davidwatsonok

I was sat bored doing random Google searches at work when I searched for the reg of my old car. I owned J469CYO for 13 years (94-06). Glad you have her back, and sorry to hear she's been through the wars a bit.

http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=30859

A tiered system would be prohibitively expensive to run and enforce, and would also be unfair. There are many young drivers who are much more capable than older people, especially when you consider some of the much older. Jenson Button was driving in F1 at 19, and Lewis Hamilton is still only 22. Many young people are reckless, irresponsible and a danger to themselves and others, but many are not. If you can control a car to satisfy the test, then you should have the freedom to buy whatever car you want with your own money. That's called freedom. The test could however be made more appropriate, maybe being in two parts with the Pass Plus becoming a requirement allowing for tuition on motorways between Pt.1 and that. The proposed passenger ruling stated "no passengers between the ages of 10-20 between 11pm and 6am. So, why can they take their 9yo sister out, but not their 10yo brother ? Ridiculous ! What happens if they are unavoidably detained whilst out and the time creeps over 11 ? What if they choose to make a sensible decision for a long journey and need to set off earlier than 6am to avoid busier times ? No passengers at all for 6 months might be a better solution. Zero alcohol has been proven to be unworkable. Eat some bread followed by a sugary sweet and you will show trace levels of naturally fermented alcohol in your system a short while later. A reduced alcohol level for everyone can only be a sensible idea. Statistics prove that the majority of drink drivers are over 30 ! Raising the minimum age to 18 ? Why ? That one's just an attempt to slightly slow down the growth of traffic on our roads, although young people can mature quite a lot in that one year. Retesting may seem like a good idea, but with 31m drivers currently on our roads that would mean 3.1m more tests a year for the DSA on top of the 2.1m they already do. Such a vast increase in workload would require a massive investment in manpower and infrastructure, increasing test fees and adding to the extremely long waiting lists (currently 9 weeks to book a test in Leeds). Periodic testing of the over 70's would be a very good idea though. I would like to see much more, and increasingly vigilant traffic policing, and not just focussed on speeding. To improve driving standards across all age groups I suggest that the police could issue, instead of meagre fines and inconsequential points (until you have 9), compulsory further training orders. If you are seen indicating badly or changing lanes on a roundabout, you should be pulled and fined £30 to cover police costs, but then be obliged to attend a number of hours training on the relevant subject with a driving instructor. Not only may that cure the initial incidence of bad driving, but a good instructor may spot other dangerous habits in their driving and possible avert future accidents. I would also like to see the Highway Code and Green Cross Code being re-introduced in schools, along with much stricter control on the use of pedal cycles on the public highway. I think the Cycling Proficiency Test should be compulsory, under 14's restricted to 40mph or lower, over 14's must do the full DSA Theory/Hazard Test and an advanced CPT, and have 3rd party insurance. Helmets should be compulsory, as should the fitment of functioning lights. Motorcycles account for just 4% of road traffic, and yet are attributable to 24% of KSI accidents. 37% of those are single person incidents, where the biker kills or harms just themselves. To allow 16yo's on bikes therefore seems ridiculous, and I would like to see that raised to maybe 20, with probationary periods for power increases which can be stepped over with further training and testing. These opinions based on the fact that I am a driving instructor.

After selling the Scoob last year and the 'Rado last week, I'm now running a Fabia vRS and can only recommend it. What a stonkingly good little car. Had a blast in the Dales last week and absolutely caned it for over 300 miles with some 3 figure cornering and flat-out straights, returning 40mpg. Then the next day on a run home from Filey to Leeds taking it steady it was up to 62.9. 130bhp but 228ftlb making overtaking a doddle and some fun driving in the twisties. It's probably a good 30-40mph slower cornering than my Scoob was but that's to be expected, but it is still involving, rewarding and fun to drive which is more than I can say for the Corsa 1.2 petrol I had for 6-7 months between the Scoob and this. That POS returned less than 28mpg on average due to ragging it to try and stir some life out of its pitiful existence, and it was about as interesting to drive as watching water boil. Planning to upgrade to a Leon FR PD170 TDi in a year or two, but for now I'm gonna get the Furby tweeked to 180/330 or so and sort the chassis and brakes to go out and frighten a few people.

Peace.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, my Corrado needed a new engine. When the head gasket went for the third time (due to VW bodging a 16V head onto a block designed for an 8V head as they had neither the time nor finances to design and manufacture it properly leading to overheating problems, I'm told) it was fitted with a Vege remanufactured unit, along with a new clutch and refurb of the 'box. In the same year I replaced every item which rolls and bounces on every corner. Almost all those items have been replaced at least once since too. It never passed a single MOT without needing work except the last one before I sold it and my g/f even had a b0ll0cking from her accountant about how there was no way he could justify the maintenance and running costs of such an old car to the tax man if they started asking questions. In retrospect, I wish I'd got into Scoobs in the mid to late 90's and just had a couple of years of happy memories of Corrado's, instead of looking back at it and resenting all the money and frustration it has caused. They are a Naomi Campbell of a car. Stunning to look at but a complete pain in the @r$e to live with every day.

Funny, I did 40k in 2 years and 8 months in my Scoob, and apart from an EGT sensor (£45) and an O2 sensor (£0 - warranty) it never missed a beat. During that same period the C covered under 10k and had a new brake master cylinder, clutch master, slave and curly pipe, new rear calipers, replacement wing mechanism, sticking sunroof, a wheel bearing, new front shocks and springs and 2 (split) cooling pipes. The tales of engine woes on Scoobs come from idiots trying to wring every last bit of power to try and make their car faster, when with the standard 265bhp (WRX PPP) my car was amongst the fastest in the north of England. Money spent wisely on a Scoob will make it amongst the quickest and most rewarding drives, but the power is adequate usually. I mod'd the chassis and suspension so I could use every bit of power in full control whatever the conditions (road/weather), whereas the power junkies end up with an unreliable car that is a handful to control and ultimately slower. I was events organiser for the West Yorks Scooby's and hence personally know around 60 Scoob owners compared to your 2 and liaise with hundreds over the 'net, and not one of our members suffered an engine failure. For a sports car club though we were all very mature and deterred membership by hot-headed idiots who could bring our club into disrepute. No McD car park meets for us, just country pubs, trackdays and family orientated fun. We always welcomed other groups along too, unlike the VW community whom even have the rudeness to name their meets "No-Rice". If anyone's interested, I have an open invite in the trackday section BTW. I'll be their in my Skoda, along with a couple of stripped, track-ready Mk.1 GTi's and a host of Scoobs and Evo's.

No mate, I really won't I'm afraid. Moved on over 4 years back when the g/f took over driving the C and I got into Scoobs, and that's where my heart lies now. Still adore the looks, but for every other aspect of me owning/driving a car the Impreza is automotive excellence. A year or two of mortgage reduction is ahead of me now with two careers and 80 hour weeks before I relax and enjoy driving at that level again, but come that day it will be a SpecC, SpecC TypeRA, Litchfield Type20/25 or maybe a Forester STi (only with 330/330 min and full race suspension).

Owned since '94 by either me or my partner, after 13 years she's now gone... Ross, the new owner, seems enthusiastic and keen to make her more VW-ish, removing my colour-coded front bits and fitting a badgeless grille, and replacing the awesome, lightweight (really do improve handling) OZ alloys with some heavy BBS jobbies, but hey, she's his now and as long as he looks after her as well, or better than I did then I wish him many happy years of driving and appreciating her. So, back to my little Skoda (great car, believe me) for a while 'til I can afford/justify my next Scooby. Impreza SpecC or Forester STi....hmmmm :?:

Well, MOT'd her for the last time today and she fair sailed through (wonders will never cease :roll: ). Apart from a loose rear bearing, quickly sorted with a 5 minute loan of the airgun, and some adjustable pliers she walked it this year. Typical, now I'm getting rid. The new owner may come for her tonight, and so end our 13 year affair :cry: And with the money I save on running it I may get me another Scooby before the year's out 8) Spec C Type RA-R here I come :lol:

Yesterday really, not today, but sold it. 13 years and time to move on. Me and the g/f now have matching Fabia vRS's :oops: and although they completely lack the style of the 'Rado, they are fantastic little cars in every other way. Cracking performance, outstanding fuel economy, superb reliability, awesome residuals (I hope) and a really quite nice interior to sit in. I'm sure the new owner (Ross from Sheffield) will be in here for a chat after he's collected her next w/e, just an MOT to sort out and then wipe away the tears as she disappears around the corner.

You just missed out on MINE

Who told you that rubbish ? I've just qualified as an ADI and am not a member of the IAM. I have been on one of their days, and outdrove the lot of them. IAM is a private members club and completely separate from the DSA, although in the last couple of years the DSA has monitored and approved their methods, teaching and testing. FYI the route to becoming a driving instructor involves 3 tests, none of which involve the IAM. ADI Pt.1 is the same theory and hazard perception test done by all learner drivers now, except there are 100 multiple choice questions (85% req'd) and the pass rate for the HP clips is a little higher. ADI Pt.2 involves a 1hr driving test during which you can commit no more than 6 minor driving faults. ADI Pt.3 (which I passed last Wednesday on my 1st attempt) involves a 1hr test where a senior examiner role plays being a student of two different levels (beginner and test standard) to ensure you are teaching the DSA prefered method of driving detailed in the "Driving Essentials Handbook" and correctly advising on the Highway Code and Road Traffic Act whilst. I have also done several training sessions with a Police pursuit driver using the Roadcraft techniques, and this is my favoured driving style. The DSA wouldn't like me to teach it my clients though.

We've finally decided after over 12 years that our beloved '91 (J) Corrado 1.8 16V has to go. No expense was spared maintaining this cherished baby, but the effort and expense has got too much even for us. In stunning condition for a 15+yo car, her engine is only 5 years old after a head gasket failure terminated the original, so there's only 10-15k on that, but the rest of her is of various ages. In 2001 I replaced everything on all corners, springs, dampers, mounts, bushes, wishbones, bearings, discs, the lot, along with the new engine and the 'box refurbing and a fresh clutch. She's fitted with a Scorpion full stainless exhaust and 17" OZ Superlegerra alloys, along with nearly new rubber all 'round. On the downside, the sunroof is struggling to slide open but still tilts. The spoiler works, along with just about everything else. We also have a new Sony CD player to go in, but the speakers are all a bit dodgy. A little work and minimal expense will see her almost like new, so what would she be worth and what chances of a quick-ish sale. I know selling cars is a bit like pulling teeth as last year I struggled to sell my Impreza which was completely mint, but I just wondered what demand is out there for C's these days.

Let's dispel a few myths. Cylinder 3 is a weak point on the EJ20 engine, but usually when people have mod'd the exhaust in a way which raises under-bonnet temps significantly. As the up-pipe to the turbo runs past it the excessive heat can cause problems, but certainly not every 7-10k miles. I did 37k in 2 3/4 years of ownership and my engine was sweet as a nut, and I drive very hard. The only problems I had was a couple of exhaust sensor failures, one fixed on warranty and the other 40 quid. You don't have to pay the earth to fix them either, with plenty of well respected specialists dotted around the country. One of the most famous, Scoobyclinic at Chesterfield charge 25 quid an hour, and I would trust them much more than any franchised dealer. My G/F's 'Rado (used to be mine) has cost us about 3x what it cost us to keep the Scoob on the road in the same time BTW. Kev was right about the STi having the better engine, brakes, suspension and I/C water spray, but having driven many variants extensively over the years I must disagree with him on the "better gears". The 6sp 'box makes you work too hard and is ultimately tiresome. I much prefer the 5sp unit in the WRX. He was also right about the handling being improved by a Whiteline rear ARB, but it also needs solid links to get full benefit. A good geo set-up from someone who knows what the car can do and what you want to achieve reaps dividends too. Mine was set up by Stuart Tams whom trains the Williams F1 team on chassis design. Money on mods is best spent on handling rather than power upgrades. Despite all its grip and power, the Scoob doesn't actually handle too well, but a set of AST adjustable coilovers alongside the Whiteline bars will make a truly devastating A-B road car. Mine took my breath away right up to the day I sold her, and I am counting every second of every day until I get my next. They are THAT good when you know what they can do, and you are capable of pushing them to extreme limits. The Chav comments are regrettably true, but I see more Chavs daily in old Golf's, Saxo's, 106's etc but they are so common that you barely even notice them these days. A chav in a Scoob stands out a bit more, but thankfully they are restricted to the older "classic" shape mostly. People do tend to immerse themselves into the scene a bit too passionately, and hence the blue jackets and baseball caps. It is sad, and thankfully I have enough personal identity to not follow other people, prefering to cut my own path, so no-one says you have to. Regardless of the coats and caps however, they have proven to be the friendliest petrolheads I have ever been associated with over my years of driving, having made countless true and hopefully lifelong friendships whilst attending the relevent meets, events, runs, trackdays and shows. I don't think I fit into the stereotypes mentioned above, being a 37yo professional running 2 successful business's, holding a motorsport license and also a qualified ADI (plus IAM & ROSPA). I have driven most cars over the years, and IMHO the Scoob is the best compromise of power, speed, handling, grip, cost and style there is. I know they're ugly, but you can't see it when you're sat in the drivers seat, which is where I like to be. I do still have a soft spot for my old 'Rado, but the world has moved on significantly since the late 80's, and as beautiful as they still are, I demand more from my car these days. Who made that comment about Evo's being refined :D