THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Shep Shepherd]

+1. One of Volvo's finest hours I reckon. They have that combination of (fairly) modern looks with a sort of classic (Volvo) hint at the back. I had to sack mine though as the fuel consumption was a bit silly.

 

I agree completely. The 850/70 series feels like a modern car, but still looks sufficiently Volvoish and retains all of the traditional Volvo Virtues

 

I get around 34mpg overall from TV2 in daily use, and 38mpg on a long run, which is great for such a big car, and good enough for me at the moment

[wuvvum]

I have to say I was quite impressed with the consumption on my last 850 (2.5 20v). It managed 25mpg on a trip from Norfolk to Coventry and back to collect the beige Galant that Hirst ended up with, and that was towing an empty tilt bed transporter trailer on the way there, and said trailer with the Galant on it on the way back. We weren't hanging about either.

[Shep Shepherd]

I think the very worst I've had out of mine is 27mpg overall, due to sustained driving at speeds over 100mph in Germany not long after I bought it

[Pete-M]

I got 23 in town and 32 on a run from my old 850 T5 auto estate.

 

Bloody good car, shame it wasn't much fun on anything smaller than an A road.

[Shep Shepherd]

I got 23 in town and 32 on a run from my old 850 T5 auto estate.

 

Bloody good car, shame it wasn't much fun on anything smaller than an A road.

 

I seriously considered one of those, but I was told by various VOC members that they are pretty expensive to run as daily drivers, not just in terms of fuel consumption, but also in terms of the cost of tyres and spare parts.

 

I find that TV2 is in its element on fast A roads and motorways, as it's more of a cruiser than a sports car. Having said that, it can be quite fun on the twisty bits

[greengartside]

Off to collect my new shite purchase in the morning. 1993 Toyota Carina-E 2.0 GTi!

 

It's in North Wales so it's a fair old way away from Bury St Edmunds will let you all know on progress with the beast tomorrrow

[Shep Shepherd]

Off to collect my new shite purchase in the morning. 1993 Toyota Carina-E 2.0 GTi!

 

It's in North Wales so it's a fair old way away from Bury St Edmunds will let you all know on progress with the beast tomorrrow

 

Good luck with collecting it! I look forward to reading all about it in due course

[RedSparrow]

Lovely car SirTainly, if you need any bits let me know, I have loads of parts lying around!

[Cavcraft]

TR7 rocks a phat one.

 

Today I've actually serviced my car. Or, to be exact, my son has. New oil, oil filter and air filter in the BMW, new plugs getting fitted tomorrow and we had a look at a couple of minor niggles whilst we were there.

There was a tinny rattle coming from underneath which I thought was a heat shield. It turned out to be an exhaust clamp 'thing' which one part of had rattled loose. Boxed that off and then looked at why the low windscreen washer level light was on despite having topped up the reservoir: seems it has headlight washers and the o/s one seems to either have a leaking pipe or something missing. I think a trip to the scrappy is in order next week to sort that.

 

Also sorted were the tyre pressures which were all over the place and it now definately feels better when driving. Next up on that score is the tracking which we ran out of time to do so will get it into ATS next week as I'm off work. I'll get the wheel balancing done too as there's a slight vibe about 65-70mph.

 

Since the oil and filer change I swear the car sounds quieter and even seems a little smoother so hopefully that's a good jobe done there.

[dollywobbler]

40 miles clocked up in the Mini today, though I was relegated to passenger duty as I thrash it too much apparently. Well, it's a Mini! Brakes are working well, but engine still seems not-quite 100%. Runs on a bit. Dropped the timing back a bit, which stopped some slight pinking, but I think it's idling too quickly. More fiddling to follow.

 

Land Rover's doing nicely on Ebay, and I think I've found what I want next - a rather nice looking Reliant Scimitar. Not a Smart. I have found a Cappuccino for sale in Wales, but haven't heard from the owner of that yet, whereas I've got reams of info from the Scimitar owner.

 

Haven't had much interest at all in the BX. Clearly the stripes are not to everyone's tastes. Oh well. It's no hardship to keep it!

[TagoraSX]

Anyone from the Halstead area of Essex who could look at a car for me?

Nothing too complicated I just want to check the bodywork.

 

The successful candidate will be richly rewarded

[Lankytim]

Anyone from the Halstead area of Essex who could look at a car for me?

Nothing too complicated I just want to check the bodywork.

 

The successful candidate will be richly rewarded

 

Hey, Mr B's Avenger was collected from quite close to there. The whole car was in great shape apart from the bonnet, which had pretty bad rot around the leading edge. Weird!

 

Anyway, today I have been mostly messing around with Maestro wingmirrors. Basically I have stripped the stainless electric/heated mirrors from the VP montego that i'm breaking, taken the outer shells off and added them to a pair of manually adjusted mirror bases to create shiny VP spec manual mirrors. They will go on the silver diesel HL Maestro I have living in the garage nicely- They look absolute class and will go with the chrome door handles a treat!

[dollywobbler]

350 miles today in the 2CV, to check out a potential new purchase. I say potential, a deposit has been left... (pictures to follow, but may be delayed by dinner).

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I've had a crash course in modern car gibberish. A non starting diesel Fiesta caused by some or other pipe becoming disconnected. Now it won't start unless you spend a ten minutes under the bonnet pumping a rubber bulb to bleed the fuel system.

[seth]

I've had a crash course in modern car gibberish. A non starting diesel Fiesta caused by some or other pipe becoming disconnected. Now it won't start unless you spend a ten minutes under the bonnet pumping a rubber bulb to bleed the fuel system.

 

LOL! I had an almost similar experience with Kevfromwales ("off of RR") last week. Except his '60s Ford truck with slightly newer diesel engine isn't quite as modern. It started running rough then cut out. Que one of us under the bonnet pumping a prime lever (with an injector loosened) while the other cranked it over on the ignition switch. Didn't work with injector one so moved to injector two. After a few attempts it started so I had to step back to avoid the squirts of diesel that were reaching the pavement from the loosened injector. All carried out half parked in a bus stop.

 

Good mileage Dolly! Look forward to purchase details! We've done Manchester and back in the Herald this weekend. Went up on Thursday evening (3 1/2 hours inc. a stop to the In-laws in the north of the city) and came back today via the Space museum in Leicester. Probably about 460 miles all in. A bit slow with the rain on the M1 on the way home and were then a dozen cars behind a multiple car crash at the M25 junction. I could see everyone braking ahead and caught a glimpse of a car sliding backwards ahead of them all. Air bags etc deployed and various crunched vehicles but no one in the cars as we slunk by with everyone else so I imagine no injuries thankfully. There were already cars stopped on the hard shoulder so there wouldn't have been much use in us stopping.

[dollywobbler]

Good mileage for you too Seth. I'm feeling a bit broken after my trek. It's either the sheer concentration required for over 300 miles of nothing more major than a twisty A roads, engine fumes or maybe it's time I checked my eye prescription...

 

Photos will follow when my brain allows.

[trigger]

Anyone from the Halstead area of Essex who could look at a car for me?

Nothing too complicated I just want to check the bodywork.

 

The successful candidate will be richly rewarded

 

Halstead is about 40-50 min drive from me, I can view it in the next few days if you like, I am working nights though so can only afternoon viewings.

 

If not Mat_T might be a good person to ask as he lives near to Halstead.

[seth]

....Kevfromwales ("off of RR") last week. Except his '60s Ford truck with slightly newer diesel engine isn't quite as modern.

 

IIRC, that's not a Ford moteur under the bonnet.

 

Didn't say it was! Though it is now. When he got it I think it was a Perkins lump but now its an IVECO 2.5 or something? I'm not very hot on DERV IDs

[mk2_craig]

The future Mrs_Craig's MGF is now, seemingly, fixed. Cause of overheating - one borked radiator expansion tank cap. Cost of solution - approx 3 quid. Can't be that easy, shurely?

 

Do I spend hundreds having the head gasket replaced with the uprated one now, or do I garage the car until June and flog it to someone who's going to end up spending hundreds having the head gasket replaced a couple of weeks later...

[wuvvum]

Been playing with the Punto today, and I have a sneaking suspicion that its tendency to get hot'n'bothered when thrashed is due to it having the wrong radiator fitted - the rad isn't fixed in at all, it's just resting on top of the valance and is held in place by nowt but the pipes. Closer inspection revealed that none of the fixing holes on the rad line up with any corresponding holes in the car. It's obviously a Fiat rad, but I'm not sure exactly which Fiat.

 

Also managed to break the locking wheel nut socket for the Alfa - whoever last changed the OSR wheel obviously rattle-gunned the studs back in and the poor socket couldn't cope. So I'm now going to have to take the car somewhere to get the locking studs removed, and then fork out for four new non-locking studs. Which is a PITA. I was going to put this in the grump thread, but seems kinda petty after what happened to HongKongPhooey.

[dollywobbler]

Ok, here's the Scim. It needs a test before I can collect, so not sure when I'll actually get my mitts on it. Can't wait.

 

Lots of history, lovely condition, Manual overdrive and a fair chunk less than £2k. Is it Autoshite? Well, the interior's light brown, the wider world clearly still seems them as shite (hence values) and it's sister cars only had three-wheels, so it's got a far bit going for it. In fact, I'm somewhat baffled as to why these cars don't have a bigger following. People are quick to shout about how pioneering they are (first GTE, first rear wiper, first split-folding rear seat) yet no-one actually wants one. Maybe I'll find out why that is...

[trigger]

Nice!, That looks pretty tasty, much more up my street then the Land Rover and hopefully not as juicey neither.

[dollywobbler]

Nice!, That looks pretty tasty, much more up my street then the Land Rover and hopefully not as juicey neither.

 

Thanks. Owner reckons he's seen 32mpg, which should be possible on a 60mph A-road cruise, though he was quick to point out that it soon drops when you enjoy yourself!

[seth]

People are quick to shout about how pioneering they are (first GTE, first rear wiper, first split-folding rear seat) yet no-one actually wants one. Maybe I'll find out why that is...

 

The senior engineer in my first job had one. He was called Brian. Nice guy. But I do think you need to be called "Brian" or perhaps "Keith" to have one. I suppose you're not too far off with "Ian". I think they might just be too sensible for many people.

[dollywobbler]

I'll be fine then. I'm definitely going through a sensible phase.

 

Oh, hold on. I quit my job and moved to the back end of beyond on pretty much a whim. Oh well.

[seth]

Wasn't meant to be a dig! Though I don't think you took it as such!

 

Its a theory I've been formulating. The majority of people into older/classic cars don't use them regularly - that recent survey on R-R proves that as much as anything. So they have boring practical moderns (or even 10-20 year old "moderns") for daily use. So their special/older car is not meant to be a sensible car for them. Its the escape from the mundane. So to get something that is as sensible, practical, capable (and probably as reliable) as their modern doesn't work for them. Ergo, Scimitars are cheap. They could drive a more interesting car daily but choose not to.

[dollywobbler]

No offence taken - sorry, my post probably came over as a bit huffy but I amended it in my mind as I was typing.

 

See where you're coming from Seth, but people are paying more for MGB GTs than Scimitars, which I find odd. Now, I actually quite like MGBs, but surely given the choice, the Scim is the one to go for? Also consider what people will pay for a nice Capri, with exactly the same engine. Or a Gilbern - which also has the same engine/construction.

[outlaw118]

^^^^^ I'd definetely have one, if I a) had the £££ the space c) the understanding SWMBO d) the balls to go for it.

One of these days.....

[seth]

See where you're coming from Seth, but people are paying more for MGB GTs than Scimitars,

That's because they're MGs

Also consider what people will pay for a nice Capri,

Thats because they're blinded by Fords.

Or a Gilbern

Thats because they're made in Wales by dragons and therefore a bit mad.

[garethj]

I was passed by a Scimitar on the motorway once, he must have been cruising at 90+ That's a good thing, I like to see cars like that being thrashed a bit with the reps.

 

Almost makes up for the dozens I've seen on the hard shoulder

 

Good purchase, is chassis rot the main issue with them?