So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[RooFlyer]

The 240Z is now a hot collectible.

Funny, that's how I described myself to the widowed heiress down the road.

 

[Cossie]

I always wanted a Trabant! Made of cardboard. (Great movies of the 80's Go Trabbi Go and Go Trabbi GBo II. - )

Post automatically merged: Apr 11, 2020

You can read them online in PDF now

Same here, still working on getting one, the very last model had a golf engine in it. They are appreciating in value in Germany, there are some that are rallied Including at Eifel last year.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Same here, still working on getting one, the very last model had a golf engine in it. They are appreciating in value in Germany, there are some that are rallied Including at Eifel last year.

Maybe they could post it to you as a flat pack then you fit a local engine.

 

[Cossie]

Trabi with Golf engine, museum near Helsinki.



Old Trabi factory at Zwickau, now a museum. Disregard date of 2002!



Rally Trabants

 

[Cossie]

Trabis from a treffen at Zossen, south of Berlin and Finnowfurt, north of Berlin. They take this very seriously!

 

[OATEK]

Trabi in Berlin.

 

[jb747]

Before all of this current rubbish started (how else to describe it), I was considering a replacement for the S3. Perhaps I’m starting to be too old for hot hatches (hope not), but I find its seats don’t really work for me, and it is pretty harsh on some of our local roads. Of course, I’m never totally logical with cars, so I could well be swayed by a nice engine note.

As much as I like the idea of the Tesla 3, I don’t think I can make it work for me. So, we’ll leave EVs out for the time being.

My wife doesn’t like having to get down to ground level to get into, or out of, the car, so that pushes consideration towards some of the various forms of SUV. There are, of course, a couple of types here. Real, go anywhere vehicles, or fake ones that are simply hatches/station wagons that sit a bit higher than usual. I already have a ‘real’ one, so I’m not forced in either direction here. But, it will have to have something that makes it ‘interesting’. The vast majority of these cars are the mobile equivalent of fridges. Even before my super was raped by CV19, I didn’t want to spend a fortune.

So, what are we left with? Well, going with the child in me...
New S3/RS3. Unlikely. Not a fan of dealing with Audi, plus their cars have been progressively becoming more and more ugly (and yes, I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder).
Mark 8 Golf R. No details yet, but the lower versions give some idea. The previous Rs had much better seats than the S3, but are otherwise mechanical twins. Not too sure about dealing with VW though.

Something really different:
Alfa Giulia, but sadly not the V6 version. The package is very interesting, but you do have to wonder about AR though. Dealerships are pretty thin on the ground.

Outsider:
Jaguar XE.

Amongst the fake SUVs:
The Alfa Stelvio. Interesting package, but with that same AR cloud.
Audi RSQ3. Great noise, but seems to have been hit with the ugly stick. Any interior colour you like, as long as it’s black (which I hate). Audi.
Jaguar E or F Pace. E is the right size, but it’s heavier than the F.

And a real SUV.
Land Rover Defender 90.

So, whilst locked down, I can amuse myself building virtual cars. At least I don’t have to pay for them.

 

[drron]

Similar
View attachment 210005

I remember number plates and I have seen this car.Somewhere between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

 

[Cossie]

Interesting article from a couple of years ago,

The Trabant Turns 60

Sixty years after the first "Trabi" rolled off the assembly line in a cloud of blue smoke, we look at the little plastic car that innovated, stagnated, and was finally rejuvenated.

www.rferl.org

Finally, this one from imgur by Martin Yankov.

 

[docjames]

Before all of this current rubbish started (how else to describe it), I was considering a replacement for the S3. Perhaps I’m starting to be too old for hot hatches (hope not), but I find its seats don’t really work for me, and it is pretty harsh on some of our local roads. Of course, I’m never totally logical with cars, so I could well be swayed by a nice engine note.

As much as I like the idea of the Tesla 3, I don’t think I can make it work for me. So, we’ll leave EVs out for the time being.

My wife doesn’t like having to get down to ground level to get into, or out of, the car, so that pushes consideration towards some of the various forms of SUV. There are, of course, a couple of types here. Real, go anywhere vehicles, or fake ones that are simply hatches/station wagons that sit a bit higher than usual. I already have a ‘real’ one, so I’m not forced in either direction here. But, it will have to have something that makes it ‘interesting’. The vast majority of these cars are the mobile equivalent of fridges. Even before my super was raped by CV19, I didn’t want to spend a fortune.

So, what are we left with? Well, going with the child in me...
New S3/RS3. Unlikely. Not a fan of dealing with Audi, plus their cars have been progressively becoming more and more ugly (and yes, I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder).
Mark 8 Golf R. No details yet, but the lower versions give some idea. The previous Rs had much better seats than the S3, but are otherwise mechanical twins. Not too sure about dealing with VW though.

Something really different:
Alfa Giulia, but sadly not the V6 version. The package is very interesting, but you do have to wonder about AR though. Dealerships are pretty thin on the ground.

Outsider:
Jaguar XE.

Amongst the fake SUVs:
The Alfa Stelvio. Interesting package, but with that same AR cloud.
Audi RSQ3. Great noise, but seems to have been hit with the ugly stick. Any interior colour you like, as long as it’s black (which I hate). Audi.
Jaguar E or F Pace. E is the right size, but it’s heavier than the F.

And a real SUV.
Land Rover Defender 90.

So, whilst locked down, I can amuse myself building virtual cars. At least I don’t have to pay for them.

Have you considered the GLA43? Mildly higher ride height for Mrs jb747 getting in and out (vs Audi RS3, VW Golf R), plenty of go for you and it’s hot hatch sized.


Sure, it’s not an SUV but might be the balance in between.

 

[CaptJCool]

I’m running one of these imaginary cars discussed in this article

Apparently, on average “including those without cars”, it costs $10,800 to so do.

The real cost of running your car: It's time to change gears

The average Aussie household spends a whopping $10,800 a year on transport costs but you can make a big dent in that amount by making a few simple choices

www.theage.com.au

Well, the last car “I took for a spin” looked something like this and was thrown in as a freebie before an EK flight

 

[Deleted member]

I’m running one of these imaginary cars discussed in this article

Apparently, on average “including those without cars”, it costs $10,800 to so do.

The real cost of running your car: It's time to change gears

The average Aussie household spends a whopping $10,800 a year on transport costs but you can make a big dent in that amount by making a few simple choices

www.theage.com.au

Well, the last car “I took for a spin” looked something like this and was thrown in as a freebie before an EK flight

View attachment 213805

Yeah. But I still love my old cars. Cost doesn’t come into it

 

[samh004]

Well, the last car “I took for a spin” looked something like this and was thrown in as a freebie before an EK flight

You're looking a little young there, how many years ago was this?!

 

[CaptJCool]

You're looking a little young there, how many years ago was this?!

Well 5 years, it popped up on memories

My kid was 14 at the time ... and was excited at flying to Europe with Dad - departed straight out of Adelaide

 

[jb747]

Have you considered the GLA43? Mildly higher ride height for Mrs jb747 getting in and out (vs Audi RS3, VW Golf R), plenty of go for you and it’s hot hatch sized.

Sure, it’s not an SUV but might be the balance in between.

GLA45 is over $100k. We looked at MB before our viral containment, and I've recently driven CLA250, GLC, and GLE. Whilst I'll happily test drive any RS Audi the dealer wants to send my way, there is no chance of me buying one. Ride isn't their priority, and the same applies to the AMG MBs. But, one MB that isn't available here yet, that might fit, is the GLB. Engine choice doesn't sound very inspiring though.

 

[rogerkambah]

I remember number plates and I have seen this car.Somewhere between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Yes, you have. Poster of #2072.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Before all of this current rubbish started (how else to describe it), I was considering a replacement for the S3. Perhaps I’m starting to be too old for hot hatches (hope not), but I find its seats don’t really work for me, and it is pretty harsh on some of our local roads. Of course, I’m never totally logical with cars, so I could well be swayed by a nice engine note.

As much as I like the idea of the Tesla 3, I don’t think I can make it work for me. So, we’ll leave EVs out for the time being.

My wife doesn’t like having to get down to ground level to get into, or out of, the car, so that pushes consideration towards some of the various forms of SUV. There are, of course, a couple of types here. Real, go anywhere vehicles, or fake ones that are simply hatches/station wagons that sit a bit higher than usual. I already have a ‘real’ one, so I’m not forced in either direction here. But, it will have to have something that makes it ‘interesting’. The vast majority of these cars are the mobile equivalent of fridges. Even before my super was raped by CV19, I didn’t want to spend a fortune.

So, what are we left with? Well, going with the child in me...
New S3/RS3. Unlikely. Not a fan of dealing with Audi, plus their cars have been progressively becoming more and more ugly (and yes, I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder).
Mark 8 Golf R. No details yet, but the lower versions give some idea. The previous Rs had much better seats than the S3, but are otherwise mechanical twins. Not too sure about dealing with VW though.

Something really different:
Alfa Giulia, but sadly not the V6 version. The package is very interesting, but you do have to wonder about AR though. Dealerships are pretty thin on the ground.

Outsider:
Jaguar XE.

Amongst the fake SUVs:
The Alfa Stelvio. Interesting package, but with that same AR cloud.
Audi RSQ3. Great noise, but seems to have been hit with the ugly stick. Any interior colour you like, as long as it’s black (which I hate). Audi.
Jaguar E or F Pace. E is the right size, but it’s heavier than the F.

And a real SUV.
Land Rover Defender 90.

So, whilst locked down, I can amuse myself building virtual cars. At least I don’t have to pay for them.

Have hired several Jags and Afas over the last few years.

The Jag XE and XFs and nice. The XE V6 is very attractive package and handles better than the XF. Large car but handling is superb so is touring.

The Alfa Stelvio, built on the Guilia platform, we had in Italy last year was also superb and this was only the 2.0 pot boiler but was comfortable and handled well with reasonably technology. Easy elevated entry.

The Guilia is also excellent and probably better handler than the Stelvio but low to get into.

Having owned four five Alfas, the problem is that you never actually buy an Alfa. You pay the asking price then continue to pay it off year after year as bits break. But the new Guilias etc are built more along the German lines and are much more reliable as I read.

 

[jb747]

The Jag XE and XFs and nice. The XE V6 is very attractive package and handles better than the XF. Large car but handling is superb so is touring.

The XF isn't something I have any interest in. But, the XE is basically around BMW 3 series size. Not a large car, though I think its design is quite deceptive (in a nice way). Jag stand out a bit, in that they seem to refuse the ugly stick that is passed around the makers. Ian Callum equals tasteful, whilst Chris Bangle equates to ugly. I've driven the XE on our local roads, and its ride is a great feature. Amazingly well mannered. Sadly the V6 is no longer available, but I guess a 300 hp turbo four is the modern way to go anyway. I've owned a couple of JLR products, and not had any issues, so I'd certainly consider it.

Having owned four five Alfas, the problem is that you never actually buy an Alfa. You pay the asking price then continue to pay it off year after year as bits break.

Which is probably a bit of an issue, though it's interesting that you've owned five. They obviously have some attraction. Nearest dealer is 300 km away which is less than ideal.

When we eventually escape from confinement, I'll go and have a couple of drives.

 

[Cossie]

So what did @JohnM end up buying, or is he too embarrassed to tell us? Or possibly I missed it.

 

[tgh]

a fraud i think...... and he doesn't want to fess up...