Motoring Discussion > The Greek Driving Experience Miscellaneous
Thread Author: CGNorwich Replies: 25
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 15:51 
 The Greek Driving Experience - CGNorwich
Have been driving around the island in a hired i10. It's a few years since I have driven in Greece and I had forgotten just how mad many drivers are. Mobile phone use almost obligatory, overtaking a matter of pride, speeding in towns the norm. Combine that with roads that are glazed, potholed crumbling at the edge, rocks falls, and a lack of barriers.

Was up in the mountains this afternoon and long stretches had no more than a faint wide line to protect you from a 500 foot drop It all makes for an interesting experience.


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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:01 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
It'd seem disappointing at best to die at the wheel of an i10. Not quite rock and roll enough really.
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:18 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Robin O'Reliant
We drive on the left, the French drive on the right and the Greeks drive in the shade.
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:23 
 The Greek Driving Experience - CGNorwich
I suppose I was never rock and roll enough. I guess they can put that on my tombstone.

Quite like the little i10 really. I was comparing it with my first car an 848cc mini which I remember had trouble getting up Porlock Hill in Devon whereas the little i10 manages the worst Samos has to offer with ease. Remarkable how such a basic car does all you need really.
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:26 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
True enough, some of my best adventures ( dimly remembered of course ) were had in my Mk 1 Panda.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 15 Sep 16 at 20:27
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:31 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
>> True enough, some of my best adventures ( dimly remembered of course ) were had
>> in my Mk 1 Panda.
>>

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Panda-Fizz-1000-Timewarp-condition-1993-50K-FSH-PX-/122133563942

:)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:36 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
You bad, bad man ! I want that now ! ;-)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:37 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
Ideal for a learner driver ;)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:40 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
Stop, now please...
;-)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:45 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
It's the excellent visibility that really helps... Much easier to see what's going on around the learner driver, and so easy to park. And all for the same price as the auto gearbox option on an E class merc... :)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:47 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
Funny colour though. Aargh...

;-)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 20:52 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
True... Not a colour many Pandas were seen in!

Though I have been set an interesting challenge by my boss / shareholder. He'd like a Defender for his daughter. Fair enough... But they don't make them anymore, and she's quite particular about the spec and colour... Defender 90 hardtop. Keswick or Aintree green. As well specc'ed as possible. As new as possible. I did point out that had this been 6 months ago, while they were still being made, she could have had exactly what she wanted... ;)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:01 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
Ooooh, my wife would love one like that. Actually, I'd quite like one myself. Had an old 90 many, many years ago. 3.5 V8 petrol. Which had some obvious upsides offset with a prodigious thirst of course. Hand painted mine orange for reasons I can't remember.
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:17 
 The Greek Driving Experience - sooty123
I used to drive one of those a LR with the same engine i think it got somewhere in the mid teens. Glad i didn't have to pay for the petrol!
Last edited by: sooty123 on Thu 15 Sep 16 at 21:17
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:20 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Runfer D'Hills
12-15 mpg at best. Unless you drove it enthusiastically, when it could quite easily get into single figures. All on 4* of course !
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:48 
 The Greek Driving Experience - sooty123
We mostly did long runs in it, not really comfortable at all, but yes on stop start it was awful. Although this was on unleaded about 10 years ago, they all got replaced with the diesels about that time.

Mind you i don't think I'd want one on my money, like driving a tractor really and not overly reliable.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Thu 15 Sep 16 at 21:52
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:21 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Dave_
>> a Defender for his daughter.
>> quite particular about the spec and colour.

Try twistedautomotive.com/ in Northallerton. We move some interesting machinery for them.
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:29 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
Thanks!

I think I've found a likely candidate...will call them first thing! They're not cheap though, are they?!? No idea how much they were new, but asking prices seem high to me... Not as high as the end-of-line ones mind you - people are asking north of £40k for them!! Fortunately they're the wrong green :). Not my money though :p
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 21:33 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/land-rover/defender/twisted-90-td-hard-top-xs--------------2016/5834107

How much!! 50bhp more than standard though... ;)
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New Thu 15 Sep 16 22:03 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Dog
Did you get this Dave_

30 Aug 16 13:42
Bought a convertible for the summer, a bit late - Slightlyfatdirector

"So Dave. How is your summer in the Eos? Still pleased with it?"
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 15:30 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Dave_
Thanks Dog, yes I did see it but not for a week or so after SFD posted.

My reply: www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=22817&m=511596&v=e

I'm not on here very often these days due to evolving surfing habits; I rarely fire up the laptop because the mobile will do almost everything online - C4P isn't the most phone-friendly site unfortunately. I do like to stick my nose around the door every so often, just to check everyone's still OK.
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 16:12 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Dog
Good man Dave ~ Cheers!
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 13:16 
 The Greek Driving Experience - PeterS
Deal done... I see the attraction, sort of... Not sure I could actually live with one. But if I was going to then I think the one I've found is pretty well equipped?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112124083413
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 15:15 
 The Greek Driving Experience - legacylad
Mentioned previously.... Years ago I bought a second hand Defender 90, 300 series Tdi N reg. I was put in the buying loop by a good friend who taught at Gigg School, and their 90, used solely by the CCF to take the pupils out shooting, was being replaced by a Disco. Insider info meant that I bid £1k ( or it may have been £500) more than a local greedy garage, and I subsequently ran it for 6/9 months & sold it for a nice £1750 profit.
Horrible old fashioned things. Ok for pulling a sheep trailer but not much else. I bought it for 3 reasons. 1. Everybody should own a LR at some time in their life. 2. I absolutely knew I would make a profit on it. 3. I was working in Keighley and sick of being cut up by drivers. Once behind the wheel I gave as good as I got, if not better. None of them wanted after market go faster stripes down the side of their shiny white cars and revenge was sweet.
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 16:18 
 The Greek Driving Experience - Harleyman
I ran a couple of Landies in the early 80's; started with a 58 Series 2 (how I wish I'd kept it, didn't realise how super-rare they were) and then a 51 Series 1, last of the 80" wheelbase.

Great fun, extremely reliable but the old 'un in particular had a thirst for petrol which made my GMC V6 look positively frugal. Never had one since but I've retained a soft spot for the old ones, Defenders are probably a better vehicle but they simply don't have the character of the old clunkers.
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New Sun 18 Sep 16 23:33 
 The Greek Driving Experience - legacylad
I'm back in Turkey next week until late Oct and more than happy to let my friend Friez drive at all times. Having seen how they drive I am quite relieved, which is unusual for me because I normally love driving overseas
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