PiperCub

That's my first thought, product liabilities etc etc are the reasons most prototypes are crushed or put in museums. As others have said, suspect SAIC don't care about them at all. Having seen how good an MX5 NA looked in coupe form, the TF coupe would be interesting to see.

This is one of my all time faves too. The movie itself is hugely underrated in my opinion, main star is Roy Scheider. Well worth a watch if you get chance, it is (or was) on YouTube.

After a week in Blackpool where he went round every industrial estate in Preston and left the wife with the kids she went to Greece, presumably ended up fucking Tom Conte as per Shirley Valentine, arrived back via the solicitors with the divorce petition. That's odd because that was my exact thoughts when I saw the original series too! She's likely been getting some extra-curricular D while on a foreign holiday away from prying eyes. Happened to a colleague of mine with his L/T GF last year - had a feeling it was going to then as well.

Seem to recall (on here?) that whoever owned this place some years ago was trying to flog it for a ridiculous amount of money - as in about a million quid. Real shame it's like this now, would have made a decent vintage steam museum.

^^ That's one of the best examples of OEM v Aftermarket that I've seen for ages.

Me too, up to about 2000 when Fowler had enough and sold it (pres. fucked off to Thailand?), then it sucked. Still got all those mags in the loft. Prob. going to ebay them soon as having a clearout. Believe UMG used to refer to Ural as Urinal?

Still got mine! Wish there was a mag like it now - no hope of that though. Was a fan of their legendary scribe NGK Sparkright!

I appreciate that but I've heard there are good and bad ones, what I want to avoid is having someone show up after a price is agreed and start bargaining which is apparently what some do. When I'm next down there I may do the dealer thing unless dad does it first. I'd imagine their prices wouldn't be overly great as he isn't buying anything (ie: it isn't a p/x - just a straight sale) but I may be wrong, it's worth a try.

Chaps Not having any experience of using them, I'm looking for any recommendations (or otherwise) for the 'We Buy Any Crap' -type sites, I've heard/read that they vary on how good/bad they are, some are upfront, others are clearly out to all but scam you and lowball/chip you on price. Reason I ask isn't for me as such, it's for my dad who wants to get rid of his car but at 89 doesn't want the bullshit of selling in the traditional way as he's also not in great health right now. (He's not packing up driving, he and step-mum are going down to one car as they do minimal miles). The car is a 67-plate VW Golf SV auto petrol (5.3K miles) and I think it's worth about £12-13K so it is something that the trade would like in the current market I'd have thought given they're always bitching about 'Can't get the stock'. Any suggestions?

That's a shame, that era of Celica is actually a damn good car in either form (140/190bhp).

^^ That's certainly more accurate!

Speaking as someone who used to work in regional news (not Midlands), this kind of BS journalism and bad science is nothing unusual to me. Most reporters wouldn't know how to open a bonnet and are some of the most practically & technically inept people (not all bad people, some were real nice, just often not the brightest ) I've ever met so I'd not pay any attention to this other than to say it was a clear attempt at forwarding the 'Buy an electric car - save the world' agenda.

^^ It kind of depends on how diligent the individual is with their maintenance of their vehicles. If you are, then passing the MoT is no big deal, if you generally let things slide or flat out DGAF then yes, you'll probably suffer but you deserve to TBH as you brought it on yourself.

That's handy, my Alfa expires on the 29th July! Anyone got 30th or 31st? Going to get it done later in the year though as it's the current daily, probably late October so can do any fixing before the weather turns to shite and my other stuff hasn't been put away for the winter. The Honda Bros hack is the only one I'm going to leave on the full extension as it expires in December but that's OK as it's only a backup and I'm confident it'll pass. Figured it wasn't going to last much longer, the trade et al were bitching about it a month or two ago (usual H & S BS). Only surprised it wasn't 1st July! As Issac says above, if you present a vehicle on extension and it fails, you lose that extra time from that moment. I don't think this fact is widely known by most people.

I was wondering about how long the extension was going to go on for too. The Honda is up at end of this month but as it's only my hack bike I don't care if it now expires in December, that's no big deal, it does few miles and is all sorted anyway. The Alfa on the other hand as my daily, expires end of next month and I don't want that being due in January (done repairs lying in the snow - don't want to any more). It's all good but if it carries on I'll get it done in October I think.

It's funny how familiarity breeds contempt - or at least disinterest but years later, all of a sudden when we realise we've not seen one on the road (car shows etc excluded) for a dogs age, we suddenly appreciate what's gone. Personally, never a fan of XR Fords but I nonetheless like to see them around and know they still exist. The Mk.3's kind of died out completely from everyday sight about 15-20 years ago. This one looks remarkably tidy both inside and out for a 40 year old car. I like the BBS (RA's?) wheels as well, like most, I loathed (still do) the 'Melba'(?) cloverleaf affairs most seemed to sport before everyone got some sense and put RS alloys on.

There was a thread on here some time back relating to What happened to all the old hot rods/custom cars from the scene of the 70's & 80's etc.

Well, can't really comment on the dream but I'd suggest you give Discovery Channel a call and pitch this to them as a prospective new car show for them to make. Sounds like a winner to me. (Let's face it, there's way worse on Discovery these days).

True - when I got my first car (at 16) in 1982, 20/50 was the thing pretty much everyone used and had been for a decade or more. 15/50 GTX & Duckhams was just starting to replace it though. 10/40 was around but that tended to be for fancier stuff and was de rigeur for Japanese motorcycles (as 20/50 tended to kill them unless worn out already). 10/40 was coming in & becoming the norm on new cars during the 80's as engines got higher revving (plus things like 16v/turbo'd etc) and built to closer tolerances. The ECP Gulf oil bulk buy sounded good, I missed that one but am not needing any right now. Will keep an eye on that in future.

Was only ever a sporadic buyer of RC but it's a shame to see it go. Pity it couldn't have gone online-only as some other publications have done (one of the leading general aviation mags 'Flyer' has just done this) to cut it's costs and save the mag. Like CC's stuff, he writes in other Bauer mags eg: Car Maniacs mag where he has an interesting list of cars on his fleet - mainly up our street especially if you like Rovers. Wish him and the team all the best anyway.

Personally, I wouldn't, just wait, something always turns up. Patience will often save you money and stress in my experience! As you've sussed, anything laid up for any long period of time may well be able to be got running and driving quite quickly and painlessly but the costs come in replacing a shit-load of time-expired stuff like tyres, hoses, belts, brakes etc. and those costs can really mount up negating the point of buying a cheap car. Surprised the ad didn't say "Ran superbly when laid up". Well, let's go to a breakers, I'll show them a yard full of cars that "Ran perfectly" .....once upon a time".

400 Euros per change? For "Admin"? (ie: another tax), Holy crap, that made me feel ill! What a money spinner for the 1%'ers.

No experience of AX's as such but the 1.5 is the much better engine and the one to go for. The example on FB you quoted originally sounds like a textbook case of that evergreen favourite "It's old therefore it's worth tons of money regardless of condition". Erm...... no.

WHS! I've seen stuff that isn't yet five years old not look this good.

An Audi from the days they were good cars worth buying, nicely designed, subtle, very well built cars for sensible folk who had a bit of taste. Shame about now. This is an Audi I'd be happy to own.