overrun

Beatties in Newcastle and the Metro was amazing for R/C stuff. Although my ‘local’ was The Model Shop in Chester-le-Street. Jospeh’s in Sunderland was the bollocks for 1:43 and Scalextric. Ahhhhh.

Good stuff. Cheap, too. My dad has his mk4 TX because of my old one, and three mates have optioned up mk4.5 TXS estates now, 2.2 x2 and a 2.0. I recommend them to anyone.

Yeah, I know the lad, lives up here. Shame I never saw it in person. @Jikovron may be able to offer some info?

When I was a kid, my family emigrated to Oz, including two lots of aunties and uncles, cousins. It was a wonderous time for me, as we arrived last, and the rest of the family already had cars. A Nissan Pintara, a Falcon Ute, these were totally alien to me and I loved them. My dad had an E80? 4dr Corolla, the one with the angry looking tail lights, then an N13 Pulsar hatch with roo bars. Next door had a Bronco, down the road I remember a Valiant Charger I think.. so interesting back then.

Agreed. ‘practically worthless’ must mean something different to me!

XC90 are bigger, a lot cheaper and unlike the RS, don’t require different brake hoses. When I renewed the discs, pads and fluids all round with OE stuff on mine, I wish I had gone this route. I’ve faded the brakes more than once, and they look tiny behind 19’s.

True, newest will be 6ish? I reckon I may *gulp* look at the current gen Insignia Sports Tourer VX Line or whatever it is, when the time comes.

How about a mk4.5? A bit of a safe choice perhaps, but as we know, these Mondeo's are very good cars.

Nice, mate. That will see you right, fuck all of this 1800 TDCi crap. The rear blinds are an option. You got the adaptive (turning) headlights? I miss those, and think they’re excellent.

Haha I often watch V Tuned, too. Did you find him due to Samcrac? V Tuned is a funny one. He looks like a kid, surely can’t be older than mid twenties? but has like of this knowledge and his own business. Fair play!

Of course, mate. I too enjoy FR cars. They are fun in a different way. Nothing squats and launches like a turbo MR2 IME, and the fact it can kill you if you take the piss, adds to it for me (my mate was the same until kids stopped his ownership). As car enthusiasts, we like to be engaged in driving and learning to be rewarded. These cars deliver it in spades IMO, the weight directly behind you, in the middle of the car, the turbo spoiling behind your head, the savage old school boost when running 18+ PSI, the almost cartoon-like acceleration. I love it. Like you say, we all have our opinions - but MR is nothing like RR! 😛 Also, an NA/NB MX-5, S14, R33, E36 etc etc (I used to have a 360 Volvo 2.3 turbo conversion with a welded diff) are all a riot. I’m not saying all MR cars are amazing. I had a pedal of a VVC MGF and I didn’t like it. It felt like I was sitting on it, not in it, it made a load of noise (K&N) and didn’t really go anywhere... Not for me, but loads on here rave about them!

You really won’t go wrong with a 2.0 TDCi mk4. I had one for years (59 plate TX hatch, fitted Sport kit) until circa 175K it wanted for nothing, aside from service parts, timing belt kit, one ball joint, tyres and servicing. At 175k the turbo nozzles got coked up. So I Mr Muscled the hot side and that sorted it, and pressure washed the DPF out. Sorted. No control arms, dampers, springs, bearings, EGR’a, exhausts, window regulators etc etc needed or fucked seats and rust like so many other marques seem to need if they even make it that far. I bought it on 136K miles and sold that car on 182K miles and it was spotless and drove great. My dad has a 58 reg TX hatch on 160K now, it has suffered from a snapped bonnet cable and the DPF pressure pipes burning through (mine also did that - fixed with coppers worth of silicone vac hose and 15 minutes). His is treated like shit, never washed, rarely serviced and has had a timing belt, trailing arm bushes, brakes and tyres. No more. I did the rear discs and pads on Friday for him and it has an MOT this coming week. I fully expect no issues, as per. I currently own this TXS estate, on 120K. Has had a belt in my ownership and I fitted Powerflex bushes to the trailing arms. Anything else it has had have been mods by me. The DPF is being a dick ATM (Convers tells me when it is doing a regen), Forscan says 76% soot load. So I have it on the ramps and I am going to pressure wash it out and see how we go. That’s it, in two years. IMO the mk4 and mk4.5 TXS is a fine looking car - hence suggesting you get one. The standard spec is massive as they are top of the range. Mine has nearly every option also, it makes a great car even better IMO. I strongly recommend you reconsider mk4 ownership. I’d get the 2.0 140 TDCi as it is the best all rounder and IMO the mk4 is a tougher car still than the mk4.5. If you get an estate, they are also colossal. I can’t look past these things for VFM/spec/parts availability/looks (TXS)/etc

Both mid. Nothing is more rewarding to drive then a mid-engined platform, IMO. Drive them like a FWD hatch and expect ‘issues’. My 300 BHP MR2 turbo demands your full attention, but that’s something I enjoy. Dunno why so many enthusiasts are scared of the SW20 etc. ’Snap oversteer’ etc doesn’t just happen. You have to laugh!

Well obviously lol. Transferring a plate from a vehicle you legally own is a world away from what you allude to, though. 'Plate raping' isn't stealing. Sometimes it is a shame though, but it's all legal.

I've asked before if he would share the link, but he doesn't want to. It's a shame, because it would be handy for a lot of us, and we all tend to share this stuff. LBF, I recall you saying it costs to look up, and you have to 'plead your case' to the site, but it would be nice for others to be able to have a go.