OV9

It may be the kiss of death posting about this as it is going through its MOT today and if there are any issues the deal may yet unwind...

As of right now however, a deposit has been placed on (predictably) another rear engined, RWD, strict four seater... I expect that will make a full page of guesses not necessary

Controversially this one has turbot... and a dual clutch box

Some sort of Renault perhaps?

Not quite...

Must be a Turbo as the standard mit turbot are only a couple of years old at the most? Excellent choice either way!

A cheaper non-turbo variant is available. But it may be not quite what you're thinking

Something rubbish?

Also a turbo is 4wd. Damn

Smart For Four?

GG. wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:45 pmNot quite...

Not quite a Renault, eh?

Do Alpine have their on VINs?

Ah, p'raps not, thought all the Alpines were turbot and too lazy to check.

GG. wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:50 pm A cheaper non-turbo variant is available. But it may be not quite what you're thinking

16vCento wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:59 pmSmart For Four?

This

Yep we have a winner!

My efforts at misdirection were only partly successful

The effort to buy something for my wife for peanuts has failed miserably with a 700% overspend to original unrealistic target.

I was leaning (read gently trying to encourage) toward an A1 sportback which is demonstrably better in every way other than being slightly larger and not having such an elevated driving position but it is not something I'm going to drive regularly and is intended as a school run mobile so also didn't make sense spending an extra £2,500 on one.

Anyway, its a '16 plate blue/black fourfour with the 0.9 turbot 3cyl with 24k on the clock. Has a nice spec with leather heated seats, sat nav, etc. and hopefully later today, 12 months MOT.

Didn't someone on here have a previous gen fortwo?

A-ha, so the guess of a kind of Renault was close then, as aren't the Twingo and For Four the same?

Good, you can’t go sending your wife and kid out in a crappy old banger.

Interesting stats for your family garage too!

JonMad wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:29 pm A-ha, so the guess of a kind of Renault was close then, as aren't the Twingo and For Four the same?

Yes the Renault guess was close. 70% shared components with the Twingo I think.

I do prefer the look of the Smart (though reminds me of Jeremy Clarkson's quip when comparing two ugly cars of "who is better looking, Michael Schumacher or Ralph Schumacher" ) and the interior is marginally better.

Interestingly the engines are made by Merc (through a JV with Mitsubishi and Renault I think) rather than by the Frenchies, which surprised me.

Rich B wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:30 pm Good, you can’t go sending your wife and kid out in a crappy old banger.

Interesting stats for your family garage too!

Yes, common sense prevailed in the end.

The similarities with the 911 are amusing

Sounds suitable for purpose, Iirc they have a v. tight turning circle also.

Ha, I didn't realise the FourFour had stopped being a tarted up Mitsi Colt, or whatever it was before.

Certainly a more interesting choice than most.

Good choice. Is your wife ready for the wayward rear-engined handling?

My wife may have killed our Grand Vitara

I think with 89bhp traction is unlikely to ever be overcome

What misfortune happened to the Suzuki?

My moms got a snub-nosed Smart Four-Two. She's had the previous two generations, and this one is miles better. Decent little car, few toys in it too.

The gearbox is the key thing in these that's waaaay better than the old models. It's no ZF, but it's not bad.