I don't want a new bloody car. I want my old one back....

I don't want a new bloody car. I want my old one back....

Author
Discussion

bearman68

Original Poster:

4,642 posts

131 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Life has been a bit 'interesting' of late. In the workshop, we have a 1930's Swift for all sorts of mechanical and electrical work, and on a more modern line, we're building a bit of an experimental 1.5 DCI engine for a Clio I bought the other day..., But the really interesting thing is going on with my BMW.
I've had it about a million years now - it's an old 525 Diesel E39. Not hugely fast compared to some modern day stuff,but a big old barge, decent on fuel, good on the motorway, nice and comfortable, and just nice.
But my Mrs managed to prang it the other day - not huge, but damage to the inner and outer front wings, bonnet, headlights etc, and prob a grand or 2 of damage,even if I repair (if I can) myself.
So I'm looking at new (to me) cars. I don't want an F10 because I don't like the way it 'bongs' at me all the time, and the shear complexity of it. And I don't want an electronic handbrake, or an auto box, and especially an auto box that won't reverse with the door open. And it's huge - much bigger than an E39. And I don't want an E60, because I don't like the electric steering, and it doesn't have nice wood, and the suspension is back breaking.
And I don't want an A4 - because I don't want to press the clutch to the floor to start the bloody thing (I can drive), and anyway the foot rest gets in the way, and I still don't want an electronic hand brake,and I don't want the radio to shut off when I go backwards, and I don't want the infernal electronic nagging from the beeper,and I don't want lights to stay on even in the bright sunshine. I especially don't want to access the electronic control panel and scroll through 2 sub menus to alter the blower fan speed, and so the same again to alter the direction of the air. Dear God what were they thinking. And what happened to a door lock - what happens when the battery dies, and the car won't unlock. Oh that's right, it will connect me to the emergency services via blue tooth, and call the RAC for me. STOP IT, just STOP IT.
But I would like an engine that won't explode in a shower of parts at 100k, and I would like a gearbox that relies on an oil pump is not made of cheese, and I would like the 100 inter-connected computers to be soldered together correctly. And actually, I would like 5 star crash safety, oh and by the way, I want a 6 cylinder engine as well.
Am I asking too much - Am I really asking too much that someone builds a nice car with few electronic gizmo's, but actually thinks about the quality of the engineering and the oily bits, while managing to get the best of the modern design and thinking? Really?

Good God Germany, pull your bloody finger out.
Maybe one of the Japanese do something half tidy, but dear God, I'd struggle to buy something German. I'd be beating it with a stick all the time.
(Or is it just me being a Luddite?)

lucido grigio

44,044 posts

162 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Buy another E39, the best you can find....job jobbed.

danllama

5,728 posts

141 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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No, you're spot on.

Rovnumpty

128 posts

98 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Top rant!

This is why ford/ GM/ peugeut/ renault etc need to start making/ importing big cars again.

Damn site easier and cheaper to get a granada repaired 30 years ago than any BMW, merc or audi.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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For the write-off value of the E39, is it even worth claiming for it? Just keep it and fix it.

kev b

2,708 posts

165 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I agree with most of the points in your rant OP.

The fact is that cars only need to last until the warranty runs out as most owners/leasers only keep a car that long. After that they are looking to swap to the latest model which will have to be an "improvement" over the outgoing car. Hence a load of stupid alterations and "features" that probably are used once and ignored along with altered ergonomics for changes sake.

The BMW popping into Park when the door is opened drives me crazy, along with the faff of having to start the car to move it a few feet when cleaning wheels, a real pain when wearing wellies/dirty overalls. I-drive for altering heating is just ridiculous,

VW Audi etc muting the radio in reverse is annoying too, and electric handbrakes with mechanisms that look like a cheap toy inside, cost cutting rubbish.

Anyhow I drive a sixteen year old E46 now, had it over a decade, don't miss the E60s at all, wish I had the fifty grand they lost in depreciation though.


trickywoo

11,701 posts

229 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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My E60 545 doesn't have electric steering, has wood trim and the ride is pretty decent on non-run flats.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I assume the wonderful E39 M5 is in budget why not go for one of he best M cars ever made?

Tim bo

1,956 posts

139 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Good rant.

E39s are excellent motors. Owners hold on to them for years and years and years.

If you can't repair it, I'd try to replace like for like.

J4CKO

41,282 posts

199 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Use it as an opportunity for an E39 M5 ?

spookly

4,011 posts

94 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I used to have a run out model E39 525D. Superb barge. Other than the final stage resistor deciding to melt itself on a bi-annual basis, and it seeming to be a magnet for screws and nails in the tyres it was faultless.

PowerslideSWE

1,116 posts

137 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Top rant.

I have an e39 530i and honestly the only thing I miss is bluetooth connectivity to the stereo and a 6th gear...And better rust protection if I'm honest, but the car is 16 years old and has 130.000 miles on it..

The car is very quiet inside, you can not feel, and hardly hear that the engine is running when idling, it's not too large, will cruise at 120 mph all day if required and is great on fuel aswell. Good looking thing too I reckon.


crofty1984

15,830 posts

203 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
PowerslideSWE said:
Top rant.

I have an e39 530i and honestly the only thing I miss is bluetooth connectivity to the stereo and a 6th gear...And better rust protection if I'm honest, but the car is 16 years old and has 130.000 miles on it..

The car is very quiet inside, you can not feel, and hardly hear that the engine is running when idling, it's not too large, will cruise at 120 mph all day if required and is great on fuel aswell. Good looking thing too I reckon.
I had one too. Wish I hadn't sold it to get an MX5

datum77

470 posts

120 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I have questioned for some time why car manufacturers don't build a car that has all the unnecessary "junk" removed, making it lighter, only does 60-65mph maximum, (therefore achieving 90+mpg), and market it as the only one of it's type.
Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).

Nickbrapp

5,277 posts

129 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
datum77 said:
I have questioned for some time why car manufacturers don't build a car that has all the unnecessary "junk" removed, making it lighter, only does 60-65mph maximum, (therefore achieving 90+mpg), and market it as the only one of it's type.
Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).
Buy this



And this


J4CKO

41,282 posts

199 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
datum77 said:
I have questioned for some time why car manufacturers don't build a car that has all the unnecessary "junk" removed, making it lighter, only does 60-65mph maximum, (therefore achieving 90+mpg), and market it as the only one of it's type.
Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).
I am not sure we dont already mostly have that ? we have a Citroen C1, not sure how much more pared back you can get than one of those, ours has electric windows and air con but a 3 door of the most basic spec doesnt have those items, not sure how much weight it saves and whether it makes that much difference to economy, the engine is adequate and will do 90 mph, not sure how much power it could sacrifice and still keep up with traffic, maybe down to a 2 cyl with 2/3rd the power, so 40 odd bhp but it would drop into the painful category, havign had two original Fiat 500s I wouldnt want a daily driver that couldnt top the national speed limit.

A lot of the weight in cars is the necessary safety kit to ensure they arent deathtraps and just the stuff you absolutely need, a bog basic supermini isnt needlessly overweight and laden down with stuff, I am sure you could pare one back but not sure how much difference it would make, with the example of the C1, maybe 30 kilos ?

The tech should in some cases make the car lighter, the C1 has a digital fuel gauge, that should be lighter than a traditional gauge, tiny but a few grammes here and a few there makes adifference, a lot of cars have multiplexed wiring so potentially that is weight saved on kilos of extra wires.

I dont think the tech is making cars less reliable either, I remember when ECUs started coming in and were regarded with suspicion but I have had loads less hassle with cars with ECUs than old ones with points, condensers and all that.

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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Interesting rant. I'm one of those wanting to get into something newer.

Evilex

512 posts

103 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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My wife briefly had a mk1 Ka as a stop-gap. I found it to be a great little thing. Nothing extraneous, and an engine you could look at, work out what was wrong, whack with a hammer, and it'd go again. Went OK. Handled OK.

Not sure if I'd want to be hit by something big in one, though...

HannsG

3,031 posts

133 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
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I can't get with the Electronic handbrake stuff Audi have on their cars.

Loved hill start which is useful.

But I agree with you OP. I tend to drive the older cars like an E46 M3 and Panda 100. The wife drives the more modern machinery.

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Saturday 18th February 2017
quotequote all
datum77 said:
I have questioned for some time why car manufacturers don't build a car that has all the unnecessary "junk" removed, making it lighter, only does 60-65mph maximum, (therefore achieving 90+mpg), and market it as the only one of it's type.
Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).
The issue is most of the techy stuff isn't heavy at all. The weight in new cars comes from the (mandatory) safety standards for chassis reinforcement, airbags, rollover protection etc etc. My bet would be most of the gizmos run off of a couple of ~200g pcbs and are added nowadays because there is a demand and they are cheap.