Modern Cars

[Gromit]

Hilldodger when are you coming to York for a curry?

 

[fossyant]

I'm split between old and new. Just ordered a new Alpha Romeo Mito. Should have got it a few weeks but the bast*rds won't build it (credit crunch and all that). I also have a air cooled VW camper. Great fun to drive, love using it, but trying to keep it on the road is a real headache. Try changing a clutch cable at the side of a road, no fun. As for the gear box, heater, seats, fuel consumption, lack of brakes, steering, etc don't get me started!!

You need to spell Alfa right...tut tut..... nice looking hot hatch...just hope they have got it right now.....

PS Every man needs to own(drive) an Alfa at least once in their lives........... I love them....but a bit of a money pit....

 

[Smokin Joe]

The most satisfying car I ever owned was a Mk1 Cavalier. Great looking, a solid reliable engine and nice to drive without any vices. It had none of the expensive to fix electronic crap loaded onto todays cars (How hard is it to wind up a window?) and had loads of room inside with great visibility.

A car like that, running on modern oils with todays superior manufacturing methods would be my ideal motor and probably good for a couple of hundred thousand miles. Many of the new cars comming off the line today will be written off at a relatively young age while still in pristine mechanical condition because the cost of diagnosing and replacing some electronic box of tricks will outstrip their resale value. This is already happening, I know one case where a six year old Golf was taken in px by a dealer and broken for spares rather than re-sold because of persistant driveability faults that were proving impossible to pin down.

 

[cheadle hulme]

I'm split between old and new. Just ordered a new Alpha Romeo Mito. Should have got it a few weeks but the bast*rds won't build it (credit crunch and all that). I also have a air cooled VW camper. Great fun to drive, love using it, but trying to keep it on the road is a real headache. Try changing a clutch cable at the side of a road, no fun. As for the gear box, heater, seats, fuel consumption, lack of brakes, steering, etc don't get me started!!

155bhp from a 1.4!!!!

You wouldn't get that from an older car.

 

[iGaz]

What you need is one of these,,,,,

Tis my trusty stead, has a key that when you turn it, it starts!!! No fancy gizmos or anything. Just alot of space for bikes, getting changed and sleeping!!!

 

[John Ponting]

I haven't had a car with a roof for almost 12 years now, not even a heated rear window but it's my daily driver and car of choice for the Route Napolian over wife's modern Ford.

 

[Piemaster]

Fossyant +1 on the "own an Alfa"
I've got a 156 Sportwagon TS. Only car we have ever owned that when going out in it, Mrs PM will drive if seat is in her driving position - rather than handing me the keys and insisting I drive. Says a lot to me about it. Your 147 - a selespeed? Not noted for being reliable, why I went for a manual.
Fuel economy is dreadful. Think thats mostly me holding gears for far longer than strictly necessary B). Sure you know what I mean.

 

[Globalti]

You need a Land Rover 90. Infinitely repairable with cheap, easily available parts, second-hand if you want. Simple rugged and reliable.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I had five or six Citroen 2CVs over the years, including an Acadiane van. They were brilliant. I remember seizing an engine once on the way to work. I had it towed home, built one good engine out of two duff ones and was back on the road the next morning. You could fix them with anything you had lying around too; the ignition on one of mine was a push button start, cobbled together with bits from an old electric shower.
I also enjoyed owning my 1988 Volvo 240 estate (the Swedish brick), and I had a brief flirtation with a 1962 Volvo Amazon.
But ... while I'd happily own them all again, I rather like the 1998 Saab 900 I commute in at the moment.

 

[Hilldodger]

Hilldodger when are you coming to York for a curry?

When the doc allows I can't spend two hours sitting down a the moment coz it's too painful.

 

[Mr Pig]

You need a Land Rover 90.

I fancied one of those years ago but decided I couldn't live with it as a day-to-day car.

 

[mickle]

Land Rover isn't a car it's a tractor FFS.

 

[Arch]

When the doc allows I can't spend two hours sitting down a the moment coz it's too painful.

Walk up then!

(Couldn't be harder than riding that penny....)

Anyway, hope the doc allows it soon...

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i've noticed plenty of cars (mine included ) going around with one headlight not working. know why? it can cost £50+ parts to get fixed. some cars require removal of the front bumper to access the rear of the front light cluster

you could replace the whole unit on an old mini for a fraction of that and fit it yourself with a philips head screwdriver…

 

[tyred]

you could replace the whole unit on an old mini for a fraction of that and fit it yourself with a philips head screwdriver…

Unfortunately, that's apparently called progress. On newer Opel/Vauxhalls, you apparently can't replace the rear wheel bearing seperately, you must replace the complete housing, greatly adding to the cost of what used to be an inexpensive and simple job on most front wheel drive cars.