comfortable prospect like a W12x merc or similar.

Defender makes most sense in this country, as parts are still made. But hardly a comfortable motorway cruiser, but then again this is more about just making sure i always have a car that runs and can be worked on myself, more than anything else.

>>4462

>"Hey this 4 year old car I bought only lasts 50 miles on a full charge."

We used to think that, but EV batteries are a lot more durable than we expected. A lot of early-model Leafs are at 80% capacity after a decade of hard use. First-gen EVs did have very marginal battery capacity, but something like a Hyundai Kona should still have a very useful 150 miles of range after 300-400,000 miles.

>I shudder at the thought of the massive mountains of lithium batteries that are going to be piled up waiting for "recycling" in the next ten years.

A shagged out EV battery is still a very useful grid storage battery, so there's a ready market for them. The Tesla Powerwall was designed to use refurbished Tesla EV batteries, but demand is so high that they're building them with brand new batteries.

>>4444
A couple of extra features:-
- The passenger wingmirror automatically tilts down when you put it into reverse;
- There are buttons on the front doors that allow you to adjust the pivot point of the seatbelt;
- The factory sub goes down to 26Hz before audible dropoff.

On LPG, and I admit I've been doing a lot of lead foot driving, I'm getting ~33mpg equivalent, and this will only improve as unleaded tends to go up much faster than gas.

Plus, it sounds amazing. The only thing is it really is quite long - pic shows it compared to a 206.

>>4463
Sure, if you want public transport users to be bitter and resentful.

So it looks like I'll be in need of a new car by next month. Can't be arsed forking out to get this one through its MOT again to limp along for another year.

Let's say I have 3 or four grand at a push to spend, depending how much I can get part-ex or flogging this one off. What's a safe bet to look at in that range? I haven't shopped for a car in nearly ten years. I'm thinking something like a Corsa or Golf, ideally smallish because of the parking situation where I live.

>>4485
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007281814931

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202006210362088

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008142473141

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007311933277

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202003208630353

>>4486
Some really good suggestions in there ladm8 - the Volvo is a steal given its mileage, but people would think it the most boring of the cars - would therefore also be the cheapest to insure; the Subaru Impreza, not so much.

I wish Volvo's were more fun to drive - Saab was always the best compromise between Swedish safety and fun, but they are long gone. Every now and again I rent a Volvo on holiday and am amazed at how terrible the steering is, like the tyres are made of marshmallow.

>>4486

Do I want to be paying £4000 for a car with120,000 miles on the clock? Or am I missing something? I've seen some similar picks around me in the £3,500 region on about 40-60,000 miles. I'm also reluctant on brands like Kia after a mate told me the parts get pricey because they're not common over here.

Perhaps it'd be better o ask: Aether any cars I definitely want to avoid?

Based on what you've shown me it looks like the ones I've been eyeing up weren't altogether terrible choices anyway, so cheers. Unless I go a bit mad and get one of the convertibles I've seen for about two grand, not sure what's up with that.

>>4488
>get one of the convertibles I've seen for about two grand, not sure what's up with that

Because you'll have the top down for about 2 weeks per year, and the rest of the year it will leak like a bastard, particularly anytime you're travelling at over 40mph. It will be damp and mouldy inside.

Someone's selling a 1995 Escort 1.6 with 40,000 miles on the clock for £1500. Looks like it's just been sat in someone's gran's garage for twenty odd years.

Is there a catch or does that sound like a bargain? I don't have money to chuck away on a car I like just because they were in the WRC when I was a kid, or else I'd buy it just for the laugh, but I am in need of a reliable runner as well.

>>4490
Are you mad?

>>4488
I think for that budget you'd only get a Corsa D so I'd probably go for an Astra if I was going for a Vauxhall.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008142465818

BTW I haven't looked at the mileage for any of these, just the models.

>>4490
> I'd buy it just for the laugh
> it's just been sat in someone's gran's garage

is not compatible with

>I am in need of a reliable runner as well

As >>4491 says, are you mad? If a car seems too good to be true, it is. If its a project you can afford to have living in the garage for half a year, and you have all the tools and skills, go right ahead. Otherwise run away.

>>4492

Yeah I've spotted a nice couple of Corsas and Astras. The Astras of a similar price/mileage seem to be a bit worse for wear or earlier reg. I've been trying not to exclusively look for Vauxhalls, but there's just a lot of them round here, and everything else is ugly.

There was a tidy looking 1.4 Corsa SXI which I might go have a gander at this weekend. Just the right level of chavvy-adult balance I like in a car.

>>4491
>>4493

Yeah, you're right of course, and I thought as much. There was just a brief temptation there because I remember my mate's dad having one just like when I were a lad, that went like a greyhound.

One day I'll be able to afford a rusty old Sierra for shits and giggles. Parcel shelf speakers, sun strip, the lot.

>>4490

Ahh good old Ford scene tax.
With information you've given us it's impossible to say but speaking generally budget on

New tyres
Release stuck handbrake
Full engine service
Full brake service

And that's the bare minimum

I made the incredibly sensible decision to buy a 2007 Range Rover with 172k on it. Cost me four thousand, I could probably have knocked it down more but it was a dealer and I was part exchanging something for £3.4k anyway.

I love it, I've had plenty of landies but this is another world. It has every possible option ticked, like driving a sofa.

>>4498
I've got no problem driving 3.5t box vans but there's something about a rangie, especially ones of that age, which makes me really unsure of my 'size' on the road. I hated parking them.

>>4499

I have noticed that too - there is a reason I've parked it in the corner away from everyone else. I haven't been brave enough to park between two cars yet, let alone reverse into a space. Multi storey garages are fun, as well.

The 12 seater ford transit bus at work feels smaller than this when it comes to manoeuvring.

>>4498

I forgot to mention it's the 3.6 litre V8 diesel engine - it's faster than a three tonne car has any right to be and does surprisingly well on fuel - 38mpg on the motorway.

>>4498
That's a fine looking vehicle for the money.

I've lately become a little bit fascinated with really old cars.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZBFR-jxb9U

It's interesting to see sow much has changed and yet how much remains the same, and I always find it a little bit enchanting when pre-WW2 tech and machinery is still serviceable and usable today. It feels like it comes from an altogether different era of history.

I'm afraid my Meriva has sensed my thoughts about its 'spongy' steering and decided to throw one of them EPS failures at me.

Luckily it's only popped up when I was parking at work this morning, and hadn't decided to spontaneously fix itself when it came to going home so I had a very invigorating drive home. Works the muscles.

Now I'm not sure what to do. I know Merivas have EPS problems as a matter of inevitability but I can't say I've had any prior issues with it, and I'm not sure if the previous owners did either. Most people describe it as being intermittent but mine just seems to have fucking given up completely, I start the car and the EPS light is either already illuminated or the steering wheel will have a spasm then turn off the EPS to save itself.

Main problem with this is that it's expensive to fix and I have no money (that I want to spend on a car). I also like my slow, ugly schoolrun car and wasn't planning on ditching it any time soon as I only do a few thousand miles a year.

>>4539

You could stick it up for sale for very slightly cheaper than one with working EPS and hope for the best, people with the inclination to do their own work might see it as a decent investment. It's a long shot but you lose nothing by popping an ad on gumtree really.

Other than that there's not much you can do - pull the EPS fuse and the car will continue to operate without power steering quite happily, though it's probably not the most pleasant ways to drive around.

>>4539

I drove my old car with dead power steering for a full year and a half before I flogged it. I eventually got used to it, and whenever I'd get in someone else's car and eventually my new new car, it felt like driving a light and weightless cloud. I think it was actually giving my arms a bit of a workout too, I had slightly better muscle definition that's gone away since.

Has anyone ever owned/used a VW transporter as a daily driver? I have the notion of getting a nice T5 with the foldy down seat bed thing in the back, as a mountain bike/hiking/travelling day van, but they're not cheap, so I couldn't really justify having it as an occasional car, so it would have to serve as a commuter too. I can't forsee a problem with that, it's likely more efficient than my current range rover.

>>4653
Do you really need a full size van for what your describing when a people carrier or smaller van would probably suffice?
The reason VW vans are so expensive is due to vanlife nobbers driving up prices aided and abetted by the VW crew - I've drove most mainstream vans available in the UK and in my opinion they are all much of a muchness.
If you really are set on a T5 try and follow the usual van buying advice, try and avoid ex fleet vehicles as they will all have been thrashed to death and look for one from an owner driver.
Vans can end up with galactic mileage and are best avoided, also check the MOT history on the .gov website for mileage discrepancies, haircuts are far from unknown on vans.
Alloys - pretty common for VW vans to be fitted with car alloys - check the tyres have the correct weight rating which most car tyres wont have
Also try to refrain from a 2 tone paint job, dash full of plastic toys and van life stickers

>>4653
I had a white VW Caddy for my daily driver for a while - it was the most awesome vehicle I have ever owned. Proper white van man stuff.

I absolutely adore the T5's and know where you're going with this - my observation though is they are very pricey. We have an indepdent garage local to me that specialises in them (and tricking them out) - seem to start at £18k for anything half decent.

>>4655

You seem to have made your mind up on a T5, so I'm afraid your going to have to swallow the (imo inflated) price when the equivalent size van from any other mainstream manufacturer will be equally as good.
Having said that VW vans do hold value better than most due to aforementioned vanlife/vw crew nobbers

I won a victory of masculinity today by replacing the headlight bulbs in my Corsa D.

You might not think that's a big deal, but if you do a cursory Google search on it (as I've learned it's worth doing that even if I think I know how to do something) you'll find pages and pages of forum wankers and mechanic tutorials telling you you've got to disassemble the air filter system, take out the fuse box, drop the bumper, pull the full headlight assembly out, or else you won't be able to access the socket.

Well. Do you bollocks.

I won't deny, it is a massive faff. But taking the bloody bumper off is just being dramatic. All you need to do is fiddle around twisting the thing and swear a lot until it lines up with the gap. Could it be that car nerds just like having an excuse to get all their tools out and, and perform routine maintenance in an unnecessarily long winded manner, just so they can?

Because otherwise, I mean... If these lads don't even have the manual dexterity line up a bulb fixture, I feel very sorry for their girlfriends.

>>4681

Forum wankers innit.

I was recently researching the merits of using vegetable oil as a cutting oil for metalworking. One of the top search results was a forum thread that started with a similar question. There were several pages of people calling the OP a fucking idiot for even asking, saying that it was a ridiculous idea, that he'd ruin his machine or burn down his workshop if he didn't use proper cutting oil.

I was half tempted to register an account and bump a years-old thread to post an image of my machine manufacturer's recommended cutting oil list, which specifically mentions vegetable oil as a suitable option.

>>4682
Some obscure forums won't show a new poster's posts until they have been permitted by a moderator, to prevent spam, and I've heard that being more right than the twats who run those sites is a great way to get banned from them. Luckily, I have no hobbies or friends so I never get into these situations.

>>4682
>I was recently researching the merits of using vegetable oil as a cutting oil for metalworking

Unless your aiming for accuracy to within microns most thin oils work fine for lathe, boring and drilling work. I suspect most forum animosity in general comes from the snobbery of people who have bought kit well over spec for whatever home project they are working on

>>4684

In this case, I think the problem was crusty old sods who assume that nothing has changed since they did their apprenticeship in 1982. A lot of people are moving away from traditional flood coolant because a) the cost of legally disposing of used fluids has skyrocketed and b) a sump full of soluble cutting oil quickly starts to smell like eggy farts. It was a different game in the days when you could just pour used coolant down the drain and nobody cared about contact dermatitis or occupational asthma.

>>4685
I'm not saying your wrong but the crusty old time served sods I know advised for home work most thin oils being acceptable, and back in the day and perhaps even today commercial operations often used cutting fluids well past when they should be changed to reduce costs
And lets face it a fair number of home metal workers or mechanical fiddlers will at best bung old fluids in the used oil disposal at the local tip or at worst pour used fluids into a container and hide at the bottom of the bin (ahem)

(A good day to you Sir!)

I watched a few videos about the Fiat "Maluch" 126 as a cheap and cheerful car designed and made in Italy for a couple of years but eventually produced in Poland for decades. They are and rust like nobodies business, but they beat even the Mini in pokeyness and I kind of want one.

>>4687
Stay away from looking at how much you can get one for. It's the road to ruin.

>>4688
I'm not trying to sell one, I'm more concerned about how much welding and custom work it would take to get one running road safe.

>>4688
Oh, I know. I don't have a workshop and I don't want an emissions disaster either. I've got my bikes for that that don't pay ULEZ.

But I just adore tiny production cars like that Fiat. Tiny, functional, shame about the materials I guess. It's a teeny step above a Trabant, and them lot are a just a smidge above a go-kart with fairing. I should perhaps look at Kei Cars instead.

I appreciate the safety features in a "recent" car, but they are like frozen pizza. Perfefctly servicable, hard to fuck up, but you just know with a bit of effort you could do better.

You can still get a reasonably tidy 106 or Saxo for under a grand. They're popular cars for grassroots motorsport, so aftermarket bits are readily available. The hot versions are creeping up in price, but they're nowhere near the daft money you'd pay for a 205 GTI.

>>4689
Are you intending to use one for a daily driver or second car to scoot around in on sunny days?

Personally I'd forget one for a daily, the dire brakes and performance will have you screaming within hours

>>4692

I'd argue it'd be a fantastic city car, maybe a great London car (though I don't know how ULEZ friendly it is, and can't be arsed to look) as it's tiny, economical, and probably not that desirable even if it could be easily nicked. It'd be torture on a long motorway drive, though.

I also love them, I have a soft spot for dodgy but utilitarian soviet cars. If I bought one I'd do something silly like put a bike engine in it, which would sort of ruin the charm.

>>4693

Anything on a historic tax disc is ULEZ exempt.