New Pics

[yannick]

Nothing special, but I decided to upload a couple of new pictures of my car next to J-L's one (a colleague). We both bought with no knowledge that the other was interested in Avensi. Mine is on the right from the front:

Mine: 2003 Avensis 4door saloon, 1.8 VVTi, Italian standard spec (approx T3x spec in UK)

J-L's: 2003 Avensis 5door hatchback, D4D, French Linea Sol spec (approx Tspirit spec in UK)

Both are incredibly dirty, as there has been some pretty awful weather here recently, we have both done a lot of miles recently, and basically we're both too lazy to clean them regularly :D

[nezerr]

B) think i like the saloon best (both look clean to me)

[SMW]

I also prefer the saloon.

The estate (tourer ?) looks great in the MK3 as well - in fact probably the best looking of the 3 body styles.

All have a VW Passat look to them don't they but I guess people say that to you all the time. Not that it's a bad thing (IMO).

BTW - car looks clean. weather looks good.

PS

Wheres your TOC stickers ? ;)

[yannick]

I also prefer the saloon.

The estate (tourer ?) looks great in the MK3 as well - in fact probably the best looking of the 3 body styles.

All have a VW Passat look to them don't they but I guess people say that to you all the time. Not that it's a bad thing (IMO).

BTW - car looks clean. weather looks good.

PS

Wheres your TOC stickers ? ;)

The saloon is my preferred style - which is why I went to Italy to buy it - it's not available in France :(

Neither is clean - but luckily you can't really see it in the pics - just take my word for it :D

As to the shape, I accept that the T25 is influenced by the Passat & the Audi A4, but frankly I find it much less like a pudding bowl than the Passat. I know others don't agree, but then it's my car and not theirs :P

The weather is great here at the mo, but it started yesterday :D I'll have to find the time to clean her... this weekend... maybe

Finally here are my stickers. I've stayed with the TOC ones because they're more discrete than the Gold ones :D

[yannick]

I was visiting my parents in the south west of France at the weekend. It started snowing, and as it's fairly rare in the area I decided to take a few pics. There's a village not far in a valley. From this village there's a dirt track that runs to the top of a hill. The view from this hill is fantastic, so I thought that I'd go up and have a look and take a few pics.

This was incredibly stupid as this is a mountain track, ungraded, untarmacked. I got 2/3 of the way up and finally the snow got too deep for me to continue. The picture below gives you an idea of the conditions. I had to back up 300 meters to be able to do a U-turn.

Why was this inconceivably stupid? because there is nothing stopping you falling off the road starting from this corner. The Disco coming down had also had to give up, he could not reach the top. Even backing down I almost slipped into the valley 2 or 3 times.

I got a few pictures eventually, but I almost lost my car for this act of utter stupidity. The track is difficult enough in summer, so why on earth did I try to go up in winter, I can't say...

Here is one of the pics I got:

[billsinc]

How do you post the pictures?

[yannick]

How do you post the pictures?

Go to the TOC Galleries and post your pic (the option is found in the «Admin options» menu on the top right).

Once your pic is in the gallery, open it and use the right mouse button to get the picture properties. Copy the address of the picture (The line starting http: ) Make sure that you copy from the http to the .jpg or whatever.

Come back to the forums. Start a topic or reply to a message and use the IMG button in the message composer. Paste the address of your picture.

That's it! :D

[joebw]

Hi

I have just joined the forums as I intend to be a regular poster/asker of questions in the future, having ordered a new Avensis 1.8 T3X - it's not arrived yet!

Was most interested to see your pictures in the snow and report about trying to get up that hill. The same weekend I was in the north-east of England which had about 15 cm of snow on the Saturday and was driving on similar-looking small roads in my 1998 Laguna. Didn't have too much trouble, but I was wondering how things would have been different if I'd already got my new Avensis - I ordered it after the 04 update so it will have VSC. I think from the spec of your car as you describe it doesn't have VSC - maybe I am wrong? Would VSC have made any difference to how the car can cope with theat snowy hill?

Best regards

Joe

[yannick]

Hi

I have just joined the forums as I intend to be a regular poster/asker of questions in the future, having ordered a new Avensis 1.8 T3X - it's not arrived yet!

Was most interested to see your pictures in the snow and report about trying to get up that hill. The same weekend I was in the north-east of England which had about 15 cm of snow on the Saturday and was driving on similar-looking small roads in my 1998 Laguna. Didn't have too much trouble, but I was wondering how things would have been different if I'd already got my new Avensis - I ordered it after the 04 update so it will have VSC. I think from the spec of your car as you describe it doesn't have VSC - maybe I am wrong? Would VSC have made any difference to how the car can cope with theat snowy hill?

Best regards

Joe

This "road" is a rutted dirt track. Imagine a poorly maintained farm track, it is like that.

The main problem really is the ground clearance. The front lip regularly rubs against pavements when I park - therefore it must be 8-10cm only :(

In this case it was the ice & mud, & the fact that I have nice fat tyres (so will you :P ) which are designed for tarmac.

I don't have VSC, but it wouldn't have helped in this case. There was a 4x4 which only got 500m farther than I did before giving up You can just see him in the picture.