Classic Estate Car - suggestions

The 240 is THE quintesential Estate car ... and hence a classic piece of design. Form following function.

Reply to
Mark W
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Seconded: goes well too.

J.

Reply to
JH

Trouble was the 240 series weren't nearly as good as the 144 particularly the early chrome bumper 144/145 long time favourite of the Margos and Gerries of the 1970s. Cold starting in partricularly seemed to be a problem on the poverty 240 models with a Zenith (Stromberg) CD carb.

Reply to
dilbert

The estate version didn't however have a huge load bay -- unlike the Fords and Rootes cars.

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Reply to
dilbert

JH spake the following on 30/01/04 21:06:

Thank you all for your suggestions.

After due consideration it will probably be a Triumph estate.

I'll go and pester the people on the Triumph club stand at the Bristol car show tomorrow.

Cheers

Peter

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
The Puffer Nutter

Nobody mentioned the major drawback as an estate for the Triumph is that the IRS limits the weight loading capacity. ISTR its about 2/3 of the volvo so no good for seriious antiques or humping bags of cement back form BnQ. Doesnt tow too brilliantly either for teh same reason. Very nice as a car though...if its just a home for the bike and or dog you'll be fine. My choice would be a W124 Merc....bullet proof. Jonners.

Reply to
Jon Tilson

Yes. A workmate had a 5 cylinder auto which went like stink. Pretty rare car, though, I'd say.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Someone I had worked with had owned the same Volvo 240 for 12 years. His assessment was a car that doesn't do anything particularly badly, nor anything particularly well.

But he has had it for a long time and hasn't had trouble getting it through MOTs, so the reliability is there, if that is what you want.

But personally, I would still get a Triumph!

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

In article , Dave Plowman writes

Mine's the 5-cylinder injection manual. It's a far nicer car to drive than the one that replaced it.

It's up for grabs, BTW, for spares or repair. Nothing really major wrong with it, but it needs welding and I can't be bothered. If nobody wants it I'll probably take it to the scrappy later this month.

Reply to
Robert Pearce

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 21:49:59 +0000, Timo Geusch wrote: Volvo 145?

ah! still, my heart! but you will need the overdrive box.... NGB

Reply to
No Good Boyo

Well nearly! The rear suspension on the estate version is an achilles heel, as most estates get worked hard. The suspension is hydraulic self-levelling, the shock absorber spheres tend to go and weigh in at £135 each.

Reply to
Chris Bolus

: Someone I had worked with had owned the same Volvo 240 for 12 years. His : assessment was a car that doesn't do anything particularly badly, nor : anything particularly well.

I used to borrow a 245 (originally the estate: 2 door, 4 cylinder, 5 door) occasionally. Lovely solid great barge, but within ten minutes of getting in I'd be driving at thirty down the middle of the road, happy in my invulnerability. Volvos make Volvo drivers.

Ian

Reply to
Ian Johnston

: After due consideration it will probably be a Triumph estate.

I've just agreed to buy a Reliant Rebel estate. Do classic estates come smaller?

Ian

Reply to
Ian Johnston

That is an interesting observation! Up until now, I have always thought the logic worked the other way round - if you know that you are not a good driver, the best thing to be surrounded by would be a Volvo. That logic would also explain why a lot of people dropping their offspring at the school gates arrive in a 4x4.

Reply to
Jim Warren

: That logic : would also explain why a lot of people dropping their offspring at the : school gates arrive in a 4x4.

There do seem to be an awful lot of small, nervous looking people driving stupidly big cars very badly. The irony is that improving their driving skills would do a heck of a lot more for the kids' safety ...

Ian

Reply to
Ian Johnston

I made the mistake of buying one for my Mum a few years back and can confirm this. I can also add that a bad Volvo is a seriously awful car. That particular 245 injection estate was truly horrendous, easily the worst car I've ever bought and that's really saying something. If you must buy a 240 series, pay a little more and get a decent one rather than a cheap one with a few problems that you think you can sort out. (True of many cars, I know, but that one took the biscuit.)

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Robert Pearce spake the following on 01/02/04 15:27:

Rob,

Sorry for going via the newsgroup but I'm having great trouble getting an e-mail through to you.

Can you contact me on snipped-for-privacy@puffer-nutter.co.uk about your Passat.

Thanks

Peter

Reply to
The Puffer Nutter

Ian Johnston ( snipped-for-privacy@talk21.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Fiat 500 Giardineria?

Reply to
Adrian

In news:Xns948ADF673BFB4adrianachapmanfreeis@130.133.1.17, Adrian decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Heh!

There's a Reliant Rebel floating around the outskirts of Formby with a very nicely fitted 4.6 Rover motor in it. Very nicely done, very standard lookin,

*VERY* f*ck!n quick!
Reply to
Pete M

Pete M ( snipped-for-privacy@blue-nopressedmeat-yonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

*VERY* f*ck!n scary, too, I'd think....
Reply to
Adrian

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