£500 car tax!

[Martin Holden]

I'll let you off if it's one of these.

View attachment 341578

Now you're talking, a MK1 Mexico!!

 

[Martin Holden]

What with four large high performance tyres every 10,000 to 12,000 miles, plus £500+ road tax, the Audi Q7 really pished me off. I feel much better driving the Honda which has only just over £100 road tax and is still on its second set of tyres at nearly 50,000 miles. Better still in the Qashqai with its zero rated road tax, which goes like a little rocket, but isn't 4wd.
Neither tows of course. And the Honda doesn't have low range, which meant it failed on a hill the other day. It was a bit extreme for it though, to say the least.

Off now to load two barrens into the box then back to fetch a milk tanker/trailer to cart some milk. Will tow about 120 miles in total this afternoon. Yesterday it was with Landcruiser. Today it is the Ranger's turn.

And which one do you prefer? Have you had your rangers oil pump checked out? They are prone to instant failure at above 80k and you get no warning before the engine siezes! We've had 2 fail so far!!

 

[Cowabunga]

And which one do you prefer? Have you had your rangers oil pump checked out? They are prone to instant failure at above 80k and you get no warning before the engine siezes! We've had 2 fail so far!!

I thought I would miss the Q7 but I don't. Miss the auto transmission but it makes a change to drive the Honda with a manual. I would have no hesitation buying another new Honda but it would now be the new 9 speed automatic version. I wish I could upload the dash cam video of where I took the Honda up the Rheidol Valley the other day. It failed, but it failed in style.



My favourite is the Land Cruiser. It was built with no compromise and continues to perform as well as when I first drove it off the dealer's lot on September 1st 1998. It replaced a Jaguar XK8 which gave me backache but was a lovely car.

For some reason the Ford 2.2 engine has been recalled for modifications on the Transit but not in the Ranger. At first I thought that perhaps there were differences between UK and South African assembled version, but apparently not. I also wonder whether Land Rover has recalled them?

I've towed significant weight and distance with both Ranger and Landcruiser today and the Ranger has the advantage of a six speed auto transmission and leaf springs for stability. On the other hand the Land Cruiser goes well enough with a 50hp advantage along with the equivalent percentage extra torque, even though it loses the advantage because it weighs half a ton more and has only a four speed automatic. Land Cruiser is far more comfortable for passengers than an unladen pickup, due to its 'skyhook' hybrid suspension, although there is no more room for passengers than in Ranger.

The LC 100 series oozes quality from every pore. Its on its original exhaust and apart from service parts like pads and discs plus handbrake shoes plus an alternator and two anti-roll bar links, is completely original. Despite its 18 years of hard use I would not hesitate jumping in it at a moments notice for a thousand mile round trip. It has never let me down.

Despite the amazing number of UK sales of the 80 and 100 series 'Amazon' Landcruisers, the 200 [latest V8] is a rare beast on UK roads, only having sold a few hundred over about eight years. Its styling is too bulky and oriental and its rivals are seen as more 'desirable'. They have recently given up importing them. I suspect that the ones that are on UK roads will now hold their value exceptionally well, which previous versions always did and do anyway and for good reasons.

 

[Grain Buyer]

Get rid of Evans. Cowabunga for Top Gear presenter!!

 

[FonterraFarmer]

I thought I would miss the Q7 but I don't. Miss the auto transmission but it makes a change to drive the Honda with a manual. I would have no hesitation buying another new Honda but it would now be the new 9 speed automatic version. I wish I could upload the dash cam video of where I took the Honda up the Rheidol Valley the other day. It failed, but it failed in style.



My favourite is the Land Cruiser. It was built with no compromise and continues to perform as well as when I first drove it off the dealer's lot on September 1st 1998. It replaced a Jaguar XK8 which gave me backache but was a lovely car.

For some reason the Ford 2.2 engine has been recalled for modifications on the Transit but not in the Ranger. At first I thought that perhaps there were differences between UK and South African assembled version, but apparently not. I also wonder whether Land Rover has recalled them?

I've towed significant weight and distance with both Ranger and Landcruiser today and the Ranger has the advantage of a six speed auto transmission and leaf springs for stability. On the other hand the Land Cruiser goes well enough with a 50hp advantage along with the equivalent percentage extra torque, even though it loses the advantage because it weighs half a ton more and has only a four speed automatic. Land Cruiser is far more comfortable for passengers than an unladen pickup, due to its 'skyhook' hybrid suspension, although there is no more room for passengers than in Ranger.

The LC 100 series oozes quality from every pore. Its on its original exhaust and apart from service parts like pads and discs plus handbrake shoes plus an alternator and two anti-roll bar links, is completely original. Despite its 18 years of hard use I would not hesitate jumping in it at a moments notice for a thousand mile round trip. It has never let me down.

Despite the amazing number of UK sales of the 80 and 100 series 'Amazon' Landcruisers, the 200 [latest V8] is a rare beast on UK roads, only having sold a few hundred over about eight years. Its styling is too bulky and oriental and its rivals are seen as more 'desirable'. They have recently given up importing them. I suspect that the ones that are on UK roads will now hold their value exceptionally well, which previous versions always did and do anyway and for good reasons.

Regardless of the Uk's perception of the 200 Series, its interesting the number here that are used as work vehilcles towing trailers and going off road and not for the school run or just up the driveway to park in front of the house or castle.

 

[Fuzzy]

Get rid of Evans. Cowabunga for Top Gear presenter!!

I reckon this Girlie would make a good Top Gear presenter ...... the Fastest Female car driver in the world !!!!

JESSI COMBS

 

[DrDunc]

Its a reliant scimitar isnt it? Does the fibreglass or what ever its made of last alright?

Aye the scimitar fibreglass is at least quarter of an inch thick. With the exception of some surface gel coat cracking that's fairly simple to sort, it'll outlast just about anything but cockroaches.

The metal chassis does rot though. From the rear diff forward it's usually OK due mainly to the "rust inhibitor" that leaks from the sump, gearbox, and diff pinion.

I'm not long inside from spending the day welding patches and newly fabricated brackets on mine in preparation for the Mot.

With a little inexpensive tuning it'll give 180hp (which mine has), and weighs about1200kg. Little golf TDI's tend to get a fright in a drag, and the suspension design means it'll carry the speed through corners. The brakes have front triple pot callipers which are about as good as it's possible to need on such a lightweight car.

I'm a fan on the BRITISH design and engineering. It's something worth preserving because every government since the late seventies has allowed our skills in engineering and manufacturing to disappear from these shores.

 

[The Agrarian]

Our workhorse is a 2000 td5 defender 90. Had from new, it has given next to no trouble, apart from the occasional starter motor and knuckle on the driveshaft. You'll either love them or hate them, so no need to go into that. I expect tax to still to be in the 200's, so not too bad.

Wife drives a 2008 Nissan xtrail. Quite a few extras on it but not a flash car by any means. We like the slightly squared off styling that looks a little bit landroverish. Story behind it was that it came up for sale as a result of a neighbour's death. At exactly one year old, the dealer which supplied it was invited to make an offer for the £23k ish car. Rep left offer with the family at 10k. They tried a local independent, who offered 12. At this point I got wind of it and suggested 12.5. Local dealer went cold and they told me to take it out of their way, which I did on the spot! (Think they were just sick looking at it by this point). It had, wait for it, six thousand miles on the clock. To be honest, we had a vague notion of changing the wife's avensis, but hadn't looked at anything, and I barely even realised that x trail existed. Turned out really well. 2litre 150hp Renault and 6-speed auto/semi-auto. Economical compared to a 6 cylinder, pulls as well as the td5. Auto isn't as nice to toe with due to lack of feel, but really comfortable car. 17" alloys, so tyres are fairly cheap. 110k today and so far one wishbone, and the usual pads and discs. Suits the miserable Scot in me. Tax feels high enough at £280, but I suppose while it doesn't start with a three I'll howl me wheesht. I like it so much that I've currently resolved to take it off the wife at some point when the defender has to go tax exempt, and use it as my tidy runabout.

 

[Hilly]

Road tax should be scrapped and the revenue raised from fuel price increase.

I agree but you will find it employs an awful lot of people.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Aye the scimitar fibreglass is at least quarter of an inch thick. With the exception of some surface gel coat cracking that's fairly simple to sort, it'll outlast just about anything but cockroaches.

The metal chassis does rot though. From the rear diff forward it's usually OK due mainly to the "rust inhibitor" that leaks from the sump, gearbox, and diff pinion.

I'm not long inside from spending the day welding patches and newly fabricated brackets on mine in preparation for the Mot.

With a little inexpensive tuning it'll give 180hp (which mine has), and weighs about1200kg. Little golf TDI's tend to get a fright in a drag, and the suspension design means it'll carry the speed through corners. The brakes have front triple pot callipers which are about as good as it's possible to need on such a lightweight car.

I'm a fan on the BRITISH design and engineering. It's something worth preserving because every government since the late seventies has allowed our skills in engineering and manufacturing to disappear from these shores.

So no plans to go down the SA Perana route and go 289, T5 and 9 inch then?

 

[colhonk]

They were bad for overheating as well, as very poor airflow through rad.make sure you put a new 6 sided drive shaft under the distributor if you don`t want to break down.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

They were bad for overheating as well, as very poor airflow through rad.make sure you put a new 6 sided drive shaft under the distributor if you don`t want to break down.

Can't be any worse than a Mk 4 Has the driven timing gear been changed too?

 

[Wombat]

Doh! Do the maths! A rep on 50,000 miles/year pays far more tax than the 5,000 miler!

Pay as you go car tax already exists for people with thirsty cars, heavy acceleration/braking or the opposite with careful economic driving in small engined cars. It's called FUEL EXCISE DUTY!

That's without the amount of tax they pay to run a company car

 

[Wastexprt]

Next year my car will be road tax free because it turns forty

Bit like mine, although she is 60 this year. No MoT required either. Not a very relaxing drive though

 

[DrDunc]

Bit like mine, although she is 60 this year. No MoT required either. Not a very relaxing drive though

View attachment 342264

Porsche engine?

 

[Wastexprt]

Porsche engine?

No, it's a VW engine. But 2332cc of meaty goodness with twin 48 Dellorto's (and a few other bits)

 

[DrDunc]

No, it's a VW engine. But 2332cc of meaty goodness with twin 48 Dellorto's (and a few other bits)

Just a "few" other bits?

Once drove a Baja bug dune buggy with a "slightly tuned" dub engine. It was running 34 deg of static ignition advance

I suspect it was still more relaxing to drive than your little car