olddriver

t's all about horses for courses, forgive the pun, using outmoded transport such as a bike can be useful and fun, and knowing how to drive a horse and cart can be useful too, a farmer that I knew used one to get him to the pub and back after he was banned. He reckoned that after a few trips, the horse knew the way back without instructions 😀 So don't knock a horse and cart as a means of transport it may be useful one day

But all that doesn't make for a more engaging driving experience! You are missing my point, it's not about me not embracing technology, it's about the fun, the challenge and the satisfaction of getting the gear changes right for the conditions, it's not about the car, it's about the driving. Whatever, I've got a manual classic car that needs some work doing and therefore I don't want to lose the coordination skills required to drive a manual car.

So much for someone who doesn't know which century he is living in!

Thanks, I'm over 6 ft and never sat in a Yaris as I assumed that it would be too small, but it wasn't too bad, however I prefer the GT86 if I can't wait 3 years for the Corolla, the other thing is that Toyota could change their minds about the Corolla GR.

Thanks, the video has convinced me that I want a conventional gearbox as it has the advantage that if it goes wrong then I can easily overhaul it, as I have done for 4 of my previous cars, but I have my doubts about being able to fix an e-CVT transmission AND if it does go wrong I expect Mr T's charges would be exorbitant.

I have no idea, but can you give us a link to the wurth silicone gasket sealer that you're referring to, so that we know which one to use if we have a problem in future, as I get the impression thst there's more than one type.

Yeah, the recommendation was probably for paraffin, as it was probably suggestef quite a long time ago before we started to use white spirit to clean paint brushes. My understanding is that white spirit is a refined form of paraffin and doesn't have an oily appearance. Mr G00GLE is not a lot of help, partly because it appears that the Americans definition of paraffin is different to ours.

I seem to remember reading of a recommendation to put a small amount, a tea spoon full or egg cup full, of white spirit into the water when you wash a car to make the car shine. I can't remember if that was the soapy water or the plain water you use to wash off the soap. Does anyone know the actual details and is it ok? EDIT: As Frosty says below, it was probably paraffin that was recommended, not white spirit.

Thanks, it sounds like it's back to the future then, so it's like a 1960s etc car engine, and we never used to change the chain in them, unless you were doing a rebuild?

☹️ Do e-CVT transmissions have a finite life or are they as good as conventional gearboxes?

When was the chain/belt last changed, and when does Haynes say to change it? My Corolla belt and tensioner cost £200 to replace at my local independent garage, that's a lot cheaper than an engine rebuild, or the value of the car surely?

Is this dummy right in thinking that all the new Corollas are now petrol hybrids, and that means that they all have auto boxes too, EVEN THE CR SPORT!!! It seems to this dummy that all the literature is very coy about the gearbox and that it's rarely referred to, as though they want to keep it quiet! I like driving a car, and using an auto box is NOT driving in my opinion, it's more like being a passenger! However, I do remember about 40 years ago driving a Triumph 2000 without a clutch, but in which you could select and go through the gears, 1, 2, 3, like a normal box, do they still make auto boxes like that now? That wouldn't be so bad! Maybe it's a good excuse to buy a GT86, as that's one of the few conventional cars left to buy, as I can't afford the Supra and anyway from the pictures the GT86 appears to have a much bigger boot.

I vaguely seem to remember that car, again a shame that they didn't make a roadgoing 3 litre version, it looks Bentley-ish.

As the old 3 litre Rovers of that period go, I rather like the look of that light blue/turquoise Rover, it's a shame that they didn't use that body shell for a sporty road going 3 litre version.

How do you look after the paintwork, do you wax it? I've heard that the red tarnishes a bit. I hardly ever wash my Corolla, and as it's lacquered it stays reasonably clean as the rain washes off the dirt.