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

I do look very fetching in an Alice band. Together with the pearls and twinset.

They do. Not many, but they come up for sale now and again.

I usually get about 17-18 mpg in my RS6. The newer V8 version is a lot less thirsty.

Not a clue. Toyota make some great cars, and some aweful same as everyone else looking motors.

@hugo7 apparently only 7 on the road in the UK https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_r63_l_amg_4-matic_a

Profesional is a very broad term.

Didn't a professional rebuild someones scooby engine and it failed, had to be rebuilt again. Wasn't there another that had a defender engine by a professional that failed?

From a start point of 15...

Well never the most popular car...could have been the £70k price tag...

Might be better with a R500 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201808129410079?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&radius=1500&model=R%20CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&postcode=ex144rn&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=sponsored&zero-to-60=TO_8&page=1

Is the term Exclusive ;)

There’s a big thread on GRM about buying an R63 and then rebuilding the engine when the headbolt snapped. $56,000 quote from Mercedes to fix it.

That's a lot of car for the money.

And probably some impressive potential bills...

My car quandary, I am slowly looking for my next car, my wish list;

Petrol
Estate
Automatic
All driver conveniences for motorway cruising
Ideally 4wd (live on farm down rutted track), so nothing low to the ground
Won’t be used for huge miles, so fuel economy not a massive issue
Has to fit 3 year old daughter and 2 dogs in
Budget of £12k

I currently have an outlander hybrid (company car, awful thing, but low bik), and an old forester, and this will have to replace both of them. Current potentials are;

Subaru Outback
Volvo XC70
Audi A4

I have ruled out Jag and Passat, anything else anyone would throw in the mix?

A4 are tiny inside/boot wise.

Volvo or Subaru sound like good choices.

Good point, I am leaning towards Subaru, I have a soft spot the old one I have now, was brilliant in the snow last year for a start.

The one you linked to has the same flat 6 as in my old Spec B legacy. Great engines, so long as you keep an eye on oil usage ( but you are probably used to that having owned a boxer).

Not sure that the auto box is that great in them though, certianly a long way from the modern 8 speed boxes.

Hmmm yes always a little worried about older auto boxes, but I’m too lazy to go back to manual, will have to read up!

I'm putting winter tyres on the C55 this year, I have hopes that this will mean rwd+370 ft-lbs+snow= no drama

Agree on the A4 not being very big. But then I assume you're daughter's not that big either ;)

A6 allroad could be worth a look if you do need the extra space. Pretty sure there's also a 4x4 Skoda superb which will be a similar size but less brand tax. Although finding a non-diesel may be tricky.

You mentioned ride height. I wonder how hard it would be to raise any estate up a bit? That could unlock loads of options. It doesn't have to be a 6" lift kit to give a touch more clearance.

She may not be very big, but she comes with a lot of crap!

Think the allroad and superb are both diesels, well in my price range at least.

Good shout on lift kits, will have to look into those... managed to smash the underneath of my last car, needed a new auto box at £5.5k, don’t fancy that again!

Would it be an incredible pain in the arse to grade your drive?

Well, yes, probably! It is about a mile long, plus both sets of parents have equally as bad ones and longer, in fact my parents is up a very steep rutted track with a Ford at the bottom...

Ford at the bottom...

Passenger vehicle or tractor?

Sadly the river kind. I do have a lovely ford tractor though, but would take about 3 hours to drive that to my mothers 30 miles away...