Decision Time.

[K9d 108]

They do look good in black

[LJ_GQV 115]

It would be similar to the 156 aswell so your neighbours wont notice you've changed cars & come & talk at you about it

[K9d 108]

Just been offered an XJ 3.2 auto for £500, I know its not exactly fitting with my criteria but a lot of car for very little money

[smiffy 99]

My dad had an xj straight 6 it was. Think it was a p reg. Very nice car and really smooth.

[K9d 108]

Not really sure how it will fit in with my other cars, the idea was to torch/scrap the pug, replace the 156 with an economical estate and use the 147 for Kathy's run to work and as a fun car.

 

This would give me a fun car, 147, and a big luxury barge but nothing economical for me to use for work.

[smiffy 99]

Get a bmx

[K9d 108]

 

Someone has already bought them all

[LJ_GQV 115]

buy it, sell it, buy another car. sorted

[K9d 108]

Having looked on Autotrader £500 isn't such a bargain, I could get a 4.0 V8 for £700, that's much better than a straight 6

[LJ_GQV 115]

get a V8, keep the 147 (doesnt use that much petrol does it?) then put the pug through your old bosses front room window

[K9d 108]

Good thinking

 

The 147 can be surprisingly good on petrol, got 43mpg on a recent run to Surrey, not so good on the way back my eldest daughters boyfriend and I were messing about a bit on the M3/A303 although I had an unfair advantage because he has the Megane I gave him

 

I both hate and like the pug, on the twisty toad to work its good fun but because there's no rear suspension in towns its bloody awful, but its never great like my Alfas.

[K9d 108]

I haven't driven the 156 much recently, but have done for a few days the engine is really beginning to show its age, it just feels a bit flat, it will still happily cruise at 80 on a light throttle but the acceleration is missing.

Kathy drove it today and agrees its not good, so that makes buying another car an easier job.

I'm determined to reach 200k, there is less than 2k to go and just under 2 month MOT left so should be do-able. After that I'd be happy to give it away, I paid £900 almost 4 years ago so figure it owes me nothing.

Pretty much settled on an X type diesel and then in a coupe of years when prices come down go for a 159.

[LJ_GQV 115]

sounds like a pretty good plan

[K9d 108]

I was set an getting another estate car because I though Kathy wanted one, but she has just asked "Do we want another big car?", so now my choices have been expanded

 

This is kind of an estate

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-Alfetta-GTV-Classic-Car-RHD-Right-Hand-Drive-/321450308520?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4ad7ee73a8

[Bigdar 62]

I'd check with her.

Is this really what she had in mind ?

[Bigdar 62]

Or, say fuck all and buy it.

You can't really take it back once you've bought it

[K9d 108]

She said "it looks old"

 

Your second idea appeals to me

[K9d 108]

Test drove a Mercedes C class Coupe 2.1 diesel today, it was OK but nothing special and certainly wasn't worth replacing the 156 with it.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if anything will give me the driving pleasure of an Alfa, my 147 beats my 156 is that department but that is probably a combination of a petrol engine and the selespeed.

I like cars that are a bit unrefined, at work we have almost new Fiat Doblo vans and 6 year old Vauxhall Corsa based ones, the Corsas are more fun to drive, they're completely knackered and understeer loads but somehow more fun.

 

So now I'm even more undecided and leaning towards keeping the 156 and spending a bit of money on it.

[WTFH 10]

you could have had a very nice 2nd hand Giulietta a few weeks ago. Low mileage, stuffed with extras, in great condition.

[K9d 108]

I saw that and as tempting as it was I don't think it was going to fall into my budget.

[LJ_GQV 115]

Buy a caterham

[K9d 108]

That will be great for the weekly shop

 

The test drive in the Merc was funny, the seller was a nervous passenger and what I thought was a pretty steady pace he seemed to think was much too fast, I never went above 70.

[K9d 108]

If the 156 passes its MOT an XK8 may be back on the cards

[K9d 108]

This is very tempting and only 30 miles from me

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201409287774897/sort/default/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/price-to/2500/usedcars/postcode/ba116sx/page/4/fuel-type/diesel/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/radius/40?logcode=p

 

A few simple fixes to do.

[K9d 108]

This doesn't really work on the economical or estate front, but it scores massively on the desirability stakes, it looks mint and a rare find.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201409297788858/sort/default/make/alfa_romeo/postcode/ba116sx/radius/1501/price-to/2500/page/1/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/model/166/usedcars?logcode=p