Saru
Part of things
No Brand Loyalty
Posts: 460
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1974 Saab 99 EMSI bought a new car. It's 35 years old. My friends said I was mad. We'll see.
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Saru
Part of things
No Brand Loyalty
Posts: 460
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I'll start: Having had an MGB while I was at uni (mine was red (yay!), chrome bumper (yay!) with wire-wheels (pants)), everything he says about the joy of the experience of owning one is true.
And everything he says about the 'B being curse word is wrong. People always look at old cars with unforgiving modern eyes. Yes, the 'B is old-fashioned. Yes, an MX-5 is a better car. But it's not a better 'B.
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1974 Saab 99 EMSI bought a new car. It's 35 years old. My friends said I was mad. We'll see.
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I've never owned an MG, but thinking about a love of old cars in general, this is the paragraph for me ..... - I read this and I just think of all the quirks my classic cars have had, the way you have to press the accelarator in a specific morse code sequence that only you know to get it to start on cold mornings, the occasional random horn blow when you go round a tight corner, the "you have to smack the dash *there* to get the windscreen wipers to work over 50 mph" comments that have passengers reaching for the doorhandle. - the windscreen wipers that do nothing in heavy rain, the ice that forms on the inside in winter, the overdelveloped left arm from non stop wiping of condensation, yup, that's why windscreens in classic cars are such a brucey bonus. - it wasn't slow, it was karmic driving and you knew when you arrived, you would arrive in style hopefully noisy enough to blow the hearing aids of little old ladies at bus stops it was merely marking its turf and at least you COULD tinker with the engine without the aid of an enterprise server. It's a challenge fixing an older car, there's no quick and easy answer, every new rattle is like a voyage of discovery on an oil covered sea, where you never know if you'll be shipwrecked on the rocks of serious injury or marooned on the island of "it's Saturday afternoon and the parts place doesn't open until monday, what have we got lying about the place". What more would you ever want to do with your weekends? Play golf? Here's hoping I never grow up then  * note: no offense was meant to golf players, drivers of new cars or MG owners and no little old ladies were harmed |
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my thoughts - tosser.
He goes on about how much he enjoyed owning an MGB and then wonders why anyone in their right mind would own one today? For all the same reasons you did, divot.
Everyone goes on about car safety, and handling, and economy, like its what matters or something?
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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filmidget
East Midlands
Mostly Lurking
Posts: 1,652
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Jul 14, 2006 12:08:39 GMT
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Read a bit of 'truth about car' stuff.
A lot of it is utter curse word IMO.
I think he did a bit of writing for Pistonheads (Maybe still does? I'm not regular there any more) and it never seemed well received.
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'79 MG Midget 1500 - Still patiently awaiting attention
'02 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Elegance(!) - Better than you might think
'03 Mazda MX5 - All new and shiny looking (thanks to Antony at Rust Republic)
'09 Renault Clio - Needs to go.
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Jul 14, 2006 12:21:28 GMT
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What upset me most was the guy who in the comments section talking about his Prius. FFS, the way he talks you'd think it was a 100mpg Ferrari rather than an underwheeled wannabe-hippy POS.
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Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,649
Club RR Member Number: 1
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Jul 14, 2006 12:42:15 GMT
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Guess he aint driven mine then. I get used to people slagging off MG's in general and in most cases they have never even driven one. As for the puriest MG owner well they get my back up even more.
As for the Rattling noise of the car well its a OLD car it aint going to be sound proof. Mine was a ground up Resto and it still rattles. What a total gearKNOB
Hey Saru your name aint Steve by any chance? Reason I ask is that most Red MGB owners who have Wire wheels are called steve. LOL
Tosser
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Last Edit: Jul 14, 2006 12:45:13 GMT by Nathan
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
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Jul 14, 2006 12:54:47 GMT
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i hate the fact that people assume old cars are uncomfy, dangerous, unreliable, slow, un economical, expensive, and curse word bassically but 'nice to look at'.
i don't know what cars they used to have but i drove the kitten 110 miles, i was perfectly comfy, more so than in the pug 306!
dangerous? well, that one they probably did get right but atleast it has harnesses and seats bolted to a big old chassis.
un reliable? the modern motorist doesnt even know how to open his bonnet, and frequently gets his pants pulled over his head by paying rip off garage prices for shoddy work...
slow? well, yea its not fast, but atleast i look cool and don't blend in
un economical? well, 70mpg on a run does the trick for me
expensive? alot cheaper than any moderns out there I'm sure.
they are the usual questions i get asked by middle aged men with vauxhall astras and volvos, after asking all these questions they usually tell me they used to have a 'mg midget' or 'triumph spitfire' and it was great fun, and realy cheap to keep on the road....... so i don't think it is just this guy, i think generally every non classic owner / lover has a low opinion of living with a classic, and indeed I'm sure even some classic owners wouldnt like to try and live with it, for example joe blogs with his 7 series during the week and his mga to pop to the pub in on a sunny afternoon for example.
to be honest i think this post of mine is pretty rubish and only just relivant. but the guy who wrote that is a utter c**t.
oh well, he drives a prius, there for he must be realy old, and is probably almost dead.
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Last Edit: Jul 14, 2006 12:57:46 GMT by Mr K
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Jul 14, 2006 14:12:41 GMT
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Its funny, when I read it (and just re-read it) I didn't get the bad vibe from it that you guys have.
This quote:
"The owner came out: a college kid. As he drove off, I wondered why anyone with an education would willingly sacrifice safety, comfort, speed, handling and reliability for Anglophile street cred. No doubt he loves his MG-B, though, and the attention it attracts. And I’m sure some 20 or so years from now he’ll think back fondly on his MG and regret getting rid of it– regardless of the trouble it gives him now. Live and learn."
I took it as him saying:
"In the current climate of young drivers bieng bombarded with safety crash test ratings, comfy interiors (read- oodles of sound deadening and air-con) and endless adverts with swiss-family-gormless pushing in their old 'unreliable' car with the bumper deliberately hanging off to be traded in for a wonderful new car for just £99........ against these odds, the young fella went for an old MG. And regardless of the innevitible hours of spannering and occasional breakdowns he may encounter (which we all do at some time with our retro rides) he will look back on it fondly and regret ever selling it."
If that is what was meant then i'd say its pretty accurate?
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tigran
Club Retro Rides Member
In rust we trust. Amen.
Posts: 6,444
Club RR Member Number: 142
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Jul 14, 2006 15:09:33 GMT
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Agree with street - didn't get the negative vibe from it.
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1964 Rover P5 i6
1987 BMW 525e - The Rusty Streak
1992 Micra K10
2001 BMW E46 316i
2002 BMW E46 330Ci
2013 BMW F31 320d
2018 BMW G31 530d
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,949
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Jul 14, 2006 15:19:51 GMT
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I din't get a negative vide from it either!
I remember my first and only MG
Burgundy (paintwork needed t-cutting weekly!!) rubber bumpered 1500 (triumph engined) midget with a peco system and more rust than you can shake a stick at!!
Slow, uneconomical, didn't handle that well and was flat out at 100mph and very very scary at speed. Thinking about it it was quite scary at night too so the lights weren't up to much!!
In the two years I owned it it only had the roof up once (mainly cos when it was down there was only one hole - when it was up there was hundreds!!!)
I still liked it a lot - doesn't mean I want to buy another........
ever!!!
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Jul 14, 2006 19:40:25 GMT
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I got an air of smuggess from it I didn;t much like
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
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Jul 17, 2006 15:23:04 GMT
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I've had someone slagging the mini off saying that it's unsafe and how one of thier friends died in one.
When I asked what happened they replied that thier friend left the road on a bend and it rolled several times in a field.
Can't help thinking that thier friend was going too fast for the corner and that it was thier own fault.
A car is only as dangerous as the person behind the wheel
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turbotom
Part of things
Li Jaqa Nigbruh Racing
Posts: 16
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Jul 17, 2006 15:47:00 GMT
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i totally utterly agree with ratlook reliant and peaches what is it with this throwaway culture of ours?? scrap my minis?  ?? id rather dip my b*ll*cks in acid may the old skool cool culture rule forever (and yes the skool in old skool is written with a K) |
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Last Edit: Jul 17, 2006 15:51:56 GMT by turbotom
God made Escorts to go Sidewayz
Sidewayz is the new Forward
Mini refers to the size of my car,NOT my engine
Instigator of The Minilite Resistance Movement (MRM)
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Jul 17, 2006 16:24:20 GMT
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I now 'get' sports cars now i have got one!
a quote of mine from today on imoc:
;D
Ok so i'm a bit of a hoon too and very spoilt having mod cons but i do get sports cars and classics. in truth, not long ago, i don't think i did get them!
its the love hate relationship, their quirky ways and the uniqueness, did i mention character?!
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
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Saru
Part of things
No Brand Loyalty
Posts: 460
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@ BGTMIDGET7476 - no, it's not Steve. Most/all Australian delivered/assembled chome-bumper 'Bs have wire wheels. Lots of dudes named Steve getting about.  I agree with alistairk. It was sort of like, "I remember when I was young and stupid enough to think that car was cool". |
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1974 Saab 99 EMSI bought a new car. It's 35 years old. My friends said I was mad. We'll see.
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I know the type, a bloke who i work with whose got a decade + on me nicely criticised and generalised my MR2 into a category that would of started a fight nearly elsewhere! Grrr So I challenged him to a race round a track with his 'retirement van'! He piped down then! Keep an open mind, its the best way, just cos ya get older doesnt mean things get less cool/fun. If I hear people going down memory lane i try inspire them to go back and do summat similar again, doesnt work for everyone though. |
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
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?? id rather dip my b*ll*cks in acid
