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I've had a driving epiphany


Son of Bob
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I have recently taken on a contract in Basingstoke and our Nissan Terrano was just going to be too thirsty on the daily 80 mile round commute. I didn't want to get rid of the 4x4 as we love it so it was decided I should get something more practical as a 2nd car. This meant the budget was tight at £600! I wanted something economical but most importantly, it had to have an element of fun - I just can't do boring cars!

 

Anyway, after a few weeks of searching/bidding on eBay I secured myself a motor and my God, what a car. I've been driving it for a few weeks now and I can honestly say it's been elevated into my top 3 cars of all time. This is no mean feat when you take into account I have been driving for 20 years, have owned around 40 different cars (ranging in price from £500 to £15k) and have covered 3/4 of a million miles.

 

It is one of the sweetest handing cars I've been in, has a cracking gearbox and is fast enough to be fun. It's got 4 seats, a big boot, does 40 mpg and costs £350 a year to insure. The car I have is a '98 with 80k on the clock, it has loads of history, is very clean, tidy and rustless and it came with 10 months MOT. It cost me £630 and to be honest, feels like all the car I'd ever need.

 

As a footnote I'm an avid reader/subscriber of EVO magazine and they rate this car as 5 stars out of 5 and simply list the positives as 'Everything' and the negatives as 'Nothing'.

 

Can anyone guess what it is? The correct answer doesn't win a thing...

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Ford Puma

 

Well done that man!

 

Here it is;

 

252106_10150317931496124_529006123_9881839_6906060_n.jpg

 

Before anyone makes any hairdressing comments they really should try driving one. I've owned a number of fun cars over the years (Golf GTi mk1,2,3 and 4, MG ZS180 V6, MG ZR, 205 GTi etc) but this is probably the sweetest drive of the lot. It's a 1.7 and the engine, which was co-developed with Yamaha is cracking. The handling is fantastic too! I genuinely have a broad smile on my face virtually everytime I step out of it.

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I took a Puma, Elise and Formula Ford around a track and preferred the Puma. The FF was too small for me and the Elise wasn't as easy to chuck into corners although it was quicker (although no doubt that is to do with my driving ability). No, the Puma is definitely not a crappy hairdresser car.

 

Edit - actually it wasn't as swish as a Formula Ford, but it was something along those lines.

Edited by angelman
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Well done that man!

 

Here it is;

 

252106_10150317931496124_529006123_9881839_6906060_n.jpg

 

Before anyone makes any hairdressing comments they really should try driving one. I've owned a number of fun cars over the years (Golf GTi mk1,2,3 and 4, MG ZS180 V6, MG ZR, 205 GTi etc) but this is probably the sweetest drive of the lot. It's a 1.7 and the engine, which was co-developed with Yamaha is cracking. The handling is fantastic too! I genuinely have a broad smile on my face virtually everytime I step out of it.

 

Do you reckon all Pumas are great or only the 1998 version?

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Do you reckon all Pumas are great or only the 1998 version?

 

Hard one to call Jonny. The 1998 is good and I've heard the 2000 and 2002 ones aren't bad either. Apparently 1999 wasn't a great year and the 2001 should be ignored at all costs.

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Still, wouldn't be seen dead in it

 

Well Stevo, we can't all be as cool as you. One day, when you're mature enough to understand, you'll realise that very few people actually give a **** what you look like or put any real importance on it. In the mean time you just keep enjoying the work you put into your self-image. I'm sure you feel it's all worthwhile...

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if you take into account the difference in fuel cost and extra tax and insurance mot etc, how long will it take to get your money back?

 

322.7 working days. ;)

 

We had to get a 2nd car anyway as the wife needs one for work/school collections etc now I'm not WFH.

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Well Stevo, we can't all be as cool as you. One day, when you're mature enough to understand, you'll realise that very few people actually give a **** what you look like or put any real importance on it. In the mean time you just keep enjoying the work you put into your self-image. I'm sure you feel it's all worthwhile...

 

Pretty stupid reply tbh......

 

Don't really care how other people think i look, but i care how i look. Maturity is nothing to do with it, looking like a ***t is.

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Pretty stupid reply tbh......

 

Don't really care how other people think i look, but i care how i look. Maturity is nothing to do with it, looking like a ***t is.

 

I can confirm this. I've seen his golf attire.

 

I've always had a sift spot for the Ford Probe. Anyone ever had one?

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I've recently been demoted from the beemer estate, which died from head gasket failure, to my old 95 Civic Lsi hatch which I had kept as a spare car. Had forgotten what fun the damn thing is to drive, I can see what Son Of Bob means. I think it might be to do with the lower standards of safety gear needed, less weight to drag around and so on, airbags at a minimum etc, its a lot more fun than the newer hatches ive driven.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The 1998 is good and I've heard the 2000 and 2002 ones aren't bad either. Apparently 1999 wasn't a great year and the 2001 should be ignored at all costs.

 

I'm trying to decided if you're being facetious.

 

My girlfriend has just got a new job so looking for a cheap car and I thought about this thread.

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On the topic of the Proton Persona (as facepalmed by son of bob further up the thread...) I do get a lot of enjoyment driving my fiancées on the weekend after sitting in my Ford Mondeo shaped mobile office all week. Something nice and fun about driving more basic machinery, although I will accept in the case of the Proton Persona 1.6 it can be as much due to the comedy factor then anything else.

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I'm trying to decided if you're being facetious.

 

My girlfriend has just got a new job so looking for a cheap car and I thought about this thread.

 

Yes I was Al - very much so! Although apparently the 1.7 is the best to drive but also the most costly to maintain. What have you got? I've had mine for a couple of months now and still loving. I don't care it it's a girls car - it's awesome fun!

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Yes I was Al - very much so! Although apparently the 1.7 is the best to drive but also the most costly to maintain. What have you got? I've had mine for a couple of months now and still loving. I don't care it it's a girls car - it's awesome fun!

 

1.7 on a W with 66000 on the clock. I took it out for a brief spin around the block and all I could think was "This is tight", both in terms of response and space, since I drive a mini-MPV.

 

I'm looking forward to giving it a good caning.

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Yes I was Al - very much so! Although apparently the 1.7 is the best to drive but also the most costly to maintain. What have you got? I've had mine for a couple of months now and still loving. I don't care it it's a girls car - it's awesome fun!

 

Oh thanks then! I passed up a great deal on a 2001 model. Harrumph.

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