The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XVII)
Discussion
Great threading folks.
Patrick - I still want an E39 M5. Badly. Irrational seeing as its just me and rarely have passengers. But it is the ultimate combination of long-distance comfort, effortless thrust, with a bit of A and B road balance and hustle. Plus it's an M5
I'm with moose on modern BMWs. I think they are still fundamentally good cars but BMW is diluting what made them once great with a lot of unnecessary flotsam (albeit with some genuine tech advancements e.g. headlights and stuff) - naturally aspirated S6s, decent manual boxes and primary controls, focussed and uncomplicated driving environment. Brakes have never been amazing on bimmers but have become worse (a malaise affecting most modern cars imo) - too soft on the pedal, overly grabby response = frustration when trying to make smooth progress at any speed (esp. around town). My E30 had nicer controls (despite the autobahn sneeze factor in the steering, which was virtually 4 turns lock to lock, but still with fair accuracy and feel oddly enough) - the single mass flywheel helped as did a firmer more progressive brake pedal. E30 'box was typical BMW - bit of notchiness but short of throw with a decently solid, mechanical feel. In fact, the controls felt more substantial than the car itself, which is a coke can by modern standards (boat anchor M20B25 aside - still love the nice noise and torque though!). The M54B30 in my E46 sounded and responded better than any current bimmer S6 imo, although I've not driven any of the M-variants. The M3s I've heard from outside sound broken imo, not very nice at all. An S54B32 sounds like a Italian V12 by comparison!
On intercontinental schlepping, I quite fancy a Suffolk to Northern Italy run in a 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Don't ask me why - just idle fantasy.
Rocket - great pix, very jealous!
Braddo - LOVE the GT3
All - carry on, keeps me away from work emails!
Patrick - I still want an E39 M5. Badly. Irrational seeing as its just me and rarely have passengers. But it is the ultimate combination of long-distance comfort, effortless thrust, with a bit of A and B road balance and hustle. Plus it's an M5
I'm with moose on modern BMWs. I think they are still fundamentally good cars but BMW is diluting what made them once great with a lot of unnecessary flotsam (albeit with some genuine tech advancements e.g. headlights and stuff) - naturally aspirated S6s, decent manual boxes and primary controls, focussed and uncomplicated driving environment. Brakes have never been amazing on bimmers but have become worse (a malaise affecting most modern cars imo) - too soft on the pedal, overly grabby response = frustration when trying to make smooth progress at any speed (esp. around town). My E30 had nicer controls (despite the autobahn sneeze factor in the steering, which was virtually 4 turns lock to lock, but still with fair accuracy and feel oddly enough) - the single mass flywheel helped as did a firmer more progressive brake pedal. E30 'box was typical BMW - bit of notchiness but short of throw with a decently solid, mechanical feel. In fact, the controls felt more substantial than the car itself, which is a coke can by modern standards (boat anchor M20B25 aside - still love the nice noise and torque though!). The M54B30 in my E46 sounded and responded better than any current bimmer S6 imo, although I've not driven any of the M-variants. The M3s I've heard from outside sound broken imo, not very nice at all. An S54B32 sounds like a Italian V12 by comparison!
On intercontinental schlepping, I quite fancy a Suffolk to Northern Italy run in a 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Don't ask me why - just idle fantasy.
Rocket - great pix, very jealous!
Braddo - LOVE the GT3
All - carry on, keeps me away from work emails!
Edited by Diesel Meister on Sunday 29th May 15:09
barchetta_boy said:
Actually I may have misremembered my spring rates and yours look familiar, so I may have the same. Just dug out the paperwork and mine are 400/550.
I found the car way too stiff on the road when I got it but simply dialled the shocks back to full soft via the adjusters. You can do this without removing the wheels. At full soft it is fine on the road - not as compliant as standard but fine for general hooning about. Try that first.
Have given it a go but it results in he car porpoising a little and losing body control. I may play with it some more otherwise it may be an expensive solution!I found the car way too stiff on the road when I got it but simply dialled the shocks back to full soft via the adjusters. You can do this without removing the wheels. At full soft it is fine on the road - not as compliant as standard but fine for general hooning about. Try that first.
Cheers.
0a said:
Just to add, this is lovely. I'm more a W124 man but pretty much any pre 1995 Merc saloon / estate is 
Liking this from the same seller, if a bit spendy for my budget:
Who says you can't buy a sense of wellbeing. Look at that interior! Even the two tone exterior is nice to my eyes.
Diesel Meister said:
Great threading folks.
Patrick - I still want an E39 M5. Badly. Irrational seeing as its just me and rarely have passengers. But it is the ultimate combination of long-distance comfort, effortless thrust, with a bit of A and B road balance and hustle. Plus it's an M5
I hanker for exactly that myself. Having had 4 E39's on the trot I need something with abit of engine and provenance aswell, something that I can keep for life I reckon. Preferrably one with comfort seats and dual pane glass. Oxford green over black leather, pre-facelift. One just like that available in Sweden as we speak, but Avus blue, I can live with that. Patrick - I still want an E39 M5. Badly. Irrational seeing as its just me and rarely have passengers. But it is the ultimate combination of long-distance comfort, effortless thrust, with a bit of A and B road balance and hustle. Plus it's an M5
Edited by Diesel Meister on Sunday 29th May 15:09
Evening chaps,
Had a rather pleasant weekend which involved a trip to the Cotswold's with Loon snr in the Alfa to La Vie en Bleu event at Prescott where we met up with my brother and his girlfriend. Alfa performed faultlessly and happily coped with the motorway miles and cross country blasts too. A picture en route at Burford where we stopped for a coffee and croissant;
And then yesterday I dusted off the Alfa yet again and this time for a trip to Brands Hatch for the Masters Festival and again met a certain family member with their Sant'agata black beastie;
And some shots from Brands to finish off;
Had a rather pleasant weekend which involved a trip to the Cotswold's with Loon snr in the Alfa to La Vie en Bleu event at Prescott where we met up with my brother and his girlfriend. Alfa performed faultlessly and happily coped with the motorway miles and cross country blasts too. A picture en route at Burford where we stopped for a coffee and croissant;
And then yesterday I dusted off the Alfa yet again and this time for a trip to Brands Hatch for the Masters Festival and again met a certain family member with their Sant'agata black beastie;
And some shots from Brands to finish off;
Edited by L100NYY on Monday 30th May 20:00
Edited by L100NYY on Monday 30th May 20:49
Awesome pics Loon, great to see the Alfa putting on some miles.
O/T - I absolutely love the Ariel Nomad. Anyone seen this vid? Sutcliffe out in Wales with some mind-blowing motocross action thrown in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPlwfED4tdo
O/T - I absolutely love the Ariel Nomad. Anyone seen this vid? Sutcliffe out in Wales with some mind-blowing motocross action thrown in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPlwfED4tdo
L100NYY said:
Leins said:
That GTV is gorgeous Loon
It's a Sud Sprint not a GTV but thanks 
s m said:
GTV?
Isn't it a Sprint?
As much as I'd love to blame the phone for not spotting the difference, it was me getting my older Alfa naming conventions mixed up! Isn't it a Sprint?
Edited by Leins on Monday 30th May 21:22
Got distracted going back over previous posts - this was linked as altewrnative to Rocket's Evo VI (whihc I much prefer in driving terms!).
I know I shouldn't for all the obvious reasons (Always Underwhelming Driving Impressions; porcupine jokes etc.). But it is a vaguely desirable thing being both V8 and spanish. More interesting than a mundano, less obvious than an E92 335i, but also likely to be a bit dearer to run than either. Bit leggy and a tad Party Favour Supplier in that hue (without the cool of the RS6 from Layer Cake):
I guess I'm showing my inner city roots
/wanders off to look for something eye-wateringly italian
I know I shouldn't for all the obvious reasons (Always Underwhelming Driving Impressions; porcupine jokes etc.). But it is a vaguely desirable thing being both V8 and spanish. More interesting than a mundano, less obvious than an E92 335i, but also likely to be a bit dearer to run than either. Bit leggy and a tad Party Favour Supplier in that hue (without the cool of the RS6 from Layer Cake):
I guess I'm showing my inner city roots
/wanders off to look for something eye-wateringly italian
Great photos Loon! Love the Alfa.
And thinking further about the hypothetical Euro road trip, I've just realised I already own a pretty good car for the job - and there's a glimmer of a plan to do a small Euro road trip (avec kids) in summer 2017:
What are our chances of making it to Maranello...?!
And thinking further about the hypothetical Euro road trip, I've just realised I already own a pretty good car for the job - and there's a glimmer of a plan to do a small Euro road trip (avec kids) in summer 2017:
What are our chances of making it to Maranello...?!
Thanks Rejn, was a great way to spend the weekend and the Alfa feels all the better for getting some miles under its belt after all those years laying dormant.
The Mondial would be a superb car to do the trip in, I'll do a dunmy run in it for you, ya know, just to make sure all is okay with it obviously. That's what friends are for
The Mondial would be a superb car to do the trip in, I'll do a dunmy run in it for you, ya know, just to make sure all is okay with it obviously. That's what friends are for
Alfa looks lovely and I really like the wheels, you don't see enough red cars on the road these days I think. Is the black Diablo an SE30 ?
Mondial has aged rather well, smaller number plate is a good too, still seems good value next to 328's which I think I saw one up for £150k last week...
All black 997 GT3, yes please !
Some idea of the N24 hail storm here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ3t0xS2_0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ3t0xS2_0
Mondial has aged rather well, smaller number plate is a good too, still seems good value next to 328's which I think I saw one up for £150k last week...
All black 997 GT3, yes please !
Some idea of the N24 hail storm here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ3t0xS2_0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ3t0xS2_0
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