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Post by Eff One on Dec 14, 2021 19:58:28 GMT
I don't like the way Red Bull go racing, and Verstappen's driving in Brazil and Jeddah was unacceptable - a combination of poor stewarding and the Verstappen 'win at any cost' attitude.
He's aggressive on track and often fairly objectionable off it. Which is no surprise. He's 24. Virtually all 24 year old males need a daily kick in the balls on principle. Seb and Lewis were unbearable at that age; like them, Max will grow up eventually.
Masi lost control of the race again in Abu Dhabi, but what I found most shocking was Toto and Horner's bullying over the radio. The FIA are already making moves to stamp on that and rightly so.
I don't agree with the notion that Sunday's events make Verstappen an undeserving champion. Both he and Lewis have performed at a stratospheric level for 22 races, and both fully deserved it. Verstappen, and Red Bull, simply played the hand they were dealt, as Lewis/Merc would have done if the situation were reversed.
The 2021 title will forever be tainted which is a great shame. The rules, and they way they were manipulated, are the main culprit. I hope that the FIA gets its house in order.
Meanwhile, 72 days and counting until pre-season testing in Barcelona...
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Post by Eff One on Dec 10, 2021 12:24:11 GMT
Urgh. No prices, specs or orders until the spring, deliveries 'first half of 22' at the earliest. I'm getting impatient.
Meanwhile, back to scouring AT for used '86s and especially Mica blue BRZs...
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Post by Eff One on Dec 7, 2021 22:57:44 GMT
I really enjoyed the race I didn't much. It was messy and ill-tempered and dangerous. Hamilton isn't as squeaky-clean as he makes out but Verstappen is out of control. I was surprised to see the race end without a serious accident. The open animosity between RB and Mercedes makes for uncomfortable viewing - we could really do without the excruciatingly passive aggressive exchanges between Nasi and the team managers. And I can't stand the sight of Horner defending the indefensible. I'll be watching with interest next weekend, but without much hope of a worthy end to a championship that feels tainted now.
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Post by Eff One on Nov 24, 2021 12:15:44 GMT
A fair few holiday rentals. Fiesta Mk6, Punto Mk1, Corsa, Polo. Nothing very interesting sadly.
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Post by Eff One on Nov 18, 2021 14:25:02 GMT
There's a video on Autocar as well now. I must have hoovered up every bit of GR86 content on the internet - haven't been this excited about a new car since 2012, when the GT86/BRZ appeared.
I would have had one two years ago if COVID hadn't ground life to a halt and may yet if I can find one that isn't grotesquely overpriced.
But Toyota seem to be on a roll with their GR range. In the 86, they've apparently solved its two main issues - power delivery and interior quality, which is a bit low rent even for me in base GT86s - while making all the good bits even better.
European launch on 2 December. I'll be hovering by the configurator...
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Post by Eff One on Nov 15, 2021 9:41:39 GMT
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Post by Eff One on Nov 13, 2021 12:09:07 GMT
Giulia QV it is then 😉
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Post by Eff One on Nov 12, 2021 18:49:20 GMT
Am very late to this but assume you have considered and discounted the Alfa QV pair at some point in the past. Would be interested to know why - the Stelvio surely ticks all the usability boxes, seems to be a benchmark for SUV dynamics and has that engine...
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Post by Eff One on Nov 12, 2021 11:15:58 GMT
We had a '54 plate Fiesta 1.25 for several years. It was as basic as they come - steel wheels, windup windows - and was brilliant. Zingy little Zetec engine, great steering. We drove it from Southampton to Val d'Isere with 4 adults and their ski gear.
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Post by Eff One on Nov 2, 2021 19:41:03 GMT
To answer the original question - when I'm forced to, I suspect. I'm not particularly wedded to combustion, but for me EVs are far from being viable for a number of reasons.
1. There's nothing remotely desirable on the market aside from the Lotus Evija.
2. EVs are (aside from the Evija) hugely overweight compared to their combustion equivalents.
3. They're considerably more expensive than their combustion equivalents.
4. Their green credentials range from modestly favourable to highly questionable depending on which carbon footprint model you apply.
I'm optimistic that all of these hurdles will be cleared, but my sub 1300kg all electric hot hatch is some way off yet.
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Post by Eff One on Oct 29, 2021 15:34:23 GMT
How much power does the new engine put out?. 232bhp and 184lb ft - up 15% and 20% respectively - and still only 1270kg.
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Post by Eff One on Oct 29, 2021 10:49:03 GMT
The GR86 has gone on sale in Japan and the USA: www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/toyota-gr-86-buyers-offered-subaru-brz-test-drives-japanStill waiting on UK prices and availability but it undercuts the circuit pack GR Yaris by 17% in Japan, which points to a UK list price of around £29k for the posher model. Given the state of used prices and the dwindling opportunities to own a car like this, unless Toyota do something silly with the pricing, I'm going to put my name down for a GR86.
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Post by Eff One on Oct 2, 2021 15:31:05 GMT
Hmm. Prices are a bit challenging. My local dealer had a 15 plate GT86 - admittedly with only 10k miles - up for £19k. That's nearly 70% of list price for a six and a half year old car. There are a few more 2017 cars around the £20k mark than there were - though that still seems high to me. Wind forward to 2019 and there's nothing under £25k.
I'm waiting to see when the GR86 goes on sale.
The i20N is interesting and worthy of a closer look. From what I've read it runs the Fiesta close enough that the choice between them is largely a matter of taste. I don't like the looks but there are at least alternatives to the awful washed-out blue of the press cars.
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Post by Eff One on Aug 27, 2021 22:44:36 GMT
Except .. .. .. there was a bit of door seal hanging down fromt he drivers door, and that was enough to put me right off the car! I'm sure it could be sorted pretty easily, but, well, you know .. .. .. Good luck on your search Eff! They All Do That, Sir. Our 63 plate Zetec has had its door seal glued back at least twice. Remiss of the ST3 owner to leave it in that state, it does look terrible and takes just a few minutes to fix. A Mk3.5 ST-3 would make a great used buy.
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Post by Eff One on Aug 25, 2021 8:56:29 GMT
[quote author=" alf"[/quote]Harder to see on the one photographed outdoors, but the indoor one looks mint. The outdoor one needs the discs scrubbed off properly......... Also the (diminutive) size of the brakes gives a good indication of the performance levels, these are definitely a "try it and see if its quick enough" car...[/quote] The discs are slightly bigger than my MK7 Fiesta ST's, and I had no issues with the way that went and stopped. Itching to drive one but time and local availability have been an issue. My nearest dealer does now have a mint 2015 car though...
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Post by Eff One on Aug 19, 2021 11:39:47 GMT
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Post by Eff One on Aug 10, 2021 16:51:32 GMT
The twat magnet factor is a consideration, it was very irritating with the VX220 (far less of an issue with the Fiesta surprisingly). I've grown used to the Civic's looks, which for me are outweighed by what it can do.
May 2022 at the earliest for a new GR Yaris apparently.
There will also be a new GR86 coupé sometime next year.
Audi TTS and Scirocco R are good ideas. I'll investigate.
There really are a lot of tempting options!
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Post by Eff One on Aug 8, 2021 19:35:09 GMT
Trying to keep an open mind but I just can't get excited about the BMWs. They're very fast but overweight, virtually all are autos and in the case of the coupé, surprisingly big - bigger than all the hatches except the Type R.
The S1 is intriguing, with an old school, big-engine-small-car charm and prices within budget.
The Civic is the benchmark, with two caveats. It's a bit big (though impressively light) and prices are just silly, with nothing on AT under £25k and unregistered cars at £45k (list is £36k).
Both the Fords are obvious contenders but I know from experience that the Fiesta will be the sharper steer, while being notably bigger and more grown up than the previous version. I don't much like the way it looks, and it doesn't come in any colours that I really like, but there are plenty around well within budget.
The GT86 and BRZ are no-brainers pending a test drive to ensure that I can live with the power delivery, and to check that my daughter will fit.
And then there's the GR Yaris. Not really in budget, but Toyota's 0% PCP offer is impossible to ignore. It's the only car I have ever considered buying in white.
Time to book some test drives, I think.
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Post by Eff One on Aug 1, 2021 11:39:53 GMT
Some very interesting ideas there. Although the XFR looks amazing value, I suspect it would be too expensive to run and I lean more towards small and agile than big and brutish. The same goes for the S5 and Stinger (although I do have a soft spot for them).
The 2 series is actually just the about the only BMW that appeals to me and on paper an M235i/M240 looks good value. Some conflicting reviews on ride and handling though.
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Post by Eff One on Jul 30, 2021 15:23:22 GMT
I hadn't thought of either of those, which is why this is always a worthwhile exercise 🙂
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Post by Eff One on Jul 30, 2021 12:24:36 GMT
After some good news at work - I've got my old job back permanently - my mindset has gradually shifted from survival mode to something approaching real life and the enjoyment of same.
I have been rattling around in a 2007 Focus since I sold my Fiesta ST in 2018 and an upgrade is long overdue.
Because I won't be commuting daily any more, it doesn't need to be a workhorse. It does need rear seats of some description.
Above all, it needs to be fun.
Budget is £20k if used, possibly up to £30k new with a good PCP deal. I want something fairly modern, say 2015 onwards.
There are some obvious candidates, but I thought it'd be fun to open the floor to suggestions.
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Post by Eff One on May 1, 2021 8:17:25 GMT
Did you mean to put that in the 'Not Wanted' thread or has your account been hacked? It's vile. I'm slightly disappointed, I was expecting something lime green with a scarlet interior. This just looks like a grey 3 series estate to me. What's so vile about it?
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Post by Eff One on Apr 24, 2021 23:32:07 GMT
You lot would hate our cars. To be fair both look pretty good for their age, particularly the Fiat which looks more like three years old than seven and a half years old. But polish? Wax? Swirls? +1
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Post by Eff One on Apr 21, 2021 11:26:31 GMT
Had my first jab yesterday afternoon and initially thought I had got off lightly. Aside from a sore arm, I had no ill effects by the time I went to bed at midnight.
No such luck today. My arm is really quite painful - I struggle to lift it above my shoulder - and I had to log off work after an hour with the usual symptoms. Shivers, aches, head fog etc. It's so common with the AstraZeneca jab that our HR department have created a new category for it when reporting absence.
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Post by Eff One on Apr 9, 2021 7:24:18 GMT
I’m jealous. Your wife is clearly far more easygoing about that sort of thing than mine! +1. Always loved 928s. My father has owned some tasty V8 Mercs in his time - a rare 1980 450SLC and 1988 420SEC among them - and when 928 used prices started to drop in the noughties I did my best to tempt him. No luck, alas.
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Post by Eff One on Apr 7, 2021 21:43:22 GMT
I’m fairly sure you said it had 17” wheels, but they look like 18” to me? They are, 18s were standard on the 987 S. Are those Cayman S wheels?
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Post by Eff One on Apr 7, 2021 12:18:24 GMT
Very nice indeed. Am very envious. Am looking at Caymans now...
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Post by Eff One on Apr 6, 2021 12:14:01 GMT
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Post by Eff One on Apr 1, 2021 11:45:19 GMT
Will be interesting to see if Vettel can turn it around. He's very short of mileage so gets the benefit of the doubt for now. The trouble is he needs to be not just ahead of Stroll, but destroying him, and the pressure is only going to increase.
I like Seb, but I just don't see this working for him. Hulkenberg will be in that car by mid season, I reckon.
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Post by Eff One on Mar 27, 2021 11:30:24 GMT
Great choice! Never heard of Brookspeed, but they're 15 minutes down the road from me. As and when I find myself in a position to buy a Porsche, I know where to look 🙂
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