Project Domes shonky autos - Grand Cherokee departs, Kangoo titivation and 911 dug out.

[BavarianRetro]

I'm not an Abba fan. I think the original description was "more hits than the Beatles."

 

I also fancied an SRT8, but I'm not convinced those engines actually like LPG even though you'd think they would.

[BavarianRetro]

Please reinstate the "delete" button.

[dome]

Also... dibs on buying Mason back. Depending on how much you ask for. I still haven't managed to shift the O.Z. wheels, so may as well put them back on Mason!

Fear not, it shall be offered up on here first. I may stick another years test on it but that depends on how the next car purchase goes.

[Cavcraft]

If you really want a cheap van I'll put you in touch with my mate who's selling a fucking horrible Vauxhall Movano (or whatever the 3.5T rebadged Renaults are called). It needs work but has a couple of months test.

[dome]

If you really want a cheap van I'll put you in touch with my mate who's selling a fucking horrible Vauxhall Movano (or whatever the 3.5T rebadged Renaults are called). It needs work but has a couple of months test.

 

 

That could be ideal. I'm going to hold off just now though as there's been good news about the S4 so I'll go and see it again first.

[dome]

Well, allow me to apologize. It's not very autoshite but tonight i came home with this.

 

 

It is, however, my idea of a sensible way of carting myself and bikes about the countryside.

[cort16]

Sweet

[CreepingJesus]

A 1.9tdi would be the sensible choice. This isn't the sensible option. Therefore it is indeed, Autoshite material.

[hairnet]

badge delete asap

 

get muddy and leave like that

[dome]

badge delete asap

 

get muddy and leave like that

I live in Fife.

 

Nature will take its course.

[dome]

 

Luckily* for you lot I'd saved this in case the forum went tits up...

 

I blame Mason. And the 330d. I wanted it all.

 

The 330d had been such a good car aside from it's North Sea trawler like underpinnings. Ideally sized for me, comfortable and quick over long distances, taut handling without being overly firm and decent(ish) quality inside. And a good engine, with character and more than 4 cylinders. But I hated working on it. Everything underneath it fought me. That sealed it's fate.

 

It sold quickly and for a price I was happy with. The Clio sold the same night. I'd also inherited my Dad's Fiesta after he gave up driving which added to the pile of cars at Dome Mansions. Too many cars.  I sold it to a friend cheap. The body was rough but he got it at a steal.

 

I was doing a lot of miles as my elderly Dad was in hospital prior to moving to a care home. I needed(wanted) something more modern and reliable.

 

Top of the list initially had been a newer shape E91 330D tourer. These go for frankly too much money and after 2008 changed to the N57 engine which had timing chain issues. And the timing chain is mounted at the back of the engine. Slow handclap for BMW.

 

I've had LPG before in the form of a V8 Grand Cherokee I got from Bavarian Retro a few years ago so was well versed in it's ways of making big engined cars cheap to run and making you work out where the fuck to put a spare wheel. 

 

If I was going to spend a sizeable wedge of cash on a car I didn't want something boring. I didn't want some modern 4cyl diesel shit that would suck the soul from me as I drove along waiting for the DPF/DMF/EGR to fail and throw me a fucking huge bill. So, the search changed. Petrol, or LPG was king. 4 cylinder engines are for losers(or kit cars)

 

L322 Range Rovers were all over the place. A Grand Cherokee Hemi hoved into view but was sold before I could get to it. Nice, but I didn't fancy a 4x4. I wanted something that could be enjoyed on the twisty stuff. 

 

Meanwhile, having sold everything I was left to the Lexus to use as my daily. It covered 900 miles in a week while I moved my Dad to his new home. It averaged 28mpg(once). It was awesomely comfortable, has a great engine and a brilliant stereo. If only it was a bit smaller. And I could get bikes in the back. And a manual would be more economical and better fun.

 

As the search narrowed I questioned my reasoning for spending so much money. This thread could have been very different if the owners of £500 V70 auto in Edinburgh actually responded to my messages.

 

Then, like destiny, an Autotrader search brought up a potential candidate close to me...

[dome]

 

Audis have a bad rep in some quarters which is not entirely their fault. The majority of their stuff is fairly bland and IMO no better than any of the other cars by the VAG group which share the same platform, except for better damped Jesus handles.

 

They also tend to attract (or are perceived to attract) a certain type of buyer. I'm not ashamed to say they're not my favourite brand. I slag off my girlfriends TT relentlessly for being an Octavia in a party frock.

 

They do have their moments though. The odd gem in the range when, occasionally, the engineers get drunk and say "Fuck it, Let's try this"

 

This, in my case was shoehorn the 4.2 V8 from, amongst other things, the A8, R8(eventually) into the A4 bodyshell. The RS models are well known for being brutally quick but aren't what you call subtle. The S4 looks to most people like it could be a 1.9TDi. Those in the know get it though. I like this.

 

One cropped up on Autotrader. Well written ad, lots of work done, full history. Manual, Avant(Estate) and running LPG. And half an hour away from me. Initially the paintwork put me off-it has a mismatched drivers door after some paintwork (by an Audi bodyshop, funnily enough...) It also turned out that to make the V8 fit in the A4 shell they changed it from a belt at the front to a chain at the back. Which can cause issues. Slow handclap for Audi...

 

After my initial enquiry I put it to the back of my mind. It would be silly, wouldn't it?

[dome]

I decided if I was going to do this I'd do it probably. On the way to visit my Dad in Ayrshire last Saturday we stopped off in Ayr. The idea was simple. Test drive an expensive S4 at a dealer to see what a good one was like before venturing to the bottom end of the market.

 

This went wrong. The one I tried (At just shy of £10k) wasn't great. Smoked in, no history and with a collection of warning lights on the dash.

 

It still felt awesome to drive (more on this later)

 

Last Sunday after cycling I ventured up to near Kinross. To set the scene I was dirty and sweaty from cycling. And driving the Lexus, filthy from its 900 mile week.

 

The house was nice. Very nice. Been a while since I've seen a Aga.

 

The owner is a car guy. Classic MG Midget in the garage and ready to race at Knockill this Sunday. The private plate the S4 had been wearing had been transferred to his Maserati Quattroporte (You need to get an authentic Italian person to say this word Quattroprote!)

 

The S4 has had a decent life. Owned by a colleague of his from a couple of years old, passed to him in 2014 whereupon it got a very, very neat Prinz LPG install. The bodywork, apart from the mismatched door and a couple of wee marks is very, very good. The history is very, very full. No long life servicing though, it's been done more regularly. And it's never been outside of a dealerhip. You get a feeling about a car, don't you? I had it. Big time.

 

Over the last year or two it had had clutch, flywheel, propshaft and coils replaced in an effort to cure a vibration. Off for a test drive then, with the owner driving.

 

Sadly the vibration was still there. At motorway speed it was pretty noticeable. He was convinced it was a damaged alloy. I left, with my tail between my legs unconvinced.

 

I emailled the next day suggesting he get the wheels balanced and if they showed up a knackered alloy we would talk.

 

He, to his credit, went one better and got a set of later A4 Sportline alloys a colleauge of his was selling and fitted them to try it out. He then took the head mechanic from a local garage out for his opinon.

 

The vibration was gone.

 

Wed night, I went back.

 

It was sitting on the twin spoke Audi alloys off, I think, a later S Line. They fit perfectly, look good and are wearing a brand new set of Pirelli P7s.

 

We go out. It drives well. I make an offer. we shake hands. Money changes hands. Paperwork is filled in. My insurance liberate me of a whole £26 to change from the 330d to the S4 til November.

 

I'm driving home with 340Bhp

[DVee8]

Dome that is a great write up thanks.

 

Now get some photos up.      Please..

[dollywobbler]

What's that? You're selling a Lexus for megacheaps? I did read (guess) that right didn't I?

[cort16]

There was a period that I was driving an S4 and and RS6 semi regularly and the RS6 is a total rocket ship, probably too fast to be honest. it's got an autobox only though so it was ballistic in a straight line but felt heavy and much cop in the corners.

The S4 on the other hand felt lighter and with a well balanced amount of power.  I think the manual box made you feel like you had more control when driving it other than in a flat out straight line. The engine is right up front, which is a lot of weight to have up there. It's kind of countered by the four wheel drive but there's not a load of steering feel but other than that they're totally awesome.

I'd definitely have had the S4 over the RS6 any day.

These days the s4 has a turbo v6, which just isn't right.

[Pillock]

They're on my list, S4s

Not the imaginary list that has everything with wheels and an engine, but the actual "I'll be annoyed if I don't" list. Alongside a brown Porsche (I'm not fussy, a 924 will do) and inexplicably, a late 80s Scorpio.

 

I think it used to be an S2 on the list, but they all seem to be in collections or scrapyards now.

 

Looking forward to a quick tug when you get some pics up.

 

Sent from my VIE-L09 using Tapatalk

[Supernaut]

What's that? You're selling a Lexus for megacheaps? I did read (guess) that right didn't I?

DIBS. DIBS. DIBSDIBSDIBS DIIIIIIIBS.

[Split_Pin]

Great write up Brian, I enjoyed reading that. I'm very much looking forward to seeing it at this months Scotoshite.

 

I like the look of Audis from that era, subtle styling without the ostentatious led DRLs and such like that are fitted to today's examples.

[Pete-M]

The lack of steering feel is common on 4wd stuff, mainly because they're not fighting to go where they're pointed.

[stripped fred]

I think the lack of steering feel is common on Audi's generally. I used to like my b5 avant even if it was just the 1.9 PD engine. I did 90k in it over 6 years. Always felt good to drive and a solid feeling car

[dome]

I'll do a write up on what it's like to drive once I've, err, driven it a bit more...

 

In other news, the Lexus has been booked in for an MOT next week. Gulp.

[hairnet]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.autoblog.com/amp/2006/11/19/2-guys-an-audi-s4-blue-tape-and-the-coolest-road-trip-ever/

[dome]

Lexus goes for an MOT tomorrow, lets see how it does. My preparation has involved washing it and, er, that's it.

 

The S4 spent most of this week in bit's while I tried to restore the 50 odd Bhp that had went missing due to a faulty intake flap. This is now fixed and it's safe to say it goes even more like fuck. I'm developing a lot of respect for what this car can do. I've got an RS4 rear anti roll bar to fit to it to stiffen things up/reduce understeer a bit but other than that it's pretty much spot on.

 

The V8 beaters at rest.

 

 

Yes I know the S4s exhaust isn't level. New hangers to be ordered. 

 

 

[320touring]

Thon S4 impressed with its wuuuufty waftery on our 59.9mph demo drive.

 

A most nice brief

[mat_the_cat]

The S4 has had a decent life. Owned by a colleague of his from a couple of years old, passed to him in 2014 whereupon it got a very, very neat Prinz LPG install.

 

Prinz or Prins? Prinz was a short-lived cheap system, presumably named to cash in on the good reputation of Prins! From the sounds of it I think you'll be fine though...

[rantingYoof]

Mason!

 

*strokes screen weirdly*

[dome]

Prinz or Prins? Prinz was a short-lived cheap system, presumably named to cash in on the good reputation of Prins! From the sounds of it I think you'll be fine though...

It is indeed Prins.

[dome]

Well, it only bloody passed!

 

 

Who will be taking on Mason next?

[Supernaut]

That's it for advisories? Wow.

 

 

I will, however, retract my fevered DIIIBS for now, as I've agreed to view something else this coming weekend. It couldn't be any more different from an LS400 if I tried.

It has less than half the mileage of Mason, and is 11 years newer.