My 98 2.1TD Executive

[FarmerPug]

i quite like the mechanical clatter you get off the old t2 i hate the beetle but i have quite a soft spot for the old hippie mobile, as for the beetle well its hideous, and i prefer the 2cv

[steve_earwig]

Same engines, same noise. Hey, what's not to like about a car commissioned by Hitler? 2VCs are built like a tin toy by comparison.

[TRAVIS BICKLE]

The 2.1 can sometimes get away with a cambelt snapping, It will genrally just snap the rockers and leave the cam in one pice.
whip the cam cover off and have a look, just remember if the valves have gone it's an engine out job to get the head off.

you dont need to take the engine out. Its easy enough to do, i did my old 2.1 in a day.

[FarmerPug]

Same engines, same noise. Hey, what's not to like about a car commissioned by Hitler? 2VCs are built like a tin toy by comparison.

yes but the 2cv looked better, and had more character, and since it was designed for carrying a farmer across a ploughed field while keeping his eggs intact it is quite useful for me, its better that being a design brief than the beetles.

[Bailes1992]

I know Ford 1.8 diesel engines don't hit the valves if the timing belt goes, they were marketed int he vans this way as non contact engines

[Doggy]

The mighty 1.8 fraud engine is sooooo powerful you'd think the valves were bent to start with.

[FarmerPug]

ah yes i had one of those in an old escort van i had before i entered the suzuki phase, it was amazing how rust ate so much of the van, and the engine was still going strong, but even so i didnt like the engine, it didnt compare well to the xud i had used for so long before, and the old 305 van felt quicker and much more secure in the corners than the ford which i believe had a straight back axle with leaf springs rather than what i think was a torsion beam in the 305

[Gary406]

I know Ford 1.8 diesel engines don't hit the valves if the timing belt goes, they were marketed int he vans this way as non contact engines

well i disagree since my uncles 1995 M reg 1.8 diesel van sufford with a timing belt snap on rivington hill lancashire

cost him £500 to get it fixed , everything was caplunked

[Gary406]

anyway any news on the car HBC ?

[FarmerPug]

I dont think the ford 1.8 was as good as the xud.

[HimBigChief]

Nopw, still no update. Not even got the car back yet. Gonna see if I can sort something tomorrow to get it back. Should be fun.

Got a few calls to make tomorrow regarding cars, but not looking likely for another 406.

[FarmerPug]

are you going to use the 309 fulltime now?

[highlander]

Got a few calls to make tomorrow regarding cars, but not looking likely for another 406.

Here's a 2.2 litre petrol-powered Coupe special "Silver & Black" edition. The 2.2 is one of the rarest Coupe engines out there (3,000-ish were made with this engine) and it's very lively. Combine that rarity with the S&B special edition trim, and you've got one seriously special car. And this one looks seriously cool, and has had a timing belt change already.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

I reckon it'd make a very nice successor to your mean-lookin' D8 saloon , should it be considered too much to repair.

Also, it costs a grand less than I paid for my Coupe.

[highlander]

And there's a diesel 2.2 Coupe here too - not a special edition, and in "Granite" rather than black, but it does have the full SE trim, in red leather, and all the toys (incl. Sat Nav, and the JBL amp w/10 speaker system):

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

[FarmerPug]

if i wasnt going for the v6 id pick the diesel, more torque and the possibility of a remap to 180bhp, and by the look of it lower running costs. I was once a petrolhead, but whats happened im making the case for a diesel.