The new news 24 thread

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[HMC]

i have just become the custodian of a well used 1998 e39 528i touring.

[ashmicro]

I like these very much. I had a 530d SE as a company car and it was proper. Pretty quick, comfy, well equipped and looked great. Also felt very well made.

[dollywobbler]

What's with all the Beemer love?! Though I saw an E39 for sale today for £600 and it did make me double-take...

 

Anyway. I collect my new BX tomorrow. My wife can't complain about it as she's just spent more on a pair of shoes. (albeit very good shoes, that she'll keep for years and which can be rebuilt when bits wear out. And which won't rust. Or leak vital fluids over the driveway...)

[Station]

I had a 2000 BMW 330Ci as a company car in 2001 and I loved it, I didn't know much about whether it handled well, but felt solid and reliable, deffo have another, now they're about 999 quid.

[Cavcraft]

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

 

£30900 on the original invoice but Orient Blue was a no-cost option.

The £300 Tracker was a waste of money as the dealer never registered or activated it.

 

 

Take it that means you cannot register it now? They're supposed to be really good and assume they make the insurance a bit cheaper?

[Lord Sterling]

RIGHT! Well, the Rover decided to start blowing through its (rather old) exhaust again. It was taken to have the manifold resealed a few weeks ago. Then a wekk before my holiday it decided to blow, queue the Sterling finding back up in the ramps in my mates garage, and again, one of the bolts deciding to snap off so out with the blow torch it was again. What was also found was that the backbox was starting to blow too, that was pasted up and the manifold was again resealed so hopefully I've got a quieter exhaust system, for now... A new backbox and new seals on the parts of the exhaust should see thing improve though.

 

At the same time I decided to smash on another expnasion tank, the one I previously put it in decided to start leaking, again. This is the forth time I've had to replace it. The next time this one goes, and it most probably will go, it will be replaced with a Volvo 850 tank, apparently someone has done before this with good results.

[Station]

MR2 passed the MOT today with one advisory - OSR anti roll bar slight play - I replaced most of the ball joints, and this morning replaced with a new steering rack with new boots and paintjob.

Merc E220 has been awesome with 50 miles to 10 quid of 'urban/extra urban' driving (expected less, it's a big car with a large engine), I also got stuck in the week and ended up sleeping in it over night in the massive boot with my top end on the folded down seat part - sleep at 10pm, waking at 7am. The rear is completely flat so no bumps sticking into you.

[catsinthewelder]

Ms C informed me last night that the exhaust had fallen off my "beloved car" and bless her she'd collected it and put it in the boot.

 

Good news was that it was the same as the one that fell off the last BX, which I kept when I scrapped it.

 

Bad news was that it wasn't quite the 5 minute job to change that I was expecting, The VW had a flat battery so I spent about 2 hours crawling under the car while it was parked on the street with hammers and mole-grips trying to get rusted together exhaust bits seperated. Got there in the end though and it only took 5 minutes to slot it all back together

[dollywobbler]

I will shortly be clambering aboard my neighbour's OMG HGF Freelander for the trek to the East Midlands to collect my latest purchase. Which apparently has an LHM leak. Potential disaster both ways!

[cort16]

OMG LHM HGF KAOS!

It sounds like an interesting journey. Make sure you've got sandwiches.

[ashmicro]

Take some K Seal and a gallon of water, Ian. And some welding gear. And solder. And wiring. Maybe - get the train?

 

Good Luck!

[cort16]

^

[dollywobbler]

Oh. Disappointing. I can see the neighbour's husband checking the levels on their Forester WRC SCARY TURBO MONSTER. So much for HGF KAOS. The suspension is rock hard on it. I may take a cushion. See y'all later!

[vulgalour]

New job has me genuinely wanting to learn Polish, and while I've thought about learning another language in the past, I've never had a reasonable excuse. Add to this a desire to go on a crazy roadtrip with my brother to Poland to buy something odd and shite and I think there may be a plan forming, allbeit a long winded one containing a lot of the letters C and Z.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Let's start with the basics:

 

"w szczebrzeszynie chrzÄ…szcz brzmi w trzcinie"