Just came across this Motoweek retro-review of the Ford Escort EXP - they seem to like it 😀

Finally found a buyer for my Lumina today, a retired firefighter from Long Island. Mediocre though it may be, I'll be sad to see it go.

Bought this little beauty a couple of weeks back. Mk2 Mazda MX-5. Wanted one for the last 20+ years but had not been actively looking. I had just sold my 2000 Nissan Primera and there she was, it was love at first sight.

It's a fantastic car to drive, very willing engine and superb handling. Roll on summer!
Here is a picture of my little Nissan Micra K11 1000cc. Brilliant little car and perfect for nipping round town etc.

She has a few dents and scars buy hey the little car came to me for free! These must be the best engineered small car on British roads, incredibly reliably and robust. Still see loads of them every day here despite stopping production in 2002. Far superior car to the dreadful K12 Micra that replaced it.

BSA Starfire wrote:

Bought this little beauty a couple of weeks back. Mk2 Mazda MX-5. Wanted one for the last 20+ years but had not been actively looking. I had just sold my 2000 Nissan Primera and there she was, it was love at first sight.

Heeey finally an MX-5 😀 I recently got a 2001 MK2 facelift. It is indeed a playful and involving car, a toy car I'd dare to say, light, agile and sharp.
I was puzzled reading about the "very willing engine" though. If I'm not mistaken, yours is the 1.6l? For me the engine is the worst part of this car, even for the facelift 1.8l sport model with the variable valve timing.

Enjoy it!

konc wrote:

Heeey finally an MX-5 :) I recently got a 2001 MK2 facelift. It is indeed a playful and involving car, a toy car I'd dare to say […]
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BSA Starfire wrote:

Bought this little beauty a couple of weeks back. Mk2 Mazda MX-5. Wanted one for the last 20+ years but had not been actively looking. I had just sold my 2000 Nissan Primera and there she was, it was love at first sight.

Heeey finally an MX-5 😀 I recently got a 2001 MK2 facelift. It is indeed a playful and involving car, a toy car I'd dare to say, light, agile and sharp.
I was puzzled reading about the "very willing engine" though. If I'm not mistaken, yours is the 1.6l? For me the engine is the worst part of this car, even for the facelift 1.8l sport model with the variable valve timing.

Enjoy it!

Yep, mine is a 1.6. Nearly 160,000 miles as well! I find the engine a really good match for the car, instant throttle response and happy to rev. They are renowned for being a very, very tough engine too.

I learned to drive on a '98 Miata. Really nice little car. My father still has it in practically mint condition...replaced the soft top and leather seat covers, and made a few improvements to some of the mechanicals. I'd like to have my own some day, but China taxes the hell out of imports.

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I recently bought a 2006 diesel Toyota Corolla E12 hatchback. It has the 1ND-TV engine and i'm currently averaging 3.8L per 100 km.

Awesome engine, BMW used to buy them for Mini Coopers

Our former boss took a permanent vacation to Spain and left this old 850 T5 on my yard. 😒 I hope someone picks it up soon, I'd rather not look at it all summer. I have to say though, the 280 hp/400 Nm is too much for a front wheel drive this old! Once you shift from 2nd to 3rd gear the car tries to kill you by violently swerving from side to side as it can't handle the torque. Other than that, it does pull like a dentist trying to remove your front teeth with a pair of pliers. But yeah, it is a bit of a shitbucket to be honest. 🤣

Here is my 'daily driver'

It's a 2003 BMW E46 330ci Manual (231hp euro-spec).

Friendly advice: I'd obscure vehicle plates before posting images on the net.

Here's a pic of my current daily driver while undergoing some 'overclocking' with hat off 🤣 :

I dare you to guess brand and model. 😀

(Haynes hint: engine was made in the USA in 2001). 😉

Looks like a GM Ecotec turd burger. 🤣

^ Yep you got it, known as L61 in USA, Z22SE this side of the pond.

From your kind epithets I deduct you've had nice experiences with it? 🤣

TELVM wrote:

Friendly advice: I'd obscure vehicle plates before posting images on the net.

Because it's ok for all the other people on road to see your plates but not the people online.

Jade Falcon wrote:

TELVM wrote:

Friendly advice: I'd obscure vehicle plates before posting images on the net.

Because it's ok for all the other people on road to see your plates but not the people online.

Because people on the road do not know your interests, your job, your hobbies and what computers you have home and cannot make connections. Think before you post passive aggressive stuff like that.

carlostex wrote:

I recently bought a 2006 diesel Toyota Corolla E12 hatchback. It has the 1ND-TV engine and i'm currently averaging 3.8L per 100 km.

Awesome engine, BMW used to buy them for Mini Coopers

Is this by BC or calculated manually? It seems pretty low consumption. My BC lies for about one liter - shows around 3.7 but it's actual more like 4.5 to 4.6.

TELVM wrote:

^ Yep you got it, known as L61 in USA, Z22SE this side of the pond.

From your kind epithets I deduct you've had nice experiences with it? 🤣

Hah, not really, but I didn't see the need to replace the 2.4 LD9 which was just re-worked in 2000 to correct the originals design flaws. Well, maybe the fuel economy got better. They both have similar performance, but I had the LD9 in Alero and it was just rock solid in any temperature, no matter how hard you drove it.

vladstamate wrote:

Jade Falcon wrote:

TELVM wrote:

Friendly advice: I'd obscure vehicle plates before posting images on the net.

Because it's ok for all the other people on road to see your plates but not the people online.

Because people on the road do not know your interests, your job, your hobbies and what computers you have home and cannot make connections. Think before you post passive aggressive stuff like that.

Your plates are public knowledge. Hiding it just makes you look like a Craigslist scammer.

sf78 wrote:

... I didn't see the need to replace the 2.4 LD9 which was just re-worked in 2000 to correct the originals design flaws ...

Guess they had to keep pace with emissions regulations, you know.

The L61/Z22SE also has some flaws, timing chain lubrication may fail if you don't change oil regularly, OEM crankcase ventilation is substandard, and OEM throttle-by-wire response is meh, but nothing a bit of tinkering can't solve. BHP/litre ain't as good as the legendary "redtop" C20XE but it's more torquey for everyday use.

Another friendly advice, particularly for Miata and other cabrio drivers: ALWAYS fasten up!

kixs wrote:

Is this by BC or calculated manually? It seems pretty low consumption. My BC lies for about one liter - shows around 3.7 but it's actual more like 4.5 to 4.6.

It's BC of course. And every BC always gives lower consumption figures, due to several factors. But your BC being one liter off seems a bit too much. On my Toyota Yaris it was usually off by 0.6 liters but more commonly only off by half a liter.

I'm hoping that on my diesel Corolla it is only actually off by 0.3, 0.4 max which seems to be what is happening right now as i serem to be on target to be able to drive 1100km with 46 liters, which should be around 4.1 to 4.2 L/100km.

My trip computer says 8.6 l/100km while my receipts + odometer readings say 10.4 l/100km 😀 2004 BMW 330xd Touring.