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A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:17 pm
by Will01Capri
I am always looking at cars, probably because i love em!
But at certain stages of life you just need to buy with your head rather than your heart
I am not one to take the easy option or a sensible option, my car history has been rather odd but hey

15years old had a MG Montego to work on
Then got a Fiesta 1.1 for first driving car, a month or so later bought an XR2 and transplanted alot of bits on the 1.1 hahaha
Then it died one night involving alot of water hahahahahaha, it was fun though
Got a Corsa 1.2, what a beast that was lol
Whilst at University decided to buy a 2nd car so had a Ford Capri 2.0GL, that was always fun, always interesting and always breaking, but i loved it. Never had a single journey in that car where it didn't break.... not kidding(should have been the worse car i ever owned!)

I got sensible and traded up to a sensible saloon car as i was driving 350 miles to see my girlfriend for a few years, bought a Alfa 156 GTA with a 3.2 v6, because that is the sensible thing to do when doing alot of long journeys, you buy a car with big engine. Still have it btw 12 years later and is easily the best car i have ever owned. But it is a money pit as they eat money, but is still the most reliable car i have ever owned.
Got married and inherited a Mini Cooper S, yes i had some invovlement encouraging Catherine to buy the S haha. Unfortunately i blew it up, so i rebuilt it sensibly and made the Supercharger sing like mad, that was seriously quick after. But recently sold because it just doesn't work as a family car. We had fun. Probably the least reliable car we have ever owned

Family came along so i bought a Alfa 156 Sportwagon with a dieseasel engine!! Well it was a 5 cylinder diesel engine and it was tampered with alot, it was great. But it broke, maybe went a bit too far with the tampering! whooops
I was being sensible i promise
Then decided to drive around in some other things for a while, but that made me very unhappy, yes Skoda Octavia's do that to me haha
So we bought our first proper sensible family car, hopefully something reliable and comfortable and big enough to cart around the growing family. 5 series BMW, but yes we chose sensibly with the engine and just decided to get the biggest diesel we could and ended up with 535d. What a car. BUT, it has silly air suspension and it keeps annoyingly going flat, maybe one day BMW will fix it, but until then we started on fist name terms at local dealer. LOL

But all of this has got me thinking....... the problem with cars these days are that they are too complicated for their own good. Why do you need lots of toys and gadgets and things and stuff to go wrong. I never buy new, i am normally up for fixing anything, but simple cars are just better. When they go wrong you can see how they broke and they easy to service and maintain and you almost never have to worry.
So what if i were to replace the sensible family car now..................... Well, in which case i would be really sensible and buy this
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... ars&page=1
It just makes sense
Simple engineered car. Engine, gearbox, wheels and seat. Large enough for family, safe to overtake traffic in, no complicated driving modes or traction control systems, no fancy ride controls, just 4 doors, 4 big seats, big boot SORTED


Should note, I don't have £20k burning a hole in my pocket if I did Catherine would have spent it on a V8 Mustang already lol

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:35 pm
by jee
well, I advice you something like this:

Image

simple, robust, lots of space inside :D
Not so very reliable although proper maintenance is helping a lot

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:40 pm
by Will01Capri
Hahahaha, nice one. Good advice, but probably doesn't meet the bill of safe overtaking, plus I don't want to be fixing all the time haha. I have other cars which need fixing often

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:41 pm
by HERMAN BIX
That’s no Vauxhall mate, it’s a Commodore made by GM Holden here.
This continent is awash with them and though I’m a Ford man, agree these are ball-tearing for performance and feel like a mans car.
There are buildings full of enhancement parts here that can blow your mind and your budget for these things.
On eBay here you have a Commodore Not a Vauxhall ok !! A search for that will send you to vintage car parts most likely in New Zealand !!

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:42 pm
by General Jumbo01
Yes, so sensible l nearly bought it but then noticed.... It doesn't have the all essential voice controlled entertainment systems on a 12" dash screen.

If you really like simple, why not go electric? There's this guy in Wales that fits modified Tesla motor units into IC cars. Just do that to an old Volvo estate and you're laughing, all the way to the asylum.

Sent from my ASUS_X00TDB using Tapatalk

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:45 pm
by jee
Will01Capri wrote:Hahahaha, nice one. Good advice, but probably doesn't meet the bill of safe overtaking, plus I don't want to be fixing all the time haha. I have other cars which need fixing often
you will be perfectly safe while all other cars overtake you Will, don't worry about it :D

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:47 pm
by HERMAN BIX
VE Commodore down here.
Clubsport most likely but you will soon tell by looking.
Check out a joint called Chiptorque in Queensland for a start off.
The list of hot ups for them is endless

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:53 pm
by Meter rat
3749F509-2DFC-452F-8419-63E3DFB2A5D4.jpeg

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:54 pm
by Will01Capri
General Jumbo01 wrote:Yes, so sensible l nearly bought it but then noticed.... It doesn't have the all essential voice controlled entertainment systems on a 12" dash screen.

If you really like simple, why not go electric? There's this guy in Wales that fits modified Tesla motor units into IC cars. Just do that to an old Volvo estate and you're laughing, all the way to the asylum.

Sent from my ASUS_X00TDB using Tapatalk
Simple yes, reliable no.
I have driven the full range of Tesla, BMW e versions and some others. They are a great laugh for 5minutes of fun and then are ultra boring. I suggest every car lover to try one long term.
Batteries having to be replaced or refurbished regularly as companies don't seem to be using software safe charging systems appropriately.
The most fun I had was driving a Model S p100d ludicrous. It was mad.fun, but I was bored soon after. Plus on the back roads round here the electric Tesla seem to go into overheating mode and then start pulling power. Electric is a no for me

Fuel in.my veins lol

Re: A new sensible family car maybe...........

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 1:58 pm
by Will01Capri
jee wrote:
Will01Capri wrote:Hahahaha, nice one. Good advice, but probably doesn't meet the bill of safe overtaking, plus I don't want to be fixing all the time haha. I have other cars which need fixing often
you will be perfectly safe while all other cars overtake you Will, don't worry about it :D
hahahahahahahhahahahaha good thinking