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

What's the roof weight limit for a tent box? See a lot of vehicles using them, and wonder if they're actually rated for the weight of two adults.

Vito max load is apparently 150Kg.

Tentbox classic weighs 64Kg so two people need to be less than 90Kg combined.

Seems unlikely.

Suppose 'dynamic' load rating vs static-ish... but yeah not ideal.

True.

They cover it (including maths) here.

That wonderful moment of working on your car to fix things and making it worse....

Apparently it's a terrible time to buy a new (used) car

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Has anyone got an opinion on these Morel Hybrid speakers?

Looks like a comprehensive system that would just need a sub and a decent amplifier, but it's a decent amount of cash.

Nice! Cupra 300, right?

I wish - the rather more cooking version (still FR spec though!) White like the appliance it ultimately is.

Less chance you'll lose your license :)
They look so much better than Golf Estates, usually better spec too.

Anyone know about e-types? I want to buy my father an hour long spin in one for Christmas and there seems to be two in his area a 2s and this one which it seems to say has a choice of two but reading reviews I think it's just that red one pictured. Anyone know which will be the most fun to drive?

Didn't know about this kinda thing - now I deffo want a go!

All e types are great fun to drive, just don't expect them to stop or corner like a modern car, gearchange will also take a little while to become familiar with.

Van (well, V-Class) life:

I'm really enjoying it, in a way that I didn't think I would.

I thought that I'd enjoy the space, the way in which it enabled my cycling, but that it would be rubbish to drive, and I was already fairly well advanced in looking at options for a runabout to go alongside it which would fulfil the "not shit to drive" criteria.

But - and it's a big but - the van is fun. It's a big old bus for sure, but it's comfortable, a fantastic cruiser, visibility is great, for such a big vehicle it's no bother at all to thread down narrow streets and the reversing camera and parking sensors do a great job of getting you out of tight spaces.

Where it truly comes into its own is in being able to arrive at home, grab the bag of dirty clothes and then walk indoors - the bikes (washed at the trailside) stay locked in the van.

The only thing that I'm going to change (because I'm me) is the stereo, and of course the options for that are starting to look a little silly, but I'd like to get something on a par with Herman #1, which was frankly excellent.

His previous cars have included a Ginetta G15, Hillman Imp and a tank-like Saab 900, so hopefully he's well versed in terrible handling by now.

Also a Fiat Panda that was apparently used in a ram-raid some months after he sold it. Fond memories of that old death trap.

Finished a long motorway drive yesterday minus a wheelnut :(

checked all the others, a few needed nipping up. Bit surprised as the wheels haven't been off this for 6 months or so.

White cars love a clean!

In which case he'll be fine, it will handle better than any of those. I suspect that the 'experience' cars will have modern brakes fitted. Please tell me that a ram-raid in a Panda was successful....

Fiat Panda that was apparently used in a ram-raid

All I can picture in my head is some weird Italian film called The English Job - Fiat Pandas used for a robbery in London during the Euro final.

I don't know but given the lack of security measures back then (suburban village early 90s, roller shutters weren't really a thing) I would have thought so. I once witnessed one happen and it didn't look like it took much effort.

Any garage recommendations for a simple service in Zone 4 SW London / Surrey?

Queens road motors in Wimbledon. My usual place, good value, have never ripped me off and didn’t even charge me for a blown head gasket diagnosing

ram-raid in a Panda

Not too many shop fronts made out of wet paper bags these days.

Think we've had this one before, but spotted just outside the Tate.

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Looks like a tonka toy - is it road legal?!