Cars for Bassplayers

[Protium]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1356651678' post='1912168']
Why would an A6 be any more of a target for thieves than an A4, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport or Porsche Cayenne? Or even what I currently have? Am I missing something?

CB
[/quote]

The A6 [i]Avant[/i] fits an ATM quite nicely in the back

A friend of mine had his stolen a while ago, one of the big diesels. The guy who took it was part of a gang who were into stealing entire ATMs... Save faffing at the scene and just crack them later. The Avant is ideal because it's fast and handles better than a transit van

Edited December 28, 2012 by Protium

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1356709213' post='1912757']
The A6 [i]Avant[/i] fits an ATM quite nicely in the back

A friend of mine had his stolen a while ago, one of the big diesels. The guy who took it was part of a gang who were into stealing entire ATMs... Save faffing at the scene and just crack them later. The Avant is ideal because it's fast and handles better than a transit van
[/quote]

There was a lot of that going on around here for a short while. They would generally steal a big digger from a nearby construction site, haul the ATM out of it's mountings (most ATMs here are completely cased in in their own little brick shelter), throw it on the back of a lorry or flatbed transit, and take it to a shed somewhere nearby. Don't know if they ever actually caught anyone for it.

[JTUK]

In terms of styling the Japs get it so wrong 99% of the time, but every now and then they luck out IMV..
The Germans do the top end really well where everything JUST IS.....and they have fine engines..
but the Japs lose nothing to them in terms of engineering with the Germans just shading it in the overall package.
IMO.
So sure, a Jap car isn't a German car but it probably beats everything else bar the finest..

RE 4x4 and AWD, most Chelsea tractors can make a decent stab at a few tricky driving issues, but they are raod going cars which
are an all round joy to drive.... and you would have to be a saint to put up with one or two REAL 4x4's on the road for any lenght of time.

Pick your compromise motoring style..

[cloudburst]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1356713068' post='1912841']
In terms of styling the Japs get it so wrong 99% of the time, but every now and then they luck out IMV..
The Germans do the top end really well where everything JUST IS.....and they have fine engines..
but the Japs lose nothing to them in terms of engineering with the Germans just shading it in the overall package.
IMO.
So sure, a Jap car isn't a German car but it probably beats everything else bar the finest..

RE 4x4 and AWD, most Chelsea tractors can make a decent stab at a few tricky driving issues, but they are raod going cars which
are an all round joy to drive.... and you would have to be a saint to put up with one or two REAL 4x4's on the road for any lenght of time.

Pick your compromise motoring style..
[/quote]

Agreed - I have owned 3 Defenders over the years. I've driven more comfortable ride-on lawnmowers TBH. The only things I can remember being more uncomfortable was my old VW splittie and falling head-first into a bramble bush. The newer model Jeep Wrangler is great though. Really easy to live with.

Jap cars' looks would turn milk sour. So I, being a bit shallow, will avoid.

CB

Edited December 28, 2012 by cloudburst

[cloudburst]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1356710032' post='1912771']
There was a lot of that going on around here for a short while. They would generally steal a big digger from a nearby construction site, haul the ATM out of it's mountings (most ATMs here are completely cased in in their own little brick shelter), throw it on the back of a lorry or flatbed transit, and take it to a shed somewhere nearby. Don't know if they ever actually caught anyone for it.
[/quote]

They did. I believe one of the first recorded incidents was in Ballyholme, Northern Ireland where I grew up.

I was going to work one day, and never having heard of such an incident, got a hell of a laugh from seeing the hole in the bank, seeing the digger nearby and putting 2 and 2 together. :-)

The thieves were caught scratching their heads, sitting around the unopened ATM, in the middle of a field 5 miles away.

Professionals :-)

CB

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1356715390' post='1912895']
They did. I believe one of the first recorded incidents was in Ballyholme, Northern Ireland where I grew up.

I was going to work one day, and never having heard of such an incident, got a hell of a laugh from seeing the hole in the bank, seeing the digger nearby and putting 2 and 2 together. :-)

The thieves were caught scratching their heads, sitting around the unopened ATM, in the middle of a field 5 miles away.

Professionals :-)

CB
[/quote]

Oh right, haha! i can imagine that they had a good plan for actually stealing the ATM, but hadn't thought enough beyond that. Standing in the middle of a field like, c'mon, you're in plain view of anybody!

[bassmachine2112]

Saab 9/3 hatchback with a 2.2 diesel and 160,000 miles on it.
Massive boot and huge with seats down or split the rear seats.
Good on fuel and comfy seats,got mine cheap as chips due to mileage.
Next one will be Saab 9/5 estate in diesel but wont be for a good few years.
A good tip I got was park next to a bmw or suchlike and your chances of it getting stolen are considerably reduced.
Volvo is good as well,.V70 with the D5 engine would be good.

[Fettsman]

My Mark 3 Mondeo estate (along with previous hatchbacks) takes a large bass cass width ways with ease, I had a VW mark 4 golf estate and whilst the boot was cavernous it was a few inches narrower so the basses travelled on the back seat on view.
Also Mondeo TDCi more than capable of 50+ to the gallon if you don't drive like an idiot!

Edited December 29, 2012 by Fettsman

[cloudburst]

Just to re-re-re-re-iterate :-) - needs to be 4wd. And not a cinquecento etc.

CB

[ern500evo]

If you're not planning to go off road then an Audi RS4 or 6. Either way, to fit 3 cases in you'd need to drop a seat so unless you need the extra rear leg room of the 6, an RS4 would be ideal. Having said that, a friend of mine has an S8 with that V10 engine which they now use in the RS6 and its a beast of an engine( it sounds incredible!). If a diesel is what you're after, at my old job we used to use the boss's V10 TDi Touraeg for pulling loaded trailers. That car has some serious grunt, and was very nice to drive. The looks aren't to everyone's taste but I thought it was a very nice car.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1356778655' post='1913441']
Having said that, a friend of mine has an S8 with that V10 engine which they now use in the RS6 and its a beast of an engine( it sounds incredible!).
[/quote]

I bet that's one hell of a car!

[Gust0o]

... but then it should be, as it's £78,200 OTR!

Nice though. I need to get promoted. And promoted. And promoted...

[ern500evo]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1356812713' post='1913973']


I bet that's one hell of a car!
[/quote]
The S8 is superb, had the pleasure of driving it a few times. It feels like a luxury, elegant cruiser until you floor it, then all hell lets loose!

[dmccombe7]

What about Fords new pick up 4x4 which looks pretty sh*t hot. ?
Get it with the truck cab on back and you can do house removals in spare time.
A proper off-roader too when it snows or gigs in the Outbacks of Scotland - LOL

2nd hand Ford Explorer
Large Chevy Blazer type 4x4 ? don't know the model
Unimog -
Bedford TK fully refurbished at circa £6k - huge load space and 4x4.

I've always found the German cars a bit plain inside and recently not as reliable as they claim to be. I've had 3 Mini Coopers incl current S which have had several electrical faults incl CPU, solenoids, elec windows, faulty connector plugs, burned-out elec steering pump, and my Merc CLS which was great to drive and 0-60 in 6.7 secs was a monster car and loved it but regular trouble with tracking and going thru rear tyres in 9mths circa 10k miles costing £250 a piece wasn't so great.
BMW's had same issues with elec faults and general niggly faults. Don't really get that with the JAP 4x4's these days.
Maybe worth considering that Germans aint what they used to be in the reliabilty stakes.

Dave


Dave

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1356879209' post='1914609']
What about Fords new pick up 4x4 which looks pretty sh*t hot. ?
Get it with the truck cab on back and you can do house removals in spare time.
A proper off-roader too when it snows or gigs in the Outbacks of Scotland - LOL

2nd hand Ford Explorer
Large Chevy Blazer type 4x4 ? don't know the model
Unimog -
Bedford TK fully refurbished at circa £6k - huge load space and 4x4.

I've always found the German cars a bit plain inside and recently not as reliable as they claim to be. I've had 3 Mini Coopers incl current S which have had several electrical faults incl CPU, solenoids, elec windows, faulty connector plugs, burned-out elec steering pump, and my Merc CLS which was great to drive and 0-60 in 6.7 secs was a monster car and loved it but regular trouble with tracking and going thru rear tyres in 9mths circa 10k miles costing £250 a piece wasn't so great.
BMW's had same issues with elec faults and general niggly faults. Don't really get that with the JAP 4x4's these days.
Maybe worth considering that Germans aint what they used to be in the reliabilty stakes.

Dave


Dave
[/quote]

If you want out and out reliability in a 4x4, there's really only one answer...

Lada Niva.

But i doubt that CB is after a 40 year old, russian engineered, petrol mini off roader. They are pretty cheap though.

[MiltyG565]

And now i want a lada niva! f***

[Leonard Smalls]

I had a Lada Niva in council orange many years ago. Whike it was great fun, and excellent off road it most certainly wasn't reliable! I got very good value from my AA membership while I had it....

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1356883303' post='1914680']
I had a Lada Niva in council orange many years ago. Whike it was great fun, and excellent off road it most certainly wasn't reliable! I got very good value from my AA membership while I had it....
[/quote]

Really? it's the first i ever heard of a lads being unreliable. What went wrong? was it something re-occurring?

[Leonard Smalls]

It was either no electrics, or no brakes. Engine was fine otherwise!
I've got an '87 Defender that's never broken down yet...

[SpaceChick]

I had a Lada in the 90s, it would break down constantly. I had to wrap the engine in a blanket over night, as if it was cold or wet it wouldn't start in the morning

[cloudburst]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1356880324' post='1914626']
If you want out and out reliability in a 4x4, there's really only one answer...

Lada Niva.

But i doubt that CB is after a 40 year old, russian engineered, petrol mini off roader. They are pretty cheap though.
[/quote]

I'd mentioned earlier in the thread that I drove a road-going version of the group-B rally car (the mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo2) as my everyday transport in the late 80s. You probably think I'm making this up - but you'll definitely think it's too much of a coincidence if I told you that at that time I also owned a Lada Niva!

The Lada was built like a tank. But that was its only plus point. The electrics were an absolute joke. If only one bulb blew in a journey - that was a good day! The driver's seat rail screws came loose one day and the seat actually came adrift whilst I was driving. Additionally the paint on the seams between the body panels was actually cracked on delivery from brand new. Hideous machine that only made me smile when a random man knocked on my door one day and offered me £600 less than I'd paid for it - after two and a half years ownership.

By the way - if you don't believe all this, I think I should be able to find a photo from that era if it's of any interest.

CB

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1356884671' post='1914702']
I'd mentioned earlier in the thread that I drove a road-going version of the group-B rally car (the mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo2) as my everyday transport in the late 80s. You probably think I'm making this up - but you'll definitely think it's too much of a coincidence if I told you that at that time I also owned a Lada Niva!

The Lada was built like a tank. But that was its only plus point. The electrics were an absolute joke. If only one bulb blew in a journey - that was a good day! The driver's seat rail screws came loose one day and the seat actually came adrift whilst I was driving. Additionally the paint on the seams between the body panels was actually cracked on delivery from brand new. Hideous machine that only made me smile when a random man knocked on my door one day and offered me £600 less than I'd paid for it - after two and a half years ownership.

By the way - if you don't believe all this, I think I should be able to find a photo from that era if it's of any interest.

CB
[/quote]

Why would i not believe it? lol. My dad is a full time rally car builder. There is currently an old Hillman Avenger (ex-rally car) in the yard which he intends to make into our daily driver.

He also rallied a Lada when back when i was just a baby. He's said about Lada's that they are good at what they are designed for, and the Niva was pretty excellent as far as off roading it goes. TBH, i would be surprised if it wasn't coming from a country like Russia. I would really only want one for winter driving and off roading, there's no real appeal in it to drive it every day under normal circumstances.

I just love all manner of cars!

[cloudburst]

Here we go. Found it!...

CB

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1356885879' post='1914722']
Here we go. Found it!...

CB



[/quote]

I learned to drive in a renault 5 (slightly newer one than that, not a turbo model) when i was 14. My dad had bought it for £100, and when we moved to a house with a yard, he showed me how to drive and let me drive around the yard. That was pretty good, because when it came to doing my test, i only had to do a few lessons to learn the rules and stuff, and then i got my licence, and i actually consider myself quite a good driver. In fact, in the bad weather here 2 years ago, i was the only one in the family (my dad having been a professional driver and also mechanic, car builder and hobbyist racing/rally driver for many years) that could actually drive the family car into the yard without getting it stuck and having to dig it out.

[Protium]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1356885879' post='1914722']
Here we go. Found it!...

CB



[/quote]

Hats off sir.