Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Hire the little Suzukis they have at rent4ring. They're quick enough for your first dozen laps and are properly insured.

Maybe move on to driving your own car for the second day, but careful not to get over confident...

The horror stories should be heeded to a point, I don't doubt someone did once cripple a wealthy CEO and got taken to the cleaners, but thousands drive it every month without incident.

Driving through Belgium is one of the scariest experiences I've ever had in a car... Naples was a cakewalk by comparison...

Never been a fan of RX 8. Same with subaru hatchback Impreza. Dat Time Attack Gobstopper doe.

^^this in spades

Belgians are a menace on the roads, I reckon the standard of driving was better in Kathmandu, compared to some of the gaps that Belgians in people carriers would try and fit into on the motor-way.

Their motorway sliproads are batshit crazy too from what I remember. Cars accelerating on, on the same piece of road you are trying to exit on, absolutely fucking terrifying.

IIRC they only introduced compulsory driving tests in 1974, explained a lot 15-20 years ago but would've expected things to improve over time...

What's people's honest opinions of Alfa Romeo Mito's?

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Can you go this weekend and have holiday on Monday and Tuesday? There is a scarce two hour bike slot Monday evening. It is so good! I had the Nordschleife for myself when I road some time ago. Hire bikes locally possible. You can probably camp in our garden.

http://www.nuerburgring.de/fahren-erleben/erleben/rad-lauftreff.html

Aw! Look at it's cute little face!

It looks like a Fiat 500 with an Alfa grill stuck on it. If you're into anthropomorphism why not just get a Fiat 500?

That sounds more reasonable, my figures did sound a bit ridiculous.

If you can get out for just a weekend this year I'd really recommend it. Just hanging out in the car park is worth it for the cars you see, then park yourself up at Brunchen with most of the other spectators for an hour with a beer and applaud the absolutely crazy people who drift it for the "fans" and laugh at the people who get it wrong (the German fans are really cold hearted!)

I do not like the trend of car manufacturers putting wheels that look like they come out of the Wolfrace catalogue on their cars.

Ferrari and McLaren are both bad for it too.

ugliest factory wheels ever? they are up there with the gti monzas.

And I thought the wheels were really smart!

They look like some detail interns wet dream.

Rotiform or GTFO B-)

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No way I'd drive my own car at the ring. Hire car all the way. Not going to trash my tyres, brakes, starve the engine of oil etc etc.

As do mito, boring and poor effort from alfas marketing dept. I'd rather a rust bucket sud! The wheels are gash. What was wrong with their classic 5 circle based designs?

Yes,
the Belgian/Flemish/Walloonish road designers seemed to get locked into a space saving mentality of having the 'on ramp' just before the 'off ramp',
so that decelerating exitting traffic is jostled by accelerating joining traffic.
All for the want of a roundabout!
I truly believe that roundabouts are a mark of a civilised country.
Having to stop & give priority to strangers has a calming effect.

The signage is sometimes confusing in Belgium as well.
A few years ago a Flemish customer moved from an old industrial site in north Gent
to a purpose built site on the other side of the motorway in Merelbeke.
Conscious that I had no mind map of their location, I took the first indicated exit to Merelbeke. No sign of the expected industrial estate. Back on the motoway, two 'U'-turns, and tried again. Still no sign of the new factory.
3rd time I ignored the first sign to Merelbeke, and took the next, and there was the gleaming new factory. Apologised for my slightly late arrival,
'Oh yes' said my hosts, 'Lots of people make that mistake, that sign is actually on the parallel canal, and directs water borne traffic to the wharf on the other side of Merelbeke'.

ha.

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Ok so it's taken me a while to get round to this but here's the S2000.
First registered in 1999 so is the AP1 version.
103000 miles, I'm the 5th owner. I bought it in April 2010 with 87000 miles.
Paintwork is a little tatty where birds have shat on it - it could do with a mechanical polish really. Offside rear arches is suffering the typical honda rust problem. A few little dings and the drivers' door and rear 3/4 was keyed several years ago. My friend did a not so good job at repairing it! Several stone chips to the front bumper and a few on the bonnet. Front bumper has had headlight washers removed and has been smoothed. Soft top replaced with newer glass rear screen version.
Mechanically it's all good. Fully pollybushed, koni adjustable shocks, HKS hi-power dual exhaust (I think I still have a decat somewhere as well that I can include if wanted) and HKS intake, Rota drift alloys.
12 months tax, MOT expires next month but will sort new one out pre-sale if there's any interest.
There's not a lot of service history as I've done most things myself or used my girlfriend's uncle who is a mechanic.

Overall it's a great car, has never let me down and is great fun to drive. Could do with a few hundred pounds spending on the body work if you want to properly smarten it up.

I'm selling as I never use it any more and it's just a waste sitting around not being used. I'll be looking for around £4k. It's not advertised anywhere yet so let me know if any interest.

I'm having trouble uploading photos, but I'll persevere.

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The future is looking better:

More than a hint of CSL in the design. Interesting tech too.

so it's either 4k or 4.5k, and you've posted the advert 3 times

#slowhandclap

A what fuel say, did you say?

Ah yes I was having no end of grief, edited, thanks.
#takesabow

Love the nose profile...