Penny pinching.

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
04/05/2015 at 04:33 • Filed to: None

The Twingo I'm interested in checks out (despite the wrong specs debacle) and I really like it. My only reservation was the plastic engine cover was missing, suggesting engine work.

Some digging revealed that Reanult basically puts engine covers on some cars, but not others. Even ones with identical specs. Plenty of nearly new identical cars have the same missing cover as mine. So everything on it checks out, if they give me a discount for the misrepresentation (which they said they would we just havent agreed on a number) I'll be driving it home.

DISCUSSION (42)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 04:55

Good luck! Which garage are you getting it from?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
04/05/2015 at 05:24

Evans Halshaw. They seem reasonably trustworthy. My grandads car came from there and they looked after him fairly well.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 05:54

Glad it's working out for you. Hopefully you'll be adding some miles on this week.

Also the Twingo has a weird thing on the tailgate (took me a while to figure it out), the string connecting the rear parcel shelf to the tailgate has to be routed behind the gromits further up the tailgate so the parcel shelf seats itself properly when you close the tailgate, if you don't, the edges of the parcel shelf will start to slice into the flexible rubber seal and make a mess of them.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
04/05/2015 at 06:06

I'll be heading out on a road trip when I get it, with it being easter itll take a couple days though.

Thanks for the tip I'll keep an eye on that.

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 06:42

I've only heard bad things when that name is mentioned, your one might be the exception however

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Tareim - V8 powered
04/05/2015 at 07:47

Really? What sort of things have you heard likes?

gingabloke > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 08:15

Lazy mechanics quite often leave engine covers and undertrays off after servicing.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 08:17

I've used them before and they were pretty fair, although it was the Carlisle branch. Bought a Focus in 2004 and everything was quite smooth, and with a bit of bargaining the price came down by a small chunk too. Are they offering any kind of warranty? Lloyd's Mini Newcastle have just given me 12 months (which seems fairly comprehensive) on a Skoda, may be worth asking for any 'throw-ins'...?

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 08:23

The common thing I've read is that they are not as thorough as they claim to be eg, they've said they've checked a component during servicing but highly unlikely they actually did

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 08:25

and also you've ran into another problem that I've heard and that comes to buying cars from them, you don't always get the 100% accurate information on them

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
04/05/2015 at 08:51

They offer some.kind of guarantee package with it but I'm not 100% sure what it is. I'm going to pick through all of the documents tonight before I put any money down.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Tareim - V8 powered
04/05/2015 at 08:53

To be fair the last dealer I bought from didn't check cars at all so I can live with that. I never trust a word a dealer says anyway, I found out about the spec mistake when I picked through everything myself.

It's partly my fault the mistake though, the autotrader listing had 16V in words, but the stats below correctly denote an 8V. Seems like an innocent secretary mistake to be fair, they didn't argue back when I called them about it they just asked how they could make it right.

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 09:19

Is it the 8v or 16v?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/05/2015 at 10:10

8v. The only 16v in my price range that will get me a decent trade value for the Panda has an extra 20k miles on it. I'd rather go for the young low mile car, the 8v feels faster than the stats suggest (don't get me wrong it's still rather slow) and it's noticably faster around town than the Panda due to the Panda's turbo lag.

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 10:15

Can you convert it or is it more trouble than it's worth or impossible? Not that you need to or may want to but having options is nice.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/05/2015 at 10:19

I imagine it's possible but I'd never bother. It cruised at 80mph and got up to speed in plenty of time merging onto the motorway. That's literally all I need it to do. I live in a city with tight roads and traffic.

Supposedly the 8v is a little tougher too, which is good since I want to keep the car a while.

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 10:21

Don't lie! A car with less than 200hp can never make it to 80 mph. <—— said any American.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/05/2015 at 10:26

Haha I've been told my cars are dangerously slow on here once. My Panda cruised perfectly stable at 80mph with 70hp. The Twingo only has 60hp but since it has longish gearing, it isn't as brick shaped and weighs about 50kg less, top speed is only 3mph less. It handles so much better too since it isnt as tall and has bigger tyres.

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 10:37

Yeah. That's why I know when people complain about not getting Euro cars they wouldn't actually buy them. With a few exceptions a car needs at least 100hp here for people to consider them cars, let alone buy them.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/05/2015 at 11:21

Yeah true. To be fair most small cars have a >100hp option the Twingo has a 133hp version for example. The thing is with our cars, the size:price ratio isn't as good as most stuff over there. Most Americans would begrudge paying as much for a small car as a bigger one.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 11:30

I'll take a trip with you if you fancy it? I need to learn the Skoda, so.... Military road?!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
04/05/2015 at 11:34

Could do. Where abouts are you? I assume military road is the one in Northumberland.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 11:38

Yeh about 20mins drive away from you up the A69. We should invite Schaefft and his American ocean liner too. Lazy drive up the hills.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
04/05/2015 at 11:52

Yeah sounds good to me. I should have the Twingo by Wednesday.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 12:06

Likewise, Tues or Wed for me. I'll ask Schaefft if he's free next w/e

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
04/05/2015 at 12:09

Cool, just comment on one of my posts or something to let me know what's up. I'll make an oppo post whenever I get the Twingo.

Schaefft > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/05/2015 at 16:00

WHO HATH CALLED MY NAME???

Congrats to the new car! I am currently in Germany and won't be back before Monday 13th but I would definitely go for a drive with you guys, even if the Lincoln isn't done by then.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Schaefft
04/06/2015 at 06:36

Thanks man. Cool we can get something sorted out. I don't have a lot on my plate until May so I'm pretty much free whenever.