Reply to: Best Q car - badge snobs need not apply

[sasguru]

Surprised to see the little Furby vRS getting a mention as a "Q" car. .

When I drove it, I found mid-range torque on the Furby to be a hoot. The engine is slightly too big for the car I think, and sharp cornering can catch out the unwary/unskilled, as the brakes and chassis are not up to it.
All of which makes it great fun.

[malvolio]

Yes I like this one. Quite pricey though.

Get a two year old one with a service history (they've stopped making the quick one anyway, now they have the new one out). Scoobies don't go wrong. Mine was new in 2007, worth around £15k now.

Or if you're really serious, look for an imported STi version - although they are a bit more lairy in the looks department

[sasguru]

Subaru Forester 2.5 XTEn?

Ugly as a bulldog sucking a wasp. Practical SUV-lite body. Full leather and all the toys - cruise, satnav, tiptronic, all electric everythings.

On the other hand

0-100 in 15 seconds. 145 mph. Permanent 4WD, limited slip rear diff, variable centre diff; basically an Impreza on Safari Rally settings. Corners on rails, unless you turn the ESR off and hang out the tail on roundabouts.

And nobody knows what the hell it is....

Yes I like this one. Quite pricey though.

[TykeMerc]

Used to drive a VW Corrado G60.....

Didn't look too brash.... burbled along quietly and without fuss - but could destroy most boy racers.....

Although now I think about it....
Door locks were tulip - The mechanism was a tulipy bit of cast aluminium with the "sticky out bit" (technical term) attached to the main body with about 4 sq mm surface area..... which broke off every few months.... meaning the 'kin door handle didn't work (you had to hold the remote locking button down for abot 10 seconds - which opened the windows so you could lean in and use the interior handle)
Exhaust Heat Shield "thingy" welded on with very brittle bits - which got even more brittle when they got hot (which was pretty well any time you drove for more than 20 minutes) and fractured - resulting in a god awful 'kin noise similar to a pneumatic drill on the lid of an oil drum.....
Very expensive bits - even though they were "almost" identical to standard VW bits.....
Only room for two dwarves in the back....

On balance - I know why I got rid of the useless expensive pile of pap!

Some years ago I had the VR6 version of the Corrado in a really nice deep metallic blue, I had none of the issues you suffered from. Great car, but not ideal for commuting to and from Leeds city centre which I was doing at the time. I'm not sure I'd have called it especially understated although I suppose it wasn't brash.

[Fred Bloggs]

I love Q cars. Unobtrusive cars that no one gives a second look to (and hence good for London*), yet bring a grin to your face when you drive them.
2 very good ones I have driven are the Mazda 6 MPS and Skoda Fabia vRs.

Anyone got another others?


* Also good for contractors who want to keep a low profile

Surprised to see the little Furby vRS getting a mention as a "Q" car. I have one of the blue Ltd edition ones and it is indeed a very nice little run around type motor. I fancy one of the Ltd edition Octy vRS's too, but I'm not biting.

[GreenerGrass]

Obviously with the ridiculous stickers taken off:
http://www.jbsautodesigns.co.uk/imag...3_022PFT14.pdf

[Drewster]

Used to drive a VW Corrado G60.....

Didn't look too brash.... burbled along quietly and without fuss - but could destroy most boy racers.....

Although now I think about it....
Door locks were tulip - The mechanism was a tulipy bit of cast aluminium with the "sticky out bit" (technical term) attached to the main body with about 4 sq mm surface area..... which broke off every few months.... meaning the 'kin door handle didn't work (you had to hold the remote locking button down for abot 10 seconds - which opened the windows so you could lean in and use the interior handle)
Exhaust Heat Shield "thingy" welded on with very brittle bits - which got even more brittle when they got hot (which was pretty well any time you drove for more than 20 minutes) and fractured - resulting in a god awful 'kin noise similar to a pneumatic drill on the lid of an oil drum.....
Very expensive bits - even though they were "almost" identical to standard VW bits.....
Only room for two dwarves in the back....

On balance - I know why I got rid of the useless expensive pile of pap!

[Paddy]

Citroen ZX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMKI-av79TA

[malvolio]

Subaru Forester 2.5 XTEn?

Ugly as a bulldog sucking a wasp. Practical SUV-lite body. Full leather and all the toys - cruise, satnav, tiptronic, all electric everythings.

On the other hand

0-100 in 15 seconds. 145 mph. Permanent 4WD, limited slip rear diff, variable centre diff; basically an Impreza on Safari Rally settings. Corners on rails, unless you turn the ESR off and hang out the tail on roundabouts.

And nobody knows what the hell it is....

[threaded]

I love Q cars. Unobtrusive cars that no one gives a second look to (and hence good for London*), yet bring a grin to your face when you drive them.
2 very good ones I have driven are the Mazda 6 MPS and Skoda Fabia vRs.

Anyone got another others?


* Also good for contractors who want to keep a low profile

Oh yes the Mazda 6 MPS, the ultimate contractor conveyance: definitely a grin maker, yet won't upset the client when sat in the car park.

I had a go in some Fiat 4x4 that was a right laugh one time in the snow when practically no one else could move. Quite the wolf in sheep's clothing, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't stock.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

And the 3 litre version even more so...

Not really - it was longer, much heavier and rear wheel drive - the 2200 was the one - I bet the 3 litre wasn't any faster.

[Sysman]

Vahauxhall Corsa 1.7CDTI Combi Van!

Was basically a 1.7 turbo diesel engine, 2 seats, a plank of wood and a shell made of tin foil. I used to burn off tons of chavs, even managed to launch myself into the air whilst exiting a roundabout with a nasty camber, awesome stuff!

I got a taxi once which was a Montego turbo diesel and the driver showed me how fast it was. Crap looking car and dirt cheap second hand but it could certainly move.

Morris 2200 - -the 1800 shape but with a beautifully smooth 6 cylinder engine. It was in its day a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

He's probably better off not knowing what 99% of road users think, I make a point of uttering the word 'tosser' whenever I see one.

I bet he does know every time he tries to get out of a side road

[gingerjedi]

He's probably better off not knowing what 99% of road users think, I make a point of uttering the word 'tosser' whenever I see one.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Why the **** would you want to keep a low profile?

To avoid unwelcome attention from Plod and Scrotes

I love my 3 series convertible! And I dont give a **** what anyone else thinks!

Your pants are on fire - your two statements are utterly contradictory; you plainly do care what people think - but you pretend you don't if they aren't thinking what you were hoping for.