OV9

It’s the Eletre round here. I don’t know if Lotus caved and suddenly sold them all for a super deal but I went from seeing one a month to 10 a day.

I see plenty of Disco 5s but they have been sold for 9 years and I live in the shires, prime territory for them.

I always think new Defenders’ owners are either builders or Gypsies (or both), and have seen several wide-body Eletres gumming up B roads recently #firesale.

I actually entered a mod-sales auction for a Wolf 110 with canvas roof that I thought I’d make a fun family/camping vehicle, but my daughter is making me think of a Series IIA for my desired residence and her first car is a more sensible purchase.. better (cheaper) than the Boxster she wants anyway! It’s basically fixable with a mallet, right?

M3 Touring boot as seat whilst having an evening negroni is most agreeable.. met (and shook hands) with a hero of mine earlier, Mr Ross Edgley, so no excuse for procrastination or negativity.. #bigballs

So many Defenders round here and disappointingly they all seem to be black on black on black.

jamcg wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 7:12 am

integrale_evo wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 6:00 am I think the e30 will have been 20 years in September. E36 16 years, golf somewhere between the two I think.

Mito 7 years, I have a habit of buying cars in the autumn so the ‘sud almost 6 years, compact will be 5, x5 4.

No I won’t have it. I remember you buying the sud, and it was only 2 years ago tops. It has to be because it can’t have been that long ago and I’m not that old. Oh wait………. Bollocks. Anyone got some aspirin please

It’s the one that’s probably easiest for me to remember, buying a 40 year old car as a 40th birthday present to myself, it was in the September when Covid restrictions had started to ease a bit but a lot of people were still cautious.

It’s probably the car I’ve kept standard for longest, but that now seems to have gone out of the window now

integrale_evo wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 10:17 pm

jamcg wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 7:12 am

integrale_evo wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 6:00 am I think the e30 will have been 20 years in September. E36 16 years, golf somewhere between the two I think.

Mito 7 years, I have a habit of buying cars in the autumn so the ‘sud almost 6 years, compact will be 5, x5 4.

No I won’t have it. I remember you buying the sud, and it was only 2 years ago tops. It has to be because it can’t have been that long ago and I’m not that old. Oh wait………. Bollocks. Anyone got some aspirin please

It’s the one that’s probably easiest for me to remember, buying a 40 year old car as a 40th birthday present to myself, it was in the September when Covid restrictions had started to ease a bit but a lot of people were still cautious.

It’s probably the car I’ve kept standard for longest, but that now seems to have gone out of the window now

I’d say it’s more oem+ than “modified”. Throw some wanky shite led headlights that look completely out of place in it and you could call it a restomod

Ascender wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2026 8:59 pm So many Defenders round here and disappointingly they all seem to be black on black on black.

Are they filming Traitors a bit further north this year?

Called our local Renault dealer for prices on the window rubbers for the Zoe. They're a known issue.They expand over time and the clips don't hold them, so when winding the window up it pulls the rubber up into an arch that sits 15-20mm proud of where it should be.

£400ish + VAT for a set of four

That is a lot of money for some rubber strips.

I decided to test the water by advertising the Beetle to see if I'd get any interest, deposit left less than a day after the advert went live and I've got six interested buyers in reserve! Collection on Saturday and then the Caterham hunt can step up a gear.

Batshit crazy story of the day...

So apparently Porsche dealers owned by Porsche GB cannot renew warranties over the phone and you've got to go into the dealership (40 mins away from me) to sign the renewal documents in person...

So Mid-Sussex are doing it for me over the phone and also quoting for the big 12 year service that's due later this year.

John wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 12:46 pm I decided to test the water by advertising the Beetle to see if I'd get any interest, deposit left less than a day after the advert went live and I've got six interested buyers in reserve! Collection on Saturday and then the Caterham hunt can step up a gear.

Good news

John wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 12:46 pm I decided to test the water by advertising the Beetle to see if I'd get any interest, deposit left less than a day after the advert went live and I've got six interested buyers in reserve! Collection on Saturday and then the Caterham hunt can step up a gear.

I would say changing the Beetle for a Caterham is quite an appealing swap. Much as I like old VWs, I don't think I'd be bothered to drive one regularly.

Is the roof on modern Caterhams easy to erect? UK weather seems to be very changeable these days.

No, at least not the factory one. Generally a more convenient solution is the half hood and you then remove the factory one which gives you much more boot space
https://www.sevensandclassics.com/onli ... alf-hood-1

My mate got a 70’s Beetle for his first car. Being a passenger in that at 50 mph, if that, in the rain on the motorway, remains my most terrifying car experience.

If I had room for the Beetle I would have kept it as air cooled VWs do get under your skin. The good thing is that the values haven't gone silly so I could always buy another in the future. And I would agree that it isn't a car you'd choose to go on a long road trip but just put putting around in it and visiting local car shows is very in my eyes

Really looking forwards to hopefully buying a Caterham though, it's just a shame most of the used ones seem to be in Kent!

Mito Man wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 5:32 pm No, at least not the factory one. Generally a more convenient solution is the half hood and you then remove the factory one which gives you much more boot space
https://www.sevensandclassics.com/onli ... alf-hood-1

My mate got a 70’s Beetle for his first car. Being a passenger in that at 50 mph, if that, in the rain on the motorway, remains my most terrifying car experience.

Yes, found this https://www.softbitsshop.co.uk/caterham-1-c.asp and was just perusing.. waterproofs it is then!

John wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 5:43 pm
Really looking forwards to hopefully buying a Caterham though, it's just a shame most of the used ones seem to be in Kent!

Quote myself here

Long shot but I don't suppose we have anyone on here (or friends/family) who has had any experience with Sevens and Classics at Brands Hatch?

I haven't but I've heard good things. The owner Andy Noble is ex-Caterham and competed at N24 in one, the mad bastard. https://www.sevensandclassics.com/meet-the-team
https://www.autosport.com/general/news/ ... /10341200/

GG. wrote: Thu Jun 04, 2026 12:57 pm Batshit crazy story of the day...

So apparently Porsche dealers owned by Porsche GB cannot renew warranties over the phone and you've got to go into the dealership (40 mins away from me) to sign the renewal documents in person...

So Mid-Sussex are doing it for me over the phone and also quoting for the big 12 year service that's due later this year.

Jesus - so I got the quote for the 12 year service. It was as big as I expected for the things that I knew needed doing (£2,500) but there was an additional grand on top for servicing the centre lock wheels. £3,500 on a routine service is nuts.