Hawkeyethenoo

All Vauxhalls for being shyte, including the Vivas, Royales and Omegas what I have owned. 

Yes but, it was shit wasn't it.

 

Even if it wasn't Subaru's are shit these days. Over priced and unreliable with dull poverty spec interiours and dodgy silver plastics.

 

I pity the fool that pays retail for one.

 

Hawkeye.

I imagine the 300D would be quite sprightly by comparison! They are rather glacial though with 88bhp to shift that much car. Dread to think what the 200D autos were like!

Learned to drive in '84 2.0L petrol estate back in the day. It was being used as a 7-seater taxi then so was converted to LPG. I had 11 people in it just the once on the way to a local raft race

 

Loved that big car and it could be made to hustle when required and not carrying 11 people. Went on to do very nearly 200k before the timing belt failed leading to it going over the bridge, sadly.

 

They sure don't build Peugeots like they used to build the 504. Legend of a motor.

 

Respect.

 

Hawkeye.

Russians'. You've gotta love 'em.

 

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=836_1380538906

Nothing to see here...

 

Almost a month with the car and it's yer typical boringly reliable Japanese car. Nothing to report other than 27mpg returned. 212 miles from 37L of UNL. That's around the doors and mixed dual carriageway & A road type stuff. With care, 30 should be possibly do-able? The air con cleaner made a really difference to the car as it smelt bad in the morning after being parked up overnight. Since using the AC cleaner that smell has gone. TFfT. Snow tyres going on next. Khumo 205/65/15 Powergrip. Be interesting to see what effect they have on the MPG, if any? Climb any mountain....

 

As you were...

Another link for more TG USA, TG and Fifth Gear.

 

http://www.carvideos.eu/

Mini update.

 

Interiour light fixed just by removing and the refitting the bulbs. Blown rear stop/tail bulb replaced. Interestingly, the R580 bulb was a Denso, which could well be the original bulb? The missing rear wind deflectors was spoiling the look of the car and after closer inspection, I noticed the N/S front passenger yin was well cracked too. Decided to bite the bullet and remove them altogether and replace with a new set of four. I found a set on e(vil)Bay from a company called Towequipe. They're made in Poland by Heko. Having removed the old deflectors and the double sided tape from the window frames, what a PITA that was! I have to say that fitting the Heko's was childs play. Being a more modern design, they fit inside the window channel and are held in place with sticky tabs and then secured with metal clips pushed up inside the channel. The end result is very different to the OEM deflectors, but it's a cleaner more modern look IMHO and they're secure once fitted. Best bit was the price. Just under £30 delivered, as they were in the sale. Normally £70.

 

While I was scraping off the old adhesive.... I used one of those Coma air-con-cleaner-in-a-can things; and I have to say the car is smelling fresher than ever. Which is nice... Next step will be having a set of good quality 15" winter tyres fitted - but I'll wait till early October before doing that. Tyres on the car are okay tread/wear wise, but it's four different no name brands alround which doesn't inspire confidence in the wet.

 

I've been doing a little research on the 4wd set up and it seems it's a viscous centre transfer box with an open rear diff'. Not sure what they mean by open? Other than it's not computer controlled like the later Lancer Evo systems are being fitted with AYC and Traction Control. General consensus is far less to go wrong and therefore stronger in the long term.

 

Also picked up a nice Garmin Nuvi 50 via Halfrauds in their clearance sale. 5" screen and full (East & West) european mapping for £65. This is handy as the car clock is dead and the KPH speedo has been coverted to MPH; but it over reads by approx 10% at anything much over 30mph. I can use the GPS trip to monitor fuel useage accurately as well as speed. Well, I will once I've topped up the tank. The four speed auto gearbox is very good indeed, super slick changes up and down and the triptronic is handy for big balls overtakes - I'm coming through!

 

Regards,

 

John.

Vauxhall Chevette Special Editions 1975-1984

 

bullet Sun Hatch - has tilting sunroof, tinted glass and radio as standard.

bullet (Car does not have any Sun Hatch badges).

bullet Black Pearl - based on ES.  Black paintwork with Silver Strobe stripes.

bullet Silhouette - based on ES.  Black paint work with Strobe stripes.

bullet Special - based on L version.

bullet Starlight and Midnight (See below)

 

Vauxhall Chevette Starlight and Midnight.

 

 

 

 

Digg it :thumbsup:

 

MiniDisc's are still great imo. A perfect media for cars.

I have had a few MD HU's over the years. I still have a separate unit and Walkman, too.

 

Died before their time!

 

Does that 'gathers' HU have the god-awful purple screen? #sojdm

Thanks. I'm keeping an eye on e(vil)Bay for pre-recorded discs. HU is pretty good and multi-colour display is okay in all but really bright sunlight. Built in sub' and EQ; AC/DC sound good from the CD, but the radio is a bit weak. Probably due to the built-in airiel which don't work that great up here in the Glens, ken. One neat feature rather than have EQ displayed, you can view the car battery charge level. Which I'm happy to report is healthy looking. I'm pretty bowled away by just how good the car is to drive. It's just so god damn comfy! It turns heads too. WTF is that?

 

Thanks for all the kindly comments. Think this forum is braw and look forward to adding my wee bit to it and hopefully make a few meets.

 

Ride-safe.

 

John.

I love the seats. Very velourious

I feel it matches with the shiny plastic wood rather well. Only fault I can find is front interiour light isn't working and it needs taxing. Insurance was even reasonable at £160 tpft. Thanks to Google compare and the Post Office. Premium dropped by 50% (from £320) when I added her indoors. More married man discount than I get from the tax man, what! and mega quote of £2500 when my 20yr old son was added. And then removed. Sorry son. Old man says bollocks to that nonsense.

Road tax added it'll be owe me just under a bag inc years insurance. Motd till June next year.

 

I feel a skiing holiday coming on and I don't even ski

Has landed - set off with my son this afternoon to view a 1997, Mitsubushi Legnum 4wd ST Wagon. Car was on evilbay but local enough and having had a Google, quite a rare sight on UK roads.
Arrived at sellers home with the car waiting glinting in the bright sunlight, I noticed the aggressive front end which still looks fresh today some 17 years on. Car presented very well matching the description very well. Only rear arches are just starting to flake, but that will be a straightforward job.
This Tokyo Express was exported from Japan into the UK in 2007, living in Kent with the same owner from 2008 till 2012, when the man I bought it from brought it north of the border.
Spec is good, climate, 2.5 24v V6 with full time 4wd and triptronic slush box, which works perfectly. Large folder with the car including all old mot's, import paperwork and service history. Recent work includes new front pipe (£300) brake service pads etc and full fluid service. Quite a neat aftermarket cd/minidisc sound system fitted along with a Toad remote alarm immobiliser and two keys and fobs.
Having got the car home I'm well pleased at what a nice bit of business the Tokyo Express has been. It was also great that the seller was a fellow enthusiast and all round, great human being.

More photos when ive had a chance to scrub her up a bit and given that lovely velour a wee shampoo.

Velour and Mini discs. How 1990s!

Phew snaps for now.

I was running an X-Type 3.0 Sport manual up until last month when I sold her on. Phew! Not the most unreliable car I've ever owned, but it was a bastid to work on when things did go wrong - wheel bearing, ABS sensor and on the day I sold it! The PS pump went tits up. Thankfully the new owner was okay with me replacing the PS pump and delivering the car right back. Access to said PS pump wasn't the total mind feck we first thought, as access can be gained from the O/S front wheel arch.

 

It was a dream car of mine when new and I sure enjoyed my time owning it - I'll certainly miss its go anywhere ability when the snow comes. There she is look. Lovely. 

 

Cheers!