What car do you drive and would you recommend it?

markblack · August 2016

I have a 2000 BMW E39 530D - best car I've ever had. I think about flogging it and getting something newer, but can't find a reason to. Persuaded my mate to buy one and he's the same - and he has a few more quid than me, could buy anything upto £40k but can't bear to part with it.

Axe_meister · August 2016

Best car I have ever driven is a v8 Vantage. I wish I could try the v12

57Deluxe · August 2016

61 plater Mini Cooper is such a great car to drive. Getting your weekend Shopping in the boot is is a bit like playing Tetris though...

I am however dismayed at the newer models with ugly body extensions and placky interiors

Mick · August 2016

Ford Focus + Ford Mondeo + Volvo = Volvo V50.

Stevepage · August 2016

^ I was looking at the V50 when I was last car hunting. Nice looking car and the interior was decent. However the boot looked awkward/small. Ended up with the Mondeo estate instead.

RaymondLin · August 2016

I have a Volvo C30 T5. To sum it up, it is a Ford Focus ST in a nicer dress. Seats 4, amazing comfortable seats. Leather, it is quiet on the road for a car this size.

It is also deceptively quick, and you don't see many of this on the road. I've not seen another T5 in the 6 months I've had mine.

andy1839 · August 2016

Jag XF
Seat Leon Cupra 290 DSG
BMW Z4M Coupe
Honda Blackbird for when the sun comes out.

All of of them drive brilliantly.

chrispy108 · August 2016

Pretty happy with my Focus Estate. Love the 2.0TDCI, and it's a really good size, loads of boot space and the squarer rear doors (than the hatchback) make getting the kid in and out much easier.

thisisguitar · August 2016

markblack said:

I have a 2000 BMW E39 530D - best car I've ever had. I think about flogging it and getting something newer, but can't find a reason to. Persuaded my mate to buy one and he's the same - and he has a few more quid than me, could buy anything upto £40k but can't bear to part with it.

I had an E39 with the 2.5l petrol engine, was a fabulous car. I'd happily have another (though with a bigger engine).

thisisguitar · August 2016

Had a Mk2 TT for over a year now, it's genuinely fast and a lot of fun to drive. Plus I love the way it looks. It'll also take a pair of 2x12 cabs, a pair of full size heads, a pedaltrain pro and one hard cased and one soft cased guitar. Oh, and my singer... http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa183/lyndos/IMG_4100.png
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa183/lyndos/IMG_4130.jpg

cm01 · August 2016

This...

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll84/cm00001/Mobile Uploads/image_257.jpg

...great car, super practical (7 seater) but also handles well and goes like stink! (4.0L V6)

ToneControl · August 2016

Roland said:

Jez6345789 said:

My best car ever was my 2004 mondo lx ... I now run an E Class which I thought was a real old mans car I am that these days but it eats the miles and is super easy to drive and has been solid and easy on juice amazing engine fuel consumption for a big car

My best ever car was a 4.0 Jaguar Sovereign which I picked up as a distressed purchase from a colleague. It was a like a family sized sports car. It could take a five piece band, plus my own equipment in the boot, and still burn off normal sports cars at the lights. Even better, the air con would take it from 30+ to 20.5C in the time it takes to leave the pub car park. The ride was so smooth that it ignored sleeping policeman as if it was a hovercraft. Join the autoroute at Nice, engage cruise, and get out at Calais ready for dinner. It never lost traction, even on ice. Point the bonnet and the rest of the car always followed, any corner, any speed. Many people asked me what the top speed was, but I never found enough road to find out. Unfortunately the engine started to come loose after 11 years and 196,000 miles. Would I recommend it? If you want speed and comfort and don't mind 26mpg max then yes, but they don't make them any more.

I had a 3.6 Daimler sovereign, basically the same spec I think, they went to 4.0 to compensate for adding the catalytic converter.
I think the main differences were £5k or so extra fancy interior, plus a limited slip diff

It was great fun, especially with having long hair. People always assumed it was a slow old man's car, so they would move into the right hand lane at the lights. As you say, I can't recall anyone keeping up at the lights, I used to give them a head start.

I had a crack in the cylinder head that gradually got worse, blew a valve. At one stage I got much better mpg, and found it was effectively caused by water injection, which is a trick they used in Spitfires:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_injection_(engine)

I assume the water blew the valve when I was going up the steep climb on the M62 into the peak district

goldtop · August 2016

thisisguitar said:

Had a Mk2 TT for over a year now, it's genuinely fast and a lot of fun to drive. Plus I love the way it looks. It'll also take a pair of 2x12 cabs, a pair of full size heads, a pedaltrain pro and one hard cased and one soft cased guitar. Oh, and my singer... http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa183/lyndos/IMG_4100.png
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa183/lyndos/IMG_4130.jpg

wow - that's impressive. Had no idea. But please don't ever do an emergency stop! :-o

My daily driver is an old LS400 with over 118000m on the clock and still wearing it well. And yes I would recommend it, despite the 4l V8 (gets 19mpg worse case and 30mpg on a cruise).

The fun car (almost sold now) is another Japanese car from the era when they came up with so much great stuff (GTR, MX5, Evo, WRX, etc). :

Image: http://www.firstmail.com/misc/p111atunit1s.jpg

The replacement (in storage and not yet recommissioned) is a different story:

White knuckle ride. Trying to find the right moment to tell the Other Half what I've done...

Sporky · August 2016

The NSX is nice, but the Stratos is a Stratos. Very nice.

thisisguitar · August 2016

@goldtop - Dude, there are some very nice choices. The NSX is a fabulous thing... but then a Stratos!! Super jealous :-)

goldtop · August 2016

Stratos is (of course) a replica. Slightly affordable.

On topic - it is not a car I would recommend. Cabin is stiflingly hot on average Summer days, you can hardly see anything behind, it's a bit lively, and ironically seems to be thinking of sneaky ways to kill you. No ABS, no power steering, no traction control, no heater, no radio, and I lack the cojones of those '70s rally drivers.

If I hadn't fallen for the Stratos' shape when I was a kid (despite it being one of the worst Top Trump cards to get), there'd be no chance I'd have one. NSX is more 'me', to be honest.

sinbaadi · August 2016

NSX's are becoming very expensive, even the autos. Major envy from me!

thisisguitar · August 2016

@goldtop - I can imagine it being a major handful. NSX is sublime though, a proper benchmark car... as Gordon Murray will attest.

therose789 · August 2016

I have a 2010 Polo at the moment, its not particularly exciting but its comfortable to drive and I can fit all my gear (and child) in! It drives well and does reasonable for fuel.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

What car do you drive and would you recommend it?

Comments