[flash]

after moving to ireland, we had to start thinking about cars.  we couldn't bring any of the ones we had over here, for a lot of reasons.  so, we had to figure out what to get for here.

 

we snatched up a 2015 audi A3 1.6 liter turbo diesel 3 door, to use as a get-around, dog hauling, daily driver, all purpose kind of car. still under warranty, fully loaded, and black on black, i immediately added GPS and a rear camera.  since then i have added a chip (huge improvement bumping torque up to over 260 ft/lb), wheel spacers, and new falken tires.  nice car, but nothing really to write home about.  we just wanted something that we didn't really have to think about, as we learned how to drive on the left side of the road.  at €25,500, it was really just a disposable car.  daily driver problem solved though, for now.  we'll probably swap it for a new 400hp mercedes A class, once we get settled in the new house.

 

the wife still needed something to run back and forth to the train station though.  i found a 2005 smart roadster, and thought it would be fun.  i was right, and wrong.  it turned out that the car was not practical for the commute.  a little too  low and sportscar in layout, she really wanted something a bit higher and more visible.  so we grabbed a 2013 smart fortwo convertible.  she is much happier.  of course, this means i now need to unload the roadster.  too bad, since i just spent over €9000 going through the car.  in credibly fun little car, and it runs rings around the 968 in the corners.  with the mods, it's just about as quick as a stock 968 too, but being so light (1740lbs), it feels a lot faster.

 

here are the ads to the car, with some pics, and what i did to it:

 

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/20...e/19376290

 

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/-fpa-201807248752965

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[lbpesq]

Hey, Flash! Good to hear from you - you are missed. You must have done some serious mods. I just googled the car, having never heard of one before. According to the article I read, the most powerful version of the car does 0-62 in about 11 seconds.


Bill

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[flash]

yeah - the 80hp version only does 10.9 - the brabus does quit a bit better.  the modified brabus engine with the 120hp i have does it even better.  the thing with this car is it is not quick right off the line, due to the lack of torque.  once it is rolling, it is actually very quick.  30-70 is very quick.  very narrow torque band though.  you have to wring its neck, like any small engine sports car.  it really reminds me of driving my hopped up mgb.

 

and it's a targa top!

 

i thought of saying something like "look what happened to my targa after it sat in the irish rains for a season"

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[ds968]

You just can't leave cars alone, can you ?! Even if you bought a Bugatti Veyron or a Pagani or Koenigsegg, I'm sure you'd find some mods they "need". Btw, Rod Stewart 's former ( and your favorite car - the Miura ) is up for sale, just a quick rowboat ride from where you are, so check it out . ;-)


p.s. funny remark about the rain ..

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[Waylander]

I should be visiting Dublin in the 68 this October see a friend or two

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[az968]

So now you have a car to write home about:-)

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[flash]

lol - after the a-class is here, i think the next one we go looking for is going to be an aston martin.  just found out that i missed the boat (literally) on bringing over the TR-4A without paying ridiculous import on it, so that one is going to be prepped and sold very soon.

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[az968]

Here ya go.  This is the one I drove with the other day. The A-M engineer raved about it.

 

https://global.astonmartin.com/en-us/mod...perleggera

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[flash]

sorry - less than no interest.  fugly car.  they are obviously trying to appeal to a different audience than they normally would

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[ds968]

[quote name="flash" post="183720" timestamp="1532639174"]sorry - less than no interest.  fugly car.  they are obviously trying to appeal to a different audience than they normally would[/quote



Say what ?! Do they have national vision care in Ireland ? You might want to take advantage of that benefit . However, I will agree that the grotesquely oversized "mouth " front grill is both ridiculous and f-ugly ( and not sure why almost every other luxury or sports car maker is doing that crap ) but everything else about the AM is nothing short of breathtaking beauty . Still pales by comparison to the DB11 which , IMO , will go down is history as the most stunning car ever built ( closely followed by the Dino ), but this one is not bad at all..

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[az968]

The car sits very low so the large grill is not very noticeable.  In person it looks very good, you should go see one before you toss it out.  Only US$308k and change. I imagine in Ireland it will be less. In the rear view mirror the black one that was following me looked way cool. And the v12 sounded impressive.

 

Downside is there likely isn't much tinkering to be done to improve it. That's probably a non-starter for Flash. lol

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[flash]

i don't like front grills at all, and that one is a non starter.  i also hate the lines running down the side of the car.  very garish looking car.  

 

very disappointed in the direction they are going.  it looks like they are targeting the american audience.  from the rear it looks like a 911 or the new mercedes.  from the side it looks like a camaro.  from the front it looks like a piece of space age farm equipment.

 

also not a fan of fastbacks.  we would only consider a convertible.

 

i think there is a reason you have to suffer through that video.  they are hiding the shots of the car.  if i had an ugly child, i would hide it too.

 

back on topic

 

really getting annoyed with the diesel particulate filter issue.  it keeps setting off the idiot light.  i just had it in for the second time, and it has to go back again now.  having never had a diesel before, i did not know that you can't just putt around town with one, and that they need to be driven fairly hard once in a while, to keep the crap off of the filter.  unfortunately, i don't often have need to drive more than a couple of clicks at a time.  i sure hope they come out with the higher hp version of the a-class soon.  i'm not sure how long i want to put up with having to take the car in every month.

 

lol - maybe i should keep the roadster - nah

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[ds968]

I drove a turbo diesel MBZ for several years, and did not often ( if ever..) drive it hard, it was mostly as you said " putting around town " and I never had an issue with it , the car was indestructible, BUT, that was in ancient times ( early-mid 80s ) at a time when the Diesel engines technology and related computer systems monitoring the operation of the car was no way near the level of sophistication it is nowadays ..

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[flash]

yeah - this is definitely emissions equipment related.  they are picking the car up again early next week.

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[dlearl476]

I bought a 2008 Smart Cabrio when I moved to NYC in 2012. I love it paddle shifters and all. So far, 70,000 trouble-free miles.


Funny thing about it, with staggered wheels/tires and most of its weight in the rear, the handling very reminiscent of a 911 in miniature. Like Flash said, with a 1L I3, its no drag racer, but keeping it in its power band with the paddle shifters its like driving a shifter cart.


Funny story: got my 968 out of storage a couple of weeks ago. Been so long since I drove a stick shift, I kept turning on the wipers attempting an up shift.

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