Car/route suggestion

#31

Albert T Cone wrote:

Quote:

I hate Ryanair with something of a passion, but am faced with the
problem that they offer the only practical way to fly to Sardinia. I
want to go to Sardinia to fall off some lumps of rock. A fellow rock
faller-offer feels likewise, and so we have hatched the plan of buying a
SOC and hooning our way across europe to Livorno and getting an
overnight ferry across to the island.

So, my question to the wise heads and beardscratchers in here is firstly
what SOC should we take - it needs *some* boot or rear seat space, 'cos
falling off rocks involves a fair amount of kit if you don't want it to
be too deadly, it needs to be fun, it needs to get us there and back
without exploding (around 3k miles) and it should ideally cost less than
about £1500.

I'm thinking older 325i, perhaps?

The correct answer is of course MX-5.

If space is a problem, throw away the spare tyre and/or get a boot rack
and a wicker hamper to attach to it.

You can stow things on the rear shelf with the roof up and also free up
some space on either side of the fuel tank by removing the plastic boot
liner trims at the front of the boot.

--
Douglas

#32

In article <7m5i3oF3h0bfaU1 (AT) mid (DOT) individual.net>, douggie (AT) cheerful (DOT) com
says...

Quote:

'Fun' was the important word which rules out a RWD Volvos. I'm not sure
why you're still pushing it.

I was half expecting you to suggest that a diesel one can be run on chip
fat, and that the doing so is the fun. (c:

I was just thinking how diesel is the big car fuel of choice in a lot of

euroland because they get or used to get tax breaks for it.

So should repairs be needed, most road side monkeys would know what they
were doing, and fuel would be plentiful and cheaper, and the johnie
foreigner roadside caffs/services tend to be better and the car will be
comfy and can still get the back end out even on diesel, and you will
have all the room you could want for luggage, or even kipping in should
the need arise. Just need a bumper dumper for the morning.
--
Carl Robson
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#33

In article <hdj7tn$ara$4 (AT) heffalump (DOT) dur.ac.uk>, a.k.kirby (AT) durham (DOT) ac.uk
says...

Quote:

But not even remotely fun, as I understand the word. Not really my
cuppa. A T5 has the hooligan factor, but still rather barge-like, I'd
imagine.

Right what about either an LS400 or GS300.

300 will be dearer but better on fuel, 400 will be cheaper but drink
like a fish. Both are like rocket powered armchairs on the motorway.

A little wallowy but still fun to chuck about.
--
Carl Robson
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#34

Douglas Payne wrote:

Quote:

Elder wrote:
In article <hdj7tn$ara$4 (AT) heffalump (DOT) dur.ac.uk>, a.k.kirby (AT) durham (DOT) ac.uk
says...
But not even remotely fun, as I understand the word. Not really my
cuppa. A T5 has the hooligan factor, but still rather barge-like,
I'd imagine.

Yeah, but the 900 series has RWD too. And even cheaper for a lot comfort.

'Fun' was the important word which rules out a RWD Volvos. I'm not sure
why you're still pushing it.

Indeed. Much as I enjoyed my old 760 GLE it wasn't exactly fun unless it
was being caned mercilessly in a straight line. It didn't really /do/
sideways.

It could be made to go sideways, but truth be told, it was shit at it.
Corner, lift off, unsettle it a bit, application of full welly, lurch,
roll, squeal, back end out a bit, more welly, back end out a bit more,
opposite lock, run out of power, lurch, frantic unwinding of lock, back
going straight again. Amusing on a gravel car park, shite on roundabouts.

Not enough fun to want to do it more than, oh, once.

--
Pete M - OMF#9

'62 Rover P4 100
'61 Rover P5 3 litre
'78 Escort 1300 Sport
'99 Audi A6 V6 Quattro Avant

"It's an Alfa, it will go wrong, it will piss you off, why should your
Alfa experience be different from everyone else's.
Now get back out there and swear at it before something else breaks."

#35

"Elder" <carl.robson (AT) bouncing-czechs (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

'Fun' was the important word which rules out a RWD Volvos. I'm not sure
why you're still pushing it.

I was half expecting you to suggest that a diesel one can be run on chip
fat, and that the doing so is the fun. (c:

I was just thinking how diesel is the big car fuel of choice in a lot of
euroland because they get or used to get tax breaks for it.

So should repairs be needed, most road side monkeys would know what they
were doing, and fuel would be plentiful and cheaper, and the johnie
foreigner roadside caffs/services tend to be better

Eh? Are there special old-RWD-diesel-Volvo-only roadside caffs that are
particularly good, or something?

Just suggest some sort of SO Sssang-Yyong (sp?) and be done with it, ffs!
:-)

--
"For want of the price of tea and a slice, the old man died."

#36

In article <fN6dnVOUwNM7VmDXnZ2dnUVZ8ridnZ2d (AT) bt (DOT) com>, peter (AT) swerveweb (DOT) com says...

Quote:

Eh? Are there special old-RWD-diesel-Volvo-only roadside caffs that are
particularly good, or something?

Yeah, they are weird them foreigners.

Quote:

Just suggest some sort of SO Sssang-Yyong (sp?) and be done with it, ffs!

I was just thinking solid, bulllet proof european estate for bombing across europe, ok the diesel in the 900 is

the old VAG one, but that means it is pretty well known and mechanically simple to fix.

A decent old Merc estate would be cool, but you wouldn't get a diesel W210(for the turbo) in rust free example for
the money.
--
Carl Robson
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#37

AstraVanMann <peter (AT) swerveweb (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

Just suggest some sort of SO Sssang-Yyong (sp?) and be done with it, ffs!
:-)

I've been considering a Korando for the farm, a Daewoo one, not a
SSanggg YYYYoooonnnggg. The major reason for Daewoo being they're a bit
newer and they are still cheap. The Merc-derived engine is good, with
many interchangeable parts with Mercs so servicing should be easy. The
bodywork seems OK ish the interiors are vile.

Other cars in the same league include the Hyundai Galloper (a Shogun
built under licence) and the Hyundai Terracan. The Terracan is too new
for a Cheap Old Shed.

However all of these vehicles, except possibly the Terracan, are bloody
useless for long drives. That's why I stick with the Exploder, big comfy
seats, cruise control so you can sit all day at 130kph and an engine
with adequate torque so that you can cruise over mountains at a steady
130kph.

Umm and they're cheap to buy, cheap to service and cheap to insure. Get
an LPG version and they're even cheap to run, but you won't get a good
LPG one for less than £1500, plenty of good unmodified ones for that
money.

I wouldn't touch the Musso with yours even if you were on the end of a
40ft pole. I've seen too many of the rusty gutless heaps in various
stages of decrepitude and breakdown.

#38

Steve Firth wrote:

Quote:

I wouldn't touch the Musso with yours even if you were on the end of a
40ft pole. I've seen too many of the rusty gutless heaps in various
stages of decrepitude and breakdown.

If you keep saying things like this, next week there'll be a thread from
Elder stating "Sold the Lexus, bought a Musso". ;-)

--
Pete M - OMF#9

'62 Rover P4 100
'61 Rover P5 3 litre
'78 Escort 1300 Sport
'99 Audi A6 V6 Quattro Avant

"It's an Alfa, it will go wrong, it will piss you off, why should your
Alfa experience be different from everyone else's.
Now get back out there and swear at it before something else breaks."

#39

In article <hdms2p$5ti$1 (AT) news (DOT) eternal-september.org>,
pete.murray (AT) SPAMFREEblueyonder (DOT) co.uk says...

Quote:

Steve Firth wrote:

I wouldn't touch the Musso with yours even if you were on the end of a
40ft pole. I've seen too many of the rusty gutless heaps in various
stages of decrepitude and breakdown.

If you keep saying things like this, next week there'll be a thread from
Elder stating "Sold the Lexus, bought a Musso". ;-)

Still loving the IS, and the fact that no matter how I drive it I get

low 30s mpg, and it doesn't break.

Yes it is a little boring but only because it is so reliable, but it is
doing everything I need for the majority of the time.
--
Carl Robson
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#40

"Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote

Quote:

Albert T Cone <a.k.kirby (AT) durham (DOT) ac.uk> wrote:

So, my question to the wise heads and beardscratchers in here is firstly
what SOC should we take - it needs *some* boot or rear seat space, 'cos
falling off rocks involves a fair amount of kit if you don't want it to
be too deadly, it needs to be fun, it needs to get us there and back
without exploding (around 3k miles) and it should ideally cost less than
about £1500.

Are you bothered about fuel use? Not TBH that with a 3k round trip the
fuel is going to be that significant.

If you're not, I suggest the Exploder. It's ideal for what you want.
Fast enough to cruise all day at 130-140kph, tall enough to see over
other cars[1] and cheap as anything to buy. You'd get a fairly decent
one for about £1K, and you might get an LPG one for £1.5K. Big boot
(much bigger than Range Rover/Disco) and as reliable as any modern Ford
- that is not far off Toyota standards.

If you're going rock scrambling it's ideal and at a pinch you can sleep
in it. Spares are ford prices which is mostly reasonable. All the
standard jobs are easy (such as changing lightbulbs).

Umm just remember 4x4s don't do swerves and they don't stop as quickly
as most other vehicles. They do however take on the Vosges, Alps, Jura,
Dolomites etc in the worst of weather without any problems at all[2].

[1] This is really, really important unless you buy a left hooker. I've
done the drive many times in a number of Jags and Mercs, all of then RHD
and all of them a PITA compared to driving a 4x4. You can't see to
overtake.

[2] You won't think this is important, right up until the moment that it
is. RWD cars in the snow on steep mountain roads - not fun. Snow at
Chamonix and the Gotthard Pass/Tunnel is happening now and will continue
to April.

I'd suggest anything other than an exploder. They are a big, thirsty
unreliable tank. How about a Legacy turbo estate? Fast, surefooted, cheap on
fuel and roomy.

Fraser