UltraWomble Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 What Hill Will You Die On for your opinion but other motorists think is wrong: THE ROVER K-SERIES METRO/100 WAS UTTER SHIT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT IT WAS. IT DESERVED TO DIE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OFF MUCH EARLIER. The A series mini Metro/ Metro was an adequate BLARG offering for the time, in an ideal world the bean counters would have fitted it with normal suspension rather than hydrolastic/hydragas and someone shoudl really have tried harder to come up with a 5 speed option rather than the overly tall 4th gear. But considering when it was designed and how quickly it went into production against established small cars like the Fiesta and Polo, it was OK. Grease nipples remained a part of weekend fettling, as was checking the dash pot had a bit of oil in it and going around the car treating rust blebs before they became bigger blebs the size of a subframe. It was still a car with 1950's technology and people who bought them for the most part understood this. Fast wind to 1991 and the K series Metro... The K series engine, good on paper but not quite as good IRL. A small coolant leak quickly led to the head gasket failing and in some cases completely knackering the engine. OK, not the end of the world, but something that should have been better from the outset, as was the use of plastic locator dowels and bolts that went riiiiiight through the block to attach the head. Dont get me wrong the K series when looked after and with an adequate coolant system can be a really good engine, Lotus used them for a while. The thing that really really really pisses me off about the K series Metro/100 was teh build quality. Essentially Metro Mk2 with some facelifts both inside and out but with no attention paid to the actual build quality. In the early 1990's customers were starting to get used to cars with decent prep and rust prevention from new, so that they were not the proud* owner of a pile of rust on wheels by 6 years old. Despite Rover being able to make a 200/25 bubble with reasonable build quality, they somehow bypassed this on the Metro and examples 4 and 5 years old were rusting badly and failing MOT tests - for this reason alone is why I hate with a passion the K series Rover Metro/100. No matter how good a new/sorted 1400 16v feels driving the whole of the underlying car remains frankly a let down with a clocks shared with the LDV vans of the time. I dont expect to sway anyone with my opinion or change theirs if they only see the K with rose tinted spectacles, in the same way that cars I loved and still do are undoubtedly utter shit. However its my opinion and I shall DIE ON THIS HILL. Over to you... MiniMinorMk3, Split_Pin, CaptainBoom and 10 others 10 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Love IMPs, me... 🥳😉 🚙💨 RayMK, CGSB, goosey and 9 others 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goosey Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Nissan Vanette/LDVCubs are complete crap. UltraWomble, 5speedracer, GrumpiusMaximus and 6 others 3 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpiusMaximus Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 I own a MK4 Golf and I like it. warren t claim, Erebus, HMC and 12 others 12 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twosmoke300 Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 BMWs since the E46 are fucking horrible cheap n nasty shite Cookiesouwest, UltraWomble, MiniMort and 9 others 7 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twosmoke300 Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Just now, GrumpiusMaximus said: I own a MK4 Golf and I like it. Jesus Asimo, GrumpiusMaximus, rantingYoof and 5 others 1 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanky Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 The Chinese can make high quality parts, the problem is that Western consumers won't pay proper money for them. Split_Pin, louiepj, 2flags and 27 others 10 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpiusMaximus Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 2 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said: Jesus I have been compared to Jesus, it's true. If he let himself go and enjoyed crisps a bit too much. warch, andrew e, Cavcraft and 9 others 1 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraWomble Posted March 18 Author Share Posted March 18 7 minutes ago, Stanky said: The Chinese can make high quality parts, the problem is that Western consumers won't pay proper money for them. This at least appears to be true. Not everything made in China is cheap shit. Jerzy Woking, myglaren, Richard_FM and 2 others 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyslexic Viking Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Buying a sports/performance car with an automatic transmission is like marrying a supermodel and cutting your dick off. CaptainBoom, ETCHY, ProgRocker and 21 others 3 16 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheggers Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Diesel convertibles are just wrong. UltraWomble, Clunk, Coprolalia and 26 others 10 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew e Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 An Escort mark 6 out handled a 306 when both were new (source me - I had both new in period). sierraman, loserone, Rocket88 and 5 others 6 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yes oui si Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Minilites are shit, and anyone who actively chooses them should be shunned. Small dispensation allowed if they were fitted when you got the car, but if they're still on it six weeks later then you're gone. Lord Sterling, MorrisItalSLX, HMC and 7 others 5 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobloseven Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Anyone who cuts the roof off an original VW Beetle and replaces it with a pop up tent should have something similar done to themselves by way of punishment.A proper factory convertible is a lovely, properly engineered thing though. Richard_FM, sierraman, MiniMinorMk3 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 1 hour ago, twosmoke300 said: BMWs since the E46 are fucking horrible cheap n nasty shite 103% agreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Volvos ain't all that😂 AnnoyingPentium, Snake Charmer, tooSavvy and 9 others 1 9 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yes oui si Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 27 minutes ago, Dobloseven said: Anyone who cuts the roof off an original VW Beetle and replaces it with a pop up tent should have something similar done to themselves by way of punishment.A proper factory convertible is a lovely, properly engineered thing though. What about Carson tops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazoli Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 49 minutes ago, andrew e said: An Escort mark 6 out handled a 306 when both were new (source me - I had both new in period). That's absolute bollocks 🤣 I too had both when brand new, the Escort was about as dynamic as a house brick (or mk4 golf) whereas the 306 had great feel and balance. MrGTI6, sierraman, Stinkwheel and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyslexic Viking Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Invacars don't deserve the hate they get. catsinthewelder, Richard_FM, louiepj and 12 others 2 8 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garythesnail Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 A fettled Rover 400 will 'handle' very nearly as well as a Honda Integra Type R. ...and an Integra Type R can be improved with MGRover parts. SEATMad, CGSB and mercedade 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yes oui si Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 A stock Chevette pisses all over a stock mk2 escort. Stinkwheel, 5speedracer, twosmoke300 and 3 others 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 4 minutes ago, yes oui si said: A stock Chevette pisses all over a stock mk2 escort. Rallying videos opinions vary 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 13 minutes ago, yes oui si said: A stock Chevette pisses all over a stock mk2 escort. And a stock HB Viva pisses all over a stock Mk1 Escort. yes oui si and twosmoke300 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yes oui si Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 14 minutes ago, tooSavvy said: Rallying videos opinions vary 🤔 Aye? Stinkwheel and tooSavvy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inconsistant Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Issigonis wasn’t a very good designer. garethj, Stroller133, St.Jude and 10 others 2 1 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEATMad Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 GM did not "kill Saab". Saab was loosing money hand over fist way before the GM days and I think GM did a sterling trying to keep Saab a going concern all the way up until GM went bankrupt themselves and Saab was collateral in bailout agreement. After the fact, Saab - Spyker just couldn't stay afloat due to politics, an ageing line-up and a rushed final product that failed to capture the mass markets imagination with multiple failed buyout attempts by the Chinese and a Russian. I know GM didn't help with the brand. They damaged it's reputation by introducing that Saabaru and the 9-7X, they shouldn't be blamed for the death of Saab. It was always gunna happen in the end. Plz don't shoot me.... Saabnut, 5speedracer, goosey and 8 others 4 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiny Norman Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 I am 100% behind ULEZ zones. For years I have said, albeit slightly tongue in cheek because I had no proof, that if diseasels were banned from our roads on a Monday morning, come the weekend you'd be able to taste, not just smell the difference in our cities. And what happened? Covid lockdown came along and lo and behold the skies cleared, the air was sweet, your asthma got better and unexpectedly I was proved correct. Modern petrol engines don't cause city centre poluution, if anything they clean the air as they drive through the soup of particulates and other effluvia from the agricultural machinery that for the last 20 years has been masquerading as an acceptable power source for private cars and small commercials. The sooner we rid the roads of these filthy clunkers the better we'll all be. tooSavvy, St.Jude, andrew e and 12 others 4 1 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djim Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Smart motorways are actually a good idea not a revenue generation scheme eddyramrod, 5speedracer, Barry Cade and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 2 hours ago, twosmoke300 said: German cars from the mid-1990s onwards are fucking horrible cheap n nasty shite EFA twosmoke300, eddyramrod and warch 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrcento Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 I have a few belters.... The Mk1 Focus is overrated. It just came at what had been a bit of a low point for Ford in that sector with the Escort, and was so bold design wise that the improvements it brought was overhyped. Don't get me wrong, decent car, but fuck me, all this talk about how incredible they are to drive is bizarre. Nice, certainly up at the sharp end for its class at the time, but does nothing outstandingly. You'd think it moved the game on lightyears, it didn't. It wasn't even the best handling car in the class around that generation. The Peugeot 306 (actually from a generation before the Focus) was. And it had a better ride to boot. The Focus was always just that little bit too firm at low speed. It was sharp, but really wasn't much beyond standard FWD fare. And the engines were... largely, garbage. The 1.4 petrol was a boat anchor. The 1.6 was better but ran out of puff too readily for the revvy nature, the 1.8 was quite flat at low RPM and too thirsty around town. The original Diesel was the 1.8 td, again, outdated and too agricultural. Miles and miles off the French and VW offerings of the time. Andy F, MiniMinorMk3, DavieW and 9 others 4 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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