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

Ouch.

My 190E has been showing signs of dying for the last couple of years but I've not been able to spend a lot on it to fix it properly.

It scraped through the previous MOT with a number of advisories, but this time it's failed spectacularly (as pretty much expected).

The issues being:

• Serious exhaust leak
  
• Ball joints need replacing
  
• New tyre needed
  
• Windscreen wiper motor broken
  
  

There a few advisories too which would cost a bit - brake pads, etc.

So basically:

• Does anyone want a knackered but potential "future classic" for a low price?
  
• If not, what's the most cost-effective way of scrapping a car?
  
• What could I get for c£1k that could be reliable and better for carrying a baby? (And ideally a bike as well)
  

I'd imagine those are pretty straightforward fixes? You'd definitely fix them for a lot under 1k

VW issue. I won’t leave them on the whole time. I am in estate denial.

True, but then I'd still have a car my wife hates that I'm not sure is that safe for a child.

Can't put a price on child safety

There was a sub 100k mile 1.8t vw passat estate on autotrader i briefly considered, would probably have been perfect for you if it was working ok.

@Colm89 looking good!

New wheels fitted today, but they're making a noise on full lock. Compared to the old wheels the rim is 13.4mm closer to the suspension strut and pokes out 0.7mm less than before. Presumably spacers would be the way to go?

1 Attachment

Wow

I had an M3 evo before I moved to London, that was €1,800 a year to tax.

Think of it as membership fees to the good motoring club!

I seized one of the first generation M3 evolutions decades ago, lhd, dog leg first gearbox really nice car. it belonged to the Saudi royal family but was being razzed around Putney by a scrote painter and decorator. The Saudis didn’t notice it was missing, in the end we had to ring up the embassy to get them to collect it.

No, and you can buy them 'new'

Ok where are you and more car details please.

Wasn't me, I've never lived in Putney

Car goals for sure. Wish I'd got into cars earlier in life.

Snow socks on the front if you want to be double safe but watch out they shred quickly on any bit of tarmac.

Never used them, but aren't snow socks meant to go on the driven wheels? So it depends on rwd/fwd,etc.

I guess they're only for getting you out of difficult situations, but I'm not sure I'd want all the traction on the driven wheels and none on the steering wheels ha ha

Mad dorifuto skills, obvs

Best motoring France

Does anyone want a top grandad waft wagon?

R reg Volvo S70 2.5L auto. Cream leather, heated seats, cruise control, sunroof, removable tow bar and oem roof rack. Fold out booster seat in rear centre arm rest. Both keys, remote central locking. Ace metallic turquoise. Tons of body roll in the corners. Does an unbelievable 36mpg on a flat run.

103XXX miles. New alternator, distributor cap, tyres in the last 18ish months. I even tracked down the fiddly plastic clip that keeps the petrol flap closed that has been bothering me for literally years.

Mechanically happy, MOTed to Oct 2020, some play in a front ball joint (thanks local speed bumps!), only failed previous MOTs on tyre wear and wiper blades because I got lazy checking up on things when all it did was sit in the road and do the 2 miles to sainsbos and back every other week. Full dealer service history until 86k miles and then local friendly garage from then on.

Externally it’s been scraped along a few too many hedges on the narrow Devon lanes by my in-laws but cleans up ok. Small dent in the roof where I dropped a bike on it. Clear coat beginning to peel on the SICK spoiler.

We’ve loved it in our five years of ownership/gentle neglect but due to pseudo practical estate purchase it’s now surplus to requirements and just sitting in the road looking sad. Not sure what to do with it. Not after much either, will do some market trawling tomorrow.

1 Attachment

Fiddy dorrah?

There’s about that much petrol in it! But not after much more tbh. Ideally posh pram dollar, would likely settle for posh car seat pennies.

£50.14?

Pram? Congrats

I reckon you spent more than that on your baby pusher.