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

my mate has a manual s3 (same year as my golf) and while you can def feel the bump in power, it feels a bigger, heavier car for some reason. amazing slaying it through the Brecon beacons. I say go for a spin in one first.

you're welcome top have a go in my golf, if you want to try the auto

Hah! I have to keep telling myself that whatever happens to a £5k car, it's still going to be cheaper than the £10-11k over three years on the absolute cheapest finance deals.

Fired up the MR2 yesterday....it starts.....and ran for a bit. It sounds so rattly and produces quite alot of blue smoke.

Still not found a higher bhp engine. The ones that I have found so far the engine numbers don't match to the 190 emgine.

@golgol @paininthe @BrickMan @kboy : have started looking at audi A2s just because. Any specific problems to look for in them? Currently have a couple of 1.4 petrol ones with cruise control lined up for closer inspection. They seem very inexpensive for what they are (were?).

I keep looking at A2 too. Being all ally means that any repairs to the body work need to be done by someone who knows what they are doing. Have been looking at a few cat c/d cars that need swapping panels for second hand ones as new are astronomical.

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?4309-Buying-and-owning-an-A2

I'm tempted by an early facelift as a second car, they seem like quite a laugh and dirt cheap.
Mid-engine, rwd for under £2k 👌
And near enough 150bhp/ton

Meh.

Mx5.

One that isn't mainly rust?

Think of the weight saving as the rusty bits drop off.

Moar bhp/tonne

Depends 80, 115, 130 and 140 bhp...

MX5 inner and outer sills are £75 for each side. Just the spot welds to drill out and edges to joggle.

Edit Front engine rear wheel drive and mid engined rear wheel drive. MR has fuck all storage space.

Prices don't reflect the quality of the car.

Still miss my mk1

General consensus seemed to be go diesel if longer journeys, go petrol if shorter journeys. They are surprisingly practical - the rear seats can be completely removed which creates quite a big load space. Think I remember reading of someone fitting four 18in alloys with tyres on them in the back. 1-2 bikes should be easily doable.

I've got a 1.4 diesel as most of my driving in it is 40-60 mile trips to clients offices with work. There were a couple specific things I looked out for but in general it was just typical used car stuff - good service history, evidence previous owner didn't scrimp on upkeep (premium matching tyres, advisory items on MOT sorted etc).

Mine is an absolute dog cosmetically - it spent a good majority of its life in London and you can tell - its been keyed, terrible kerbing on the alloys etc. but mechanically its been fine (bar one hiccup I mentioned earlier in this thread).

Specific A2 things that worth thinking about but nothing you won't find on the A2 forum:

• I avoided cars with sunroof (Opensky) as they all tend to go wrong
  
• Optional bose stereo a nice to have, standard one is terrible especially with the loud diesel lump
  
• Electric window switches tend to go (my passenger side is intermittent)
  
• Worth getting a car with all four windows electronically controlled - with just the fronts open it creates quite a thwump, thwump thwump effect and its a hassle opening the rears a smidge to stop this is they are manual winders
  
• A lot of the soft touch controls rub off - someone in my cars history replaced the climate control with harder wearing buttons
  
• I wish I'd found a car with adjustable lumbar support. I've got the leather sports seats but they are lacking in this department
  
  

Mine only cost £1k but its got mega miles. For what it is I don't think you'd do much better if you are looking for a practical car to get about it at that price point.

TLDR; its pretty good, I'm glad I got mine.

Prices don't reflect the quality of the car.

In a good or bad way?

Only 10% of he value of the car then, not including labour!

Bit of both really. Price is not a basis for find a good or shite car.

Then a respray...

No but you've got to start somewhere and most people have a budget.

All I am saying don't discount low price cars and don't expect high price to be any better.

Ah fair enough

I still quite fancy a Passat 4.0 W8 estate, only 275 bhp though.

That constantly disappoints me. There's a newer 3.6 that makes 300bhp but it's only a 6 so no woofle.

Get the 2.0T, bigger turbo, remap etc and you could get a 350bhp turbo charged q-car. Just don't get a red one with a beige interior.

It's the idiosyncratic engine that appeals most about the car, a four pot turbo doesn't interest me.

Shame that V60 Polestars are ~£30k

Detuned engine tho.