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

i've been interested in the bike-engined minis for ages, i just wonder what they'd be like to drive (lacking torque?).. you'd get a nice gearbox though, with no reverse gear!

i think if i had the choice i'd go for one of the fwd r1 conversions, with an electric reverse.

A bloke at college had one. I pushed him out of several parking spaces until he'd fitted the reversing motor.

i've been interested in the bike-engined minis for ages, i just wonder what they'd be like to drive (lacking torque?).. you'd get a nice gearbox though, with no reverse gear!

i think if i had the choice i'd go for one of the fwd r1 conversions, with an electric reverse.

You could get 6 speed reverse with a transfer box.
The bike engined cars I've driven/been in (all Caterfield clones) were fun but so peaky and in the back of my head I always felt they were a bit fragile. Give me a "normal" engined car any day of the week.

That's awesome.

i've been interested in the bike-engined minis for ages, i just wonder what they'd be like to drive (lacking torque?).. you'd get a nice gearbox though, with no reverse gear!

i think if i had the choice i'd go for one of the fwd r1 conversions, with an electric reverse.

They are of course lacking torque but then they are re-geared to suit the weight, making them not too bad. As for reverse, its relatively easy to make and electric reverse with a starter motor (often from a van)

You need to use the right bike motor in the first place, too.

Turbo'd Hayabusa would be perfect....:)

Bike gearboxes are magnificent.

^by 're-geared', I mean they are simply changing the sprockets

Ah, Belgium - the country that gave the world moules frites, the smurfs, waffles, paedophiles and terrible car conversions.

It looks like a 1series BMW that's been owned in Essex.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4464669650_dcb262411e_o.jpg

Looking for a new car since my astra needs a lot of money spent on it - my eyes have turned to this. What do you guys think for the money, anything I should be looking for? Have around 2k to spend.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160815647061?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_645wt_1030

Prohibitively expensive when they start to go wrong.

Get a Ford Focus.

Hmm - also expensive on the old insurance.

Something like this??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290707440026?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1359wt_1030

what are you after in a car - something that has a bit of character or just gets you a-b?

A3 is the same as mkiv Golf/ Seat Leon/ Skoda Fabia(?) - so only expensive to fix if you take it to an Audi / VW garage.

When I had my Cupra R - I could buy the (exact) same part from Audi for 90, VW for 70, Seat for 40 or Skoda for 30!!! -

Hmm - also expensive on the old insurance.

Something like this??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290707440026?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_1359wt_1030

wow - I had forgotten quite how ugly the non-hatchback ones are.... and you lose the useful boot opening :(

Well I've been driving for 5 years, have no claims for the whole time.

Wife is now in the process of looking to book her test so she'll be insured on it too.

I want something that isn't going to cost the earth to insure and gets from a to b whilst looking good. (If thats all possible)

Including the bread knife will increase your premium.

Get a Corsa or a Fiesta.

I don't know, the fact that Mrs Spenceey would be a named driver with new licence needn't cost that much on insurance dependent on her age and the insurance company. Spenceey's first and second requirements are easy to achieve and while the third is entirely subjective if a car is perceived to be attractive it will add a premium.

Spenceey you should be able to find a mk 7 Honda Civic for a decent amount of money, if you are looking for a ~1.6l engine the chances are it will have been owned by a granny and not a boy racer. Insurance should be affordable, they are very reliable if slightly beige.

There are hundreds of thousands of these on the south coast which have never been higher than third gear.

And have always been serviced on time, by a dealer, and come with a full service history.

And they're the only people in the known universe to get anywhere close to the manufacturers claimed mpg figures.

Really? Do you think I'd find one of those within my budget too?

A bit morbid, but have a weekend in Worthing and look for someone young who's trying to offload one as a result of a death in the family. A probate sale...

This one -

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201214461552764/sort/locasc/usedcars/price-to/2000/maximum-age/up_to_10_years_old/model/civic/make/honda/page/1/radius/60/postcode/ip257lx?logcode=p

Looks quite nice and a decent year too.