Don't know if you guys will be interested...

[SportsCoupeRich]

granted - i concede the subtly/performance point.

The SLK55 isnt unsubtle purely due to its discs....the sills, low ride height etc all contribute.

I think the Cosworth has a grand place in motoring history. If we were not such a country of theiving scumbags then the 80s insurance etc and barry problems would never of taken off.

i wouldnt want one because they are old and the inside is rubbish...but i certainly respect this car. Still want my yuppie porsche though!

 

[Tilly]

I don't mean to sound an **** but I just dont understand peoples perceptions of these cars. Yes the AMG's are more subtle because they're variations on family/exec cars and not rally bred unlike the cosworth but from what people are saying... a ferarri enzo for example is barry due to its lack of subtlety, correct? not to mention SLR's!!!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

My input:

You dont see SLR's & Enzo's in & around McDonalds & Tesco carparks on a Saturday night all maxpowered up with neon lights etc drove by people in Burberry basball caps doing donuts.

Do you in a vast range of Ford's wether they are geniune Coswords or not.

I think that car in the orignal post looks amazing as it is better than new, cant hide the fact that it is a 'Barry' car now or when it was 1st produced.

I had a Mk1 Mondeo before my c-class and I thought it was a barry car aswell

 

[stats007]

Unfortunately it's all down to the image - in the way Burberry was adopted by the chavs, so has the same thing happened to the Cosworth (Sierra / Sapphire / Escort) and to some extent the Subura Impreza. Maybe it's snobbishness as the car was pretty good (well the original RS500 was that was derived for the BTCC etc). Nowadays a cossie would have it's work cut out against a modern hot hatch which needs neither a bodykit from Beatties or a dustbin exhaust.

It comes down to the details really.

 

[Tilly]

My input:

You dont see SLR's & Enzo's in & around McDonalds & Tesco carparks on a Saturday night all maxpowered up with neon lights etc drove by people in Burberry basball caps doing donuts.

Nor do you see 400bhp sierra cosworths not touched with any max power part, unmolestered and kept in pristine condition driven by people in burberry baseball caps doing donuts, get your facts straight, thats the exact stereotypical attitude that has gotten mercedes drivers in general a bad name amongst other marques and as much as I like my car, I am actually ashamed to be perceived in such a way, yes I know they're being stereotypical too but at least there is truth behind it. The owner of this car is in no way shape or form "barry" or a "chav". End of subject. I'm sick of the attitudes displayed on this forum and I'm going elsewhere so all the guys who I've made friends with, keep in touch.

I don't mean to sound an **** or nasty or whatever you want to label me but I don't like the uncalled for attitudes towards other like minded motoring enthusiasts, see you all around

Regards,
Mark

 

[Shude]

ferraris, lambos, porsches etc are barry then?

They are if they have big aftermarket exhausts, whaletail spoilers and bonnet vents on them .

The sierra cosworth is a modest family hatchback that has been modified to be a performance car, almost all sierras on the road today are gutless deathtraps. Ferraris, Lambos and Porsches etc are different in that they were always designed to be performance cars.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Nor do you see 400bhp sierra cosworths not touched with any max power part, unmolestered and kept in pristine condition driven by people in burberry baseball caps doing donuts, get your facts straight, thats the exact stereotypical attitude that has gotten mercedes drivers in general a bad name amongst other marques and as much as I like my car, I am actually ashamed to be perceived in such a way, yes I know they're being stereotypical too but at least there is truth behind it. The owner of this car is in no way shape or form "barry" or a "chav". End of subject. I'm sick of the attitudes displayed on this forum and I'm going elsewhere so all the guys who I've made friends with, keep in touch.

I don't mean to sound an **** or nasty or whatever you want to label me but I don't like the uncalled for attitudes towards other like minded motoring enthusiasts, see you all around

Regards,
Mark

Did you not even bother to read the rest of what I wrote? tsk

Maybe before you 'jump the gun', you should get your facts straight

 

[996jimbo]

I suppose part of the point is that 'Barried' cars are cars done up with the sort of bodywork that would be required on a rally car crossed with the sort of bodywork you'd expect in, say, touring car racing. Generally 'Barried' cars are cheaper makes the whole point being they are done by young people on a budget (please note use of term 'Barried' is because I'm lazy and is not meant to be judgemental in any way).

Thus the Sierra, to some, looks like a 'Barried' car as it has a slightly incongrous (but neverthless there-for-a-purpose) wing plus flared arches etc and is a Ford. Granted all these features are functional and not for looks. But it is just these overt features that people echo on 'Barried' cars.

Take any car and stick a wing on it and for many people it will start to look 'Barried'. Isn't there a DTM Merc with one that, in some ways, looks a bit iffy?

But really it's not worth everyone getting all upset about surely? Everyone can appreciate the work that's gone in to it. I used to want a Sierra Cosworth, I drooled over the detailing of this one and I almost vomited / laughed when I saw the interior shots.

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

but in the sam emanner it is very difficult for a 17 y.o to be a motoring enthusiast with their own car....shame but true. You wouldnt expect them to get repect from their peers with a pristine concourse 1.0L fiesta!!!! all other matters aside we all want a car our peers (or the forum) approve of and a modified escort is pretty much all a young and (possibly) working class lad can afford!!!

I was lucky enough to have a brand new ford fiesta zetec s for my first car, but many people wernt so lucky. In fact i'll wager many of you older guys had MGs etc you fiddled with to go faster etc when you were younger

times move on, cars move on...basic premise is the same. Its society that has got Barry, not the cars.

 

[Shude]

Take any car and stick a wing on it and for many people it will start to look 'Barried'. Isn't there a DTM Merc with one that, in some ways, looks a bit iffy?

I already mentioned the Evo's slightly less subtle bodywork etc earlier in this this thread . I believe this was also a cosworth-assisted project.

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

I believe this was also a cosworth-assisted project.

LOL

 

[jaymanek]

but in the sam emanner it is very difficult for a 17 y.o to be a motoring enthusiast with their own car....shame but true. You wouldnt expect them to get repect from their peers with a pristine concourse 1.0L fiesta!!!! all other matters aside we all want a car our peers (or the forum) approve of and a modified escort is pretty much all a young and (possibly) working class lad can afford!!!

I was lucky enough to have a brand new ford fiesta zetec s for my first car, but many people wernt so lucky. In fact i'll wager many of you older guys had MGs etc you fiddled with to go faster etc when you were younger

times move on, cars move on...basic premise is the same. Its society that has got Barry, not the cars.

I drove to college in a yellow W123 ten minutes after passing my test!

 

[Shude]

LOL

Seriously, someone says cosworth and somewhere a man puts on some overalls and starts working on a huge spoiler, big wheel arch extensions and a dangerously low front bumper splitter!

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

Seriously, someone says cosworth and somewhere a man puts on some overalls and starts working on a huge spoiler, big wheel arch extensions and a dangerously low front bumper splitter!

LOL, i suppose its no different to someone saying "can we get anymore power out of this car?..."

cue someone in a Brabus balaclava, weilding a spanner, sneeking tippy toes towards the car in question...

 

[Shude]

in the sam emanner it is very difficult for a 17 y.o to be a motoring enthusiast with their own car....shame but true. You wouldnt expect them to get repect from their peers with a pristine concourse 1.0L fiesta!!!!

A friend of mine had a 1.0 Nova when he was 17 (this was about 10 years ago) and he did the honourable thing at the time and bought some oem bits and pieces from breakers and specialist shops to make it look like an SR. When he'd finished it didn't look "barry" it looked like a Nova SR.

If he'd put some massive wheels, neons, LED washer jets, limo tints and a huge silly exhaust on it then it would have looked "barry".

Also, no-one gets any respect in a Fiesta regardless of age or condition, it's a fiesta isn't it?!

My first car was a late 80s vauxhall astra "merit" and I kept it gloriously stock, except for a dashboard clock which I retrieved from a wrecked GTE. As soon as I could afford it I traded it for a C230k.

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

sorry - Novas are the exception to my rule...no matter how cheap, do not buy one!!!!

Ah, the Astra Merit - a fine car!

 

[SG CL500]

Just getting back to the original topic for a moment it I may...

I admire the effort/craftsmanship (?) the chap has put into the car and guess we all have an affinity with him at some level, even if that is limited to an interest of some form in automobiles.

What I don't get is why he would go to all this trouble and then use it a lot - surely he can't keep it in such a good condition - too much of a contradiction for me.

But then I (as in this is my own view - this is not a dig at him or anybody else) don't like the car and can't see why anybody would want to have such a pristene motor - rather defeats the object of car ownership for me (and that includes multi million £ concours Ferraris as well as Sierras) - shiny & good nick, yes absolutely, but polished suspension components and other stuff...

right, you lot can get back to defining/arguing about Barryism and Chavism...

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

i agree to a point sg cl500. I like my home, keep it tidy and have spent £000s getting it as i want. However, i still will walk around in dirty socks etc...the basic utility of the item requires. a home is to be lived in, a car to be driven...

 

[COUPE FREAK]

Nor do you see 400bhp sierra cosworths not touched with any max power part, unmolestered and kept in pristine condition driven by people in burberry baseball caps doing donuts, get your facts straight, thats the exact stereotypical attitude that has gotten mercedes drivers in general a bad name amongst other marques and as much as I like my car, I am actually ashamed to be perceived in such a way, yes I know they're being stereotypical too but at least there is truth behind it. The owner of this car is in no way shape or form "barry" or a "chav". End of subject. I'm sick of the attitudes displayed on this forum and I'm going elsewhere so all the guys who I've made friends with, keep in touch.

I don't mean to sound an **** or nasty or whatever you want to label me but I don't like the uncalled for attitudes towards other like minded motoring enthusiasts, see you all around

Regards,
Mark

mark,, can't see why you're getting wound up over this,, everybody's got an opinion,, like it,, don't like it whatever,, it's called free speech,, plenty of people on this forum have had a pop at me for various things,, but it's water off a duck's back,, i like what i like and that's that,, i don't mind if anyone has an opposing view to mine,, everyone's different,,

 

[jeremytaylor]

mark,, can't see why you're getting wound up over this,, everybody's got an opinion,, like it,, don't like it whatever,, it's called free speech,, plenty of people on this forum have had a pop at me for various things,, but it's water off a duck's back,, i like what i like and that's that,, i don't mind if anyone has an opposing view to mine,, everyone's different,,

Yeah, it would be pretty pointless if we all had the same view. Chill, Tilly!!