The First Round
Instabins
- Tiffosi Citta L 1600 @fasmukji. Over engine ET
- Conducente Napoli @Camjkerman. Not a rule breaker but the rear engined space frame hatchback is a bit too far fetched to me.
- Zerve PS68 Hatch @Restomod. Over the price limit of $14,000
The actual round
Irena EXL 1.3 @AndiD
Dave read the road test for the EXL 1.3. The picture that greeted him was a rather unusual looking but standard saloon. Under the bonnet was a cast iron OHV 1.3 engine which seemed ok at first but the test noted that because of the included power steering and auto box the available 48bhp did not seem enough at all, also the car was only tuned for 92 Ron 2 star fuel. Dave wasn’t sure on the 130 section tyres either meaning a special trip to the dealer to buy new tyres as this size was not available at his local garage. Overall Dave decides this car was one to pass on.
Akira Stafford @HelloHi
The Stafford was another traditional car, this time an estate. Reading the brochure it seemdd It was quite a small car overall but the engine was a very large inline 6. This is another car with an auto box and power steering but at least the engine has the power to not be bogged down by these features. Dave finds a road test of the Stafford and sadly it’s not all good news, the gearbox has a rather unusual setup of a short final drive but also gears that are extremely long too, meaning the car tops out the gears and holds onto the gears for a long time. Also this is another car using unusual tyre widths not available from most garages. Dave gives the Stafford a pass.
Regal Essex grand luxe @karhgath
Opening the brochure this was clearly a very french car. It seems very modern with fwd and a hatchback body. The engine is small at only 1.1l but the power is adequate because of the low weight of the car. The Essex is not the car for Dave however, it is at the upper levels of the budget and there are shortcomings that could have been over looked in a cheaper car.
MAD Consort 1.6 classic @abg7
The Consort is rather aptly named being a classic looking 4 door saloon car. The engine on the Consort is quite modern and sporty using sohc and twin carburetors with a good level of power. Reading the brochure the rest of the car is very traditional however with nothing fancy, but a good offering at a competitive price. Dave will take a look at the MAD showroom.
Hanno Moxie 1400 @mat1476 & @mcp928
Dave was impressed with the looks of the Moxie, it managed to look classic and modern at the same time. Power for the car came from a pretty potent 1.5l engine which meant the Moxie had a very decent top speed and have enough torque for carrying people around. Overall the car seems quite good for the purchase price so Dave will take a trip to the Hanno dealer.
Earl Eagle Custom Wagon @patridam
“Wow what an engine!” Was Dave’s first thought when he looked at the Eagle brochure, it was a 3.0l inline 6 which was the largest engine he had read about today by quite some margin. It offered an immense amount of torque which made the Eagle quite a brisk car for its size. The Eagle was another car that was probably a bit on the large size for what Dave wanted but he really needed to know what a 3.0l engine performed like and the running costs really weren’t that bad. So Dave will be booking a test drive at the Earl dealership.
Ghosn 13 TS @Conan
Dave opens the brochure to see another light blue French hatchback, this one with a slightly more aerodynamic front end design. The engine was a reasonable 1.3 inline 4 that produced quite a lot of power for its size, but also this was quite peaky and the torque drop off was pretty severe. The interior was a standard kind of affair with a hard plastic dash and vinyl seating, a nice am radio is provided however. The gearbox on the Ghosn is a 4 speed manual but it is setup with very short gears meaning pretty bad wheelspin in first gear and you also need to change into 4th very quickly and then it’s running out of steam by the time you get to motorway speeds. Overall the Ghosn offers above average reliability but the lower grade interior and poor fuel economy let it down. Dave decides to pass on the Ghosn 13TS
Elmsley Condor 2400 Marathon @HowlerAutomotive
The Condor is back to the classic estate car design. The road test says is has a rather potent engine, that some may say is bordering on the sports car level. A 2.4l inline 6 with a modern sohc head design. The gearbox design however does let some of the engine potential go to waste as the 3 speed manual is overly geared meaning top speed can be achieved in 2nd and at motorways speeds the car is well out of its optimum powerband. The all round drums offer reasonable stopping power for the weight of the car, and the handling offers no over steering surprises. Dave decides after reading the test that the Condor has probably too much engine for what he needs and also the gearbox wouldn’t be the best for long distance driving.
Arion Virgo 2000DL estate @Aruna & @66Mazda
The Arion was another estate car, but on a smaller scale that the Eagle. The design seemed rather fancy and premium compared to what Dave was used to. This was a medium sized car but had a large engine at 2.0l with a lot of power, making this the fastest car in Dave’s road test collection, it was still quite reasonably priced however and the road test said It had quite a sporting setup even with the practical estate car look. Dave will give the Virgo a test, even if just to to try out the speed it has.
Decarlis 1500 Grand Luxe @Arn38fr
Dave was very impressed with the press photos of the Decarlis, it was an attractive car managing to look smaller than its actual size. Powered by a 1.5l engine it has a good level of power, able to get up to speed with nor problems. The auto gearbox does affect fuel economy however. The Decarlis manages to have a very comfortable and spacious interior with the hatchback bodystyle leaving plenty of head room. Dave will be giving the Decarlis a test drive to see how well it drives.
Franklin Street L @jaimz
Dave started the road test report of the Street L by looking at the photos, the car was quite a modern looking small saloon in a rather fetching red colour with a sporty white stripe on the side. Looking over the technical side he could see it was another front wheel drive with independent suspension. The engine was a 1.6l inline 4 with sohc, this engine however was using an unusual direct acting overhead cam design that Dave remembered from the time when he used to own Italian motorbikes, quite unusual to see this in an unassuming car like this. The engine was actually pretty powerful and using a 2 carb setup and also forged pistons which seemed a bit too sporty for what Dave wanted. This was further evidenced by the close ratio gearbox and higher rates tyres. In the end the eye watering service cost was the straw that broke the camels back and Dave decided not to read any more of the road test.
GSI Provident @oppositelock
The Provident is a 4 door sedan powered by a 2.0l inline 4 engine, again with an unusual direct acting overhead cam head setup. The engine seems overly sporty with a 4 barrel carb setup but it also leaves power and economy on the table being tuned for only 2 star fuel. The interior and radio are very well made with 5 leather seats. The car has wide softer compound tyres, luckily with power steering to help with low speed manoeuvres. However it does have quite a tendency for oversteer when pushed even at lower speeds. The fuel economy and service costs mean this would be an expensive car to run, added onto the high purchase cost to begin with.
Cabrera Triubia GTL @Petakabras
Looking at the road test photos of the Trubia it appeared a very happy looking yellow hatchback. No doubt very European. The engine was a relatively large 1.5l flat four driving the front wheels through a four speed manual gearbox. The road test commented that it was a smooth engine offering a good quantity of torque, if a little awkward to access for servicing purposes. The driving section of the test made note of the comfortable setup with all around independent suspension and also the ease at which the car could be steered, due to the narrow tyres used. The all around drum brakes was not massively modern however the light weight of the car made them reasonable enough. Dave felt the look of the car seemed pretty fun and the road test was overall pretty positive so the Trubia was worth a look at in person.
Mons Creed @cake_ape
Dave opened the brochure for the Mons Creed to see a very brown very square estate car. Taking a look at the technical page this was a pretty modern car using front wheel drive and independent suspension. Even the engine was quite space age with a 3 valve overhead cam head. Dave wasn’t entirely sure about this kind of witchcraft but the rest of the engine was by the book. Taking a look over the design photos the car wasn’t anything too fancy, some little touches of chrome here and there but overall just lots of brown. The road test report for the Creed was pretty favourable with the front wheel drive layout meaning easy driving, if a little happy to understeer when pushed hard. Right now Dave couldn’t find any glaring problem with the Mons Creed so decided it was worth a look at in person.
Bailey Starling 1300DL @Stryder237
The Starling is a 4 door saloon in the classic mould. Classically front engined and rear wheel drive. However unusually it’s monocoque with independent rear suspension. The engine is a 1.3 inline four of reasonable power levels, the torque however has a pretty bad cutoff, restricted by the eco carbs used on this trim. Reading the road test the Starling has a decent pickup on the road however on a motorway run there is a rather large raise in the engine revs and also the car is out of the torque range above 50mph meaning drops down into 3rd are a requirement. Overall the Starling has a reasonable level of ability however the small saloon body and staid looks mean the car doesn’t quite hit for Dave, and also there are other cars that offer more for the money.
Dominion Victory Deluxe @carlover
Dave took a look at the front cover of the Victory brochure which had a large blue estate car in front of a snowy mountain range. Looking at the technical specs of the Victory this was clearly the largest car that Dave had read about so far, it was a good metre longer than his current car. “This must be one of those large American family wagons I’ve seen in movies” Dave thought. Under the bonnet was a large four cylinder engine, the road test he read mentioned it wasn’t the smoothest engine around but the large size offered a massive amount of torque and it was luckily a quiet engine. The on road portion of the test mentioned the Victory came with only a 3 speed manual gearbox which wasn’t too bad as the torque of the engine manages to carry the car, it does affect the economy however as this is a large car and a longer fourth gear could have helped with an overdrive gear. The Victory is slightly larger a car than Dave initially was after however it offers a large amount of load space and leg room and the large four cylinder engine means it shouldn’t be too hard to drive. He will take a trip to the Dominion dealership.
Bridgell P1500 @Marcus_gt500
Dave opened the road test report of the P1500 to see a rather strange looking little car. It reminded him a lot of his current car. Curiously the engine was mounted in the back of the car, meaning the front was used for storage and curiously the car used for the road tests had a large suitcase over the rear seats. Now if the purchase was entirely up to Dave he would have at least given the P1500 a test drive however his wife was not impressed. “where does our child go exactly and also how do we get a pram in this thing” were two of the questions Dave struggled to answer. Disappointed he decided the Bridgell was not a car he was likely ever to drive. One peculiarity he didn’t understand was why this rear engined car with 115 width front tyres had power steering?
Olsson 67 @ACoolCrab
Dave took in the looks of the Olsson. He was impressed with the modern looks, this appeared like a very useable hatchback. The engine was a reasonably sized 1.4l inline 4 that was actually quite powerful, the four barrel carburetor maybe hinting at sporting pretensions. The road test definitely hinted at this car being more of a sports saloon, with the disc front brakes and stiffer than usual suspension setup. Comfort however was competitive enough with good fuel economy. Dave will take an Olsson out for a spin.
Newman Mevra Estate 4DR @HybridTronny @Urke101
The road test pictures showed a large green estate car, mechanically it was as to be expected with a ladder frame and solid axle rear suspension. This was positioned as a rather premium car with a comfortable high end interior and even an automatic gearbox. However reading the driving report the car is let down by the choice of a small 1.5l inline four engine which leads to less than expected fuel economy in such a large car. Maybe if a larger engine had been available the car would have been more appealing to Dave but the low power, poor economy and overall large size mean he won’t be going for a test drive.
Tanaka Aventis 1200 Deluxe @Aaron.w
The review of the Aventis was included in a special on cars from the far east. Dave had never even seen a car from Japan before and was actually quite pleased with the design of this one. From reading the road report of the Aventis it seemed quite capable for the small size of the engine, it was by no means fast but the engine offered a nice flat torque curve meaning it coped with only having 3 gears quite well. The real trump card the Aventis offered was it’s low purchase price, low service costs and good fuel economy. This definitely warranted a test drive if Dave could find a import dealer.
Ceder 207 1100S Amirale @Mythrin
This was the second rear engined car that Dave was looking at. It was somewhat more practical than the Bridgell with four doors and a slightly longer wheelbase. It was however not the most practical of vehicles because of its penchant for oversteer above 30mph and it was still extremely tight inside the cabin. It also has rather low mpg for the engine size and weight of the car.
Hinode Coronet Estate @s_u_c_c_u_l_e_n_t
Dave saw the red estate car in the road test, it looked very bright and the design was thoroughly modern. Under the skin the car was the classic front engined rear wheel drive setup. This did have all around independent suspension however. Looking over the specs the car had a reasonable power level from the 1.3 engine, the car was quite heavy though so could have benefited from a large engine choice, this weight and the included power steering negatively affect the fuel economy. The suspension also has a low ride height and quite a sporting setup, at odds with the small engine. Dave won’t be taking the Coronet for a test drive.
Munot L424-85 Meteor Auto @Quneitra
Dave took a look at the press photos of a medium sized black saloon, it had a sort of foreign look to it, possibly Australian. It was powered by a rather powerful 1.6l engine and uses a 3 speed auto gearbox. Looking over the driving report the suspension setup was rather unusual, quite supple springs but very stiff anti roll bars and also a high rise height mean the car handles strangely in corners. The Meteor is also very heavy for its size and has wide wheels meaning the steering was heavy around town. Fuel economy is not a strong point of the Meteor and it is right at the very top of the budget Dave has set aside, Dave will not be looking for a test drive.
Buergerfahrzeuge Kutsche @Mikonp7
Dave opened the brochure for the Buergerfahrzeuge, he saw a rather strange looking blue hatchback. “Is this one of those cars of the public that everyone drives in West Germany?” he thought. It was the third rear engined car that he had looked at and was the most practical of them all. It had a small boot above the engine aswell as storage in the front. However the car was still rather unusual, it had a tendency to oversteer at low speeds and then understeer if pushed harder. If care was taken the car was very easy to drive though, and the space inside for passengers was very good. The flat four engine being positioned under the boot floor made servicing difficult and expensive and the fuel economy was pretty bad for the size of the engine and relatively low weight of the car. Dave really wanted to like one of these rear engined cars but sadly the Kutsche wasn’t the one to make him book a test drive.
Westland Manifest @kyorg
Dave had never really considered a van before, and wasn’t even sure how this brochure got into his stack. However this was a very attractive van, nothing like the usual cargo vans he has seen about. The interior was fitted to a high specification with more seats than he knew what to with. There would be plenty of room with the rear seats folded down for a pram and overnight bags, plus the van had a roof rack too. Probably going against his best judgement Dave decided that he should probably give the Westland Manifest a test drive to at least see if it really was better than normal vans.
Homura 1300 @donutsnail
The Homura is a relatively standard looking 4 door saloon, with an unusual if also endearing front end design. The green colour giving the front end the slight air of a frog. It is powered by a reasonably sized 1.3l flat four engine, that is both good on power and also good on economy. While at the upper end of the budget the service costs are reasonable and economy is competitive. Dave will give the Homura a test drive
AMB K101 @encr
Another medium sized saloon. This one with a certain French flair however. The road test confirms this is a very easy to drive car with quite a peppy engine offering plenty of power for the size of the K101. There are not a lot of bells and whistles on the car, however it offers a well rounded package at a low price that is hard to overlook. Dave will give it a second look for sure.
Trident Amethyst @DrPepper2002
Dave took a look at the large green hatchback, he thought it seemed very practical if a bit on the big size. It has a very comfortable premium interior with a high end radio. The car is powered by a somewhat thirsty 2.0l engine driving the front wheels, which Dave felt was quite strange for this size and type of car. The service costs are also eye wateringly high, prompting Dave to not consider the Amethyst for a test drive.
CESMA Colombe Cinqporte TL @Maverick74
The press photos of the Colombe showed an attractive modern hatchback. Dave especially liked the green colour. This seemed a fairly well rounded car with decent practicality. The main problem Dave had was the Colombe was a similar proposition to the AMB he read about earlier and that offered much of the same capabilities at a price significantly lower.
Presta Familia E @ThatCarMadGamer
A medium sized estate greeted Dave in the press photos. It was attractive while still having a utilitarian look to it. The Familia offers a very large boot and ample seating for 5 people, sadly the spring setup means it has very low actual weight hauling abilities. The 1.6l engine offers decent power however due to the 3 speed automatic the fuel economy isn’t too great the Familia is another casualty of being quite expensive and other cars offering a better all around deal for similar or less money.
Zephorus Type B Series @Riley
The Zephorus is quite a boxy medium sized estate car, reading the brochure it seems extremely easy to drive, the shape making it easy to park aswell as every corner is visible from the cabin. The Zephorus is a comfortable overall package and comfortably under budget so Dave will give it a drive.
Shidley Bruv classic DLX @missionsystem
Dave takes a read of the Shidley brochure. Quite an unusual looking vehicle, it has a sort of old fashioned look which is at odds with the monocoque construction and front wheel drive setup. The 1.4l engine offers ample power, however the car is quite heavy and the choice of a 3 speed manual on such a small engine means plenty of gear changes once on A-roads. The unusual looks, high service costs and below average fuel economy mean Dave won’t be driving the Shidley.
Boxwell Junior MK4 @Endfinity
Dave had at this point looked at a lot of small European hatchbacks. The Boxwell was quite a nice looking one, it wasn’t overly fussy but also not too plain either. The 5 door setup with the rear hatch seemed promisingly practical. The engine offered enough power since the car is lightweight. Dave wasn’t too sure on only having 3 gears with this size, but the engine offered a reasonably flat torque curve so it could be ok. Dave couldn’t find any real problems with the Boxwell and the fuel economy was very good so he decided to go for a test drive.
Yoshida Admiral DLX Estate @LigntningMcqueen
Dave found himself reading the brochure of another Japanese import. This time a medium sized estate car, the looks seemed somewhat peculiar with a very low set front light cluster. The engine of choice was a 2.0 inline 6 which was extremely smooth and quiet. The interior was nice and comfortable with leather seats for 5 people and an am radio as standard. Even though the car uses a manual gearbox the fuel economy is not amazing, maybe the engine is more thirsty than Dave would have imagined. The Admiral is near the top of the budget and with the low fuel economy and above average service costs Dave won’t be taking a test drive of the Yoshida
Anhultz Mimas V BX @Elizipeazie
The colour of the Mimas is the first thing to hit Dave, it certainly wears it national pride on its sleeve. It is a fairly utilitarian looking car but not unattractive in its style. It is a small saloon powered by what Dave assumes is a slightly uplevel engine being a 1.4l which has enough power for the car, while not being all that quick. It is a somewhat heavier car than Dave expected from its size. The Mimas is generally average in its abilities, however reports of its amazing reliability can’t really be overlooked and it has some of the lowest service costs Dave has seen. A test drive will be booked to see how the build quality and reliability hold up in Dave’s eyes.
Estrada Familia 1700SS @Mad_Cat
“The Estrada manages to offer quite a lot of car for not a lot of money” reads the tag line for the review Dave was reading. This certainly seemed quite a sensible car to Dave, it was nicely designed however the design flourishes were kept to a minimum. Dave was impressed with the nice interior and vinyl roof the Familia was equipped with. The engine was also rather large at 1.7l, however the power level was on the lower side. Dave decides he should probably give the Estrada a test drive to see if a car with this equipment level at such a low price is really achievable.
IP Icarus 2000dx Wagon @knugcab
"Well this is a monster’ the Icarus is simply a huge car and is going to be real trouble for Dave to even fit on the one car drive at his new house. It has an impressive purchase price for the sheer amount of metal that you get but that’s really where Dave’s interest ended.
BH - Victor 3 2.4LE @Th3maldonado
This was another medium sized saloon car. The design seemed alright to Dave, it wasn’t anything that would stand out but sometimes a nice sensible car is all you need. The Victor has a pretty big 2.4l engine which produces more than enough power to get the car moving fairly quickly. The downside to this was the low fuel economy compared to a lot of the other cars Dave was considering, though it wasn’t terrible for the engine size really. Dave crosses it off his list however as it is at the very limit of the budget
Seikatsu Esper 1600 R Sedan @Tzuyu_main
Dave was impressed with this saloon, it was a good size with what seemed like a strong engine. Reading through the brochure it seemed to tick a lot of boxes for him, a solid well made car that also had a nice design to it. The luggage rack on the roof and the boot seemed odd but Dave assumed they were optional and could be removed if wanted. Not really finding anything untoward Dave decided on a test drive at the Seikatsu dealer.
This puts the following people through to the test drive stage
@Tzuyu_main
@Mad_Cat
@Elizipeazie
@Endfinity
@Riley
@EnCR
@donutsnail
@Kyorg
@Aaron.W
@CarLover
@ACoolCrab
@abg7
@patridam
@cake_ape
@Petakabras
@mcp928 & @mat1476
@Arn38fr
@Aruna & @66mazda
I hope this first bit hasn’t taken too long for people, i was on top of the writeups but then i got a mad influx of cars, plus i managed to miss 3 until about an hour ago. The next part i will put a bit more into the write ups, hopefully it won’t take me that long, i know what it’s like waiting for results.