My 550 Mile Trek To Buy A Lcr Starts Today!!

[chris_adair]

Hi all,

Although I have been a sleeping member of this forum for a few years, I didnt see the point in posting much until I got myself a decent Seat....

Today is that day.

Living in Belfast in N. Ireland has its disadvantages, car choice is not great, so there are little or few LCRs about, and I was after a mint platinum...
So it was obvious I would have to buy in England, drive the car to Stranraer and catch the ferry back across.

So after endless weeks of saving and checking autotrader, I have to go to Plymouth for a mint one.

Car is '04 reg, 17,000 miles, mature lady owner.

I had a full RAC inspection done on the car last week, costing around £130, but in my opinion WELL worth it. He takes car for a 10 mile test drive and pits it up on a garage ramp to check over.
Inspection found worn front pads, small chip to windscreen and nail in front tyre. So owner has fixed these before I arrive. Apart from that inspection said car was good.

So I get a flight late tonight to Bristol, than catch a 2h 30min train journey to Plymouth.

From Plymouth, I have then to drive up midlands, north west then to straraer.
However, I stop tomorrow in Awesome GTI for a stage 1 remap, and dogbone mount. (yes the day after I pick it up!!)
I figured best getting these done whilst in england as few/no reputable companies in Northern Ireland carry out the remaps.

So in the next post I am hoping to give you a run-down on how I found one of the most reputable companies on here, my journey home in a half decent car (bit of a step up from a pug 306 dturbo!) and of course some pictures of the nu mota will be posted when am back.

Wish me luck people, I hope its as good as the RAC mechanic says!. Its now a pleasure to be a member of your forum!

thanks, chris

 

[RobM]

Sounds like quite a fun could of days coming up then!

Good idea about stopping into somewhere like Awesome GTI on the way back... it would be rude not to really. Did you know Forge aren't too far out of your way either and they make some very nice FMIC's

I think it will be one of those journeys that will seem like a pain in the arse, but will actually be really good fun! I hope it all goes according to plan, have fun

 

[lard44]

How much are you giving the 'mature lady owner'? Hope you're not fleecing them fogeys too badly!

I bet you'll enjoy the drive - when I get mine on Saturday (have I not mentioned that?!?!) I've got a 400-mile round trip to Chester from Kent to do and I'm going to savour every moment - especially the stretch on the M6 toll road!

Good luck and I hope all goes well - but be sure to give those tyres a kick just to make her nervous!

 

[Ant FR]

well i got 300 miles down to le mans to do tomorrow, now that is fun.

Have fun, the only thing i will say, cos you have got so much going on, its a horrible feeling when you get home as its almost like an anti climax, sort of the new years day feeling, as cars on the drive job done, good way of getting used to it thoughh, a nice long drive

 

[BCM]

I found the M6 toll was a bit over rated,
i picked my car up from London and had to drive it all the way back to Glasgow via Leeds (was getting BOSCH HID's fitted),
but i have to say I prefer gods race track (Scotland) to the M6 toll road!
But yeh mate, enjoy the drive, i used 2 and a half tanks comming back on my 480 mile trip!

 

[Funkyfin2000]

be careful fo cameras!!!!!

any way congrats man u will love it, got mine last week and its fantastic!!!!!!

ur insurance must be high with a map and LCR in NI!!!

 

[dmmsta]

Thats total commitment to the cause.

Congrats on the purchase, and look forward to the pic's.

You need to dash mounted camera & you could make a Road Trip movie

Anyway...enjoy the ride, especially the bit after Awesome!!

 

[jonjay]

Excellent news tbh! I really hope you enjoy the car and watch it transform when you get that remap done!

 

[Mike Green]

I only went from Oxford to south coast but a cool 100 mile trip on motorway and country lanes. I was a bit nervous cause you wait all that time to find the exact car you want then the last thing you want to do is damage it in any way!

 

[Skorchio]

And i thought my 300 mile drive was long to pick mine up.

Although i did have to go up there twice 600 miles

 

[jamie paton]

i bought mine in portsmouth mate, so i can sympathise with your journey, mine was about seven hundred mile round trip, although i did fly down, mind you i flew up as well

 

[skahigh]

i did a 350 miles round trip for my lcr....not one regret yet!

 

[UncleFester]

Meh and i went 6 miles down the road, gave them a broken HRV as a trade in .... that was the deal sweetener for me

 

[swissrebel]

Yeah, mine was only a 10 mile trek

But 4 miles of it was "off road" - in a fiat punto. It did not bode well for the punto.

 

[skahigh]

was your punto one of the fast ones? you know....blue?

 

[Skorchio]

haha. Im Glad i got to drive my car for miles and mile when i got it You get to know it. stop off in a service station.

I did mine solo. was SOOO good. Raced a 350Z as well

I love my car SOO much. LCR's are just so perfect. Apart from not beeing 4wd there flawles!!!!

 

[swissrebel]

was your punto one of the fast ones? you know....blue?

Nope, it was a battered old thing. It was even more battered after that trek.

 

[skahigh]

couldnt agree more, fast, powerful, beautiful, can be made to handle well fairly easily, good to use day to day and cheap!!!! if i wish hard enough maybe i will wake up in the morning and it will be 4wd.