New whip - death of the 20 year old Polo - death of a 16 year old Octavia

[Zak33]

Lo drivers.

Last year, having left the motor trade, I retraced my roots and started a 12month experiment with a 19 year old Polo

https://forums.hexus.net/automotive/...ard-steps.html

Having become utterly used to modern cars, changing into a new one every 3 months for nearly a quarter of a century, I decided to roll back. No ABS, no ESP, no Air Bags, no traction control, and as I well remember from older cars.. no traction.

Car was a gift from a relative, and I changed wheel bearings, the engine fell out literally with a failed mount, I serviced it, stuck all season tyres on it and enjoyed our snowy winter etc.

The two electric windows packed up and with just a sunroof, I assure you that the last month has been near impossible to explain. The fan works but the warm air from the hot roads and surrounding traffic, belching heat from their aircon Audis, for 1 1/2 hours every morning and the same..... but hotter every evening has tested my mettle. I admit... two weeks ago I stripped to my underwear to drive home and poured nearly two litres of water over myself sat in the car driving, to survive the journeey. You cant make this stuff up. If I said it happened, you know I may even be understating parts of it. Imagine ... 30'C, stationary traffic, no air con, windows stuck closed and can't wind sunroof back as it's even hotter.... just tilted and sun blind across to help air flow. Was dire.

I have taken to pouring a bucket of water over it before driving it, to cool the roof and screen and flitch panel where the air comes in. It actually helps.. for the first 15 minutes.

So... having tested myself mentally and physically to the limits that I can endure, it's new whip time.

But the experiment must continue. Onward to the next stage. The Polo hit it's 20th birthday (1998 S reg) before I gave it away yesterday, and now I move into the next era. 2004 Skoda Ocativia TDI130

Lets be fair. It's a taxi. It's not actually a taxi, and never has been...but it is a taxi.

Had everything fettled pre starting to use ut, and I've known the car since it was new, as it was my Dads.

60bhp Polo sweat box, skiddy mare, old heavy clutch cable and no grunt -> Climate Controlled 130bhp whoosh wagon with light positive drive train

It's still a crap heap. It's just a much larger, safer faster crap heap.

[DanceswithUnix]

My wife is looking for a fun car to drive, and is being pointed by just about everyone at a series 1 Mazda MX5. The idea of buying a 20 year old car even if it only costs a grand does worry me a tad, but if the handling really is that good I want a play in one!

TBH I think most of the problems you cited with the Polo were down to it being a Polo, not the era it came from.

[Zak33]

My wife is looking for a fun car to drive, and is being pointed by just about everyone at a series 1 Mazda MX5. The idea of buying a 20 year old car even if it only costs a grand does worry me a tad, but if the handling really is that good I want a play in one!

TBH I think most of the problems you cited with the Polo were down to it being a Polo, not the era it came from.

Nah.. most 20 year old hatchbacks were that bad. Cos back then, its wasn't bad. At all. 10 years before was worse. But I agree if it was a HONDA, the windows would still work, period.

Ref MX5, YOU NEED to be a competent mechanic for a 20 year old anything! It IS NOT a buy it, drive it and change the oil job.

but if it's 7 or 8 years old, it is with an MX5

the handling, on a non molested one in good condition, is one of the most perfect things your arse will ever sit in. Especially in the rain. It's a divine chassis and if it's a Japanese import it might have a LSD too and then you ARE gonna learn sideways!

[Zak33]

The idea of buying a 20 year old car even if it only costs a grand does worry me a tad, but if the handling really is that good I want a play in one!

as an aside, I just sold our Honda Civic CRX Del Sol VTEC too. Never got used, and was slowly appreciating. Excluding the electric roof (avoid.. they don't wrk any more and the parts dont exist, get a manual), solid tehnically and very reliable... you should look at that car. It's pretty, and front wheel drive and not bad to work on. I'll miss ours but it wasn't being used and I refused to use is daily as a work horse. Was too special. It's now with new, devoted owners. Refused to sell it to anyone until I met them, and interogtated them.

It was a 1991 J, so 27 years old. All the electric windows were orginal and perfect, including the rear wind down. Both elec door mirrors were faultless, as was everything. VW dream of that quality.

[Ttaskmaster]

2004 Skoda Ocativia TDI130

You're a Škoda driver??!!

It's still a crap heap. It's just a much larger, safer faster crap heap.

It's really not... properly looked after, that thing should see you well past 600,000 miles and still be going strong.

[Zak33]

You're a Škoda driver??!!



It's really not... properly looked after, that thing should see you well past 600,000 miles and still be going strong.

you're right. It's a strong old girl. I got Dad to buy it just as the Octavia was swapping over cos in 2004 (although I never workied for Skoda) I knew it was one of the best cars ever made.

[kalniel]

I am so going to blame you if we suddenly get an arctic blast in the weather.

[DanceswithUnix]

... you should look at that car. It's pretty, and front wheel drive and not bad to work on.

Thanks, but part of this is that my wife hasn't owned a rear wheel drive car. So it came down to an old BMW 330, Z4 or the MX5.

Her everyday drive is rather nice, but at 14 years old it is now into a phase of being an appreciating modern classic with only a few hundred left in the country.

Edit: I worry that the drop from 250bhp to 140bhp might be too much though despite the 400kg weight advantage of the MX.

[jimborae]

@Zak

Here's what you should be aspiring to with the Skoda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk-isKUjWBQ

[Zak33]

ive seen that before, and also one with a Saab that had over 1 million on it.

Regular oil changes are literally the thing that makes the metal work not wear out. The turbo really appreciates it too, as those little bearings need oiling AND cooling with quality clean oil

[Ttaskmaster]

@Zak
Here's what you should be aspiring to with the Skoda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk-isKUjWBQ

At least!!
I posted that series (long time Car Throttle viewer) on the Škoda forum, only to get laughed out of the place by several people whose Octys had done well over 500k.... There is hope!!

[b0redom]

Thanks, but part of this is that my wife hasn't owned a rear wheel drive car. So it came down to an old BMW 330, Z4 or the MX5.

Her everyday drive is rather nice, but at 14 years old it is now into a phase of being an appreciating modern classic with only a few hundred left in the country.

Edit: I worry that the drop from 250bhp to 140bhp might be too much though despite the 400kg weight advantage of the MX.

I had a mk2 MX5. I went from a rusty old 1.3 Rover Maestro (where the throttle was either on or off) to a 1.8l jap import MX-5. I picked it up in the rain and slid it sideways off a roundabout up an A road within 5 minutes of having it. Fortunately I didn't hit anything. It was a real hoot to drive though. A few years later I did a stunt driving course (handbrake parking, J turns and all that) and the instructor said that he reckoned the MX5 was the most finely balanced chassis he'd ever driven. He reckoned you could get it going sideways and keep it there pretty much around the whole track.

[DanceswithUnix]

At least!!
I posted that series (long time Car Throttle viewer) on the Škoda forum, only to get laughed out of the place by several people whose Octys had done well over 500k.... There is hope!!

Yeah, but by the end of the series they had changed... the interior, the exterior, the suspension, the brakes, the wheels, the wiring loom. Really the only original bit left was the engine and I'm still not convinced an engine that dull was worth saving. I presume people on the skoda forum swap parts out in at least a more measured fashion.

I had a mk2 MX5. I went from a rusty old 1.3 Rover Maestro (where the throttle was either on or off) to a 1.8l jap import MX-5. I picked it up in the rain and slid it sideways off a roundabout up an A road within 5 minutes of having it. Fortunately I didn't hit anything. It was a real hoot to drive though. A few years later I did a stunt driving course (handbrake parking, J turns and all that) and the instructor said that he reckoned the MX5 was the most finely balanced chassis he'd ever driven. He reckoned you could get it going sideways and keep it there pretty much around the whole track.

That's the kind of thing I keep hearing, and that for track use there is plenty of mods to easily get.

[peterb]

Yeah, but by the end of the series they had changed... the interior, the exterior, the suspension, the brakes, the wheels, the wiring loom. Really the only original bit left was the engine and I'm still not convinced an engine that dull was worth saving. I presume people on the skoda forum swap parts out in at least a more measured fashion.

AKA Trigger's broom!

[jimborae]

I had a mk2 MX5. I went from a rusty old 1.3 Rover Maestro (where the throttle was either on or off) to a 1.8l jap import MX-5. I picked it up in the rain and slid it sideways off a roundabout up an A road within 5 minutes of having it. Fortunately I didn't hit anything. It was a real hoot to drive though. A few years later I did a stunt driving course (handbrake parking, J turns and all that) and the instructor said that he reckoned the MX5 was the most finely balanced chassis he'd ever driven. He reckoned you could get it going sideways and keep it there pretty much around the whole track.

A local charity motorsport team that rehabs veterans by getting them to enter race cars and stunt cars uses MX5's, mainly Mk2 & Mk3. They are of the same opinion as your instructor.

[DanceswithUnix]

A local charity motorsport team that rehabs veterans by getting them to enter race cars and stunt cars uses MX5's, mainly Mk2 & Mk3. They are of the same opinion as your instructor.

I hear the same opinion from all directions

The mk1, 2 and 3 all seem to be much the same cost though which makes it tricky to know which version to go for. The lack of driver assist electronics in the earlier cars could be tempting.