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

Back to Sopariva's choice, the Merc will hopefully be cheap classic insurance.

What's up with CSKs then? Is it a problem with the 3 doors generally or a problem with that era of Range Rover?

The appeal to me is purely in the 3 door body and the nice alloys. The up-spec interior is an attraction too, but I do like the modernist simplicity of the earlier models.

To interject another mini-rant - my manifold is now finished. After 5 weeks.

And the fuckers have presented me with a bill like a fat pelicans.

4hrs away from leaving for holiday and now skint.

Highlight - £27.48 for the curved line that connects the fuel rails - FUCKING PISS TAKE.

Back to Sopariva's choice, the Merc will hopefully be cheap classic insurance.

What's up with CSKs then? Is it a problem with the 3 doors generally or a problem with that era of Range Rover?

The appeal to me is purely in the 3 door body and the nice alloys. The up-spec interior is an attraction too, but I do like the modernist simplicity of the earlier models.

He's got the Golf so classic insurance might well be a winner- note of caution though, when I was looking at classic insurance (that's right, the 850R is now a classic!) you have to have a main car that is insured on a standard policy, the classic has to be high days and holidays, kept off-road and seldom used.

I get away with having my Vespa as a main 'car'
It also demands a garage, but off-road parking with a roof seems to satisfy them.

To fully repair the golf is pretty intense in terms of cost- more than I paid by quite a lot.
In terms of mpg it's worse than the merc, and as fun as it has been to rag- I know I can't afford to get it past it's next MOT.

The merc- I don't see them as ugly- esp. Not compared to modern ones, in fact I sort of love them...
The toyota made sense until I drove one- not good, and I need the space.

Currently my dad is bollocking me for considering a car with no airbags- so it may remain a dream.
What are people's thoughts?

The merc nearly ticks every box. I can't afford a Subaru or any fast estate- as much as I'd like one- in terms of insurance. Also, they're too flash for the area I live in.

I'd take ABS over airbags any day of the week- avoid the accident, then you don't need to mitigate the accident.

What's wrong with the Golf btw?

Plus, I would bet £20 on both the W123 and the 245 having a drivers side airbag, and that's the important one.

Passenger does not have a wheel to fend off in a prang.

err..
The handbrake probably needs replacing.
The brake pads have gone below the legal limit- found this out when had new tyre.
The exhaust system has taken a knock and probably has a hole (as far as i can tell by sound alone- my dad agrees)

All these were done by fucking around too much in a field.
I knew that the suspension would need a going over, and found out when I tried to do oil change that the sump needs replacing (the nut has been overtorqued and no one can get it off)

W123 no airbags what so ever (double checking currently) but has ABS.
240 not sure- my mates has not got one.

incidentally the test drive was amazing.
Car was perfect.
no real rust to worry about.
Engine just serviced.
Ride was so luxurious. I redrove the test route in my hire van and it was laughable how bouncy it was.

The major thing here is- buy a car that I want vs. have a massive fight with my dad...
now this would be ok if I didn't live at home for 5 months each year.

That Merc looks ace, get loads of gear in it, wafts along like a limo and built like a brick outhouse.

In other news I spotted a Lamborghini Espada for sale on holiday and fell head over heels for it - those proportions are ridiculous. 40k for an original RHD wedge of V12 grand touring sickness. If only.

That Merc looks ace, get loads of gear in it, wafts along like a limo and built like a brick outhouse.

In other news I spotted a Lamborghini Espada for sale on holiday and fell head over heels for it - those proportions are ridiculous. 40k for an original RHD wedge of V12 grand touring sickness. If only.

spectacular!

£1600 insurance quote just returned on merc....
hmmm... might not be affordable at all.

fucking insurance.
... i've had 5 years no claims, and have pass plus and a clean driving licence.
I'm just going to have to wait for another fucking year till i arbitrarily pass 25 and the insurance rates drop.
fuckers.

srsly? You tried a specialist like Adrian Flux?

1000 from Mercedes membership.
1300 was from adrian flux (got yesterday- just checked email)

I'm going to have to pass on it:
this is the ad if someone wants it.
The guy is called Alex and he's a lovely bloke, really took care of it:
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C185910

£3k was my budget, I'd kept it aside for various things, and this pushes it outside.

In other news I spotted a Lamborghini Espada for sale on holiday and fell head over heels for it - those proportions are ridiculous. 40k for an original RHD wedge of V12 grand touring sickness. If only.

Beautiful.

Gandini of course.

Classic insurance as I've had are that they don't acrue no claims, had them as main everyday cars some have an issue with sub 25yrs old and some sub 30 yrs old. Peoples age not car age.

Give Aon a call, they have been very good to me.

Henry, get yourself on Retro Rides

It's full of retro and classic cars, they're cheap, and you'd easily be able to flog the Golf as a project.

BUT, don't you dare think about that 520i SE. It's mine! I have serious interest in my Mini so I'm just waiting for the cash in my hand and I'm hot footing it up to Scotland to buy that motherfucker. Gonna get my PIMP on.

I'm back to the drawing board for a while.
Just saw a Alpina 5 series touring, from germany, full race kit, in nottingham.
Was lovely.

Having driven a T5 transporter all weekend- I'm sort of tempted by one of those with a camper thing in the back.

Alpina touring will empty the whole North Sea reserves within a month....

Go retro dude, crew cab splitty!

gnnnn.... I just ejaculated.

A man can dream indeed....
but they're like 17,000 or something stupid.
and usually a bit fucked.

It is a bit dreamy isn't it? Was at a Dub show at Pod last year and there was a ratty one up for £10k. Money pits.

And time.
Which I don't have.

You can pay £60k for a renovated boggo van. Ok, it's free from rust but £60k is a shit load of money for something which is relatively slow and scary to corner at speed. I'd love a splitscreen panel van but won't be able to afford it until I'm free from mortgage