Friend of mine has a lightweight Landie - fairly typical one, scruffy camo paintwork, canvas top and a Rover V8 in it.
At least one of the local chavvery has been heard to comment "Cor, you must really pull in that" (and he was serious).
South Wales valleys. But I've driven it in Wiltshire and had much the same response.
To be fair, though, BMW's do say something about their drivers. Unfortunately for them, what they say is "I'm a complete tosser", but the statement is certainly there.
Ian
Because they have huge advantages as well. Incidentally, I think the overwhelming majority of taxi's were ID's - all the benefits of that amazing suspension but without the other hydraulic complexities.
By the way, in case you'd missed it, I have and love a DS. In good fettle there is absolutely nothing like it ... but as they get older (mine may be the youngest surviving in the world!) they inevitably start to need more care. I've chosen to replace all my hydraulics gradually, so by the time I have done the suspension units, height correctors and return lines I hope she'll be pretty reliable.
Ian
I'm 6'4". My first car (still got her, mid restoration) was a 13/60 convertible. With the steering wheel suitably adjusted it's not too bad.
Ian
Removed and handlebars bolted onto the column?
£150?
Of course, you are quite right. It was far too simplistic a statement. "as a good secondhand Golf a few years old." In other words, having rustled up fifteen times as much money as I had ever had to spend on a car before, I thought I might as well get something interesting! And the only times I have regretted it is the two occasions on which I have found myself waiting for the AA on the hard shoulder of the M6 at night and in a big, expensive puddle of LHM.
Ian
Not quite. You use the adjustment to move it back about 2". Then you remove and refit the interior door release lever 90 degrees anticlockwise, so the normal position is 4 o'clock rather than 7 o'clock. (Do the equivalent on the passenger side for appearance's sake). Hey presto - a Herald which is only uncomfortable for someone tall.
Ian
All right I'll put in my reasons:
No seatbelts, no tax, no emissions testing, unreadable (by speed cameras) black and white number plates, something that can be fixed without a computer, something no-one else (in practical terms ) has or can get, transport that goes up in value not down, more exciting to drive at normal speeds, more skill needed to drive well, something to chat about, a free entry to shows etc. etc.
So what are the good reasons for owning something new?
mrcheerful
In news:Xns966B651CDF0AEadrianachapmanfreeis@204.153.244.170, Adrian decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows
I will be if my cars sell next week on ebay :-S
Could be an expensive few weeks coming up.
Thing uses truly unbelievable amounts of fuel, and this is a bloke who drives stretch limos for a living.
In news: snipped-for-privacy@pipex.net, David Lane decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows
Aye, I *did* have a decent rating until ebay cocked up my bank account and I refused to pay them. The id I'm using now is a result of that and a different credit card.
Aye, bastards like to drag out the pain.
£500 is bloody cheap for it really, I paid £675 for it 9 months ago, and I've spent £300 on it.
Can't quote figures, but when I was there some time in the seventies they all seemed to be DSs - black with white doors, as I recall. The ride from the airport was the first time I was in one - sure put the London taxi in its place. Maybe the Pugs were just not so noticeable.
Geoff MacK
"Geoff Mackenzie" realised it was Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:53:06 +0100 and decided it was time to write:
Ha! I was there in the seventies and from my recollection most, if not all taxis were pugs!
I have five boxes of slides (remember those?) from Paris in the attic, must have a look through them to check.
You may well be right - my memory of that period is a bit hazy....
Geoff MacK
Adjusting the seat runners to allow the seats back as far as you want is easy enough too as long as nobody's daft enough to want to sit in the back. Lengthwise I have no problem fitting in my Vitesse. Width is helped slightly by a smaller steering wheel, but still a bit snug for absolute comfort.
In a saloon, yes, or in a 1200 convertible. The thicker B-post and wider seats in a 13/60 convertible mean that there isn't much scope for doing this - or if you do, you wear holes in the seat and the paintwork. Been there, done that ...
Ian
Idi Amin had one as his "daily driver" in Uganda.
I just want to know _how_ !
Andy Dingley ( snipped-for-privacy@codesmiths.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Simple. By pouring large amounts of money at it. Just like anybody else.
Do you mean to say your seat backs are positioned forward of the B posts then? Blimey, you must be on friendly terms with your osteopath!
He must have been mad.
Oh.
Ian
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