[Bonanzoid]

why can't America just learn to appreciate British TV for what it is, rather than trying to remake it in their image?

Wow. That looks truly awful.

[dimtimjim]

Oh now a REAL Mini, now you're talking. They were less a car, more a family pet. More loyal and willing than any dog, more guile and cunning than any cat, cute as a chipmunk and as much personality as - as - as something with more personality than any animal.

I used to have a little black Mini 850. It got stolen once and the police found it fifty miles up the A12 with the engine blown - what could I do, I had to find a donor and get it a transplant. Thing was, there were no Mini 850 engine donors in any of the breaker's yards so we gave him a 1000cc engine and hoped for the best. When he came out of the anaesthetic we didn't know what to expect, but he was better than ever - and a LOT faster!

Oh Yuddles, how we could wile away the hours...

I too used to have a proper Mini, it was a 1976 850cc model (so was Tax exempt, whoop!) in British Racing Green. In similar vein, came to me with problems, so I dropped a 1.3L MG Metro engine in mine - along with a few other choice upgrades (brakes and suspension for example). Fast didn't begin to describe it. The speedo didn't work, the wipers would only go on not off (you'd have to pull up and pop the bonnet if it stopped raining again), it had NO soundproofing, no carpets and no baffles on the exhaust. Dispite this, it was still the best car i've ever owned. RIP Green Meanie.

Obviously I kept the 850cc badge on the back - the looks i'd get from drivers of big engined German cars (BMW 330i for example) as I 'smoked' them away from the lights.

Anyway, drifted off there. Back to Deadly comment, nowt wrong with new Mini's, great cars to drive if you can live with the portrayed image.

Yuds, whats up with Bee-Em's? I know everyone entitled to own opinion, jus' curious how you arrived at that one...

[Bruvva]

Ahhh..cars and driving and stuff.

I should really get a license, shouldn't I?

[James H]

I had an MR2 for a year. I know the pain of car stereotypes. Even though it was an SW20, not the more modern one I still got called a hairdresser!

[Yudster]

Yuds, whats up with Bee-Em's? I know everyone entitled to own opinion, jus' curious how you arrived at that one...

I think I've just been unlucky in the people I know who drive them - in my limited experience they are driven by arrogant arseholes who would benefit from a stilleto heel grinding into their faces, so therefore BMW's are clearly shit by association, you know? I'm only going by the people I know personally who drive them of course.

I'm fully prepared to accept that they are very good cars, and I totally acknowledge that some of them are even quite beautiful. But I don't suppose I will ever be able to afford to own one, so I will retain my prejudice. Although to be fair, if I COULD afford a BMW I would buy an Alfa Romeo.

[chrysostom]

a stilleto heel grinding into their faces

50 Shades of Yuds

[The Deadly]

I now have my eye on an Abarth 500. I've ordered a brochure.

[DevilsDuck]

I have a Nissan Not (one of the ducklings ripped off the e whilst washing the car)

I am looking at a BMW 325d at the moment, just need to convince the father in law to sell it to me for a good price!

[DevilsDuck]

I had an MR2 for a year. I know the pain of car stereotypes. Even though it was an SW20, not the more modern one I still got called a hairdresser!

It is a hairdresser's car

[Yudster]

I now have my eye on an Abarth 500. I've ordered a brochure.

Now that's a nice car. And goes like shit off a shovel I hear.

[The Deadly]

Yeah they are pretty reasonably priced too, finance works out about £200 a month with less paid upfront. Only stumbling block might be backseat room. Got to get two car seats in.

[James H]

I had an MR2 for a year. I know the pain of car stereotypes. Even though it was an SW20, not the more modern one I still got called a hairdresser!

It is a hairdresser's car

How about a Nissan Skyline?

[dimtimjim]

I think I've just been unlucky in the people I know who drive them - in my limited experience they are driven by arrogant arseholes who would benefit from a stilleto heel grinding into their faces, so therefore BMW's are clearly shit by association, you know? I'm only going by the people I know personally who drive them of course.

Jus' so you know, they all drive Audi's now.... BM's for * was soooo 2004.

Only stumbling block might be backseat room.

Dutty boy.

Fiat 500 good though. Arbarth better.

How about a Nissan Skyline?

Now thats not a hairdressers car. Still a Datsun though.

[James H]

Now thats not a hairdressers car. Still a Datsun though.

Nothing wrong with Nissan. I've had 12 of them in my 8 years on the road!

[Nicola_Red]

I don't care if you have a hairdresser's car James, you're a geek who can drive and your Golden hour project is as OCD as my tedious link, I'd go out with you. If you weren't in Kent, obvs.

[Yudster]

I have a Nissan Not (one of the ducklings ripped off the e whilst washing the car)

I am looking at a BMW 325d at the moment, just need to convince the father in law to sell it to me for a good price!

What's the Note like? Its one of the options I've been looking at but I'm put off by the ugliness of it. Not that this is the be all and end all, I want something that will fit me, Mr Yudster, Baby Yudster and a reasonable amount of stuff in, bang up and down motorways uncomplainingly and not drink petrol like a fat boy drinks coke.

[Senninha25]

Currently feeling powerless, looking at a massive fire raging in the mountain heights of Funchal...

[The Deadly]

It really says a lot about your life when you're watching Going For Gold episodes from 1988 at this time of night.....

[slaphead1982]

Life bitting me on the arse. R.I.P Grandma

[DevilsDuck]

What's the Note like? Its one of the options I've been looking at but I'm put off by the ugliness of it. Not that this is the be all and end all, I want something that will fit me, Mr Yudster, Baby Yudster and a reasonable amount of stuff in, bang up and down motorways uncomplainingly and not drink petrol like a fat boy drinks coke.

It's pretty good! I have the 1.5 diesel and it does about 55mpg and has loads of room in it. But yes it is quite ugly and I wouldn't have another Nissan after my last run in with the Nissan garage! Twats!

[Yudster]

The other reason for looking at a Nissan was that we are told they don't break or go wrong - maybe that's why the garage was crap, lack of practice?!

[dimtimjim]

Nissan don't break or go wrong

No less than any of the other Jap brands (Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi or Subaru). In fact, if looking with reliability eyes, I'd suggest a Subaru - very over-engineered.

[Yudster]

I would love a Subaru but they are expensive to buy and even more expensive to run - economy is key here!

[The Deadly]

Maybe a Moped?

[DevilsDuck]

Well, when they quote you £2.5k to replace the turbo and inter-cooler and you look up the prices of parts online and it comes to £600 and they said labour is 3 hours... £600 odd pounds per hour for labour is a little steep! We got a quote from another garage for £800 all in