OV9

Posted: **Thu Nov 06, 2025 8:37 pm**

speedingfine wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 7:38 pm In other news, The Hulk went to WBAC last weekend

The suspension had been grumbling for some time. I finally took it to my Tuna who quoted £1500 to replace all the camber arms, ball joints, drop links, you name it. It also needed a service and some tyres so I decided to cut my losses rather than throw a couple of grand at something pretty much worthless.

The W220 is renowned for suspension trouble, so this was all rather expected, but the Airmatic was perfect! Just had the one problem with HLK while I had it (ok barring 2 grand of suspension work!), it needed a water pump for about £400 fitted. Did about 11,000 miles usually with my mates in tow who all loved it, obviously!

Really glad I had one, ultimate barge really. Not sure what we've gained in luxury cars in twenty years that's worth having, apart from maybe modern radar cruise? Have no desire for a heavy car any faster though, it handled ok when you put it in the various sport modes on the gearbox and suspension, it's just that it felt ridiculous to be pedalling something like that round sharp corners. The V12 twin turbo one must be hilarious. Fun in a straight line I imagine

I shall remember it tanking down the derestricted autobahn outside Aachen, chasing AMGs at 120+

Here it is outside a hotel in Bruges, after said thrashing. I actually think it's one of the better looking S Classes. Presumably all the 75 plus year olds I exclusively saw driving W220s thought the same

Glad I got to see it. Shame it’s gone. Did you lose much in depreciation?

Posted: **Thu Nov 06, 2025 9:14 pm**

About £1500. Not much in the scheme of things but quite a percentage

Posted: **Thu Nov 06, 2025 9:25 pm**

mik wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 8:19 pm
speedingfine wrote: Thu Nov 06, 2025 6:57 pm Reminds me, I'm off to Glasgow over xmas, need Indian restaurant recommendations please
https://www.motherindia.co.uk/restaurant/the-lansdowne/

If you are going to book - The Lansdowne.

If you are happy to queue a little, then curry Tapas at Mother India Cafe (part of the same group) is also epic. Best if you can time your visit to something like 4:30pm if you want to completely avoid the possibility of a 45 min wait outside in the cold.

Thanks Mik

Posted: **Fri Nov 07, 2025 12:06 pm**

Mother India is the best curry I've had. Ever.

And I'm from Bradford.

Many thanks to Mik for that recommendation several years ago!

Posted: **Sat Nov 08, 2025 7:19 am**

They really are lovely cars Chris, 11000 miles got you a lot of seat time and fun memories

Any new barge coming or something different ?

Dave!

Posted: **Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:17 pm**

Hopefully back to something manual, light and RWD eventually!

Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 4:02 pm**

The numbers on the speedo show the cars top speed do t they?

Looks like we’ve just added a supercar to the fleet

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Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 4:15 pm**

aaaah, look at the little rev counter!!!

Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 4:26 pm**

I was surprised it’s even got one! No temperature gauge though feels wrong!

Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 4:35 pm**

is this a new car guessing thread?! i’m assuming it’s something funky?

Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 5:32 pm**

Nah, not really, the speedo just amused me.

After looking for ages for a sensibly priced but decent small auto for my stepson I spotted a car ending soon on auction and put in a cheeky bid we didn’t really expect to win.

2013 vw up, Japanese import, 42k miles, exterior excellent, interior looks brand new, underside perfect, even the exhaust only has the slightest bit of surface rust on the centre silencer.

Has the ASG gearbox which is just an automated manual, not a proper auto, so is a bit slow and clunky, but it’s fine. Was also about £3k cheaper than the equivalent condition / mileage from a dealer/importer.

Will get it in the air, jet washed and under sealed and fit some rear arch liners, hopefully before they start throwing salt on the roads.

3 door too

Wouldn’t be my personal first choice, but feels like a genuinely good buy so I’m pleased overall. A couple of scruffy wheel trims are the only thing letting it down a bit.

Feels surprisingly good on the motorway, it’s only when you look across you realise how narrow it is. I bet the wheelbase is similar if not longer than the Mito, but the overhangs both ends are miniscule!

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Posted: **Sun Nov 09, 2025 5:43 pm**

my mum had one the same, red, auto (though 5 door). She only did about 15k miles in 8 years or something!

Posted: **Mon Nov 10, 2025 7:44 am**

Does it have the pop out rear windows like the 5 door ?

Love that feature.

Dave!

Posted: **Mon Nov 10, 2025 12:58 pm**

No, they’re fixed. Not sure if it was an option on the 3 door.

I liked it more than I expected. Good honest back to basics motoring. Has ac, electric windows & mirrors, abs & traction control and that’s about it. No warning bings and bongs, economy indicators, sports modes, auto lights or wipers. And I don’t mind that at all.

It does have a very Japanese reversing beeper, which I may have to disable, and a friendly Japanese lady who speaks to you when you turn the ignition on. Presumably something to do with the card reader thing in the glovebox

sadly no sign of the Japanese warning flare.

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 11:54 am**

I’m not a fan of black wheels as you lose that visual separation between wheel and tyre. Evora came on black, which matched all the black body accents, but I was keen to change things when they got scabby.

My initial attempt to remedy this was to have them done (4.5 years ago) in satin anthracite. Was really happy with them - really helped address the concern above, without looking obviously aftermarket. To the point where no Evora owner has ever commented on them being non-black at the various meets I’ve attended.

But if you are refurbing again - it feels a bit boring to do the same thing.

I toyed with bronze. Gold is just too….gold. But I saw an Aston at a meet recently with gloss bronze, and they looked like metallic brown. I think the shade was just wrong somehow, but it threw me off a bit.

I’ve always liked the polished rim on some of the Evora 410/430’s. But anything polished or diamond-cut is of course “fragile”.

Found a guy however who emulates diamond cut with powder coat - so you get the visuals without the fragility.

Could he do a “polished rim effect” for me? Yes he could.

So these are Matt black with silver rim. I know the look is a pretty marmite - some hate it - but I’ve always loved it. Very happy

Original gloss black

Summer 2021 Satin Anthracite (flattered by nicer lighting)

Q4_2025 Matt black with silver rim (definitely not flattered by lighting, and the car needs a wash)

Dodgy colour balance, but….

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 12:59 pm**

That looks very good. However, I note the disturbing lack of white lettering on the tyres.

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:01 pm**

They look brilliant. I'm not that keen on the looks of my MX5 alloys and I'm debating importing some Advan Racing ones from Japan; can't decide between white and dark grey with a silver rim.

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:02 pm**

@DeskJockey Yes - I really need to sort my shizzle out.

Image of one of the Evora GT430's for referentials.

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:03 pm**

Dark grey please!

Posted: **Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:05 pm**

DeskJockey wrote: Wed Nov 12, 2025 1:03 pm Dark grey please!

That

OV9

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