Car Discussion Topic

[adrian007]

When I got my first car ( Ford Cortina Mk4) the term of lemon didn't apply it was more like a orchard it cost a fortune to keep it running I upgraded to a Nissan skyline which was a good little car made a fatal mistake though, the wife wanted to learn how to drive happy to say that after 30 years most of my scars have healed moved to Australia got a Datsun Cherry yeah I know yuck but it was the first car we could get, kept that for a couple of years until the wife got her driving licence here ( Automatic) then got a Mitsubishi Magna 16 valve that was a big beast though it chewed up the fuel wouldn't like to run one now though switched to KIA Rio and stayed with this make very cheap to run average rego AUD$500.
Like most people here am not a big fan of Automatics so used to manuals either as personal car or when I was a professional driver. Came across this today rofl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o90lMt3jpGc
Adrian

[KubaJAM]

Haha Adrian, my family used to have a Cortina MKIV too .

My Peugeot is not doing great lately, I've damaged it and now it has to go to back to the dealer for the second time this month.
Don't get a Peugeot if reliability is what you want.

So now I'm also in front of a choice: 2010 Volvo V70 or 2009 Toyota Avensis Wagon?

Definitely the Volvo, they are so dependable and very safe. The Toyota is getting old and worse with age, also a very boring car with nothing to offer against the opposition.

[kolarz105]

I see that everyone here drives a quite reasonable cars
So I bought myself a car that I always dreamed about.
Now I think that some of you guys will start to laugh(espiecially if you're from Germany).
In late 80's/early 90's whole western Europe was laughing of those cars, there were jokes about the typical drivers of those cars and now, 25 years later, prices are getting higher and higher.
So here it is - 1986 Opel Manta GSi



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYjKkRT7iNg

I'm going to completly restore this car with all the typical "must have" items in almost every Manta like fox tail on the mirror or the sportive Schroth seat belts
I have to admit - it isn't easy car to drive - there's no even an power steering, just the rear-wheel drive, 920kg of weight and 110HP(I think it's enough for such car ).

[KubaJAM]

Looks great! They seem a very alien car to me because they were never sold in the UK, and I know they were quite big in Australia if I remember rightly. I've always liked them, however, but the power-to-weight ratio of that car seems just about right!

[kolarz105]

Actually the Manta was available in Great Britain - it was the last model under the Opel brand in the UK.


And I have to say that Manta was very sucessful in British Rally Championship:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFGAnHEai5E (it starts from the 0:50)

[KubaJAM]

Interesting! I really understand why people like you enjoy cars like the Manta; it's a purist's car. No electronic control, just an engine, light chassis and natural power. I guess this is why people regard cars such as this, the Mazda MX-5, Lotus Elise and Vauxhall Astra GSi as classics. My family used to own a 1989 Vauxhall Astra SRi (model below GTE/ GSi) and we sold it in 2001. If we had kept it I'm sure it would probably be worth more than it was in 2001 .

[Dannu]

I myself hate Vauxhall cause they are Opels with right hand drive. MB FTW

[KubaJAM]

Well... exactly. We do drive on that side in the UK. Believe it or not Vauxhall has a much greater past than just being right-hand-drive versions of Opels .