The Irony!

[highlandsflyer]

Re:

If I was looking for a good Volvo I would seek out small villages and find someone from an estate or similar. Welly boot brigade tend to cosset their motors and hold onto them until they have shed almost all their value.

Seeing a lot of nice early XC70s coming through the trade in route at the 4x4 specialists lately.

As far as hankering after some Italian exotica, I really don't. A light just switched off somewhere in me, and I have no interest in fast cars that have no room for golf clubs. I don't even play golf.

 

[Mike Muz]

Re: Re:

.
As far as hankering after some Italian exotica, I really don't. A light just switched off somewhere in me, and I have no interest in fast cars that have no room for golf clubs. I don't even play golf.[/quote]



I have no interest in cars that I can't get an mtb in without taking the back wheel out . My Mk 4 VW Golf hatchback is at the limit , and I have to move the front seats forward

Thanks for all the info Neil

Mike

 

[David B]

phhhooooar!

http://www.hmambassador.com/tech-specs.asp

Funny you should bring up the Ambassador - there's a very good recent article on the Beeb website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28085095

Later incarnations seem to have been "interesting" in that the engine was upgraded to give pretty nifty acceleration compared to market rivals....but the designers neglected to rework the braking at the same time to allow for the added turn of speed.

David

 

[legrandefromage]

Thats where I got it from. would love one.

 

[ajm]

Re: Re:

All inline 5s (even the diesel). Never driven any of the 2.0 engines, though - it's said they're pretty uninspiring. Also the 2.5T (which was a low-blow turbo'd version of the 2.5 20v engine) seems to be a bit more fragile in real life - on paper it sounds a great idea, but the T5 had bolstered internals (which is why the capacity is slightly less).

The diesel whilst also 5 cylinder is an Audi unit unrelated to the Volvo 5 cyl engines; it's quite a decent engine too apart from the rubbish VAG water pumps which need changed every timing belt change at least. That aside, it's capable of pretty huge mileages.

I had an early 2l 20V N/A petrol saloon and it was fine (143BHP at the time was pretty decent compared to many competitors); it really liked to be revved to get the best performance out of it though which I didn't mind at the time but if you want a more relaxed, torquey kind of car I'd choose something else.

I still have a 1998 2.5T which, as Neil says, has a reputation for being slightly less bulletproof than the T5... I've personally found it to be fine though and you're unlikely to have problems if the car's been reasonably well cared for and not modded.

The great thing about the LPT is the torque; the curve is very flat, you don't get the big T5 shove but you do get a nice 200lb ft at 1800 RPM - pretty close to the diesel! Perfectly matched to the automatic gearbox, this car is incredibly good on long motorway/dual carriageway journeys.

 

[TGR]

My 2p

The best of both worlds - an Audi S8 - huge family car which drives like a sports car. I want a 2001 one and when i win the lottery i am buying my mechanics for £10,000 - price agreed already. They are available on ebay etc for around £4,000 now - and when new £76,000. My mechanic had a race with an R8 recently and only at 165mph did the R8 start to get past! Oh, get a silver one.

Running costs are highish - 17mpg on a good day and a clutch will cost £4,000 PLUS labour - expect a large labour bill as it is a 3 person job. Servicing and parts could be £1000 annually - brake pads are £267 a pair! It is the running costs which means i need to wait for the lottery not the price of the car - which is odd but true.

Richard

 

[highlandsflyer]

165mph? I guess this was on a track! I have been at speeds not too short of that on roads, but a long time ago in a far off place. Mainly on bikes. I would love another quick estate like the Mercs I have had, alas my body has instructed me I need a more upright vehicle.

 

[Chris D]

Re: Re:

The five seat comment says it all

It is about changed priorities........... Although I know plenty of men who don't have the right priorities, and would sell their children to get the Ferrari or Maserati

Saying that I live where they filmed the first episode of Benefits Britain, Great Yarmouth and we have a huge subsistence population, yet around town I often see Ferrari's, Aston Martins, Lamborghini's, Maserati's, Audi R8, just to name the top few :shock:

The picture below shows what was parked in the middle of the council estate my Mum lives on a year or so back and it is still there regularly now

I used to see that Lambo in the Morrisons at Gorleston and used to think 'if I owned that would I not get my groceries at Marks and Spencers?'

In all seriousness I am too tight to run something like that. I find my C3 Picasso diesel at 60mph on the dual carriageway (we don't have any motorways too close) gives me a good fuel return for my money.

 

[TGR]

Re:

Well, just to clarify, it was on a dual carriageway which becomes a motorway - madness in my eyes unless you are in the Isle of Man or Scotland! I was in a car when i was younger outside Inverness and we went round a round-a-bout at over 100 in an Orion Ghia - never again!

Buy an S8 but not the one i want!

Richard

 

[highlandsflyer]

Re:

One of my friends used to hold the record for fastest car on the A9 convicted.

Problem is you cannot teach deer or kids that cars might appear and hit you before you can hear them.