errm, well with a thread subject like that I'd better just wave and say hello

Today I became a Coupe owner, for how long I'm unsure but I fancied a challenge that is a bit different to my normal hobby of 4x4 off-roading.

So I now have three motors, a Discovery with a few mods, a Seat Ibiza that is the run-around that SWMBO loves and a 1996 2.0l 16v na in blue.

I've now said hello, and thought I'd drop onto here as I'm having a bit of a dilemma. I was hoping that SWMBO would like the Coupe, so we could sell the Seat and I get a fast motor and I get to keep my Discovery as the off-road toy. That's not the case, she doesn't like the driving position, which is fine. So now I'm left with what to do, the Disco or the Coupe.

Both need work, the Coupe has seen very little use in the last year, and today failed MOT needing new brakes all round (pads would just about do on front) and the exhaust is blowing badly. A couple of bulbs have gone as well. Pads and discs I can do, but that exhaust is a bit of an unknown as I can't get the motor high enough to see where the issue is.

So tonight, I get to sleep on which one stays or goes, MOT for the Discovery is May and I know that also requires work and effort to get through and I just can't keep 3 on the road.

Convince me I've read plenty of threads on here and the coupe did put a smile on my face similiar to the V8 Discovery.

What to do .... advice welcome and appreciated.

DT.

Coupes don't do off road well and the 16V na is the slowest, and arguably, the least desirable of all coupes.

I've no idea who or what SWMBO is, but I suggest getting rid of that and keeping all the cars.

Oh and hello and welcome

only amongst those coupe owners who do not have a clue!
Don't listen to coop owners who (like their 20vt's) are all mouth and no trousers - 16v n/a's rule!

And don't listen to coupe owners who take the bait either

Ross

Hi and welcome

I had a 16V NA for 5 years mate and it was the most reliable 1 i've had.

Sorry but it just didn't sound like a very friendly welcome that's all.

SWMBO = "she who must be obeyed"

Ahem... fourteen years with a 16NA, and it's off-road on farm tracks and fields, full of paraglider most weekends!

Actually, I quite like it.

Welcome! And then ask yourself how many discos you see around and how many coupes? So what if you can't drive up a stream-bed in it? If you need to, one weekend, that's what Guy Salmon is for!

Neil

BTW - I have a Coupe and wifey has a V8 Rangie - I wouldn't sell either - they are a completely different drive and both have their plus points and their minus points.

He wasn't asking for a friendly welcome, and I'm an ex coupe owner just stating the facts.

I'm not convinced anyone given the choice between a seat ibiza and a coop, would pick the seat.

I'm even more convinced, on reflection, that my intial suggestion is the way to go

Still, not exactly "Hi, welcome to the forum" was it! And also your opinion, the 16v N/A is a great car, and plenty desirable to plenty of people on this forum.

Anyway, Hi, welcome to the forum DoubleTop!

I also have three cars, a Coupe, an Ibiza and a V8 Disco, spooky!

Gareth

What is it with this forum.

I didn't say it wasn't a great car, I didn't say it wasn't desirable, just that it's 'arguably' the least desirable of the coupes, which it is.

Nothing wrong with 16v nas at all, other than whats already been said. Do you have any history with it? If not a cam belt change would be recommended at circa £400, that could be a deciding factor for you maybe.

thanks for all the welcomes, and as per all car forums a little inter model rivalry is always there.

My V8 Disco is a money point, the coop is looking like a potential money pit and costs more to insure, although less to actually use and run. I'm swaying towards getting 12months MOT on the coop and selling my Disco to fund it, I can marshal at off-road events without a 4x4 at most sites, and there is nearly always the chance to go for a ride.

The coop is already pretty low mileage at 64,000 yet the Disco has 115 on it. It's obvious to me that all forum members in here would shout that the coop is great though

Decisions, decision ....

DT.

Cambelt is £270 fitted plus VAT at Motormech. Probably much the same as the other specialists you'll see mentioned on the forum.

I wouldn't get rid of my Disco DoubleTop, I've had it 3 years and it's cost me 2 MOT's which it passed easily (it's a 98 R) and a battery! It just goes and goes, mine is LPG converted however which does half the cost of fueling the thirsty bugger! Still, makes a fabulous sound, people look around looking for something meaty and can't see anything but an old Disco, much fun!

The Ibiza is a good motor too, mine is a 1999 Cupra 16v, always been faultless although has been laid up for a fair while now.

Gareth

Gareth

Ah Thanks Nigel...It's no wonder I didn't recognise it. ...there's that thumb again

My case is getting stronger and stronger the further I come to comprehending Doubletops dilema

Sell the coop before it breaks your heart

it's my second Disco, I still love the V8 burble but this new one hasn't turned out as well as hoped. It's got the Disco rot bigtime.

I'm still wavering - if only I had the space for a summer coop and a winter 4x4

DT.

Yep, that's really how it is with me, I keep the Disco because it's been so cheap to own so far, no rot, sailing through MOT's and it's a great winter car as well as a good load shifter. 7 seats, minimal running costs, fab noise, faultlessly reliable over the last 3 years, I can't fault it. But you watch, as soon as I have a problem with it, it'll probably be down the road!

Still, when they start to rot, it does become an expensive hobby! Although how cheap are they now!? Parts are also amazingly cheap for them.

Gareth

Since you're an ex coupe owner - why do you even care? Surely a person doesn't have to ask for a friendly welcome? It's called common courtesy?

that's the major difference that's niggling at me now, the Disco is a lot cheaper to maintain with parts considerably cheaper than the coop.

I've got the sensible head on financially, and the coop is more to insure and more on parts for most things, but I do know what needs doing on both and I think over the next 12 months it wouldn't be far off matching.

If only the missus liked the coupe, I've already had offers for the Seat.

DT.

Why do you care that I don't care?

Shall we go on, or would you rather not sully the thread with posts that have no relevance to it? Up to you.

Seriously - whats up with you? Somebody new comes on to the forum and the first thing you can think to say is that their car is rubbish? Did your wife leave you for a 16v n/a owner or something?

well, I don't care at all.

Put the energy into helping me decide what to do or offer advice on what is about to go wrong on a coop of this mileage and expected costs.

DT.

Lets not argue people!

It doesn't matter if a Coupe is a 16v or a 20v.

Neither does it matter if its red or yellow.

We all know that the best Coupe is a 20vt in portofino blue.

Lol seriously though, quoting Shakespeare here, 'a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' Or in Coupe terms, a Coupe in any colour or engine size will make you equally paranoid.

I didn't see anything wrong with tbirds post to be honest...I'm more offended at DT's mrs prefering an Ibiza over a coop...unless of course its a nice new seat, in which case then thats just typically girlie thinking

Try and keep the topic on thread for the original posters benefit please.

MrsL and Tbirdx - Please take this to pm.

Thanks.

Back on topic, I think coupe ownership isn't a logical decision its an emotional one. View it as a sick animal. Treat it right, give it what it needs then enjoy it for the pleasure that is the coupe.

For what its worth, the 16v N/A was classed as the most unreliable by Carlt, who broke more coupes than anyone else and seemed to know what he was talking about.

However, I'm yet to be convinced that any model is more reliable/unreliable as it seems to be down to care and history than engine design. To quote Rabbie Burns - "A coupe's a coupe for a' that"

Ross

TbirdX - try again when you can do it without the personal sexist abuse.

Neil <moderator>

i would sell both...and get a TDI disco (one with out the rot) a dam solid car cheep to run, cheep to insure and fix
and very good off road

the stories on unreliable coops are rife, that is true but is it really any more than other cars?

I've read many a time about the cams, the electrics and mysterious oil leaks that require the engine out. That's why I'm in this situation, I know the owner who had it from new, and the guy who has had it the past two years. The only issue that I've had to help them with was a stuck bonnet release, as it never had any problems up to the point that the release had jammed!

That's the kicker for me, I know it's been looked after by the first owner and then hardly used by the second, hence me now having ownership as a potential toy and all it's faults for being sat unused.

Time to sleep on it for a night, and for the moment time to keep well away from Ebay, Autotrader etc etc


errm, scared now - that was what the wife said, in a manner of speaking, sell both your cars you have with all there faults and get one with 12 months MOT this time!

DT.