Tell me about Triumph 2500's now!

[trigger]

Now i've sold my bmw i'm finding a bit of a void in my life, tonight whist out i saw a BMW 628 CSi for sale, It's a 1985 on a C plate, 147000 miles, years mot, listed as just being restored after being in storage for 4 years and it did look mint, in white with a boot spoiler and up for £1750 ONO.

 

What are these like? Are the 2.8's a bit gutless or a pretty decent lump? It does look very nice i must say, has cloth interior as well. Worth a further look do you think?

[Fat_Pirate]

There's a buyers guide to these in this month's C&SC magazine. I don't know anything else about them, other than they scare me.

[Pete-M]

Mine doesn't scare me. It just needs a bit of time with a weldist...

 

Oh, if you test drive that 628 listen out for any clunking from the arse end. It's probably a rotten shock tower.

[rover420]

Is this the one in Feering ?

[Formula Autos]

If you go for it and buy the thing have a look at some recent back issues of Practical Classics for inspiration, where you will see Matt Jones' 6 series - white, lowered, and on black split rim alloys with white rims. The full-on '80s porn baron look. Absolutely perfect.

[nigel bickle]

I've an early 635 racked up in the shed -270,000 with no substantive issues.

Good motorway mile muncher- but I wouldnt use it 'round town' -too juicy.

 

Waiting for its time to come around again,I guess.

[trigger]

Is this the one in Feering ?

Yes it is, you must have seen it then! It's Matts one from PC mag that's made me look at them in a different light.

[rover420]

Saw it yesterday coming home from work, it does look really good

[wuvvum]

Never driven a 628, but having owned a 735, a 728 and a 635 I would think the performance of a 628 would be more than adequate but not especially exciting. A 635CSi with a ZF manual box and LSD, on the other hand, was one of the most exciting (read: scary) cars I've driven, especially in the wet.

[trigger]

I've been thinking long and hard about this one, I doubt it will fit in my garage and i sold my 1602 as i quite fancied a 4-5 door car which this clearly isn't.

 

I'll hang fire for a bit i think and see what else comes up, I'm a bloody nightmare when it comes to buying cars, Last week it was an Hillman Avenger, This week the BMW, next week i bet it will be a 2CV...

 

Still £1750 does sound very cheap for a tidy, restored E24.

[ChinaTom]

I'll hang fire for a bit i think and see what else comes up,

Are you fixed on a RHD UK car, or might a Leboncoin adventure be in order?

[trigger]

If you mean the Golf then it's very tempting but only for the profit from it, Not because i want one, But i haven't got the balls or knowledge to buy a car from France TBH as tempting as it is.

[trigger]

Now that I have scrapped the BMW idea I've spotted a Triumph 2500S on ebay in my town.

 

 

Anyone ever owned one?, What are they like?, This is the more pokey 2500 carb job, Quite a late one on a R plate as well as being a local car from new.

 

I'm not keen on the tow bar but that can be removed and I saw it at a show earlier this year, it was for sale then but it looked pretty tidy from what i remember,

 

 

I think i prefer the styling of the Mk 1 shape a bit more , and how do these rate compared to a Rover P6?.

[pogweasel]

OOOOOOOh, a 2500 Trumpet is a Very Cool Thing.

 

Though that one has some supicious underseal tide marks...

 

There was one in Retro Cars a few months ago that was really super de-luxe.

[Pete-M]

The carb one is a better idea than the PI at least.

 

Rover SD1 front suspension was a development of the set up on these, so there's a good thing.

 

I've never had one, but I know lots of people who had hideously unreliable PI ones. The carb jobs do seem to be less tempramental.

 

P6s are fun, but you really need the V8. Four pots are insanely slow.

 

Trig, do the right thing, man. Buy an SD1 V8.

[VWPowered]

all i can say is i love the 2000/2500 especially in estate form

[trigger]

Trig, do the right thing, man. Buy an SD1 V8.

Funny enough i was watching this one the other day.

 

 

I was surprised to see it unsold at £1350, If it wasn't so far i might have gone to have a looksy, My dad said i was barmy for wanting a V8 but it's a 3rd car which will only be used at weekends as it's not like it's everyday transport.

 

Does the Triumph seem a bit old mannish for a 30 year old?.

[Pete-M]

That was mentioned on the SD1 club site, they were surprised it didn't go for £1350 either.

 

It has got the wrong wheels for a VdP EFi, but otherwise it looks ok.

 

Possibly too cheap in all honesty. If he'd put it up for £2k it would probably have flown out.

[25v6turbo]

Hi

I,ve owned over 30 Triumph 2000/2500 so know quite a bit about them

So let me give you a bit of advise on this car(its on e-bay you know?)

Firstly its an auto,they are O.K but the manual overdrive is nicer and worth more,not tax free,post 74 mk2 rot BADLY,this car has the dreaded black sills,this means someone has been there,mismatch on front wings

they rot everywhere,but good examples are out there,if you do go for it,be careful and go over it with a fine toothcomb,i viewed a lovely K reg yesterday went through at £650...

[trigger]

Thanks for that Dave, My dad said something similar as well, Especally with the auto box and the floating rear axle? (He used to have one) I also went through the sellers ebay feedback and saw that he had bought it only back in March for £820.

 

It's one of those car's I've always quite fancied but i do thing the MK 1 shape is much prettier.

[Cheggers]

Seems like a good excuse to post a pic of mine

 

[VWPowered]

beautiful that

[pogweasel]

Here is the Autoshite Really Special Edition:

WIN!

[wuvvum]

Agree with what has been said above - 2500s are great cars, but much better with a manual - the auto has the old BW35 clunkmatic box, which a) saps the power and makes them hopelessly undergeared for motorway cruising. Get a nice manual with overdrive and PAS and you'll never look back.

 

I do like P6's as well. Don't agree with Mr. M about the 4-pots being hopeless though - OK, a 2000SC automatic isn't going to set anyone's pants on fire but a decent 2200TC is more than capable of keeping up with traffic, and they probably handle better than the Triumph as well.

[barrett]

Frankly, I know the square root of bugger all about these, but I do think they are lovely, especially in MK1 guise. As has been mentioned, they ROT and the manual overdrives seem to be the ones to have, but they are a mega bargin, lots of car for not much money.

Definitely not an old man's car at all - think handsome, dynamic young architect circa 1970, dashing about to and from city planning meetings and hotel rendezvous with his secretary.

 

I reckon this is the best suggestion you've made so far actually!

[Twiggy]

I`ve had both...

 

The P6, 2200TC, almost as quick as the V8, lovely to drive, but the rear has very little leg room, and the boot is tiny. They rot - everywhere - the rear brakes are swinging caliper and hard work to change pads on, the clutch can be replaced with out taking the engine out, but it`s not easy. Bottom ball joints can be hard work too. The de Dion rear suspension makes for excellent road holding, but again - hard work to replace. Gear ratios are superb, and the change is excellent.

 

The Triumph, manual has a habit of getting through thrust bearings - check that the bottom pulley doesn`t move forward when the clutch is depressed. The independent rear suspension wears out tyres quicky. Rack and pinion steering is excellent, and easy to work on. Clutches are fairly straight forward to replace. Comfortable, good to drive, and the rear leg room is adequate. Like the P6, they rot everywhere. The carbs can be a pain to set up correctly and keep in tune too. The gearboxes seem weak - and gear changes can be difficult, especially from 2nd to 3rd.

[Gompo]

Good post Twiggy!

 

I know less than Barrett, but I've seen an estate Truimph around here a few times and it looks excellent.

[Pete-M]

I`ve had both...

 

The P6, 2200TC, almost as quick as the V8,

Howzat? The P6 2200 is what, 110 bhp / 135 lb ft? The V8 was 182bhp / 205 lb ft and weighed pretty much the same.

 

That's a wide definition of 'almost'.

[warren t claim]

I had one when I was 17 (REK 803 R where are you now? A washing machine probably) and they rust as bad as an Alfasud. Nice driving position and they make great distance cars. Smooth engines with bags of torque and amazing headlights as well IIRC.

[messerschmitt owner]

I had a PI - in the same blue - began to resemble Irn Bru in colour after a while!

 

Fab tow car, fab drive, handles well and slides round roundabouts fantastically.