Advice, opinions and thoughts.

[Quazzimodo]

Hello guys,

Firstly, I wasn't sure where to post this, but here goes.

Recently on returning to my car from lunch, I noticed it had taken a knock and dent to the drivers wing / wheel arch and door. No note was left, neither was there any sign that other cars in the car-park had hit mine.

Luckily, two bystanders managed to stop the bloke who hit my car and get his details before he left. So now I'm going through the laborious process of ringing up my insurance and the other guys insurance to get this whole mess sorted out
( his choice to go through insurers ).

The long and the short is, my car is now awaiting repair. There is a chance that the car could be a total Loss and wrote off, and while its in for repair they cannot guarantee to recover the cost of a hire car from his insurers (And I'd be left to foot the bill) . As a result i've bought myself a 1992 Volvo 940 to rat around in till this is sorted.

When this is all sorted I'll be looking at another car, I really liked the 850 T5 I had. But I'd love to have another which has all the lavish extra's that mine didn't have, I havent had a car yet with air con

So, What should I be looking to pay for a good T5-R, 850R (I'm not sure exactly what the differences are)

Or even a Lavishly equipped 850 T5?


Thanks guys

Bill




( I realise now I probably could have gotten away with all the waffle at the beginning of this post, but I suppose I was just venting some frustration, not only at the fact the guy tried to pull a fast one, but the insurers won't sort this out for me because im only third party fire and theft protected, even though I pay £2100!!!)

[MIKESC70T5]

Surely it doesn't matter that you only have third party cover, you are claiming off his insurers not your own.

[Porcine_Aviator]

Surely it doesn't matter that you only have third party cover, you are claiming off his insurers not your own.

Mike is right, the guy who hit your car is responsible for the damage and his insurance should be covering the cost.

I would demand that the car be put back on the road in a state to your satisfaction. They cover his stupidity, so no matter how they scream it's not your fault. I would have got a letter from them covering the cost of a hire car, again it's the other guys insurance, just because you are third party it makes no difference to his policy.

They will do anything they can to get out of paying for damage and the costs that it incurs. I know from personal experience just how far they will go to try and save money.

[Flatout Phil]

Bad luck on the dent. I hope the guys details prove real - in my experience they seldom do.
What I can say about all 850 and V70 at the moment is that prices have crashed. It all depends on what you like.
My favourite is what I drive - 850R manual, it has 90,000 on it and has been generally sorted out with polybushes on engine mounts, suspension and has a service history, receipts and a Rica remap and is in extremely good condition. It is a pretty rare machine in this nick, probably sell for around £2500 or hopefully a bit more given the condition (NO IT ISN'T FOR SALE!!). That said I have seen much higher mileage, less historied but as well-specced R manual estates selling for £1000-1700. I think there is a WORLD of difference between a manual and an auto - I like to control (slow) the car through the gears (it is a heavy machine) and keep the revs around the sweet spots. This can't be done anything nearly as well on an auto.

R is a better proposition than a T5 simply because you get a fully loaded machine, the suspension is lower, the wheels are bigger, it has (on manuals) a (sort-of) limited slip system, as well as traction control. It has a snazzy interior too. These are all things you would have to add (where possible) to a T5.
That said, T5 can be had with tax and ticket from about £400 upwards these days (probably for an auto). Best 850 T5 you can get is a manual 1997 (P) 850 T5 CD.
As with all things, you get what you pay for. Don't pay top dollar for anthing without history, if there are any leaks, if the owner is a chav, etc, etc.
There is a HUGE amount of RUBBISH out there these days. Avoid it - PENNY WISE = POUND FOOLISH. These are comparatively expensive cars to own so don't buy one off somebody who hasn't got a pot to p155 in - it is very likely they won't have maintained it. You are better off spending in one hit, rather than buying a dog and doing it up - it will cost you more in time and money unless you like that sort of thing.
I don't like V70 - but the T5 has a higher output than an 850. And in many respects, is close to being R specced - but NOT quite having that je ne sais quoi or an R.
If you like autos, well, the market is saturated with them - but just not my scene.
This is all a bit biased. Sorry!

You never know, the insurance may even repair your motor...

[Quazzimodo]

Thanks for your reply's guys, this is all new and it's just frustrating haha

Flatout Phil, thank you very much for that information. That front-wheel differential ought to help out with controlling the cars power, Do you find that your car has lots of interior and trim rattles? Mine wasn't too bad, but I remember driving one I was thinking of buying and the thing was banging / crashing and rattling like a gooden!

Suppose I'd better get some more saving done.

[martybelfastt5]

bad luck there quazzi,,tho what is the extent of the damage as your own car is a nice colour and low miles,, wouldnt be to quick to give up on her shout your ass off at his insurers!! any pics of the damage????

[Flatout Phil]

Thanks for your reply's guys, this is all new and it's just frustrating haha

Flatout Phil, thank you very much for that information. That front-wheel differential ought to help out with controlling the cars power, Do you find that your car has lots of interior and trim rattles? Mine wasn't too bad, but I remember driving one I was thinking of buying and the thing was banging / crashing and rattling like a gooden!

Suppose I'd better get some more saving done.

Mine is very good in that respect. It really does feel like a three year old car - which is why I paid wildly over the odds! But most of the trim rattles in 850s can be dealt with - tailgate trim is a pain on my old T5, but again I think that high miles does eventually wear out all things and loosening trim is a definite sign of high miles even if the engine is strong. I have ridden a few rattlers too. Mine has a strut brace too which is good if you like a firm ride and tight handling, but is a little unyielding for some tastes.
I am not very knowledgable about T5R but they are a little older than 850R (by about a year - so often a little more tired), I understand the ride is a little different than an R, and the turbo is a 15T not a 16 on the manual for what that is worth, it also, I think, lacks the viscous LSD. T5R have a purist appeal, but I think the 850R is more 'developed'. Mine has the wonderfully odd beechwood trim - like something from IKEA.
Do get saving, because if you get the right car you wont regret it. My R is a tad thirstier than the T5, but it really is an unbeatable all-round tran'sport' machine. Pound for pound I don't think there is a better performance/utility/running cost/reliability/cost-effective solution available. Big beemers have the advantage of RWD, but like Audi RS4 are not great load luggers, and can be much more expensive to purchase.

If you want to pop over to SE9 for an hour sometime, you can take a look and we can go for a short run in it just to show you how good these things can be.

[matt_t5r]

Hello there, I have a 1995 Yellow T5R estate one of very few,, 2 Years ago she was wrote off due to a 5mph shunt, (BEYOND ECINOMICAL REPAIR they said)
If it makes you feel any better i lost out big time, insured for £3800, price i paid the year before accident and i ended up walking away with £745, i was fully comp. I bought her back from insurance for £85.00 and put her back on the road, living in Rayleigh you would see it around 2 years later still got a black bonnet.

Good luck with insurance
Moral of the story,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DONT USE PRIVILAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! robbing bar-stewards

Hello guys,

Firstly, I wasn't sure where to post this, but here goes.

Recently on returning to my car from lunch, I noticed it had taken a knock and dent to the drivers wing / wheel arch and door. No note was left, neither was there any sign that other cars in the car-park had hit mine.

Luckily, two bystanders managed to stop the bloke who hit my car and get his details before he left. So now I'm going through the laborious process of ringing up my insurance and the other guys insurance to get this whole mess sorted out
( his choice to go through insurers ).

The long and the short is, my car is now awaiting repair. There is a chance that the car could be a total Loss and wrote off, and while its in for repair they cannot guarantee to recover the cost of a hire car from his insurers (And I'd be left to foot the bill) . As a result i've bought myself a 1992 Volvo 940 to rat around in till this is sorted.

When this is all sorted I'll be looking at another car, I really liked the 850 T5 I had. But I'd love to have another which has all the lavish extra's that mine didn't have, I havent had a car yet with air con

So, What should I be looking to pay for a good T5-R, 850R (I'm not sure exactly what the differences are)

Or even a Lavishly equipped 850 T5?


Thanks guys

Bill




( I realise now I probably could have gotten away with all the waffle at the beginning of this post, but I suppose I was just venting some frustration, not only at the fact the guy tried to pull a fast one, but the insurers won't sort this out for me because im only third party fire and theft protected, even though I pay £2100!!!)

[leet5r]

Mine is very good in that respect. It really does feel like a three year old car - which is why I paid wildly over the odds! But most of the trim rattles in 850s can be dealt with - tailgate trim is a pain on my old T5, but again I think that high miles does eventually wear out all things and loosening trim is a definite sign of high miles even if the engine is strong. I have ridden a few rattlers too. Mine has a strut brace too which is good if you like a firm ride and tight handling, but is a little unyielding for some tastes.
I am not very knowledgable about T5R but they are a little older than 850R (by about a year - so often a little more tired), I understand the ride is a little different than an R, and the turbo is a 15T not a 16 on the manual for what that is worth, it also, I think, lacks the viscous LSD. T5R have a purist appeal, but I think the 850R is more 'developed'. Mine has the wonderfully odd beechwood trim - like something from IKEA.
Do get saving, because if you get the right car you wont regret it. My R is a tad thirstier than the T5, but it really is an unbeatable all-round tran'sport' machine. Pound for pound I don't think there is a better performance/utility/running cost/reliability/cost-effective solution available. Big beemers have the advantage of RWD, but like Audi RS4 are not great load luggers, and can be much more expensive to purchase.

If you want to pop over to SE9 for an hour sometime, you can take a look and we can go for a short run in it just to show you how good these things can be.

i have a t5r in olove green its a manual soloon aswell , only 15 left apparently lol, the soloons have a different spoiler to the 850r and the wheels are diff the trim is nearly the same as the 850r but its vise versa if ya know what a mean , where the leather is on the t5r its suede on the 850r lol.
you could try a s70 or v70 as they are newer and have bigger brakes and both come in r mode aswell

[Flatout Phil]

Hello there, I have a 1995 Yellow T5R estate one of very few,, 2 Years ago she was wrote off due to a 5mph shunt, (BEYOND ECINOMICAL REPAIR they said)
If it makes you feel any better i lost out big time, insured for £3800, price i paid the year before accident and i ended up walking away with £745, i was fully comp. I bought her back from insurance for £85.00 and put her back on the road, living in Rayleigh you would see it around 2 years later still got a black bonnet.

Good luck with insurance
Moral of the story,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DONT USE PRIVILAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! robbing bar-stewards

I have now got a proper (I hope) agreed value policy with Chris Knott, to prevent this eventuality, but painful for you. Have you got any pictures of it - I'm sure it could look fantastic with a bit of work.

[Porcine_Aviator]

Hello there, I have a 1995 Yellow T5R estate one of very few,, 2 Years ago she was wrote off due to a 5mph shunt, (BEYOND ECINOMICAL REPAIR they said)
If it makes you feel any better i lost out big time, insured for £3800, price i paid the year before accident and i ended up walking away with £745, i was fully comp. I bought her back from insurance for £85.00 and put her back on the road, living in Rayleigh you would see it around 2 years later still got a black bonnet.

Good luck with insurance
Moral of the story,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DONT USE PRIVILAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! robbing bar-stewards

Sounds like someone did you, and it's not necessarily the insurance company. Mind you I would put them at the top of any list.

[Quazzimodo]

Hello there, I have a 1995 Yellow T5R estate one of very few,, 2 Years ago she was wrote off due to a 5mph shunt, (BEYOND ECINOMICAL REPAIR they said)

That's an insurance horror story all right!

I think I'll rat around in my 940 till my insurance renewal in May, and then hopefully I will have some cash to spend on a decent example by then, and I'll be paying less for my insurance.

But I've been totally smitten by the 850 experience, Just the power to tuck away boy racers with their fart can's and lexus lights. And then settle down to a nice relaxed cruise.

Oh, Do later / higher spec'ed T5's come with cruise control?

[martybelfastt5]

cd model comes with elec seat positions cruise con top spec stero ect ect