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

Sounds good, I have the Traction engine in it, I was thinking of keeping the complete front train with engine and everything, putting it in storage and starting with another front train so any cutting and welding gets done to that. I have potentially lined one up but will wait until i have had a week or so holding people up on the Surrey roads. I have changed the carb and welded up the exhaust which had a coat hanger and some cassoulet tin wrapped round a 6 inch hole. I didnt want to buy a stainless exhaust until i am decided on what to do. Some of the metal is crinckled on the corners but i want to keep the nicely knackered patina, probably clear coat it. As standard it exempt from London Emissions , i think.

I know how to look for them, @Lynx - I just don't know how to pick one that'll make it to the M25, let alone the Alps, let alone all the way back.

The Corsa I just bought to replace our dead Peugeot 107 was back in the dealership within 48 hours to have an O2 sensor replaced, so I guess that's knocked my confidence choosing a car...

Couple of us to go with you?

how would you know about an 02 sensor?

Ah being petrol, it is not an issue. Maybe an issue if you convert to diesel and tell DVLA.

The new Volvo V90 looks swishh for an estate if they do one with a suitably crazy engine I'm interested...

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The engine light came on. When I looked it up in the manual it said it was actually an "emissions" light. Called RAC, they said it was a sensor, so I took it back to dealership and they replaced it. Basically.

I'd love some help choosing one. I need it for July, so there's no rush. Plus I'm about to be made redundant so it should probably wait until that's all sorted. There'd be beers in it!

Once you know what you want I can keep an eye out around surrey, there may be a school run family car that does the job, ride down with lynx do a loop of Box hill, just west of me and drive it back. My dad was always obsessed with not buying London cars at the clutches had a hard life in the stop start driving, could have been talking crap.

406 estate could be a good shout. Not sure there are many mechanical things to go wrong that would actually stop you. You might have warning lights or blown relays but not much more.

Otherwise look for something common, like the ford galaxy thing. Make yourself a checklist before looking at anything and follow it. Things like:
Check tyres - are all 4 the same and worn evenly?
Oil - is there any and is it still clean-ish
Do the headlights and brake lights work?
See how the car starts from cold. if they've warmed it before hand there's likely issues.

I find it really helps otherwise I always forget things when buying a car, no matter how cheap. For example, a recent trip back to aus I bought a $400 volvo 760. I was so excited by the amount of car for the money that I missed the shredded re-tread rear tyres and 2 different fronts. Was so unsafe I had to spend $250 for 4 new ones. Had I seen when buying I would have bargained down to $300 :)

That is why you need someone to go with you to be more open eyed.

Can see your dads logic, as well as buying cars that have been by the sea.

How could you have known? Do you have automotive psychic ability ;)

My advice is buy something you won't get attached to as cheap as you can. Use it and sell it once you are back. Look for something that needs a clean as clean shiny cars sell for more. I'd say run around in the car for a month or so to see if there are any problems and there are a few friendly breakers so don't worry about unbolt able panels being dented.

That berlingo or zafira would be the choice. A diesel zafira unlikely to find, miniabbers love then

My brother gf has a 1.6 petrol zafira from about 2003, it's utter misery on wheels but she just uses it as a van and it refuses to die, though does occasionally drink all its coolant, them coagulates and heals itself, magic misery mover I think is what she calls it

Is it comfortable, if you are driving those distance comfort is a good thing.

Thanks for all that advice: makes sense. I'll pop back in here a bit nearer the time and ask again. Thanks. It's nice to hear that the idea isn't daft!

I drove to the Alps in a 406 estate once. By the time we got to Dover it would only stay in 5th gear if you held the lever there.... about 100 miles past Calais that stopped working so we had to do the trip with no 5th gear. It was a bit revvy and top speed a little limited but it made it all the way there and back. Once returned to blighty, I think my mate got a recon box fitted for a few hundred quid, car continues to provide excellent service for many years

Hippy and I drove to Italy in a £2,000 Volvo 850, it was absolutely fine.

My 240k 18 year old volvo diesel made Bosnia and Croatia no bother.
Only drama was crushed a 2.5" boost pipe whilst trying to get said lowered family wagon up a mountain to an abandoned installation, founded on a large rock, made it back to the UK 2000miles on our route with only slightly reduced power

Is that PI?

In a year?

Sell it!

If it's stored well and the money's not needed, it's an investment, non? Although I seem to remember it's on the street or under a tonneau?

I thought it was garaged.

Depressing

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Youd only waste that money anyway.