Big engines and the joy they bring

Swampy

I'm getting very bored of seeing all these threads looking for small engined economical cars.
I had a relatively new 1.4 Renault megane. It bored the bejesus out of me. I hated it. I sold it and bought an old jag xj6 with a 3.2 engine. Driving it is the best thing ever. No more depreciation. The only pain in the ass is the road tax. I don't begrudge the petrol cost as I really enjoy driving it.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a car.

Anyone else want to share their stories? 1st big engine and the addiction it brought?

ShadowHearth

I have a dream to get 740i. Even of it would be for summer time.

Who knows... Maybe some day?


Fair play to you op anyway!

mcwhirter

Swampy wrote: »

I'm getting very bored of seeing all these threads looking for small engined economical cars.
I had a relatively new 1.4 Renault megane. It bored the bejesus out of me. I hated it. I sold it and bought an old jag xj6 with a 3.2 engine. Driving it is the best thing ever. No more depreciation. The only pain in the ass is the road tax. I don't begrudge the petrol cost as I really enjoy driving it.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a car.

Anyone else want to share their stories? 1st big engine and the addiction it brought?

2.5v6 alfa 90, snorting engine, but was in UK at the time so cheap car tax, wouldn't touch an engine that size here, too poor.

Can't beat an old jag!!

...... there's a little rattle from mine for the last few (4 to 5 actually) months, I don't think it's the stuff in the inlet manifold, I don't think it's the purge valve, it's not a knock so I've no worries about it being the bottom end or anything. I've a little niggle it's a bearing in the alternator or maybe worst case the water pump or a tensioner :eek: , big (ish) engines can be a pain in the hole too :pac:

George Dalton

There is no replacement for displacement. I am mentally preparing myself to tax my car for another year @ an eye watering €1251. The only small consolation is that my brother's car costs over €400 more to tax than mine! Like the OP I don't mind the fuel costs as it is up to me how much or how little I want to drive the car but the tax is a killer....

patwicklow

I just love the jag to great car i also have toyota celica gt4 1992 full time four wheel drive beauty of a car never looks dated and great in the snow only problem i want a shell lorry following it

Voodoomelon

Had a 1.0l Polo for 5 months to learn to drive, straight into a 728i and all I want now is a V12. If I wasn't trying to get a small mortgage, there'd be a 760li in the drive right now.

Alanstrainor

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Had a 1.0l Polo for 5 months to learn to drive, straight into a 728i and all I want now is a V12. If I wasn't trying to get a small mortgage, there'd be a 760li in the drive right now.

Jaysis, thought you had the polo longer than that! Fair play!

heate

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Had a 1.0l Polo for 5 months to learn to drive, straight into a 728i and all I want now is a V12. If I wasn't trying to get a small mortgage, there'd be a 760li in the drive right now.

Good path!

vectra

535D some day

Voodoomelon

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Jaysis, thought you had the polo longer than that! Fair play!

Bad thing is I haven't driven a manual much in about 4 years, ah well, that would be going backwards. Tiniest part of me wants the bank to say no, so I can go out an get a new bus. :pac:

Big Nasty

First car I bought was an E30 320 Coupe when I was 20 (drove parents cars before that). Since then I've gone up and up in engine size to include an E36 323 Coupe, an E39 523, a 2.8 Audi Quattro Coupe, 2 X 3L Supras (1 straight, one turbo), an E38 735 and a 6.6 V8 Trans Am.

Yeah, I like big cars!

Seweryn

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Bad thing is I haven't driven a manual much in about 4 years, ah well, that would be going backwards. Tiniest part of me wants the bank to say no, so I can go out an get a new bus. :pac:

Forget the mortgage, get yourself a nice car with a lovely engine and loads of toys. If you get one with heated seats and parking heating system, you can easily live in it and drive it every day. And... you can't drive a house .

Leonard Hofstadter

I love these kind of threads.

Hoping to do the same as soon as I can afford it!

I much prefer larger cars with decent sized engines to the boring rubbish most people buy.

Is it any wonder so many people say "it's only a car" when they're driving the likes of Corollas, Tiidas, Fluences etc? Damm right if you drive one of those yokes for long enough you'll quickly lose interest in cars and driving!

Big Nasty

captainspeed wrote: »

Is it any wonder so many people say "it's only a car" when they're driving the likes of Corollas, Tiidas, Fluences etc? Damm right if you drive one of those yokes for long enough you'll quickly lose interest in cars and driving!

Friend of mine thinks I'm nuts driving the 7er yet bought an '09 Qashqai (yuck!) and has lost thousands in depreciation the last couple of years. Who's the bigger fool?

Seweryn

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Friend of mine thinks I'm nuts driving the 7er yet bought an '09 Qashqai (yuck!)

Never mind the depreciation factor, but I can't understand the CashCow thing or people that bought these yokes.

Heroditas

I'm currently driving an E60 523i - moved up to it from a 1.8T A4.
Absolutely love it and don't mind paying the tax on it.
What's really bugging me is where I'm going to get a petrol BMW in this country when the day comes to change it.
I reckon I'll be off to the UK.
Every bloody BMW now is a feckin' 520D

CamperMan

A 3.5-litre Rover V8 engine.... lovely sound

Kxiii

Have an e39 530d at the minute. I'd love an M5

alanmc

My first big(ish) engine was a Hyundai Coupe 2.7 V6. It was still a paltry 165bhp, so doesn't really count. But it did give me a taste for V6s.

Replaced that with a 350Z, a little over a year ago. I was scared buying it. Not sure I could justify the running costs to myself. But a year on, and it's the best thing I ever did.

To all those thinking about buying a large engined car ... wrestling with the pros and cons ... just do it. I promise you, if you can make it work financially at all, you won't regret it. They're a dying breed. Enjoy them while they still exist.

TrailerBob

My bus - while not a car - is a 3 litre dreaded diesel cruiser - Don't regret it one bit - no substitute for power. If i had my way, and no heavy work to do, I'd be piloting an old school Audi S8....

Mr Benevolent

1.8 is big for me at the moment, after coming from a 1L, and I love it. Next one will be a 3L and after than a 5L.

alanmc

Confab wrote: »

1.8 is big for me at the moment, after coming from a 1L, and I love it. Next one will be a 3L and after than a 5L.

Let's hope they still exist (in Ireland) when you get round to it.;)

conzy

Just got an E46 325i about 3 weeks ago and the sound of the 6 pot engine is just gorgeous, makes you smile every time you put the shoe in It costs about €1500 more a year to drive than my 1.6 Vectra and its worth every penny

101sean

CamperMan wrote: »

A 3.5-litre Rover V8 engine.... lovely sound

Oh yes indeed, it's what's in my 101, only separated from my left elbow by a sheet of aluminium as it's almost mid engined

impr0v

Swampy wrote: »

The only pain in the ass is the road tax. I don't begrudge the petrol cost as I really enjoy driving it.

5L V10 in an E60 M5. Same sentiments as the above. I feel like I get some sort of value for money with the petrol consumption, but the road tax is an absolute pain. I take some solace from the knowledge that I get the 1.8l above the 3.2l cut off for free!

One problem with the engine is that in order to get the best sound out of it you have to be up near 8,000 rpm which almost certainly means playing penalty point roulette.

dgt

We like our big cars here

I have an Alfa 166 2.5 and an E34 525i (the 12v version ) both enjoy drinking petrol

My dad has his 2 Mercs (2.8 and 5.0L), 3.9L diesel barge, 2.3 Petrol Land Rover and a 2.8 2 seater rwd brembo equipped............... van :pac:

Many more cars but all with sub 2.0L engines :P

Voodoomelon

For all my whining about motor tax, its the high rates that keep these cars cheap. I'm thankful that you can pick up most €100kish cars that are only 5 years old for less than €20k.

Bigcheeze

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I'm thankful that you can pick up most €100kish cars that are only 5 years old for less than €20k.

You can? Any examples?

Swampy

This will be my next car. Xjr 4.0 V8 supercharged. The only way can be up. Excuse the lack of embedding as I am on my phone. Its amazing what a few grand can buy you these days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5d9TS91XoY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

homer90

This.............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifSIXBQQ84I

this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HERcD-of70

to this most of the time



Yeah its old, yeah its thirsty, yeah nobody wants them anymore, yet it grabs a few looks on the road... But just to jump in, and go for a spin for no other reason, other than to drive it, its what its all about for me :rolleyes:
The M60B30 is joyus





Nissan Qashqai .............. PFT:rolleyes:

alanmc

One of our company directors has a Jag XKR 4.0 V8 'charged. It's the newer mark (very Astonish looks about it). Beautiful car. It's the sort of car I steal a lingering look at whenever I pass it.

jozi

Parents cars were always 1L or 1.3L or something, which I got to drive, then got the E30 with a 1.8 twin cam engine. I'm going up 1L and 2 cylinders from the 1.8 once I finish this resto project. Can't wait to drive it, M50 intake will be fitted and S52 cams are ready to go in when I can afford a remap I'm also expecting this to do about the same mpg as the 1.8.

Jimmy Bottles

€1,400 motor tax per year for a 3 litre is scandalous.

Voodoomelon

Bigcheeze wrote: »

You can? Any examples?

Sure.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/6-Series/650-Ci-S/201201206499387/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/CL-Class/500..FUL/613262262360660/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Land-Rover/Range-Rover/VOUGE../613267923681820/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Jaguar/Xj/Executiv/613264475108820/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Land-Rover/Range-Rover/Sport/201140204836110/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/S-Class/SPORT-35/713245503305420/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/7-Series/730D/201204206700668/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Maserati/Quattroporte/F.S.H./201139204757073/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Audi/RS4/4.2V8-42/613261121716280/advert?channel=CARS (touch over )

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/X5/3.0d-SPO/813256693685770/advert?channel=CARS

dahamsta

Jimmy Bottles wrote: »

€1,400 motor tax per year for a 3 litre is scandalous.

Try €1683. Or €1900 if you pay by the quarter, which is kinda required if you're running a barge on a budget; rather ironically. I have to go and donate €475 to Anglo this week myself. Still better than driving a Focus though.

alfa beta

3.0 litre V6 laguna coupe - it's nice coz when you put your foot down you completely forget about the interior build quality!!

deandean

Ach lads I dunno, here is my fav big engine sound, and you are dyson with death:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8uCoTgWmAE

Or you could spend 5K on exhaust and remap and end up with this sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWX0j9N_Iso&feature=related

So,which is better?

dahamsta

I didn't realise we were including diesels. I'd like to live in mine please:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A4rtsil%C3%A4-Sulzer_RTA96-C

deandean

cylinder bore960 mmpiston stroke2500 mmengine displacement1820 litres per cylinderengine speed92–102 revolutions per minutetorque7,603,850 newton metres (5,608,310 ft·lbf) @ 102 rpm
You get that in a car and Clarkson will have intercourse with you garanteed.

SilverBell

Nice to see this thread. I've been running a 3.0l for 8 years, managed a 4.5l for a year and a half, and now seriously thinking on a 5.0. A mate of mine keeps a 6.9l too.:cool:

What we save on the purchase price, we pay for in motor tax. For the equivalent high performance car, just think on what Nigel has to pay up front in the UK or Pierre or Gunther on the continent for that matter too. Swings and roundabouts.

Budget what the car is going to cost you, accept it or not......then just hand it over.:o God bless our government, (Praise be unto them) I know they are spending my €1380 wisely and that comforts me each night my head hits the pillow.:pac:

mandrake04

I have been driving 4.0L V6 and S6 fords and Holdens for the last few years, have now a SV6 3.6L (284 bhp) VE Commodore essential for country runs.

Had a SS Maloo Ute 6.2L V8 (411 bph) on trial for the weekend and it would blow your socks off, I used to be a Golf GTI nut but I wouldn't bother with a 4 again.

unkel

I used to have small engined nearly new Japanese cars until it bored me to death / I had built up a few years of NCB

On an impulse, I bought an older E34 BMW 5-series with a V8 petrol engine 12 years ago and I've owned V8 petrol engined cars ever since

My current one is off the road though for mainly motor tax reasons

tossy

The biggest engine i've had was a 2.8 V6 Bora,it physically pained me to pay the tax but there is no replacement for displacement - not to mention the noise and the whole big engined experience i.e that feeling of effortless acceleration,power and no matter how fast you go the engine never really feels stressed or pushed

ballsymchugh

i've had to emigrate and try to flog a 630, but no shifting it yet. have a 1.9 golf bluemotion at the moment on 30 squids motor tax. grand economical car and all that, but was cracking at home over Christmas back in the bigger car. want to sell it, but there's something deep down that says i won't be too upset if there's no takers!

ants09

jozi wrote: »

Parents cars were always 1L or 1.3L or something, which I got to drive, then got the E30 with a 1.8 twin cam engine. I'm going up 1L and 2 cylinders from the 1.8 once I finish this resto project. Can't wait to drive it, M50 intake will be fitted and S52 cams are ready to go in when I can afford a remap I'm also expecting this to do about the same mpg as the 1.8.

Will you have that at the big meet this year jozi ?

If so i bags first in it

For Forks Sake

tossy wrote: »

The biggest engine i've had was a 2.8 V6 Bora,it physically pained me to pay the tax but there is no replacement for displacement - not to mention the noise and the whole big engined experience i.e that feeling of effortless acceleration,power and no matter how fast you go the engine never really feels stressed or pushed

Not to mention leaving felters for dust I'd imagine

Marcusm

mandrake04 wrote: »

I have been driving 4.0L V6 and S6 fords and Holdens for the last few years, have now a SV6 3.6L (284 bhp) VE Commodore essential for country runs.

Had a SS Maloo Ute 6.2L V8 (411 bph) on trial for the weekend and it would blow your socks off, I used to be a Golf GTI nut but I wouldn't bother with a 4 again.

I rented SV6s and XR6s while in Australia, definitely preferred the Holden. When I came back, I wanted to buy a Vauxhall VXR8 - same as the R8 Clubsport, 6.2L NA V8. Posted my choices here on boards and they all laughed their heads off saying it was ugly....

Kalel

I know its not a Massive Engine but I still miss my E39 528 ...Was one of the nicest cars to drive that I have ever owned...Think I am going to cry now..oh the memories..

tossy

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Not to mention leaving felters for dust I'd imagine

Indeed

http://vimeo.com/10779299

listermint

Ive gone from 1.5 to 1.6 to 1.8 to 2.0

Currently in E46 M3. Love the smile it brings to my face. shes a keeper.