I've just bought a shed
Discussion
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
This one, specifically. The SOTW.
I needed a daily driver for work/shopping/tip runs etc. I've been using my sister's car as she's in her first year of Uni and she can't take a car with her thanks to car-hating Bath policies. She's going home for Easter and wants to use her car, so I've used the opportunity to eye up new sheds to call my own. Aside from the odd bid on eBay or the odd ponder over the scrap being sold at the local petrol station, nothing really stood out to me. I didn't really have a set budget in mind, maybe £1000 at most, but all I wanted was some modicum of economy, rear seats, and cruise control if possible. Everything I saw up to now was either too expensive, didn't have something I wanted, or was just plain unsuitable.
Yesterday, while browsing PH over a sandwich at lunch, I noticed the SOTW. It seemed to have everything I needed - lots of space, cruise control, reasonable consumption, and as a bonus it had leather seats, a sunroof, a CDC etc. At £295 it seemed worth a punt, particularly as I could probably reclaim >50% of the car cost in scrap, and up to 30% again by cashing in the tax disc if things didn't pan out the way I would I have liked. So, a few emails and a phone call later, I'd put a deposit on the car, and booked a train ticket up to Telford to go and have a look at the car.
Obviously for £300 the car was never going to be pristine, but realistically there wasn't much wrong with it. A few scratches here and there and an insecure indicator lens but nothing major and no real signs of corrosion. Inside, the leather seats were amazingly comfortable and all the electrics worked (bar the pax mirror heater). On the road, the car accelerated smoothly and the brakes were strong. A burst hosepipe on the test route also led to an impromptu leakness check, which the doors (and more importantly the sunroof) easily aced. The only real thing the car needs doing is the MOT, which I really can't see it failing catastrophically. I also want to put a new cam belt in as we don't know how old the current one is. There's no fraying and it's under adequate tension but still, better to be safe than sorry. I'm thinking about treating the car to some new spark plugs as well, but I'll probably hold off on those for now.
Driving the 120-odd mile journey home, the car was absolutely fine. No alarming knocks or rattles, aside from what sounds like a piece of loose trim. The air con blows nice and cold and the seats are ever so luxurious. The temperature needle got to the middle and didn't stray at all through the journey. I didn't really give the car any welly as I'm cautious about the unknown condition of the cambelt, so I'll hold off on putting my foot down until I've had that changed. Took a pump-to-pump reading and doing 75-80mph the car is returning 33mpg. The tyres look a little deflated though, so I'm sure once I've pumped them up and changed the belt that'll go up by a few mpg. I quite like the 90s-ness of the car - everything from the simple LCD screens, to the pop-up aerial, to the cruise control system that actually physically moves the pedal as opposed to being hidden in the ECU.
Overall, a decent buy. I have to give my thanks to topless360 for a pleasant sale - from the speedy responses to emails/texts, to picking me up from the station (and taking me for a short blast) in his Ferrari 360, and for being open and honest about selling the car. Also want to particularly highlight his integrity, turning down a higher offer from someone after I'd already put a deposit down. The perfect seller (and I somehow managed a fiver off the car price as well!).
So, the TL;DR version: sebhaque buys a SOTW Rover 623 from topless360.
I've taken a few more photos in the fading light as I've just got back. The Rover joins its stablemate 370Z on the drive, the Corsa is booked in for a valet tomorrow morning before I deliver it back to my sister in the afternoon.
Topless360's asked me to let him know the outcome of the MOT, and it feels right to share with PH as well so I'll update this thread as and when something noteworthy happens.
This one, specifically. The SOTW.
I needed a daily driver for work/shopping/tip runs etc. I've been using my sister's car as she's in her first year of Uni and she can't take a car with her thanks to car-hating Bath policies. She's going home for Easter and wants to use her car, so I've used the opportunity to eye up new sheds to call my own. Aside from the odd bid on eBay or the odd ponder over the scrap being sold at the local petrol station, nothing really stood out to me. I didn't really have a set budget in mind, maybe £1000 at most, but all I wanted was some modicum of economy, rear seats, and cruise control if possible. Everything I saw up to now was either too expensive, didn't have something I wanted, or was just plain unsuitable.
Yesterday, while browsing PH over a sandwich at lunch, I noticed the SOTW. It seemed to have everything I needed - lots of space, cruise control, reasonable consumption, and as a bonus it had leather seats, a sunroof, a CDC etc. At £295 it seemed worth a punt, particularly as I could probably reclaim >50% of the car cost in scrap, and up to 30% again by cashing in the tax disc if things didn't pan out the way I would I have liked. So, a few emails and a phone call later, I'd put a deposit on the car, and booked a train ticket up to Telford to go and have a look at the car.
Obviously for £300 the car was never going to be pristine, but realistically there wasn't much wrong with it. A few scratches here and there and an insecure indicator lens but nothing major and no real signs of corrosion. Inside, the leather seats were amazingly comfortable and all the electrics worked (bar the pax mirror heater). On the road, the car accelerated smoothly and the brakes were strong. A burst hosepipe on the test route also led to an impromptu leakness check, which the doors (and more importantly the sunroof) easily aced. The only real thing the car needs doing is the MOT, which I really can't see it failing catastrophically. I also want to put a new cam belt in as we don't know how old the current one is. There's no fraying and it's under adequate tension but still, better to be safe than sorry. I'm thinking about treating the car to some new spark plugs as well, but I'll probably hold off on those for now.
Driving the 120-odd mile journey home, the car was absolutely fine. No alarming knocks or rattles, aside from what sounds like a piece of loose trim. The air con blows nice and cold and the seats are ever so luxurious. The temperature needle got to the middle and didn't stray at all through the journey. I didn't really give the car any welly as I'm cautious about the unknown condition of the cambelt, so I'll hold off on putting my foot down until I've had that changed. Took a pump-to-pump reading and doing 75-80mph the car is returning 33mpg. The tyres look a little deflated though, so I'm sure once I've pumped them up and changed the belt that'll go up by a few mpg. I quite like the 90s-ness of the car - everything from the simple LCD screens, to the pop-up aerial, to the cruise control system that actually physically moves the pedal as opposed to being hidden in the ECU.
Overall, a decent buy. I have to give my thanks to topless360 for a pleasant sale - from the speedy responses to emails/texts, to picking me up from the station (and taking me for a short blast) in his Ferrari 360, and for being open and honest about selling the car. Also want to particularly highlight his integrity, turning down a higher offer from someone after I'd already put a deposit down. The perfect seller (and I somehow managed a fiver off the car price as well!).
So, the TL;DR version: sebhaque buys a SOTW Rover 623 from topless360.
I've taken a few more photos in the fading light as I've just got back. The Rover joins its stablemate 370Z on the drive, the Corsa is booked in for a valet tomorrow morning before I deliver it back to my sister in the afternoon.
Topless360's asked me to let him know the outcome of the MOT, and it feels right to share with PH as well so I'll update this thread as and when something noteworthy happens.
king cool. I wasn't sure about getting mine, but now live it!fatboy b said:
You need to put the number plate of the Nissan in here
Page one, fourth post. 
I actually can't wait to drive it again. This new car syndrome is a bit of an addiction, I fear. I'm due to go back to London tomorrow for a few days and I'm seriously contemplating leaving the Nissan at home and taking the Rover instead.
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