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

I want an update on you buying the B!

And I want an update from @Jung on the Fury

Urgh, with a side helping of double bland.
They are secretly a mitsubishi charisma I think. The 1.8 direct injection petrol engine is tye mitsubishi one and I think the one to avoid (gutless and loves fuel!), the other petrols are volvos own engines and are a bit better.
Diesels Im noy sure, I thought they were maybe old Renault engines, Def not vw in that one.

As ar runabout car they do well, way better finished than the carimsa, drive like a slightly more modern car but nothing special. Although would say the older v40/s40 prob do better than the Ford focus based ones from 2005 onwards when the milage gets high

Do you know 'owt about the heritage of the 1.8 16v petrol in the V50? I think I read somewhere that it's a Mazda engine? Mine's from 2009. It's fairly weak and, although the claimed 38mpg isn't exactly amazing, it does genuinely do that after 74k. Think it might be this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_L_engine

I want an update on you buying the B!

I've been holding off writing about that due to some, ahhh, unforeseen issues.

The current status is that a) no money has yet changed hands b) there is a hole in the top of number 4 piston c) monies will change hands soon.

More pics to come.

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Scheisse! Not great news :-(

I have been watching too much Roadkill because all I want to do is buy a shit muscle car, do rolling burnouts, and drive the ALCAN highway.

I do love me a Mercedes S-class AMG Coupe.

Saw one on the ride in this morning, and that thing is just divine. It was in a British racing green type colour, and at first glance I thought it was a Jaguar. Had to look it up once I got in, and if I ever win the lottery or something, I will buy one of these beauties.

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Done nowt recently. I've been working on Motorbikes instead. I rather need to pull my finger out and get it wrapped.

I was always a but take it or leave it for Merc dash design, but the latest incarnation above have really nailed it IMHO.

End of day one:

Yeah, Mark the MG mechanic said he's never seen a hole like that in the too if a piston in 25 years.

It can't all have been down to my driving, can it?

Apparently it was running lean which caused a hot combustion spot in the cylinder. It won't be clear til it's rebuilt what the root cause is.

I am also quite out of my depth of understanding of all this and am being guided by the paternal hand of @BRM.

Blimey, did think it wouldn't be the most inspiring thing in the world. I checked out the mpg afterward and you're right, it is pretty diabolical. And weirdly expensive to insure too, I can't work out why but equivalent diesels are just so much cheaper, about 40% less in some cases for much bigger engines.

I grew up in 240 estates, can't help but hanker for my own even if it is a banger

That's rotten dude. Perfect opportunity to stick a v8 in though...

The thought has crossed my mind, but no, we are doing a re-sleeve, re-machining job.

The V8 conversion lies in the future.

As someone who has a modicum of experience in how to spend the most money on cars that sounds like the route of most expense.

If you're going to go V8 then why repair the blown engine?

How's the prep for the race going? Is it Baja 1000? I can't remember.

Yeah likely mazda, ford caused all sort of cross vehicle contamination lol.

Tbh I've never found a 1.6-2.0 petrol in a regular car that is any good on fuel, all gutless. Did well with a vag 1.4 tfsi, and the mote recent eco boost engines that ford have. Weirdly used to have a 2.0 ecotec era turbo saab 93 with some mods that was more economical (almost all of the time) than any 1.6/2.0 na I've used.
But! Often simple engines that for purpose of chugging around towns are reliable as such, yes they use more fuel, but could be argued cost less overall.

Total absolute bugger. Does sound like something else failed resulting in the piston failure, perhaps a fuel supply related issue and all 4 were running lean but that was the one that failed?

Gutted for you and big red! That car has almost suffered as many setbacks as me and my MX5s!

This is very much a thing with 2 stroke motorbike engines. I found out one day when I rolled the throttle right off at 110 on my TZR250 and melted a hole in one of the pistons.

Some photographs of day one at Centre Gravity: http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?p=1342308#1342308

If you're going to go V8 then why repair the blown engine?

Because for me, future is measured in years, not weeks.

That's not the point I'm raising- how much to repair the four cylinder vs putting the V8 in? If you are going to go V8 then every penny spent on the four is wasted.

Repairing this engine circa 2k. V8 conversion gonna be well over 5k, maybe up to 10k once you factor in uncertainty costs.

Absolute budget limit on this is not set by me, but by my finance man (woman).

It is nice, but you'll only get love for Mazdas and Volvos on this thread ;)

Think this is my favorite Merc - the SLS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B0uUg0GKTg&t=570s