Post your own RIDE - Get it [bubble] wrapped

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Post your own RIDE - Get it [bubble] wrapped

You Am I: May 20, 2001; Me @ your poasting

Rhyno posted:

How does that measure up to a Ford Transit, similar dimensions?

Pretty well the same, but the Transit has more body options. The Vauxhall is a rebadged Renault van. One of my friends owns one (with the Renault badge) and it is surprising comfortable even when it is unloaded.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 08:13

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# ? May 24, 2024 14:40

stump: Jan 19, 2006

spog posted:

I am seriously jealous of that. (I have a thing for vans).

Looks like a great buy, too. I never considered an Ex-AA van- at least the driver is going to be mechanically minded.

The AA vans are a decent bet I reckon. I've got the service printout from BT Fleet with every service up to 92k done bang on time except for one which was done 2000 miles late. Downsides are, some have speed limiters (mine doesn't), will have spent a lot of time idling, possible messed with wiring, so basically like a police car that was driven by a granny. I like the colour too, at least it isn't white!

You Am I posted:

Pretty well the same, but the Transit has more body options. The Vauxhall is a rebadged Renault van. One of my friends owns one (with the Renault badge) and it is surprising comfortable even when it is unloaded.

Yeah the transit has more options, the vivaro/traffic/primastar is the same size as the smallest transit (not the connect), the Renault Master and its Vauxhall / Nissan siblings are similar to the bigger transits. All of the Renault versions are FWD, Transits have more RWD options. Renault offer a RWD Renault Mascot which is just a huge Master but those are pretty rare.

I really like driving the Vivaro/Traffic and the master, we used to have them at my old job. Very car like aside from size and higher NVH.

Only downside in the UK is lower speed limits for vans on Non motorway roads, 50 and 60 when cars can go 60 and 70.

I managed to check my VIN and I have the 115 horsepower version, it isn't quick but more than enough to keep up with traffic.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 09:18

D C: Jun 20, 2004; 1-800-HOTLINEBLING
1-800-HOTLINEBLING
1-800-HOTLINEBLING

For when your large vehicle needs even more storage...

# ? Feb 15, 2016 10:02

spog: Aug 7, 2004; It's your own bloody fault.

Tremek posted:

That's a neat van, especially for the money. We have absolutely nothing like that in this market, especially not at that price point. Pickup trucks largely fill that sort of niche here, but the vast majority aren't diesel or manual.

I never understood why vans like this aren't available/popular in the USA. Okay, they don't have the 'I drive a truck, yee-haw' image and they aren't as good off-road, but apart from that, anything a truck can do, they do much, much better.

You've got the UPS truck, the A-Team van and the shuttle-buses and that's it.

stump posted:

The AA vans are a decent bet I reckon. Downsides are, some have speed limiters (mine doesn't), will have spent a lot of time idling, possible messed with wiring, so basically like a police car that was driven by a granny.

Does it have an external connector for jump leads?
Seems that anything the AA would add would be something useful for a tool truck.

quote:

Only downside in the UK is lower speed limits for vans on Non motorway roads, 50 and 60 when cars can go 60 and 70.

Still doesn't stop them driving 12" off my rear bumper at any speed.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 11:11

stump: Jan 19, 2006

spog posted:

Does it have an external connector for jump leads?
Seems that anything the AA would add would be something useful for a tool truck.

Yep front and rear. Don't know if they work (lots of AA stuff gets ripped out) but I suspect they do so I'll be hunting down a set of leads.

spog posted:

Still doesn't stop them driving 12" off my rear bumper at any speed.

And given my experience through the a9 average speed cameras half of them have no idea about the split speed limits.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 11:40

Raluek: Nov 3, 2006; WUT.

spog posted:

I never understood why vans like this aren't available/popular in the USA. Okay, they don't have the 'I drive a truck, yee-haw' image and they aren't as good off-road, but apart from that, anything a truck can do, they do much, much better.

You've got the UPS truck, the A-Team van and the shuttle-buses and that's it.

We have Transits (and Transits Connect) and Sprinters, but they really aren't very cheap or available secondhand.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 11:57

Dang It Bhabhi!: May 27, 2004; ASK ME ABOUT
BEING
ESCULA GRIND'S
#1 SIMP

Fully loaded and customized Sprinters are gaining popularity amongst the non-limo-wanting old money set out here.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 13:48

Suburban Dad: Jan 10, 2007; Well what's attached to a leash that it made itself?
The punchline is the way that you've been fuckin' yourself

spog posted:

I never understood why vans like this aren't available/popular in the USA. Okay, they don't have the 'I drive a truck, yee-haw' image and they aren't as good off-road, but apart from that, anything a truck can do, they do much, much better.

Automakers probably would rather have you buy a truck since that's where the majority of profits are made.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 13:57

LeeMajors: Jan 20, 2005; I've gotta stop fantasizing about Lee Majors...
Ah, one more!

MasonF posted:

Get another one! They're pretty inexpensive for one that's been abused. Put a V6 in it and it is a rocket ship. I'm planning on pulling the 4A-GZE (1.6 supercharged) and putting in a 2GR-FE (3.5 V6)
The power to weight ratio is insane.

I wish I could. No space and my wife isn't really amenable to another car at the moment (working on starting a family/saving/etc.). Just two 4Runners in the driveway now (00 and 07).

Eventually I'll probably try to grab an NA MkII if they haven't all been modified into oblivion.

I can't imagine the 2GR in that little thing. I had the NA/5sp 85 in Super Red (exactly like yours w/ no spoiler) and it was a rocket with the stock 112hp. Great little car. I miss the poo poo out of it.

Maybe one day. *sigh*

# ? Feb 15, 2016 16:09

Blame Pyrrhus: May 6, 2003; Me reaping: Well this fucking sucks. What the fuck.; Pillbug

co199 posted:

Sorry for the cell phone picture. There's now a fish in my parking spot.

One of us. One of us!

# ? Feb 15, 2016 17:03

track day bro!: Feb 17, 2005; #essereFerrari; Grimey Drawer

MasonF posted:

Get another one! They're pretty inexpensive for one that's been abused. Put a V6 in it and it is a rocket ship. I'm planning on pulling the 4A-GZE (1.6 supercharged) and putting in a 2GR-FE (3.5 V6)
The power to weight ratio is insane.

My friends shop has a MKII with a 2GR in it and i'm absolutely smitten with the sound, im waiting for him to 2gr swap his own car before I even think about doing mine. Plus its going to probably cost me more than two times what my car is worth, i'm hoping the prices on 2gr's drop in the next few years. They might be cheaper in the us though, here the 2gr is only in the Evora/Exige and a couple of lexii.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 17:15

Rigged Death Trap: Feb 13, 2012; BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

PenisMonkey posted:

According to Mercedes the curb weight is 5,180 pounds. Add my 200 pound fat rear end in there for 5,380. Of course Car and Driver said theirs was 5,400. Who knows. All I know is it weighs a lot more than the M3.

E: I should clarify that I never went WOT with it. It's not my car and I didn't tell the wife I was going to take it out to grab some exhaust notes. I just told her I was running to the store (which I was) and she was cool with that. What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

Technically you did because of the VVL that Merc has. :eng101:

# ? Feb 15, 2016 17:26

bandman: Mar 17, 2008

track day bro! posted:

My friends shop has a MKII with a 2GR in it and i'm absolutely smitten with the sound, im waiting for him to 2gr swap his own car before I even think about doing mine. Plus its going to probably cost me more than two times what my car is worth, i'm hoping the prices on 2gr's drop in the next few years. They might be cheaper in the us though, here the 2gr is only in the Evora/Exige and a couple of lexii.

I've mentioned it before, but my ex-father in law has a 2GR swapped MR2 spyder, and it is a loving riot. A+++++, would hoon again.

# ? Feb 15, 2016 17:32

Fender Anarchist: May 20, 2009; Fender Anarchist

spog posted:

I never understood why vans like this aren't available/popular in the USA. Okay, they don't have the 'I drive a truck, yee-haw' image and they aren't as good off-road, but apart from that, anything a truck can do, they do much, much better.

Can you dump an excavator load of gravel in the back of a van from 12 feet up?

That's what I thought. :smug:

# ? Feb 16, 2016 00:20

cursedshitbox: May 20, 2012; Your rear-end wont survive my hammering.; Fun Shoe

I bought a beater truck to do truck things.

90' 7.3 Idi, ZF5, Kingpin 60 front, 10.25 rear. 134,000 miles.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 00:44

spog: Aug 7, 2004; It's your own bloody fault.

Enourmo posted:

Can you dump an excavator load of gravel in the back of a van from 12 feet up?

That's what I thought.

Wouldn't that squash the undocumented workers in the back?

# ? Feb 16, 2016 01:38

track day bro!: Feb 17, 2005; #essereFerrari; Grimey Drawer

Enourmo posted:

Can you dump an excavator load of gravel in the back of a van from 12 feet up?

That's what I thought.

Thats what the chassis cab is for although nobody buys those sorts of things for non commercial purposes.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 13:38

Fender Anarchist: May 20, 2009; Fender Anarchist

track day bro! posted:

Thats what the chassis cab is for although nobody buys those sorts of things for non commercial purposes.

thats just a pickup though

# ? Feb 16, 2016 15:33

Seat Safety Switch: May 27, 2008; MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.; Pillbug

bandman posted:

I've mentioned it before, but my ex-father in law has a 2GR swapped MR2 spyder, and it is a loving riot. A+++++, would hoon again.

Jesus, that thing is a killing machine. The 2GR is an almost unfair engine.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 18:50

meatpimp: May 15, 2004; Psst -- Wanna buy

EVERYWHERE
some high-quality thread's DESTROYED!

Seat Safety Switch posted:

Jesus, that thing is a killing machine. The 2GR is an almost unfair engine.

It really is. It's way overpowered for FWD, my wife's old Rav4 had one and it would do nothing but spin the tires in first and second. That is fun, in general, but in that car it was so frequent and hard to modulate to the point that it was annoying.

In a RWD car, especially an MR2, that would be wicked fun, all the time.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 19:17

track day bro!: Feb 17, 2005; #essereFerrari; Grimey Drawer

Its annoying i'm doing a rebuild on a spare 3sgte and I have a feeling that if I drive a 2gr powered car i'm not going to want the built motor.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 20:08

Darchangel: Feb 12, 2009; Tell him about the blower!

Tremek posted:

That's a neat van, especially for the money. We have absolutely nothing like that in this market, especially not at that price point. Pickup trucks largely fill that sort of niche here, but the vast majority aren't diesel or manual.

Yeah, we do (assuming America). Ford now sells the Transit here in multiple configs, and Ram (Dodge) sells the Promaster, a rebadged Fiat van. Chevy is the only one still making an American-style van, not counting the little City Express, which is a rebadged Nissan NV200 and is car-based like Ford's Transit Connect.
Automatics are still more common, most likely.

e: f, b.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 20:48

Tremek: Jun 10, 2005

Darchangel posted:

Yeah, we do (assuming America). Ford now sells the Transit here in multiple configs, and Ram (Dodge) sells the Promaster, a rebadged Fiat van. Chevy is the only one still making an American-style van, not counting the little City Express, which is a rebadged Nissan NV200 and is car-based like Ford's Transit Connect.
Automatics are still more common, most likely.

e: f, b.

There are very few of them comparatively on the market, fewer still are diesel, none are manuals, and they're certainly not <$4k.

# ? Feb 16, 2016 21:26

_firehawk: Sep 12, 2004

The sprinters have been in the US since the early 2000's and can be had cheap. They were sold under Mercedes/Freightliner/Dodge. Not sure about manuals. But we used to have a fleet of 2003 diesel sprinters with autos.

# ? Feb 17, 2016 00:39

PenisMonkey: Apr 30, 2004; Be gentally.

I'm out in Texas visiting family. This is the BMW garage.

In standard fashion I told my sister I was going to wire her M6 up to get the exhaust note and then I stole her keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFVQlzbR5ZQ

# ? Feb 17, 2016 01:24

Sevalar: Jul 10, 2009; HEY RADICAL LARRY HOW ABOUT A HAIRCUT

****MIC TO THE WILLY***

First new car after driving a second hand car for years, feels good man

# ? Feb 17, 2016 15:41

Super Aggro Crag: Apr 23, 2008; And, of course as always, kill Hitler.

I worked for a shop with a turbo diesel Dodge Sprinter. Slow as balls but got good gas mileage and being able to stand in the back was amazing.

# ? Feb 17, 2016 22:43

veedubfreak: Apr 2, 2005; by Smythe

Super Aggro Crag posted:

I worked for a shop with a turbo diesel Dodge Sprinter. Slow as balls but got good gas mileage and being able to stand in the back was amazing.

In fact, it got infinite gas mileage. :v:

# ? Feb 17, 2016 23:19

Aztech: May 30, 2009

2015 Holden Commodore, my first new car and rather a step up from the old beaters that procded it!

# ? Feb 17, 2016 23:20

spleen merchant: Jul 1, 2007; Fun Shoe

Been away for a month due to a pretty minor interaction with a roo.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 14:51

mobby_6kl: Aug 9, 2009; by Fluffdaddy

PenisMonkey posted:

...
In standard fashion I told my sister I was going to wire her M6 up to get the exhaust note and then I stole her keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFVQlzbR5ZQ

That actually sounds pretty nice but I wonder when will the manufacturers run out of power they can get out of the downsized engines and we can get back to V10s. Hopefully this happens before EVs take over completely.

# ? Feb 19, 2016 15:26

Mariana Horchata: Jun 30, 2008; College Slice

PenisMonkey posted:

I'm out in Texas visiting family. This is the BMW garage.

In standard fashion I told my sister I was going to wire her M6 up to get the exhaust note and then I stole her keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFVQlzbR5ZQ

Not the best pic but this was my bros BMW fleet take a couple years back. The green E34 has since been Lemonized.

and yes i know our design department doesnt know how to spell, but thankfully they can drive like a son of a gun so its all good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ5EhrpqxTc

spleen merchant posted:

Been away for a month due to a pretty minor interaction with a roo.

im not sure about the weird looking front end bumper area (but maybe its the angle) but the rest of that car looks fantastic and its too bad that almost all hatchbacks sold in the US no longer have that classic timeless hatchback look like an EG Civic (its weird to describe hatchback styling as such but its true). actually we barely even get any 2dr hatches anymore at that and any 2drs we do get are all base and low end trims only. Probably because a 4dr hatch could be pitched as a 'subcompact crossover' to your average modern American car consumer, while a two door hatchback will always be a poor persons car to most. For example I recall the Veloster being called a 'sport coupe' or something like that by Hyundai.

Mariana Horchata fucked around with this message at 11:32 on Feb 21, 2016

# ? Feb 19, 2016 19:29

Maker Of Shoes: Sep 4, 2006; AWWWW YISSSSSSSSSS
DIS IS MAH JAM!!!!!!

Mariana Horchata posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ5EhrpqxTc

I can't tell if he's really frustrated at 2:56, if it's just a wonky throttle issue or both. :v:

# ? Feb 19, 2016 19:52

Mariana Horchata: Jun 30, 2008; College Slice

Maker Of Shoes posted:

I can't tell if he's really frustrated at 2:56, if it's just a wonky throttle issue or both.

The kid (I say this because he's ~23yo but looks like he's 14 and has the build of a jockey with the features of a leprechaun) can get kinda pissy at times (but he's never ever black flagged for misconduct) and a little hard on the car as well (see pics below taken just a few hours after the video was shot), he had the E60 M5 as well as the silver track attack E46 which was still street legal at the time as that pic was taken the day before attending German Car Day in Brookline. MA the next day (I decided to ride shotgun in it after popping a xanax because i knew it was bound to be an intense sensory experience to say the least when driving into Boston).

I think that was the 2nd M30 out of either 3 or 4 that he has claimed, all of the due to overheating except for one botched downshift that required a drunken overnight cylinder head swap.

Mariana Horchata fucked around with this message at 20:38 on Feb 19, 2016

# ? Feb 19, 2016 20:29