A proper fishing car?

[shaunfox]

Strangely I am going to buy a new car and amalgamate a fishing car into a family car also addressing the fact that it will need to tow a caravan. I'm going for a Volvo V70 - 3 birds with one stone.

[jimmy crackedcorn]

Originally Posted by geoffmaynard

So far I like Toadies suggestion best! And it's in the right colour
Ground clearance is crucial. Ruts are wearing deep already.

I love threads like these - I get to look at cars I can't afford to buy !!!

If ruts are a problem, may I point sir towards a Nissan navara king cab - class leading 1861mm load length and still seat 4 (although rear passengers won't be in total luxury - but they won't have rods sticking in their head). Not fiesta frugal but not v8 range rover thirsty either.

[Windy]

Originally Posted by nicepix

Windy, what you say might have been true a few years ago, but not now.

If you have more up to date and accurate knowledge then I defer to your expertise.

The dip squad and armed pursuit specials used to be superbly bargainlicious tho.

I know of a Range Rover fully fitted out with the equivalent of £20 grands worth of engine and suspension enhancements (full forged and bored out engine plus mods + spax remote controlled hydraulic suspension) that went for little more than a bag of nuts at auction in the 1990's... sadly I wasn't the one who bought it

Originally Posted by nicepix

Very few forces run autos owing to them not being popular with the advance drivers. Last thing you want when setting a powerful car up for a very fast corner is a surprise gear change. Especially a kickdown

Driving a powerful auto takes rather more practice and experience than drivers familiar with a stick shift generally apply to the effort. Not quite such advanced drivers as they think they are if they can't handle a powerful auto...

If you know your auto and you are familiar with it then you aren't going to get any surprise gear changes, let alone provoke a kickdown unless you want it to.

I write as someone driving a modified turbo charged auto with 280 - 290 bhp in a 1100+ kg chassis.

When I first bought it as an auto with a mere 167 bhp (after two previous cars of the same model with manual transmission) I certainly had a few inappropriate moments when I hit the throttle too hard or too late in the wrong part of a turn or manoeuvre and provoked a response from the transmission I did not anticipate. However after three months or so - rather longer than most nouveau auto drivers of an auto put up with - it started to click.

Now I wouldn't go back.

[geoffmaynard]

Owning a car with a manual gearbox is like owning a valve radio. If you do a lot of city driving or get in regular heavy stop-start traffic then an automatic transmission is the only way to go. Manual shifts are for sports cars and they are as useful to me as a chocolate teapot.