Be Excellent To Each Other :: View topic

We got it repaired ages ago. The Mondeo is FWD, so I'm looking forward to lots of understeer.

[edit]Amusingly, the gearbox has an "Economy" setting, which I bet is just a "sport" button in "off" mode.

Can I take this opportunity to ask you, Dr Gaywood, why the hell you need a Picasso to convey only one child and two dogs when another estate would do that just as well and also be infinitely more pleasant to drive when you're NOT carrying the brood?

Why don't you go the whole hog and get a ST220 - they can't give those fuckers away due to the size of the engine and the repmobile reputation of the Mondeo model - that is a good car.

I suggested this as a good compromise, but he isn't made of money.

make your dogs sick

How old and knackered is the V6 if they'll do it for that little?

I thought the ST220 is an NA 3l V6?

BikNorton wrote:

I thought the ST220 is an NA 3l V6?

So it is - quite wrong there, then. The performance figures are almost identical, though.

OK people, throw cars at me. I'm after a smallish 5-door car, 1.4 or 1.6, diesel if it's a decent engine, low tax, good mileage, and not dull as fuck.

Lets have your recommendations, anyone but Dudley.

Bottom line is, unless you do >20k pa It would probably be cheaper to buy petrol.

Don't buy Toyota, I have it on good authority that their dealers are a bunch of fucking cunts.

This one's a no brainer Golf pick.

Looking at some of the punchier 5-door Fiestas, too.

Worth remembering that both the Fiesta and Golf are due replacements pretty soon.

ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes

richardgaywood wrote:

ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes

Oh for the love of newborn infant jeebus, no.

Craster wrote:

Looking at some of the punchier 5-door Fiestas, too.

Hah, I was looking at an ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes the other day. I bet that's great fun as long as you are driving it like you stole it.

Golfs, eh?

I thought that Seat Leons were basically Golfs but with a slightly better engine?

Mr Chris wrote:

Golfs, eh?

I thought that Seat Leons were basically Golfs but with a slightly better engine?

Usually the same engine and same chassis, but VW are historically better at getting the best out of the engines, and significantly better at putting the interior, electrics, and drive train together.

That font of all car-based wisdom, Mr Clarkson, reckoned the Leon version of the engine was higher powered and better. As was the whole car. And cheaper. I was tempted, tbh.

My boss had a Seat Leon Cupra-R, and he said that it was very fast and so much nicer to drive than any other car he'd driven, including his 350Z.

He used it for business travelling, and yes, I think he did!

I look forward to pics of the Bowler trip, Grim...

AceAceBaby wrote:

I look forward to pics of the Bowler trip, Grim...

http://www.mattbuildsatomcat.co.uk/just-visiting/22

OMG THE CARS!

If I was going to spend silly money on a bespoke car I'd take a 1970s Jaguar XJ-C and put all modern running gear underneath it - Supercharged 4.2 V8, brakes, suspension, chassis, window seals - the works. Beauty, reliability, coolness, comfort and speed.

As for silly money, hopefully (hopefully) this whole project will come in at about £4k.

Grim... wrote:

As for silly money, hopefully (hopefully) this whole project will come in at about £4k.

If you overlook the fact you have to use up your Land Rover in the process.

Nope - my Range Rover cost £1,500, and is probably worth about £1k now, and included in the price. I'm overlooking the time this is all going to take.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:53 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Grim... wrote: We got it repaired ages ago. The Mondeo is FWD, so I'm looking forward to lots of understeer. [edit]Amusingly, the gearbox has an "Economy" setting, which I bet is just a "sport" button in "off" mode. I have a soft spot for most modern Fords due to the whizz that was the recently retire Richard Parry Jones who was the engineer genius responsible for the chassis development/sign off. They handle remarkably well and you can get just as much understeer out of AWD as you can FWD as you undoubtedly know. Why don't you go the whole hog and get a ST220 - they can't give those fuckers away due to the size of the engine and the repmobile reputation of the Mondeo model - that is a good car.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:17 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
MetalAngel wrote: Can I take this opportunity to ask you, Dr Gaywood, why the hell you need a Picasso to convey only one child and two dogs when another estate would do that just as well and also be infinitely more pleasant to drive when you're NOT carrying the brood? I suggested this as a good compromise, but he didn't seem keen. make your dogs sick

Author:	Grim... [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 14:08 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
DBSnappa wrote: Why don't you go the whole hog and get a ST220 - they can't give those fuckers away due to the size of the engine and the repmobile reputation of the Mondeo model - that is a good car. I'd quite like one, TBH, but you can't buy them new. The Tit XS is the same engine (I think, the 2.5 220PSI boost one) though, just with a silly 'dualshift' (or something) gearbox.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 15:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
DBSnappa wrote: I suggested this as a good compromise, but he isn't made of money. make your dogs sick FTFY

Author:	BikNorton [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 17:42 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
I thought the ST220 is an NA 3l V6?

Be Excellent To Each Other https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/

Gas Guzzling Money Pits https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1635	Page 2 of 613

Author:	Dudley [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 18:04 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
It is.

Author:	AceAceBaby [ Fri Aug 22, 2008 19:37 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Grim... wrote: How old and knackered is the V6 if they'll do it for that little? I guess they keep your 3GSE or whatever. Maybe it costs more, it was some Random Bloke on MR2 forum. Labour costs would make sense, still it's interesting... Toyo tires are surprisingly inexpensive- £50 or £75 for fronts and rears. Compared to the ones my boss's Volvo is meant to have (£250 each) that's cheap as chips. I think I paid about £40 a corner on my Fiat, but I am the kind of person to buy four matching tires rather than four random MOT get-you-throughs.

Author:	Grim... [ Sun Aug 24, 2008 21:56 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
BikNorton wrote: I thought the ST220 is an NA 3l V6? So it is - quite wrong there, then. The performance figures are almost identical, though.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:41 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Grim... wrote: BikNorton wrote: I thought the ST220 is an NA 3l V6? So it is - quite wrong there, then. The performance figures are almost identical, though. I'm still not certain I like the new redesign - it seems to be suffering from the usual malaise of modern safety features dictating aesthetics in a "all cars must be slab sided and will only look good with 20" wheels on them" mantra. It does look nice as an estate, however.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
OK people, throw cars at me. I'm after a smallish 5-door car, 1.4 or 1.6, diesel if it's a decent engine, low tax, good mileage, and not dull as fuck. Lets have your recommendations, anyone but Dudley.

Author:	AceAceBaby [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:58 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
I quite liked the idea of one of those 1.4 diesel VW Lupo because they go a million miles on a tank of fuel, but that's probably too small for you.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:01 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Craster wrote: OK people, throw cars at me. I'm after a smallish 5-door car, 1.4 or 1.6, diesel if it's a decent engine, low tax, good mileage, and not dull as fuck. Lets have your recommendations, anyone but Dudley. Ford Focus or Golf. There really isn't any other option, really. Also, depending on your mileage, petrol may make more sense. Diesel is more expensive to run, the engines need servicing more often and the fuel itself is about 60p a gallon more expensive overlooking the fact that up until recently they were more expensive to buy - I say that as I suspect with the cost of Diesel being what it is at the moment, they're not holding they're value as well. Bottom line is, unless you do >20k pa It would probably be cheaper to buy petrol.

Author:	markg [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:01 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
A 1.4/1.6 diesel that's not dull as fuck? You don't want much. And all small 5 door cars look shit, they're all pillars and panel lines.

Author:	ElephantBanjoGnome [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:01 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Don't buy Toyota, I have it on good authority that their dealers are a bunch of fucking cunts.

Author:	Zio [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:21 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Might I recommend the 5-door version of the car I've got, the current Honda Civic? Mine's got the 1.8 L i-VTEC engine and I reckon it's pretty saucy myself. Some people say that the ride is a bit too hard on it, doesn't bother me personally, but you might want a test drive first. The 5-door is a very practical car, absolutely miles of storage space and it's fairly economical too. I tend to utterly blitz down the motorway on my way to and from work, and I usually get 39 mpg with the aircon running. A slightly lighter right foot and not using the aircon all the time should very easily get you 42 mpg, possibly slightly more. Also, the car comes in a 2.2 L i-CTDi Turbo Diesel variant, which a mate of mine was test driving for a company car. That's even more economical, and the turbocharger makes it a very fun car to drive, though it does cost more to service. Generally I reckon you're better off going with petrol unless you do an awful lot of driving. I will echo CG's view of Toyota dealers. Three fucking times I went into our local dealership for an Auris test drive before buying the Civic and on each occasion I got left waiting for 30 mins before someone came to provide me with yet another reason why no-one there could be bothered to take me out for a test drive. This being despite the fact that I had pre-booked on each occasion. I eventually told them to get fucked. I'm rather glad I did in the end, since I much prefer the car I have now.

Author:	Dudley [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 14:21 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Indeed. Might even be a reason to buy "new". (i.e - last stock of old model). A quick search of tradesales.co.uk in Slough (where I got my Corsa) shows 07 1.9 Golf 5dr diesels for ~£11k and a decent range of low milage 57 reg 1.6 FSIs for £10k.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:03 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
DBSnappa wrote: Bottom line is, unless you do >20k pa It would probably be cheaper to buy petrol. My main interest in diesel is purely the fact that having a diesel engine tends to automatically drop you a couple of car tax bands, which could be around £100pa. Not much, but still. I realise it looked like I said I wanted diesel - what I meant was that I would consider diesel.

Author:	GazChap [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Corollas are a good buy, but they're boring. The Auris and the Yaris are awesome cars. Toyota dealers might be cunts, but Toyota cars are stupidly good. Obviously there's the odd lemon (like my previous Celica) but they're generally due more to the previous owners mistreating them than any inherent fault in the car.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:08 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
My Toyota Carina was the best car I ever had. It was 20 years old and cost me £250.

Author:	Bluecup [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:29 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
I test drove an Aygo the other week and had no problems with the dealer, no pressure selling or anything. They even let me go out in the car by myself. I'm really surprised how you still can't just buy a car fully online. There are brokers (the best I found was http://www.drivethedeal.com, 7329.39 OTR for a 3-door Aygo blue, a saving of £715) but I want a one-stop shop god damn it.

Author:	Dudley [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 13:54 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
This one's a no brainer Golf pick.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 14:11 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Dudley wrote: This one's a no brainer Golf pick. Yeah, I thought that. Looking at some of the punchier 5-door Fiestas, too.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 14:14 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Craster wrote: Looking at some of the punchier 5-door Fiestas, too. Hah, I was looking at an ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes the other day. I bet that's great fun as long as you are driving it like you stole it.

Author:	Dudley [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 14:16 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Worth remembering that both the Fiesta and Golf are due replacements pretty soon.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 14:17 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Dudley wrote: Worth remembering that both the Fiesta and Golf are due replacements pretty soon. Buy new? Only a madman etc etc. Ah - I assume you mean that it'll cause a price drop in the older models?

Author:	AceAceBaby [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 15:35 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
richardgaywood wrote: ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes Oh for the love of newborn infant jeebus, no.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 15:45 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
AceAceBaby wrote: richardgaywood wrote: ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes Oh for the love of newborn infant jeebus, no.

Author:	markg [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 15:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
richardgaywood wrote: Craster wrote: Looking at some of the punchier 5-door Fiestas, too. Hah, I was looking at an ST180 in ice white with blue Viper stripes the other day. I bet that's great fun as long as you are driving it like you stole it. I think the only way you could maintain the slightest shred of credibility driving one of those would be if you actually had stolen it.

Author:	MrChris [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:16 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Golfs, eh? I thought that Seat Leons were basically Golfs but with a slightly better engine?

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:21 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Mr Chris wrote: Golfs, eh? I thought that Seat Leons were basically Golfs but with a slightly better engine? Usually the same engine and same chassis, but VW are historically better at getting the best out of the engines, and significantly better at putting the interior, electrics, and drive train together.

Author:	MrChris [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Craster wrote: Mr Chris wrote: Golfs, eh? I thought that Seat Leons were basically Golfs but with a slightly better engine? Usually the same engine and same chassis, but VW are historically better at getting the best out of the engines, and significantly better at putting the interior, electrics, and drive train together. That font of all car-based wisdom, Mr Clarkson, reckoned the Leon version of the engine was higher powered and better. As was the whole car. And cheaper. I was tempted, tbh. But then I remembered that I don't need to buy a new car.

Author:	Cras [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:49 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Mr Chris wrote: That font of all car-based wisdom, Mr Clarkson, reckoned the Leon version of the engine was higher powered and better. As was the whole car. And cheaper. I was tempted, tbh. Well I'm guessing that depends on what variant you're talking about, as it's likely that there's a Leon offering using an engine that isn't being offered in the Golf, which would make sense. Interior fittings better than a Golf though? Also, it's a Seat. Duh.

Author:	MrChris [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:51 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Just buy an Atom or a Caterham 7 and be done with it. You only need two seats, anyway. And Mrs Craster would fit on your lap in the Atom. Possibly.

Author:	Dudley [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:58 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
The Leon is also pig ugly.

Author:	MrChris [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 16:59 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Duds, you think the new Subaru is attractive so your opinion on these matters is discounted automatically.

Author:	myp [ Tue Aug 26, 2008 17:03 ]
Post subject:	Re: Gas Guzzling Money Pits
Dudley lives in Backwards Land.