Reply With QuoteDepending on what sort of roads you generally use, I'd suggest one with cruise-control.
R
Hi guys
I recently had spinal surgery which has left me grounded for a few weeks. I have to be sure I could handle an emergency stop pain-free and with safety for all concerned.
My vehicle fleet consists of a Riley 2½ saloon (power-assisted nothing) and a Discovery (power steering, servo, but a heavy clutch pedal).
I won't be able to drive anything for two weeks, but rather than remain grounded for a further period, I am contemplating purchasing a car that would be more suited to my physical deficiencies. My criteria are:
15 years old at least, and preferably with a name that would swing onto my classic car insurance without raising any eyebrows (such as Rover, MG, Jaguar et al).
Automatic with power steering; is there anything else by way f modern motoring enhancements tat I could employ to my advantage?
No problems needing fixed;; long MoT obvs
Resaleable once I can resume driving my regular steeds without losing much (if any!) money. I have seen many adverts for seemingly suitable steeds at well under a grand.
I don't have much of a grip on modern motors, so I thought that my TZUK chums down the G&D would be able to advise. I have looked at adverts for Jags, Rover 75s, the MG variant, also the 400 and 600 - any more that you can think of? Or is it a plan doomed to failure?
Every reply will earn a pint of Old Invisible from the G&D's favourite voluptuous barmaid
Depending on what sort of roads you generally use, I'd suggest one with cruise-control.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
https://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C944218
Hope this helps, and that you heal quickly.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
You might think this is taking the piss, but my mum has had a Nissan Micra for ages and it is bloody brilliant, simple, light and accurate to control, and as reliable as the day is long. If the auto is as good as the manual, it's the perfect car for anyone in your situation. Even if they won't do you classic car insurance on it, how much can it be? The a 2003 1.2 autos are very cheap, and you should be able to pick one up with very sensible mileage.
Thanks Saint-Just, never thought of a Merc! Very interesting.Originally Posted by Saint-Just
I can't collect for a fortnight or so, and it would have to be close to me in Manchester as I will be having to get out of the car every30 mins and walk round for a bit, so it's the concept I was wanting advice on rather than any specific vehicle. At this stage. I may well ramp up the search when I find how I am feeling next week.
How about an auto Discovery 2? I had one for years and it remains one of the most comfortable 'cars' I've ever owned. Cheap to fix, bullet proof engines and gearboxes.
Not sure it'll qualify for classic insurance though.
Or maybe an auto 3.0 petrol e46 BMW?
Sadly, because I have no NCD (you don't get it with classic policies) I have ruled out "ordinary" car insurnce.
I will do a quote check later, but I bet it would be hundred of pounds for a Micra. Another vehicle on my classic policy would be £28.50.
Thhaks for the suggestion though; I am a real innocent abroad when it comes to modern vehicles.
My 1993 Disco is on my classic policy, and I am looking at adverts for an auto, but a Disco 2 would be a bit more than I want to spend. I am looking for a 200/300 though; no law against having two is there?
I only quoted this particular vehicle because I wanted to illustrate that you can have a great car for not too much money. Of course there are W124 that will cost you 4 times more, but usually because body shape and engine are more sought after.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I'm very glad you did. Quite fancy a Merc, never owned one.
I would personally steer well clear of any Rover product from back then, likey to have a K series which are known for engine issues
Are the diesel ones OK Franky?
Better than the K series yes however that isn't saying much.
The L series was an ok engine if a little sluggish.
Have you considered an early Lexus LS400, auto everything and just wafts along
I'll take a look, but are they not a bit above my price ceiling?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-sea...stcode=cm170by
There are loads on eBay
Last edited by adrianw; 6th August 2018 at 19:45.
That surprised me; some car for the money!
I need as basic a vehicle as poss, as I am still struggling with all the modern upgrades on the Disco, like flashing indicators.
Some of those bottom-of-the-range Mercs look interesting.
Not sure if it would fall into the "classic insurance criteria" , there`s a good looking 1999 Honda Accord 3.0 V6 auto on sales corner at the minute, not too far away too.
It was that advert that set me off thinking. Not the car for me; 1953 16hp Riley to Honda V6 Auto would be a quantum leap. Something more docile without doubt. But it does look a lot of car for little money.
I am still wondering how I am going to explain to auntialec exactly why our cars lack the luxury touches of more modern vehicles, and why I am going to return to the old 'uns asap.
Pah, what could possibly go wrong on a K series engine. A pinnacle of modern design....
No one has said Mazda MX5 yet, pretty basic
Don't I have to be a hairdresser? And maybe a tad low for a spinal patient to get in and out?
Sorry :-)
Late 90s Jag S type or XJ?......cheap to buy, nice to drive, but expensive to fix if the car has problems. Get yourself a camel overcoat to go with it and you'll pass for Arthur Daley
Paul
A man of your high class needs a Jag XJ or a Merc w124. I’ve had the later and they are superb...apart from the wiring looms (they biodegrade!) and 5-speed gearboxes (made from chocolate). If you find one where the wiring loom has been replaced and it has the solid 4-speed box you won’t go far wrong. I used to love mine, it was like driving one’s favourite couch.
PS. The straight six Mercs are silky smooth (when the wiring loom is working) so go for a bigger engine!
Last edited by Kirk280; 7th August 2018 at 08:49.
My mates dad had a rover 75 with a bmw deisel engine old enough not to have all the modern deisel crap on it and i think they also did a petrol 2.5 v6
You may want to spend some time calling a local broker or two, as I had this with my old classic car insurance policy and managed to find an insurance company that would accept that I had renewed with the same classic policy for 7 years or so (without claiming) and gave me virtually full NCB as a result.
Please don't get a Rover 75.
An old Merc barge would get my vote.
The old Mercs do have an appeal; I will keep my eyes open and when I can drive again see what there is locally.
In Cheadle:
SAAB 9000 -£700
______
Jim.
Good shot. I'm on it.
Fabulous cars,
n2
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Yeah, looks great. I am 2nd dibs apparently, though I didn't get as far as telling the vendor that he would have to bring it to me for viewing!
A model to look out for certainly. A kind TZer has contacted me via PM and recommended this range for the lumbar support qualities
Rover 75 auto, the v6 engine never had a problem with the head gasket like 5he 1.8
I inherited a 3 litre diesel w124 many years ago. It had been my grandfather's retirement car and it was a pleasure to drive. Had it been an estate as opposed to a saloon I would still be driving it, as it would have been worth fixing the wiring loom (as mentioned elsewhere in this thread) and the sieve like heater matrix.
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If I were in your part of the world I'd happily take you to view a car or three... hopefully there's someone better situated than me.
Going back to the original post - the Rover 75 is actually a rather nice car, or I’d suggest an S-Type Jag.
Both can be had for peanuts prices now.
So clever my foot fell off.
Aw, thanks Coops.
Listen guys- all who have been kind enough to offer advice have given sterling service; I really do not have a scooby about modern cars. I now have a good idea of a few models to track down when I can drive again. I will rely on my silver tongue to persuade the vendor to come to me.
So far I have Vovo S40, Saab, Jag S-type, smaller-engine Merc - or (sorry guys) I do have a soft spot for the Rover 75, though I take the point about the 1.8 engine. Not many people know this, but in 1996 a handful of convertibles were made as a concept under the Riley badge (still owned by BMW) hence the lack of logic on my part.
The real bottom line is I can't wait until I can drive the Riley again.
I was going to suggest anything Saab or Volvo. My current XC60 has lovely comfy seats, but they’re no better than the old V70’s I’ve owned. Maybe not ‘classic’ but the early estates have a certain 70’s charm imho
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I'm not too bothered about the aesthetics; there is a requirement for the car to be 15 yrs old and have an owners' club. If I can fit those criteria I can insure for £28.50 p.a.
I am trying to complete the exercise on as low a budget as I can. We don't want to have to sell a watch now, do we!
I’m curious - I thought classic insurance was 25 years+? I have a 17 year old who’ll need a car when he passes his test - and I’d rather spend the money on an mg midget + classic insurance than a clapped out fiesta and massive insurance!?
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Firms differ; the criteria I quote are with Footman James. Worth a phone call or two I would have thought.
Not a lot of classics with street cred for your average 17-yr-old, but stuff like Escort, Golf, Mini, 2CV may sneak in. Buy a copy of Classic Car Weekly and see if anything floats his boat.
I think there is a minimum age for this sort of policy though, and I bet it is higher than 17!
Also there are quite low mileage limits, and you typically can’t use classic car policies for commuting.
E39 BMW 5 Series? Range of engines both diesel and petrol to suit all tastes, supreme build quality and comfort. I own two and am utterly besotted with them.. tremendous machines. Oldest ones are now 21+ years old so can often be insured on classic policies.
You can’t use them for social or pleasure neither as they’re always broken, but some do make good tow cars.
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Update: the earliest that I can drive is this coming Saturday.
Today I tried sitting in my Discovery and found it to be more comfortable than the chair in which I am recuperating! So despite some really good suggestions, and a realisation by me that there are some seriously cheap super-comfortable cars out there for very little money, I am going for the Drive the Disco theory unless or until a weekend short test drive proves otherwise. The emergency stop ability is the acid test apparently.
I think the Riley is a way off yet though; power-assisted nothing!
Many thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
Citroen C5. Probably the most comfortable ride in the last generation.
Saab and Volvo have the best seating position. Scandinavian Othopaedic Design I suppose. The 9000 is mentioned. Volvo’s are worth a look too. Walk away from the stationcars. Too expensive, the saloons are what you’re looking for.
One of our customers at the shop has a Rover 75 V6. Great car, but expensive when things go wrong. Parts are no longer off the shelf for this low volume version of the car. We are still able to get all, but it takes a day longer. Autoboxes need new oil the moment you buy the car. Intricate job, so neglected by most mechanics.
Finally, I know a very rare Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 SE RS8 for sale in Wiltshire. A 2003 car with 54K miles.
It’s one of 20 cars built by Jaguar with a stronger engine: 330 hp. The cars were used by top management so, like this one, it’s loaded with hoodies and extras.
A rare beast
The car was owned by someone who passes away recently, his widow is selling the car. I have more info on the car, but that’s too long to list here. Asking 6K
- - - Updated - - -
Saab and Volvo have the best seating position. Scandinavian Othopaedic Design I suppose. The 9000 is mentioned. Volvo’s are worth a look too. Walk away from the stationcars. Too expensive, the saloons are what you’re looking for.
One of our customers at the shop has a Rover 75 V6. Great car, but expensive when things go wrong. Parts are no longer off the shelf for this low volume version of the car. We are still able to get all, but it takes a day longer. Autoboxes need new oil the moment you buy the car. Intricate job, so neglected by most mechanics.
Finally, I know a very rare Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 SE RS8 for sale in Wiltshire. A 2003 car with 54K miles.
It’s one of 20 cars built by Jaguar with a stronger engine: 330 hp. The cars were used by top management so, like this one, it’s loaded with hoodies and extras.
A rare beast
The car was owned by someone who passes away recently, his widow is selling the car. I have more info on the car, but that’s too long to list here. Asking 6K
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