Just bought a new toy, can you guess what my other hobby is? ...

[NickG]

Going into work a bit later so I can tax it in the morning, then steady away to work in it for the first time! 

[Brass_Machine]

Very nice. Very flashy. 

Not sure what it is tho... Help us over here in the States.

Eric

[foozer]

Its one of little carts the meter Maids use, See the steering wheel is on the wrong side so she can put the parking tickets on easier

Robert

[raynerd]

golf?

  Nice motor.

[JimM]

It's a Vauxhal VX220, possibly known as the Opel Speedster everywhere else. Think it's based on the Lotus Elise but sure NickG will fill us in with all the details

Never driven one myself but apparently it's great fun !!  

You're a lucky man Nick, my mrs would never let me get near a car like that  

Jim

[andyf]

Lovely! I'm envious, both of the car and the ability to get in and out of it without a struggle. At my age, I need transport which is a bit further above sea level.

Andy.

[NickG]

Cheers guys  the steering wheel is on the correct side and it has a manual gearbox as any sports car should!!! 

Jim is exactly right. It's called a Vauxhall VX220, there were two versions, a 2.0 Turbo charged one 930kg and 200bhp and a 2.2 normally aspirated, 875kg and approx 150bhp. Both mid engined rear wheel drive. Unfortunately mine is the latter but it's still good fun. They were build along side the Lotus Elise in their factory so a very similar car in many respects but use many different components.

Jim, the wife is none too impressed but such is life, I had a good plan and compromised earlier in the year and bought a nice Vauxhall Vectra as a family car for her!

Andy, I haven't mastered getting into and out of it yet. The first time this morning was almost a crawl out job - highly embarrassing with the neighbour watching. I'll get there though!

Nick

[AdeV]

At 6'5" tall, and quite wide, I actually did have to crawl out of a Lotus Elise... in a bloody showroom. How I managed to get in the thing I'll never know. How I got out is, well, a sorry tale indeed.

Sadly, I will never own a VX220 for that reason. A Monaro or VXR8 on the other hand..... 

[DavidA]

In my neck of the woods it wouldn't last five minutes.

Dave.

[foozer]

a 2.0 Turbo charged one 930kg and 200bhp and a 2.2 normally aspirated, 875kg and approx 150bhp. Both mid engines rear wheel drive.

Nick

Must be a kick to drive tho, Turbo, they are wonderful things but there is such a thing as too much power for those of us who tend to , what the heck once in a while. Had a chance to drive a converted 66 Chevy Corvair for a while with a 350 small block in the back seat. Aside from it being death on wheels, the fact that it was death on wheels made it so much fun. It didn't come alive till around eighty (mph), course it also tended to get a tad squirrelly as the speedo just kept climbing. If you wanted to risk blowing the transaxle, it was great fun to side up to a porsche on the freeway at 60mph, drop down a gear and smoke up the tires while doing a rocket away. Really red faced when the trans blew.

Ah to be young again.

Enjoy your toy, keep it under 90

Robert

 

[Stilldrillin]

Cor. Nick! 
That's a bit nice! 

Oh, to be young again..... And rich! 

David D

[Ned Ludd]

Hi AdeV,
Being of a similar stature, well nearly, you will have to grow a little bit, the only Lotus I found comfortable was an Elan 2+2. I could sit in it with legs straight, which surprised the heck out of me. Now though I doubt I could bend enough in the middle to get in or out of one.
Other than that, I echo David D. Mine you if someone were nice enough to give me one I would feel duty bound to try and fit in it and terrorize the neighbourhood.
Ned

[Pete.]

...can you guess what my other hobby is? ... 

Hairdressing?


Only kidding

[HS93]

...can you guess what my other hobby is? ...  

Hairdressing?


Only kidding

Pete ,That's not Fair  there Called Stylist now:lol:    PS, I am just sad I could not get it it these days,

[John Hill]

Jim, the wife is none too impressed but such is life, I had a good plan and compromised earlier in the year and bought a nice Vauxhall Vectra as a family car for her!
Nick

In our house I would be the one driving the Vectra!

[John Hill]

Sadly, I will never own a VX220 for that reason. A Monaro or VXR8 on the other hand..... 

I tried to buy a 'Maloo' which was the ute version of the Australian Monaro but the dealer was a prick whereas the Ford guy was totally different.  That how I got to have Ford Tickford ute.

[foozer]

My toy, not as nice as yours nor as fast, but a good hwyway cruiser. Turn on the air, set the cruise control and watch the gas gauge head for E. Just like old Iron

Robert

[kwackers]

It's not a real 'sports car' though is it? What I'd do is lighten it - a lot, and remove the two superflous wheels... 

[NickG]

Ade, yeah they are pretty tricky. I'm getting there, I sit on the sill and slide in, then pull my legs in. To get out, legs out over sill and pull self up - it all looks a bit girly but it's fast so ok if nobody is watching! Either of the two cars you mentioned would be nice-  if we had USA fuel prices!

Robert, not had much chance to try it properly yet except for in a straight line-  it's pretty quick but it's really all about the handling, just coming off a round about today I got the first feeling of it, so direct, no body roll at all - brilliant fun but can see how it would catch you out if slippery.

Dave, it's straight in the garage when I get home and in a secure car park at work as I work for a munitions company so I'm ok on that front!

Thanks David, as Robert said, I just thought what the heck, if I don't do it now I probably never will! The cars I have will never be mine though, always the banks - this one belongs to Tesco!!!


  Thanks Pete, it had to be said at some point!

John, a lot of people still swear by Fords over here - they are good, but they don't make any sports cars any more as such. The best at the moment is probably the Focus RS hot hatchback, it's a monster but it's front wheel drive.

Nice motor Robert. There is something about the big old american cars. Actually the guy I bought mine from was really into them and has some sort of chevy coming in a few days he had to make way for. I nearly bought a british classic before this (TR6 or GT6) but I will do that another day!

Kwackers  I very nearly went for my bike license but I bottled it. I just couldn't justify the cost as they really are a toy!

Nick






 

[Ned Ludd]

Hi Nick,
If you had got your bike licence you might not think of them as toys.
Despite what you might think it does not rain every day.
Ned

[NickG]

True, I'd be more worried about all the other idiot drivers on the road that don't see you. The performance vs money is very tempting but it'd cause massive arguments with the wife, mum & dad from a safety point of view!

Know quite a few keen bikers though - sounds great fun.

Nick

[Ned Ludd]

Hi Nick,
I believe there are statistics that show that a motorcycle in the right hands is the safest vehicle on the road. And for those who wonder whose are the "right hands", well UK Met Police motorcyclists, of course. To qualify "safest", the number of accidents per mile, or to be pedantic thousands of miles or even tens of thousands. Big white fairings and drivers knowing that there is a policeman behind it might cause other road users to be more careful, but there is nothing to stop you buying a big white fairing, too.
Ned
PS you might have guessed I fit on a bike more easily than I fit in a teeny-weeny little plastic sports car, doesn't stop me wanting one, though.

[dsquire]

Nick

That looks like a nice toy that you have there. Every man should have something like that. I noticed that in the first picture the car is backward with the steering on the right hand side. 

 I am enclosing a picture of it the way it should have been build with normal left hand steering. 

Hope you like it. Be Safe.

Cheers 

Don

[andyf]

I'd never get used to the left foot accelerator and right foot brake and clutch on your version, Don. Not to mention all the dials working the wrong way round

Andy

[NickG]

Good point Ned!

A guy at work is into his bikes, has a Triumph Speed Triple or something but is after a Daytona - I suggested a 675 as my mate has one but he said that he'd look like donkey kong on mario Kart if he got one of those!

Don ..noooo, what have you done to my car ?   

It's brilliant so far, noisy,rattley and shakey but a driving experience like no other - except for a lotus elise, exige, caterham etc!

  Nice 1 Andy!