Mungkie's Activa Blog

[Hell Razor5543]

Was that the one you said you missed by 3 minutes. Mileage rings a bell, as does the price. I remember posting "I really hope that it went to somebody who wants to use it, and not a breaker for the spares! ", and it looks like our prayers were answered.

Shabby! SHABBY? Go and was your mouth out NOW. Cherished and properly used (not hidden in a private show room and never used in the way the designer or manufacturer intended!).

[qwertyuiopeter]

Hi Pete - TPD's former owner (Pete) here - glad you've still got it - just had a little read through this thread - good to hear you've still got it, and congrats on becoming a Dad as well! I'd still be keen to pop over at some point and remind myself of how it should drive

And nothing insane about a second Activa. Not in the slightest. I'm guessing the engine's a whole load quieter than mine (was never a bag of nails but not something super quiet either).

[Mungkie]

Hi Pete, I hope you're keeping well. Once I have TPD back on the road you are more than welcome to come and try it out. I'm hoping to have TPD passing the mot Monday or Tuesday, but life always takes longer than planned...

I'll be honest I do feel there are things that need sorting with TPD, I think the rear ram bush needs changing and it could really do with more regular use and a new set of tyres. The paint lacquer has become HORRIFIC but I don't drive a Xantia for show so it doesn't really bother me

Even with all the stuff that needs sorting I still love driving it as much as I did the first day I collected it from you, but your comments about it drinking fuel were not over stated I think the real function of TPD for me was to stop me looking at cars to buy on the internet, and wondering what an Activa would be like.

Every few months I think about selling it on to someone that would look after it and sort the Lacquer as really it deserves to be be beautiful to look at as well as drive. But then I drive it again and remember why I have it.

My one thing about TPD is that I find the handling variable, I think it is supposed to be like that as when driving normally it doesn't seem to 'work' properly but as soon as you drive like a nutter its perfect and flat and smooth. It basically forces you to drive like a lunatic.

[qwertyuiopeter]

Hi Pete, I hope you're keeping well. Once I have TPD back on the road you are more than welcome to come and try it out. I'm hoping to have TPD passing the mot Monday or Tuesday, but life always takes longer than planned...

Excellent - I've got no idea exactly when I'd manage to make it up to you, but "at some point" hopefully!

I'll be honest I do feel there are things that need sorting with TPD, I think the rear ram bush needs changing and it could really do with more regular use and a new set of tyres. The paint lacquer has become HORRIFIC but I don't drive a Xantia for show so it doesn't really bother me

Has the bad lacquer spread beyond where it was when you took over custodianship of said fine vehicle, or just got a lot worse in the same places? I've got a ram bush (I think), fabricated by Jim, somewhere. He made it for Mike, who never got around to using it and gave it to me. Jim or Mike will be able to fill you in on what it is, and hopefully if I find it I can pop it in the post.

Even with all the stuff that needs sorting I still love driving it as much as I did the first day I collected it from you, but your comments about it drinking fuel were not over stated I think the real function of TPD for me was to stop me looking at cars to buy on the internet, and wondering what an Activa would be like.

Indeed, though I never considered it to be *that* bad on fuel - I always thought "well, it averages 27mpg, could be better, but isn't ridiculously gas-guzzling". Then you compare it to Saab and VAG turbocharged stuff with similar amounts of power that'll happily do mid-30s in comparison. I used to fairly consistently average 27mpg, whether or not I was blatting it up to more or less vMax (indicated 130-135 on the London to South Wales private test track) or driving relatively sanely. I might have got nearer 30 once on a trip to South Wales (the far Western point), but didn't go slow enough to replicate that on the way back.

Every few months I think about selling it on to someone that would look after it and sort the Lacquer as really it deserves to be be beautiful to look at as well as drive. But then I drive it again and remember why I have it.

My one thing about TPD is that I find the handling variable, I think it is supposed to be like that as when driving normally it doesn't seem to 'work' properly but as soon as you drive like a nutter its perfect and flat and smooth. It basically forces you to drive like a lunatic.

I always felt the same, except I was never fully brave enough to trust it enough to drive like a lunatic (mainly because during a lot of my ownership it wasn't 100% right). Mike said similar things - that I just wasn't driving it mentally enough, or somesuch....