The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T(Vol XVIII)
Discussion
Other than it taking best part of an hour to get out, a great morning. Good to meet you, Oli and Chris, and have a good look round the magnificent BX 
Oli, you should write text books on tyre dates and number plate fonts, and I still think the mk1 granny is nicer than the mk2
Will download the photos later... some nice stuff.
Oli, you should write text books on tyre dates and number plate fonts, and I still think the mk1 granny is nicer than the mk2
Will download the photos later... some nice stuff.
Few pics from today...
Whilst James, Chris and I got invited to park with some other Porsche's, Oli got himself invited to park his inside the event given the rarity of his ride...
Had to literally drag Oli away from this one
James and Oli obsessed with base spec granddads...
Mmmmm... Singer. Owned by a PH'er, and just sublime!
Whilst James, Chris and I got invited to park with some other Porsche's, Oli got himself invited to park his inside the event given the rarity of his ride...
Had to literally drag Oli away from this one
James and Oli obsessed with base spec granddads...
Mmmmm... Singer. Owned by a PH'er, and just sublime!
Good day out, always nice to meet new faces. I now have gained new levels of geekyness on numerous things from Olly 
jeremyc said:
spotted the mighty BX, but not Olly (not even a natty pair of socks were to be seen ).
No idea how to recognise Mr. Bug or Chris though ....
Well Chris is 2 foot taller than everyone else, so he's easy to spot. And judging by Chris' picture, I'm the bloke that needs to pull his jeans up!).No idea how to recognise Mr. Bug or Chris though ....
Diesel Meister said:
Happy 2019 chaps. Fabulous posts as usual – real nice examples of the automotive genre with the great taste, beardiness, wibble-factor and variety that are hallmarks of The Thread™. Don't think I can make Bicester sadly, but then the AW11 is tucked up North of the border for now 
To business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
Moderately sensible
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
You're in pretty much the same position as I will be in come 2020.To business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
- At least 4 seats and the same number of doors
- Decent chassis with good handling / ride balance. Scope for tweaking welcome
- Non-smoking, unleaded drinker with more than 4 cylinders - preferably of the naturally aspirated variety but I am open to persuasion
- Ideally fluent in Spanish - slushmatics and other self-shifters considered but only if you can find me a V8 - good E60 550i, C5 RS6 or C63 for £10k
- Preferably 150-200bhp/ton or at least sub-8 second 0-60 (i.e. “brisk”)
- ULEZ exempt (Euro 4) for now
Moderately sensible
- E90/E91 330 SE. E91 preferred but choice limited
- E39 / E60 530 / 540 / 545 SE. A bigger, older version of the above – prefer smaller ideally, less common as a Spanish speaking variant
- Legacy Spec-B. Uncommon but a flat six appeals and supposedly okay to drive
- V50 T5. Like the E91 330, proverbial rocking horse pellets these
- B7 A4 3.2. Potentially a bit underwhelming, especially with regard to wildcard choices below
- C5 / C6 A6 V6. As above, unless it’s a 4.2 / S6 – a little large and unlikely to be linguistically on-message as well
- Mundano 2.5T. A bit big, a bit common but all the toys and less dull than TDCi
- ???
- B7 S4. Oddly drawn to this option, largely for a 40v 4.2 V8 – I accept not last word in fleetness-of-foot, whether in handling or running cost terms but they appeal as a sort of not-quite-poor-man’s RS4)
- E34 / E39 M5 (still have strong appeal for me. Too expensive, too good to park on street and definitely too old to pass the ULEZ requirement, but had to be listed as an MX-5 is two seats, two doors and at least one cylinder short!)
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
My mind is 99.9% made up and I'll be buying a 325i/330i E91 with the N52 engine. I wouldn't worry about mileage personally, pay 5k ish for one with good history, refresh/upgrade the suspension and tidy anything else and you're away.
Wouldn't rule out the 2.5 either. Fast enough when it's neck is wrung and more plentiful in Spanish flavour.
Diesel Meister said:
Happy 2019 chaps. Fabulous posts as usual – real nice examples of the automotive genre with the great taste, beardiness, wibble-factor and variety that are hallmarks of The Thread™. Don't think I can make Bicester sadly, but then the AW11 is tucked up North of the border for now
To business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
Moderately sensible
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
8? One of these either N/A or S/C if you can find one - https://youtu.be/L2YXplOk20QTo business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
- At least 4 seats and the same number of doors
- Decent chassis with good handling / ride balance. Scope for tweaking welcome
- Non-smoking, unleaded drinker with more than 4 cylinders - preferably of the naturally aspirated variety but I am open to persuasion
- Ideally fluent in Spanish - slushmatics and other self-shifters considered but only if you can find me a V8 - good E60 550i, C5 RS6 or C63 for £10k
- Preferably 150-200bhp/ton or at least sub-8 second 0-60 (i.e. “brisk”)
- ULEZ exempt (Euro 4) for now
Moderately sensible
- E90/E91 330 SE. E91 preferred but choice limited
- E39 / E60 530 / 540 / 545 SE. A bigger, older version of the above – prefer smaller ideally, less common as a Spanish speaking variant
- Legacy Spec-B. Uncommon but a flat six appeals and supposedly okay to drive
- V50 T5. Like the E91 330, proverbial rocking horse pellets these
- B7 A4 3.2. Potentially a bit underwhelming, especially with regard to wildcard choices below
- C5 / C6 A6 V6. As above, unless it’s a 4.2 / S6 – a little large and unlikely to be linguistically on-message as well
- Mundano 2.5T. A bit big, a bit common but all the toys and less dull than TDCi
- ???
- B7 S4. Oddly drawn to this option, largely for a 40v 4.2 V8 – I accept not last word in fleetness-of-foot, whether in handling or running cost terms but they appeal as a sort of not-quite-poor-man’s RS4)
- E34 / E39 M5 (still have strong appeal for me. Too expensive, too good to park on street and definitely too old to pass the ULEZ requirement, but had to be listed as an MX-5 is two seats, two doors and at least one cylinder short!)
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
The sound handling are unchanged just a wee bit more pokey with S/C. This car mine has the MG optional Xpower back boxes fitted.
Edited by stevemiller on Monday 7th January 01:35
Diesel Meister said:
Happy 2019 chaps. Fabulous posts as usual – real nice examples of the automotive genre with the great taste, beardiness, wibble-factor and variety that are hallmarks of The Thread™. Don't think I can make Bicester sadly, but then the AW11 is tucked up North of the border for now
To business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
Moderately sensible
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
It slips between a few of your needs and wants and almost hits your wildcard list but there is an E39 Alpina B10 V8 Touring listed on forum5; it's one of the eight pre-facelift cars that's fortunately had (IIRC) all the facelift goodies added bar the foglights and a small amount of haggling and it should be within budget. To business: a long post to highlight my almost resolved conundrum.
I am currently in the eye of a potentially large storm (of an ostensibly good kind, so I hear) and thus would value a threadista view on what comes next for DM Transport Inc. before I am too poor and distracted to do anything about it. Now back in Das Krapital and mainly using public transport, but will need a vehicle on call for general domestic duties and trips outside the SE - friends and family are mainly SE but also South Wales and Scotlandshire so reasonable long-run manners are pertinent. Said vehicle needs to have headroom for potential minor expansion of familial unit, but I am firmly ruling out vans or SUVs at this stage, unless someone want to gift me a spanking FFRR V8 and an unlimited fuel card
The usual trade-off is that I generally enjoy cars and I (generally) enjoy driving (doh) – even if I am doing much less than 10k miles annually at present, I still fantasise about trips to European destinations as well as tours of our fair shores, punctuated by short bursts of enthusiastic but responsible pedalling, occifer. There is customary need to ensure that practicality – namely reasonable ability to tote people and things without cause for drawing oaths at frequent intervals due to insufficient comfort / convenience / reliability / space or a lack of somewhat sane running costs – is balanced against driver satisfaction.
Limit of expenditure is a "perfect" 10(k) - less is better and will be spent on optimisation. The "Must haves":
- At least 4 seats and the same number of doors
- Decent chassis with good handling / ride balance. Scope for tweaking welcome
- Non-smoking, unleaded drinker with more than 4 cylinders - preferably of the naturally aspirated variety but I am open to persuasion
- Ideally fluent in Spanish - slushmatics and other self-shifters considered but only if you can find me a V8 - good E60 550i, C5 RS6 or C63 for £10k
- Preferably 150-200bhp/ton or at least sub-8 second 0-60 (i.e. “brisk”)
- ULEZ exempt (Euro 4) for now
Moderately sensible
- E90/E91 330 SE. E91 preferred but choice limited
- E39 / E60 530 / 540 / 545 SE. A bigger, older version of the above – prefer smaller ideally, less common as a Spanish speaking variant
- Legacy Spec-B. Uncommon but a flat six appeals and supposedly okay to drive
- V50 T5. Like the E91 330, proverbial rocking horse pellets these
- B7 A4 3.2. Potentially a bit underwhelming, especially with regard to wildcard choices below
- C5 / C6 A6 V6. As above, unless it’s a 4.2 / S6 – a little large and unlikely to be linguistically on-message as well
- Mundano 2.5T. A bit big, a bit common but all the toys and less dull than TDCi
- ???
- B7 S4. Oddly drawn to this option, largely for a 40v 4.2 V8 – I accept not last word in fleetness-of-foot, whether in handling or running cost terms but they appeal as a sort of not-quite-poor-man’s RS4)
- E34 / E39 M5 (still have strong appeal for me. Too expensive, too good to park on street and definitely too old to pass the ULEZ requirement, but had to be listed as an MX-5 is two seats, two doors and at least one cylinder short!)
The pre-facelift (N52) E90/91 appears to tick the most boxes for the least potential fiscal pain, if I could find one – preferably an SE with low-ish miles (up to 80k, but preferably 60k or less) that I can keep and use (minor titivation optional). Still tempted by a three-pedal B6/B7 S4…
Benefit of collective wit and wisdom appreciated.
Fast Bug said:
My dad had a GSA Pallas... same interior as that, but black exterior... I learnt to drive in it (as well as some lessons), and it became my car after I wrote off my 1st car (an Avenger).He replaced it with a black CX Gti... after that, he had a couple of BX's and a Xantia.
AM's are from another planet!
Bicester looked epic - great pix gents. Still drooling.
Thanks for the replies on the perennial-yet-finally-pressing "what-car" question.
I like both Monaro and Alpina suggestions very much - always been a fan of both, notwithstanding that SWMBO has mandated 4 door minimum. I might have to try talking her around.
Love the Citroen SM - what a colour scheme!
www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Porsche-930-Turbo-935-DP-Mot...
Looking at their other items listed on ebay, they have some lovely stock
Here's a bit of tasty old Ford track fun. It looks like a pretty heavy amount of dosh has been spent so seems like good value to me at £13k.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorsport...
The advert says it has a 4-link + panhard conversion for the rear axle but the leaf springs have been retained. Is that unusual? I thought if you're going to do all that you would convert to coil springs.
it's not going to the quickest thing out there but should have a good turn of pace to make an interesting change from the usual track day fare.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorsport...
The advert says it has a 4-link + panhard conversion for the rear axle but the leaf springs have been retained. Is that unusual? I thought if you're going to do all that you would convert to coil springs.
it's not going to the quickest thing out there but should have a good turn of pace to make an interesting change from the usual track day fare.
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