What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[vulgalour]

Sorry to keep banging on about it, but this BX is the best thing since the Princess. I was always worried I'd never find a car to replace the Polo/Maestro that was practical, frugal and fun but it is, in massive quantities! We'll have to see if I'm still grinning when I've had to spend 6 months welding bits of it back together, of course, but I reckon if the worst comes to the worst I'll just replace it with another BX, I like it that much. It's not often a car gets me really excited, but the BX has exceeded my expectations in every way.

[skattrd]

I've just remembered to remove the Volvo from my insurance policy, so I called FJ. It was done in 2 mins and I get just over a hundred quid refund

[M'coli]

Mr Whippy? Mr Crunchy, more like - this was as close as I dared get to the passenger side, where a lump of rust had been removed prior to repairs.

"Would you like a flake with that, or we can add some crunchy sprinkles at no extra cost?"

[RedSparrow]

My uncle had one of those T1s. I've never seen a vehicle disintegrate so quickly, he spent a fortune patching it up constantly.

 

The ones in central Europe seem to have survived a lot better for some reason. Still a fair few plodding about.

[eddyramrod]

Those Merc vans can't disintegrate fast enough for me! I had the misfortune to drive one for work for nearly 6 years in the 80s. I'm still scarred, and I'm convinced my back will never recover.

 

Not much of a Grin, sorry.... what makes me grin? My little dog, she never fails. She's sitting on my knee now, pretending to be asleep. If I reach over for the biscuit barrel that'll change!

[Cavcraft]

+1, pissing horrible to drive. Slow as shite and with an awful magic wand gearstick that was like stirring custard.

[eddyramrod]

Billy! Are you my brother??? I have honestly never once met anyone who shares my distaste for these things. You just earned yourself a 99 should the opportunity ever arise!

[eddyramrod]

http://truckanddriver.co.uk/2013/02/td- ... good-home/

 

Spotted this on Facebook... note the comment about price! Glad to see someone actively trying to encourage preservation.

[garbaldy]

+1, pissing horrible to drive. Slow as shite and with an awful magic wand gearstick that was like stirring custard.

 

 

Slow you say, I can remember in my early teens sitting passenger in one every weekend, and being amazed at the speedo pointing to 80 all the way to Saltcoats market so we could spent the day pretending to be All Bundy

[Cavcraft]

It could have been the one we had, it was probably the 308 (or whatever they are) with the mega wank engine. I think some may have had a 2.9 (like the Sprinter) so probably went a lot quicker but also probably had that hopeless gearchange.

[eddyramrod]

There's a firm of electricians round here, I see their vans about sometime.... must ask them for a quote for a couple of little jobs I need doing. Just so I can get a snap of one of their vans outside my house. They are Citroen C15s.......

[ruffgeezer]

People who buy "modern, reliable cars".

 

I had the misfortune of replacing the front springs on a C3 diesel today, followed by the unbridled joy of driving it, a relative spring chicken at 66k and 7 years old.

 

I must admit, the gear change was dreadful on it though, like using a sink plunger to unclog a fat man's belly button.

[Bobthebeard]

Just brought home a new rescue dog. Our old girl dog died four months ago after 14 years. Took me all this time to get over her, but the new pup (five months old) is starting to make me grin! She was VERY car sick in the (new Mercedes) dog rescue van when I met her, but loves riding in my old 944. Good lass!

[Cavcraft]

My son has had a job interview today and they asked what his faults were. He replied he didn't think he had any but other people may say different. Ok, came the reply, how would your mum and dad describe you?

'As an idiot' he said. Apparently they all burst out laughing!

[wuvvum]

It could have been the one we had, it was probably the 308 (or whatever they are) with the mega wank engine. I think some may have had a 2.9 (like the Sprinter) so probably went a lot quicker but also probably had that hopeless gearchange.

The 310D / 410D had the 2.9 five-pot as used in the early Sprinter, sans turbo. They aren't quick but they pull a lot better than the four-pot versions - performance is probably similar to my LDV. They do have the same dreadful gearbox, which I believe is shared with the original VW LT. You could get a T1 with the 2.3 pez engine as well - think they were just called 310.

[Danblez]

+1, pissing horrible to drive. Slow as shite and with an awful magic wand gearstick that was like stirring custard.

 

 

Slow you say, I can remember in my early teens sitting passenger in one every weekend, and being amazed at the speedo pointing to 80 all the way to Saltcoats market so we could spent the day pretending to be All Bundy

 

I spent a few years as a kid travelling to market in one of these, which I think would be classed as child abuse these days. I seem to remember 50mph was about the limit. Then we got an Iveco Daily which was like the starship enterprise in comparison.

 

[garbaldy]

/\ haha the old commer that brings back memories. After doing the All Bundy stint I moved onwards and upwards and worked in one of those which was a mobile chip shop, oh the joys of being a teen

[TimothyClaypole]

My son has had a job interview today and they asked what his faults were. He replied he didn't think he had any but other people may say different. Ok, came the reply, how would your mum and dad describe you?

'As an idiot' he said. Apparently they all burst out laughing!

 

- you can start tomorrow.

[Richard]

On a related note, my* new van is making me grin.

 

DSC_2394 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

It's got quite a few toys that the old one didn't have- 6 speed box, carpeted bulkhead, remote stereo controls (which are no easier to reach than the actual stereo), hill start assist and a heated windscreen- all that on a base model! That's in addition to things the old one did have- CD player, rev counter, remote locking etc. They really don't make vans like they used to.

[Station]

I drove one recently and thought it was nice, was pleasant enough from NW to London and around rush hour traffic, and then back again - easily usable as a daily driver!

[wuvvum]

I had a Commer Walkthrough burger van. That did 48 flat out, but I think the throttle cable was a bit slack. Never bothered to try and tighten it to make the van go faster as the thing was deafening enough at that speed.

 

Making me grin today - they're filming the Alan Partridge movie in Norwich at the moment, and I passed the cavalcade of film vehicles coming out of the car park of the Maid's Head hotel this morning. Along with the Radio Norwich bus and the various fake police cars was a beige E-reg Metro on a trailer. Be interesting to see what part that plays in the film...

[Timewaster]

they're filming the Alan Partridge movie in Norwich at the moment, Along with the Radio Norwich bus was a beige E-reg Metro. Be interesting to see what part that plays in the film...

 

Maybe Lynn has been spending her mums inheritance on some flash wheels?

[Tayne]

.

[Pete-M]

To continue the new Transit thing, I've been rocking about in a new Tourneo. It's ace. Aircon, cruise, bluetoof cd player, heated drivers seat (only the drivers, mind).

 

It goes like the clappers for a van. Only seem to get 28-30 mpg from it, but I suppose gentle driving may just get slightly more.

 

The steering wheel is tiny, which keeps making me chuckle.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Got the keys to my new house today, never bought a house before (excluding the bo11ox museum which is more a pile of stones really).

 

Its got a supremely wanky single garage made entirely of asbestos that is so flimsy that you could easily kick it down, which I will be doing in due course in order to replace it with a more appropriate on-site bo11ox vehicle surgery facility.

[andrew e]

Congrats! Currently waiting on surveyors reports here too Herr Bolleaux - hopefully a 53 foot wide plot with huge garage (there might be a house too, I didn't pay much attention to that ) is on the cards by easter. On the discarded list on Rightmove this beauty turned up: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for ... bnailId=30

 

 

Checkout the HARDCORE NOT BEDFORD BLITZ ACTION. Think of the shite you could STREW across that garden!

[cort16]

Nice one b0ll0x. An on site tat tinkering facility really is living the dream. I take it the maser's going to be taking a back seat while you weld new sills on your house?

[willswitchengage]

Registration for 2013 London to Brighton bike ride... complete!

[garycox]

[John F]

^ Now that's a contender for the 2014 calendar.