17-Coffees

Two weeks ago I posted about the Proton Saga I bought, well I found and bought 2 more! 🤣 And a RAM Rebel, to add to the growing collection of Mopar I have.

The Trident Iceni... A car thats been in production hell (lack of funds) since the late 2000's. Looks generic of the time sports car sporting a Chevy LS motor? Nope, it's a 6.6 GM sourced V8 diesel!

I did not know these were a thing... A South Korean Jeep CJ with a Mazda engine? Count me in! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326076332413?itmmeta=01HTXFP0PTXYKH4A8FJC148XJW&hash=item4beba9f97d:g:Sx8AAOSwkZhl3PPn

My local one is in the North of Aberdeen in an industrial estate retail park on what is literally the city limits, and it's good, personally always stop by before heading into Aberdeen itself. But have found others I've been to around the UK to be more like you've described...

I got a new car today! was amazed to find one in the wild, Home Bargains no less!

I've toyed with the idea of a 125 bike or a cheap EV to use, just in and around my town. I also like the Mitsubishi I... So it's French* badged cousin does tempt me as well. I know the range new was "about 90 miles", so no idea how much it'll have lost over the last 12 years, even with just 22k miles. Granted, Even with 50 miles range it's enough for me to nip to my local Tesco and back a few times, and slap it on charge there every few trips. Of course, the idea is good, but unless I street parked it or the Civic the idea is pointless as I'd have to swap the cars about in the drive all the time. Shame. Also £3250, maybe the 125 would be a better idea. https://www.gumtree.com/p/peugeot/peugeot-ion-hatchback-2012-other-1-cc-5-doors/1473834450

Funny, I was talking of 4th Gen Camaros with a few folk today... Full fat V8 Manual, price seems silly good as well! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325994485238?hash=item4be6c915f6:g:ZWkAAOSwKJBlv4Mq&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4FVfu%2BFFkR%2BPlKYvQ2esx%2FLvTYes9QDg%2BG%2B7vBI59njA1940%2FcrtAAk3ZTv1BNcUUljQQi9aqDXvSp76D%2F33hUwWbxuN8URYK6VMQkdflcazFLOK55fh%2B%2BWInQMpe8FfHb2wgNoCKPODcyRhhCCKWtUz9yt8qkqaryekbTo2SLWPmnyDDk7Yo0LpIu9G82axYDUHPoSAwpZbgmpieAAKd8Alt8OZBmc3Qr9S7QYqA9qR8ts5ide7J0DEtYVkBS1bmfUYKTmu2vBHiwrdrT0omq5f%2BlxuLF%2Ffh4s8gVC2N8QS|tkp%3ABk9SR7is6syuYw I really need to clear my driveway...

Fancy a car that'll be hard to get parts for and have the hassle of registering in the UK? A Geely for less than a Grand! https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1545490626226213/

At the NEC Classic show in November, I got a fair load of brochures, but one of my favourites was for the Fiesta based Mazda 121. I originally found a brochure for the sad face Fiesta, but then @rantingYoof found one for the 121...so just HAD to get it! 😄 My copy is from 1996, so when browsing ebay I came across a later copy, which had the 1998 logo! Curious I just had to get it, and the bonus is it came with a 1997 copy as well! (Exactly the same as the 1996), so here is the 1997 and 1998 copy side by side... A bit more modern looking the cover, sporting the white-blue colours of the era, and of course the new badge. So what's the first page like? Ah....nice 'new' photos(shop) we can see! 🤣 Oh, and font change and the adding of "Mazda" at the bottom right. I honestly don't know what I was expecting.

The other week I got a brochure for the Mitsubishi (lack of) Carisma, I was shocked to find out they made... it as a SALOOOOOOOON! The 2 people I've mentioned it to were both as surprised as me that such a thing existed!

The past weekend myself and a friend drove down to the NEC for the Classic car show. My Civic was due for MOT so I rented a car, test station couldn't do the test in the end due to problems on there end...but I still opted to keep the rental for fun. Ended up chatting at the desk when I collected it and managed to blag an upgrade for very little, so I ended up with... A CLA 180 AMG-SPORT-BLACK-SERIES-EDTION-SPORT-AMG or something along that lines. I have to say the engine it pitiful and having 90 gears felt pointless for it's 135bhp. The seats are also rather stiff making the trip a but uncomfortable after a long slog of driving(Heated seats did help for that though). The thing handles well though, nice to have DAB radio and the boot is bloody massive! I'm sure the more powerful ones are better. Anyway, down at the show we met up with @rantingYoof and had a good look around, as well as getting a ride in a 90's Bentley Conti R with an ex-Sultan of Brunei engine, with some silly power! 4 people crammed inside a 5 and a half metre long, 2 and a half ton (before people) and it fucking off at a ludicrous speed! It's utterly hilarious how effortlessly it went about! 😂 As well as the show, of course did some shopping.. Another bloody fantastic trip down as always!

As others have said, Vauxhalls. Everyone seems to slate them but all my experiences with them have been good. 10 years ago my dad had a Vectra B, I had the pleasure of driving it to the NEC and back and it was nice as an car. Likewise when he latter got a late model Vectra C is did the job fine. And then there was the Astra G I had a few years back... Base spec, rough, very leggy and worn but kept on going, helped it was the 1.7 diesel! Although not a Vauxhall, it is related to one, but back in 2018 myself and Supernaut was in the US we had a rental Chevy Malibu which again was better than you'd expect!

THATS IT! 😄 Ever time I see it, I cant help but see how outstanding it is in so many ways...

I don't have a photo nor recall the name, but a car that comes to mind was a blue Volvo C70 based 4x4 that was made stateside, with bulbus styling. The mad creation of a doctor and they threated to take the website Jalopnik to court over there unfavoured opinions of it. 🤣 If that rings a bell to anyone and you have a name and photo, please do post it!

I'm colourblind so I'll have seen many pink cars I don't see as pink...and lots of cars I think are pink but are not! But here's £220k's worth of, very fast, Pink... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307079409943?sort=price-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&colour=Pink&include-delivery-option=on&postcode=ab419rx&fromsra

It's been a while since I last did this, but with the other half having just gone back stateside I though I'd have a look at what's on offer local to her. I'd have a $6k budget for a car... As always, there's a panther platform car so let's get it out the way first... This 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis! Not in the best of shape cosmetically , but was the only non-Ex Police patrol panther I could find! (I wouldn't mind an ex-CID, but patrol cars have the wipe down plastic seats in the rear) Not bad for $5500, but not sure I'd actually buy it. Anyway, car number 2 is one I've always found interesting due to how the design just doesn't work but somehow does... A 2000 Chevy Monty Carlo SS! This being the earlier V6 SS it has a whopping 200bhp on tap, but I can't say no to it. An actual personal luxury car* stateside would be living the dream! Sure it's not 100% cosmetically, but nothing major! And for $3995 I'd happily buy that if I was moving there today! But as much as I like it'd I'd maybe be best getting something more practical in the long run. Sadly I've been told I'm not allowed a pickup as I'd have no need for it so an estate would be the next best thing... And I am more than okay with that! This 1989 Old's Cutlass Curser! Bonus internal shot! Need I say more? Especially for shy of £2k! But sadly I should think more practical, the Pacific North West is famed for it's bad weather in the Autumn and Winter months, so AWD would be a bonus. Also If I can find a loophole to the "No pickups rule" that'd be great... Bingo! 2005 Subaru Baja! AWD and its Pickup-cum-estate (If fitted with a bed cap). For $3500 it'd likely be the best everyday, practical car!

How about some 'odd' ones from the other side of the world? Such as this early 70's Mustang Mach 1(Cobra jet)...that was in use the police in period... From memory, it was used in an aera near a US military base, where a lot of the troops stationed also had muscle cars. And something a bit newer... Some police in Australia opted for Chrysler 300's in full fat SRT trim to replace the the lack of locally made V8's. It's worth a note, that the 300C SRT was sold down under for longer than it was in the US!

REPEAT AFTER ME I DONT NEED A COUPE LS400, I DONT NEED A COUPE LS400... If 1UZ Soarers are selling for this much(Little?), I'm really confused as to one of them or a 4th Gen Camaro! £6k or offers...

Smoll Update... Abarth is gone, bye bye! It was much fun, and good memory's but it was time to part ways. Sorry for everyone who messaged about it and I never responded, a deal was done very quickly! This past 3 weeks I've been off on Holiday, this has meant the Civic has been enjoying long drives around Scotland as I've been playing tourist with my other half visiting places while she's over from the US of A. Most of it has been dull duel carriageways and A-roads, but yesterday we went to Loch Ness... Forgot how nice the road from Inverness to Drumnadrochit was when you don't get stuck behind anything! I'm still debating on if to keep the black bonnet or to try find a red one. As expected it has seemed to attract some attention from the ST lot while driving...but on the other hand getting a red one would be spending money on a part I don't really need, replacing a part I got for free*. (Not including price of replacement windscreen)

I just got rid of one car... I dont need this i dont need this i dont need this £3500 for a Mk4 facelift, V6 Camaro that's semi-local! 😄 https://www.gumtree.com/p/chevrolet/1999-chevrolet-camaro-v6/1465558455

Well, I've known for ages but been dragging my heels in delusion of "I'll get it back on the road"... Would there be interest on a Spares or daring repairs LS400? Also I'd have a Abarth 595 thats needing work as well if anyone wanted. Keep in mind I'm in what may as well be the Antarctic location wise, as a trailer would be needed.

As stated in News24 Yesterday, I had a mishap with the Spaceship... I was an idiot and never closed the bonnet fully, the secondary catch for the bonnet is strong enough to drive you 15 miles at 70 on a windy day before it'll blow open. 😵 Thankfully I was just at a turnoff for the Aberdeen bypass, so quickly put 4 ways on and limped onto there and turned off while trying to looking threw the small gap at the bottom of the windscreen (bonnet stayed up), and then leaning out the drivers window once off the main road. Thankful me and my passenger were fine other than a near heart attack... Called my Dad and he came out with some stuff and to act as a escort car to get me home. So strapped the bonnet down, used duct tape on the wings to help stop any marks, then took the backroads home slowly. Only came across a tractor, who did ask if everything was okay, but otherwise was unphased... Once home, lept into action mode to replace the bonnet... "But Coffees, you don't just have a spare bonnet laying around?"... Not exactly, you see my Dad's Civic shat itself last week and is waiting for it to be collected, so... Thankfully, was just the bonnet and not hinges that was damaged so was a straight swap...4 bolts. I actually think the black suits it, coupled with the black glass roof and the rear window. Talking of that glass roof, I'm bloody thankful that that never got touched! As dread to think of the cost for that! So with the bonnet sorted, windscreen is getting replaced (as expected)...£115 via insurance but have to wait till June 6th. Oh well. Talking of my dad and his Civic, of course he's been using my mums car the last week, but finally got something today which I got to have a poke around... I really like it, need an excuse to borrow it one day.

I'll be the first to put my hand up, and say it was the latter part! 😅 I can laugh about it, and got travel arrangements made for work. But car will be sitting till June till the windscreen can be done!

And sorted*... Race car now innit. Now to see what route to take with thr windscreen

Many words stuck with F.... Such as Fuck... Bonnet blew open while doing 70. Fuuun. Looks worse than it is, just bonnet and windscreen. And awaiting recovery of now.