Impending Capri Purchase

[Woz]

Originally Posted by wilbo

Digs,

will you start talking like DCI Gene Hunt and have a pretty side kick nicknamed 'Miss Bolly Knickers'?

you know - in for a penny and all that..

"It's time to fire up the Quattro"

[BJ]

I drove a brand new 3litre Capri back from Estartit in Spain in 1970. Being British it was right-hand-drive. It was the dog's danglies and would rocket along, often with the bonnet pointing the way.

A word of warning to RHD Capri owners driving in Spain. We were stopped by an officer of the Guardia Civil who insisted on issuing and on-the-spot fine to my front seat passenger. I think it was for driving a car without a steering wheel!

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

oooh you go me all excited with that link I thought I was going to see my fave cars I ever owned RS2000 or my xr2 sadly it was not to be.

OOo yes please.

Had a Mk1 Mexico. Amazing car, but my fave was 2 in a row of XR2's
(the XR2i was rubbish). Top end crap, bum aching after 10 miles, but off
the mark and round coners. Boy could you throw it around.

If I could get a tight brand new one, then i'd have another like a shot.

[BJ]

I have owned a lot of very expensive cars in my time but when I took up my present job I had to cut down on my expectations. However I still own a very under-rated car that I bought new twelve years ago. Although it is not the quickest off the mark it always goes where it's pointed and I have actually been accused by one confused police officer of stopping too quickly in it! Motoring journos never took to it probably because they were seduced by sexier models further up the range. What car is it. A BMW318Tl Compact with gas-filled struts and BMW sports kit. It's a three-door hatchback.

Although I now have a newer different car, I am still amazed every time I get in the 318Ti because it is simply so much fun to drive. I never traded in the 318Ti because its value was zilch. If you can get your hands on a low mileage one (less than 100,000) you will not regret it.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by BJ

I have owned a lot of very expensive cars in my time but when I took up my present job I had to cut down on my expectations. However I still own a very under-rated car that I bought new twelve years ago. Although it is not the quickest off the mark it always goes where it's pointed and I have actually been accused by one confused police officer of stopping too quickly in it! Motoring journos never took to it probably because they were seduced by sexier models further up the range. What car is it. A BMW318Tl Compact with gas-filled struts.

Although I now have a newer different car, I am still amazed every time I get in the 318Ti because it is simply so much fun to drive. I never traded in the 318Ti because its value was zilch. If you can get your hands on a low mileage one (less than 100,000) you will not regret it.

Is it the wife's?

[BJ]

Originally Posted by Woz

Is it the wife's?

No, she always takes the newest car of course! What a dumb question! You obviously have never been married!

[jamesp]

Originally Posted by Woz

"It's time to fire up the Quattro"

My Brothers getting sick of this line, he`s had his Ur Quattro for over 10 years!

Would be interesting to know how a copper could afford a £31k car in 1981.

Digger,
Buy a 2.8 Manta, will show a Capri the way home on any road with a bend in it.

Why is that when Ford were building total junk like this, people bought it, now with cars like the focus and Mondeo, they are outsold by BMW??????

[rs3100]

Originally Posted by jamesp

Why is that when Ford were building total junk like this, people bought it, now with cars like the focus and Mondeo, they are outsold by BMW??????

They were the first cars in the world to offer people choices of extras for their car.
1.3 engine sir? or how about the 1.6, 2.0 or 3.0V6?
would you like the L pack?, or XL? or push the boat out and get GXL!!!

a concept that really took off!!!

[Pigpen]

Originally Posted by jamesp

Why is that when Ford were building total junk like this, people bought it, now with cars like the focus and Mondeo, they are outsold by BMW??????

Eh? Ford sold 349,000 cars last year in the UK as opposed to BMW's 121,000 (exc Mini).

[Getafix]

Originally Posted by rs3100

Check strut tops - these rust like hell, often patching plates are put over them as a repair (often without remedying what is underneath).
2.8i must have single leaf rear springs (standard on all S models), multi leaf are useless.

Yep, go for the single leaf rear springs the 2.8i and later S's had them, the multiple leafs had a tendency to sag, and thats what makes a Capri look like it's sitting down and the handling suffers. The S's and 2.8i had Fitchel and Sachs dampers if I remember and this all helped.

I always found the steering although a bit heavy, very responsive and you "felt" the road but you needed to drive around corners with a touch of power on..... too much and you ended up facing the wrong way however!
If the steering feels sloppy, try checking the top joint on the steering column (easily accesible under the bonnet) they had a rubber joint and it could wear, I replaced it on both cars I had.

I had a Mk3 2.0S..... in Black and with the 5 speed box, which wasn't quite as slick as the old 4 speed box.
And a Mk3 1.6S (not that common) with the "bunch of bananas" exhaust manifold... in Sunburst Orange with a black vinyl roof and checkered seats and that slick 4 speed box.

Happy days

Alan