Gone all German

[countrydude]

I had to retire the monty last week. It had another shunt from a lorry this time. He decided to overtake a large queue of traffic on a roundabout and then merged back into lane while firstly bouncing of my rear passenger door, then onto the rear arch (the good one!) and then all the way down the back smashing the rear bumper.

Obviously this has written the car off again. This time there was no way around it. The car had to be replaced. Mechanically the engine and running gear is all sound but body wise it is very shonky now. I don't think £1k at a body shop would make a decent solid car. As I use this for business enough was enough. After 7 years of Montego ownership I now have:





I have to say, it is quieter, faster, smoother, it does wallow like a boat currently and is crying out for a remap. Once you get it into the revving mode it pulls moderately well.

So there you go. End of an era. I did try to look for another but it was sold. Even with all my parts I would have still ended up spending out far more than the passat cost me to buy.

Sometimes the head has to rule the heart.

[E_T_V]

Traitor!

I have to confess that was what I was looking at to replace my 600. In the end the missus wanted a ZTT instead.

[countrydude]

I did want to stay within the rover or mg brand but I just couldn't do it. I don't like the ztt or 75 estate. Being that is the last estate Rover did I had to look elsewhere.

Mainly the benefits so far are, comfort. Long journeys just aren't as tiring! Brakes, 282mm fronts as standard, with 245mm at the rear the braking is better than all the mods I did on the maestro! Parts availability!!!! And being a modern and currently developed engine the standard turbo is a gt1949v so on a simple remap can take what is a 130 to 170 with no supporting mods!
I've just ordered some lowering springs to improve the ride before the remap.

If only I could get the performance I had in the maestro though! Even in the few days I have had it I have a growing dislike for traction control. ABS, ok that is saftey, but after having a car so raw and grunty giving me traction control on 130 bhp is taking the...

[Guest]

All good things come to end. If youve got the space and money why not get another one to play around with? Tho i always seem to have no time or no money. You cant beat an old car for the driving experience. My road car is just to easy to drive. Happy motoring anyway, that car will do you well.

Steven

[countrydude]

thanks, yes i may well end up with an 8v turbo or something to tinker with. Something more modern is great for now as Im in that phase where I'm a bit jaded by my car obesssion.

It's a terrible thing when you pour so much time and money into a car, grow attached to it and then it brakes or some kindly fellow driver brakes it for you. You realise no matter how attached you were it's just a lump of metal!