my wife made a confession to me last night - gutted....

[McSam]

mgmrw2003 said:

I know what you mean, after parting with 50% of a years salary on possibly the nicest and most sensible car I'd ever own, I did worry a bit... BUT she has to do a heafty commute on the A1 and I didnt think either the 360bhp 200SX or her mums asthmatic polo 1300 affair were safe options when SAAB was there. Hey call me a gentleman?

My mum uses pedals like the handbrake, on/off. End of. Speed limits - all the same, 50mph.

My dad, is a nightmare..... Used to be amazing, BUT age. now, neglects cars, despite owning some tasty ones, drives them rough from cold, rough gear changes, tailgates, AND THE BIGGEST PET HATE OF ALL:

INSISTS ON STARTING EVERY CAR, EVEN COLD, WITH THE THROTTLE TO THE FLOOR....... and doesnt wait for the SAAB to do its "checking" screen or the glow plugs to warm up

Hehe, I don't know, when it's purely financial commitment it's just being practical - if you had no other option but let her go and knacker the P&J 200SX for her comfort and safety, that would be gentlemanly..

The 50mph-everywhere thing used to be a major ballache to me, but I don't fuss over it so much now that 50mph is a very easy overtake in NSL areas. I fail to find any logic at all in it, but at least it doesn't cause me too much trouble. It might cause her some one day..

How on earth does your old man justify that starting method, though? Why does he even think it's ever been a good idea?! And has talking him out of causing such ridiculous unnecessary damage been unsuccessful?

[chrisr29]

OP, try changing the seats for some standard Clio sport ones. I had to swap the Recaros out of my Trophy as the shape of them was doing my back in. Not exactly related to travel sickness but they are a fair bit softer (those Rcaros are rock hard) and noticeably improved the ride comfort.

Also, I dunno what effect it would have but the dampers on the Trophy have adjustment knobs, they're locked in place with a steel pin by default so I've no idea what level they're set to. If the pin was removed you could possibly soften them off a bit.

[Gwagon111]

That's women for you . I was showing pictures of my last three cars to some silly tart, on Saturday. A Subaru impreza STI got a "that's horrible" response, an impreza GB270 got a "that's horrible" response. My bronze Honda Accord, got a "I love the colour, those seats look comfy, it's lovely isn't it" response. I didn't speak to her again.

[XJ84]

Gwagon111 said:

That's women for you . I was showing pictures of my last three cars to some silly tart, on Saturday. A Subaru impreza STI got a "that's horrible" response, an impreza GB270 got a "that's horrible" response. My bronze Honda Accord, got a "I love the colour, those seats look comfy, it's lovely isn't it" response. I didn't speak to her again.

I female friend of mine when presented with 1955 ford thunderbird and a modern toyota prius (both turned up next to each other in the film we were watching) said she'd rather have the prius, because 'that other car's too old!!' I despair sometimes I really do.......

[Johnnytheboy]

chrisr29 said:

Also, I dunno what effect it would have but the dampers on the Trophy have adjustment knobs, they're locked in place with a steel pin by default so I've no idea what level they're set to. If the pin was removed you could possibly soften them off a bit.

That's not a straightforward job.

[mgmrw2003]

McSam said:

ehe, I don't know, when it's purely financial commitment it's just being practical - if you had no other option but let her go and knacker the P&J 200SX for her comfort and safety, that would be gentlemanly..

In the end, I sold the 200SX in January, bought a grands worth of beemer dog cart, and she now has the saab monday to friday. Whilst i have the beemer barge, which is abused as hell, but damn good fun for a 2litre estate

McSam said:

The 50mph-everywhere thing used to be a major ballache to me, but I don't fuss over it so much now that 50mph is a very easy overtake in NSL areas. I fail to find any logic at all in it, but at least it doesn't cause me too much trouble. It might cause her some one day..

God knows, IAM sessions helped a bit, still digital

McSam said:

How on earth does your old man justify that starting method, though? Why does he even think it's ever been a good idea?! And has talking him out of causing such ridiculous unnecessary damage been unsuccessful?

Dont ask, its a new thing. He's a mechanical engineer too by trade, so that makes it 10x worse. I think, it's because the XK8 does a little rev blip on start-up automatically for some reason (90s jag engineering eh?) and he now seems to think that even diesel shoguns, saabs, ratty old beemers, classic mercs, vextras, vee dub passats should do it........ Tried, no avail. He now see's cars as white goods, and buys them for the looks, comfort rather than mechanical excellence or drive of them.

i.e. shogun for practicallity (dog/caravan/etc), XK8 for wafting to work in, classic merc for fun

[McSam]

Hehehe.. I like to think that if I were him in fifty years' time, I would see the fact that only the Jag did it as proof that it wasn't necessary, not that I should do it myself to every car I came across

And hey, I'm on an automotive engineering course. Plenty engineers know nothing

Problem I have with my "sell the A4, buy an S4, then add a Tiv" plan is that it means no crap old BMW snotter to drift round roundabouts for the sake of it.. I might have to fit this in somewhere..

[unpc]

Appyarry said:

had XK8's and XKRs, Love them almost as much as they love petrol stations.
On a 200 mile trip on motorways in an XK8 trying to get maximum economy I managed 20MPG I didn't go above 60MPH and "feathered" it everywhere.
In the XKR with my devil horns on I averaged 13MPG on a tank of fuel!

Still love them though, looking to sell my 911 Turbo and will almost certainly get another!

Really? I nearly always see 25+mpg out of my XKR. Having said that my commute is long and pretty crap for hooning.

[skinhead85]

buzzer said:

Over a romantic dinner for two, she made a confession.... She hates my car! She said every time she goes out in it, it makes her feel sick. She even feels sick when she drives it... It's the best and most fun car I have ever had, a Cilo Trophy. I guess it's the way it drives, and perhaps the way I tend to drive it that makes her feel sick, she is not the best of traveller in a car.... Shame as it's a top car...

So it has to go... I have considered replacing her instead, but she has approved a substantial budget to get a new car so she is a keeper for the moment.... !!

Looking at an XK8 at the moment which will be a change from the Trophy... Anyone got any experience of them in the real world?

if you like the car and she dont...how about telling her to take her substantial budget and get the bus every where and you just meet her there ?

just a thought

[buzzer]

You guys got it all wrong! She is a petrol head, has her own 225 Audi TT, the Trophy is a third fun car.

We had a 220 BHP Caterham HPC for many years and she was fine in that... But the suspension was softer than the Trophy.... She was fine in the Westfield before that. After that we had an Elise 111R for a few years and she did occasionally feel a bit sick on the longer journeys...

she encourages ME to buy cars!!! You guys need to get yourself a good woman!!!


She is saying she will live with it... But it's no fun going out in the car with the knowledge it makes her feel ill... Or have to drive it like a nun...


Just looked at the MPG of the XK8.... Not good is it...


Maybe have a look at something else

[Sir_Dave]

buzzer said:

You guys got it all wrong! She is a petrol head, has her own 225 Audi TT, the Trophy is a third fun car.

I was in a similar situation to you in October, missus hated the Trophy, said it wasnt suited to someone my age, ete etc etc, blah blah blah ...

Let her drive it at a trackday & now im not allowed to sell it lol.

Bought a 320d Sport for the daily commute, showing off to the neighbours/her friends, etc.

Now only use the Clio for this:


Keep it for yourself, buy something else to keep her happy. Imho of course.

• *In addition, re: the stiff ride, you are aware that Renault 'fix' the damping from the factory, if you remove a small pin from the adjustor knob, they are 32 point adjustable (i think its that many), and go from very hard, to very soft!!***

[Chris71]

Out of curiosity how (un?)civilised are the Clios? Is the Trophy much worse than a regular full fat example? I'm seriously contemplating one as a daily driver.

[Sir_Dave]

Chris71 said:

Out of curiosity how (un?)civilised are the Clios? Is the Trophy much worse than a regular full fat example? I'm seriously contemplating one as a daily driver.

They're fine, mines a little noisy now its stripped out with a BTB exhaust, but the standard Recaro's are comfy enough (especially if you remove the 'donuts' on the seat mounts which lower them by an inch!). But whack the cruise on, soften the dampers off a bit & they are happy flying up & down the motorway.

[Cotty]

braddo said:

A similar thing happened to my wife where my driving style changed in more sporty cars. It wasn't the car per se, so maybe the OP should try driving in a smooth, relaxed manner in the Clio and see how that goes before thinking of selling it.

buzzer said:

it makes her feel sick. She even feels sick when she drives it...

Its not his driving

[Fort Jefferson]

buzzer said:

Looking at an XK8 at the moment, which will be a change from the Trophy.

Thats got to be the understatement of the year.

[andyroo]

As an aside, I am surprised at the number of people who choose to be with someone that tells them what they can and can't like. Madness!

[buzzer]

Fort Jefferson said:

buzzer said:

Looking at an XK8 at the moment, which will be a change from the Trophy.

Thats got to be the understatement of the year.

my daily driver before the Trophy was a BMW 7 series... I retired and decided I would have a fun car for a bit!!

[vescaegg]

ludicrous speed said:

It's a clio, she realises that it's a p.o.s french hatchback.....buy a proper car.

Do you actually know what a Clio Trophy is?

[buzzer]

vescaegg said:

ludicrous speed said:

It's a clio, she realises that it's a p.o.s french hatchback.....buy a proper car.

Do you actually know what a Clio Trophy is?

Clearly not! He should read Evo magazine this month... The Trophy is up there with some of the best...

[cheddar]

Trophy wife?