Whilst it is sad, the fact is family and personal circumstances come before a car - especially when one is already available for use.

Good luck for the future Nigel, hope this sells for a good price to someone who cares

A week of driving the 16v has reminded me just what a superb car it is. So much 'purer' than the 20vt and much more feelsome in almost every aspect.

I've done more than 500 miles in it this week - these are my thoughts...

It's slooooooow! - I've been comprehensively trounced by all manner of mundane rep-mobiles that I wouldn't normally consider to be mediocre, let alone quick. Merc diesels seem to be the hardest to bear - they just romp off into the distance, probably still doing 40mpg...

It's quiet - I can hear myself think, I can hear the engine, I can hear the tyres, I can hear the trim rattling and squeaking and I can hear the fact that...

It's a revvy little engine - 80mph comes up at 4,000rpm (same revs in the 20vt is around 110-115)

It's quite economical - the last tank gave me 370 miles before the light, which worked out at 32mpg. OK, a fair amount of it was motorway cruising, but I was doing 75-80, which is 4,000rpm, so I wasn't trying hard to save fuel

It's softly-damped - it's actually quite floaty at some speeds - slightly over-sprung perhaps, but definitely well on the comfortable side of firm

It understeers - slightly worn outer edges of the front tyres (done when the wishbones were in need of replacement) means it's a little vague when tipping into a corner and the soft suspension means that it breaks away much earlier than the 20vt

It sounds fantastic - I'd forgotten just how nice the Lampredi twin-cam sounds when it's not being drowned out by a silly exhaust or a daft air filter - lovely. It revs so cleanly round to the redline - doesn't sound at all strained

It's VERY yellow - not my fave colour for an everyday car and it was certainly not in keeping with the sombre mood at a funeral that I went to on Wednesday...

And finally - what a throttle response. I've had years of conditioning in 20VTs to hit the accelerator just before you want the revs, but with the 16 it's almost telepathically quick in comparison. It makes low to medium speed driving (ie commuting) SO much more pleasant

Despite all the deserved praise, it would only ever be a second car for me, as I miss the refinement, handling precision and sledgehammer performance of the 20vt. I can't wait to get it back and go hunting for those bloody Merc diesels to show them what a car can really do when it's running on proper fuel...

I saw your 20vt at Motormech this morning. What a bloody gorgeous car it is. IMHO, it's worth sacrificing what you can to get it back to its best, and yes, I mean the 16v. It's a shame to loose it but your 20vt is easily one of the very best I've seen.

I hope so. I happen to drive one. What month and year is yours, by the way?

Now more seriouslly, it's really a pitty that you have to sell it, a car in such a great condition. But if there's no other option, what to do? If those, - what? - £500, £700 of the car will help your life, do it. It seems to be a good buy, but the way things are, there's plenty of fish in the sea, making real money while selling ...

Hope it turns out the best for you.

June 1995

Can you believe it?! Mine too, June 1995! It's turning 17 in a few months.

Again, Nigel, best of luck for your life.

Nigel, you've just enumerated all the reasons why I sold the 20vt and kept my 16na - and intend to spend a bloody fortune on a bare-metal rebuild in the near future... money I really don't expect to see back.

And incidentally, why I bought the Bravo diesel for my commute which is even longer than yours!

CJ, I've had my 16na from new, October 95, and 160k miles. It's been crashed into by others twice in that time, and it's on its second engine...

Triggers broom.

Ross