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Post by grampa on May 23, 2019 11:05:08 GMT
Mrs L shares lifts with a friend on a Wednesday evening. Since we've had the Mini Clubman, she's often commented on how nice it is.
Last night she announced she's getting a nearly new one in red - "what did you think of it?" asked Mrs L - "Oh I haven't driven it, I just like it from being a passenger in yours" I'm sure Roadrunner will be sure she'll be fine as will I.
It's replacing 3 series (I think it's a 330) convertible which she's had for about 8 years but never liked - her husband just appeared with it one day and she wasn't amused.
Just wondering what proportion of car buyers are so gung-ho?
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Post by johnc on May 23, 2019 11:12:04 GMT
Mrs L shares lifts with a friend on a Wednesday evening. Since we've had the Mini Clubman, she's often commented on how nice it is. Last night she announced she's getting a nearly new one in red - "what did you think of it?" asked Mrs L - "Oh I haven't driven it, I just like it from being a passenger in yours" I'm sure Roadrunner will be sure she'll be fine as will I. It's replacing 3 series (I think it's a 330) convertible which she's had for about 8 years but never liked - her husband just appeared with it one day and she wasn't amused. Just wondering what proportion of car buyers are so hung-ho? Lots. I can easily think of 5 or 6 people who just decide they want a new car, set aside a Saturday and go and get one. Most of the time they don't really know what they want apart from perhaps having a few brands they prefer and some basic criteria such as a boot big enough for a pram or 5 seats. A neighbour has just got a new Mazda CX2 - she wanted something a bit higher than her old car (a Polo), saw a Mazda, liked the look of it so she just went in and bought one they had in dealer stock - she bought that one because she liked the colour (a very light grey or a slightly dark white!) |
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Post by grampa on May 23, 2019 11:13:06 GMT
Did she drive it first?
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 23, 2019 11:13:59 GMT
Mrs L shares lifts with a friend on a Wednesday evening. Since we've had the Mini Clubman, she's often commented on how nice it is. Last night she announced she's getting a nearly new one in red - "what did you think of it?" asked Mrs L - "Oh I haven't driven it, I just like it from being a passenger in yours" I'm sure Roadrunner will be sure she'll be fine as will I. It's replacing 3 series (I think it's a 330) convertible which she's had for about 8 years but never liked - her husband just appeared with it one day and she wasn't amused. Just wondering what proportion of car buyers are so hung-ho? Modesty forbids me in saying whether I'm hung-ho or not. I suppose since she had no experience of her 3 series before getting it, actually sitting in a MINi before purchase is a step forward. |
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Post by grampa on May 23, 2019 11:16:56 GMT
Mrs L shares lifts with a friend on a Wednesday evening. Since we've had the Mini Clubman, she's often commented on how nice it is. Last night she announced she's getting a nearly new one in red - "what did you think of it?" asked Mrs L - "Oh I haven't driven it, I just like it from being a passenger in yours" I'm sure Roadrunner will be sure she'll be fine as will I. It's replacing 3 series (I think it's a 330) convertible which she's had for about 8 years but never liked - her husband just appeared with it one day and she wasn't amused. Just wondering what proportion of car buyers are so hung-ho? Modesty forbids me in saying whether I'm hung-ho or not.  I still haven't got to grips with predictive typing! |
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Post by johnc on May 23, 2019 11:22:19 GMT
No. I saw her at the end of her first drive at the weekend when she arrived back from the dealers. |
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Post by racingteatray on May 23, 2019 11:41:57 GMT
Well I ordered the M135i without ever driving it first.
Admittedly, we'd had a 5dr diesel F20 Sport as a rental car in Italy by chance and liked it as an overall steer and package, so when I discovered there was an M135i version due out, I decided that there was only so wrong they could get it and took a chance, ordering one of the first customer cars in the country. Of course it then turned out to be brilliant and I remember getting lots of questions about it from people in the early months.
Wouldn't normally do it though.
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Post by Big Blue on May 23, 2019 11:52:54 GMT
Well I flew to Munich, saw the Gorilla and sat in it but couldn’t drive it because although it was April it was below 4° so as it was on Summer tyres I couldn’t drive it.
I flew back about 2 weeks later and the first time I drove it was home across Germany and France including a 275kph blast up to Frankfurt.
I bought the Ducati online and that was an eventual disaster so 1:1 I reckon.
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Post by Alex on May 24, 2019 17:48:12 GMT
Being a company car driver often means choosing a car without driving one first, as was the case for my Megane ST (which was the quickest car I could source when my Focus was written off), my Insignia and the current Golf. This time I did manage to get a Kia Niro for the weekend but the wife wasn’t keen but we’ve had so many Ionic on the company fleet that getting a quick run out in one was possible but that’s all I’ve managed.
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Post by Ben on May 25, 2019 7:23:54 GMT
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Post by grampa on May 26, 2019 20:27:09 GMT
As it happens a 3 series (318is) was in the running many years ago for me. If I’d bought it in blind faith I would have been very disappointed - I chose a Vauxhall Calibra instead which went against everything you could read, but I much preferred the Vauxhall. |
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Post by Boxer6 on May 26, 2019 20:37:12 GMT
As it happens a 3 series (318is) was in the running many years ago for me. If I’d bought it in blind faith I would have been very disappointed - I chose a Vauxhall Calibra instead which went against everything you could read, but I much preferred the Vauxhall. Very similar to our situation in 1992; wanted an E30 318/320 (316 compact was all that was in budget in the end) but even that would have been sans radio! Opted instead for an Astra saloon CD with all the bells & whistles, including the new-fangled ABS brakes option. Never regretted it, especially when our daughter duly arrived a year later! |
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Post by cbeaks1 on May 26, 2019 22:00:45 GMT
The mention of an Astra CD i Saloon forced me to rewatch ‘From A to B Tales of Modern Motoring’ again. Always glorious.
No CD badge on the back - disappointing.
1.6i, i for important.
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Post by PG on May 27, 2019 8:24:26 GMT
As it happens a 3 series (318is) was in the running many years ago for me. If I’d bought it in blind faith I would have been very disappointed - I chose a Vauxhall Calibra instead which went against everything you could read, but I much preferred the Vauxhall. I did a similar thing. i was convinced that I wanted an Audi coupe in 1992. Trouble was, the company car scheme would only run to a billy-bob basic version. So I tried a Calibra as I thought they look quite cool. Ended up having a 16v Calibra instead of the Audi. |
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Post by Alex on May 27, 2019 10:52:14 GMT
As it happens a 3 series (318is) was in the running many years ago for me. If I’d bought it in blind faith I would have been very disappointed - I chose a Vauxhall Calibra instead which went against everything you could read, but I much preferred the Vauxhall. I did a similar thing. i was convinced that I wanted an Audi coupe in 1992. Trouble was, the company car scheme would only run to a billy-bob basic version. So I tried a Calibra as I thought they look quite cool. Ended up having a 16v Calibra instead of the Audi. One of my Dad’s friends had a Calibra 16v in the early-mid 90’s and even today having had many 3 series and C classes in the years since, raves about how good a car it was. The only blot on its copy book being that it was a bit too easy to break into! Seems Vauxhall really did quite a good job with the Calibra, shame they’ve struggled to produce a really class leading car since. |
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Post by johnc on May 27, 2019 11:06:40 GMT
The red top 2 litre engine in the Calibra and Cavalier was a true great. Easily tuned to 200hp and quite happy up to c240hp without major alteration but needed injection bodies. I had a lightweight Westfield with the engine moved back 6 inches which had one of those engines. I still remember seeing the front wheels turned fractionally left as it went round a flat out right hander at about 100mph, it was so well balanced and so fast.
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Post by Martin on May 27, 2019 11:07:29 GMT
Being a company car driver often means choosing a car without driving one first, as was the case for my Megane ST (which was the quickest car I could source when my Focus was written off), my Insignia and the current Golf. This time I did manage to get a Kia Niro for the weekend but the wife wasn’t keen but we’ve had so many Ionic on the company fleet that getting a quick run out in one was possible but that’s all I’ve managed. The only company car I've had without a test drive was the 406 estate and that was because it was ordered before it was lunched in the UK, mine was the first one the local dealership had seen. It's not always been easy, as I was always honest about it being a company car and where it would be sourced from, but I wouldn't choose a car without driving it properly first. |
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Post by PG on May 27, 2019 11:29:37 GMT
... Ended up having a 16v Calibra instead of the Audi. One of my Dad’s friends had a Calibra 16v in the early-mid 90’s and even today having had many 3 series and C classes in the years since, raves about how good a car it was. The only blot on its copy book being that it was a bit too easy to break into! Seems Vauxhall really did quite a good job with the Calibra, shame they’ve struggled to produce a really class leading car since. It did have two other problems to add to that one. When you opened the tailgate any water standing on it went straight into the boot as it ran off the tailgate. And the headlamps - sexily thin halogens - were utterly useless. But as said, it was a lovely revvy engine and it felt good to drive. My first pair of front tyre lasted 8000 miles... |
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Post by Tim on May 28, 2019 8:39:58 GMT
For all you Calibra fans there's a metallic green V6 one sitting in a driveway in Cupar.
It was on the road a couple of years ago but appears to not be anymore.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on May 31, 2019 7:37:57 GMT
The Calibra was a great looking car at the time. Stole the show from the 8-series BMW when both were released at the same time. OK it had the same interior as the Cavalier but that was not a bad place to be at the time.
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Post by PetrolEd on May 31, 2019 9:59:12 GMT
Calibra was an interesting one. When launched it looked amazing but quickly dated. t the end of its life it was up against the fiat coupe, GTV and corrado which looked a lot better and date I say drove a lot better too. It did deserve a better replacement then the astra coupe however
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Post by grampa on May 31, 2019 13:38:47 GMT
Calibra was an interesting one. When launched it looked amazing but quickly dated. t the end of its life it was up against the fiat coupe, GTV and corrado which looked a lot better and date I say drove a lot better too. It did deserve a better replacement then the astra coupe however A GTV was my next but one car after the Calibra, with a Xedos 6 in between. |
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Post by Stuntman on May 31, 2019 20:18:56 GMT
Calibra was an interesting one. When launched it looked amazing but quickly dated. t the end of its life it was up against the fiat coupe, GTV and corrado which looked a lot better and date I say drove a lot better too. It did deserve a better replacement then the astra coupe however A GTV was my next but one car after the Calibra, with a Xedos 6 in between. Andrew - that's a great aesthetic trio of cars. I'm probably in the minority, but I think the Xedos 6 is/was lovely to look at. It was on my shortlist for a while. |
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Post by LandieMark on May 31, 2019 20:56:18 GMT
I suspect I may be making a reckless purchase tomorrow. It will most likely be red.
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Post by bryan on May 31, 2019 21:00:54 GMT
I suspect I may be making a reckless purchase tomorrow. It will most likely be red. Is this from the farm sale? |
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Post by Alex on May 31, 2019 21:03:04 GMT
I suspect I may be making a reckless purchase tomorrow. It will most likely need a new chassis FYP! |
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Post by Martin on May 31, 2019 21:16:24 GMT
I suspect I may be making a reckless purchase tomorrow. It will most likely need a new chassis FYP! Highly likely! I think we’d all be a lot more surprised if he didn’t make a reckless purchase. |
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Post by LandieMark on Jun 1, 2019 5:50:35 GMT
I suspect I may be making a reckless purchase tomorrow. It will most likely be red. Is this from the farm sale? My friends sale was on Wednesday. His stuff was a little out of my league. There is another sale today with more vintage stuff. |
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Post by bryan on Jun 1, 2019 6:21:44 GMT
Is it a little vintage Porsche tractor? Love those
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Post by LandieMark on Jun 1, 2019 16:28:25 GMT
Couldn't afford one of those. I tried to buy a Massey Ferguson 65 but it was a little too much for my liking. There was two to choose from. One went for £3,600 plus Vat and the other went for over £4k no Vat.
A friend has a David Brown 1210 for sale which would be useful and a lot cheaper.
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