dr_mat

The usual answer (and this has been discussed many times) is that you need to scour the autotrader for similar cars with reasonable prices and send in piles of documentation to that effect. You don't have to accept their offer. Note they usually won't explicitly cover the replacement cost of modifications (such as the alloys), but "factory-style" mods like fitting leather seats should increase the insured value. Depending on the class of write-off, you are entitled to buy the car back. The most extreme classes of write off can only be legally sold on to a licensed breakers yard.

I always thought it was pretty much a joke doing F1 on the Indy circuits anyway, can't see why they bother. F1 is doomed at this rate. Which is nice, cos we just sold McLaren a big wedge of computer kit .. :roll: http://www.sgi.com/company_info/newsroo ... cedes.html (Stupid URL widget keeps overwriting the copy buffer when I try and add a URL..)

I believe ECP do the genuine article for around £110, from memory...

Ouch, that's some oil thirst though. 2.5 litres every 1000 miles!

ISTR Dutch mentioning his low compression on a couple of cylinders as long as a year or more ago on the yahoo list, no? Lasts a long time when iffy, don't it! :)

8mm leads are very "cosy" in the standard VR6 cable guides. :roll: The stock ones are tight at 7mm. Performance improvement from a cable? Only if your old ones were knackered mate! Don't believe the hype!

Maybe he was referring to the wheel manufacturer...?

Couldn't have said it better myself :lol: :lol: Sadly I was right though...

See if GPC can get 'em.

They're expensive. Best bet though is a 2nd hand one - the rears rarely fail, so any old binned C will have two good ones.

Lose power??? When you've got 280 brake who cares about loss of 20 or so?! :lol:

It's a matter of opinion. A huge number of people lower their cars. The majority of them go for 30-60mm drop, with a drop of about 35mm putting the wheels about the "centre" of the arches, which is what most people aim for. Personally I'm sticking with standard. The handling is great as is, and I don't have to fear for my sump over speed ramps..

I was wondering if it was remote controlled, actually ...

Where's the strapping to hold you onto the damn thing??

Don't do it Mr Frodo ...

But there again if you go to the dealer you assume that all the points in the factory service manual will be covered. If they don't, you can sue them...

Are you taking that ring you found back to Mount Doom, Henny?

So in other words your complaint is that the torque band is narrow? Fair enough. Can't disagree. The point about the diesels is that they produce more torque between 1500 and 3000 rpm than even the 2.9 litre VR6 can manage at full pelt. Compare to pulling out of a roundabout in a VR in second at 800 rpm and see how quickly you wish you were in a diesel! Even with the Schrick, the VR just becomes "ok" at those revs. (Though the VR sounds truly EVIL with the throttle wide open at 2000 rpm .. :) ) I haven't driven a VAG PD engined car, but I know what you're talking about. The "legendary" torque just isn't there from tickover. I've driven a few Pug TDs and they're the same. It's the trade off isn't it? 55mpg and huge torque 1500->3500, or 28mpg and huge torque 4000->6000 .. For a flat torque curve from 0 rpm you want an electric traction motor...

Ok, you paraphrased, and I don't mind, cos you credited me anyway.. :)

You expect it to rip your head off at 1200 rpm? Give over. You want a bloody steam engine.

In fact I think you basically ripped off my entire post, VR6 .. ;)

You're odd because you haven't been forced to spend small fortunes through no fault of your own!! I don't mind spending a few quid here and there when the car is basically running ok and I'm tweaking things for my benefit. But when you look back and realise you've spent £5k over three years and have very little to show for it (other than some shiny components), then it starts to bug you.

You *might* be able to get it to start on a shade less than 10v, but the battery's ability to start the car is less related to the volts and more to the amps it can deliver. A vr6 needs 100+ amps to turn the starter adequately... (The RAC man uses the jump leads from the van AND a secondary booster battery...) (At least once the starter is turning, the alternator helps things along a little, so you don't lose all that energy in one go.) I believe the ECU needs 10 volts to stabilise it's circuits. Battery voltage should be 12.2-12.8 volts, alternator output should be 13-14.5 volts. Sounds like you have some dry/dead cells there, VR6.

Theoretically VW may still have a spare, new, shell kicking around in storage. I would assume that at one point it would have been possible to get the car re-shelled after an accident for example. Though obviously they won't have actually *built* any shells since the end of production in 1995.

What a surprise, Reading #2. No, actually, not a surprise at all.. Does this survey take into account the fact that there's more "prestige" brand dealerships per 100 garages in the south than the north I wonder?