I have become controversial. Again.
As a journalist, even a motoring one, you have to be judged not just on what you write but also by who you upset. Currently, I’m poking environmentalists with a gearstick and standing up for private transportation in the wake of the Science and Technology Committee in parliament suggesting private car ownership has a ‘best before’ date. What this means is: hurry now while stocks of interesting cars exist for you to enjoy. Don’t drive something boring when the used car market offers so much for so little money.
Let’s start with a car you definitely should not buy under any circumstances: a Mazda RX-8. Except they are pretty and quirky and we will never see their like again. Or their fuel and oil consumption. So get a functioning one and enjoy it for as long as you possibly can. They can be bought for buttons and I did see a 2004 RX-8 with a fresh engine at £2800. It’s probably better to buy a really late-model 2010 one that seems to have been looked after and is showing 40,000 miles. At £5999, the price seemed reasonable to me.
The utter frivolity of motor cars is no better demonstrated than the existence of the convertible. Now combine that with some sort of off-road ability. Just imagine how that would annoy those people who loathe cars, let alone 4x4s. Drive forward the Land Rover Freelander Softback. As the all-new Defender takes centre stage, the old-school Freelander remains the most affordable interpretation. So let’s make it worse by going for a diesel. A 1999 2.0 Di doesn’t sound good but, in the real world, makes all sorts of sense and the mileage is a reasonable 120k. It comes with full leather, decent tyres and just the three previous owners. All that wonderfulness for £995.
Then again, the whole point of a drop-top is to have huge fun. Obviously, you should get a 1997 Caterham Seven 1.6 K-Series Supersport for something in the region of £14k. If you can’t stretch to that, go for a Tiger kit car for £5k.
If, like me, you really do want to trigger those who despise any sort of automotive excess, then get yourself an Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It is the very finest vehicle that Mercedes has ever made. It is complicated in all the right aspects and topped off with apocalypse-surviving quality, which will come in handy if the climate doomsters have a point. Anyway, a 1998 example would be the last of the incredible breed and I found a privately owned one with a modest 110,000 miles at £5995, which is so very tempting.
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I think you all missed the point
It was a tongue in cheek introduction so the author could write about the side of motoring he is interested in, which is old bangers, ones with some quirks and features etc etc.
You've obviously all spent too long arguing on forums and blogs etc. First sign of this is being outraged when seats are not accurately described as leatherette / full leather / leather panels / calfskin / bison epidermis.
Or do you think he's going to write an article
"Get a small EV car on PCP". Bye"
You may be waiting for some time .....
Cenuijmu wrote:
Agree, I thought it was all a bit tongue in cheek, playing on the recent news so he could highlight what interesting stuff is available, cheap.
I've been eyeing up 3 door Freelander a for a while now, they look great, better with the removable hard top though as it looks less like a tent has been attached to the rear, and I'd like a petrol, just to be different, but not the kV6 as that'd be too expensive for me to run.
As for RX8s they are stunning looking cars that unfortunately I'd be too terrified to own.
@ si73
Buy a Freelander if you must....but NOT one with a K series engine!
289 wrote:
With the uprated Land Rover/MG head gasket they're not too bad. Keep on top of servicing and it's a modern revvy engine.
Though according to @SamVimes1972 as I live in the country and not some shoebox new build in the suburbs, I don't need a car, so I'll sell you mine.
Cenuijmu wrote:
All good points, extremely well made.
Leather
The Freelander did not come with ‘full leather’. It was available with ‘leather seat facings. As a motor journalist you should know the difference. ‘Full leather’ means the whole seat is upholstered Ieather. With the Freelander, around the base, the sides of the seat as well as the whole of the back were plastic. Just as with most cars today.
Bentleys can be specified with full leather. Very few mass produced cars ever are.
Kamelo wrote:
Kamelo did not come with 'fully formed faculties in place'. What is a "motor journalist"?...ah yes, you mean MOTORING journalist. So quick to nit pick (and I'm sure you have many), so easily found out to be more than an idiot.
"With the Kamelo, around the base of the (tiny) brain, the sides of the (tiny) brain as well as the back ARE plastic. Just as with most fools today."
Daily Mail headlines
What a load of old B*. The writer has provided no evidence of this new pattern of car use now that will gain pace in the next 10 years. Not going to happen in the foreseeable future, now lets never see a dumb article like this again.