HFS's Cars

[Famine]

Wouldn't something like a Landcruiser be a better proposition?

Hate them.

Nono, Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins. Need a tow vehicle, get something that can PULL!

Hate them more.

Well, maybe a (UK) Ranger with the diseasel would do better.

And hate those waaay more than that.

Anyway, trucks pull better than Suvvies, typically, and diseasels better than petrol.

It's an MX-5 on a trailer, not another Dodge Ram that he needs to pull...

Indeed. An MX-3 though (a stripped out one at that). We're talking no more than 1.7 tons and the Explorer has a braked towing limit of 2.5 tons - well within the boundaries.

It would pull... right up to the end of the street and then not be able to get around the corner...

So can I assume you're selling the house to pay for petrol?

Pfft, some people.

The Explorer is batcrap crazy and begging for more power. As standard it'll just about match a '97 UK-spec 1.6 MX-5 to 60mph - and no I'm not making that up. It's also RWD, only going 4WD when it needs to, which means a bit of lunatic fun. It's the only 4x4 on my list of 4x4s

Should get about 25mpg (Imperial) when towing - our drag-racing friends get 30mpg from their diesel motorhome.

 

[homeforsummer]

My "pulling" comment was actually directed at the RAM comment, not the Explorer. I think you'd struggle manoeuvering a RAM around your estate. Though you might accidentally take out some of the barry'd cars, which could be worthwhile.

 

[Famine]

There's actually a Ram 2500 nearby. Christ knows why.

At least the Explorer will actually fit in the length of my road too.

 

[Jim Prower]

Meh, you can get around with an Explorer, I just feel that the best tow vehicles are diesel trucks, that's all. *shrug*

The rear suspension and trannies on the Explorer are made more for highway driving than pulling a trailer up a grade. Most of 'em these days are coil-sprung, rather than the leaves, which I feel are more appropriate for towing...

EDIT: then again, I'm not familiar with the Explorer in Europe...Or trailer weights, for that matter.

 

[bergauk]

Meh, you can get around with an Explorer, I just feel that the best tow vehicles are diesel trucks, that's all. *shrug*

The rear suspension and trannies on the Explorer are made more for highway driving than pulling a trailer up a grade. Most of 'em these days are coil-sprung, rather than the leaves, which I feel are more appropriate for towing...

What grade are you talking about? England's just rolling countryside. Diesel is better for pulling though. Loaaads of torque.

 

[Jim Prower]

More about hitting the snubbers as the vehicle and trailer bounce along, rather than grade. depending on loading and trailer axles (1-axle trailer puts more mass on the back than 2-axle, obviously), a LOT of weight can sit on the rear suspension.

I suppose you could add helper-coils if it really bugged you...

 

[homeforsummer]

Incidentally, I don't mind a little bit of chit-chat in my own thread and don't object to a little off-topicness, but if we're discussing the relative merits of tow vehicles this probably isn't the best place

 

[Jim Prower]

Point. Moving on...

 

[bergauk]

More about hitting the snubbers as the vehicle and trailer bounce along, rather than grade. depending on loading, a LOT of weight can sit on the rear suspension.

I suppose you could add helper-coils if it really bugged you...

Edit: tree'd Sorry HFS. Congrats on the Miata Btw.

My family has a 6000 pound toybox trailer. We have a '99 1/2 Ford F-350. The setup at the hitch is a sway bar, accompanied by Distribution bars.
Looks like this.

When loaded with the distribution bars attached. The weight is transferred throughout the vehicle instead of just on the rear axle. If Famine has problems with his Explorer bottoming out. I'm sure he could acquire something like that.

 

[niky]

It's an MX-5 on a trailer, not another Dodge Ram that he needs to pull...

-

The IRS ones are better, but probably still out of budget.

 

[Famine]

Incidentally, I don't mind a little bit of chit-chat in my own thread and don't object to a little off-topicness, but if we're discussing the relative merits of tow vehicles this probably isn't the best place

We'll be glad of a tow vehicle next time daan stops by...

Anyway, to end the discussion... It's a vehicle rated to 5,600lb towing a trailer little more than 3,000lb and the steepest incline/syncline would be 1 in 25. Unless I decide to tow Marvin to the 'Ring.

 

[homeforsummer]

We still need to organise a GTP 'Ring visit at some point. Perhaps next year.

 

[Keef]

Who's buying my plane ticket? And how do I go about getting my car to Germany?

 

[Famine]

​

 

[homeforsummer]

Who's buying my plane ticket? And how do I go about getting my car to Germany?

You better start pushing the government for a transatlantic tunnel...

 

[ExigeEvan]

I gotta be honest with you, first time you get a RWD car and we're about to enter Autumn, hope you have nice soft lamposts

But really, you gotta watch that back end first time you take it out in the wet.

 

[homeforsummer]

That's why it's getting lovely new tyres as soon as it can as the current ones probably aren't up to much wet weather.

I also intend to safely explore the limits in a deserted place to see how much I can get away with without damaging anything. I have in fact spun an MX-5 before, on a race track, in the wet. So I do know you need to use caution

 

[daan]

We'll be glad of a tow vehicle next time daan stops by...

Hummmph.

 

[Roo]

MX5? Good boy.

I just remembered when looking through the thread too that I mentioned at one stage about a "secret plan B" in this post. Now that I've not gone through with it, I can reveal it: I was seriously considering buying an old Mini, to the point where I even went to have a look at a couple, though unfortunately never got to drive one. As I live in a city and I'm not a big bloke, it made a lot more sense than you might imagine. In the end, the fact that I couldn't find a genuinely good one in my budget pushed that idea out of the window. They're expensive little buggers, those Minis...

Comes from trying to buy one in their 50th anniversary year, silly. They're still very popular anyway and that keeps the prices high. Everything else is dirt cheap though.

As it's your only car you're probably better off with an MX5 anyway - at least it should be vaguely reliable.

 

[homeforsummer]

Comes from trying to buy one in their 50th anniversary year, silly. They're still very popular anyway and that keeps the prices high. Everything else is dirt cheap though.

As it's your only car you're probably better off with an MX5 anyway - at least it should be vaguely reliable.

So instead of buying a Mini in it's 50th Anniversary year, I bought an MX-5 in it's 20th Anniversary year

Anyway, got it home today:

GTP fansign pics to follow tomorrow. I've been thinking of things it needs first and foremost. It'll likely remain standard for a fair while as I don't generally have the disposable income to splash out on my cars, but I can do the essentials:

- New tyres (probably keeping the current wheels for now, at least until the next set of tyres)
- Needs the tracking done and everything returned to factory recommended settings
- Bit of a polish. It's clean at the mo but I'll get it sparkling
- A good service. No idea when the last one was done but I'll get the basics sorted so I don't have to worry about them.

And in time:

- A hardtop. Expensive, but nicer to have the option, living in the UK
- Either OEM wheels or smaller aftermarket ones than it currently wears. The ride is a bit rough for my tastes on some of the really bad roads we have around here.

I'm still dead chuffed with how nice the bodywork is. Probably helps that it's a UK car and was undersealed from new, unlike the Eunos Roadster imports which aren't really up to British winters and salted roads.

 

[Leonidae]

That is one of the best condition ragtops I've seen in a while. Then again, Finland is second only to UK in the amount of rain, thus ours tend to be pretty tired.. but, unlike stubborn Brits who insist getting their carrot tops up and out to the wind when driving, we don't have that much cabriolets here..and with our -40C winter days, it would be suicide to have one anyways.

 

[Sureboss]

Nice buy, Mr Summer!

 

[homeforsummer]

That is one of the best condition ragtops I've seen in a while. Then again, Finland is second only to UK in the amount of rain, thus ours tend to be pretty tired.. but, unlike stubborn Brits who insist getting their carrot tops up and out to the wind when driving, we don't have that much cabriolets here..and with our -40C winter days, it would be suicide to have one anyways.

Brits certainly love their cabrios - if it's a sunny day it doesn't matter if it's in the minus figures outside (though it presumably doesn't quite reach as low as it does in Finland... probably -6 ish at the lowest here), the roofs still come down! Drove mine back on a dual-carriageway today with the roof down, must say it was a little breezy but didn't care one bit

 

[mustangGT90210]

That looks amazing! Great shape it's in. I wouldn't mess with the wheels either

 

[Leonidae]

before you get too locked on the hardtop plan, check the prices and ask from clubs if anyone is selling theirs. new tops tend to be quite pricey, and used ones aren't actually much cheaper..

 

[homeforsummer]

Tell me about it. A brand new one would cost me almost as much as the car. I've seen second-hand ones trade places on ebay for about £200 though which is much kinder on my wallet... I've never intended to buy a brand new one!

Apart from anything, it'd be nice to see out of the rear screen once in a while - although the soft top itself is in great nick, the rear screen is already fogged and creased. Not to mention a seagull has crapped right in the centre of it.

 

[Famine]

Hardtops are a bugger. You have to have somewhere to store them when they aren't on, for a start.

Does your roof have a plastic or glass rear window?

 

[homeforsummer]

Plastic. Apparently they can be kept in great shape if the previous owner unzipps them and lays them flat before dropping the roof. Obviously, most people don't bother so they get creased.

 

[Wardy 944]

Nice looking car HSF, lets hope we have some nice dry sunny days before winter 👍

 

[Leonidae]

dry? sunny? he's in UK..