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

Masserati is front wheel drive, so not going to be oversteer/drift, you were under power so not lift off over steer.(no maz is front wheel drive, no idea what I was on about) These things happen, worse thing IMO is that you weren't being silly or doing anything to expect an adverse handling reaction.

Never know what was on the road surface and what the rain brought up from the road surface or washed on to it

You weren't hurt and no damage damage to the car chalk it up to one of those things.

Been to look at few cars- a diesel rover 75 tourer, a Jag xf diesel, BMW 3 series 2010ish estate and a honda accord tourer. Honda knew it needed a few bits but the rest were listed as great condition. All had tatty seats and looked clocked, the Jag especially. Looked like the interior had done 400k as a minicab all the seats looked worn and full service history....no e of them showed belt or gearbox oil changes.

Got called a time waster....even though I asked all the questions during the call before I got to see the cars.

If you’re looking for a headlining, it’s in decent nick, yeah. You’re welcome to it for free if you come to pull it. E14.

You can also have the steering hose, but not for a while as I need to be able to move the car about until I finish with it.

Honda Jazz, fits everyone from 5'0 to 6'4 in one car, very well throught out. For its size (slightly bigger than a fiesta?) has a very good inside space, seats fold up and down, can get multiple bikes inside which you CANNOT in most 'mini suv' like Ateca/ford eco sport/whatever vauxhall make, as the boot is some how shorter, and often has an additional bulkhead that goes across bottom of back seats, so when back seats are folded down its not really any better.
£10k will get you a very nice jazz.
For the headlight issue, cars from behind, just get a tint on the rear screen. There will always be someone in a bigger vehicle driving 2" from your bumper dazzling you, tint or a mesh screen cover will sort it. For oncoming vehicles, again always going to be someone bigger, only vehicles that get less oncoming dazzle is in a full size truck.
If either are of you are 40+, get your cataracts checked. Night time driving and struggling with dazzle (current LED headlight frequency does cause more issues) usually an indicator that they are starting to develop already.

Have also noticed an increase in number of blatantly clocked cars recently.

Went to see an E350 that at 6 years old had apparently only done 35k. Looked and felt like maybe that was correct. But service history showed it was on its third set of front pads /disc, and at least the 4th full set of tyres, various just rears. Unless its been to the track, defo more than 35k on it, likely more like 80k. I think a lot of folk run their new lease vehicle on a mileage limiter, so it counts up as normal until the preset stop, and then the odo just doesn't go up anymore until the next date cycle (1 year) then starts counting again.

2.5t 197 bhp version? Split piston liner most likely.
Had two that were such nice cruisy cars but both were already split, I just kept topping them up for a year before giving in. Then got an almost collector worthy C70 with same engine, and set about getting it sorted, but even with them going up in value a little bit, still wasn't worth the engineering work to repair.
Would just keep putting coolant in it, unless its an R version, chances are your not putting it under enough pressure to really get any worse*
*Not an expert, have just skirted along the edge of failure for about 50k in two of them.

Don't think theres much newer that would maybe float your boat, my mate got a 130 M 2 door coupe job new in around 2013/14, the one thats got a little turbo on it. He normally never buys a car at the end of the deal but he kept that one and hasn't really kept anything else again since so must be alright. Its a second car for him though so maybe doesn't get as much wear. The interiors on a lot of those and the 3 series of the time got squeeky and rattly past about 5 years old.

Masserati is front wheel drive

It's really not.

Err, it is most definitely not FWD. Unless it's spun backwards unexpectedly....

New tyres, different temperatures, road contamination as mentioned all possible. It may also be the character of those tyres to grip grip grip, then just let go without a smooth progression. It's a common trait the more grippy tyres have. You did the right thing by standing on the brakes though. Tank slappers are the worst.

Also spelt Maserati wrong, sorry. No idea where that wrong belief came from.

@TRA you are right, in future I will make sure I know what I'm thinking...

Though I do stand by the possibility of something on the road surface.

Wonder if k seal would help in that situation. Have used k seal on a failed head gasket and it worked for 3 as the car kept passing mots.

Is it the same engine in the ford?

Re the spinning Maser- high performance tyres (not always, but..) are going to be sun optimal at this 2-4 degree time of the year.

They need to have some temperature in them or they will simply not have the grip you may be used to from punting around toward the end of summer last year.

This can be a lot of fun on roundabouts at 5am, when you are planning on it, but it can also take you by surprise.

See also: old tyres with plenty of tread on them but which are as hard as plastic.

@BrickMan only vehicles that get less oncoming dazzle is in a full size truck.

Having driven Class 1 HGVs for a living this really doesn't decrease that much even when sitting in a Scania et al

To be honest that sounds like classic Maserati Biturbo handling.

If anyone is interested in a 2011 Volvo V50 2.0 Petrol Auto PM me, as I might have to sell mine.

Milage 64545
Jap import
Fresh MOT end of Feb
Very nicely spec'd and in very good condition pretty much fully loaded as with many Jap import European cars
ULEZ clear
Currently SORN on my parents drive in near Wimborne

Bought it about a year ago meaning for it to be my daily driver for the next decade and circumstances have drastically changed.

2 Attachments

another pita small issue with my car. I think I found the oil leak, and I 'think' it is sorted: the vacuum pumps seal was ailing so I cleaned everything up and added liquid sealant. I bought a new seal on ebay that was expensive and took ages to arrive so I might send this back if jobs a goodun.

anyway, new issue is the hose that comes out of the steering fluid resevoir is leaking (so maybe I had a duel oil leak?). i think this is causing the banshee-like squeal when turning. I have read a bit and I need to flush the fluid. In doing so I can assess how fucked the hoses (and other more expensive components) are by how discoloured the fluid is. Fair dos. I am thinking of doing this and just clamping back up with new/better clamps to start with. But should I try and get new lines/hose?. It is an old car (98 pug 1.9td) and the hose just looks like fuel line: can this be right or am I staring at the wrong bit of pipe?

I'd replace the hose. You might get away with cutting the end off and shortening it, but old rubber on old cars is often trouble.

£?

Yeah, I think that's right. Thank you. Need to find out what to replace it with but I think it will be for th ebest

Judging on comparable models on AutoTrader I think £6.5k would be a good price

Its the low pressure hose/pipe. I want someone to come along and say normal fuel line/hose will be fine

i also worry that it not being the high pressure bit it won't be the reason for the squeal, although I guess it would let air into the rest of the system?

Yeah for sure but with my old tires it was very predictable and easily handled this was a different beast ;) or maybe just that i was surprised perhaps

Yeah i know about the old tires as thats what i came from .) But yeah they were so easy to predict (maybe because the never had traction ha).

Bore of the hose might not be the same as fuel hose.
Any factors or car parts places that have the hose on a role? That way you can ask/check

Squealing is (hopefully ) the drive belt powering the steering pump, might get better with new fluid.