Comments about this vehicle

Author	Message
CarChasesFanatic ◊ 2009-10-16 23:06	What a shame, I guess it gets destroyed?
dragonboy ◊ 2009-10-17 02:20	Spoiler - click here to see it Yeah, it gets smashed into a barrier wall and explodes
twingoman ◊ 2009-10-20 16:01	The vehicle details for A404 RBP are: Date of First Registration 12 06 1984 Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1360CC Vehicle Status SORN Not Due Vehicle Colour BLACK Has been repainted, then, at some point. Shame it gets destroyed, as it's quite a rare car now, especially in the UK.
Raul1983 ◊ 2009-11-05 17:08	Another evidence that Clarkson isn't a car enthusiast.
Lateef ◊ 2009-11-05 17:37	The main reason why I'd stop watching Top Gear - they just simply went too far.
ecclefechan ◊ 2009-11-09 13:59	While admittedly it's not the most beautiful car in the world (it's pretty nasty really), this is SO rare that I completely object to its destruction. A normal Talbot Samba is rare enough, but a convertible? I don't think I've ever seen one in my life. It was in perfect condition too. I'm pretty sure this is much rarer than the Morris Marinas. The most interesting thing in this segment was that he calls the character "Gary Neden". In his 1997 video "Apocalypse Clarkson", in the segment where he destroys the Lada and drives it with a box over his head to "conceal his identity", he says "My name is Gary Neden and I'm from...". Coincidence? I doubt it very much. I wonder if Gary Neden was some extremely boring person from his childhood or something? Haha!
TheHeartbreakKid15 ◊ 2009-11-09 14:30	He mentioned something about someone with the same name in one of his books, I think it was someone he went to school with.
Ingo ◊ 2009-11-09 15:43	@leoz: here we have an example for a car, which had not low production numbers, but which disappeared totally nowadays. Yes, the convertible is more rare, but it was not hyperrare in fact. I agree with ecclefan: it's today really rare indeed, but not valuable anyways. The reason, why nearly all Talbot's of the 80ies were wrecked (the most already in the first half of the 90ies), was the bad quality and the bad reputation. Maybe it was a bit different in France and perhaps in Britain, too, but in Germany Simca Chrysler/Talbot-cars had a real bad preutation, even a bit lower than Skoda's and Lada's. Sure, the most French, Italian and especially British cars had a worse reputation than German and Japan made cars, but Talbot was much worse than Citroen and Fiat. Talbot was lower than Simca, it was getting worse years by year until the total end in 1985(?) I remember, that I've seen some Samba Cabriolets on the streets in the 80ies - and some on junkyards already in 1992/93. Normally all kind of Cabriolets were quite rare on German junkyards in that years - except the Talbot Samba and the Fiat Ritmo Cabriolet, too. The last Talbot Samba Cabriolet I've seen by myself in November 2006 - at the most far away place of the world: on Rapa Nui, the Easter Island. btw. It was a total rusted away wreck, placed behind the local garage.
Raul1983 ◊ 2009-11-11 20:13	As you might guess Talbots had a somewhat good reputation in Finland. Especially Talbot 1510 has been really dependable and is still a common sight.
ecclefechan ◊ 2009-11-16 17:06	I'm not sure what reputation Talbots had here in the UK - I don't think they were ever really popular enough to develop much of a reputation. The only Tablot branded vehicle which sold in reasonable numbers was the Talbot Express van which is still quite popular with camper conversions. Still, I don't think it was really a "real" Talbot so it didn't really count. While I don't think the Talbot brand sold particularly well, I know the likes of Chrysler Alpine/Simca 1307, Sunbeam, Matra-Simca Rancho, sold in reasonable numbers but had an extremely bad reputation for rust, with a life expectancy of about 6 years by some estimates. I suspect the Talbots weren't much better. An ordinary Talbot Samba is an unusual enough sight for me to have taken a photo of one I stumbled upon: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aqualite/3239589935/ -- Last edit: 2009-11-17 20:11:43
Ingo ◊ 2010-01-10 18:16	@Jale, @130rapid, @Weasel, @fck, @Bravada: yesterday I've seen a "road movie-reportage" about an older lady, who made a trip back to the place of her childhood, from Baden-Baden to Königsberg - driven in a taxi I a very short scene from Torún/Thorn, there was a Talbot Samba Cabriolet visible in the background, standing in the street... -- Last edit: 2010-01-10 18:17:04
G-MANN ◊ 2010-06-10 19:14	Raul1983 wrote Another evidence that Clarkson isn't a car enthusiast. I think he is, just because he doesn't like crap cars.
130rapid ◊ 2010-06-11 18:23	I regard people who rescue, restore, and enjoy with such crap cars. Any fool can pull the trigger of compactor. -- Last edit: 2010-06-11 18:45:15 (G-MANN)
G-MANN ◊ 2010-06-11 18:40	Fair enough, but I disagree that looking down on bad/mediocre cars (not just cars that aren't expensive) means you can't have a true love of cars. I think Clarkson just can't stand cars that have been made with so little flair or competence. I agree with ecclefechan's comment the most (although the destruction of this one car doesn't bother me). -- Last edit: 2010-06-11 18:47:48
130rapid ◊ 2010-06-11 19:06	Don't guess or repeat opinions. I have same problem with German cars lovers when talking about my daily courier. - Do you (BMW's lover) have a Xantia?????? :OOOO It's poor thing, delicate Frenchy, dull, ugly plastics inside, drives like a waterbed and has this terrible hydropneumatic "something" which break few times a week, etc. etc. - Did your ever own Xantia? ... Or drive at least? .... Or look at carefull? - Mmmmmm................ no. :X Buy Samba and try yourself. Many cars with bad/medicore/crap/junk reputation can supprise in positive sense. I know many people who love to have & drive such cars because this machines have unique imperfect character. This is clou of fun! The handsome Quasimodo looses whole crude charm. Even sudden breakdown & fixing it on roadside can be part of joy! Not for me. I love failure-free cars. Otherwise, I know well - thanks to my 15 years of practice - even very medicore (when new!) car can be very dependable after 20 years of duty still, if you take good care and give it some respect. -- Last edit: 2010-06-11 19:15:00
G-MANN ◊ 2010-06-11 19:24	I imagine you drive that Xantia because it's a cheap everyday runaround, while you have other cars that you're working on. There's nothing strange about driving a 10 year old Xantia anyway. 130rapid wrote Don't guess or repeat opinions. My opinions are my own I don't think I need to drive that particular car (the Talbot) to have an opinion of it. I will never buy a Talbot Samba (or any other Talbot) because I think it's ugly (don't know how anyone could find it good looking) it's probably a dog to drive and given it's age now it would probably be hard to find one that isn't falling apart (probably hard to find one at all in the UK). It is basically worthless. The only dull old car I'm prepared to blow good money on is my Omega estate because I think it's still cheaper than buying another used car that'll probably still need fixing at times. This is probably the same situation with your Xantia. If I ever buy an old car I'd like it to be one that once had some kind of desirability, like a Mercedes or Jaguar or maybe even an MG or something like that to start off on. It's not going to be something like this (I'd rather save my money) By the way my dad once had a E28 BMW 520i like yours (except it was light red), we had it for 10 years, it was the first family car I remember having long journeys in, so I think it's nice that you still keep one running -- Last edit: 2010-06-11 19:58:07
130rapid ◊ 2010-06-12 01:17	G-MANN wrote I imagine you drive that Xantia because it's a cheap everyday runaround, while you have other cars that you're working on. There's nothing strange about driving a 10 year old Xantia anyway. Not exactly. I searched for twice pricey car. Bought Xantia by spending only 45 % cash up for purchase. It was fall-in-love at first sight. I drove Xantia many years ago, one & half hour beside steering wheel only. I remember my deeply captive for union of very good handling, surefooted roadholding, progresive & powerfull brakes, plentifulness of grip & nice neutrality on fast curves (64 % of mass on front axle!) and OUTSTANDING RIDE COMFORT without waterbed effect. All this features with ANY compromise. (A bit feelless steering was lonely fault. Nobody's perfect). Deeply hidden influenza hydropneumatique virus striked me. G-MANN wrote I don't think I need to drive that particular car (the Talbot) to have an opinion of it. I thinik the touching, smelling, riding and driving is only correct way to made own opinion about any car. It's same way to good meet new people. My friend from BMW club is, well...., the specific looking person. Over 6 fts high, 260 lbs guy. He dresses in black and names themselves "Yeti". Few years ago he drove black BMW E38 with black windows. Once this car broke down on highway in dark forrest. Sun went down. He need technical or pick-one-up help and tried to stop somebody. Many drivers reacted by going to opposite lane, shifting down, stepping pedal into floor and running away. In true he's kind nice person. The wife, daughters, all pets (not only his one!) just love him. Teddy bear. :P G-MANN wrote (...) I'm prepared to blow good money on is my Omega estate because I think it's still cheaper than buying another used car that'll probably still need fixing at times. This is probably the same situation with your Xantia. I good understand this way of thinking. Xantia II is "the happy mistake" in whole Citroen range. 2000 MY has the best reliability statistics in Citroen's modern history. Otherwise she needs regular, specific and not the cheapest service & care. I didn't think about byuing C5 at all because of higher costs and terrible stories. My pal (working on Citroen/Peugeot service) told me that early C5s have the nickname "Queen of 24h Assistance". * * * I drive modern (sometimes brand new) cars time to time, on across-country journeys typically. They're more silent, better isolated from tyres roar, behave much better on a road, but they suffer to poor visibility from driver's seat and terrible over-complicated on-board systems' controls many times. I hate cars when I must turn eyes tn wide near-TV display for many seconds (in summary), go thru many comunication windows of stupid software, point "Agree" three times, "Disagree" once, to just start a strong flow from windshield vents (e.g. Nissan Primera P12). It's much dangerous than driving and speaking by cell phone in your hand. The elegant, bright & shinny trims & strips on dashboards tend to reflect on windshield. The gauges start to look Las Vegas' neons. Rheostat hasn't enough scale for me often. After long, all-night driving such "Las Vegas" car my eyes feel alike egs on frying pan. I don't need this demoeffects for passengers "Woooow!" only. I hate cars which flash-on indicator three times always when I touch a stalk. Or cars with chic headlights - dispersing light everywhere - which force me to push white wall ahead in foggy night. For Christ's sake, I feel handicapped in these kind of cars! Something's going wrong in modern cars' engineering. They break down more times than their "daddies" and "grandpas", in different ways indeed (more electronics' malfunctions & "Check Engine" incidents) and even rust! That's why I prefer 90'/00's oldies too for daily drive. I need only sparking engine, slick gearchange, good predictable roadholding (neutral-to-mild-oversteering in FWD), some hidden spirit, wide visibility thru windows and mirrors, natural dimensions' feeling, smart air conditioning system (e.g. able to warming up feet and cooling face in the same breath) and few sings of clever engineer's touch, e.g. Xantia's rear windshield with any drop of water when you drive over 40-45 mph in heavy rain. Worth to add xenon headlights, photochromatic mirrors with curved lenses on corners (for zooming down blind spots), windshield defrosting/demistering turning-on by one buttom, ESP, ABS, airbags, seat belts with tensioners, etc. G-MANN wrote I think it's nice that you still keep one running Thanks. The E28 is the BMW saute. Monumental sample of wise, keeping-both-feet-on-the-ground engineering. Very sophisticated where truly needed, but simply as possible without spoiling in other points. She's doing well all important acivities without spoilers & demoeffects. How nicely off topic! -- Last edit: 2010-06-12 01:48:20
DigitalLuke64DD ◊ 2011-06-26 22:12	I looked up on www.howmanyleft.co.uk and found that only 12 Talbot Samba Convertibles are still registered on the roads of Britain, whilst 29 are declared SORN; 43 total.
Lrm ◊ 2011-10-25 03:00	I think any car that survives 25 years doesn't deserve to be driven at high speed into a wall.
8ed5 ◊ 2015-01-28 19:59	Lrm wrote I think any car that survives 25 years doesn't deserve to be driven at high speed into a wall. Agreed. I just love old cars; they've got personality.

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1984 Talbot Samba Cabriolet [T15]

1984 Talbot Samba Cabriolet [T15] in Clarkson: Duel, Documentary, 2009

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