What's my SOC worth?

http://superautocars.blogspot.com/2008/03/2009-ford-mondeo-08-geneva-
preview.html

Looks like it has the same pumpkin DNA.

 

Very tempting. Must see what the Briskoda lot think of the bluefin
thingy. After consideration, however, I would rather spend that on the
winter bike projects I have planned.

When I get too decrepit to try making progress on a bike I will treat
myself to a suitably hairy car. I suppose I ought to lay something down
as if a fine wine really.
[/QUOTE]

Bad form, but given the credit crunch now might be just the right time
to do this. A quick squint at Ebay reveals all kinds of SOCs that
vaguely appeal. Trying hard to resist having a V6 Alf again.

There's a space on the drive where the old 306 used to live, so draw me
up a short list for a budget of £1000.

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| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
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Erm. *cough*. Though it looks like I'll need it anyway at the moment...

 

An Audi A8 4.2 Quattro?

 

<Looks suspiciously at Timo's sig>

Not selling one are you?

Nah too much the luxo barge. An A4 Quattro (were they the rally ones)
would be just the job for going off to watch the Roger Albert Clarke
next month though.

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| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Yep .

No, that's a urquattro. You don't want an A4 quattro unless it's
something that starts with RS...

 

Ah yes...

Oh dear... what's broken now???

 

I could make do with an A4 SE 2.8 V6 Quattro I think.
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| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

I've just mildly disabled the Evo, although I think the local tyre place
should be able to fix that problem, and I received most of the other
parts I need for it today. So hopefully I should be able to fix it up on
the weekend otherwise I've got a problem.

 

I've driven one as a semi-company car back in Germany[1]. I wouldn't
touch one again.

[1] I was broke and the (small) company I worked for had this car spare
because the person who had it as a company car had left. So I could use
it occasionally.

 

I'd get shot of the Evo and keep the A8 tbh.

It's a nice sensible foil to the 911 and MX5, whereas the Evo is.... well,
an Evo - not exactly inconspicuous, is it?

I'm surprised the local chav populous haven't had a go at borrowing it yet.

And yes, the A8 is picking up the odd mark where it has to be left parked
out on the road, but so what - they're only superficial and it's not exactly
going to harm its value given how depressed they are as it is.

 

I've been thinking about that recently, especially with the "800 quid in
Kauri shell options" offers that I've been receiving recently. Which are
met by an invitation to go and procreate elsewhere.

Yes, but a heck of a lot more fun to drive. OTOH that shouldn't really
be that much of a factor anymore when the freshly serviced supercharger
for the MX5 returns.

Fortunately they can't see through houses yet and if they don't torch
another one of those newbuilds down that end, it's a bit too dark too
see .

Well yes, And if it hacks me off too much I guess I could always get a
trade blow-over by you-know-who.

 

<enters details for 330>

Hmmm....

 

Generally not worth chipping normally aspirated petrol engines.

Turbo petrols, yes, and definitely turbo diesels, but N/A petrols never
produce big gains.

 

I do note that the 'broke' applied to you and not the car ;-)

Something mad like a Mitsubshi FTO might fit the bill.
--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Indeed. Nearly 300 quid would get me a whacking 9bhp gain.

 

For once, yes. It kept you in that state, too - I vaguely seem to
remember that it drank more than my A8 drinks now.

They're supposed to be quite nice but I personally don't like FWD so I
haven't tried one.

 

I personally think it's worth a realistic £1400 once everyone stops thinking
'the financial world is nigh'.

The grand you'd take right now is more than reasonable for something like
that.

This to me translates roughly as 'Here is an atypically reliable Japanese
car which I've not managed to break... but I won't be beaten!'.

Aye... although that can work both ways in terms of scrote confidence in
'getting away with it'.

I really wouldn't bother unless the values started to firm right up again at
some stage... which I suspect on a car like that, they won't.

 

The dyno place where I help out would do a bespoke remap for £400+vat...
something which, if you've modded the car in any way, will make sure you get
the best out of it and ensures in the case of petrols at least, that the AFR
is spot on over the whole rev range.

As mentioned in here in the past, my Passat was something like 142bhp and
had a brief spike of about 225lb/ft of torque when we dyno'ed it as
standard.

It's now 173bhp with a much smoother wider 273lb/ft of torque, and has been
utterly reliable since I had it done about 8 months ago.

 

Yes, I know that is the accepted wisdom.

However, I think a 6% power increase and a 13% torque increase
(especially, according to the graph, a *big* boost in the 2500 to 3500
rpm range) is prolly worth 300 quid. YMMV.