Arrange these ten British cars in order of greatness, with no.1 being the supreme champion. You do not have to give a reason for your decision, although it would be nice if you did.

My list:

10. Austin Allegro
- A stylish and sophisticated small car for its time, marred by poor build quality, industrial strife and bad publicity.

9. Austin Montego
- The Maestro's attractive cousin, a solid design that was more than a mach for the crude Sierra. Would have been a world beater with a Rover badge..........

8. Jaguar XJS
- A true stunner that matured with age, an imperious cruiser with the refinement of a Bentley.

7. Rover 600
- Based on the supremely competent Accord but with elegant design and that British feel-good factor.

6. Range Rover
- A relevant concept when new, corrupted by the lifestyle SUV fad and luxury car pretentions.

5. BMC Mini
- Very innovative and of the moment, but grossly over-rated and should never have lasted so long. Cult status to blame.

4. BMC 1100/1300
- Everything that was good about the Mini, but in a bigger and more relevant package. A true FWD car for the masses.

3. Rover P6
- Light-years ahead of the competition and anything Rover built before it. Brought the executive car into the modern age and trounced Volvo for safety.

2. Rover 200 series (89-)
- The best Honda collaboration, brought together the strenghths of both companies and showed the opposition where to go....

1. BMC 1800/2200
- Nicknamed the 'landcrab', this was a truly under-rated piece of engineering excellence from a time before marketing men designed cars. So much space, comfort and stability in a car no bigger than a Focus. Issigonis' and the British car industry's crowning achievement.


There we are then, a few gems have been left out such as the Maxi and XJ6 but there simply wasn't room amongst that lot! Read more

Hi everyone, I could really do with some advice and a reality check as I'm torn between two options for buying a new car.

I'm after a cheap but decent new/nearly super-mini for around-town driving and occasional longer motorway trips; anticipating a yearly mileage of around 7k. I'm coming from a '99 Mazda MX-5 which while very fun to drive is becoming increasingly impractical, expensive and has depreciated faster than I've been paying it off. I'm hoping to strike a balance between value, practicality and just enough 'oomph'. I've got about 8k to spend plus the MX-5 which is scrappable or worth about the same as part-ex.

I'm looking primarily at either a new 2010 Hyundai i20 1.2 5dr Comfort or an ex-demo March '09 Toyota Yaris 1.33 5dr TR. The i20(+paint) works out at £7750 inc. scrappage and the Yaris offer is £8000 inc. part-ex.

The direct link to the actual Yaris I'm looking at is:
www.toyota.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=600673982

I've driven both and the difference to me was negligible, the Yaris having a higher seating position but a little more oomph in the engine.

The Pros and Cons seem to even out too: Yaris has no ipod connection but does have Aux which is good enough, has a nicer interior but a few less minor features. Difference in MPG seems negligible as do insurance groups, eco ratings and average service costs. The i20 has 5 years warranty, 2.5 left on the Yaris. i20 has a 12 week wait (not that that should matter). A Toyota has more kudos but will probably end up at the same depreciation in the end.

Any corrections or general advice would be really appreciated!
Best regards Read more

Help needed please. A friend took his car to a garage for a serious repair. A swirl flap had been injested and damaged a piston. After a long time and a bit of a falling out with the garage the car was withdrawn with its engine already in bits. I was asked to help. I have put the engine back together which involved the purchase of some parts which had gone missing. We are at the final stages now and we have a white nylon shaped pipe of about 1" o.d. and about 2.5 ft left over. It has had a jubilee clip on one end. I can't understand what this is for. Any help please. Thanks in anticipation. Read more

uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090812/tuk-child-shaped-boll...l

I'd certainly entertain one, strategically placed at the bottom of the garden to frighten the starlings, etc. Read more

i would like to say thankyou to the person driving a ford focus estate towing a caravan who let me out to overtake today.

i was stuck behind a slow moving classic truck on the M5 southbound just below bristol in heavy trafic.

i didn't get a chance to get a full reg but it started wa54. it just shows that us so called 'ignorant and dangerous' coach drivers are not all the same. i can't imagine it cost you more than 5 seconds on your journey and i thank you for recognising that.

now if only there wasn't the small number of tow-ers (as there is with any motorist) that choose to flowt or ignore the law.

snip - you've been asked nicely at least twenty times



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