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

@ejay2.0 Alfa 147 seats is a great idea.

For headlight restoration, whatever you polish the lenses with make sure you get a UV stabilised coating to put over the top otherwise they'll yellow and fog up very quickly. There should be plenty of product available from spray on to wipe on.

I test drove a 2014 Passat Alltrack yesterday and after a bit of haggling we decided to go for it pending they get a few trolley dings taken out of the passenger side.

I noticed a slight engine noise on the test drive which I mentioned to the sales guy, and having got it looked at this morning the dual mass flywheel is starting to let go, which they're replacing under warranty for a shade over $3k

It’s nearing Christmas and you are saying things like that. A tad dangerous perhaps?

Does that mean you are getting the diesel? Make sure it is OE spec and original and not a fake. Have had a factor caught out with fake LUK flywheel kits. While they are there get them to check the starter motor as debris from the dmf collects in the starter bendix or cog and can cause early failure. Are there any easily changeable oil seals at the rear of the engine or gearbox, then when it is apart those bits are easily changed at very low cost. Offer to pay for those bits and make sure that it is on the receipt ;) or different receipt...

On that age of plastic, I'm not sure it makes that much difference.

Yeah it’s a 170bhp TDI, it should be all genuine as it’s at a VW main dealer, and has a year of main dealer warranty, so if anything else shits itself they can have it back

Do you reckon with light off road tyres these would have enough off road capability for rutted fire trails and national park tracks? Not rock crawling, but it'd be interesting to see how far you could go.

I have faith .

I’m not sure actually, a reasonable number of NZ roads are unsurfaced in rural areas which is why we wanted an alltrack. I guess another reason why Outbacks are popular here

I worry too much. 😁

Yellow headlights / fog lights.
Discuss...

They’re pretty yellow already tbh.

Watched 3 videos and read 3 pages last night - all totally different methods.

Alfa 147 seat looks good if I can get one locally (and that isn’t a full interior).
Not fussed about alloys but fat tyres on wider steels would be fun.

What's the logic for the amount of excess to go for on a policy? Renewal is through and it's obviously more for the Dad Max than the Panda. £600 with zero excess. I imagine upping the excess will reduce that(?). But is it worth it? If so, by how much? 13 yo car bought for £4k about a month ago.

I suppose it depends on the value of your car. My 14y.o VW cost £1400 and gets fucked by the kids so I'm not that fussed on the condition of it. If I need to make a claim then I don't want to effectively spend a significant % of the value value of the car on the excess.

I procrastinated one day and played around with comparethemarket - you're correct re: excess/premium, but the increase/reduction is not always a relative amount and I found the sweetspot for me.

Cheers, not due until Jan so I'll probably just give them a shout. Oddly, compare the market doesn't get me any lower than £1000, even with £500 excess so will likely stick with Hastings.

I had dealings with Hastings recently after a driver insured with them hit our parked car, they really were great.

GTV passed its mot without any advisories in September and I’ve only done 330 miles in it since . So you are probably right.
Having said that went out yesterday and after sitting unused for 6 weeks she started straight away and she was as sweet as a nut .

330 miles! So it really is a toy now. This morning looks like a nice day for a drive. One of the few in recent weeks.

MOT done on the bimmer. Needed new brake caliper and number plate bulbs. Cost me half of what the MOT cost me last year so pretty happy about that.

7k miles on it in the last year so pretty cheap motoring. Those miles and the few in the little Fiat mean that for the first time in 20 years I have done more miles behind the wheel than in the saddle. Dark times

More pics please.. Italians do it better!

Here you go then .

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These still look great. Tragic that the Giulia based GTV isn't going to happen. To think that Fiat group had both the GTV and the Fiat Coupe (Bangle's finest design IMO) in production at the same time.

I nearly bought a Fiat coupe instead of the GTV, but at the end of the day it’s not an Alfa Romeo .
I have also had that twin spark engine in all my 145 Q.V. and although not as soulful as the v6 the 2ltr handles better . And better than the fiat .

I wish the engine in my Giulia revved out like the twin sparkers.. Bloody emissions regs!

New (old) car day. Drive back from Sheffield to Manchester - scenic (snake/woodhead) or motorway...?

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