Modern Vespa

happy christmas to you all.

it would be great to get together for a ride and pub lunch in the new year.

Kam why don't you suggest a date and a location and we'll all turn up ?

Over to you.

Oh hang on it's my Birthday in early Feb. Could work it around that?

Bill X

Better earlier if you want to see me with a tan...

...gathered while riding a Chinese "FYM FY-125T 18" all around Barbados several times while wearing - a helmet, shorts, T-shirt and sandals.

In my sober moments, promise.

(For a GBP1,100 scooter it performed very well and reliably!)

I had a 2.7 V6 auto a couple of years ago. Some thieving bastuds broke into the house, stole the keys and I never saw it again. Probably ended up in Cyprus. Well put together car, if not plastic fantastic.

By the way, have a good Crimbo everyone here - (in no particular order ) Genie, Bill, Alice, Kate, David, Jim, Tim, Mike, Baz, Kam, Charles, The J, Spider, Tracey and all you other guys that frequent the Donk!

Happy Christmas and warm good wishes to all of the U.K. contingent waking up now (or very soon) on Christmas morning!!

Merry Christmas everyone - hope everyone's living it as large as possible today. Our three bird roast (thanks to Phil Vickery's Aldi - I thought he played rugby for England, not owned the original international teutonic supermarket chain) has just gone in and we're barricaded inside for as much of the day as possible.

The Hyundai idea is a thought that had crossed my mind. The late 90s one is pretty too. Which matters. Need to find out what the insurance'll be like on this Honda. Everything's leather, which I like a lot. Bill, PMs will rain down once I've checked this out - again, your input is much appreciated.

A Happy and Prosperous New Year, everyone.
I enjoyed catching up with the Donk; the weather here's been much the same as there. The saving grace is the flatness - we've managed to get about, albeit in the new car, with not much difficulty.
I had to drive to Duisburg in Germany last week (long story) and managed it comfortably in spite of the snow and ice in Belgium.
Only down-side was the unbelieveable traffic queue round Antwerp. What should have taken just over an hour took 3¼ hours.
On the news later they said that the total length of queues in Antwerp and Brussels was about 320 mile (well, they said it in kms!) and if one considers the furthest direct driving distance between the furthermost places in Belgium is 193 miles......!

The snow's all but gone now, as I hope it has in England, and trust it will stay that way. I listened to the forecast for the UK this morning and heard 'snow in Kent' - got to come over for a wedding on the 2nd so I hope there won't be much.

J, don't worry about asking questions because I'm happy to help.

Back from two days away from doing festive things with festive people and I'm knackered but I'd like to think you all had a very Happy Christmas.

Talk more when I get home tomorrow afternoon.

Be good all.

Bill X

Page 2? Can't be having that. I'm hoping the consolation is that eveyone's having such a magical festive weekend (mental note: Christmas on a Friday works well) and has no time left over for idle ramblings.

I'm in the frozen North this weekend, travelling back today and onward to the Scottish Riviera (that's right) on the North Ayrshire coast for a gathering of my burgeoning immediate family. Aberdeen is completely covered in about an inch of ice and has been the whole weekend, although I can't vouch for conditions in the central belt. Last night I saw some madman out on his big-wheeled 50cc scoot, sliding along with his foot down until he got to a salted road. Admittedly, the temperature had soared to a relatively balmy 0 degrees C but I still probably would have just walked.

We're doing all the travelling in a borrowed Smart car, which is working very well for us. The only drawback is when it comes to offering lifts, but scooters and convertibles present the same problems so the Smart driver just has to get used to it. Performance-wise it does everything it needs to and is pretty spacious on the inside, so if anyone's toying with the idea I'd recommend it. Fun stuff. Goes into go-kart mode when you stamp on it.

J, When you get a chance to look at this Focus could I suggest a few things -

Ask

1 How many owners has it had ?
2 Can you look at the V5 so the chassis number ties up with the car and also while you are at it try to remember the address of the previous owner then look them up in the phonebook and give them a call and ask what was the reason for sale and what has it had repaired.
3 Has it ever been insurance repaired if so which level A,B,C or D.
4 Does it have a full service history ? If it does how many were at a franchise dealership ?
It usually goes 3 years with a franchise then some people go to thier local one but sometimes you get lucky and every service has a dealer's stamp on it.
Don't buy a used car with gaps in its service history.
5 Ask them to start it from cold and if there's any blue smoke coming from the exhaust walk away. You can check by putting your hand on the bonnet soon after you arrive.
Also when they fire it up listen for the exhaust. Knackered ones rattle when they fire up.

Also check

The Clutch. If the biting point is high the clutch is probably worn but also check for a grinding sound when the clutch is engaged, this means the thrust bearing is worn. Sometimes it makes a squeel which oddly enough sounds the same as a badly adjusted fan or water pump belt.

Tyres. There should be even tread all over the tyre but quite often the tyres are worn on the inside so turn the wheels outward to have a good look at the inner track. Also look for damage to the wheel face and related damage to the tyre wall. Look for nails.

Pedals. How worn are they ? If the mileage is low but the pedals are worn that's a warning that the mileage has been clocked. Also a high mileage car will have worn seats and a slick looking steering wheel.

Bulkhead. Open the bonnet and check the colour of the paint around the engine and headlights because this is usually the area that gets damaged in a crash so look for repainted areas and while you are there look for oil/water leaks around the engine. Look underneath the block as well.

Shutlines. The gap between the wings and doors. Check that they are all straight and paint hasn't been blown in between them because that's a sure sign of a respray.
Also look for the black trim around the windows as these often get taped up in a repspray but often paint gets blown in here as well.

Shocks. Push down on the wings and they should push back but only once.
If there's no rebound the oil seals are worn. Have a visual check under the wheel arches as well to make sure oil isn't leaking from the shock.

Once driving check for play in the steering, noise from the brakes because if there's a grinding sound the pads are badly worn then gently weave from side to side and listen for sound from the wheels. If you hear anything like a rubbing or grinding sound it could be a bearing.
Blip the throttle and if there's a knocking sound coming from the engine the drive shafts are worn.
Pull up the hand brake and see if it will hold itself on a hill and once again check the biting point when you pull away.
When driving over bumps listen for knocks because once again this is a sure sign that a suspension strut/shock is worn.
You should be alright with a used Focus because they are well built,easy to work on and reliable and the spare parts are cheap, plus there are plenty of them around.
You will still find rogue cars out there but tis may help you suss out a shed as we like to call tem. When you first arrive be all over the car like a rash but don't look too eager because the salesman will play on your desire and for gods sake don't say " I don't know much about cars".
Say very little and look as if you know what you are looking for.
Now it's hard to do but there's nothing wrong with going home to think about it.
Salesman hate that by the way but don't decide to buy there and then.
Go home and have a damn good think about it because there are plenty of other good Fords out there. You don't have to buy this one.
They should offer you a 3 month warranty and an additional one at eatrax cost but remember they cost peanuts to set up and the dealership will get a kickback from the warranty company so it's in thier interest to sell you one.
I nearly forgot - pull up the dipstick and check the colour of the oil.
If it's very black and watery it needs changing but you could negotiate a service into the price but if it looks white or milky walk away because then head gasket has gone and the oil and water have mixed creating an milky/porridge like mix.
If the oil is golden it's had a recent change and should be good for a while.

I'm sure I'll think of more things later.

Bill XX

Stay away from Automatics over 100,000 miles.

Sorry for jumping in here Bill.
I wouldn't be too concerned with an auto tranny at 100 k miles.
I have one at 246 k miles (396 k km). Still running like new. It's a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan and never been touched, the tranny that is.
What would worry me is the rear main thrust bearing on a manual at 100k miles, on any vehicle.
Torque converters are much easier on crank thrusts than clutches.

Bill, thanks so much for that - I think I'm going to have to print that out and commit as much of it to memory as possible so I can look like I know what I'm talking about. I'm not totally ignorant when it comes to machinery but that's pretty comprehensive and exactly what we needed. Mucho positive karma to you for that, real and forum-based.

The automatic thing won't be a problem, since the good lady's main stipulation has been manual transmission and she'll be the main driver. We're still youthful enough to work the gearbox for ourselves.

There's an interesting thought: am I right in thinking in Europe most drivers prefer manuals but in North America most go for Autos? If so, would anyone dare to speculate as to why? Seems odd to me.

Anyway, thats us back in the big smoke now so the car hunting proper resumes tomorrow. Expect regular updates.

yes, it's true, but i have no idea why it should be the case.

I can hazzard a few guesses, though some of them are "chicken and egg" situations.

a) In the U.S. manuals used to be the "standard" with automatics an upgrade. Now, for many popular car models, a manual transmission isn't even offered....and if it is, it's only offered for the smaller engine sizes.

b) The price differential between standard and automatic is lower than it used to be. I think this is partially a result of the way the Japanese car makers have chosen to "load" their models: it's less of an "ala carte" option choice and more a locked in component of an overall "trim package." And the Japanese were so successful with this approach, that other makers seem to have followed suit.

c) As automatics have gained in popularity, it's actually become increasingly difficult in the U.S. to find many car models with a standard transmission. When I bought my last car - which I had to get quickly, as my old car had died abrubtly and was not cost-effective to repair - I specifically chose a model that offered a manual shift then couldn't find that version for sale at any dealer in the 100 mile radius I searched. I grudgingly bought an automatic.

d) Automatics have improved greatly over the past few years with advanced electronics and override options to shift manually some of the time.

e) Fuel efficiency is much closer between the two than it used to be.

f) While I'm sure the U.S. doesn't have a corner on horrible commutes, lots of drivers hate dealing with a stick shift in stop and go traffic and if you're commuting in many urban areas in California, at least, I will say that's the one situation in which I've been seduced by the automatic.

My 2 cents, based on observation but no real "research."

I think if they had to pay European fuel prices they would buy more manuals......

Now we're getting close!
Fay

In the 1950's and 60's automatic transmissions became the "thing to have" in the US. In fact, the more upscale cars (Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Chrysler, Lincoln) only came in automatic back then. It was a prestigious feature. With time, the auto manufacturers included this as a free "upgrade" as a sales incentive in Ford/Chevy/Plymouth level cars.

Today, if manual shift is available at all in a given car in the US, it's typically an "option", other than for "sportier" cars such as the Mazda MX-5 (Miata).

Just as so many MVers speak in terms of the "difficulty" in riding or learning to ride a shifty Vespa, many Americans shudder at the thought of the "difficulties of a manual shift car. One friend here who owns a major car rental agency tells me that the bulk of the requests he receives for auto shift cars come from Americans, who end up paying a premium for the inability or unwillingness to drive a manual shift, as he stocks very few auto trans cars, and mostly larger ones.

Al

For me the reasons are far more simple.

It's easier to manually shift gear in a car with smaller engine than it is to do the same with a bigger one.

Cars in the US have bigger engines because of the greater distance to travel so by default they all ended up having automatics.

Have you ever tried to balance out a throttle on V8 5.4 litre engine against a manual clutch ?

The novelty wears out pretty quickly.

As for auto boxes being avoided after 100,000 miles maybe I should have added that in the UK we have less distance to drive and therefore a gearbox will wear out quicker because it's having to cope with more up and down shifts in shorter journey than in the US where the distance is greater and the vehicle will spend more time in top gear.
Also parts for automatic gearboxes in the UK tend to be pretty expensive as well.

Bill X

Me, I love manual transmissions, all my cars have been manuals.
I grew up on the East Coast in Pennsylvania, so snow driving was an annual tradition. A manual gives you better control in snowy conditions or for when you invariably get stuck in the drifts.
My first car was an old VW Beatle affectionately called 'the great pumpkin' for the orange paint scheme. Learned how to start it by 'popping the clutch' on a hill or with several friends to push it.
Try that with an automatic.

It's true that manuals are disappearing here. Some manufacturers (even Toyota) don't offer manuals on certain US model lines.
I put the disappearing manuals down to "American laziness" we did invent the 'lazy boy' chair and TV remotes after all. Many of my friends and colleagues never learned stick shift.

Owned one of these with a 5.8 liter V8 for two years and had no issues with manual shift in regular urban driving in all seasons, traffic and weather conditions.


Sold it in 1963 and got a 1959 TR-3. Thus began 42 years of open cockpit roadster ownership, all but one of which (Mazda MX-5) was a Brit car. The only vehicle make I have owned more years than Brit roadsters is Vespa.

Al

Proof that you are an optimist, Al.

The British roadster is a triumph of hope over experience for the natives, and yet we buy more convertible cars than any other nation in the world.

And we did make some nice roadsters, though most are now unfathomably rusty.

We had a Triumph Stag that gradually recycled itself on our drive.

Kate-

My stable included:

two TR-3s (59 & 61) Virtually indestructible engine
AH 3000
AH Sprite MK II (non-Frog Eye, but basic with side curtains)
Spitfire MK III (repainted it with WWII full camo, squadron marks and roundels on doors)
MGA
MGB GT (OK, so not open cockpit, but a great car - at least mine)
TR 4
TR 6

Typically more than one at a time, and none newer than 1969, so none of that emissions baggage to deal with. All were amazingly reliable, but then I did all my own maintenance and was meticulous about it. Other than the AH 3000, which I sold after only a year, I put over 150,000 miles on each of them, and over 200,000 on the Sprite and MGB. Yes, Lucas electrics could be difficult, but once you got the hang of them........

The TR-3's were money makers for me, because they had a hand crank backup starter. Would go skiing in upstate New York, and be able to start the car to provide jump starts to other drivers whose batteries couldn't deal with the cold, even if my battery was down. Couple of drops of ether in each carb, full choke and one twist of the crank and Bob's your mother's sibling. Charged half what the garages charged and paid for the ski weekend.

Ardy's first car was a 1959 Frog Eye Sprite, and if they weren't so damn expensive today, I'd get her one for here in a heart beat.

That said, I had the MX-5 (1991) for 9 years and loved it. Not the same as my Brit roadsters, but still an amazing car. Been thinking about getting one again. Ardy thinks we should buy one (or even a MK II Sprite) in the UK, where prices are reasonable and use it as an excuse to motor tour back to here.

Al

Apparently lots of Brit roadster enthusiasts say that a Mazda MX 5 still has that roadster spirit. I can imagine it would be fantastic to drive one across Europe.

You see a lot of them come the summer in West London, along with a few MGs dusted off.

Plus there is something very cool about being a girl taken out in a roadster - great memories of battering through country lanes at what seemed like top speed. Probably about 60 mph, but felt a lot faster. I should have been at school but did not regret skipping classes to hit the road instead.

The difference between the MG and the Mazda is that the Mazda will get you to your destination where as the MG probably won't
Especially if it's an MGF. And they are still making it now !

Subframe from a Austin Metro and a head gasket that fails as soon as you look at it.

And as for the Truimph Stag, what a great looking car but they had two engine options - the Jag MK2 V8 2.5 or the Rover V8 3.5 so what did they do ?
Make an all aluminium 3.0 V8 that welded itself together when it over heated,which it did often but when it was running it sounded glorious.

I once drove an Aston Martin pre Oscar India V8 with a ZF manual gearbox and it had a clutch like a truck. Truly awful.

Auto's 2.5 litre and above with the exception of diesels.

Bill X

The MX-5 was designed to have that Brit roadster spirit. Bob Hall, a prime member of the design team, and the one who first suggested an open cockpit car to Mazda's president, said that they even "auditioned" 103 different roadster and sports car exhaust sounds to determine what the car should sound like. Equal attention went into what it should look and feel like.

The MX-5 turned 20 this year, and in those 20 years, some 900,000 were sold. Not bad for a two seater.

Al

Then I had two unique MGs. I made numerous 1000+ mile trips in each without fail.

Al

I don't doubt that the MG'S that you've owned were solid and reliable but the MGF was a crock and I'd have a Mazda any day of the week given the choice.
Well that or an RS4.

At least when you break down in an Italian sportscar you break down with style.

Bill X

PS Does anyone know what quirk the Madxa RX8 has ? I'm not talking about the rotary engine. Well I am but in a roundabout way because it has an awful trait which not many people know about.

come on then bill, talk me out of buying a new mini cooper s (yes the audi A4 2litre sport is going....)

great idea, let me know what spec you're looking for and what price and i'll have a word with my friend who works for the local BMW/Mini dealership. Sell the Audi privately as you'll get far more cash.

Keep me posted and I'll do everything I can for you darling.

Many loves and kissies

Bill

shock horror

so you agree

i am surpised usually my ideas are borderline insanity

i must say i am fairly smitten with the cooper s, oh what a dream to own a JCW version..............

local dealer is "Cooper" in Norwich.........(as opposed to say "Lister" back at old home in King's Lynn)

would be nice to have the Cooper dealer sticker in the back window (although it's not THE cooper....)

maver
buy a classic Cooper S ... lush lush lush and so much fun to drive Tracy loves hers ..

spider i really would but the modern cooper s is borderline too small for my needs......... bit like why i ride a GTs and not a rally 200 i suppose

Another car hunter!

Bill - I went for a quick nosey at that Focus and gave it a preliminary checking over. No major causes for concern so far but I didn't take it for a spin just yet. Possibly tomorrow. Lovely interior: every object I could conceive of being heatable has an element.

Couple of wee bubbles of rust next to the wingmirrors and under the handle on the tailgate and slightly broken bits of trim at the bottom of each bumper. Oh, and a cracked lense on one of the front fogs. Seemed to start up fine under it's thick blanket of ice (which the heated windscreen made light work of) and no blue smoke. Couple of darker puffs at first but I think it's been sitting a wee while so I don't think that would be an issue.

Guys says he'll service it (which is just due, and incidentally it has been serviced at the same two garages way up in Aberdeenshire all it's days) but the timing belt would need done pretty much straight away. Still, the Alfa would have needed that anyway and we'd save a few quid on insurance so probably not a biggie.

So, plenty consideration to be given. My brother's in the area over the Festive period (haggler extraordinaire) and my Dad's thinking about changing his so we might make a lads day of it tomorrow.

I kind of wish I'd just gone crazy at the Classic Car Show and brought home a DeLorean or something. The better half would have actually loved that.

Seriously though Maver the Cooper is a lovely car so by all means go to your local dealership and see what they can do for you.

The build quality is superb and eventhough Mini is owned by the Germans the car is built in England albeit with alot of Europeon parts.

I could bore you with more details like Mach 1 new Minis used Chrysler engines because BMW didn't have a compact 4 cylinder engine that would fit and was ready.

Engines and chassis/floorpans are the most expensive parts of a car to build, research and develop so quite often car companies will buy proven units from other makers because it makes economic sense.

The later Mach 2's use Peugeot/Citroen diesels which isn't a bad thing.

Bill X

Stay away from the De Lorean. Renualt V6 Engine and a Lotus Esprit chassis but gutless. Iconic but rubbish.

Having said that I know of a guy that can supply them.

What's the mileage on the Ford ? I'm guessing it's around 60 or 80k if the cambelt needs changing.

Bill X

Aye a DMC would be hilarious the first time we showed it to anyone but I could see the joke wearing thin quick enough.

It's done around 98-99 thousand so far, serviced at all the right intervals judging by it's wee book. I'll need to double check the cambelt interval but I'm pretty sure that makes it due.

In many ways I think you guys across the pond have many more choices when it comes to cars. Especially small ones.
I love the minicoopers, I hate the price. I think that next year I shall get me a prius.

Please don't get a Prius. I have to have your permission as to why you shouldn't and I'll admit it's only a personal reason.

What would be your primary reason for buying one ?

J, look carefully for the cambelt change service stamp because if it hasn't had one I would be very careful.
I've had cambelt snap on a 1.8 diesel ford unit and it destroyed the top end of the engine.

I'm guessing being a ford the belt should be changed at 60k but I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

Bill X

Guzzles oil doesn't it?