bizarre twist to MG-Rover demise.

howiedean · Unread post by **howiedean** » 26 Jun 2005, 23:22

Remember when the police had proper police cars, Rover SD1's and Range Rovers both of which had V8's[:D]

FrenchLeave · Unread post by **FrenchLeave** » 27 Jun 2005, 05:10

Drpau, I assume you get pleasure out of being gratuitously offensive. My reference to rigid rear axles and side valves was an attempt to explain that a manufacturing industry that has a monopoly has no need to offer best practice in either design or manufacture. That attitude applied to all the mass producers in this country. Even better, they charged the home market 50% more than foreign buyers.
As soon as the monopoly disappeared, sales of imported cars started their inexorable rise with a commensurate fall in British built cars. Unfortunately, the pricing policy instituted by our manufacturers allowed the importers to overcharge us as well.
If British cars were so good, why do you think the majority of people drive imports?
If you were around for the whole of this period and had first hand experience of the products, you would realise that the decline to the current sorry state was inevitable.
You're right on one count, I haven't driven any British car since 1990. The last one was my wife's Metro in '89 and that disappeared in a cloud of rust.

Unread post by **Richard Green** » 27 Jun 2005, 16:24

I dont like it when things get personal its spoils the jist of the thread plus its not productive, this is a debate not an argument, I know exactly what you mean frenchy "I hope you dont mind me calling you that as it seems more friendly" as I was around in those days but as I said times move on and things are marginally different today, your talking of older times when monopoly was a big money thing and went to bosses/owners heads today a very dim view is considererd on these methods "the cash benift is high" but so can the concequences of greed plus the government take big stakes for the greedy sods, keep it friendly.

drpau · Unread post by **drpau** » 27 Jun 2005, 16:41

Gratuitously offensive? Sorry if you took it that way, was just putting the opposite side of the argument as I saw it. I have re-read it and still cant see it as being 'Gratuitously offensive'. When I responded to you, I began with light jest and then covered the facts- what's wrong with that?
This is a public forum for airing views, you aired yours and I mine. Hope we are straight on that now [:D]

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 27 Jun 2005, 17:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">What a shame BMC/BL/AR etc did not develop Hydrolastic and Hydragas further<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hydragas and the metro was a sad tale....It was fitted but not interconnected front and rear, just to save a few quid. Alex Moulton had one modified by properly interconecting the front and rear as in the Allegro and Princess, and by all accounts it had a wonderful ride for a small car, but Spen King at BL just wouldn't spend the money for a bit of extra piping!!
There were many faults with the Allegro, but the ride was not one of them-I've had quite a few and they ride easily as well as any hydro Citroen. What they lose out on in self levelling they gain in system simplicity- there are no rams or pumps or height correctors, and just two front to rear pipes, at the front there's no Mcpherson hybrid like in the BX, Xantia, etc, but double wishbones instead, like earlier Citroens. The rear layout is essentially the same as the Citroen one.
That was yet another BL management blunder- get rid of an excellently comfortable and extremely reliable suspension system and fit tin springs instead!!
It was the same with the Princess: that it didn't have a hatchback right from the beginning is just plain bizarre- it was competing against the CX!! It had ( in my opinion... ) a better ride, but was worse in just about every other area apart from comfort and space, they even dropped the big 6 cylinder option....grrrr....where did our industry go?
And with the dumbing down of Citroens hydraulic system, will they be going the same way????

FrenchLeave · Unread post by **FrenchLeave** » 01 Jul 2005, 05:06

Drpau, I had intended to just let the matter drop, but after all the kerfuffle today its best if I clear the air.
I took exception to being told that I'd lost my marbles. In retrospect I realise I was being over sensitive. No hard feelings, I hope?
Regards, Derek

drpau · Unread post by **drpau** » 01 Jul 2005, 16:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by FrenchLeave

Drpau, I had intended to just let the matter drop, but after all the kerfuffle today its best if I clear the air.
I took exception to being told that I'd lost my marbles. In retrospect I realise I was being over sensitive. No hard feelings, I hope?
Regards, Derek
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">