Shabby main dealer cars

[Dash300]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

You missed out the furry seat covers and the Esso tiger tail hanging off the interior mirror.😀

Of course, with the 'I've got a tiger in my tank sticker'! Additionaly late 60's Esso were also giving away bullet hole window stickers. I thought they looked cool but grandfather wasn't so impressed when he saw it in his rear window!

[Whyman]

And the Esso’s best accessories the 007 stick on bullet holes for the windows,

[christheancient]

The tigers' tails?

The daft thing was that the original concept was that people were supposed to affix it to the petrol filler cap such that it looked as there was that "tiger in the tank"! But, of course, the tails were aimed more at the level of people that wouldn't realise that nuance! So they hung them off the mirror (soon to be replaced with fir tree thingies) instead.

[green van man]

Originally Posted by christheancient

The tigers' tails?

The daft thing was that the original concept was that people were supposed to affix it to the petrol filler cap such that it looked as there was that "tiger in the tank"! But, of course, the tails were aimed more at the level of people that wouldn't realise that nuance! So they hung them off the mirror (soon to be replaced with fir tree thingies) instead.

That's chavs for you, all style over substance.

Remember a couple that got booked because the furry dice hanging from the rear view mirror obstructed forward vision. They were quite indignant that road safety came before their artistic endeavour, even more so when they got fined in court.

Our accessory of choice was a roll cage and driving lamps.

Paul.

[christheancient]

I never did understand the point of furry dice!

Come to that, the thought of anything hanging from the interior mirror causing a distraction makes me wonder. And that sort of filters forward to the present day where there is a plethora of all sorts of distractions on the dash. How many are actually essential? I used to be quite happy in my old mini (many eons ago) with a speedo that also contained a fuel gauge and a couple of warning lights.

Being a grumpy ol' git, there seems to be far too many thingamajigs and distractions in a lot of modern car. So busy monitoring all the (pointless?) things on the dash that there's no time to watch the road and traffic! Folks in Yorkshire (not that I'm from there) have a lovely nickname for non-essential things... 'do-nowts'. Too many cars seem to have too many of them - but that's just my opinion!

[Dash300]

Originally Posted by christheancient

I never did understand the point of furry dice!

Come to that, the thought of anything hanging from the interior mirror causing a distraction makes me wonder. And that sort of filters forward to the present day where there is a plethora of all sorts of distractions on the dash. How many are actually essential? I used to be quite happy in my old mini (many eons ago) with a speedo that also contained a fuel gauge and a couple of warning lights.

Being a grumpy ol' git, there seems to be far too many thingamajigs and distractions in a lot of modern car. So busy monitoring all the (pointless?) things on the dash that there's no time to watch the road and traffic! Folks in Yorkshire (not that I'm from there) have a lovely nickname for non-essential things... 'do-nowts'. Too many cars seem to have too many of them - but that's just my opinion!

No No, the more knobs and dials the better all housed in a burr walnut dash lovely!

[green van man]

Originally Posted by Dash300

No No, the more knobs and dials the better all housed in a burr walnut dash lovely!

Back in the day I used to help out a mate in his body shop, usually doing the electrics on rally car biuld.
A lad came in one day asking if I could fit some switches to his cortina mk4. What sort of switches and what for I asked.
You know just switches that light up. Yes but what do you want them to switch on and off. Nothing. I just want them to light up when I switch them.

Ended up drilling and fitting 9 illuminated switches in 3 colours across the bottom of his centeral console to do nothing but light up and look prity.

Mate told me afterwards they were his pulling ploy. He would tell young ladies he was switching the supercharger on and flick a switch etc. They were as effective at attracting young ladies as they were control devises but he seemed happy.

There really is none so queer as folk, to borrow a saying. Just Twp is the local version.

Paul.

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by christheancient

I never did understand the point of furry dice!

Come to that, the thought of anything hanging from the interior mirror causing a distraction makes me wonder. And that sort of filters forward to the present day where there is a plethora of all sorts of distractions on the dash. How many are actually essential? I used to be quite happy in my old mini (many eons ago) with a speedo that also contained a fuel gauge and a couple of warning lights.

Being a grumpy ol' git, there seems to be far too many thingamajigs and distractions in a lot of modern car. So busy monitoring all the (pointless?) things on the dash that there's no time to watch the road and traffic! Folks in Yorkshire (not that I'm from there) have a lovely nickname for non-essential things... 'do-nowts'. Too many cars seem to have too many of them - but that's just my opinion!

its ok if the cars dash doesnt have Enough do-nowts they always have the mobile phone to hand to tit about with....

Pet hate of mine is this BS craze of "fit a i-twonk" in the dash to do all sorts of things with touch screen and sat nav ,, perfect thing for the morons to be playing with Just before running into people/other cars,,, and Every manuf is doing it,,

[S60RDesign]

Well I’m keeping the Volvo and buying a Mini Coupe Cooper S for some back road fun. In electric blue with black roof, wheels and stripes - looks like a miniature racing car. Travelled 175 miles to the dealership and at the time the only approved used one in the country, very well presented thankfully. Looking forward to picking it up later this week

[T5R92011]

Originally Posted by Welton

Picking up on this; cars are SO expensive now aren't they. Just the other day we were queuing outside a car dealership and I said to my Mrs "blimey look at that - that Fiesta is £16,000.00"

Been watching those car factory build vids on YouTube recently and the amount of plant and equipment they have is staggering! the 'operatives' aren't allowed to lift anything themselves so there's a piece of kit for every task - are WE paying for all this development? or are cars expensive because we demand all the techy stuff and infotainment gubbins?

This is true... the MK2 Ford Focus ST was £19,000 new in 2006.

Latest MK4 Focus ST is over £30,000

Taking inflation into account, that is still damn expensive for a Ford.