If Carlsberg did courtesy cars ...

Post by **Charles** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:17 pm

#049 is in for a full service and front brakes at an Independent BMW specialist in Reading which I am trialling for the first time, as a result of a recommendation from SPA69 who I met up with at the garage last Friday afternoon.

This is my courtesy car ...

ade and liz flint · Post by **ade and liz flint** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:19 pm

It's a bit, er, bright

More interesting than the average tat you get as loan cars though. Which engine is it, Charles?

Post by **Charles** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:26 pm

840Ci - so that'll be a V8 I think.

I agree it's bright, the aircon doesn't work, the heater matrix is screwed and the radio code is missing - but it drives very nicely and I'm almost getting 20mpg

Hodge · Post by **Hodge** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:26 pm

Taking that to College

that will shout Drug Dealer, be prepared to be pulled up on your first evening journey

Cheers

Post by **Charles** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:28 pm

Hodge wrote:Taking that to College that will shout Drug Dealer, be prepared to be pulled up on your first evening journey

Cheers

College? I'm a respectable qualified teacher now!

Should make for some interesting comments in school tomorrow though ...

Chas · Post by **Chas** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:33 pm

I took an Estoril 840 Sport for a test drive when they first came out many years ago. It was sublime and it left me with an strong itch to get one at some point in time. There's a lot of E32/34 about them but the rest is far more complex.

They're a complete money pit if you get a bad one and just a normal money pit if it's a good one

But it's still one of the most beautiful cars on the road, and very distinctive in Dakar Yellow.

Post by **Charles** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:37 pm

An interesting car, indeed.

The trip back this afternoon was taken gently - if only to work out how the brakes rsponded and to get used to the incredibly long bonnet. At pootling speeds, it's very relaxed - like driving an armchair - but having wound it up a few times since getting home, it is deceptively quick

I've always liked the shape and being able to drive one of these has been a dream of mine since I first saw them back in the early 90s. Of course, it lacks certain refinements that we've got used to since then but it still remains a technological masterpiece with gadgets and gizmos galore.

ade and liz flint · Post by **ade and liz flint** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:10 pm

Charles wrote:840Ci - so that'll be a V8 I think.

I agree it's bright, the aircon doesn't work, the heater matrix is screwed and the radio code is missing

Lovely

but you entrusted your car to someone whose courtesy car has these faults?

I'm sure it will go very well.....

Post by **Charles** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:46 pm

ade and liz flint wrote:
Charles wrote:840Ci - so that'll be a V8 I think.

I agree it's bright, the aircon doesn't work, the heater matrix is screwed and the radio code is missing
Lovely but you entrusted your car to someone whose courtesy car has these faults?

I'm sure it will go very well.....

Haha!

This isn't one of the courtesy fleet - it's part of the owner's private collection - so I am working on the principle that they spend too much time getting customer cars right.

They do have an interesting project involving a Mk1 Transit underway, however ...

ade and liz flint · Post by **ade and liz flint** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:34 am

Charles wrote:They do have an interesting project involving a Mk1 Transit underway, however ...

Now that is a nice project. I used to drive one of those on a daily basis

It was terrible, but I think the BMW-powered version (with proper stoppers) will be just a bit better to drive. Unbelievable that they drove that all the way back from Munich