The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

One victim of my fleet changes might be the Bluebird. Need to try and work out what I do with my BX estate but money's going to be proper tight now and I fear a fleet reduction might be a good idea. If I can replace the Bluebird AND BX with a better BX, then job done.

[vulgalour]

Tomorrow I will fail my MoT on excessive play in the tie rod ends (both sides) and the steering rack gaiter we simply haven't been able to sort out. Other than that, we can't find anything amiss so hopefully the garage can sort me out for small amount and do the tracking that will be needed at the same time. Annoying, but not the end of the world.

[Pete-M]

Possibly, stupidly offered to buy my brothers exploding Espace from him. Yup, it's a 2.2 dci.

 

Will it last six months without something hugely mega expensive killing it? Unlikely.

 

[Tayne]

Possibly, stupidly offered to buy my brothers exploding Espace from him. Yup, it's a 2.2 dci.

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Modern, french, front wheel drive, diesel mpv!

 

Who are you and what have you done with the real Pete-M?

[Pete-M]

LOL, he rang me earlier to discuss replacing it as his wife wants something else and to he wanted to tell me how much he's been offered trade in against the car she wants. Which ain't much.

 

However, in the last 12 months or so it has had a new engine, turbo, injectors, brakes, tyres, clutch, flywheel, belts, keycards and a spectacular amount of money thrown at it. He reckons "it's finally sorted, but it's taken so long she hates it".

 

It might manage to do a few miles before it goes boom again, and it's a handy thing when it works, and it cost him something like £20k new, so the thought of buying it for trade in value is tempting....

 

I'll still keep my mad stuff, but it'd be a good replacement for the Granny.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

It'll be on ebay within a week.

[Pete-M]

Probably.

[rml2345]

It'll have exploded in a shower of cogs and springs within a week.

EFA

[vulgalour]

Today I did not fail the MoT, instead I missed my appointment by five minutes and have to rebook, but the MoT man said that should give me chance to sort out the things I know I'll fail on. My brother was supposed to be driving me there today as I have The Death and driving is not a fun experience for me right now, but he went to get tyres and got delayed, hence the lateness. So, we stopped in at Autosupplies on the way back and managed to catch the delivery van in time to get two new track rod ends put on for us to arrive about 1pm today. We'll pick those up later, take the car down to my parents and get the number plate stuck back on, fit the new gaiter and the new track rod ends and she should, hopefully, pass. If I'm even luckier, I'll get the MoT booked before the current one expires too.

[Micrashed]

 

YAY - wife humours sad bastard like me by stopping car on way to Asda to photograph the clock as it flips over to 50K.

 

So thats 14 year old Micra hitting 50K.

Average of 3571.428 miles a year.

Top banana!

[ashmicro]

I Kan haz 320d M Spurt

 

 

It's fucking shit.

[trigger]

I'd quite fancy one of those, are they really shit?

[ashmicro]

The engine is agricultural at best, the gearbox is TERRIBLE, the paint is bloody awful, the driving position is too low no matter what you do with the seat, they all smell funny, the dash is horrible (instruments OK, though) and it is clearly put together from poor quality materials by people who don't give a shit. The engine bay is a mess under that plastic cover.

 

I hasten to add that I didn't buy this car - a guy owes me money, and he gave me this instead. It's going to the block on Tuesday.

[trigger]

The engine can't be no worse then the one in my Mondeo, it's like a tractor and is getting worse every morning, I'm thinking of shot of it soon really as I'm fed up with it, I went in a new shape 07 plate 320d the other day, that was underwhelming too, very black and drab inside and out, the engine was very quiet though.

[cort16]

I thought the E46's were quite nice to drive and much nicer laid out inside than the newer E60's, which as you say trig are extremely dull inside. I've never driven a 320d mind you. Get an Alfa 159 trigger they're for winners.

[ashmicro]

Get yerself a X Type 2.2D 170BHP. You get a lot more car for less money than a 320d, and people will actually let you in to traffic queues.

 

That BM I just got - there isn't anything amiss with it, it's just the way it is. What I'm trying to say is that it runs as BMW intended, it's just that that isn't very good.

 

Be aware that these cars have the dreaded Spiral Pish Flaps that can break off the inlet tracts and OM NOM NOM the engine. The deal owes me £2200, so if I get near that I'll be happy-ish, and if I get any more I'll give the difference to the fella, I'm not a total cunt! But, I'd never spend my own money on one, even if it was very cheap.

[Pete-M]

I drove whatever the one after the E46 is a while ago. 318d manual FTL. 18" runflats, basic spec leather, pimp glass to rear.

 

It was horrible. Not quick, not comfortable, 'orrible BMW gear change and clutch combo, rode like the wheels were made from square bricks. No fun at all.

[trigger]

I'll give you £2200 for it if you'll deliver it!

[ashmicro]

It might come to that, Trig! However, the thought of driving it the 11 miles to the auction at Newtownabbey does not fill me with joy. If I was to attempt to drive it to southern England I'd have put a dozen bullet holes in it before I got to Birmingham. I generally see the merit in pretty much any car, but this one gets on my goat for some reason.

[Tayne]

I quite like my e46 but then I didn't by a mingebag 4cylinder diesel in clitorus silver* with a black interior full of black buttons that light up black.

 

330 by Tayne, on Flickr

 

Interior by Tayne, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

*Because every cunt has a silver car.

[Cavcraft]

Whoa there, Neddy! I've got a silver car and I'm...

 

Actually, fair point.

[ashmicro]

See, Tayne's car is what I'd expect that category of car to look like. This fucker of mine looks like a van inside.

[Tayne]

It looks like a van because its a base model.

Proper mingebag spec, I bet its even got keep fit windows in the back.

 

TBH, with a good clean and you could turn that into £2.5k over here.

[Lord Sterling]

I Kan haz 320d M Spurt...

 

...It's fucking shit.

 

Yeah, I know. I fucking HATE E46s.

 

My mate has got one for sale, its a 318i SE, almost exactly the same as the one above, I think its on a 2000 W-plate or something. I drove it, it drives ok but isnt spectacular.

[Tayne]

The problem with Ash's van and LS's mate 318 is the same thing that affects any premium brand that ends up chasing volume.

In this case, basic cars with low rent interiors, arthrytic donkey engines and no toys bought by people who don't understand cars but have chosen the brand they want and bought the first rung model they could make the payments on.

All of you that you are left cold by these cars need to take a healthy six cylinder car out for a thrash.

[peter9000uk]

No the M3 E46 is horrible too, I couldn't wait to get back in the comfort of the Renault! At last Mrs 9000 has let me get of her E46 and now has an A3, what a far more pleasant car to drive.

[Tayne]

I got rid of a rusty old dog of an A3 to get the e46.

[cort16]

Noo, the m3 is a thing of joy. Not shite fodder I grant you but such a great noise and properly nice to drive.

[Lord Sterling]

The problem with Ash's van and LS's mate 318 is the same thing that affects any premium brand that ends up chasing volume.

In this case, basic cars with low rent interiors, arthrytic donkey engines and no toys bought by people who don't understand cars but have chosen the brand they want and bought the first rung model they could make the payments on.

All of you that you are left cold by these cars need to take a healthy six cylinder car out for a thrash.

 

I certainly agree with that. The thing is though, I have driven a good few of these in 6-cylinder form and an M3 (With a VERY red interior) I just couldnt get on with them, I didnt like the way they drove/looked/handled, I really dont like them at all, but then I'm really not a fan of BMWs if truth be told.

[Cavcraft]

They're actually a decent drive those E46s. The 323 (2.5, 6 pot pez) I had couldn't half shift and was a bit of a laugh to drive. The only thing that took some getting used to was a sort of split second lag between burying the loud pedal and something happening. It felt like the throttle was really stiff or something, but that could have been just my car. Once on song it sort of made you want to drive like a twat, it was just that sort of car really but quite civilised with it.

Providing you avoid 'Mingebag Blue' 2 door ones you should be ok