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

Some kind of hot hatch? Definitely better for urban duties and they are all stupidly fast now.

I admit, a big part of my enjoyment of a car is the noise it makes. I'd like to have a V8 just for that.

Buy a 2002 Audi S8 - install straight through stainless pipes! Not as expensive as your van or Merc.

Maybe this could be an opportunity for something vintage/lazy woofy V8? Alternatively, do they sell the Mustang in the UK? As much as I am not a Mustang fan the current ones can look great with the right wheels and sound excellent. 5.0litre of course.

Downside to the Mustang is that it is humongous and therefore just a pain to drive on UK roads.

I've almost forgotten London roads, 6 years back in aus and the giant SUVs, utes and 4x4s make the 'stang look compact.

Goles

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Proper Capitol stormer.

I am still tickled by the soundtrack of my van.

Suspect yours will be a different league in terms of driving though.

Honestly I can't complain about how it drives - especially as I drove brand new LDV vans in the late 90's so am aware of just how awful a commercial vehicle can be.

London too. As you need a massive car for safety... think pick up are still in a funny tax bracket so can be cheap.

Am working out, in my head, how they did the lift on the rear. Front steelies are 740 but wonder what the rear steelies are.

Went to fit rear discs and pads to the MX5 that I ordered in 2019 but never got round to fitting because the car wasn't running.

Turns out I'd forgotten that the chassis was originally off a 1992 1.6 car, so the rear brakes are still 1.6 brakes. I then couldn't work out why the fronts were 1.8 brakes but then I remembered doing that swap on my mate's driveway in stoke-on-trent on the way to Knockhill for a trackday and roadtrip in Scotland.

Looked online, realised it was cheaper to buy the bits to upgrade to 1.8 brakes on the rear than buy new pads and discs to fit my car and I don't even have to fuck around with handbrake cables and bleeding brakes as the calipers are the same!

Nothing like a bit of last minute drama before a trackday.

Ha, know that feeling well, enjoy Bedford. Last track day I did there in the MX5 it was snowing so sure you'll have a great time even if it's a bit windy.

I got quoted 500 eur for a towball fitted to the outback, which seems a lot but also right. Plus a bike rack and it's up near 900 eur. Quite the expense to carry a bike about.
Thinking about just getting roof bars and a rack for that, not sure I can justify the extra 600 or so for the towball rack.

Glad some else does that and not just me.

Have a good day.

That seems like a lot. But then is it just a case of plugging in a module for the tow bar wiring, or reprogramming a module then running a decent sized power cable from the battery through the car to the tow bar.

What brand is the tow bar?

I didn’t end up viewing the V70R by me this weekend gone so I’ll probably try and take a look this week hopefully. I’ve come to realise that the engine is more important to me than the model, I’ve always loved the sound of a T5. I’m going to take @ectoplasmosis advice and consider some other models. There is a chap selling a T5 with good milage not too far from me and it’s way more budget friendly too which would help with the £585 tax.

Have a look for Elliott Alvis on youtube. He had a recent series on a V90R he purchased and some of the mechanical work required to fix a number of issues. Lots of info on known issues, etc., with the model.

Yeah I’ve seen a few of his videos, very interesting.

Are 13mm & 15mm impact sockets something car mechanics would use (wheel nuts perhaps)?

The Hilti rep gave me an ex-demo set but I only want the nifty caddy they come with, got long and short.

I'm not sure. I looked online and the cheapest I find is 300 eur. So I think 500 is fair, fhe fitting is at least a few hours. Saving 50 or 100 euro isn't worth whatever the hassle would be, as this garage are nice, and 2 mins walk from me.

Wheel nuts (car, small comercial) are usually 17, 19 or 21 at the most.

13 and 15 are always handy.

OK thanks.

Was just talking as nower days it is more than a few scotch locks on the back lights. Now included as part on the most EU tests that the tow sockets have to work.

Are you have both N and S sockets fitted?