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Spiny Norman

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Spiny Norman last won the day on October 26 2013

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    Cruising for burgers in daddy's new car

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    Scotland

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  1. The Fusions too, still hunners round here, I guess like the Honda Jizz, the giffer demographic probably helps them.
  2. I find the bhp/tonne thing is a fairly reliable indicator of liveability-with guts for general use but I think the figure needs to be higher as the weight increases. 60bhp/tonne in a Citroen AX feels very different to the same figure in an old non turbo diseasel in a Merc W124 for example. As has already been pointed out, motorway driving demands very little in the way of actual power. Aerodynamics, gearing and soundproofing play far more of a part at a constant 70 than outright power. It's the ability to overcome inertia that makes the difference in the cut and thrust driving on A and B roads, or in towns. Your AX would positively scamper away from traffic lights while the lumbering old Merc would be wheezing away trying to get itself moving.
  3. 2CVs are fine on A and B roads where you can maintain momentum by scaring the bejeezus out of passengers and following cars when you tip it into bends without slowing, and even motorways are a cinch if you can find a helpful Volvo estate to tag along behind and let it pull you along at 70-75mph but they're a bit of a PITA in city driving where the constant stop/start flat out acceleration from rest to 30 is tiring from a concentration point of view, although the car probably doesn't object. Back in the day I regularly drove 45-55bhp cars on motorways with no bother, 1100cc Renault 5, Mk1 903cc Panda and did London and back a couple of times in my base 1.2 Mk1 Clio which would sit at 80 quite happily. My old boss did 35k miles a year in an E reg non turbo XUD BX estate (65bhp IIRC?) and at least half of those miles would have been flat out at 90+.
  4. I used to doubt that the Korean stuff would be as tough and long lasting as the Japs but give them their due there are plenty of 20 year old Kias and Hyundais kicking around. the place. Another local delicacy is the old (Stan) Getz, either in black or this same wishy washy blue colour. Must be a giffer's favourite shade, maybe it reminds them of their missus' hairdo?
  5. Throughout the past there have always been cars, often Japanese that you just don't seem to be able to kill until rust eventually takes them with an engine still running as sweetly as the day it left the showroom. Of course there were always the solidly built posh cars like Mercedes W123s and Volvos but I'm thinking more of things like the K11 Micras many of which are still going strong despite the very youngest being 22 years old. The one I'm starting to notice everywhere these days is the Honda Jazz, almost always in this nondescript shade of pale blue. Two of my neighbours have them and it's not uncommon to see another visitor one parked nearby as well. What other 20 year old cheapies will we still be seeing on the roads in another 10 years time?
  6. Cars with carburettors were nicer to drive than modern ECU controlled fuel 'management'.
  7. Is 'bin lorry juice' just a specific thing round here or does anyone else know what I'm talking about?
  8. Did you race it to the ground, and did it break the speed of sound?
  9. I'd be happy if people put their fucking phones down and paid some attention to piloting their 2 ton 'sport' utility.
  10. CBA filling it all in but I get 42.
  11. As an ADI during the 90s I drove several examples of Metro & Corsa along with most other superminis of the era and the Corsa was better than the Metro in terms of looking more modern and rear seat space and err... that's it. In all things to do with driving dynamics the Metro pissed all over it. Only the VW Polo felt as heavy and lumpen to drive but at least the Polo handled which the early Corsas didn't. An appalling car in every way except its nice dashboard and far worse to drive than its predecessor the Nova. Give them their due, later ones were far better but the first K/L reg ones were horrid.
  12. Site is taking ages to respond to a request for a new thread/page. I'm clicking on headings which take so long to respond I'm opening another tab and loading another website because I'm thinking my wi-fi is down. 10+ seconds to load a page sometimes, is the new server still loading up/bedding in or whatever it needs to do?
  13. Electric cars are a folly, a blind avenue we're being led down in a bid to sell more profitable cars.
  14. Here's a good one... The Clarkson, Hammond and May era of Top Gear was not only by far and away the best incarnation of the show, it was also the best motoring themed mainstream TV show ever. Also, Jeremy Clarkson is a hugely knowledgeable motoring journalist.
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