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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

The Next Daily Drive.


KurtB

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Hi Folks,

 

I hope you're all wearing the winter well. It's all go in our house as Amy (almost 4 months already) takes up all out time. The Exige is on blocks of wood in the garage waiting for remedial work like the exhaust flexi joint, solving an oil and coolant leak and a suspension strip and paint.

While I look fondly on at the Exige, I'm leaving the RAF to look after Amy and will be a full time dad from June next year. As part of my leaving I will get a gratuity pay off and Mrs B has sanctioned the purchase of a daily drive to replace the Panda 100hp. That car is a fantastic amount of fun and cheap as chips to run, but it's not the kind of car I thought I'd have at the end of 23 years service. My thoughts turn to the following as a replacement:

 

Lancia Delta Integrale 16v (I owned and loved an 8v, so a known qty)

Porsche 968 Sport. (I've driven a 944 8v and loved the handling balance.

VW Scirocco FSI.

RS Megane 230 F1 Tea....

 

So all a bit different. My only requirements are a £10K ceiling, and it must have 4 seats as I have to fit in a buggy, a small dog, and potentially 2 daughters (1 will be only coming along infrequently). Oh and it can't cost the earth to run, so M3's are out!

 

Can anyone give me any top tips about the above cars, or recommend others (or why I shouldn't have the above choices). Please no diesels, I won't do the mileage to justify one and if truth be told they leave me a little cold.

 

See you in the spring!

 

Cheers,

Kurt

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Kurt,

 

I have run a 968 Sport as a daily for the last 2 years. It had just over 70k on the clock when I bought it and now has just under 100.

 

In 2 years it has never missed a beat and apart from tyres and brake pads the only mechanical work needed was attention to front calipers.

 

Caliper plate lift is a known issue and so is wear of the vario cam chain and sprokets ( mine look like new ). Details of both can be found here :

 

http://www.jackals-forge.com/lotus/

 

Another bonus is that the car has gone up in value by about £1k in two years. Economy is good too for a 3 litre I get mid to high twenties. smile.png

 

Russ.

 

PS: You are welcome to a nose around mine if it helps.

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Where is the panda going?

The sirocco is just a squashed golf, few people I know of have had said they aren't the best for your back.

 

The megane's are nice. - be warey of the electrics.

 

Lancia delta would be my top choice. Would up keep costs be higher that other choices though?

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Kurt,

 

I have run a 968 Sport as a daily for the last 2 years. It had just over 70k on the clock when I bought it and now has just under 100.

 

In 2 years it has never missed a beat and apart from tyres and brake pads the only mechanical work needed was attention to front calipers.

 

Caliper plate lift is a known issue and so is wear of the vario cam chain and sprokets ( mine look like new ). Details of both can be found here :

 

http://www.jackals-forge.com/lotus/

 

Another bonus is that the car has gone up in value by about £1k in two years. Economy is good too for a 3 litre I get mid to high twenties. smile.png

 

Russ.

 

PS: You are welcome to a nose around mine if it helps.

 

Slightly off topic, but thanks for posting that link Russ, I've just lost the last hour reading through some of his car stories rather than working! :lol:

 

Great website and he really has owned some wonderful cars!

 

Back on topic, from reading that chaps website it sounds like he was really taken with the 968 and considering the cars he has owned that says a lot about it as a potential purchase.

 

Have you ever used yours on track Russ? Is it standard or have you uprated suspension etc?

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Slightly off topic, but thanks for posting that link Russ, I've just lost the last hour reading through some of his car stories rather than working! :

 

Have you ever used yours on track Russ? Is it standard or have you uprated suspension etc?

Always good to get some light relief from the daily grind Miles. Glad I could help!

 

Never used mine on track as it is totally standard. I have seen a few on track days going fairly well. There was one at Spa on our last visit , going much better than our Elise's in the wet. That changed when it dried out though.

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I ran a E36 M3 Kurt for a year and a half and would average mid to high 20's.

 

It's a shame about the diesels as I've been thinking of buying my bosses 3.0 diesel 5 series estate, yes an estate! I borrowed it to run to Brussels and back and by god does it go!! I'd say even quicker than the M3.

Fuel consumption was great too and lots of room, they are around 10K now.

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Hi Gents,

 

Alex, the Panda will be put up for sale when the time is right, either PH or eBay. It's a cracking motor to be fair, and if I wasn't so fickle with cars (I've owned 57!!) it'd be sticking around. It's cheap to run, all the reviews in EVO are bang on and it returns 40 mpg tank after tank, regardless of the amount of "fun" I have in it. It's done 79K now and shows no sign of wear or degradation through use.

 

Dean, perhaps you're right on the Integrale/M3 running costs. I sold my Integrale over a decade ago and I saw its flakiness develop slightly. Parts prices are a little steep and availability of parts can be unreliable. Naturally, the specialists charge quite a bit and they do tend to need TLC.

 

I'm hearing what you're saying about the Scirocco Alex, and as I have a glass back it's worth considering. I do like them though, colour dependant.

 

Russ, I'm very drawn to the 968. Are there any corrosion issues? I have glanced over the link in your post, and it's described well and I seem to remember the 944 I tried was very similar. Quite weighty and mechanical feeling. Will I be able to find a well cared for car within my budget? I don'y want a Club Sport or lookalike, but a Sport or the standard model may be just right. This is a strong possibility. And yes, if I may come and have a look at your car in more detail, that'd be great.

 

The Megane seems like a bargain and there are plenty available. I only have one reservation and that is getting drawn in by the magazine reviews. I did that with a Clio 172 (full fat) and could never get comfortable with the seating position (The Porsche was a sublime driving position by comparison). I only kept the Clio for 6 months as a result and didn't really get what the fuss was about.

 

Keep it coming chaps, great feedback so far.

 

Regards,

 

Kurt

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I had a Scirocco 2.0TSI for 3 years and found it fantastic especially with the DSG box, Never had any back problems either, However not sure it would be suitable as a family car.... Getting in and out of the back was difficult so not sure how you would get on with a child seat, also the boot is not the biggest.

 

Not the usual colour choice -

 

gallery_4172_1224_34550.jpg

 

 

 

 

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The 968 is a facelift 944 in essence. The engine has more power & the 6 speed box make for a better drive.

 

If you have driven a 944 you will know that they are very mechanical, even agricultural compared to modern cars. Heavy controls at slow speeds but that is the price for it coming alive at speed!

 

No corrosion issues, AFAIK all the panels, chassis etc are galvanised.

 

Russ.

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Hi Gents,

 

Alex, the Panda will be put up for sale when the time is right, either PH or eBay. It's a cracking motor to be fair, and if I wasn't so fickle with cars (I've owned 57!!) it'd be sticking around. It's cheap to run, all the reviews in EVO are bang on and it returns 40 mpg tank after tank, regardless of the amount of "fun" I have in it. It's done 79K now and shows no sign of wear or degradation through use.

 

 

Keep me posted on the panda I could be interested be pending on price and if I have sorted another car by then.

Have a bit of soft spot on for them (que piss taking)

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Thanks Russ, sounds good.

 

Kosmo, we have a family wagon (Passat estate) the car choices above are for me to have fun in and take Amy to feed the ducks, walk the dog and do the weekly shop. If I can do that in the Panda it'll be doable in either of those coupes. Your Scirocco looked good.

 

Cheers,

Kurt

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Kosmo, we have a family wagon (Passat estate) the car choices above are for me to have fun in and take Amy to feed the ducks, walk the dog and do the weekly shop. If I can do that in the Panda it'll be doable in either of those coupes. Your Scirocco looked good.

 

Cheers,

Kurt

 

Definitely consider the Scirocco, German build quality and a great fun car and it's not as similar to a Golf as people think, The rear axle is from a Passat with wider track and different suspension set-up.

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Keep me posted on the panda I could be interested be pending on price and if I have sorted another car by then.

Have a bit of soft spot on for them (que piss taking)

No piss taking here Alex, they're belting little cars. I can hand on heart say that they are more fun per pound that the Exige (there is a big difference in pounds though!) and I have an indecent laugh in it, generally on my return from work in the early hours when the world is sleeping. I'll let you know when I am about to sell it.

 

Russ, I wonder if I can look at your car this weekend please? I'll PM you.

 

Cheers,

Kurt

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