The car thread 2.

[Colin]

Largo, I don't really know why a Japanese performance car would be a default choice? Outside of Brad's GT86, they're not really making drivers cars right now. Lotus cars offer things that no other make really does at the price, but I think for a lot of people to get that they really need to get behind the wheel and drive one.

Youre absolutely bang on about the ridiculousness of what's happened to the classic performance cars of the last couple of decades though, it's ridiculous.

[charlesr]

Get a normal car AND an old car you actually like so that it doesn't matter if it's in the shop. RX8s have engines made of butter. RX7s have stupid seals. My 2000 Impreza was very reliable for 6 years, but then hit old age and started to fail all over the place. Just replaced the power steering pump. With these old cars you have to be prepared to throw money at them regularly. Anything that moves wears out. So if you are spending money on something old, start a fund and put money into it each month for when things start going wrong.

I'm hankering after 3 old J cars: Integra DC5, Nissan S15 and a CRX2 although the latter is more for Lucy than me - I loved driving it back in the 90s but think an Integra would be more my thing now.

P.S. if you really want an old J car, the best bet is to get a reputable importer to get you a fresh one. Takes 10 weeks or so.

[charlesr]

[Colin]

I test drove the 400 before buying the one I did. In some ways it's a better car, in some ways not. (The sound off of them in person is epic) My preference went to the S1 shape and there were a few brand new ones still available, but man, it's like everyone cottoned on to that fact at the same time. The first few I went to buy, I ended up being second or third in line if I was lucky. I only managed to even get the car I did in the end through having history and a good relationship with the guys at Edinburgh Lotus, for certain specs these cars aren't even getting as far as forecourts or advertising.

[charlesr]

Someone opened their door into Lucy's car. Door shaped vertical dent about a foot and a half long. Must have been a pretty big effort. Maybe blown open in the wind. Didn't leave a note. Massive spaces (at the gym), so it's normally safe - she's been going there for 9 years and not had a dent so far. Oh well.

[Colin]

Not the new one?

No excuse for it anyway, people are scum who do this.

[Brad]

The new subaru?

[charlesr]

Yeah. The Legacy was sold on Friday and mine's in the shop for leaking rocker cover and new caliper.

Incredibly found someone who happened to have the same (Legacy) engine lying around and was looking for a car to put it in - the engine is incredibly rare. Well the block is just an EJ20, but the Valve train and camshaft and VF38 turbo and management system are daftly rare.

[Colin]

Nightmare. Can it be pulled? Some of these dent guys are pretty amazing these days.

[charlesr]

I'm going to find out now.

[charlesr]

Went to the paintshop over the road. Doubtful it can be pulled, but there's a dent guy at the Porsche garage on Tuesday so I'll get him to check it out first. If it was just scratch I wouldn't mind so much - accumulate a few and then get it resprayed in a year. But dents are a rust worry. Not sure what the door's made of. Guess steel.

[nakamura]

Damn.

[Super Grover]

Change of car for me.

As much as I liked my A5, I think it could have done with all round better performance.

With that in mind, along with my appreciation of the A5 body shape, in particular the Sportback model, led me to this beauty on 4 wheels.





Audi A7 TFSI S Line Quattro.

The numbers:
3 Litre V6 Supercharged
296 BHP
440 nm torque
0-60 5.6 seconds

Its got a few extra bits on it too:

6 CD changer
240 gig hardrive
DVD player
HUD which projects onto the windscreen

I had to go to Epsom to pick it up (I p/x my A5) which was a fair drive down (from Chester), but going back home was effortless. Pity it cost me a small fortune in petrol, but that goes with the territory I guess!

[Brad]

Very nice performance figures. Bet it sounds nice? Like the idea of the hud too.
Not keen on the looks but we can't all like the same thing! Enjoy!

[charlesr]

Does that HUD work well? In daylight too?