For those interested in "Modern Classic" Cars

[Classsix T]

I raised the issue of bigger cars/smaller internals some time ago, the modern Polo being as big as the original Golf I think I said.

I was told it's purely a necessity of occupant crash protection that if the external 'footprint' of the vehicle stays the same, the internal dimensions will have to shrink to cater for the collision absorbing structures. Hence thick window pillars etc.

 

C6T. 

[Dunsignalling]

5 hours ago, Classsix T said:

I raised the issue of bigger cars/smaller internals some time ago, the modern Polo being as big as the original Golf I think I said.

I was told it's purely a necessity of occupant crash protection that if the external 'footprint' of the vehicle stays the same, the internal dimensions will have to shrink to cater for the collision absorbing structures. Hence thick window pillars etc.

 

C6T. 

Styling can have a bit to answer for, too. A bloke down the road has a Nissan Juke, which he rates highly as very enjoyable to drive.  It does more-or-less everything he needs, though he has said there are times when a balance has to be struck between passengers and cargo....

 

Outside, it's relatively narrow at the top, which makes it look a fair bit smaller than my Skoda Yeti, but its footprint is almost the same. Inside, it's barely larger than my 1991 Peugeot 205xs of fond memory.

 

John

Edited October 22, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[Hobby]

Have you seen the (infamous) MINI countryman, looked bigger on the outside than my Golf Estate (I was looking up into it from my seat in the Golf!) but smaller on the inside... Style over substance...

[Dunsignalling]

29 minutes ago, Hobby said:

Have you seen the (infamous) MINI countryman, looked bigger on the outside than my Golf Estate (I was looking up into it from my seat in the Golf!) but smaller on the inside... Style over substance...

Never mind the Golf, I think they are only marginally bigger inside than ordinary Minis.....

 

It must be said, though, that VWs have also been noticeably prone to what's known in the trade as "bloat". My mate's old Passat estate (05 reg.) was parked next to a new Golf one the other day, and there's very little difference in their overall size. 

 

John

Edited October 22, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[Chris M]

25 minutes ago, Hobby said:

Have you seen the (infamous) MINI countryman, looked bigger on the outside than my Golf Estate (I was looking up into it from my seat in the Golf!) but smaller on the inside... Style over substance...

Issigonis will be turning in his grave. He always designed cars that were bigger on the inside than they were on the outside and didn't give a monkey's about style. This was mine, it was old and heavy but had an unbelievable amount of room inside and never let me down.

 

 

[Dunsignalling]

5 minutes ago, Chris M said:

Issigonis will be turning in his grave. He always designed cars that were bigger on the inside than they were on the outside and didn't give a monkey's about style. This was mine, it was old and heavy but had an unbelievable amount of room inside and never let me down.

 

 

But, to be fair, the amazing Alec never had modern crash testing requirements to contend with.....

 

John

[Hobby]

Of all his cars I still feel the Maxi was his best design, though compromised by the company (doors from the 1800 anyone?!), plenty of room inside (same as the 1800!), practical hatchback and decent boot and smooth ride. I'd mention the five speed gearbox as well, though I know many disliked it, I learnt to drive in them so never had any issues... I never felt that the 1800 back end looked quite right!

[boxbrownie]

18 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

They all seem lacking in the luggage capacity, are those figures correct?

The Falcon they discontinued in 2010 had 2584 litres rear capacity with the seats down, had a lazy 4 litre straight six that'd cruise all day at 180kmh easy  and  do 100kmh on corrugated  outback roads without shaking itself apart and aircon that actually worked in the Northern Territory, unlike pretty much every Euro or Korean SUV they've given us as hire cars since.

 

But that’s a class above our usual large (Granada/Omega) ‘D’ class cars, I had the previous version of that Falcon as a camera/work car years ago, but unfortunately my efforts to get the later version I,ported through our company system failed and they lumbered me with Sierra Wagon 4x4……which was Ok but ultimately not big enough, cured eventually by getting hold of a previously imported for comparison testing a nice US Explorer SVO wagon…..that was fun.

[Hobby]

Big open country = big cars... The US seems to be the same!

Edited October 22, 2021 by Hobby

[boxbrownie]

49 minutes ago, Hobby said:

Big open country = big cars... The US seems to be the same!

And in the US, dirt cheap fuel helped also….

[spamcan61]

Just spotted in St. Ives, never seen one before, a Nissan Pao. MOT history reads like a Stephen King book mind you! 

Edited October 22, 2021 by spamcan61

[MJI]

5 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

But that’s a class above our usual large (Granada/Omega) ‘D’ class cars, I had the previous version of that Falcon as a camera/work car years ago, but unfortunately my efforts to get the later version I,ported through our company system failed and they lumbered me with Sierra Wagon 4x4……which was Ok but ultimately not big enough, cured eventually by getting hold of a previously imported for comparison testing a nice US Explorer SVO wagon…..that was fun.

 

Actually same class, Commodore used the same floorpan as the Senator then the Omega, just widened a couple of inches to get a V8 in.

[boxbrownie]

40 minutes ago, MJI said:

 

Actually same class, Commodore used the same floorpan as the Senator then the Omega, just widened a couple of inches to get a V8 in.

That’s why it’s the class above…doesn’t matter about the floor pan, they get stretched and widened to suit but it’s the internal dimensions and capacity which determine class segment, it took me a while to get used to the codes used as the Granada was D class but the Scorpio was DE class, our Oz Falcon was an E class segment vehicle.

[steve1]

I believe these are popular on here?

 

steve

 

 

[298]

On 22/10/2021 at 14:26, spamcan61 said:

Just spotted in St. Ives, never seen one before, a Nissan Pao. MOT history reads like a Stephen King book mind you! 

 

Ha! Someone else who checks the MOT history of a vehicle on TV, usually when watching Bangers and Cash. I thought I'd read about every single Nissan car when the mystery import mentioned on this thread a few months previously but this one is new to me.

[boxbrownie]

55 minutes ago, steve1 said:

I believe these are popular on here?

 

steve

 

 

With panel shut lines the size of a Landrover’s I cannot imagine why 

[monkeysarefun]

Interesting times  here at the moment  if you own any  Holden or Ford with a V8 in it.  Lack of availability of anything reasonable with a V8 but with no drop in desirability of owning a V8  among many Australians of a certain age or inclination  and undiminished  demand for them has meant second hand prices  have gone through the roof.

 

Holden dropped the V8 in 2017 when they replace the local VF Commodore with something from overseas with a 4 cylinder in it  and sales plummeted.   Ford dropped the Falcon in 2013 I think.

 

 

 Not many 5 year old bread and butter  'family' cars would now be worth around $30,000 to $40,000 more than when they were bought new but that is the case with the Commodore VF SSV redline. New ones were $58.000 OTR when originally sold in 2015-17 now a quick check of online carsales sites shows there are 14 second hand ones for sale, prices from $80,000 to $99,000.

 

The hotter HSV ones, which are the ones that got sent over there as Vauxhalls with the supercharger  are even nuttier. One with just 49km on the clock has an asking price of one dollar shy of  $300K, while even one with 50k on the clock is asking $239,000. That compares with a brand new BMW M5 here that'll cost $246,000 plus on-roads.

 

Even my  ute - a 2010 model  with a  6 litre V8 6 speed manual and 30k currently on the clock that cost me $21,499  in 2013 gets a look in. There are currently 8 for sale on carsales.com.au. Cheapest knocked-about high km one is $26,490, but most others  are in the $30 - $40k range, Dearest being $44,000 for a 116,000km auto.  Its the most fun money-making  investment I've made!

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[MJI]

The last "Commodore" was a Insignia and not related at all to any previous version.

 

It was a cynical attempt to keep selling cars after shutting down Holden.

 

GM are dead in Europe, they now make restyled Peugeots.

[peanuts]

Talking of vauxhalls this Carlton GSI3000 popped up at one of my deliverys the other day in for a services and some minor TLC realy was very tidy and very original. 

[spamcan61]

My dash cam photo is so crap I'll not dare post it, but I saw a beige Renault 12 estate rumbling down the M3 yesterday at a steady 50 mph ish. Can't remember the last time I saw a 12 in the wild, nevermind an estate.

[MJI]

Come to think of it two car brands I have had have been sold to Peugeot and "disappeared".

 

First was Rootes and they basically vanished the UK operation

 

If I could have any hot hatch ever made it would be a UK ex Rootes / Chrysler UK one

 

Vauxhalls are now rebranded Peugeots, I did like the 504s though.

 

What car brand is next?

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, spamcan61 said:

My dash cam photo is so crap I'll not dare post it, but I saw a beige Renault 12 estate rumbling down the M3 yesterday at a steady 50 mph ish. Can't remember the last time I saw a 12 in the wild, nevermind an estate.

 

Theres a sedan here in that yuck browny orange colour I often see at the local shops, driven by the sterotypical "little old lady". 

[Hobby]

11 hours ago, peanuts said:

Talking of vauxhalls this Carlton GSI3000 popped up at one of my deliverys the other day in for a services and some minor TLC realy was very tidy and very original. 

 

Neat parking as well, fully on the pavement and across a dropped kerb! 

[big jim]

They’re no better a bit further up the road either!

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by big jim

[johnlambert]

On 25/10/2021 at 10:31, MJI said:

The last "Commodore" was a Insignia and not related at all to any previous version.

 

It was a cynical attempt to keep selling cars after shutting down Holden.

 

GM are dead in Europe, they now make restyled Peugeots.

I agree that GM is dead in Europe as a volume seller.  Vauxhall/Opel is now owned by Stellantis (not sure of spelling), which is PSA (Peugeot Citroen), FIAT (inc. Alfa Romeo and Lancia) and I want to say Chrysler.  It might also be Maserati but I can't honestly remember.

 

But, yes, Vauxhalls are now warmed over Peugeots.