Spacewagon52

This is one of the ugliest cars I have seen. I think I prefer the susong musso thing on Top Gear to this!

Are you an engineer by profession? If not where to acquire such skills? I am amazed what you guys are prepared to tackle. You could make a list of all the guys with different skills on this forum - put them together and create a great car - detailing being the last thing byRayaans!

That is very impressive! I wish I had half your skills. I am not sure about the body kit - will be interesting to see it fitted to the car. Really thought the photos were good. Very inspirational - well done ..... so far!

I like them.

Is that a Toyota camper (Hiace?) you have at the back?

Quicker and less hairy than the accelerator in the middle!

To be fair the Seat 1.2 has been a fairly reliable car. One spring - coils(?) and usual servicing costs. An 03 plate with 97,000 miles is likely to have issues. If we had had time then we might have found the problem, but with the electric window broken and it needing a new seatbelt it was really not worth the hassle. I am not a big fan of VW but we will see how well her Beetle fairs. I like the Honda models .............. but you can lead a horse to water ........!

Don't mention SKODA! She is a REAL badge snob! Well an update on the saga. She wanted and I found two good ones in her price range .... but they had been sold! Tried hard to sell her a Corolla and Honda Jazz - "Granny Cars!" In frustration, and as a joke, I sent her VW Beetle I saw on AutoTrader - she liked that! It looked good one ....... sold! Then saw another Beetle in Canterbury - 2005, 2.0 litre petrol, 71,000 full service history (independent VW garage) cambelt done - immaculate! Sold? NO! She got it for £1,500 - I thought a really good buy. Not the car she wanted at first or the size of engine - WOMEN! Not a car I would have chosen - style of substance - but she is thrilled with it and £2,250 cheaper than an 06 Polo she was going to look at! Are men like that? Has anyone here set their minds on a particular car and ended up buying something completely different on the day? Also managed to sell her Seat Ibiza to a Polish chap for £200, who was exporting it for parts. He buys 400 cars each month for parts. He says older cars are very cheap here in the UK.

I would not necessarily call it Bangernomics it is a compromise between supposed reliability and cost.

What is the PPF? Excuse my ignornace but can't see anything on the rear doors?

You have 3 already Rupert?

It is a wonderful game. My daughter bought a 2005 Beetle for £1500 - it is immaculate and drives like a dream - 71,000 miles full service history. That is the type (not that make or model for me) of car that we all aim to find. It is a dilemma how much you pay to get a good one. To be honest, the cheaper cars I have bought have given me more smiles per mile. It is when you buy a Lemon that the tables turn. I suppose it is better to buy £5000 Lemon than a £20,000 one! I am still not sure what is the best thing to do. The cheaper the car the less expectations I have.

Is this Celsior a Mk1? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201510258152669?model=LS 400&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ct147th&sort=distance&radius=1500&make=LEXUS&onesearchad=Used&page=1

That is very true. It is an age thing ........ time seems to go much quicker and you realise the body is not as capable as the mind. I don't wait anymore, I do what I can, as soon as possible .... none of us knows what tomorrow will bring and yesterday has gone, but it is still good to plan.

What a wonderful trip to plan! Would you consider going by train? Not the same I suppose as a proper road trip.

You are very adventurous! India would be possibly the LAST place I would want to drive and the last place to be a passenger! Sorry!

Is the SC430 too small for you? I would prefer the V8 engine and of course it is LEXUS?

When I saw the G37 photo I thought it was the SC430! Very similar styling. Is it bigger than the Lexus?

At £350 I would do without the dimming!

A few years ago, I believe one of the big supermarkets was selling Gordons Gin for less than they were buying it. It was called a loss leader, to get customers into their stores at Christmas. They would make money on the tonic and other items people would buy. I can't remember the whole story in detail but Gordons got the hump and threatened to stop supplying the supermarket. The Lexus LS400 was a loss leader for Toyota for some years I believe.

Not shady - just big business.

The Legnum/Galant - they are super cars. Had 5 Galants over the years. The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross looks like an NX/RX! Talk about pinch the styling!

Love that expression!

I had a Mk2 Cortina. Parked in a dark multistorey and opened up a car that did not belong to me! Same colour!

If I had pots of money there are a few cars I would like to put away for a few years.