What do you drive?

[Chindie]

I've shared this fella's videos before, but thought this was an interesting one from a few months back. He's bought a non-runner Lamborghini Murcielago from a race day company which hasn't run for the better part of a decade. It's riddled with surprises and nightmares, but the one thing that really comes up over and over is Lamborghini likes using parts from other manufacturers and charging a lot more to sell them to you. In this video he buys some throttle components. Lamborghini charge a grand for them. But they're actually Volvo parts that you can get for a fifth of that. The ash tray is an Audi one with a piece of plastic glued to it. The side repeaters are off a Focus. The interior has bits of leather glued to the body. They charge £400 for a spanner needed to work on the engine...

...

Part of the appeal of being able to buy one of these must be the feeling that you don't have to care about being ripped off.

[sidcow]

3 hours ago, Xela said:

When I was growing up in Erdington, the vast majority of cars on our estate were Ford, Vauxhall and various British Leyland marques. The artists/teachers were usually in something French and flimsy, and the sensible folk in a Volvo or Saab. Maybe an odd VW or Fiat knocking about.

No one owned a BMW or Mercedes. They just weren't for the working classes. I don't think a Porsche would have even driven through B24 in the 1980s!

I think Ford have suffered the most out of this. 

Mrs Sidcow had a company Mondeo for years. When they went cash for cars an Audi A6 was CHEAPER to lease than a Mondeo. I guess the residuals are so strong the lease becomes cheaper. 

If you can get in a German brand for broadly the same price as a Ford be it Fiesta v A1 or 1 series or Focus v A3 or 2 series people are going to go German everytime. 

In reality they're not much different. I looked at some Ford's recently when I took my daughters car for warranty work. If you didn't look at the badge you'd be hard pressed to know what you were in. Germans have stepped down to get the mass market sales, Ford have stepped up to try and match them.  I think thats their mistake. They're never ever going to be as attractive so they would be better cheapening up and making a proper price differential that would make people think twice about the price difference. 

[wilko154]

36 minutes ago, Chindie said:

I've shared this fella's videos before, but thought this was an interesting one from a few months back. He's bought a non-runner Lamborghini Murcielago from a race day company which hasn't run for the better part of a decade. It's riddled with surprises and nightmares, but the one thing that really comes up over and over is Lamborghini likes using parts from other manufacturers and charging a lot more to sell them to you. In this video he buys some throttle components. Lamborghini charge a grand for them. But they're actually Volvo parts that you can get for a fifth of that. The ash tray is an Audi one with a piece of plastic glued to it. The side repeaters are off a Focus. The interior has bits of leather glued to the body. They charge £400 for a spanner needed to work on the engine...

...

Part of the appeal of being able to buy one of these must be the feeling that you don't have to care about being ripped off.

You shared his videos a while ago and I've actually become addicted to them; watched almost every series he's done now.

The lambo series is superb!

[Chindie]

16 minutes ago, wilko154 said:

You shared his videos a while ago and I've actually become addicted to them; watched almost every series he's done now.

The lambo series is superb!

Yeah I quite enjoy them. He's been hit hard with the influencer stick which can be a bit annoying but the series generally are very good.

He's a bit mental. £100k on a 20 year old non-runner Lambo that had didn't a good few years being ragged around a track for most of its life? Nah. Rebuilding the engine having never done it before... Nah. £160k on a badly crash damaged Porsche 911 GT3 4000 miles away having never seen the car? Absolutely insane.

[dubbs]

11 hours ago, Chindie said:

Yeah I quite enjoy them. He's been hit hard with the influencer stick which can be a bit annoying but the series generally are very good.

He's a bit mental. £100k on a 20 year old non-runner Lambo that had didn't a good few years being ragged around a track for most of its life? Nah. Rebuilding the engine having never done it before... Nah. £160k on a badly crash damaged Porsche 911 GT3 4000 miles away having never seen the car? Absolutely insane.

Have you seen the videos about how he got started.  Fair play to the guy, he's grafted hard to get where he is now.  Not like bloody KSI and the like who played games to get famous!

[Xela]

On 24/04/2023 at 21:39, Chindie said:

I've shared this fella's videos before, but thought this was an interesting one from a few months back. He's bought a non-runner Lamborghini Murcielago from a race day company which hasn't run for the better part of a decade. It's riddled with surprises and nightmares, but the one thing that really comes up over and over is Lamborghini likes using parts from other manufacturers and charging a lot more to sell them to you. In this video he buys some throttle components. Lamborghini charge a grand for them. But they're actually Volvo parts that you can get for a fifth of that. The ash tray is an Audi one with a piece of plastic glued to it. The side repeaters are off a Focus. The interior has bits of leather glued to the body. They charge £400 for a spanner needed to work on the engine..

It's a disgrace isn't it? You have to accept that some parts are going to be bespoke and cost a fortune, but it is the blatant profiteering on basic stuff that is disgusting. Like you say, £1600 for Magnetti throttle bodies when you can get them off an old Volvo for £100. The ashtray at £400, which is just an Audi A6 rear door ashtray with a bit a felt glued on. Price from Audi? £30 wasn't it?

This is the worst though...

Its put me off ever wanting to go anywhere near a car like that. Luckily I'm too tight to even consider it!

 

[Chindie]

1 hour ago, Xela said:

It's a disgrace isn't it? You have to accept that some parts are going to be bespoke and cost a fortune, but it is the blatant profiteering on basic stuff that is disgusting. Like you say, £1600 for Magnetti throttle bodies when you can get them off an old Volvo for £100. The ashtray at £400, which is just an Audi A6 rear door ashtray with a bit a felt glued on. Price from Audi? £30 wasn't it?

This is the worst though...

Its put me off ever wanting to go anywhere near a car like that. Luckily I'm too tight to even consider it!

 

I can accept things like fuses, basic electrical components, secondary bits behind the scenes, are going to come out of extended parts bins - Lamborghini aren't going to make their own wiring when a bigger manufacturer makes it they can buy in in bulk.

But things like talking an ashtray from the Audi bin, gluing a bit of plastic to it and charging a huge mark up, or literally, literally, taking a Focus indicator and just bolting it on, and charging a mark up of 3000% is shameful.

I do wonder if the rich rocket polishers pootling around in their Lambos would feel a little different if they realised that behind the door cards and under the carpets there's stuff shared with bottom of the range hatchbacks. Or if, as I said before, part of the appeal is being able to be shafted for the difference and not need to care.

[chrisp65]

I’ve been having a bit of a nightmare trying to change my car.

The lease came to an end in April, but back at the end of January I chose a new one. Same car same finance no drama. But they said it might take longer than April to get me the new one but not to worry just keep driving what I had until the new one rocked up. Fine. I’m in no rush.

Anyhoo, long boring bit VAG have shit internal comms and whilst one department were saying keep the car, another was saying we want our car back. It got to the point where VAG sent a repo man to my house to collect the car. I’d been out so missed them but they left a calling card saying they would be back. The advice from VAG when I phoned them? Could I hide the car for a few days until their internal admin caught up and called off the repo man.

Lunchtime today I’ve finally been sent an open ended lease extension on the current car, until the new one is built at some time in the future. They’ve also knocked £65 a month off the lease cost (of the current one), so as far as I’m concerned they can take absolutely as long as they bloody well like now conjuring up the new one.

The only real disappointment, in all my emails and phone calls I’d been really nice, polite, saw the funny side. This morning I phoned up being arsey and telling them I was about to scrap the order with them and go buy something else this weekend. Literally 3 hours later, they send me the lease paperwork.

Life lesson: when dealing with VAG, the key word to drop in to a conversation is… Hyundai.

[Genie]

It’s MOT time for me this weekend, wish me luck.

[chrisp65]

17 minutes ago, Genie said:

It’s MOT time for me this weekend, wish me luck.

Have you tried telling them that under Magna Carta you are a free man and don’t subscribe to the need for MOT’s?

[Genie]

25 minutes ago, chrisp65 said:

Have you tried telling them that under Magna Carta you are a free man and don’t subscribe to the need for MOT’s?

I’ll keep that up my sleeve if it fails, cheers

[mottaloo]

1 hour ago, chrisp65 said:

 

Life lesson: when dealing with VAG, the key word to drop in to a conversation is… Hyundai.

I just traded my ix35 in for a pcp deal on a skoda karoq se l. The missus has had 3 previous skoda cars from the same dealer and has had great customer experience. I even drove her fabia (had to correct the auto spelling on that word !) and was well impressed with the level of driveability and all the toys you get for you money. 

Even when I took the karoq back for a minor adjustment I was given an octavia vrs as a courtesy car. 2 litre, 240bhp of throaty roar.....fair play to skoda (so far anyway).

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by mottaloo

[chrisp65]

2 minutes ago, mottaloo said:

I just traded my ix35 in for a pcp deal on a skoda karoq se l. The missus has had 3 previous skoda cars from the same dealer and has had great customer experience. I even drove her fabia (had to correct the auto spelling on that word !) and was well impressed with the level of driveability and all the toys you get for you money. 

Even when I took the karoq back for a minor adjustment I was given an octavia vrs as a courtesy car. 2 litre, 240bhp of throaty roar.....fair play to skoda (so far anyway).

 

This is the first time I’ve ever wanted to have the exact same car, same spec again. So that says something about what I’ve thought of the first 3 years (it does help that it’s ridiculously cheap for what you get). But this last 2 or 3 weeks? I really don’t appreciate having a repo company sent to my door and leaving postcards saying they are looking for me.

Interestingly, when I did phone the repo guy and explain my version of events, he said it was interesting I’d phoned and made him, on a personal level,  presume I was legit as people don’t call when they are in the wrong (I paraphrase). He also noted my file showed I didn’t actually owe any money which was also always a red flag that there was a cock up somewhere. We actually had a decent chat, then I worried he was tracing the call!

Probably worth noting the car and the sales and the dealership, all Skoda, all great. Lease is through VW Finance.  

[Xela]

1 hour ago, mottaloo said:

2 litre, 240bhp of throaty roar.....

 

Was it burbling?   

 

[Xela]

2 hours ago, Genie said:

It’s MOT time for me this weekend, wish me luck.

Just get a car over 40 years old - no need for one then!

A nice 1982 Talbot Horizon is just what you need. 

[Xela]

I work with a lot of large leasing companies (vans and cars) in my job, and the Koreans are killing it. Kia and Hyundai seem to have a constant flow of vehicles, while other marques are struggling a bit. I can definitely see why people have moved to them. 

Bizarrely in the VAG group, Skoda seem to have a far better flow of vehicles than Seat, VW or Audi. I'm only guessing but as they are generally lower/older spec, they need less semi conductors, so are simpler to build. 

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Xela

[mottaloo]

12 minutes ago, Xela said:

Was it burbling?   

 

Mate it burbled like a bad ass.i even squeaked the words "effing hell !!" when I floored it up the Burntwood bypass and it threw me back in the seat !

[chrisp65]

15 minutes ago, Xela said:

I work with a lot of large leasing companies (vans and cars) in my job, and the Koreans are killing it. Kia and Hyundai seem to have a constant flow of vehicles, while other marques are struggling a bit. I can definitely see why people have moved to them. 

Bizarrely in the VAG group, Skoda seem to have a far better flow of vehicles than Seat, VW or Audi. I'm only guessing but as they are generally lower/older spec, they need less semi conductors, so are simpler to build. 

 

I’ve been trying to work out why mine is taking so long. I know the £50k electric SUV’s appear readily available, and the Fabia’s appear readily available.

I think I’ve hit a sort of anti sweet spot with mine, a relatively small inexpensive car so not that much profit in it, but all the fancy gesture control and extra long flat screen touch control thing and cameras and footwell mood lighting (?!?) and all that schizz. Oh, and automatic. Oh, and I chose a non standard colour. 

[Genie]

30 minutes ago, Xela said:

Just get a car over 40 years old - no need for one then!

A nice 1982 Talbot Horizon is just what you need. 

This car (Ford Kuga) has been great tbh, I’d forgive a bit of wear and tear. 

I’ve only replaced a boost hose, alternator pulley and the battery in 4.5 years (apart from tyres and pads).

Edited June 8, 2023 by Genie

[Tegis]

11 hours ago, Xela said:

Kia and Hyundai seem to have a constant flow of vehicles

So they all end up in the UK? I have 3 friends that had to cancel their orders, all three Kia I believe, due to them constantly pushing the delivery-date forward. All went for Model 3s with a few weeks delivery.