Almost here........

[skeeter]

The Cortina 1600E passed its inspection with flying colours. To say I am delighted is a bit of an understatement and I am now waiting for it to be delivered, likely to be 10 days or so.

 

The M5 will also be going at about the same time, I am try to arrange it so that I have both cars here at the same time as I think some pics of the two together will be kind of cool.

 

The current M5 is;

 

 

 

Right now my friends think I am mad, but I am as excited as anything. I think it is something to do with the fact most people have an old ford in the family history somewhere and therefore they mean something to us.

 

I have already got myself a pukka Haynes manual, the wife thinks I am like a little kid but she was the one who encouraged me to buy it.

 

S

[Vista]

Like those wheels, they'd look great on my E61!

 

What was the M5 ownership experience like? A friend of mine has one as a daily but he only does a few K a year in it so it's not really the same

[skeeter]

I love those wheels too.

 

This is my 2nd M5, I ran the first one for 2 years and have this one for 18 months. I average around 15k miles a year so feel well qualified to comment My views on 50k+ miles in an M5 then;

 

- Amazing performance in full M mode, my car is delimited and therefore technically capable of 204mph (in theory at least). It really is hard to believe the performance in what is essentially a big 4 door saloon.
- The ride on 'sport setting' far too hard for UK roads so never really used it
- The active seats were great (seat bolsters pump up as you go round bends to hold you in the seat, so if you turn hard left, the right seat bolster moves) and I never stopped smiling when using them in 2 years
- A couple of minor problems which the dealers were completely inept at fixing
- Fuel economy isn't great. The on board computer shows that over the last 23,000 miles I have averaged 12.1mpg
- Tyre wear pretty reasonable too
- SMG gearbox is terrible in auto mode (never really used)
- SMG fantastic when out of town and really suits the car, when pressing on you dont have to lift on the throttle, just pull the lever and BANG next gear, the novelty of full throttle upshifts never wears off

- The engine auto blips on downshifts, when is that never not cool?
- Head up display possibly the best thing on the car, someday all cars will have it
- Fuel range poor, less than 200 miles between fill ups means a lot of stops at the garage which is a real pain and seriously limits long range cruising

 

Overall the performance is intoxicating. 

 

In my quest to find something else I have tried all the usual suspects over the last couple of months;

 

- 997 TT (didn’t "get" the whole Porsche thing)

- GTR (faster than the M in every situation but bland)

- C/E63 (brilliant build and engine but the Mercedes dealer locally are shocking)

- Lotus Evora (really liked this but worry about long term support given the financial issues Lotus have)

- F10 M5 (Faster than the E60, which was a surprise but for me, it has become a luxo barge and there isn’t enough to distinguish it from any other 5 series)

- XFR (best interior of any modern car I have been in but didn’t gel with it and it is blinged up too much)

- XJ 5.0 (for the size this was amazing but way toooo big)

 

So, I have come to the conclusion that ultimate performance isn’t for me any more, so have decided to go a completely different direction.

 

S

[SmokeEm]

You sir are either very brave or very silly but either way I commend you

 

Good luck with the E

[dacar]

Youll have a bigger smile on your face driving the old Ford I bet?

[skeeter]

Although what is the worst that can happen? I guess that would be that I hate it, in which case I will buy something else.

 

S

[Mk2Jo]

I still think you need another car as your daily driver but good luck to you m8

[willsy]

you are in for a serious culture shock my man

[skeeter]

In my mind at least, that's what I am looking for. The point is I want to change the M5 and nothing that I have tried from the modern range works.

 

They are either a poor comparison or an M5 with a different badge (in character).

 

So if I am going to change I am making it a big change .

 

Time will tell - idiot or genius.... But I will report back as it develops.

 

S

[Vista]

I look forward to your feedback. Of course if it's not quick enough there's plenty of room under a cortina bonnet for a nice YB turbo lump. I don't think I've seen a mk2 Tina with one of those in before

[SmokeEm]

I look forward to your feedback. Of course if it's not quick enough there's plenty of room under a cortina bonnet for a nice YB turbo lump. I don't think I've seen a mk2 Tina with one of those in before

Except Puddy's?

[Vista]

Except Puddy's?

 

 

Good point.................though when was the last time anyone saw his?

[lotusless]

I too think you should get another cheaper daily as i don't think you will enjoy the mileage you do in a standard 16E, don't get me wrong fair play to you for going this way it's just you are going to think the Tina is broken when you drive it ! i would suggest a couple of grand daily and use the tina for the odd sunny day commute. When i used mine as a daily bits used to fall off it almost every day lol. the roads are so potholed these days you will be killing the old track rod ends and joints. You may fall out of love with the tina if you use it 24-7 and then there is the security side, you have to be really careful where you park an old car these days. To go through your points in a tongue in cheek round up here goes.............

 

 

M5 VERSUS CORTINA.....

 

- Amazing performance in full M mode, my car is delimited and therefore technically capable of 204mph (in theory at least). It really is hard to believe the performance in what is essentially a big 4 door saloon.

 

CORTINA..... Different performance ! limited by the 88 bhp engine capable of 98 mph with a tail wind and 100mph down hill.

 

M5...

 The ride on 'sport setting' far too hard for UK roads so never really used it

- The active seats were great (seat bolsters pump up as you go round bends to hold you in the seat, so if you turn hard left, the right seat bolster moves) and I never stopped smiling when using them in 2 years

 

CORTINA..... No sport setting but you could angle grind the springs down. Lowering blocks for £25

The cortina HAS active seats though, they actively sag as you go round a bend till the spring shoots up you arse ! 

 

M5..

 A couple of minor problems which the dealers were completely inept at fixing

 

CORTINA .... no dealers..  just fix it with a screwdriver and hammer.

 

M5...

- Fuel economy isn't great. The on board computer shows that over the last 23,000 miles I have averaged 12.1mpg

 

CORTINA...fuel economy not bad 30 ish mpg round town, on board fuel gauge ( when working ) will go up and down with the hills.

 

M5..

Overall the performance is intoxicating. 

 

CORTINA..

overall the performance is annoying .

 

 

Before i get slated i LOVE cortinas of all types it's just you will be shocked when you drive it, You can modify an old car to get more speed out of it, and the tuning supplies are endless. I t's just where do you stop ? and the point of an old "standard " car is to cruise around taking it easy. I think you should have gone for a mk3 / 4 or 5 tina as they are more modern without being a boring car. They are nice a comfy and you could whack in a Zetec lump and get some good motorway economy and speed..   

[welshmike]

It will be a big shock to your system mate! hopefully in a good way.

 

I have never owned a car as modern/refined/fast as your beemer so cant really compare, but i have owned a few old Fords and driven them every day. I currently use my modded Capri every day, 20 miles each way to work and bombing around in the evenings and weekends. The interior is stripped out, shes got stiff suspension, no radio, the heater just about keeps the screen clear if i keep the window open a bit, 80 odd horsepower 1.6 pinto and a 4 speed box so its not a 'pleasant' place to be. BUT, I get excited every time i drive her which turns every cold, grey, dull morning comute into a special occaision. I wouldnt want to drive anything else.

 

Lotusless does make some good points though, the state of the roads now will slowly destroy an old car if the maintenance isnt kept on top of.  You should be carefull where you leave it, i always try and park near a CCTV camera and if i have to leave her somwhere slightly dodgy i will pull off a couple of HT leads or take the rotor arm off the dizzy. 

 

At the end of the day what have you got to loose? try it out, modify it to suit your needs, get another daily driver if you have to, get something different all together if you dont like it. Personally i think youll love it

[puddy]

Good point.................though when was the last time anyone saw his?

 

Me,a couple of days ago in the lockup

 

puddy

 

ps. 15k a year in a mk 2 Cortina, I give it 2 weeks 

[Vista]

So, any updates on when it's arriving?

[Mk2Jo]

Pick yourself up a nice Scooby for £5k and use it as a daily driver and keep the 'tina for sunny days and weekends

[skeeter]

Car is being delivered on Thursday of next week. I am currently out of the uk and Easter is in the way of any earlier in the week.

 

First trip to the office is therefore next Friday.

 

S