Opinions please

[trigger]

God that looks good, I know a chap who's had a 1990 Sovereign 4.0 since new, It's still only covered 50000 miles with full dealer history and it's totally rust free from being garaged all it's life. He was going to scrap it in the scrappage scam as it wasn't worth £2k, My dad was trying to talk me into buying it off him, Luckly he's still got it though.

[scooters]

3.2 of course

 

had a look at the one on RR - price is about right the problem is that it is a 3.2 with the 1/2 leather interior...Jag turned out hundreds in this low spec for company directors. Whilst there is nothoing wrong with it for about 1200 you can get one with the 4.0lt Daimler Spec which includes all this has PLUS full leather interior, lambswool carpets, sheepskin rugs, reading lights and the ever so necessary walnut champagne tables in the back. If going down the XJ40 route then it HAS to be over the top opulance - the DD6 I had and the D Sov were Rolls like in their luxury whereas the cloth interiored low spec Jag 3.2 is essentially a normal car rather than a mobile gentleman's club....if you want a normal car get an XJ300

 

 

having said that I have owned these with 4lt, 3.2 and 6lt V12 and the 3.2 does shift the big car along ok except it is a bit more thirsty than the 4.0 and is under a bit of stress...when ,married to the excellent suspension these cars have it is a cracker for belting along A roads - my second fastest A702 time was posted in the 3.2 Daimler XJ40 - quicker than the 535i cos of the suspension....the Daimler also had the dictator spec.

 

A mate of mine worked for Jag in the 1980's and he said that the XJ40 line split into 2 at the finishing and fitting stage - main line was for Jags - but the Daimlers went down the hand built route and have a much higher level of finish and attention to detail. Funnily enough modern punters prefer the round lights of the Jag rather than the rectangles of the Daimler - I -refer the rectangles but it eans that often the higher spec Daimler is cheaper than the jag! - you can always fit round ones if you want so I don't get the fuss

 

 

geting the horn for an XJ40 again!!! might have to resurrect my XJ40 forum membership!

Ha ha! Yes you will. Your old 4 litre Soverereign is still owned by the XJ40.com member who bought it and is in fine shape, and I heard your Daimler Double Six is now in Finland where it underwent an extensive restoration. Before you bought that DD6 I was briefly tempted by it because it was so cheap. I chickened out, leaving it to braver fools ...I mean enthusiasts... and I am kind of glad I did. It turned out to be a bit too "needy" IIRC, but then it is a V12 and they're like that when they're £800 (then, less ££s now).

 

You're right about the model to go for; it is definately the 4 litre Daimler. I have a 3.2 Sovereign and though it has a lovely sweet engine it lacks torque at times and that matters on a luxury car which is close to two tonnes. My 3.2 isn't tragically gutless like the Merc 260E I once had the misfortune to drive up a hill, but the 4 litre is fast and effortless.

 

The Daimler interior is lovely too; they're few cars better, particularly with the Autolux leather. Pictures of your old DD6 are still up on Jag-lovers, so here is what you've been missing!

 

 

If you can't find a Daimler in the right condition, the Sovereign is far nicer than the bog standard XJ6. My '93 has extra leather on it and I think it is a nice place to be and feels lots more than the £750 it is no doubt worth...

 

 

 

 

god I miss that maroon DD6!

 

I could always buy the 3.2 and source some full leather seats for it...£535 is a filppin bargain....

 

the other option that has grabbed my attention is a Mark 1 Rover 827 - the V6 which does about 140mph?

 

Very different option but pretty scarce - there is a gorgeous one on Car and Classic just now...what does wees think?

[M'coli]

Only if you love it - "Cock Piss Bab..." etc. springs to mind, too.

[scooters]

OK - have been looking at this, it's up in Banff - I have asked the vendor to send some more pics before I schleck up to see it:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C191460

 

and

 

this:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C231157

 

 

As well as trying to get through to the laddie selling the XJ40 on RR...

 

methoughts are that it might be an idea to get a luxob at the end of the summer to facilitate long distance hauls and to be a stop gap till I can splash some cash....actually I'm just trying to justify this to myself which on here is like trying to convince a group of nuns that Jesus was a jolly good bloke!

 

Anyway, I do have a leaning towards this Mk1 Vitesse. It is NOT as tidy as it looks in the photos btw - it is very well cared for but all wheel arches will need doing and the off side wing under the rear window is pretty nasty. I am talking to the vendor tonight in greater detail. He has spunked a lot of wonga on it over the last few years. I do like the Mk1 shape and it is a lot of Motah for the Weng but these 800s do seem to be sweetie money - someone sold a mint 1989 827 sterling on the 800 forum for 175 with an MOT till Decmeber!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C231157

Be interested to get your opinions on this - obviously Torsten thinks it is wonderful.

 

R

[sporty-shite]

Have we had this??

 

Just a thought, like

[tonedepear]

Only if you love it - "Cock Piss Bab..." etc. springs to mind, too.

 

Wasn't "Cook Pass Babtridge" on a Rover 800?

 

Edit:

 

Edit: Just re-read the thread. I'd missed a page. Christ I'm dense.

[Cavcraft]

You'd be better off with an S-Type, Mr Scooters. The 3.0 ones seem about the best of the bunch, and I'd suggest routing out a nicely coloured one as the gold is a bit 'footballers wives', the silver looks plain and the black is a bit 'gangsta wannabe'. Therefore a nice shade of dark-ish metallic blue would be best.

[barefoot]

Now I'm not an expert & Orange is my favourite colour,

but I wouldn't go anywhere near the P6,

the photo's are the worst I've ever seen

the only thing you can tell is that it smokes like a fucking beagle.

(there doesn't appear to be anyone in it so its not like its being blipped)

& its too cheap.

 

I could be wrong.

[scooters]

lol - too sensible! If I were to go for a fatcats blob better be a try hard fat cat and get a Rover 75 V6...I have a strange semi stiffy for them!

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

lol - too sensible! If I were to go for a fatcats blob better be a try hard fat cat and get a Rover 75 V6...I have a strange semi stiffy for them!

 

 

I like the Rover 75 (a fair bit more than the S-Type, if I'm honest) but that Rover XX is a sharp looking car.

[trigger]

Now I'm not an expert & Orange is my favourite colour,

but I wouldn't go anywhere near the P6,

the photo's are the worst I've ever seen

the only thing you can tell is that it smokes like a fucking beagle.

(there doesn't appear to be anyone in it so its not like its being blipped)

& its too cheap.

 

I could be wrong.

 

That is exactly what i was thinking as i was reading the advert!

[Lord Sterling]

Mk1 827 - As you said scoots, it is a lot of car for the money. I personally like 827s and have had a few including a manual. I know they are not popular with everyone, then again, I dont buy cars to please other people.

 

Mk1 827s are pretty fast, smooth and sharp looking cars, certainly a car of thier era. Beware though, parts for these cars are starting to get stupidly difficult to track down, just getting a fuel filter for my 827 Sterling has been a right farce, 4 filters didnt fit and 2 got lost in the post.

 

With electrical faults, your first port of call will be the fusebox which may need resoldering. Drivers-side windows in mk1s always seem to have problems, they will go down but will struggle to up at all if fully opened. All my cars have been like this apart from the mk2 Sterling. Dont bother with so-called Rover "specialists" often they will only stock stuff for the newer MG/Rovers, sone dont even know what an 800 looks like, let alone stock any parts.

 

The Vitesse in the above link has a manual gearbox. Manual boxed 827s tend to crunch when selecting reverse, dont worry about this, stick it into 1st then reverse, this will stop 'crunching'. Manuals are quite popular with the washed-up OMG road-racer types found in certain Rover clubs as manuals are seen to be "rare", fast so you'll get all the OMGz!!uVE G0T A MANUL!!UR DA BE5Te5t!!! as standard on some Rover sites.

 

If you are going to have an 827 with auto box, make sure you use only Hondamatic ATF (Known as ATF-Z1 these days) other stuff can damage the gearbox over time. You can purchase 'ATF-Z1' from Honda, but tell them its for an 80s Honda Legend or they will get a bit funny (From my experience anyway)

 

If your driving down the road and here some chingy/tappety type noise coming from the front wheels but disappear when braking, most likely these will be the caliper pins. I only had this problem with one of my 827s.

 

I assume this car has been looked after but even so, when doing any kind of work on the car you will find very rusty/corroded screws and bolts. Take your time, use loads of WD40 and patience. Engine tappet noise is common and can usually be stopped with a good engine flush and new oil + oil filter, worsed-case scenario the tappets will need to be reseated.

 

ALWAYS check that the radiator pipe is in good condition and not leaking, I found out mine on my 825 had been crudely cut in the past, by the time I found out and replaced it it was too late, the damage had already been done. Be prepared to replace the radiator at any time as these often corrode and leak, NEVER use any radiator 'stop leak' types products, these can block the rather small waterways and eventually damage the engine, may of them will carry a warning not to use on 825/827s anyway.

 

Thats all I can think at the moment, anything else that I might eventually remember will be edited into this post or put into a new one. Good luck with whatever you decide buy.

[cort16]

OK - have been looking at this, it's up in Banff - I have asked the vendor to send some more pics before I schleck up to see it:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C191460

 

and

 

this:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C231157

 

 

As well as trying to get through to the laddie selling the XJ40 on RR...

 

methoughts are that it might be an idea to get a luxob at the end of the summer to facilitate long distance hauls and to be a stop gap till I can splash some cash....actually I'm just trying to justify this to myself which on here is like trying to convince a group of nuns that Jesus was a jolly good bloke!

 

Anyway, I do have a leaning towards this Mk1 Vitesse. It is NOT as tidy as it looks in the photos btw - it is very well cared for but all wheel arches will need doing and the off side wing under the rear window is pretty nasty. I am talking to the vendor tonight in greater detail. He has spunked a lot of wonga on it over the last few years. I do like the Mk1 shape and it is a lot of Motah for the Weng but these 800s do seem to be sweetie money - someone sold a mint 1989 827 sterling on the 800 forum for 175 with an MOT till Decmeber!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C231157

Be interested to get your opinions on this - obviously Torsten thinks it is wonderful.

 

R

 

Both of these make me man moist but I'd want to have a good look at that P6 to make sure it isn't hollow inside.

[scooters]

yeah - had an email blether with the owner.

 

If this car was on ebay I would run a mile but my experience is every now and then you get somthing on c+c that is advertised shockingly - I see the smoke but it could be on start up. The vendor seems very laid back but not too much - the car is very cheap and normally I would run a mile again but the geography means that price is often lower then nearer the south or you never have a chance of shifting it! Given that Banff is a couple of hours north and in the Yugo will only cost about a fiver I am tempted to check it out on the very very very very slight off chance it is ok.

 

I had a Volvo 144 in that colour and the colour was the best thing about it!

 

The other option is this:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C151155

 

Now, I first came across this car about 2 years ago when someone contacted me through the VOC. The car is owned by an old biffer who lives on the Isle of Lewis - not the easiest place to collect it from. He was looking to move it on but then his mechanic got involved and interpreted the several offers of rescue from VOC members as demand for the car and slapped a stupid price on it. Obviously everyone walked away and low and behold 2 yearas later it is back on the market at a sensible price for condition and location. Collecting and MOT will require logistics - I would be tempted to get my wife's cousin (he's a fisherman on Harris)) to pick it up and take it to his mechanic for an MOT - apparantly it's just a brakes issue if I recall and given it has sat for 2 years it will need a good service. I can then get a cheap flight up to Stornaway and drive it back to Edinburgh.

 

144's make great retro daily drivers and are hugely practical and very safe with rear seat belts, disc brakes and split circuit braking as standard. They polish up well and with the B20A I'll have a pushrodtastic fleet!

 

GR8 4 HIGHMILEAGES

[Cavcraft]

That Volvo is seriously hot, buy it.

[dollywobbler]

Interesting that the driver's wiper is at lower screen level, but the passenger one seems to be near the other end of its travel. Stunning colour though.

[scooters]

lol - message sent th the vendor so we will see! - if it is Lewis it isn't the easiest place in the world to get to!

 

if all checks out - this could be the one - a nice, practical 4 seater built like a tank with the most legendarily indestructible petrol engine ever made...and retro kitch enough to be cool even to non shitters...its a winner!

[cort16]

I like the Volvo too. Given it's remote location and therefore a pain in the hole to move I'd think you should be able to chip a few quid off. It'd make a great shite hunting mission to go and get it as well.

Alternatively you could stick it on shitley and see what kind of money it'd take to move it.

[scooters]

My cousin has a trailer which he uses for shipping prawns to the market in Glasgow- I'm sure he'd not mind bunging it in the back and taking it down if I slip him a few bob and fill him full of beer..

 

mind you the rescue would be a first class shite recovery story

[scooters]

fucking hell - was sold at the weekend, not collected yet but will be within the month but they have the money already....

 

she said it 'was a dealer who was going to do it up and sell it'.....yeah - that's what they told her - betcha it makes an appearance on the Scottish banger circuit within a month!

[cort16]

I really hope not.

[scooters]

opinions on a 4th Gen Toyota Celica in 2lt non turbo form?

 

a nice 1 owner 1988 one on C&C at the moment

[cort16]

They're good but rust a bit especially the arches, My Dad had one for years and swore it was the best car he ever had. Proper pokey too although I'd be hard pushed to take one over an orange p6.

[scooters]

looks like the bodywork is ok - I do likte the 80s coupeness of it

[trigger]

Let's have another look at this quote again...

 

Mrs Scooters came out with an amazing statement on Sunday....as we pulled into the 'pick your own fruit' place west of Edinburgh on Sunday morning in the Torsten supplied 2002 silver Renner Scenic she pipes up:

"I never thought I would say this but I feel a bit anonymous driving the Scenic, yes, it is practical but it's very boring and I feel like everyone else"

 

and last night:

 

"How long are you going to keep the Yugo for...at the end of the day it sort of works out as a free car....maybe you should get something for the weekend later in the year, if you are going to keep the Yugo then you could have a classy toy ?"

 

Now take yourself outside and give yourself a good spanking, A bloody Celica for Christ sake...

 

How is a Celica anything but what your misses told you not to have, Get a grip man and buy a Rover P6/Jaguar XJ6 if that's what you want.

[dollywobbler]

The man has a point. You're running a real risk of doing what I do all the time - go out searching for something great and end up with something that barely matches the original criteria and doesn't bloody work.

[scooters]

lol!

 

must be the tramadol getting to me....having said that we are looking at a 1988 one here - 80's kitch.....

 

the dialemma is - and I'm sorry about this but there is a dearth of shitters in my day to day life and no one to discuss this with - that I am now Yugo daily man...the second toy has to be somthing that is significantly more than a Yugo in size and even more bonkers, somthing that can be polished and enjoyed and when required, put in reliable journeys when too far for the Yugo to tackel.

 

I used to be a 60's classic man but then I started mixing with you lot and realising that my true perversion was a poo brown vinyl roofed Austin Princess with a beige velour interior!

[dollywobbler]

Must admit, a Wedge seems absolutely ideal really. Ambassador for maximum grimness, but more practicality.

[cort16]

I do this all the time and it always leads to disappointment. I once went out with the absolute intention of buying a mk5 Cortina after going on about how much I wanted another one for ages and came back with a 1977 Mercedes S350 in custard yellow. Needless to say that was a mistake.

 

Buy that p6 if it's not hollow.

 

I take it you've seen these two?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-3-5-LITRE-AUTO-GREY-/280706077084?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item415b62d19c

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1978-JAGUAR-5-3-XJ12-L-AUTO-SILVER-NO-RESERVE-/120746396983?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c1d0bcd37

[scooters]

I do this all the time and it always leads to disappointment. I once went out with the absolute intention of buying a mk5 Cortina after going on about how much I wanted another one for ages and came back with a 1977 Mercedes S350 in custard yellow. Needless to say that was a mistake.

 

Buy that p6 if it's not hollow.

 

I take it you've seen these two?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROVER-3-5-LITRE-AUTO-GREY-/280706077084?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item415b62d19c

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1978-JAGUAR-5-3-XJ12-L-AUTO-SILVER-NO-RESERVE-/120746396983?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c1d0bcd37

 

 

yeah - looked at both these - if I had a decent workshop garage the Rover would be bought immediately!

 

a '77 custard yellow S350.......

 

I will go and have a look at the P6 next week.

 

S