Bramz ever changing fleet merry go round.

[Wingz123]

I suggested a 607 a while ago

Here...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F113845260938

[bramz7]

I've not seen any cheap enough to risk yet.....

[wuvvum]

607s are nice, but they don't drive anything like older big Pugs.  They're rather soft and wallowy.  Comfy though.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

A young lad in my office has been gifted his elderly granddad's old motor. It's a 55-plate Laguna Initiale 2.0 turbo hatch, black leather and 6-speed box, 44k on the clock.... Jammy bastard. Unsurprisingly he's not even that into it, it's just some free wheels but it looks like my 'dream Gooner'. Why am I telling you this? Basically to say you should get one of these ace motors.

[wuvvum]

I wouldn't mind trying a 2-litre turbo actually - should be nearly as quick as the V6 I had but better on fuel. 

I did like the V6 Initiale though, even if the sat nav was stuck in Southend-on-Sea.

[loserone]

4 minutes ago, Mr_Bo11ox said:

A young lad in my office has been gifted his elderly granddad's old motor. It's a 55-plate Laguna Initiale 2.0 turbo hatch, black leather and 6-speed box, 44k on the clock.... Jammy bastard. Unsurprisingly he's not even that into it, it's just some free wheels but it looks like my 'dream Gooner'. Why am I telling you this? Basically to say you should get one of these ace motors.

Find him something he wants as a swap.  

[bramz7]

One of those 200hp Laguna's sold on eBay the other day for sub £600. Good length ticket and impeccable history too. Nuts right?!

Sadly most people seem to know that putting one on auction is financial suicide so very few are. My C5 was £448. 

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201908101009750?atmobcid=soc3

 

Sort of fancy this but as per is miles away. 

[bramz7]

5 minutes ago, Mr_Bo11ox said:

A young lad in my office has been gifted his elderly granddad's old motor. It's a 55-plate Laguna Initiale 2.0 turbo hatch, black leather and 6-speed box, 44k on the clock.... Jammy bastard. Unsurprisingly he's not even that into it, it's just some free wheels but it looks like my 'dream Gooner'. Why am I telling you this? Basically to say you should get one of these ace motors.

Also he can have my C5 for the Laguna if he wants. 

[Wingz123]

If you get that the first thing you need to do is bring it to me so I can treble x (wheel acid) the brake dust off those wheels PLEASE!!....I'm weird like that it is a pet hate

[bramz7]

Well the Audi buyer was a time wasting knob, what a shocker. Insurance too expensive apparently. Fucking twat. 

 

Seriously can someone just buy it from me for £550? 

[bramz7]

Audi should be going tomorrow. As I agreed to purchase a local BMW off of this very forum, that meant I had to secure some cheap wheels for a month. Doesn't sound too unlike my regular routine. Found something quite easily, and not that far away either. 

Collected today. Being brutally honest, compared to how the Audi feels after 174k (tight as a drum), this feels very baggy and used, there is a very distinctive loose feeling to the front end, probably exacerbated by one shot tyre. It sounds very van like and is slow to accelerate until the turbo kicks in, maybe that's normal for these engines though, I know that emission standards were starting to strangle a lot of the older stuff at the time. 

Yes it's an RXE, yes it tells me when there is anything odd going on, yes turning on the sidelights also turns on a service lamp, yes I've been warned not to use the rear heated window as if interferes with other things....

But

The AC works, and so does everything else. 

It does feel a bit more strained at 70 than the Audi with its extra gear, but it's not too bad. Maybe the throttle cable is stiff. 

 

 

[wuvvum]

That'll be the same engine as in the R-reg Espace I had - they are a bit laggy, but a lot less troublesome than the later dCi engines.

[bramz7]

My other half said of it today:

'all the Renault's you get sound like they are breaking'

She compared it to the R18 I had last year. Come to think of it, why did I sell that? 

[bramz7]

Things I've noticed with the MK1 Laguna:

-Ventilation is seriously top notch. Even with the air con off, there is an incredible amount of air getting into the cabin. 

-its loaded with toys. Renault seem to do this quite a lot with near end of line models. Admittedly the RXE was top spec. 

-Visibility is second to none. There is a lot of glass. 

-it manages to pair a modern (well, for the era) interior with a clattery diesel in ways I've not seen before. 

-Whilst the slab plastics are a bit kids toys like, they've not worn at all. Aside from the bleached dash top. Even most of the LEDs work. 

I'm pretty sure it will have to be scrapped though, as it's not a great example to drive. Anti roll bar bushes clonking away, possible failing front struts, incredibly weighty steering suggests PAS issues, squeaky pulleys....I mean it could be saved but you'd need to be a pure yellow diamond masochistic individual to do so. If anyone wants it in three weeks, £225 would acquire it. 

Assuming it's not died on me beforehand

 

 

[bramz7]

More fleet news. 

 

Laguna has gone to a new home. Shiter of course. 

AX still won't run properly. Real slow burner this one.

Picking up two new cars from the forum soon.

 

 

Oh 

And I picked this up the other day. 

 

Was it worth the £470? Probably not, as it's got a seriously wobbed rear arch, a massive scar down the passenger side, a dragging throttle cable (which is getting worse!) And very short MOT. 

But by God it rides super smooth, has brand new front discs and tyres, new front spheres and immaculate strut tops. It's a super rare VSXI Turbo, which was a 1997 only model, about as close to an Activa estate as you can get. 

The leather interior is in top shape too, and it's marvellously comfortable. 

The clutch is a tad high but doesn't slip, so not a big issue. 

 

I can't really keep it though. Two is my maximum, here at least, and I've offered it to someone to buy/borrow....but I do already quite like it, it's not quick but it's superbly wafty. 

 

Anyone want to store it for me if my friend doesn't want it? 

[Daviemck2006]

I would store it and give it a run now and again if it had mot. I miss driving my xantia, and it left me yesterday

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[bramz7]

The throttle has begun to stick on the Xantia. Nothing as bad as the 309 which proved difficult not to crash, but the cable or mechanism attached to are definitely sticking. 

Other people have mentioned similar issues with the same engine. 

I accidentally pulled away a bit of sill the other day too, it's not done well on the drivers side. Passenger side is still ok.

 

Best leathers I've ever had though. Better than the phase two as well, as these haven't been hardened by side airbags.

[bramz7]

So this happened:

 

Probably a long time coming. I'd seen it on eBay in 2016 or so when the original owner was selling up due to damage caused by an errant bin lorry. I did consider bidding but my living situation wasn't ideal.

I then ended up buying it from MrSchwifty who was the winner of it on eBay, so things came around nicely. 

I've not owned a proper old car like this for a while now, I suspect the much missed R18 diesel estate I had was most similar, although dynamically this trounces it. 

It's very eager to go, but I had forgotten how sensitive carb fed cars are, every breath on the throttle does something, no numb pedals here. 

 

Probably the best mix of softness and firmness I've had in an old car. I've got it just about right adjustment wise too, so even better. Curiously it smells like a mix of the Saab 900 I had and a 205....

Driving wise it's much like a bigger 205 but with more appeal. I know most of you on here love 205s but I've always been a bit underwhelmed, to me the AX was the better compact PSA car of the era....

Overall, I like it, a lot. As it doesn't seem to have any huge issues urgently needing remedy, it's a much more comfortable acquisition. Long term plans are being formulated, let's see what happens. 

Also, I won a 405 the other day. Does anyone anywhere near me or Mr Kakao have storage I can use for a short while? I'm not averse to paying for storage.....

 

[wuvvum]

I do like the way 305s drive.  Never tried the 1.9 petrol version mind - would imagine it motors along fairly well.

[bramz7]

It certainly does. Not a ball of fire but more than happy to cover speeds 65 plus, which seems to be an issue with some older stuff I've had....just runs out of puff. 70 is a around 3100 revs, not bad for an old Frenchie. 

[georgeinabz]

Looks like 205 or 309 1.9 gti wheels , the gtx had a square pattern but nice motor used to drive my mother’s back in the mid 80’s


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[loserone]

Quite pleased you've got this,I reckon it'll suit you quite well

[bramz7]

I think I've ignored older petrols for too long. Old school diesels are fun to wind up and push, but petrol engines are just a bit more fun, no fighting with on/off turbos.....

Also it's a nice change to have a car that doesn't have a gargantuan fuel tank for once!!!

[flat4alfa]

WLTM 

[flat4alfa]

Oh and #23 + #34 please

[flat4alfa]

Actually strike that 

first refusals on the GTX Break, s’il vous plait

[loserone]

5 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Actually strike that 

first refusals on the GTX Break, s’il vous plait

Too late, sorry ?

[500tops]

Lush. I wonder if it would look even better on 1.6 Speedlines?

[MondeoBlues]

That's GORGEOUS

Very well bought 

[bramz7]

Having been using this daily for the last few days I now get why people with 305s either keep them for ages or get another one, it's really great to drive. 

I think I'm going to have to admit defeat with attempting to get the roffle win 405 back here. If anyone wants it, I'll not want much for it, rather someone tried to save it than break it but it wouldn't be up to me.