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

After 13 years of abuse, my kango died on me..... it was over 20 though, so had a good innings!
Replaced by my dream colour new van ... still 8 years old, but new to me!

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Love a nice looking set of steel wheels

Talking about steel wheels

@sacredhart have you got the steels fitted to your MX5 yet?

[V12 merc] Went for 3k... That's simultaneously quite cheap and likely incredibly expensive for someone.

It would be fun running the gauntlet

For 3k, assuming it's running, it could be worth it for a four man roadtrip around europe until it breaks :)

...if it being fucked is not the reason for selling.

Before I go with a random google, anyone got any particular recommendations for a mobile valet / steam cleaner in West London?

No, I’ve just got a set for the Outback. Haven’t decided on the mx5 yet. Probs gonna put some G60 steels on it eventually.

Can't give much advice apart from I used a v50 D when I was back visiting my folks at Christmas. It was a car my dad had bought cheap to use as a bit of a workhorse over the winter. It wasn't particularly tidy and was well over 100k miles but I was surprised by how well it had lasted, how tight it still felt and (a massive surprise) how quick it was.

Singer-ised E30

There's a street near my house that has changed to having restricted hours you can drive through. I drove through several times in one day and have been issued with three fines as a result. Is there any advice for disputing this? Is it reasonable to request one single fine rather than three?

Think I just fell in love.

Is there visible signage? Did the change happen very recently? Did you know you shouldn't be driving through?

Are the petrol ones that bad?

Still fancy one.

TFL or Local authoruty?

It's a local authority.
I didnt know the signage had changed. I'm going to re visit and check if there is any advance warning signs, apparently there is supposed to be.
There was no signage stating new road layout ahead that I saw. You turn into the restricted area so the sign is easily missed.
Looking against the paperwork they actually let me off the first time as a warning, however I've driven through twice more the same day so didn't get the warning in time.

however I've driven through twice more the same day so didn't get the warning in time.

Tell them.

Islington Council kindly cancelled a series of tickets when I'd forgotten to renew my permit and was on holiday. I offered to pay the first, but they cancelled them all, and said not to do it again.

Are the petrol ones that bad?

The 1.6 are, what shall we say, maintenance needy. The 1.4's are better, though you need the ability to ignore an EML. However, because of their age, this does not make an MOT failure, a nuisance all the same. Forum passim.
Shall be getting mine back tomorrow from some TLC:- Cruise, BT connectivity, foglights and some integral wiring for DashCam and phone charging.
It is still pleasing to have something odder than most things on the road.

My biggest gripe with the 159 so far has been the fairly abused and unpleasantly styled automatic gearknob, it's a real parts bin special in what is an otherwise lovely interior.

I have found a solution.

This doodad allows you to replace your automatic shifter with any normal manual gear knob and you simply push down on the knob to change position instead of pressing a button.

Success and only $23 (with an unfortunate $22 shipping charge).

Exhaust manifold/gasket leak is fixed, hurrah. Just need to go and get the car now.

Good times! Hopefully one of the lesser expenses in the grander scheme of things then?

Vw polo 9n3 blue motion. We are about to sell ours, it's a later development of the 3L/100km motor in the a2. Can do exactly same economy as a 3l, my record to date is 85.5mpg brim to brim, and does an actual 70mpg whilst doing motorway work at normal speeds (70 to 85).
The a2 tdi with the vnt turbo are starting to go up in value, the 3L are all gone or in collections by now I think.
Honda insight (90s one) and BMW i3 are similar levels of madness to an a2.

Will prob get an a2 at some pont in the future. They are an unusual beast, a physically small car, that's light, drives OK (no handling car!), very economic, but also a nice place to be, seats and interior fit and finish is excellent. Very practical with a deep square boot and back seats come out completely I think.

Insurance is high on them I think because no one can repair them but tbh never tried as haven't owned one.

Will prob get an a2 at some pont in the future. They are an unusual beast, a physically small car, that's light, drives OK (no handling car!), very economic, but also a nice place to be, seats and interior fit and finish is excellent. Very practical with a deep square boot and back seats come out completely I think.

Insurance is high on them I think because no one can repair them but tbh never tried as haven't owned one.

Lots of stories of write offs, especially if rear or rear corners as straight in to structure. Front is not so bad as most is bolt on. The 4 seater has easily removable seats as two independent rears. The 5 seater is bench so a lot heavier and awkward to remove, they are not interchangable. As post ^^ above, got mine back with cruise, BT and MFSW been retro fitted, it has modernised the driving of the car a lot. It is the 20th anniversary this year of the A2 so treating mine. Next up is rear parking sensors and headlight washers, the more cars being broken helps with the supply of these sort of things. Silver lining...

the 3L are all gone or in collections by now I think.

All l/h drive so rare in this country.