An Introduction - my shite so far...

[R9UKE]

Cheers Eddy, I've found myself doing the same, actually. Surfing ebay US for some lovelies like the Cadillac DeVille, Buick Roadmaster and Chrysler New Yorker. I'm sure I could cope with life in the States, although their older cars seem to hold their value far too well for my liking

[eddyramrod]

Never mind ebay US, you'll find plenty on UK. Often they've been bought by people who are quickly frightened off, so you can get a bargain, especially in a 1980s/90s sedan. Forget the glamour models, look at these:

 

1991 Chevrolet Lumina sedan. 3.1V6, auto, cruise, plush cloth interior, decent stereo, PAS, PB. Stuff like this is dead easy to find without having to import; I bought this one on little more than an impulse and it flew two MoTs for me. Size of an XJ6 without the fuel bill.

It's the black one we're looking at here: 1980 Buick Century Limited. 3.8V6, auto, PAS, PB, dead plush interior. This is a who-you-know purchase that came up at the right time. Thanks Grahame!

And did I say forget the glamour models? What's more glam than the World's Finest Luxury Car? This 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood had all the kit except leather interior, and a 7 litre V8 up front. Cost me a touch over 1100 notes from AutoTrader in 1999.

The 70s/80s cars (the square style seen above) are just at the start of their price surge, so if you can lay hands on one, grab it now. Plain sedans like the Lumina will be slow to follow. In the US they're just mom cars, and filtering down to trailer-park moms at the moment; outside the US they're just unknown. They come well made and well equipped and are pure pleasure to drive, in a relaxing-as-a-hot-bath kind of way.

 

Pick one up and you'll see what I mean. Until then, have fun with your Renaults, I always fancied an Avantime!

[warren t claim]

Nah! USA V6 people carriers FTW!

[Lord Sterling]

Wow, welcome to the site, you certainly like your French shite, and bloody hell, your so young! When I was 19 I was penniless and still traveling on busses. Not much has changed in 9 years, I just own 3 Rover Sterlings 2 of which are good but off the road and the other is being a right bastard to fix, so I'm still relying on busses

 

You've got 2 identical cars to my mate Brad, the Renault Vel Satis (3.0 V6 auto) and Avantime (I think also a 3.0 V6 auto) they're even in the same colours as his!!! He also, like you had a Grande Espace 3.0 Auto in silver, apparently the plugs were an engine out job.

[R9UKE]

Wow Eddy, a beautiful set of American beasts there! I find your Lumina strangely appealing. Quite an anonymous looking car, and as you say, a completely mundane form of transport in it's home market, but it's very american and has a pointlessly large engine under the bonnet - I love it. It's great to see somebody who has taken advantage of such cars appearing on the UK market and scaring off anyone else. Your Fleetwood is magnificent. My aunty lives in Boston, and she has an elderly neighbour who takes her Fleetwood out of the garage to go to the mall once a week - this triggered my want for something american. I'll be keeping an eye out now. I've seen a Buick Skylark on an E-plate floating around here.

 

 

Nah! USA V6 people carriers FTW!

 

I'd love a phase 1 Chrysler Voyager 3.3. Plenty around

 

Thanks Lord Sterling. Yeh, parents are pretty frustrated at my compulsive buying, but I blame it on dad for making me spend my childhood in an L-reg Mondeo LX - It was natural that I'd want to see what more the motoring world has to offer

 

Keep on at those Rovers, I'm sure you wouldn't have it any other way!! I think I may have met Brad... is he very tall!? I can believe that about the plugs, access is horrific, thankfully the Avantime is much better.

[Pete-M]

Greetings and salutations young Shiter.

 

Hmm, French V6s eh? I may have just the thing for you in a few months. Just got to continue the weldathon and get the bloody thing back on the road first..

 

[binhoker668]

Hey hey - another NI boyo then!

I'm from Whitehead originally meself - just down the road from Ashmicro. Lived in Belfast fer 13 years - all over the shop.

Massively impressed at yr vehicular past of course!

Not been on here much recently - been playing with the Ford transit forum boys (don't tell anyone), but still lurking in the background.....

Welcome fella!

[406V6]

Excellent range of French shite. I didn't even own a car when I was 19 ! How did you get on with the C5s ?

Noted that you seem not to have had a Peugeot V6 yet. The combination of V6 power, smooth auto box and 406 handling is well worth trying.

[R9UKE]

That's a rather delicious 604 up there, I must say. Never seen one of those in the metal, but I met a 505 the other day...

 

Another from NI, nice to see, cheers for the welcome

 

406V6 - I saw the username and was pretty excited to be honest! I'm waiting for one to turn up, but I want a really shite one. None of these Coupés, they're far too attractive, something like a '97 406 Saloon V6 GLX for £300 - proper shite! Aye the C5s were excellent. I didn't want to sell my last one, but I had to raise some funds for the Avantime. I love how understated they look, no spoilers or anything, they just look like a big diesel C5... then they surprise

 

Citroen's suspension is excellent as well, until it goes wrong. My second one had a leak from the steering rack and pissed the Hydractive fluid all over the drive! But when people get in, you feel the car adjust itself, three fatties in the back poses no problem for a C5!

[dieselnutjob]

how do you afford the insurance?

[stuboy]

love the big french's

[eddyramrod]

I've seen a Buick Skylark on an E-plate floating around here.

 

That's likely to have come in new, so 87 or 88. It'll be FWD, with the 3.1 or 3.8 V6. Ideal for your purposes, I'd say! Buick is second only to Cadillac, so you're getting a really plush luxury model with (probably) all the toys. And that generation still comes cheap...

[R9UKE]

I help out with my uncle's business and am on his trade policy. I don't drive the V6s much (can't afford to), my daily car is an '03 Mégane which I love.

 

Yes, Eddy, the Skylark sounds pretty special! I also spotted this one at Ikea last year. It's on NI plates, VCZ is around August '03 so that's when it was registered here. Love it. Is getting parts for them over here an absolute nightmare? I'm used to having to search to find what I want, owning oddballs like the Vel Satis and Avantime, but at least they were marketed in the UK.

 

[scooters]

Welcome aboard old fruit -

 

I see you have a nasty case of compulsif acquérir de merde (compuslive shite buying syndrome)

 

DR Scooters perscribes a good dose of CITROEN XM....ideally in VSX 2.0 Turbo form (if you can find one)

 

very tempted by a Vel Statis - has to be said

[R9UKE]

Merci pour la bienvenue

 

Hmmm I've driven quite a few XMs, a friend of mine has 4. Really not convinced.... yet. I have a feeling a V6 Exclusive might do it though!

 

Quite a few XM owners end up lusting after a Vel Satis until they can afford a C6

[eddyramrod]

That's exactly the sort of thing, Luke. I'd reckon that one is about 1988. Most will be V6, but buy carefully, it's possible to find a four-pot. Parts won't be a problem, internet and credit card cures most ills, and the engineering is usually straightforward. There are some pretty reliable UK suppliers. Do join a club, even before buying (you might get the offer of a bargain). I recommend the American Auto Club North West, based in manchester, but there are several to choose from.

[tonedepear]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-PONTIAC-WHITE-/180696702354?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a125cdd92

[Lord Sterling]

I think I may have met Brad... is he very tall!?

 

Yep! The very one. He has had all sorts of French bilge including a C6 V6 and a Black Vel Satis that he didnt get on with. He now has the 3.0 Avatime and 3.0 Vel Satis and a Citroen XM, though he mostly has Rover 800s.

[warren t claim]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-PONTIAC-WHITE-/180696702354?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a125cdd92

Is it meant to have a mk2 Astra dash and wheel?

[tonedepear]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-PONTIAC-WHITE-/180696702354?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a125cdd92

Is it meant to have a mk2 Astra dash and wheel?

 

Probably not. I assume it's a dodgy RHD conversion, but it still looks fuggin ace to me!

[Angrydicky]

Excellent, I didn't think I'd ever find anyone younger than myself who's had more cars! RESTECP

[R9UKE]

Cheers Eddy, will do. Been getting rather excited at Mark 1 Chrysler Neons on ebay... perhaps they're just the ticket to ease me in to life with a US Motor? (looking for a valid excuse to buy shite).

 

I think I may have met Brad... is he very tall!?

 

Yep! The very one. He has had all sorts of French bilge including a C6 V6 and a Black Vel Satis that he didnt get on with. He now has the 3.0 Avatime and 3.0 Vel Satis and a Citroen XM, though he mostly has Rover 800s.

 

Yep, met him at a Vel Satis / Avantime meet back at the start of June. Just heard that he's bought a French LHD Vel Satis, one of the last off the production line. More money than sense me thinks, but I reckon I'd probably be doing the same!