CharlesM

IIRC I replaced the dipped bulbs with GE +120 or Osram Nightbreaker of similar output. I think the reflectors could certainly do with a clean, that I didn't do. Edit - just checked and they were Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited from Powerbulbs.

Belts not done - that would be my top priority as it's done another 6k or so miles since I sold it. IIRC I did the engine mount, ATF change (Sim did too), fitted sound proofing and some very nice Focal speakers. The floormats were also mine - lovely heavyweight cocomats. Front droplinks as well. Oh and that lovely wood/leather steering wheel.

Oh, and the petrol reserve warning light doesn't come on. When it's close to empty it is empty. Never let the gauge get close without filling up!

Here is the project thread of my ownership - the Purple Peril

Hi - I think this is my former car - did you buy it from Simeon in Bicester? I fitted the induction kit - I loved the sound, but that was my choice, your views are different. A wet cone is not going to affect anything really, air filters get wet. I probably have all the old bits somewhere, but my garage is a nightmare so don't hold your breath. Don't recall the fan being on. D4 bulb is out. Nothing more. Drivers door sometimes locks, sometimes doesn't from the blipper. Use the key if you want to lock it. Alarm has always been a pain - I suggest you kill it.

It's a good car, honest ad. The gearbox is the one thing that irked me and Sim (the new owner) but its had two fluid changes in 9 months. Very good speakers and well soundproofed doors. I miss that VTEC induction kit - I wonder if I can find similar for my Alfa, but that would lose me my licence! Any questions I'm happy to answer.

My mate Sim has now moved workshop and no longer needs the coupe, which as the ad states, he's never quite got on with - the auto is his bugbear. No reserve auction on Ebay here if anyone interested. I can certainly vouch for the maintenance and it has great speakers!

Made by the same Chinese firm that makes Landsail. Given the deals you can get from places like Tyreleaders for top brands (£38 each for Dunlop Sport Bluresponse for my Mercedes Coupe 15 inch wheels) I'd would go for a better brand - the Goodyear Efficient Grips on my coupe were really very quiet and nicely compliant with all round good performance. I'll happily compromise on pattern parts for a lot of things but that little patch of rubber that is the only thing keeping me on the road has to come from someone I trust.

Knowing Sim he will live with it as it is generally used for shorter trips.

Met up with Simeon today - he's the new owner. By virtue of staying just out of VTEC he's getting about 35mpg on average, with which he's very pleased, likes the car a lot but thinks its one weak point is road noise. I normally have concerns about selling to a mate as invariably if something goes wrong it creates a possible issue in the friendship, but as it is a Honda and he has a workshop, I don't mind at all!

It has a manual mode, I prefer to use sport mode though most of the time as it eliminates that problem without me having to stir a stick that doesn't have a clutch involved!

D4, so the same engine. Box is much faster in sport mode, about the only time I felt that slowness to respond normally is at low revs - the box map takes it up gears too quickly to improve economy. It does torque steer a fair old bit, just don't boot it on bumpy roads (so the whole of the South East). What I do like is that at 100mph in Germany it was ticking over at just over 2000rpm. Engine technology is fabulous.

Mine is FWD Dave - that meant I got the new bi-turbo diesel 2 litre and the 8 speed auto. At 500nm of torque with 8 cogs to play around with that engine just shifts. I had a V8 engined Range Rover 4.4 (the BMW one) back in the day and that did 0-60 in 8 secs, 130 mph top speed and 18mpg if you were really lucky. The XC60 has the same performance, but gives me 46mpg (and would be more if I didn't use all that torque).

It's a Volvo XC60 diesel auto, an astonishingly great engine and gearbox in an otherwise slightly less dynamic package (great seats though). It is my main car and is used for all my load lugging etc, but I have done so many miles this year I have reined back on using it (lease car) and I bought the Peril to use as a substitute for most trips that didn't require great load lugging.

An update. I loaned the Peril to a friend temporarily without a car, which is why it didn't come to the meet. Discussing the state of the gearbox with Stu (mine is a Mk1 apparently which has more issues) I decided that as I wanted to replace the suspension, lower and re-wheel and bodykit it, the best thing to do was to move on the Peril and hunt for a later car with a Mk3 box. I doubted my auto would ever get any better after ATF changes and a new engine mount, so rather than sink any more money in, I should move her on. Fast forward a week, my friend, who runs the classic car restorers that have done my Merc, made me an offer on the Peril which was fair, so we have shaken hands and he will use it for the winter rather than his old E30 BMW (that makes sense - his wheel arches rust faster than the rear oversteers...). So as of Friday I am coupe less. Currently I don't see any later box models for sale so I'll bide my time. Annoyingly, some odious toe-rag has crashed into the side of my Volvo when it was parked on the street one day and left no details. The bill (I won't go through my insurer, 23 years of no-claims down the drain if I do, expensive on my fleet) is likely to be pretty much what I got for the Peril. Anyway I won't be off, but will be looking probably in the new year when I have got a couple of my other cars moved on. I want to sell three more (my SM, my BMW M535i and my Mercedes e300 W124 diesel estate). This hopefully will mean I don't have to move at least one car off the drive each time I get my non-daily runaround out!