Medium size cars are now called Large cars

Yup. I've had both, and the E34 is *far* superior. Safe handling too. Of course that decent rear suspension comes at a price - much smaller boot and rear leg room.

been doing the rounds in an FSi 2.0 TDi thing lately f*ck me is it quick!!!! but the steering is too wooly and the brakes seem to be very nervous when you want to stop in a hurry handles like a dream and rides the bumps like they wern't there, and the cornering turn in is "crisp" but the steering lets it down because you have no idea where you are going it's lke trying to steer a blamonge :(

In news: snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk, Dave Plowman (News) decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

I've had both as well, an E28 528i and 535i, and an E34 520i and 535i.

IMHO the E34 feels a lot heavier and a fair bit more remote.

The E39 is the same again, more remote and heavier feeling than the E34..

My ol' Merc feels somewhere in between the E34 and E39, but feels a lot more secure at speed than either. Nowhere near as much fun as my old 535 though. Just a shitload better built.

In news:cntr0u$a7e$ snipped-for-privacy@news7.svr.pol.co.uk, dojj decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

indeed. I've also driven the FSi and the TDi Golfs.

The 1.4 is frustratingly slow, and appalingly built. The number of FSi Mk5 Golfs we had that broke constantly was startling.

TDi ones are a lot quicker, but a lot heavier at the front. It's like trying to swing an anvil off line.

I quite like the looks. The later wide grill version looking nicer IMO than earlier narrow ones. Is there a proper name, mark, etc, to distinguish E34's with different rad grills? Mike.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de, Mike G decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Not as far as I know, it's just a late E34. I think all the V8s had the wide grille though. No doubt DP will correct me...

Have a look at

Heh heh. The only V-8s I'm interested in aren't BMW...

In news: snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk, Dave Plowman (News) decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

It's a shame BMW couldn't get the steering right on the E34 / E39 V8s. The engines sound superb, work well, and aren't /that/ thirsty considering

I still prefer a really nice TP Vitesse to 'em though..

One day I'll get another SD1 Vitesse. I *really* miss my old one.

Hehe. Gloat. I've already got one. A silver 1985. Mike.

In news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de, Mike G decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Ooooh, you bastard!

IMHO, it was semi-deliberate to keep it for the E39 V-8 for the US market which is its biggest.

The E39s seem to have a lot more issues than the sixes, although not all strictly engine related.

I'll not get rid of mine until it breaks in two. ;-)

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Couldn't agree more - different model, but my wife's Mk3 1.6 CL was a truly awful car - bugger all feedback from the road, wallowy handling and listless engine to boot. My 1970 Triumph 2.5pi outperformed it in every way aside from mpg ;-)

FSi TDi??? I thought FSi was the name for their "revolutionary" (*cough* bollocks *cough*) petrol engine technology, and nowt to do with the diesels.

Peter

-- "Diamonds are what I really need - think I'll rob a store, escape the law, and live in Italy. Lately, my luck has been so bad, you know the roulette wheel, it's a crooked deal, I'm losing all I had."

They were classified as "Superminis".

Regards,

Mark.

Yes, but isnt the Mondeo now as large as the old Grannies?

well, the rev counter said it was only going to show 4500 rpm before it turned to red so i'm pretty sure it was a diesel :) but it had an FSi thing on the boot that and the diesel rattle sort of gave the oil burner engine away :)

Audi A4.. compact? You've got to be kidding me!