Toe

I would've thought most under the age of 40 see a car like a washing machine, fill it up, switch it on and use it and that's it, not helped in the slightest with this fascination with putting plastic covers over the engine either, This view of cars is dangerous too, it's unlikely you'll kill someone with a washing machine but too many can't seem to grasp that a car can easily kill

Funnily enough those figures were the same as when my brother scrapped his '97 Micra, it had no cills in the end as he noticed it was a bit crusty after I put my finger through it, of course it was way too much to have 2 cills welded in so he got another car and was shortly taking it on it's last drive when a couple of days before hand a lad of 20 maybe he said offered him £100 cash to drive it away as he's blown up the engine in his and my brothers car only had around 50000 miles so he was going to swap the engine over, "hmmm" went my brother, "£120" the lad then said, "nah" said my brother, "I'll scrap it", "well", the other guy said, "I don't know scrap prices but I reckon my offer is better...." 2 days later we went to the scrappy and they looked at it and said "£250 be allright?" Don't know scrap values, my arse, if he said £2-250 he might have sold it but actually it's being on here that I've seen scrap prices aren't bad at the minute so thanks to you all on here that my brother said no 👍

Goes both ways though as well, crappy adverts with crap pictures and when you message either they give you crappy answers or don't answer at all!! "Do you actually want to sell it or not?" 😁

Nothing like the smell of hot oil to clear your sinus's out 😁😵

Aye, Amayama are good, if in stock, brake disc shields for my Charade were available and then afterwards not, sills for my 626 are available and then found the postage was over £500 lol.... Also I discovered some new old stock shock absorbers for my 626 in the UAE and surprisingly enough they fulfilled the order, and it was fast too via fleabay For rare parts (ie nearly everything with the Charade) the likes of Autodoc were good but noticing parts I bought are now coming up out of stock and of course won't ever be, especially suspension parts and gaskets, getting to the point of buying them up anyway for the future but countries where the model was popular is a good place to start, Germany for me with the Charade and 626 but do see parts from Greece, no idea why there, Japan not much good as the G100 Charade didn't go down a storm, especially the GTti/GTxx

Nice to see the sights, and a little script next to the pictures 👍 One day I'll make it there, but with which car, I don't know lol

Around a 80% pass rate but honestly can't remember the last time I was clear on advisories, less than a page and I'm happy! I do sort these out though before the list gets bigger, there's always other stuff that comes in fresh for advisories. I have this notion that the tester can see the previous test easily and so therefore see what the fails/advisories were and to compare them against the newest test, is this correct? If you're seen to correct this then maybe the tester is a bit more lenient? Anyway the garage I go to has 2 testers, one who is firm but fair and have know him for years as been going for years and the newer one who would've failed one of mine if he could but couldn't because there is nothing the rules about it (seats not flip function on a 3 door) so for me it's Russian Roulette on who I get which perturbs me a bit

Depending on cost and ease are there airbags that can be fitted to supplement springs? Can be altered depending on the weight loaded. Say this as I'm sure you said about having actual van springs installed as more heavy duty but will give a harder ride than the MPV style, depending on cost airbag's could be a good compromise

Yes it is with bronze coloured wheels (thought this was OTT at the time but looking back before having them done when they were silver it actually suits it I reckon) It is mine but registered to my partner. I have seen another green V6 in town but not for a while now. Bit of rust round the rear arches where they all seem to go but hope to sort it this year, after doing the the cam belt etc, big job and I keep putting it off, even have the parts to do it lol I had a silver one many years ago and so impressed I was I thought I'll see if there's any about and this one appeared from Maldon over 3 years ago now I think

I'm in the MX3 wheel camp for sure... I also see it up for sale and having a 323f from a similar era I know how good these are and how rusty they can get!! Great colour and in good nick too, especially for a 1990's Mazda! Got to admit I was tempted, same engine as the lowlier 323's (mine is the 2l V6) and are pretty good and something very different. Auto doesn't seem that appealing though, no idea how it drives in respect to this - I've only ever driven and owned 1 auto and that was a Saab 9000 full pressure turbo so I can't really compare it, was very relaxing to drive though. 😖 Anyway looking forward to some more knocking it into shape 👍

I think the central window controls is a good idea but the ignition key in the centre is due to what I've gathered to stop you mushing your knee against the key in a normal location next to the steering column incase of a head on etc, Saab and safety and all that jazz 😄 They didn't really skimp on stuff, just used the same components for decades 😂 To be honest I've only ever had one car with an auto up on the windows, well handy though!

Just figured out the title is referring to Vauxhall, I thought straight away thinking it was referring to Saab, doh!

Lightness is a big factor too, and drag, are modern cars worse for that now due to safety? Anyway before a valve disintegrated (being fixed) my Daihatsu Charade turbo would get around 30mpg around town but have got it up to almost 50 on a motorway early in the morning and at 60, performance biased engine from the factory but still a 1litre. At the time the diesel version claimed to have the best economy of any new car at the time and that was "only" 80mpg odd, so would the 100mpg be pushing it even if they were only plastic so therefore light? I have fuelly and for the Mazda 323f and Saab 900 Turbo they're both nearly identical, Saab edges it in absolute but not average, 323 around 25mpg over 7,500 miles and Saab at around 22mpg over 9,000 miles but both have hit 36-37mpg on a run, all of them though are under the manufacturer claims of course.

Sheer sentimentality so don't, especially if it doesn't drive as well, doesn't look as good either, can see the brought home bit when born but that's about it, well, from my corner anyway

I'm thinking much of that is trying to do 2 things at once - present an interesting film piece and do the work, even though I enjoy my brother coming round to see me I resent it when I'm doing something to a car as it destroys my concentration and even if it doesn't I never get it finished. You took out the engine out of the Fox and put one back which is beyond me so you're able but being a bloke you can't multi-task 😄