Decisions, decisions, decisions.........

[Alan S]

+1 on that - Chris

Shouldn't that comment be in the Humour forum?
If you wonder why, try whipping past a few semis in one go on some of those long straights. I've yet to find any Jap car that is suitable for this kind of trip as they all lack any get up and go once you hit a 100kph; and crosswinds!!!
In reality, all a Terriblewaytogo is, is a Hi Ace with seats and anyone who can find any pleasure in a trip like this in one is one notch off sticking their willy in a blender for pleasure if they have the choice of something decent to drive.


Alan S

 

[CHRI'S16]

Shouldn't that comment be in the Humour forum?
If you wonder why, try whipping past a few semis in one go on some of those long straights. I've yet to find any Jap car that is suitable for this kind of trip as they all lack any get up and go once you hit a 100kph; and crosswinds!!!


Alan S

Alan I've driven in a Europcar rented late model Tarago, Sydney to Brissy & back holiday over 9 days, 7000K's not 1 problem & great over taking with the auto kick down.
Then Sydney to Adelaide & back, again no problems easy on fuel, more stable than my old S16 when the truck blow by. 4000Ks in a 5 day holiday excelent again.
Then recently we used a Tarago to help move a family from Campbeltown to Woy Woy, trailer, 6 passengers & boot full of stuff, again didn't skip a beat & plenty of power, 115Kw & over 200Nm ... - Chris

 

[mantra]

In reality, all a Terriblewaytogo is, is a Hi Ace with seats and anyone who can find any pleasure in a trip like this in one is one notch off sticking their willy in a blender for pleasure if they have the choice of something decent to drive

How they do that, when a tarago is FWD and a highace is RWD? :wink2:
I think you will find a tarago is based on a Camry chassis (and 2.4L VVTi engine).

Other option is to hire a new Falcon/Commodore/380. All are reasonably frugal when cruising and will tolerate the weight of all that excess "baggage" better than any of the cars you have.

 

[cruiserman]

I would take my Statesman that is what it is for long trips, air con works great bucketloads of room for all front and rear comfortable - perfect. However from the information you have give Alan you only have one choice - the Xantia with the key information being SWMBO wants to go in that one and 3000klm of I told you so would make the R 32 seem comfy.

 

[JohnW]

I would take my Statesman that is what it is for long trips, air con works great bucketloads of room for all front and rear comfortable - perfect. However from the information you have give Alan you only have one choice - the Xantia with the key information being SWMBO wants to go in that one and 3000klm of I told you so would make the R 32 seem comfy.

I think you'd better take the Xantia Alan...... If it breaks down, you know what to say.

Have a good time by the way.

Cheers

 

[ARCHRIVAL]

A V8 Grand Larado Ieep if you had one

bx wagon the only choice at least someone gets a double bed if the worst happens what no CX wagon :joker: bugger

 

[danielsydney]

What happened to that blue victorian estate that was floating about for sale?

 

[orestes]

you know what you're missing here Alan is a good diesel option, something with soft springs and gearing so you can be lazy on long trips, better yet an auto. you'd kick me for sugesting a 505 SRDT, but we've done trips to sydney and back in ours and i've felt noe the worse for it... They've also got peugeot lounge chairs, and huge amounts of leg room front and back. but there again I know you're going to say spheres are better then springs, and rule it out without question... it's a shame you don't have a diesel cit

 

[Alan S]

I think there's a few missing something here; I was talking about the cars I have and it is one trip anyway, so unless I get a call to say "One ball has changed it all" I won't be going out to buy a car specifically for the job, nor will I be hiring some bone jarring pile of Jap crap (even if I did win Powerball) because cars I own are the only option and as I said previously, on a distance trip, I need to drive in a back brace and park benches in something Jap just aren't my scene and having had a visitor here the other day who owned a Camry brand new a few years back (current shape) and who swapped it for a 405 after a few RACQ call outs particularly when the towie announced with a laugh "Oh, not another one of these" kinda makes you understand why I drive what I do.:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:


Alan S

 

[DoubleChevron]

you know what you're missing here Alan is a good diesel option, something with soft springs and gearing so you can be lazy on long trips, better yet an auto. you'd kick me for sugesting a 505 SRDT, but we've done trips to sydney and back in ours and i've felt noe the worse for it... They've also got peugeot lounge chairs, and huge amounts of leg room front and back. but there again I know you're going to say spheres are better then springs, and rule it out without question... it's a shame you don't have a diesel cit

There is a few CX diesels out here, they are an awesome car (they set quite a few speed/economy records for deisel passenger vehicles when new). The are however CX's ... So normal CX issues apply.... the main being *there bloody hot* in the heat wave we are having :disappr:

If I had a good turbo diesel wagon though I'd most certainly fit an effective modern air con system to it (dunno how, but I would so it becomes a usable car).

seeya,
Shane L.

 

[Alan S]

If I had a good turbo diesel wagon though I'd most certainly fit an effective modern air con system to it (dunno how, but I would so it becomes a usable car).

seeya,
Shane L.

Cut the roof off? :roflmao: :roflmao:


Alan S

 

[DoubleChevron]

Cut the roof off? :roflmao: :roflmao:


Alan S

Driving a 2CV on a hot day has put me off ever wanting a convertible or sunroof in a car again... There god awful bloody things in hot weather and strong sun. Anyone for sunstroke I'd rather something over my head for some shade

I was thinking remove the glovebox, spare tire, nice big air pickup with strong aftermarket fan from the fresh/high pressure area at the front of the car (I saw a CX GTi Turbo at Maleny like this). The aftermarket air-con unit is then at the passengers feet. As you have airflow then you could actually cool the car to a usable extent. I'm not butchering my GTi Turbo in this way though :disappr:

seeya,
Shane L.

 

[ARCHRIVAL]

the boot mounted unit is the way to go

once i get around to plumbing up the rear unit in the t2 I'll let you know how it works .Could even reverse the wanky under seat vents to push air up to the front

 

[orestes]

I think there's a few missing something here; I was talking about the cars I have and it is one trip anyway, so unless I get a call to say "One ball has changed it all" I won't be going out to buy a car specifically for the job, nor will I be hiring some bone jarring pile of Jap crap (even if I did win Powerball) because cars I own are the only option and as I said previously, on a distance trip, I need to drive in a back brace and park benches in something Jap just aren't my scene and having had a visitor here the other day who owned a Camry brand new a few years back (current shape) and who swapped it for a 405 after a few RACQ call outs particularly when the towie announced with a laugh "Oh, not another one of these" kinda makes you understand why I drive what I do.:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:


Alan S

Well then... out of what you've got i'd probably take the auto wagon plenty of space to chuck stuff in, probably a fair amount of room front and back, and it's an auto which could be a plus on a long trip, and in city driving if you have to as well... it probably hasn't got all the modcons of the xantia, but that said if it's comfortable, and it's got decent aircon who really cares? women will tell you to take is astheticly the best, but in this case i doubt the xantia is

 

[cruiserman]

and it's an auto which could be a plus on a long trip

How is an auto any advantage on a long trip?

 

[smiffy1071]

I'd just take the CX and a spray bottle ... Whenever SWMBO complains about being hot, spray her with some cooling water :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: (Gee's I hope Mrs DoubleChevron doesn't read this ).

seeya,
Shane L.

Was that a fire extinguisher I saw you loading into the car shane?:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

 

[orestes]

How is an auto any advantage on a long trip?

how is it not? no constant gear changes is one less thing you have to have your mind on, especially when driving through built up areas/cities, you can just put the car in gear and drive the thing. Ok... maybe for highway driving it might not have as much of an advantadge, but it still remains that an auto would be an easier and more relaxing prospect especially when driving through reasonably built up areas.

 

[DoubleChevron]

how is it not? no constant gear changes is one less thing you have to have your mind on, especially when driving through built up areas/cities, you can just put the car in gear and drive the thing. Ok... maybe for highway driving it might not have as much of an advantadge, but it still remains that an auto would be an easier and more relaxing prospect especially when driving through reasonably built up areas.

I couldn't think of anything worse than a god awful slugomatic. I imagine the little 205 is the same drivetrain fitted to the BX16trs auto. A combination from hell....... Gutless motor with little torque down low, combined with a sh!tful slugomatic that breaks it's neck trying to get into the highest gear possible, as quickly as possible.

Gimme a proper gearbox anyday, at least it stays in the gear I want it until I shift it to the next gear.

Everytime I drive a slugomatic it re-enforces my opinion that I never want one of the god awful things.

seeya,
Shane L.

 

[Alan S]

"Relaxing" is something I'm not all that keen on when I'm on a 12 hour driving stint, anyhow, it's all become academic now.
I've no guarantee that I can get hold of the gear I need to sort the 16Vs air/con so it looks like being the one for the next trip.
The wagon has developed an electrical gremlin after one of the local "geniuses" gave it a RWC; he obviously fidded with something and won't tell us what, (how they can do some of these things loses me) so I have to try to sort it step by step and with the backlog of work I have on my plate, it looks like this may take a while for me to get around to doing, so the Xantia's it.

I like driving all my cars and in case of an unexpected excursion offroad, I suppose the Xantia with its hydractive suspension should be the most sure footed and I reckon it has more passenger space than even the BX wagon but is slightly smaller in the cargo department. Climate control is brilliant on it and I suppose I've got a lesser chance of getting pinged for speeding in it rather than the 16V (particularly if the same coppers on patrol just north of the border that I passed last trip in it when I was sitting on 150 and when I saw him in a no radio/no telephone area I booted up to 185 to get a head start - get the feeling he might like to have an in depth discussion given half a chance) :nownow: :nownow:

So looks like I'd better find time to check the oil and tyres sometime in the next week; can't go long distances without checking the car over y'know.:roflmao: :roflmao:


Alan S

 

[Alan S]

Shane, hope one day you get the chance to drive one of these TZi/122 autos after they've had the D# crap flushed out of them.
When I took the wagon down for the RWC, one of the boys followed me in the TZi and commented that he could "just" keep up to me.
Fast both off the mark as well as kickdown, changes almost unable to be felt and changes into top at 60 in suburbia and 100 if held flat on the open road.


Alan S