Be Excellent To Each Other

Looks like it went to GazChap, then?

Yup... does anyone want an MR2 Turbo or a Corolla T-Sport?

Yes both please. Oh you want monies? oh...

Don't worry grim... This is gazchap, he'll be selling it in a few months, just in time for when you are looking

More than likely.

Thinking of trading the Scooby on rather than spend the wedge of cash on it that it's going to need in the next 6 months or so.

Will probably have to put in about £800 or so to make up the difference between what the Scooby is worth and what I owe on it, but I'm gonna have to spend more than that to keep it on the road anyway.

Local dealer has a nice Audi A4 in, 3 litre turbodiesel quattro in SE trim - exactly the sort of car I feel like relaxing into now that I'm getting to be a bit of a fat old cunt.

Still not decided, if I spend the money that the Scooby needs, I really would have to keep it until it dies basically - and I'm not sure I want to be chavving around in a fucking Impreza STi when I hit 40

Looks nice, although I'm not sure I could ever "do" an Audi, they all look the bloody same. Also, is the paint shafted on the bonnet in that frontal picture, or is it just a bad picture/reflection or something? Looks all splotchy.

Also, the Corolla is now on eBay! Deep down, I know that the effort I put into my listings probably isn't rewarded as the majority of mouthbreathers on eBay probably couldn't give a shit what the listing looks like, but what the hell, it whiles away a Sunday afternoon.

There are a few other pics of it and it seems to look the same in all of them, I think it was drying off from a wash/shower, I'll take a closer look at it next time I see it, as I'll probably take it out for a test drive sometime next week.



That's a nice 'practical but fun' car, would probably make a lot more sense than the Audi for my needs

I'm the same, I put more effort into my listings than strictly necessary, but the way I see it, in a toss up between two cars, I would always go for the one with the better write-up, as I buy from the owner rather than the car as such.
Like you say though, how much of a difference it makes to the average ebay idiot, i'm not too sure. Ebay is a weird place, cars on ebay are mainly overpriced in the classifieds, or never hit their reserve in a straight auction, yet occasionally there is a gem on there. However, you do get much more information than Autotrader in the main, and surprisingly you have to wade through a lot less outright shit on ebay. AT is full of cheap crap I find.

My search for a Clio DCi is proving interesting, it seems every car has been dented to shit when you look at the photos, but is described as pristine in the advert. Prices are absolutely all over the place too.

I know, perfect!

I'm going to be putting my Audi A3 up for sale pretty soon - just need the time to give it a damn good clean and take some photos. Don't suppose anyone here would be interested in a S-reg Audi A3 1.8 T-Sport would they, with just under 130,000 miles on the clock? I can vouch for it being an awesome little car, for what it's worth. Thinking of advertising it at around the £1,500 mark - maybe a little lower.

The only reason I'm selling it is I now have my new job and they are providing me with a car, so the Audi is just going to be gathering dust (although I need to take her out for a spin or two soon... she's an awesome little car and will be sorely missed!). I'm told my company car will be a brand new Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 diesel, though it hasn't even been ordered yet so work have provided me with a hire car. Since the hire car is a BMW 120d M-Sport, I have told them not to rush themselves in ordering my actual car.

Ooh, has it got the HUD?

Oooh indeed, do you get to choose any options? Park assist, traffic sign reading etc...
To be brutally honest, the Focus is probably the better car out of the two if you are getting the 2.0l diesel, not sure on the 1.6 though, so don't worry too much about losing the 1 Series.

Alas, I'll be getting the 1.6l Focus. My boss apparently tried to get me the 2l due to the commute I do, but it looks like that's been turned down - a 2.0l Focus (or Mondeo) are for management-level employees. No idea what toys it'll have or what I can or can't order as my boss hasn't even started the process of getting me it from what I'm told.

The Beemer is properly nice, but the only toys are bluetooth and parking sensors. It's an amazing car to drive though, quick and handles amazingly. The only problem is that the damn thing has to go back to Avis in 500-miles time (ie, by Friday at this rate) for a service. I'm hoping I'll get a similarily banded car in return, but my work told me the only stipulation they make to Avis for a hire car is that it must have a diesel engine, so it could really be anything. If it's shit, my boss is getting hounded to order my Focus!

The 1.6 is a bit (lot) weedy. I remembered diesels having lots of torque at low revs - it disagrees.

It is being unfairly compared to a 2.5 petrol turbo and a 3.9 V8 automatic, though.

Hence why I've been so happy with the Beemer. It's actually the first diesel I've ever driven myself and it took me a few days to get used to pulling away in it with all that torque at low revs - to begin with I would kangaroo down the road like a learner driver on his first lesson. It needs a much more gentle right foot than I'm used to - for the first couple of days I found myself riding the clutch almost all the way up to third gear to stop myself from constantly lurching forward.

My girlfriend, who drives other people's cars all day for a living, found the whole thing hilarious.

Is she one of those scooter-taxi guys chicks?

Professional car thief.

No, she's an administrator at an accident repair centre and occasionally has to make drop-offs and deliveries when all their other drivers are out / there's a particularly nice car that needs delivering.

Just phoned up to get a quote to put Sam on my car insurance.

£8507.71

I had to get him to repeat it again as I didn't think I'd heard him right!

Is your car a tank or an F1 car or an ocean liner or something?

Are you sure you didn't try and put him on Cavey's car insurance?

Insurance is stupid - I got a week free with Aviva when I got the twingo - 1700 they wanted to continue it, double what the m3 was costing. There were plenty on the comparison sites that wanted well over a gran too. Yet here I am paying under 350 with axa.

Yes. Local brokers (Motaquote) managed £1500, my renewal quote is £655.

I knew insurance prices were getting ridiculous, but fuck.

What do you think I'd be able to insure for a step-brother?

Um... How old is he?

[edit]Although either way, the answer is to strip a car down to its bones and build it into something else. Insurance on kit cars from specialists is dirt cheap (and not just for Land Rovers - I've got a mate with a beach buggy (which was a Beetle once) and a mate with a... Er... Well, something else. Not sure what it's called actually. It's like a pretend Morgan).

I don't get it!?

I know right? I think the guy I was talking to must have got something very wrong somewhere. It's just an 03 reg 1.6 Stilo.

I fear I have missed a joke.

Bik was quoted over a 'gran'.

Got you.

Seriously thinking about chopping in the Speed Triple and Bonneville for one of these, pretty much as pictured in black, but also with loud pipes and Stage 1 tune (airboxes etc.):

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_GB/Mo ... uscle.html

Sure, it won't be able to scratch like the Triple (or probably even the Bonnie, which is surprisingly capable), but running/insuring/taxing two bikes is proving to be financial folly, I don't use either of them enough to justify the expense, plus I'm an old bastard who's a bit past it for the lairy stuff anyway. I've always loved the idea of a Harley and the 'Rod is by far the best handling, braking and all-round fastest of the bunch. The engine was designed by Porsche apparently, and even in stock tune the behemoth can still pull a 3.5 sec 0-60 time out of the bag, so it'll smoke pretty much any car at the lights, in the dry.

Any thoughts please guys?

I don't particularly like Harleys, but bloody Hell that's lovely.

That does look really nice. But a bit streetfightery for you, at your age you should get one of the ones with more tassels.

Cheers mate, I think so too and I know what you mean about Harleys. I don't doubt it's not as nice to ride as it is to look at though, so I'm sorting a test ride asap.

I am lusting over this though, which is normally a sure-fire sign that I'm doing it regardless


@Mark - Meh. Well, I'm "only" 44 mate and pretty fit and fairly muscular, even these days - not 60. On the other hand, as you know, I don't care what others may think in that regard anyway; if I did, I wouldn't be driving what some perceive as the hairdresser Porsche or wear the shit, scruffy old clothes that I'm in for much of the time, come to that. Harleys with tassles just aren't my thing; even a Harley, for me, must handle.

I'm not sure of big fuckers like Harleys for European roads. Little roundabouts especially you'll be scraping something, guaranteed. I remember sitting on an Intruder in a dealer and just couldn't imagine it easily getting around some of the corners I know around here. I suppose it would just take some getting used to, getting just the right positioning to turn (the Intruder is lonngggg)

They're made to cruise, do you go on lots of long trips? There's also a lot of debate about the build quality - some say they're great and robust and put up with anything, others say they turn to rust without meticulous, constant care. I think they're the most divisive brand in the biking community, plus if you sell a Triumph you'll make Fonzie cry.

That's a nice looking bike.

D'oh! Cavey, Old Man afterthought pciked up his Bonneville yesterday.. he had a HD Sportster and it was an absolute hoot to ride, absolutely nothing like a motorbike, more a mobile noise machine.

Right. Enjoy your new bike!

Yeah, all fair points mate, but the kind of trips that I'll likely be making on it will either be gentle 2-up affairs to the country pub with Mrs Caveman on pillion, or much longer trips to Silverstone etc. (motorways) with mates to watch BSB and the like. So I'm thinking it'll probably be fine for that kind of stuff.

I hear you on build quality as well, but there again I doubt I'll do more than 1500 miles a year, the bike will never see a winter or even a drop of rain, it'll be garaged, polished and all the rest - so should be OK?

It would be perfect for that sort of stuff, as I ride mostly to commute my worries are different. But never a drop of rain? This is Britain, man. The weather will change at the drop of a fucking hat, usually to rain or (if it's already raining) a heavier type of rain. Shares in Autosol have already gone up pending your decision

Still, with the missus on the back, stage 1 noise and a straight motorway it'll be awesome.

Harley's do look nice but I always find the build quality wanting, so have a good luck before taking the plunge. In other news it appears that Audi have bought Ducati!

Oh, it's Audi? The subtitles on the BBC last night couldn't quite spell Volkswagen and several attempts at fixing it - "folks" being one of the words - didn't leave time to say Audi.

Does this mean Ducati is now going to make bikes in 125cc, 200cc, 250cc, 400cc, 500cc, 600cc, 650cc, 900cc and 1100cc, all looking almost exactly the same?

That bike is gorgeous Cavey, sexy as anything.

I'm going to tell Olivia Wilde you said that.

Yeah, I know what you mean about build quality mate, let's hope I don't get a 'Friday afternoon special'. That said though, I think HD have got much better in recent years, especially for their larger offerings (the 883 Sportster and the like has always been ropey, I will admit. Horrible sand castings etc. IIRC). At least this bike features proper, outsourced Brembo brakes - another HD bugbear - and this water-cooled Porsche mill has a good rep as well.

Like I say though, it's not as though the bike is going to have to do any major work; 99% of the time it'll only be called upon as a Summer Sunday afternoon pootler. So unless it's a total hound, I'm thinking (hoping) I should be OK, and if not, well, it's under warranty I guess.

Thanks sweetheart, kind of you to say so.
I love it too.

Well, VAG is the parent group of which VW is the largest part, but I think there's a brand alignment with Audi as the prestige end that will benefit most from the association and vice versa.

Considering what Audi did with Lamborghini, I suspect it'll be build quality improvement first then followed by model diversification. If I were a betting man, I'd suggest some adventure style RG1200S equivalent first, seeing as those models are proving increasingly popular!?