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

Cheers. An eclectic mix that’s for sure. A couple I’d buy back now in a heartbeat...

Ooooooo a list

1996 - 1977 Volvo 242 4 speed
1998 - 1974 BMW 2002 4 speed
2002 - 1969 Mercedes 240 4 speed
2005 - 1992 oldsmobile cutlass cruiser wagon (free car) Auto
2008 - 1995 Jeep Wrangler (the good one with a straight 6) 5 speed
2011 - 2007 VW Jetta 5 speed
2016 - 2011 VW GTI 6 speed (pictured below with winter wheels a couple months ago)

Getting the itch for a new car. Test drove a new Golf R. Really nice car, but too similar to my GTI. Plus the GTI feels better to drive. Test drove an RS3 but too much car to justify and it's an automatic.

Thinking of testing a low mileage Subaru STI or Focus RS. Something disturbing to drive.

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its a nice car undoubtedly. wish it was the m sport though... the "luxury" trim definitely appeals more to people like my grandad

Was referring to the giulia!

hahaaha sorry!

Civic type r? Megane RS?

Megane might be hard. Looks like he's in the states.

Something disturbing to drive.

Ain't no replacement for displacement, and you're in the right place for that.

That aside, you chaps got the Saabaru (it never came to the UK), which I reckon is a really nice, quirky car that with enough STi parts would go like stink.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/upgrade-your-car-ford-granada/zmkn2sg

Keep yourself busy during lockdown, order a kit for your Granada.

love it olly. that Stanza and the little story around is bringing on the big smiles here. hope you well dude

‘87 Alfa 75 twinspark. Probably my favourite ever to drive. Got it way out of shape in Clapham and knocked a lamppost over. Semi-panicked and accepted £50 from a passing pikey to take it, pissing fluids and steam, away on his q-plate wrecker. heavy woe and regret since.

I missed this story the first time round. I now have visions of the scenario playing in my head and laughing to myself.

It's funny, I was looking at Carlton's and Senators on Car&Classic only the other day. Can't remember the last time I saw one. I've always fancied a Starion too.

1. Mk3 Fiesta 1.1 - friend drove into it and wrote it off. Managed an indicated 100mph downhill, despite only having 50bhp.
   
2. Mk4 Fiesta 1.25 - brilliant little car, 75bhp but handled like a dream.
   
3. Mk4 Escort XR3i Cabriolet - had full RS Turbo kit and interior, but was in all other respects a dog. Worth a couple of grand in parts but ended up selling it -whole- to a cab driver for £400 a couple of months after sticking a £500 Magnex s/s exhaust & manifold and 4 Goodyear Eagle F1's on it.
   
4. Mk5 Fiesta Zetec-S - was only a year old when I got it, in that lovely Imperial Blue with chrome wheel centres and a mesh grille. Had 103bhp but was quick enough to keep most things at the time honest, especially as it had a very sorted chassis. If they'd have managed to put a more powerful engine in it it would be seen as a classic like the Clio 172/182 are now.
   
5. Mk5 Golf GTI - had a big break whilst living in London so borrowed cars as I needed them. Got this just before leaving the city. Highly competent, pretty quick, but lacks a bit of excitement. Will replace it in a year or so, maybe with a Mk7/7.5 R, but maybe with something a bit more emotional.
   

Mk4 Fiesta 1.25 - brilliant little car, 75bhp but handled like a dream.

I agree, I drove loads of these when they were brand new (I worked for a car hire place one summer) and they were absolutely great to drive. I drove door-to-door, Winchester to Southsea, using only first and fifth to prove to a friend that they had enough power for their size and weight. And now I think about it, no throttle when pulling away, just balancing the IAC against the clutch.

Ah cheers man. Yeah we’re great all things considered. Been way to long since we had a catch up.

i think i was about 8yrs old at the time, i remember going out in it but not with any gusto, tbf my Dad isn't much of a "driver" at the best of times

I had no idea that existed. I knew GM did a Chevrolet (?) rebadged 93 but this is something else. Fugly if you ask me, and trying to sell that interior as a Saab is taking the piss properly

Oh I agree, but it's such a random, rare car. I've never seen one in the metal.

On occasion I drive a 2006 Ford Fiesta LX with the 1.25, it's a hoot to drive. Handles brilliantly and great craic when you give it the beans. Brakes are really, really good too.

I had no idea that existed. I knew GM did a Chevrolet (?) rebadged 93 but this is something else.

Cadillac BLS?

The other weird GM Saabs never sold here are the 9-4X crossover SUV and the 9-7X full size SUV. A few of the 9-4X were sold in mainland Europe before the company collapsed. Which I didn't know before I saw one on a dealer forecourt in Holland last year - they wanted silly money for it.

Been a Regular Car Reviews fan for a while.

For anyone unfamiliar with RCR, this is a good primer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoxqtnI4I4c

RCR reviews aren't just reviewing the car.

They got a fan who happens to be a pro filmmaker, some extra sponsorship, and a car owner prepared to give up a decent chunk of his time, and this masterpiece/pitch-to-networks was born:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb7eMKf497g

This has me hoping they find a network/platform willing to invest in visuals of a calibre worthy of the essays, without restricting the non-car commentary and humour.

B R O W N.

MK4/5 Fiesta was the ford platform b chasis shared with the KA and Puma. The 1.7 Puma engine is a straight swap.

The fiesta was also badge engineered as the mazda 121. The same car built on the same line with the same parts but the mazda version was more reliable and had better owner satisfaction in owner surveys. Which I found quite interesting, in a psychological perspective.

my frugal nature

Dont you exclusively wear ACNE?

our legacy :-)

The MG will not retain air in the front driver side tyre. From 30psi it goes to completely flat in the space of a week or so.

What do I need to do?