Topic: What Car Do You Own/Drive?

[gamble]

Nobody enjoys city centre driving, but you do it out of necessity. It makes it harder for businesses too, harder to deliver to, harder for trades that need to work on the locations. Plus makes it harder for disable to get around (though I think York’s ban doesn’t include disabled vehicles).

Public transport? Who pays for that and how Willing are voters to support it? I understand the environmental implications but Britain is built around the automobile.

[rob1966]

Nobody enjoys city centre driving, but you do it out of necessity. It makes it harder for businesses too, harder to deliver to, harder for trades that need to work on the locations. Plus makes it harder for disable to get around (though I think York’s ban doesn’t include disabled vehicles).

Public transport? Who pays for that and how Willing are voters to support it? I understand the environmental implications but Britain is built around the automobile.

Typical Britain, instigate a ban without an alternative. What we need first is SECURE out of town park and ride multistory carparks, and then clean modern buses that go direct from the car park to the City centres - only those with a car park ticket are allowed on the bus.

Cities like Manchester are growing too quickly, I had to pick the missus up from work in Salford yesterday and drive to St Marys Hospital which is just by Moss Side, took 50 minutes due to the weight of traffic. There was no alternative public transport that would have made the journey quicker or cheaper

[Nobby Reserve]

Typical Britain, instigate a ban without an alternative. What we need first is SECURE out of town park and ride multistory carparks, and then clean modern buses that go direct from the car park to the City centres - only those with a car park ticket are allowed on the bus.

Cities like Manchester are growing too quickly, I had to pick the missus up from work in Salford yesterday and drive to St Marys Hospital which is just by Moss Side, took 50 minutes due to the weight of traffic. There was no alternative public transport that would have made the journey quicker or cheaper

So many white collar industries are consolidating in Manchester. Over the past decade or so, I've seen so many financial/insurance/services companies relocate into the city centre from either the outskirts (eg, Salford Quays) or surrounding towns. Even companies that had a major presence in Liverpool have closed that or scaled it down and grown the Manchester base.

Manchester's growing like a 'little London' and leaving other rival centres far behind.

And the number of apartments being built is boggling. Mostly sold to investors, some 'overseas only', then rented out. The spread of the centre is a right pain in the arse, and it's lost its semi-run down charm that saw derelict buildings and relics from the Industrial Revolution age.

[rob1966]

So many white collar industries are consolidating in Manchester. Over the past decade or so, I've seen so many financial/insurance/services companies relocate into the city centre from either the outskirts (eg, Salford Quays) or surrounding towns. Even companies that had a major presence in Liverpool have closed that or scaled it down and grown the Manchester base.

Manchester's growing like a 'little London' and leaving other rival centres far behind.

And the number of apartments being built is boggling. Mostly sold to investors, some 'overseas only', then rented out. The spread of the centre is a right pain in the arse, and it's lost its semi-run down charm that saw derelict buildings and relics from the Industrial Revolution age.

I've never found Manchester to be an attractive city anyway, after Liverpool it's never going to impress me (although I've not been back to town for a 4 years and I've heard its not that great now), but they are managing to make it even uglier with the awful developments going on. Our office allows views towards the Pennines one way and then across the Quays. About 8 years ago I liked the Quays, the houses and apartments looked nice and with having the docks, it looked great. Now it is just covered in god awful, ugly as fuck buildings that don't even sit together well. Then you look at the City and it looks like a competition to make it as ugly as fuck.

The traffic is a mare now too, our old office is 300yds from where I live, just outside the M60 opposite the Trafford Centre and we had a clear view of the motorway. Used to be to be that you could see the traffic start to build from about 4pm, get stuffed until 6 then it was clear. These days the motorway is usually fucked when I drive under it at 3 and will stay that way until gone 7pm.

They tried to bring in a congestion charge but the woman pushing it was only interested in using the money for improving the Altrincham tram, as that was where she lived and no plans to do anything, we got to vote on that and it was roundly defeated. At least Andy Burnham is trying to get ideas and do things to improve the transport.

[Son of Spion]

I've never found Manchester to be an attractive city anyway, after Liverpool it's never going to impress me (although I've not been back to town for a 4 years and I've heard its not that great now), but they are managing to make it even uglier with the awful developments going on. Our office allows views towards the Pennines one way and then across the Quays. About 8 years ago I liked the Quays, the houses and apartments looked nice and with having the docks, it looked great. Now it is just covered in god awful, ugly as fuck buildings that don't even sit together well. Then you look at the City and it looks like a competition to make it as ugly as fuck.

The traffic is a mare now too, our old office is 300yds from where I live, just outside the M60 opposite the Trafford Centre and we had a clear view of the motorway. Used to be to be that you could see the traffic start to build from about 4pm, get stuffed until 6 then it was clear. These days the motorway is usually fucked when I drive under it at 3 and will stay that way until gone 7pm.

They tried to bring in a congestion charge but the woman pushing it was only interested in using the money for improving the Altrincham tram, as that was where she lived and no plans to do anything, we got to vote on that and it was roundly defeated. At least Andy Burnham is trying to get ideas and do things to improve the transport.

Same here. I've always found it to be a dirty, ugly and deeply depressing place. The only thing I've liked about it is Afflecks Palace and having an evening out on Canal Street with Ms Spion.

I'd hate to have to drive there. We spent some time in Leeds a year or so ago and jumped the National Express service. Both inward and outward bound trips from Liverpool went through Manchester. The traffic was horrific and much of the trips duration was spent gridlocked in Manchester. We couldn't wait to get out of the place. Driving within central Liverpool seems like a doddle in comparison.

[TomDcs]

Typical Britain, instigate a ban without an alternative. What we need first is SECURE out of town park and ride multistory carparks, and then clean modern buses that go direct from the car park to the City centres - only those with a car park ticket are allowed on the bus.

Cities like Manchester are growing too quickly, I had to pick the missus up from work in Salford yesterday and drive to St Marys Hospital which is just by Moss Side, took 50 minutes due to the weight of traffic. There was no alternative public transport that would have made the journey quicker or cheaper

I commute to MCR 3 days a week; drove for the best part of 5 years but spewed it when it started averaging over 2 hours each way (major roadworks at various points all the way). Started getting the train about 18 months ago, it’s quicker, but still filled with delays, and costs me more than driving would by the time I’ve parked near Lime St. I literary despise having to hand money over to Transpennine Express / Northern for the privilege of the ‘service’ they provide. The transport options between Liverpool and Manchester is a joke.

[God's Left Peg]

I've never found Manchester to be an attractive city anyway, after Liverpool it's never going to impress me (although I've not been back to town for a 4 years and I've heard its not that great now), but they are managing to make it even uglier with the awful developments going on. Our office allows views towards the Pennines one way and then across the Quays. About 8 years ago I liked the Quays, the houses and apartments looked nice and with having the docks, it looked great. Now it is just covered in god awful, ugly as fuck buildings that don't even sit together well. Then you look at the City and it looks like a competition to make it as ugly as fuck.

The traffic is a mare now too, our old office is 300yds from where I live, just outside the M60 opposite the Trafford Centre and we had a clear view of the motorway. Used to be to be that you could see the traffic start to build from about 4pm, get stuffed until 6 then it was clear. These days the motorway is usually fucked when I drive under it at 3 and will stay that way until gone 7pm.

They tried to bring in a congestion charge but the woman pushing it was only interested in using the money for improving the Altrincham tram, as that was where she lived and no plans to do anything, we got to vote on that and it was roundly defeated. At least Andy Burnham is trying to get ideas and do things to improve the transport.

They'll bring in the congestion charge. Despite the referendum. Just you watch them, the twats.

[Nobby Reserve]

They'll bring in the congestion charge. Despite the referendum. Just you watch them, the twats.

And I hope that drives (scuse the pun) people & companies out of the city and it becomes a ghost town.

If they banned Uber, it'd half the number of vehicles in the city centre (and every one of the Uber  drivers is a clueless shithead)

[rob1966]

They'll bring in the congestion charge. Despite the referendum. Just you watch them, the twats.

Andy Burnham has major plans to fix the traffic, so can see it at some point.

And I hope that drives (scuse the pun) people & companies out of the city and it becomes a ghost town.

If they banned Uber, it'd half the number of vehicles in the city centre (and every one of the Uber  drivers is a clueless shithead)

Packed with Asian blokes with Sefton Knowsley and Wolverhampton plates, never taken a taxi test, can't drive, no idea where they are going, utter nightmare.

[Col]

Just put a deposit down on this.

2017, only 18k on the clock.

240bhp, AWD, loads of tech, comfortable and handles well.

Looks much better in person than the pictures I saw - I was test driving a bigger model but this was much better.

[Lad]

Ford Fiesta Titanium 68 plate. Cracking small car. It’s not 1976 anymore. The little fella has moved on, and not so little any more I’m 6’2 and have loads of room.

Though obviously with a smallish car you have to throw the golf clubs across the rear seats. Small price to pay.

[rob1966]

Ford Fiesta Titanium 68 plate. Cracking small car. It’s not 1976 anymore. The little fella has moved on, and not so little any more I’m 6’2 and have loads of room.

Though obviously with a smallish car you have to throw the golf clubs across the rear seats. Small price to pay.

No such thing as a small car anymore 



Nice cars, Lad at work has a 63 plate Fiesta and I was surprised at the room in them. Last Fiesta I was in was a mates XR2 in the late 80's, the shape before the one above and it was cramped and was like riding on a steery, bang bang bang over every bump. I passed my test in a B plate Fiesta, after starting in an MG Metro (another learner wrote that one off). Proper small cars

Missus will need a new car in the next year or so, her Astra is almost 15 and will start to rot out, I'm thinking of pushing her towards a Fiesta, although the kids want her to get a Convertible Merc or a Mini Cooper S

[rob1966]

There's about £2 million worth of these sat in the car park, been there for months now. Some of them are in the colours and registered, the rest are unwrapped and not registered.

[Mark Walters]

I learned to drive in a Fiesta XR2 like the red one in the above pic

[rob1966]

I learned to drive in a Fiesta XR2 like the red one in the above pic

I only picked the driving school I learnt with as they had a Black XR3 and I thought I'd get that, was disappointed when he turned up in the MG Metro. Did you ever get a bit lairy at the lights? I got told off for racing another car.

[reddebs]

Think I learnt in a toyota starlet, well that's what the driving school teacher used for my lessons but I drove my dads 2.8ltr celica to work and back every day for practice [emoji16]

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[soxfan]

I've been driving a 2007 silver Lexus ES 350 for the past couple of years now. It's my third Lexus, and I had a Toyota mixed in there too. Amazing, almost indestructible cars. 13 years old and not a single rattle. Interior looks like new. No work done other than brakes and oil. This one's at 135,000 miles. I ran the others over 200,000 miles before selling them. I might keep this one forever and see how high I can spin the odometer.

[thejbs]

Just picked up a 2019 Audi q3 s-line and I love it. First time in 15 years that I’ve not owned an a3.

[Mark Walters]

I only picked the driving school I learnt with as they had a Black XR3 and I thought I'd get that, was disappointed when he turned up in the MG Metro. Did you ever get a bit lairy at the lights? I got told off for racing another car.

Hahaaa! No, I don't think my instructor would've let me get away with that.

[rob1966]

Hahaaa! No, I don't think my instructor would've let me get away with that.

He wasn't too happy when he said don't and I did it anyway. It was at the lights at the Copplehouse, heading back to Kirkby, and this car with 3 lads pulls up and starts revving and 18yr old me couldn't resist. I beat them away too

[Qston]

I've been driving a 2007 silver Lexus ES 350 for the past couple of years now. It's my third Lexus Lexi and I had a Toyota mixed in there too. Amazing, almost indestructible cars. 13 years old and not a single rattle. Interior looks like new. No work done other than brakes and oil. This one's at 135,000 miles. I ran the others over 200,000 miles before selling them. I might keep this one forever and see how high I can spin the odometer.

Amended for you......

[Caligula?]

I recently bought a Barkas B1000, although I don't really have much use for it. It certainly won't be my daily driver.

[The Gulleysucker]

Looks like it has a certain coolness, vaguely old Commer van styling, and also possibly lots of potential.

I've never heard of them before but I see it's a two-stroke engine. Oooer! A tad lawn mower'ish and Trabant like in performance I expect.

Has it got any easy'ish more modern engine and running gear, brakes etc upgrading potential to make it less of a hazard to other road users and less of a scary experience when trying to mix it with modern traffic?

[Caligula?]

Looks like it has a certain coolness, vaguely old Commer van styling, and also possibly lots of potential.

I've never heard of them before but I see it's a two-stroke engine. Oooer! A tad lawn mower'ish and Trabant like in performance I expect.

Has it got any easy'ish more modern engine and running gear, brakes etc upgrading potential to make it less of a hazard to other road users and less of a scary experience when trying to mix it with modern traffic?

It's certainly Trabant-like in performance, except with a bigger body!  But you'd expect that given that the company who made the Barkas vans also made the engines for the Trabant cars as well. But the vans have about 57 bhp while Trabant had only 26. It has all the potential in the world as I can just throw the engine out and put in whatever I'd like, but I don't think I'll be doing that.

Half of the time I don't know what gear I'm in, there is no 0-60 time as I don't think it can even hit 60 miles per hour (unless you're going down hill), and every time you hit the brakes you just have to pray that it stops. And mind you the previous owner said he put new brakes in all around. It's a death trap but I'm not bothered, I'm more enamoured by the history of it. Apparently the Stasi kidnapped people in them ( ) and they were used as delivery and police vans all over in the former Soviet bloc countries. At a time when the West Germans were making BMW, Mercedes and Porsche, the East Germans were making this. I think I'll keep it running but keep it as it is just for the sake of history. Oh, and I got it for the equivalent of £250 as well. 

[Col]

That's boss.

[ChaChaMooMoo]

I recently bought a Barkas B1000, although I don't really have much use for it. It certainly won't be my daily driver.

That looks amazing mate. The van itself and the history behind it.

Are you planning a small overhaul to make it more driveable and more importantly, if not a daily driver, are you going to use it as a weekend getaway?

[rob1966]

I recently bought a Barkas B1000, although I don't really have much use for it. It certainly won't be my daily driver.

That is smart than and well done for not messing with it. Too many old vehicles are ruined by shoving modern engines and stuff in - although modern brakes would be a good idea.

Like Gulley says, first look reminds of the Commer van

[Caligula?]

That looks amazing mate. The van itself and the history behind it.

Are you planning a small overhaul to make it more driveable and more importantly, if not a daily driver, are you going to use it as a weekend getaway?

I think I'll overhaul it a little. The engine and gearbox are fine, but I have to do something with those brakes. A disc conversion? I'll have to see. Otherwise it looks great for its age (made in the early 80's) and to be honest I don't even think I'll be respraying and/or messing with the interior too much. It's been well taken care of. I mean, when you stand there looking at the engine you feel as if you can take it out yourself in about an hour so it's not that difficult to work on.

But as Rob said yeah, I hate it when old vehicles are messed with too much. It ruins them. Especially this one, which like the Trabant, has a whole history attached to it. I'll try and find out more about this particular vehicle if I can. Hopefully it wasn't used as a mobile torture unit for the Stasi, but I do wonder what it was used for when someone in East Germany bought it new back nearly 40 years ago. And it does look like that Commer van, doesn't it? Looking at Wikipedia though, the Commers had much better engines though.

[rob1966]

I think I'll overhaul it a little. The engine and gearbox are fine, but I have to do something with those brakes. A disc conversion? I'll have to see. Otherwise it looks great for its age (made in the early 80's) and to be honest I don't even think I'll be respraying and/or messing with the interior too much. It's been well taken care of. I mean, when you stand there looking at the engine you feel as if you can take it out yourself in about an hour so it's not that difficult to work on.

But as Rob said yeah, I hate it when old vehicles are messed with too much. It ruins them. Especially this one, which like the Trabant, has a whole history attached to it. I'll try and find out more about this particular vehicle if I can. Hopefully it wasn't used as a mobile torture unit for the Stasi, but I do wonder what it was used for when someone in East Germany bought it new back nearly 40 years ago. And it does look like that Commer van, doesn't it? Looking at Wikipedia though, the Commers had much better engines though.

While you wouldn't like to think of what happened if it was a Stasi van, in the same way they left sections of the wall in Berlin, it would be an amazing piece of history from what were dark times in Germanys past and should be preserved.

I spent a month in Berlin in 2002, I was staying out at Kopenick and working out of our local Tool Hire branch there, as we installed our bespoke computer system. I went around a few Branches, such as Tempelhopf and Tiergarten, but was mainly based in the East. I noticed the Germans left towable lifts worth £40k just parked on the street outside or in the car park, not secured. When I asked, I was told there was still a huge fear of authority, due to the Stasi and people just wouldn't steal them, everyone was curtain twitching and dying to inform on you. I got on really well with one of the blokes there, really nice fella - I was informed when I left that he was ex stasi

[John C]

Just picked up a 2019 Audi q3 s-line and I love it. First time in 15 years that I’ve not owned an a3.

Oooh lovely, what colour?
I bet you're enjoying that.

[Stand Free]

Just picked up a Fiesta ST-3. Loving it so far, quick and fun to drive but comfy too.

[gwalk]

my Fabia still does me grand getting from A to B but my mam has gotten herself a new Skoda Kamiq so i can foresee myself driving that a lot where i can

DSG boxed cars are just effortless to drive

[nuts100]

Replaced the F150 that had been in a high speed back end collision, not our fault.
If you are rear ended at high speed, even though they fixed it, I don’t trust especially when it had frame damage.

So picked up a GMC Sierra 1500 instead. 8 year warranty, gap insurance and servicing for 5years

[TheKid.]

Just ordered one of these to replace my A4 in January.  Nice change after 2 fairly similar A4s in the last few years

[Drinks Sangria]

My job has gone permanently working from home now, which is great in a few ways for me. Also means that I'll be getting rid of my current car (on a lease through work), saving me around £350 a month. I want to buy something used, less than £2000 cash, that I can run into the ground and get hopefully 3-4 years out of. I'm saving for a final house move so every little helps in that regard, and having a flash car isn't as important to me as it was 3 years ago when I got it (was still living at home and single at the time).

All it would be used for is the occasional trip to the gym and the odd drive here and there at the weekend. Can anyone recommend something that could be picked up for £2k or less and would likely have good reliability and affordability? I really don't care how shit it is, it's purely for practical reasons. I was looking at older Volvo S40s and Honda Civics, as well as some old Lexus. I really know very little about cars and have typically bought new in the past so never really had to wrangle with the issues that buying an older used car can present.

[rob1966]

My job has gone permanently working from home now, which is great in a few ways for me. Also means that I'll be getting rid of my current car (on a lease through work), saving me around £350 a month. I want to buy something used, less than £2000 cash, that I can run into the ground and get hopefully 3-4 years out of. I'm saving for a final house move so every little helps in that regard, and having a flash car isn't as important to me as it was 3 years ago when I got it (was still living at home and single at the time).

All it would be used for is the occasional trip to the gym and the odd drive here and there at the weekend. Can anyone recommend something that could be picked up for £2k or less and would likely have good reliability and affordability? I really don't care how shit it is, it's purely for practical reasons. I was looking at older Volvo S40s and Honda Civics, as well as some old Lexus. I really know very little about cars and have typically bought new in the past so never really had to wrangle with the issues that buying an older used car can present.

Hondas are renowned for reliability, they just don't break, but the downside to that is that they hold their value.

The Focus is a reliable car and parts are dead cheap. £2k will get you a 11-13 yr old Focus with under 75,000 miles on it. For your budget, £2k will get you a nearer to 18 yr old Civic although I found a couple of Cat N (damaged repaired) 06 models on Autotrader

[God's Left Peg]

My job has gone permanently working from home now, which is great in a few ways for me. Also means that I'll be getting rid of my current car (on a lease through work), saving me around £350 a month. I want to buy something used, less than £2000 cash, that I can run into the ground and get hopefully 3-4 years out of. I'm saving for a final house move so every little helps in that regard, and having a flash car isn't as important to me as it was 3 years ago when I got it (was still living at home and single at the time).

All it would be used for is the occasional trip to the gym and the odd drive here and there at the weekend. Can anyone recommend something that could be picked up for £2k or less and would likely have good reliability and affordability? I really don't care how shit it is, it's purely for practical reasons. I was looking at older Volvo S40s and Honda Civics, as well as some old Lexus. I really know very little about cars and have typically bought new in the past so never really had to wrangle with the issues that buying an older used car can present.

Suzuki's are well worth a look. They run forever and are inexpensive to buy.

[Drinks Sangria]

Hondas are renowned for reliability, they just don't break, but the downside to that is that they hold their value.

The Focus is a reliable car and parts are dead cheap. £2k will get you a 11-13 yr old Focus with under 75,000 miles on it. For your budget, £2k will get you a nearer to 18 yr old Civic although I found a couple of Cat N (damaged repaired) 06 models on Autotrader

Suzuki's are well worth a look. They run forever and are inexpensive to buy.

Thanks for the recommendations. Anything that drives costs down, there really is no need for me to have an expensive car sitting on the drive when it's now getting used maybe twice a week for about 15 minutes at a time. I'll have a look on autotrader at some of the above.

[rob1966]

Thanks for the recommendations. Anything that drives costs down, there really is no need for me to have an expensive car sitting on the drive when it's now getting used maybe twice a week for about 15 minutes at a time. I'll have a look on autotrader at some of the above.

Some of them are advertised with service histories, try and get one that does have if you can. I'd steer clear of anything in the Corsa/Fiesta size as when they get to 100,000 miles they're usually fucked. Ideally you want a car that has been used regularly, but well looked after, that way you won't end up getting bills for things suddenly going wrong.

[Welshred]

Thinking about getting a new car over the next few weeks, I've got a 61 plate Fiesta at the moment with 80k on the clock. Quite a few decent used deals going round but some places like Hyundai are offering a scrappage scheme for that is in my car's age range. Does anyone have any experience of the Hyundai i20?