I don't want a new bloody car. I want my old one back....
Discussion
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?)
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?)
louiechevy said:
You should try things from a mechanics point of view! What's wrong with a dipstick on an engine why oh why make an engine without one, and an electronic handbrake that decides to seize on outside the workshop door (thanks volkswagen) bulbs you can't change without taking the headlight out or removing the bumper first, indicators controlled by a two hundred pound module that needs to go to BMW to be coded to the Car! Deep breath remember I had a hart attack last year the list is endless. Oh well roll on retirement!
LOL, in fact,I'm an auto electrician. You mechanics have it easy.To be fair, I have been considering a smaller car for a while. But everything I consider I reject for 1 reason or another.
Focus - Not with the 1.6 HDI engine
Peugeot / Citroen - see above.
Alfa - possible.
Saab - have one,
Astra - possible,
Civic 2.2 cdti - possible.
120d - Maybe -don't like keyless stuff, but just maybe I could just live with it.
Megane - have one in the business, fine for a £200 runabout (quite good in fact,but not for me).
New Clio - maybe, but that's only because I'm building one at the mo.
E39 Estate in leather, manual, with the 3.0 td engine, on an 02 plate or later, not in a dark colour. Now we're talking, but hens teeth.
Very old A4 - had one, and liked it,but not as good as the E39.
Very tricky.
Just thought actually, maybe an E46 estate might be an answer......
Reading this thread with huge interest, and quite surprised that there is so much support for older stuff that doesn't do complicated. I'm not entirely anti modern. Common rail diesel engines are superb, (and even better with no DPF or stuff, and multipoint fuel injection on a petrol is a given. (After all I am an auto electrician so I can't not think those are good things). And as I said in the original post, modern safety stuff like crash protection and airbags are great. Just stop the bloody stupidity.
My business partner has a saying - Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. An apt idea for car manufacturing, and life in general I think.
And yes we can all drive a Dacia or something - but a Dacia doesn't come with a straight six engine, and leather and wood, and rear wheel drive, and the presence and road manners of an E39. - if there was something that did, I would be well tempted. (Even possibly on finance) (flame the thought).
I have been seriously tempted by an Alfa - a 156 seems particularly attractive at the moment, so I might have a little play with one of these. It's quite hard to find a 2.4 estate though (Diesel please) at the money I'm prepared to pay. I have several customers with these, and they all seem very individual (both cars and customers) - and I quite like that.
I think both Alfa and Saab are a marque generally inspire a warm fuzzy feeling in other motorists - BMW generally promotes the rage, (though Audi is the best for that).
My business partner has a saying - Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. An apt idea for car manufacturing, and life in general I think.
And yes we can all drive a Dacia or something - but a Dacia doesn't come with a straight six engine, and leather and wood, and rear wheel drive, and the presence and road manners of an E39. - if there was something that did, I would be well tempted. (Even possibly on finance) (flame the thought).
I have been seriously tempted by an Alfa - a 156 seems particularly attractive at the moment, so I might have a little play with one of these. It's quite hard to find a 2.4 estate though (Diesel please) at the money I'm prepared to pay. I have several customers with these, and they all seem very individual (both cars and customers) - and I quite like that.
I think both Alfa and Saab are a marque generally inspire a warm fuzzy feeling in other motorists - BMW generally promotes the rage, (though Audi is the best for that).
Just thought you might like the final result on this.
I was seriously thinking of repairing the E39, but in the end I stuck it on Ebay, where it sold for £500 as spares or repairs. I was ad ish to see it go, but as I was in Austria skiing at the time, I didn't see it go on the lorry, it was just gone.
Here was the ad (sold now so OK to link I guess?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252778146251?ssPageName=...
And so started the story of the replacement. I considered an Alfa 156 or 159 for a long while, but it was quite hard to find a decent 2.4 diesel manual estate (ideally with the facelift), those that were there were silly money.
Eventually, I stumbled across a Volvo V50 D5 manual, with most of the toys. Today, I've driven from home to near Sheffield to collect. There's a couple of PH boxes ticked here.
Cheapish car Tick.
Long drive to view Tick.
Decent engine Tick.
Manual Tick.
So it's now sat on my drive at £2200.
It needs new tires (cheap worn out ditchfinders on the front), a wheel bearing is on the way out (may be tires though), it needs brakes in due course, and maybe a few suspension joints, but overall it's very nice indeed, doesn't bong at me, and is simply laid out with some nice controls. Really pleased with it after a 3.5 hour motorway bash.
Here it is in all it's glory
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-V50-2-4-D5-2008MY-...
I was seriously thinking of repairing the E39, but in the end I stuck it on Ebay, where it sold for £500 as spares or repairs. I was ad ish to see it go, but as I was in Austria skiing at the time, I didn't see it go on the lorry, it was just gone.
Here was the ad (sold now so OK to link I guess?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252778146251?ssPageName=...
And so started the story of the replacement. I considered an Alfa 156 or 159 for a long while, but it was quite hard to find a decent 2.4 diesel manual estate (ideally with the facelift), those that were there were silly money.
Eventually, I stumbled across a Volvo V50 D5 manual, with most of the toys. Today, I've driven from home to near Sheffield to collect. There's a couple of PH boxes ticked here.
Cheapish car Tick.
Long drive to view Tick.
Decent engine Tick.
Manual Tick.
So it's now sat on my drive at £2200.
It needs new tires (cheap worn out ditchfinders on the front), a wheel bearing is on the way out (may be tires though), it needs brakes in due course, and maybe a few suspension joints, but overall it's very nice indeed, doesn't bong at me, and is simply laid out with some nice controls. Really pleased with it after a 3.5 hour motorway bash.
Here it is in all it's glory
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-V50-2-4-D5-2008MY-...
Thought you might like that description...... Though I did say later that I didn't think it would polish out with T Cut.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff