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Dollywobbler's Daewoo Dalliances - Matiz mostly HOME!


dollywobbler

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Let's get up to date! Having collected the car of my youth, I met up with a friend of my youth (still friends today) and she insisted we went on a pedalo shaped like a swan.

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She always was a bit odd. Probably why we get on so well. Thankfully, she also gets on really well with Mrs DW.

 

Then I went back to my old house and managed to park right outside!

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Then we found a rusty KA to park next to.

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Then we went to sleep. I awoke and drove to Milton Keynes. I met kei cars.

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Yes, I spent TWO HOURS polishing the Matiz before that shot was taken. I still haven't done the roof. I know polishing cars at a show isn't the done thing, but I was so ashamed by how filthy it was that I felt it needed some love. Happily, people did come up to reminisce about them!

 

Then I drove home. Three hours later, I was still not home. However, it isn't the Rover, so at least it didn't need fuel.

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About 40 minutes after that. Reunited after 17 years!

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Let's recap. While the car was at my pal Chris's workshop, he fitted a new CV joint (it turns out both are knackered, so one still needs doing) and a complete exhaust system including cat. On Saturday, we fitted a new coolant hose, lobbed some coolant in and I went for a test drive. I then went off to fit a new battery. Result? All seems pretty ok. One wheel bearing is noisy (I'd forgotten about that!), there's an occasional smell of oil burning on exhaust (which I thought was just oily fingerprints at first, but it still does it) and the rear mirror is still on the floor. 

 

To drive, it's quite good fun. It sounds hilarious and grips better than you'd think. The steering is super-direct PAS, and I found I kept over steering (not over-steering) at times. It responds like the bloody Invacar. That makes it a bit unsettled at motorway speeds, but it'll sit at an indicated 70 very comfortably, and faster noisily. The new exhaust has a horrible resonance at 55, so I tried not to do that. The brakes are shite, but new discs have been recommended as the old'uns are quite rusty (it wasn't clocking up many miles). It badly needs a service too. I'm convinced it isn't pulling as cleanly as it should.

 

I've also remembered that one reason I replaced it is that the seats are comfortable, but only for 1.5hrs. 3hrs is quite painful. The ride is pretty atrocious, much like the Nippa (and other oriental cars I've driven. I don't think they have such shit roads).

 

On the plus side, the quarter lights mean you can open the window on a motorway without blowing your own head off, the heater is very good and it looks like a cute purple frog. £100 well spent I think.

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Thanks. It's a tricky one, as while I'm chuffed to bits to have it again, I don't really need yet another car. It's one of those 'wish I had a barn' cars.

I know that feeling! Problem with selling it is values are so low, it'd need an enthusiast owner to guarantee survival. Difficult.

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Thanks. It's a tricky one, as while I'm chuffed to bits to have it again, I don't really need yet another car. It's one of those 'wish I had a barn' cars.

 

I know that feeling! Problem with selling it is values are so low, it'd need an enthusiast owner to guarantee survival. Difficult.

 

These are the same problems I face myself. Cars with lots of emotional attachment, but lack of space to keep them dry. I'll try my best to solve this problem with the new house, but itll easily take another year before that task is completed. Selling them is no real alternative either, as money wise their values are significantly lower than the emotional one.

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Whilst i'm not a Matiz fan, i can see the appeal of them.

 

Agree the pre facelift is better looking from every angle, but there is one thing i do like about the facelifted one.... this colour being introduced

 

I'd call it electro-bogey green.

 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201704154455928?make=DAEWOO&radius=1500&sort=sponsored&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=dd36qu&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&model=MATIZ&page=3

 

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I'm going to go out on a limb and stand up for the later 4 cylinder Matiz. I used to rent them from Enterprise and any car that matched the seat trim to the instrument binnacle deserves a thumbs up.

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I hired this little beaut out from my local garage whilst mine was having work done in 2013.

 

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Absolute hoot to drive, the engine noise was such a delight to hear. Sadly I think it was very worn out as you’d get a huge cloud of blue smoke when it was revved and it drunk fuel like Gazza on a year-round bender. The garage filled it full of scrap and weighed it in not long afterwards. Did all the sad faces when I heard about its demise. RIP WARRIUR U WIL B MISD.

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SERIOUS nostalgia trip for me on this topic. Looks a lovely car DW, pleased you've got it back and I enjoyed the videos.

 

Permit me a couple of pics of mine, if you would. I miss this little car so much. Had it 10 years, but it had to go through an unfortunate set of personal circumstances. I was genuinely gutted and would have it back in a heartbeat.

 

One pic is after a (one of many) wash, another is on a trip to Anglesey, and one is in the car park of a hotel after I saw another Matiz had parked nearby.

 

Still remember picking it up from Fords of Winsford at 2.5 years old. I loved everything about it - from the shape of the wing mirrors to the colours used on the instrument cluster and not forgetting the sound of that wonderful 3 cylinder engine.

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Clocked up many Welsh miles in a windswept Volkswagen Crafter today, while the world's busiest garage changed a rear wheel bearing on the Matiz. Fifty quid well spent I reckon. I especially liked the 'your discs are f*cked mate,' which is a less polite version of what my mate Chris said when he saw them. Service history records that a new pair were fitted two years ago. Mind you, a new cat was fitted at the same time, and that turned out to be f*cked too.

 

The garage lads gave me such evils when I asked if they could change it today (they weren't having a good one. Several Peugeots may have been involved) that this is a close as I dared get for a photo.

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Matiz's are lovely little things, still see the odd one knocking about here in Ireland. Daewoo's as a whole don't seem to have been a particularly popular car here sadly. Good luck with this one Dollywobbler. Enjoyed the collection caper videos immensely!

 

 

Some very appealing shite in that car park picture, any idea when that piccy was taken? @Mrbenn

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Amazing that this car is a survivor, that you found it and were able to buy it.

 

One question that doesn't seem to have been addressed... Why on earth did you buy a brand new Matiz in the first place?

 

I was young, foolish and the monthly payments seemed affordable. This is the only brand new car I've ever bought. I utterly fell in love with the looks and the engine noise.

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I was young, foolish and the monthly payments seemed affordable. This is the only brand new car I've ever bought. I utterly fell in love with the looks and the engine noise.

 

Although am I right in saying I remember you confessing some years ago that it wasn't actually a very good car?  if so its perfect AS subject matter.

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Although am I right in saying I remember you confessing some years ago that it wasn't actually a very good car?  if so its perfect AS subject matter.

 

Oh no. It's not great at all, but I forgive it anything for those cute, froggy looks. Over some terrain here, it's positively terrifying. 

 

Also, has it changed much in 89k miles and 19 years? Or is it that the car is exactly the same, but you've changed?

 

Seems very odd indeed that there's less years between your Reliant Fox and this Matiz than between the Matiz and now.

 

Hard to compare with a 17-year gap, but everything about it feels familiar. It still feels pretty tight too, though the gearchange is as clunky as I remember.

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Oh no. It's not great at all, but I forgive it anything for those cute, froggy looks. Over some terrain here, it's positively terrifying. 

 

 

Hard to compare with a 17-year gap, but everything about it feels familiar. It still feels pretty tight too, though the gearchange is as clunky as I remember.

 

Ah yes, I understand all to well the rose tinted specs view of a vehicle that we like but we know has its faults. I think this is what actually defines a lot of AS type cars. Flawed but loveable.

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