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

I'm taking a welding course at the moment. Got to do this to a Mini today.

https://instagram.com/p/BA4az9gDVDn/

Where are you doing the course?

Hammersmith council have a place called the Macbeth Centre. It's a five-day course, spread over five Saturdays. Syllabus has already been sacked off and replaced with "what do you want to learn?"

So I'm cutting up a Mini with an angle grinder. My repair patch was put in with MIG and looked awful. I'm hoping that practice makes adequate.

Hive mind

I am looking for an urban runabout, ideally with a comfortable driving position (not a bucket seat as these aggravate my sciatic pain), a boot big enough for 2 large dogs where the door sill is not too high for them to get in easily, mod cons like parking sensors would be a bonus.

Something, cheap, cheerful that I could get on a lease...

British Cycling will get you a hefty discount on fiat group cars, maybe worth a look there.

edit; Dacia Logan MCV? free road tax too on the 1.5 diesel.

dirt cheap and cheerful, comfy seats, capacious for dogs = Mitsubishi spacestar

It is, yeah.

That was there when I bought it.

But when I bought it, the front bumper wasn't held on by duct tape.

You and @BQ between you are not great adverts for vintage Mercs!

Breaking down in the Stratford Centre was very unfortunate but does of course beg the question of what you were doing going to the Stratford Centre in the first place.

Exactly. Cinema or casino?

I think a lot of people are mistaking the Stratford Centre for Westfield.

The Stratford Centre has Loon Fung supermarket and the Rainbow Cafe, with curry chips for £1.50, which is not to be missed.

I was there dropping off a folding bike I'd sold on Ebay, and I was going to nip in to Lidl for some multivitamin juice as well, till I saw the queues. I thought I could be out and back in 20 minutes.

Noted. I'd assumed you were referring to "Hell of the East" too.

Got a raging stonk on for the new Focus ST estate, in battleship grey obviously, looks the absolute business IMO

I like that colour.

Not sure about the new Focus RS, the drift mode seems a bit gimmicky, waiting for a proper review.

The Stratford Centre has Loon Fung supermarket and the Rainbow Cafe, with curry chips for £1.50, which is not to be missed.

I knew the difference but was not aware of such cultural delights within (we are looking for a good local Chinese supermarket at home so that's helpful!).

My brother has a brand new Focus ST. If the interior of that is anything to go by, it's like sitting in a halfords special from the early 90s. It doesn't matter how well they drive if you feel like a twat sitting in one.

Even had red light up door sills ffs.

Really. Keep it in the food thread.

Loon Fung has a place on Brantwood Road Tottenham. While Hoo Hing has a place on Leyton has amazing Dimsum too.

Weirdest boner

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auctions/latest-classic-car-catalogue/saturday-23rd-january/1988-nissan-micra-10-ls/

You need help.

refreshingly simple when you look at it. That price though... lowest mileage maybe, but who cares!

They sold a MINT, not restored, but mothballed Capri 2.8i for £37k!

Big market for this stuff in collections! Restoration is a distant second best to original condition, even though I'm fundamentally opposed to not driving cars. Had a comment of mine deleted off JD Classics instagram feed dissing the owner of a 288 GTO with something like 5000 mile on it. Someone really enjoyed that car then!

Even for a Micra? People gone mad... but I see what you mean.
I'd agree with you though, a car not driven is pointless.

Pffft.

There is a market for low mileage one owner cars.

Recently purchased a tr6 for a friends dad. As investment and a car that will be used it was a one owner, sub 50k properly looked after car never been restored. All from a random advert in Friday ad that was I'd say the going rate for a tr6 not one as nice and as much history as this one.