looking at getting a Lotus Exel, about a B plate

Autoboxes won't change midway through a bend, not normally anyway, because they respond nicely to your accelerator. You toe it a bit to make it kick down before the bend, hold the revs through the bend, then lift off a little afterwards to change back up.

I like to "drive" a car, I like to push them a bit and throw them about. And I like autos, I have three currently. They are great to drive. That shouldn't be a worry.

Chris Bolus ( snipped-for-privacy@RILEYELFb0lus.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

There's also the manual selector, of course.

It's more a question of how well a v8 Excel's been converted, I'd s'pose.

The message from "Jules" contains these words:

a) They rarely do change at awkward moments - you have a lot more control over an automatic than the name suggests, by using the gas pedal and a bit of practice.

b) On a good autobox it'll not matter anyway 'cos the changes are so smooth.

thanks, i like to be in the right gear when i want then power through a bend, i wasnt so much worried about the exit, just the entrance to a bend, i didnt want it to shift down and transfer the weight to the front as i went into a bend.

last time i drove a rover V8 engined thing was a mk3 or 4 cortina 15 years ago, but not under agressive driving but i do remember a volvo 440 auto thing that changed halfway round a roundabout and i hated it. It changed too early for my liking and wished it had gone longer

I just rememberd i have to drive to the very East of Germany a couple of times this year, so thinking of the v8 option may not be a good idea...as thats the reason im getting rid of my other car.

I thought that was for towing.

Looked nice on ebay, seemed a proper conversion

The message from "Jules" contains these words:

It's for locking it in a lower gear - for whatever purpose you choose.

Jules ( snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No. It's for manually selecting a lower range of gears. For whatever reason.

A terrifying combination of words...

Well the 2 on ebay.....ones now been pulled and the other now says bad gearbox.....

I have been looking at BMW's now, never had one, something like a 5 or 7 series with a largish engine. 99% seem to be auto's. Seem to be cheap and just in my price range, and a lot of full FSH and only about 140k on the clock. I must have something RWD.

The message from "Jules" contains these words:

Must?

Just as well really,

LOTUS = Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious ;-)

thats seemed about right from what i gatherd, i just like older RWD cars that are a bit differant, hate modern cars or FWD.

It seemed timing belts and engine rebuilds on Lotus's were common problems, ouch

Now looking at a getting a BMW, 5-7 series. never had one before. I need something cheap but ok, seems 150k with fsh isnt a problem, seen many old Toyotas do that easy. quite a few on ebay.

I have about 800 at the max.....seen a really nice looking oldish 518 but i think a 1.8 is way underpowerd(unless anyone knows here differant) for a 5 series car. Saw a nice 750!!!! Ins for a 518 and a 750 is 100quid dufferance......

yes, no 2 ways about it

Good plan. I did that for a while, buying old fast RWD cars. Nice when you get old enough to get cheap insurance on the cars you lusted after as a teenager...

Had a Carlton GSi (3.0, 24V, 204bhp) and a Supra (3.0, 24V, 204bhp!). Both about 22mpg, both excellent fun, although I have to say the Carlton was more fun to drive, far more useful cargo and passengerwise and except for the very harshest cornering handled equally well.

If I was doing low miles again I'd have the Carlton no question.

As it is I've got a 2.0 Mondeo. 'Which is nice'.