He's been driving in London, UK, therefore has developed strong psychokinetic vehicle repulsion skills to still be alive. (Though it's probably not quite so intense as it was before the congestion charges etc)

pentiumspeed wrote on 2023-10-19, 00:05:

Take a best driving school first, in order to focus on learning to know and how what to look for and proactive driving. This bug is a death trap, hence telling you to learn right. Crushes really easily than you believe in a accident, especially that steering wheel is a spear.

Years ago I watched a blog on restoring a bug. And I was at one place when I was boy watching guys take out few bolts and took 4 people to lift upper bug shell off the base with wheels on it and the engine.

Cheers,

Thanks for worrying about me but don't worry, this is a newer one with a padded dash and plastic "collapsible" steering wheel so all good right?

Funny enough though that's why the roo bar was fitted back in the 70's when it was a city car and kept getting cut off by the bigger heaver cars of the era.
(Not sure I'd admit to hitting an elusive thylacine, may get into a bit of trouble)

Sure the car isn't as safe as modern cars, (although I sometimes wonder as it has no touchscreens to play with or struggle to find the volume controls)
Your right though proactive driving is important and the best skill I took away from my motorbike licence and wouldn't call bikes any safer/dangerous then an old car.

It really is a happy adorable little thing to drive and actually look forward to the 15 minute commute to work and back each day. The sound, the smell, the lack of refinement. None of this exists in modern car that you pretty much point in the right direction and it does the rest just like modern computers and somewhat soulless.

But just like retro PC's everything has a time and a place. Congested UK roads it wouldn't be an option, Long freeway drives would become tiresome but country roads where the limit never exceeds 80kph is perfect and if I do get squashed like a bug at least I had fun.

None of this exists in modern car that you pretty much point in the right direction and it does the rest just like modern computers and somewhat soulless

Amen to that.

I have three cars, all of which are 'nice'. But the difference is that one of them is 5 years old, another is from 1993, and the oldest from 1973.

They older cars just have some intangible that the modern one doesn't. In the case of the 1993 it's a glorious combination of leather, oil and petrol (and being rear engined and air cooled like that Bug... But with more cylinders and a huge amount more power...).

The 50 year old car, on the other hand, its something I have owned for more than 25 years and spent large amount of time with my father restoring... So it has memories associated that the slick, efficient, comfortable and gadget-laden modern car that I drive every day just will never get.

I'd love to post my cars and trucks in here, but after reading every single page, and especially the last 10 or so where the EV creeps come out of the woodwork, I'm gonna refrain.

I greatly enjoy Vogons, and I'm not willing to risk a ban by engaging with the EV fanatics.

Yawnald wrote on 2023-10-24, 01:58:

I greatly enjoy Vogons, and I'm not willing to risk a ban by engaging with the EV fanatics.

From memory there's been no sign of creeps or fanatics in this thread, until now.

chinny22 wrote on 2023-10-19, 05:27:

Sure the car isn't as safe as modern cars, (although I sometimes wonder as it has no touchscreens to play with or struggle to find the volume controls)
Your right though proactive driving is important and the best skill I took away from my motorbike licence and wouldn't call bikes any safer/dangerous then an old car.

there is some phenomena in which the safer a car is the less safely it will be driven, not sure whether that has a name

still, despite that a modern car will keep you safer

but i consider that a choice rather than an obligation upon the driver

badmojo wrote on 2023-10-24, 03:38:

Yawnald wrote on 2023-10-24, 01:58:

I greatly enjoy Vogons, and I'm not willing to risk a ban by engaging with the EV fanatics.

From memory there's been no sign of creeps or fanatics in this thread, until now.

I guess you better refresh your memory and read it again.

Yawnald wrote on 2023-10-24, 01:58:

I'd love to post my cars and trucks in here, but after reading every single page, and especially the last 10 or so where the EV creeps come out of the woodwork, I'm gonna refrain.

I greatly enjoy Vogons, and I'm not willing to risk a ban by engaging with the EV fanatics.

You brought it up, whether true or not as I didn't verify. And, then don't engage. It takes two.

I have a gas sports car and an EV in my garage. Either are fine with me but I have my opinions about the matter which I will largely keep off this forum.

The family car is a 2019 Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid H4 (top equipment model) - but being a European 2019-model it does miss Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (Corolla and Rav4 can have it retrofitted by Toyota but not the Camry).
"We" (my wife) originally wanted an SUV but found the Toyota CHR and Yaris Cross a little too small and wanted the RAV4 (which she also found too big), but this costed around the same same was better equipped and a lot less mileage - after a test drive she fell in love with it. I could most likely bore you with a lot of detailed photos so I won't

My personal car is a 2004 Toyota Yaris 1.3 which originally were my father's. He wanted almost all extras but didn't like the leather seat design so he asked Toyota to make him leather seats in the fabric design, so it's the only Yaris with these seats (dark grey and cream). It is 19 years old now and run almost like new; cost almost nothing to drive and maintain (which I do at an official dealer's workshop) and the rust is minimum although we use salt on the roads. In 2029 she will become a "classic" (and a "vintage" in 2039) and will cost me even in taxes and insurance. Hopefully I can get an extra car at that time so I can enjoy her only in the good days. Only issue: electronics - the dashboard is scrambled and sometimes the Panasonic CD-radio dies out.

Now I recently bought my third Toyota:

A bike sold at the Toyota dealers - and I would guess from around 2006 as this one is from 2006 according to the frame number - and it has a very low serial number (below 20). It is parked at my cousin at the moment and hopefully soon home with me to get a service (including a new chain), mudguards, the mandatory bell and rear reflector (which have been removed). A nice summer-Toyota which I look forward to bring to the annual Toyota & Lexus Rally.

On top of the Toyotas I have 1961 Hillman Minx Series IIIC 1.6, a Californian 1984 Honda Goldwing 1200 Aspencade motorcycle, an really 1970s Yamaha RD350-B motorbike, a handful of mopeds and a heavy, long-term project of a World War II motorcycle

Nice, I was considering the Rav4 hybrid but the prices shot up about 30% so now I'm not, until the car market de-crazy-fies. I guess if I had been a little quicker to lock in the old price in early 2022, I might still be waiting for delivery, it's ridiculous still. Those Yaris/Echo cars of the noughts are great, I would run one of those. Both Toyota and Honda dealerships in my area though, you've got to basically twist the managers arm to get a small car out of them, they only have larger models on the lot. So I have to drive a ways to test drive the new smalls, but also means that this area is deficient in small Toyotas and Hondas because the dealers are assholes and won't sell them. That is to say the Yaris/Echo is not common enough in this area that I see decent used deals to chase. I was looking at an '09 this time last year, due to needing to replace wife's DD but she wanted something newer, while I thought there was probably as much life in that for $5000 as a lot of late teens stuff for $10,000+

CrazyCatman wrote on 2023-10-25, 14:08:

My personal car is a 2004 Toyota Yaris 1.3 which originally were my father's. He wanted almost all extras but didn't like the leather seat design so he asked Toyota to make him leather seats in the fabric design, so it's the only Yaris with these seats (dark grey and cream). It is 19 years old now and run almost like new; cost almost nothing to drive and maintain (which I do at an official dealer's workshop) and the rust is minimum although we use salt on the roads. In 2029 she will become a "classic" (and a "vintage" in 2039) and will cost me even in taxes and insurance. Hopefully I can get an extra car at that time so I can enjoy her only in the good days. Only issue: electronics - the dashboard is scrambled and sometimes the Panasonic CD-radio dies out.

that car looks good for being nearly 2 decades old - i always like to see an old car in good shape, it seems to me to be a sign of conservation - no new metal mining or smelting was needed, no more shipping over the ocean needed and also while cars have become better and better a 20 year old car is still pretty good if its reliable enough

hope the electronics are solvable though!

gerry wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:11:

...i always like to see an old car in good shape...

This is my summer car. From start of May to end of October.
A 2004 Opel Tigra TwinTop. (also sold as Holden and Vauxhall). I "Vauxhalled" it because the logo looks nicer as Opel´s.
I have learned car mechanics at Opel at the time the Tigra TT was new. I always liked it and after 20 years i could afford one ... 😏
I bought it years ago as unrepairable broken for super cheap. I replaced the engine, had to weld some rust and repaint the rims. Plus many other little things.
I replaced the seats with one from a sporty version (OPC / VXR) [because the roof leaked and destroyed the seats] , retrofitted an automated climate control (wich Tigras were never sold with, but its sister car corsa was...).

For the nex season i have to fix some suspension parts and maybe have to put new leather on the doorpanels because the original one starts to fall off...

I love that tiny little thing with its 125HP.

My long term goal ist to keep it alive long enough that it is affordable to convert it to electric (because the engine is really thirsty if you press too hard on the fun pedal).

The Tigra TT is quite a special car. A metal roof convertible made from a Opel Corsa for GM/Opel by Heuliez.
Metal roof convertibles are basically non existing today. GM has sold opel... And Heuliez is bankrupt.
Nothing is existing anymore around this car, except of the OPEL name.
I think this car is quite a nice piece of history.
And the parts are super cheap because its based on the cheap Opel Corsa C.

DerBaum wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:56:

Metal roof convertibles are basically non existing today. GM has sold opel... And Heuliez is bankrupt.

True, it you exclude exotics I believe the only normal car that can be bought new with a hardtop is the current Mazda MX-5.
It used to be a lot more, and the Tigra was right there at the beginning of this trend.

A reliable old toyota.

konc wrote on 2023-10-29, 11:25:

DerBaum wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:56:

Metal roof convertibles are basically non existing today. GM has sold opel... And Heuliez is bankrupt.

True, it you exclude exotics I believe the only normal car that can be bought new with a hardtop is the current Mazda MX-5.
It used to be a lot more, and the Tigra was right there at the beginning of this trend.

I thought there was some usual suspects around in the higher end mass production still, like from BMW, Mercedes and Masarusty.

konc wrote on 2023-10-29, 11:25:

DerBaum wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:56:

Metal roof convertibles are basically non existing today. GM has sold opel... And Heuliez is bankrupt.

True, it you exclude exotics I believe the only normal car that can be bought new with a hardtop is the current Mazda MX-5.
It used to be a lot more, and the Tigra was right there at the beginning of this trend.

EDIT: I just realised you were absolutely right... The MX5 has this kind of roof... Lets see if the new model next year will have one too...
Edit 2: It looks like the 2024 MX5 is just a Facelift and will have the same roof. Neat.

No not a hardtop. A electronically (hydraulics) movable metal roof instead of a soft top.
Example:

The last time i checked Mercedes was the last one here offering a metal roof cabriolet (Mercedes SL). And they recently replaced it with a soft top model.
Its just too expensive to make these kinds of metal roof for basically no benefit.
Soft tops take less space when folded, break less and today are on a similar noise level to a normal car.

There were so much models Micra C+C, Astra Twin Top, Ford Focus cabrio, Peugeot 206 CC ..

The first cabrio here with a movable metal roof was the first generation Mercedes SLK (sold from 1997 i think), sold as a Chrysler Crossfire in the USA (an extremely cheap version of the SLK).
The Tigra was sold from 2004 to 2009 and only sold around 90k units (including all OPEL, Vauxhall and Holden variants). People buying an Opel/Vauxhall want a lot of car for not a lot of money (at least back then)... And the Tigra TT was not that... More Expensive, less space...

The Tigra was made in France by Heuliez. Later Opel made the Astra TwinTop but in house at Opel, so Heuliez lost one of its only sources of income.
Some years ago the remaining assets of Heuliez were sold... And they had prototypes of the Tigra that were sold off (still looking like a regular corsa c but with the roof mechanism fitted to it). They even had a prototype of the next generation Corsa with this kind of roof. All lost to time now...

Oh i got carried away... sorry 😁

Whe i got my Tigra i made a Youtube Playlist of all kinds of automated Metal Hardtop roofs. Its nice to see it moving... And look how incredible complicated the BMW roof folds...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE75R93rW0U&l … JAIxjZu&index=1

Funfact: The Peugeot 206cc and the Opel Tigra were both made by Heuliez. Look how similar the mechanism is and even the sound of the hydraulic pump...

Sorry again for nerding out on moving metal parts 😁

gerry wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:11:

CrazyCatman wrote on 2023-10-25, 14:08:

My personal car is a 2004 Toyota Yaris 1.3 which originally were my father's. He wanted almost all extras but didn't like the leather seat design so he asked Toyota to make him leather seats in the fabric design, so it's the only Yaris with these seats (dark grey and cream). It is 19 years old now and run almost like new; cost almost nothing to drive and maintain (which I do at an official dealer's workshop) and the rust is minimum although we use salt on the roads. In 2029 she will become a "classic" (and a "vintage" in 2039) and will cost me even in taxes and insurance. Hopefully I can get an extra car at that time so I can enjoy her only in the good days. Only issue: electronics - the dashboard is scrambled and sometimes the Panasonic CD-radio dies out.

that car looks good for being nearly 2 decades old - i always like to see an old car in good shape, it seems to me to be a sign of conservation - no new metal mining or smelting was needed, no more shipping over the ocean needed and also while cars have become better and better a 20 year old car is still pretty good if its reliable enough

hope the electronics are solvable though!

I have had some success with baking the main board of the CD-radio as I knew this one was the unit with the problems; both the DVD-player (for GPS), the main control unit where volume controls are and the speakers seems to work alright as the GPS (although not knowing a lot of new roads! As mentioned it's DVD based, and TNS 300 series aren't updated anymore) does give good sound directions. My wife is at the moment the one driving the Yaris, and she told me she had no issues with the radio, and last I was driving it I also don't believe I had any issues (although I think it did die out on me one time last week). I am a little more nervous to bake the main board of the speedometer as I do not know if it is the "cure" (even temporary) and I would really hate to see the complete old school LCD display (like a clock radio) die because the board got damaged. I did consider trying it however as it might work, and if the error is still there then it must be an error in the display and not the board.

I try my very best to conserve and preserve it very well, unfortunately it seems that people are walking around with nuts and bolts in their pockets and walk very close to cars as I keep finding new scratches, luckily most of them can be buffed away, I just yesterday found a handful of new scratches on the Yaris, including one deep one.

Gotta admit that I do have a small project of adding a trailer light plug on it to be able to legally mount a bike rack on the rear - this will require a light bar with an additional license plate, and although I can buy one of those bars, I actually have gotten the idea to build it myself using either a second hand light bar or maybe just some sheet metal or other material and attach a pair of original Yaris tail lights on it (with sheet metal or fiber glass I might be able to make it look nicer as I can make a nice case for the taillights. A pair of second hand tail lights cost € 10-15 + I need the materials to build it (including an extra set of small white lights for license plate lights). On top of this there is the trailer plug, cables and the license plate itself (€ 20) - I could also get a tow bar installed instead but that would require additional inspection, renewed registration and most likely also higher insurance fee (+ friends and family asking if I can drive a trailer for them!) - as well as the same costs as above as well as the tow bar and installation.
Plus I just think it would look pretty swag with Yaris tail lights on my accessory when arriving at Toyota & Lexus rally 😉 However I am also aware that it is a very hard and tedious work compared to it's value.

CrazyCatman wrote on 2023-10-30, 01:14:

I have had some success with baking the main board of the CD-radio as I knew this one was the unit with the problems; both the D […]
Show full quote

gerry wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:11:

hope the electronics are solvable though!

I have had some success with baking the main board of the CD-radio as I knew this one was the unit with the problems; both the DVD-player (for GPS), the main control unit where volume controls are and the speakers seems to work alright as the GPS (although not knowing a lot of new roads! As mentioned it's DVD based, and TNS 300 series aren't updated anymore) does give good sound directions. My wife is at the moment the one driving the Yaris, and she told me she had no issues with the radio, and last I was driving it I also don't believe I had any issues (although I think it did die out on me one time last week). I am a little more nervous to bake the main board of the speedometer as I do not know if it is the "cure" (even temporary) and I would really hate to see the complete old school LCD display (like a clock radio) die because the board got damaged. I did consider trying it however as it might work, and if the error is still there then it must be an error in the display and not the board.

I try my very best to conserve and preserve it very well, unfortunately it seems that people are walking around with nuts and bolts in their pockets and walk very close to cars as I keep finding new scratches, luckily most of them can be buffed away, I just yesterday found a handful of new scratches on the Yaris, including one deep one.

Gotta admit that I do have a small project of adding a trailer light plug on it to be able to legally mount a bike rack on the rear - this will require a light bar with an additional license plate, and although I can buy one of those bars, I actually have gotten the idea to build it myself using either a second hand light bar or maybe just some sheet metal or other material and attach a pair of original Yaris tail lights on it (with sheet metal or fiber glass I might be able to make it look nicer as I can make a nice case for the taillights. A pair of second hand tail lights cost € 10-15 + I need the materials to build it (including an extra set of small white lights for license plate lights). On top of this there is the trailer plug, cables and the license plate itself (€ 20) - I could also get a tow bar installed instead but that would require additional inspection, renewed registration and most likely also higher insurance fee (+ friends and family asking if I can drive a trailer for them!) - as well as the same costs as above as well as the tow bar and installation.
Plus I just think it would look pretty swag with Yaris tail lights on my accessory when arriving at Toyota & Lexus rally 😉 However I am also aware that it is a very hard and tedious work compared to it's value.

i admit i'd be tempted to look for any working spares - but then they would be old too. I guess that's the risk, glad you're keeping it going for now though

sure old cars get some scratches, seems unavoidable - at some point it becomes necessary to paint and that can start the car looking poor as color matching becomes a problem, unless respray patches or touch ups are very small

that project sounds worth it, it might be hard work for the value of the car, but then a lot of hard work goes into the 10k+ that would need to be spent on a newer used car and as you say, you get something noteworthy 😀

DerBaum wrote on 2023-10-28, 16:56:

This is my summer car. From start of May to end of October. A 2004 Opel Tigra TwinTop. (also sold as Holden and Vauxhall). I "Va […]
Show full quote

This is my summer car. From start of May to end of October.
A 2004 Opel Tigra TwinTop. (also sold as Holden and Vauxhall). I "Vauxhalled" it because the logo looks nicer as Opel´s.
I have learned car mechanics at Opel at the time the Tigra TT was new. I always liked it and after 20 years i could afford one ... 😏
I bought it years ago as unrepairable broken for super cheap. I replaced the engine, had to weld some rust and repaint the rims. Plus many other little things.
I replaced the seats with one from a sporty version (OPC / VXR) [because the roof leaked and destroyed the seats] , retrofitted an automated climate control (wich Tigras were never sold with, but its sister car corsa was...).

For the nex season i have to fix some suspension parts and maybe have to put new leather on the doorpanels because the original one starts to fall off...

I love that tiny little thing with its 125HP.

My long term goal ist to keep it alive long enough that it is affordable to convert it to electric (because the engine is really thirsty if you press too hard on the fun pedal).

have to say this one looks good too! another 19 year old car in good shape 😀 it is small too but probably lots of fun with that engine, sure it can become electric eventually i guess, might even be that as ev motors develop the ones around now will become available used and for good prices while being fine for this car - but you might find also you just do less and less miles each year and fuel cost isnt so much, that depends. it has your history of fixes too, makes for something personal when driving

gerry wrote on 2023-10-31, 21:54:

have to say this one looks good too!

Thanks. i try my best to keep it alive 😁

BTW. This is my winter car... An even smaller 2005 Fiat Panda with 350.000 Kilometers on the clock and basically no HP and fuel consumption.
It got a similar treatment as the Tigra ( i like overhauling cars).

Then last season somebody hit it while parking and the driver side fender / door got smashed and left. Because winter car i just hammered it out.

A big mistake was the pixel camo wrap. Its just 7 days old and it starts to peel off ... I would never use chinese wrap on customer cars but wanted to try it on my car to see how it is... never again chinese wrapping products. waste of money.

I thought all Europeans drove Ferraris.