The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: pgkevet on September 05, 2015, 06:58:56 pm
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I used to go car shopping every few years and could never find anything as comfortable as my ageing 200sx or at least at a price I was prepared to pay (which was far less tha i could afford 'cos I just don;t think it's worth paying that much).
Now my poor car has had a serious to terminal problem with a sudden big end knock and I;m having to take car shopping seriously. We do have a 4x4 as well - but in the sticks ya needs a spare. And when you're my size finding a comfortable car is difficult.
I want something with a bit of guts, automatic and above all comfortable and that in my eyes doesn't look fugly.
Past experience with car shopping went something like this:
salesman. "And your name is?"
Me "Mr K....."
Salesman "And your christian name?"
Me "Wht do you want my christain name?"
Salesman "So I know what to call you"
Me "I. the customer.. You call me Sir"
Salsman "And how much did Sir want to spend?"
Me "Sir doesn't want to spend anything . Sir needs a new car he fits in so what you got?"
How things have changed! Or perhaps it's just that Shrewsbury car shopping is a different world to London. they all press cups of decent coffe on you..and in the case of Toyota even insist on a take away cup so you can join the ranks of people i hate and sip it while shopping in Lidl's next door afterwards..
So the shoppng so far. BMW 4 series... not a hope of getting in one. 5 Series.. well yes, I do fit at a pinch but that stupid armrest ..Grr. The 6 series starts to be comfortable apart from the armrest.. but I want a light sporty car..
Mercedes.. well lost more comfortable and i do admit i like the CLS coupe and even though they'll come down to a tad under £40K I justwouldnlt pay that for a car..but you can get a 2yr old low mileage one for £22K 'ish.. which rather shows what a heck of a drop it is.
Toyota was a suprise. I can actually get in any of them .. even the baked bean can and plastic thing they try to call a car at the bottom of their range. I even drove a prius today and it's actually quite nice..lacks a little poke at the off but crusies well. trouble is no telescopic steering adjust and my arms aren't as long as my legs..Sadly they didn't have a GT86 to play with.
Nissan. Now my 200sx is lovely..it fits, it.s comfy, it's an old friend, I've had it 21 years and I'm still trying to figure how to get it fixed but I thought I'd go see what they have now. I tried the 350Z a while back and couldn't get in so went to try the current 370Z. Bargain of the century..they had a secondhand one with only 200miles on the clock and in a colour I like. And ya knows there's no shortage of poke and go and i could even live with a stick shift. But I can't get in!!! No way do i fit. Well I can get my legs in but my head is denting the roof. Soo sad 'cos otherwise it's nice in there....
So off we went to the Subaru dealershp 'co they have the GT86 under a different name (toyota and subaru made it together). As It goes we turned up in the wrong dealership..someone selling chinese heavy cars and pickups. If you want twin cab pickup for £15K new then well worth a look although the acceleration is about as inspiring as a dirge It is a heck of a lot of car for the money and very comfy even for me. And can tow about 5 tons. Of course in wales the back end will be a swimming pool or somewhere to farm fish...
But the dealerhsip were very nice about us getting it wrong..and insisted on fresh perked coffee..
As it happens they had a newish jaguar secondhand on their lot.. an f type. It was nice inside. I fitted too but the model they had didn't have any lumbar support and the way i had to angle seats for comfort left my back feeling strained. yeah, a cushion might do it but it just strikes me as wrong to buy a car you have to stuff with cushions to use for longer journeys. Why a high end vehicle like that doesn't have adjustable lumbar support as standard...weird.
We found the subaru dealership..and no BRZ.. it's due next week so i can do it all again.
I'll skip fench cars..on principle ( I still blame them for the e on the end of concord and those yellow apples and strikes around calais - I do bear a good grudge). there's mazda 6's to look at, even vauxhalls 'cos I'm getting desperate...
..or i buy something just as a spare temporary in case the 4x4 goes down car and learn to take my 200sx apart and mend it.... The local garage and local engine repair companies just don't want to know or understand....or a secondhand low mileage mercedes CLS ..or the BRZ when i try it....or...
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Its a shame you won't do French as I adore my renault
What about Skoda or Audi?
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I had a renault once ....merde!
Audi is on the list although they did have a bad rep a while back on their auto boxes. previous round of car shoppng it was high on my list. My Sis has a Skoda and loves it but there's nothing in their range that does it for me..same with Ford although in practical terms the Mondeo really is a good all round car.
I'm looking for comfy, sleek and sporty albeit auto box. I don't give a poo for CD's or phone connections or even electric windows.. a handle would be fine and a satnav stuck on the windscreen....
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I hate spending on cars too and your story sounds like my regular run in with old lovely and reliable, but can I afford to,wait until the dreaded unreliability sets in. Anyway Audi best car I have ever driven automatic hardly feel,you are driving at all really. If it fits.....
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21years before it let me down...still want to rebuild it. I'd planned on us going on to the end together...
I had a stupid discussion with a bodyshop once...
Me "how much to do a proper respray on my car.. not just a cheapo blow over"
Him "It ain't worth it , mate"
Me "I didn't ask that. How much?"
Him "Not worth it, mate"
Me "Do you or do you not respray cars? Do you or do you not want some work?"
The problem is everyone wants the quick and easy high profit jobs... not those that take a bit longer and need skill...
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Not an auto but sporty and gorgeous and my tall long legged hubby fitted in just fine - a Morgan 4/4 ;D
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Not an auto but sporty and gorgeous and my tall long legged hubby fitted in just fine - a Morgan 4/4 ;D
I'm a bit over 6ft 7....
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My bro (6'5) fits in Audis :)
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Here you are...
link...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-200sx-S13-Drift-Cosmis-Rb26dett-s14-s15-skyline-180sx-modified-track-swap-/331646089944?hash=item4d37a5bad8 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-200sx-S13-Drift-Cosmis-Rb26dett-s14-s15-skyline-180sx-modified-track-swap-/331646089944?hash=item4d37a5bad8)
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Dacia
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The s13 is still one of the more popular drifting cars...it's what gives me hope that mine will get rebuilt. The drifting guys think nothing of rebuilding these engines and sticking new ones in. It aso means that aftermarket engine parts are about.
Buying a drift car as such isn't quite the answer but one that's not totally hopped up to extremes that would destroy the rest of my auto power train might be an engine donor or more likely access to the parts to rebuild my engine. Or ideally one of those guys who thinks nothig of rebuilding and swapping engines being near enough to me to provide the practical help to do it.
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Buying a new car 1
Years ago on a Saturday afternoon we went into the local Pug dealer to look for a new car, I didn't realise there is a dress code for main dealerships for we were greeted with " the used ones are round the back" and the person swanned off.. Nevertheless we look an interest in a 206 and after a while the person appeared, possibly to shoo us off, but I wanted a test drive and after huffing about we went for a blast up the road, well about half a mile and back to the showroom .
We wanted it anyway, price , spec, etc etc. and started the purchasing process ;D
Me " well I see it been in the showroom for a while"
Person " No new in this week"
Me " drive past every day been here ages... "
Person " yeah maybe so "
Me "and I notice its not exactly brand new........"
Person " how so ? "
Me " built a year ago, says so on the build ticket in the boot and probably sat on an old airfield quietly rusting away..."
Long pause
Person " would you like a coffee"
Now bear in mind its the last week of the month person has now gone for the coffee I brief Mrs RTB on the next course of action. Person returns
Person " so are you interested ? "
Me " yes, seeing its already old you will take an offer, and you can deduct the alloy wheels and put on steel wheels , how does £xxxx. sound ? "
Person " Ill have to speak to the manager "
Later......
Person " yes we would accept that"
Me " ok heres my debit card, I will wait while you change the wheels over and take it with me "
I almost got a friction burn as the debit card was snatched from fingers.
Person "Um you cant take it right now , it needs to be PDI'd .."
Me "yes I understand, any thing will do for a loan car for the week end... "
Enter PIN get receipt, collect car following Monday.
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Buying a new car 2
On a Saturday afternoon Mrs RTB and I went to the Skoda dealer to look a Roomster, it was the right colour had a tow bar, air con,wheels etc etc.
Me “ we would like that one please”
Person “ ok ,finance ? “
Me “here's my debit card “
Person “ Watch my lips and look at this sign ….”
Me “ Ok then the no deposit interest free finance”
Person “ Its ready to go, just produce insurance details”
New car 3
Mrs RTB goes to rural skoda dealer in Maud to get animal feed as they are a drop off point, she
comes home with 6 month old ex demo Skoda pickup kept that until 200k + miles
Bet you cant guess the make of the nex car we buy.......
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For a 4x4 I always buy discoverys mark 1, I know a couple of people who repair them and rebuild them, they love anything to do with disco's or landys, thats where I origionally bought them from, plus when they get broken they mend them for me.https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambrian-4x4-Farm/150843134974395 (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambrian-4x4-Farm/150843134974395)
This is the guy. He'll sell you a 4x4 at a decent price.
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Not an auto but sporty and gorgeous and my tall long legged hubby fitted in just fine - a Morgan 4/4 ;D
I'm a bit over 6ft 7....
You could just leave the top off ;D
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I have already got a 4x4 nissan xtrail... had to do 8 hours in it today...but it's nowhere as nice as my aged defunct motor was/is/will be.
I'm worried about Audis now... after that 8 hrs driving I worry that buying an Audi turns people into driver dickheads....or perhaps just the ones that buy white Audis....
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I have already got a 4x4 nissan xtrail... had to do 8 hours in it today...but it's nowhere as nice as my aged defunct motor was/is/will be.
I'm worried about Audis now... after that 8 hrs driving I worry that buying an Audi turns people into driver dickheads....or perhaps just the ones that buy white Audis....
Audi drivers are assh*les .. there is a fab quote that sums em up "if you ever feel useless, just remember someone is employed to put indicators in audis" : :roflanim:
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I have already got a 4x4 nissan xtrail... had to do 8 hours in it today...but it's nowhere as nice as my aged defunct motor was/is/will be.
I'm worried about Audis now... after that 8 hrs driving I worry that buying an Audi turns people into driver dickheads....or perhaps just the ones that buy white Audis....
Audi drivers are assh*les .. there is a fab quote that sums em up "if you ever feel useless, just remember someone is employed to put indicators in audis" : :roflanim:
I think its the ones who drive mercs which are the worst, I had someone pull out right in front of the car my dad was driving, so he had to stop suddenly and let her out she never even acknowledged us. :rant: I also think though that its not necessarily the type of car, but the type of driver. By the way Pgkevet have you managed to source a car yet? What kind of 4x4 do you want?
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WBF - I don't want a 4x4. I've got a 4x4. What I want is a nice. nippy, fun , automatic sporty thing that I fit in comfortably....
..what i'll probably end up with is a boringly sensible and economic spare car and several years of failing to take my 200sx apart and fix it myself.... I'll start and then run out of ability with rusting bits of car spread all over one of the barns....
Archeologists of the future will assume its some sort of offering to a car-go cult and spend centuries trying to figure out relationships to planet configuarations and sunrise times.
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Archeologists will have lots of evidence found around the country for this cult. Here there are two offerings with the sons 1948 Riley which got stripped and then he found a girlfriend just as he started to put it back together... and OH still has to replace the engine on the 29 yr old Landy.
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Yup. We have a "Polo Field". Not as unrelated as it may first sound! ;D
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My suggestion : Skoda Superb (volkswagon audi engines etc)without the audi image.
Larger than a 5 series; estate and 4x4 available if you want. Excellent ride quality, 50 plus MPG even with the 170bhp version. Really roomy inside...I think they are on the A5 or A6 floor plan.
Just been to the French alps in mine , 5 of us, roof box 7 bikes, effortless.
On our 4th skoda---a much older superb, a yeti 4x4 (also excellent) now have Octavia for wife and superb estate for me.
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My parents were czech. Just as an interesting fact the word 'skoda' is used in the czech language as a word for 'a shame' or 'a pity'. And back in the days before VW took them over the classic skoda 1000MB was colloquially refered to as 'The skoda thousand little aches and pains'....
..but my sister has an octavia and swears by it.
The good news:
The engineering co that refused to help fix my car rang up... they had the wrong end of the stick and assumed it was a drift car. Now they've realised it's used as an ordinary road going vehicle they're keen to help get it sorted and are picking it up tomorrow.. they recognise how rare good working examples are now.
So the pressure is off car buying ..perhaps just something cheap and secondhand as a spare car for now...mine may take a while to get done
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The Volkswagon diesel engines are alot of fun, so if you can fit in any of them it's worth it.
You haven't mentioned Volvo V70's - get one of the high HP ones and they're fun, comfey and fast.
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whats a new car ;D i love my old ford ranger…..
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The Volkswagon diesel engines are alot of fun, so if you can fit in any of them it's worth it.
You haven't mentioned Volvo V70's - get one of the high HP ones and they're fun, comfey and fast.
When my daughter was in primry school she once came back to tell us about mummies and daddies 'cos she'd been learning about Volvos and tentacles.
Theres nothing small, light and sporty about a V70 unless you have a very large angle grinder at home....
I'll admit the last VWs I drove were 40 yrs ago...perhaps another look...
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The Volkswagon diesel engines are alot of fun, so if you can fit in any of them it's worth it.
You haven't mentioned Volvo V70's - get one of the high HP ones and they're fun, comfey and fast.
Ive never seen the words Volvo and fun used in the same sentence before ! :excited:
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Ive never seen the words Volvo and fun used in the same sentence before !
Scandinavia where running around naked in the snow flagellating yourself with birch twigs is also called fun.
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It's fair enough - volvo's are only fun if you have the high BHP types,. :-)
All the audi's/skodas/vw/seats etc have the same engines - the diesel engine is torqy as anything!
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After a lot of dithering .. it's been almost a month trying to make up my mind.. I finally made the decision today and bought a GT86 1 year old. The nearest automatic one I fancied was 80 mies away and i happened to be going (almost) that way on wednesday and dropped by to have another sit and check comfort.
The repair pace hasn't even lifted the bonnet of my nissan yet (i'd heard they were slow..) so by the time that's fixed and then probably resprayed and the inside tidied up and after all that money spent on it perhaps upgraded with some seat heaters and a newer still radio etc system... I'll be more playing with it than driving it.
I made the decision re new car today and should get it delivered to me midweek once the money transfer has gone through and it's been servced and valeted etc and the maps updated ( couldn't use a debit card for that amount via the phone). Of course it;s totally impractical. No-one can sit in the back seats with me in the front and the boot space is tiny. Perhaps I'll be good and not drive a nice shiney car with my wellies on for a few weeks and avoid filling it with doghair......
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All the audi's/skodas/vw/seats etc have the same engines - the diesel engine is torqy as anything!
Oh the irony, from a post made less than a month ago! ;D
Perhaps I'll be good and not drive a nice shiney car with my wellies on for a few weeks and avoid filling it with doghair.....
I give it a fortnight! ;)
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.. a fortnight is a few weeks!