Random muse about cars and stuff

[Paul Norman]

Bother.

I missed this whole thread!

I worked in the car industry for much of my life, and am a serial petrolhead.

I have never got the giant SUV thing, personally. I find them rather clumsy looking, and due to my advanced age still prefer and nice saloon car - like my XJ8, which, of course, I no longer own.

I feel a little two faced about it, though. I enjoyed the luxury cars of my day, whilst now being very content to own and drive a small hatchback - just so long as it is new/nearly new.

The current trends in cars seem odd, to me. They are getting more gimmicky, and heavier, and in many cases larger, none of which trends are that appealing to me!

 

[Paul Norman]

And still they fly out of the showrooms. (RR, not Jaguar)

I have a lifelong live of Jaguars, despite having owned an X Type - car that Jaguar's own management later described as 'sh!t'

It's sad that that I will never own a current model, because I know it will let me down

I find myself utterly cold regarding the current range of Jags. I owned an S Type, and an XJ8 4.0. I moved to a Mercedes because the newer shapes didn't hit the spot for me. I believe this to be due to my age!

Now I don't even stretch to a Merc!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

I have owned a number of land rover cars (all second-hand) 2 x classic 3.5 & 3.9 range rovers, Disco mark 1 3.9, Freelander 1 and Freelander 2 plus a LWB series 2, apart from the Freelander 2 having a free new diff no other problems, but then none of the fancy electronic features fitted. When you pay upwards of £50,000 for a car you naturally feel upset when something fails and report it, but i assume few of the reported faults would stop the car being used, more likely a electronic fault of some sort which is poor design, but you needed leading electronics to offer all those gismo's. BMW and Mercs are not immune from problems either

 

[Mark T Jones]

I have owned a number of land rover cars (all second-hand) 2 x classic 3.5 & 3.9 range rovers, Disco mark 1 3.9, Freelander 1 and Freelander 2 plus a LWB series 2, apart from the Freelander 2 having a free new diff no other problems, but then none of the fancy electronic features fitted. When you pay upwards of £50,000 for a car you naturally feel upset when something fails and report it, but i assume few of the reported faults would stop the car being used, more likely a electronic fault of some sort which is poor design, but you needed leading electronics to offer all those gismo's. BMW and Mercs are not immune from problems either

I think mechanically they are quite sound.

Outside electronics, a lot of the gripes on new vehicles were around panel fit, from marginally misaligned bumpers to doors that actually caught and chipped the paint on opening.

A positive of buying used is that these things will usually have been rectified.

 

[WaveJumper]

As a slight aside to this ........... when are the car park spaces going to increase in size and keep pace with the latest models

 

[johndon68]

As a slight aside to this ........... when are the car park spaces going to increase in size and keep pace with the latest models

Probably at the same time that house builders realise that garages are too small to fit most cars in to these days...

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

First car, '67' VW Beetle, 100,000 on the clock that never let me down. Current daily driver cars, a Polo and Tiguan. Never been let down by a Volkswagen.

A story that would have dented Mercedes reputation if it made the news. A neighbour bought a brand new saloon car which, on having a minor dink removed from a front wing was found to have evidence of being cut and shut, not quite two cars made into one, but significant repairs to the chassis that could only have been repaired in the factory or by a specialist body shop.
The car was over 10 years old (around 25 years old now) by the time this issue was discovered, making a thorough investigation difficult but it was believed that the damage must have been caused in storage at the factory or a dockside one either side of the channel.
Suffice to say the owner was well compensated.

 

[AllUpHere]

First car, '67' VW Beetle, 100,000 on the clock that never let me down. Current daily driver cars, a Polo and Tiguan. Never been let down by a Volkswagen.

A story that would have dented Mercedes reputation if it made the news. A neighbour bought a brand new saloon car which, on having a minor dink removed from a front wing was found to have evidence of being cut and shut, not quite two cars made into one, but significant repairs to the chassis that could only have been repaired in the factory or by a specialist body shop.
The car was over 10 years old (around 25 years old now) by the time this issue was discovered, making a thorough investigation difficult but it was believed that the damage must have been caused in storage at the factory or a dockside one either side of the channel.
Suffice to say the owner was well compensated.

I haven't seen anything like that, but I've told a few people that their cars ( that they bought brand new) have 'had paint' that they weren't aware of.

 

[fisicx]

When I lived in Germany there were plenty of stories of BMW and Benz owners being compensated for new cars that were a bit duff. I hired a Mercedes for a weekend that broke down on the Autobahn. Only had 200km on the clock. Mercedes were very generous provided I kept quiet about it.

 

[WaveJumper]

When I lived in Germany there were plenty of stories of BMW and Benz owners being compensated for new cars that were a bit duff. I hired a Mercedes for a weekend that broke down on the Autobahn. Only had 200km on the clock. Mercedes were very generous provided I kept quiet about it.

Lets hope they not reading this forum then they might send the boys round

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

I remember a mate with over 50 years experience in the motor trade, telling me that the worst time to buy a car was when new registrations came out. That the 100 point pre delivery inspections supposedly carried out by the dealer were very rarely actioned. This on the basis that most vehicles would be ok, that any minor glitches that would flag up were often overlooked by new owners - particularly on company cars.

 

[WaveJumper]

I remember a mate with over 50 years experience in the motor trade, telling me that the worst time to buy a car was when new registrations came out. That the 100 point pre delivery inspections supposedly carried out by the dealer were very rarely actioned. This on the basis that most vehicles would be ok, that any minor glitches that would flag up were often overlooked by new owners - particularly on company cars.

I have a very good friend would testify to that when his new Ford car had a brake line trapped between an under panel in the wheel arch (not picked up on PDI) as he was driving and obviously moving the steering around it cut through ……. He was not amused

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

I was thinking about this today Mark as I’m in a hire car from Birmingham airport seeing clients down here.

I travel down to this area at least once a year, usually hiring a car from Birmingham airport for the short drive over to Northampton. I have had a variety of different vehicles here, a BMW 3 series a few years back but usually Mercedes. Had a hybrid C class last year which was awful. This time found I’ve got a diesel GLC - it’s not terrible, although a bit bouncy and I perhaps should have taken the E class I was also offered.

Point is though, this is a brand new 21 plate Merc, and there’s almost nothing different in terms of the features to any of the other Mercs I’ve hired over the past few years. Yeah it’s got heated seats, cruise control, all the things that you would expect, but like you said in your OP, there’s nothing that sets it apart from the 18 plate E class I had when I was in Kent back in 2018.

Not sure what I was expecting….

 

[Mark T Jones]

I was thinking about this today Mark as I’m in a hire car from Birmingham airport seeing clients down here.

I travel down to this area at least once a year, usually hiring a car from Birmingham airport for the short drive over to Northampton. I have had a variety of different vehicles here, a BMW 3 series a few years back but usually Mercedes. Had a hybrid C class last year which was awful. This time found I’ve got a diesel GLC - it’s not terrible, although a bit bouncy and I perhaps should have taken the E class I was also offered.

Point is though, this is a brand new 21 plate Merc, and there’s almost nothing different in terms of the features to any of the other Mercs I’ve hired over the past few years. Yeah it’s got heated seats, cruise control, all the things that you would expect, but like you said in your OP, there’s nothing that sets it apart from the 18 plate E class I had when I was in Kent back in 2018.

Not sure what I was expecting….

That's very frivolous hiring!

Being mean, I always go for base models - which can actually be quite entertaining.

One day, several years ago I did a 450 mile round trip in a 1 litre Micra.

My back certainly knew about it!

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

That's very frivolous hiring!

Being mean, I always go for base models - which can actually be quite entertaining.

One day, several years ago I did a 450 mile round trip in a 1 litre Micra.

My back certainly knew about it!

Yes when I hire a car I always go premium. It’s like my little treat for myself. Staying in a spa hotel in Kettering as well that I have been at a few times now…

 

[Financial-Modeller]

That's very frivolous hiring!

Being mean, I always go for base models - which can actually be quite entertaining.

Same here; I always hire the cheapest car, on the basis that they can only upgrade / improve it!

Also it can be fun to rag a small low-powered car around Europe, and a refreshing contrast to driving a decent car at home the rest of the time. I'm supposed to be collecting a Citroen DS3 for a couple of weeks in Andalucia, but the one thing that seems to be guaranteed is its never what its supposed to be - the hire car lotto!

 

[AllUpHere]

Same here; I always hire the cheapest car, on the basis that they can only upgrade / improve it!

Also it can be fun to rag a small low-powered car around Europe, and a refreshing contrast to driving a decent car at home the rest of the time. I'm supposed to be collecting a Citroen DS3 for a couple of weeks in Andalucia, but the one thing that seems to be guaranteed is its never what its supposed to be - the hire car lotto!

Look on the bright side, it's highly unlikely to be worse than a Citroen. Saying that, you'll probably get given a Hyundai or a Dacia.

 

[Ian J]

Look on the bright side, it's highly unlikely to be worse than a Citroen. Saying that, you'll probably get given a Hyundai or a Dacia.

I ordered a 7 seater at Alicante Airport last summer and got a Dacia Lodgy. I suppose that all in all it wasn't that bad.

This year in Kefalonia I ordered a Ford Fiesta from a company that advertises that you get what you order. I didn't realise that Fiesta's came with 500cc engines as that's certainly what it feels like chugging up the hills

 

[AllUpHere]

Gentlemen, prepare to be green with envy. I bought a new car over the weekend.......






A Honda Jazz.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Gentlemen, prepare to be green with envy. I bought a new car over the weekend.......






A Honda Jazz.

Lolz

I was suggesting to mum mum that she buys one of those - she freely admits to having no interest in cars or driving, so it seems ideal

 

[AllUpHere]

Lolz

I was suggesting to mum mum that she buys one of those - she freely admits to having no interest in cars or driving, so it seems ideal

We always have a little cheap runaround for taking the dog out, going to the tip and all that sort of stuff. It's replacing a 55 plate C-Max.
I happened to see it at our local Honda main dealer. It wasn't a lot of money, and with a full Honda service history and a years Honda Warranty it should provide some trouble free motoring.
I know as a bit of a petrol head I shouldn't admit it, but I quite like it. It's only a 1.4 VTEC but its nippy enough for what it is and the interior seemed like space age technology compared to the C-MAX.

Edit. I think your Mum should get one too.

 

[Mark T Jones]

We always have a little cheap runaround for taking the dog out, going to the tip and all that sort of stuff. It's replacing a 55 plate C-Max.
I happened to see it at our local Honda main dealer. It wasn't a lot of money, and with a full Honda service history and a years Honda Warranty it should provide some trouble free motoring.
I know as a bit of a petrol head I shouldn't admit it, but I quite like it. It's only a 1.4 VTEC but its nippy enough for what it is and the interior seemed like space age technology compared to the C-MAX.

Edit. I think your Mum should get one too.

It was said half in jest - Like all Hondas, they are competent and quite lively.

The really strange thing about Honda is that, despite their success in motorsport, and having sold a car billed as a 'half price Ferrari', they can't shake off their pipe & slippers image in the UK.

Apparently, in most countries they are seen as aspirational & sporty, but not here.

 

[AllUpHere]

It was said half in jest - Like all Hondas, they are competent and quite lively.

The really strange thing about Honda is that, despite their success in motorsport, and having sold a car billed as a 'half price Ferrari', they can't shake off their pipe & slippers image in the UK.

Apparently, in most countries they are seen as aspirational & sporty, but not here.

Lol, I was there for hours whilst the only 'used' salesman working that day guided a couple in the their 80's around every bloody detail of some new electric thing that I didn't even recognise, and then sat at his desk with another elderly couple shuffling paperwork. I don't know what paper work they were doing, but if it was finance I hope it was over a short term as they didn't look like they'd survive a 48 month plan.

 

[Ian J]

The really strange thing about Honda is that, despite their success in motorsport, and having sold a car billed as a 'half price Ferrari', they can't shake off their pipe & slippers image in the UK.

Going back some 25 years I had a Honda Prelude. It was a personal import and was the old coke bottle shape. The engine was the 2.2 VTEC and what an engine it was as the more you pressed the loud pedal the louder the engine screamed.

I had several years of very happy motoring in that car and was very surprised that I never lost my licence driving it

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

I may have come to a difficult decision over the weekend. I think I'm going to offload the boy racer spec modified Focus ST


And buy a transit van....

 

[Mark T Jones]

 

[Mark T Jones]

I may have come to a difficult decision over the weekend. I think I'm going to offload the boy racer spec modified Focus ST


And buy a transit van....

 

[AllUpHere]

I may have come to a difficult decision over the weekend. I think I'm going to offload the boy racer spec modified Focus ST


And buy a transit van....

You won't regret it. I love Vans. Just don't get a blue Transit custom with Dodge Viper style white stripe as you will open yourself up to endless and unrelenting abuse. Also not acceptable, front splitters, spoilers or any kind, or massive wheels with low profile tyres.

Obviously the above are acceptable if you live in a caravan and rip off pensioners who need need work done in their garden for a living.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

You won't regret it. I love Vans. Just don't get a blue Transit custom with Dodge Viper style white stripe as you will open yourself up to endless and unrelenting abuse. Also not acceptable, front splitters, spoilers or any kind, or massive wheels with low profile tyres.

Obviously the above are acceptable if you live in a caravan and rip off pensioners who need need work done in their garden for a living.

Don't worry, I will be modifying it but not in that way. Planning on building the back out into a camper, which takes a motorbike for transport too.

 

[AllUpHere]

Don't worry, I will be modifying it but not in that way. Planning on building the back out into a camper, which takes a motorbike for transport too.

You'll need a proper size transit for that. Personally I like the SWB medium roof but you might b better of with a LWB. How tall are you? I'm a fraction under 6ft and can't quite stand up straight in the medium roof.

 

[IanSuth]

Don't worry, I will be modifying it but not in that way. Planning on building the back out into a camper, which takes a motorbike for transport too.

Keep an eye on the weight if converting yourself, have a mate who bought a converted one, all seemed fine until he got stopped by a random VOSA check and was overweight. He got away with it as he could empty the 100l water tank and that brought him back under so they let him off with a warning but he was a tad scared for a while. If you shove a mbike in it as well.....

 

[Paul Norman]

I do, already, have a van. A Peugoet Boxer. The reason for the Boxer is that the motor home company I purchase from do all their conversions on Boxers.

I like the van, though. It is a surprisingly decent drive.

 

[IanSuth]

I do, already, have a van. A Peugoet Boxer. The reason for the Boxer is that the motor home company I purchase from do all their conversions on Boxers.

I like the van, though. It is a surprisingly decent drive.

I grew up on a farm and in large family with a stepfathert whose mates were in the trades so saw a lot of vans.

Our family "car" was a CF crewbus with the engine (which was a perkins diesel not the original) shifted back nearly 3 foot to make it mid engined (they had terrible traction otherwise), the seats were arranged so if I folded down the mirrors you could run my cg125 up a bit of c-section into the rear between the seats (due to engine placement you could also check the oil while sat in the drivers seat by removing the top of what we called "the coffee table")

One of his chippie mates was doing a lot of work up in london so they swapped in a different gearbox to his CF which had an overdrive controlled by a switch on the top of the gearknob, that was a pearlescent white van with ATeam style stripe in metallic Blue and stupid spoiler on the back top.

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

You'll need a proper size transit for that. Personally I like the SWB medium roof but you might b better of with a LWB. How tall are you? I'm a fraction under 6ft and can't quite stand up straight in the medium roof.

I am aiming for the L2H1. Extra length etc but standard height. I'm 6'2" so eventually I will do a pop top conversion to save my back, but I want it to be useable as a daily driver also when required so want to keep the size down.

 

[Newchodge]

Why do people (primarily men) care so much about their means of transport?

 

[AllUpHere]

Why do people (primarily men) care so much about their means of transport?

Lots of reasons. What are your hobbies?

 

[Newchodge]

Lots of reasons. What are your hobbies?

Family history research, archaeology, reading, good food.

 

[AllUpHere]

Family history research, archaeology, reading, good food.

To me, those indicate that you are one of life's spectators. Family history, archaeology and reading are very much about what other people have done (and achieved) leaving you to simply discover or read about their achievements.

I can't speak for others obviously, but I prefer to be actually doing things. Cars are only occasionally simply a mode of transport, and even then there is a lot more to it than simple transportation. I see driving as a skill that is honed and improved every single time I go out. I'm always critiquing my own driving, taking pride in drives done well, and working out how some other things could have been improved.

I wouldn't expect you to recognise any of the names of most of my vehicles (F-Type, Caterham Superlight, Atom, GSXR1000) but they are all vehicles that are extraordinary pieces of engineering. Some of them are among the fastest machines you will ever see on the road and wouldn't be driven for long by anyone without a decent level of skill in any sort of spirited fashion without a very high speed accident being the end result. I take pride in my driving, and treat improving my skill as a kind of hobby.

It's not just about driving though, I'm similarly enthusiastic about all things 'automotive'. As mentioned above, we always have a cheap run-around for errands and suchlike, and I enjoy maintaining and keeping those on the road. I taught myself to weld when the old C max was in need of an exhaust repair, and have quite a well kitted-out workshop for pottering with vehicles.

It's not even just cars and bikes; I'm just as happy pottering about in vans, and can even spend a perfectly happy afternoon servicing or repairing a mower or chainsaw.

The science and art of getting a car or bike to do exactly what you want is a lot more than transportation, and is an interesting subject in it's own right.

You will be doing us a disservice if you look at our ramblings on these threads as a willy waving exercise to tell everyone how many expensive cars we have; there's a lot more to it than that.

You'll find a lot of car fans also have an appreciation for all things engineering or technical. I also shoot, and find the craftsmanship of a gun from Purdey or Holland and Holland spectacular. I come from a long line of precision engineers, but the skill and thought required to make such things still amazes me.

 

[Newchodge]

To me, those indicate that you are one of life's spectators. Family history, archaeology and reading are very much about what other people have done (and achieved) leaving you to simply discover or read about their achievements.

I can't speak for others obviously, but I prefer to be actually doing things. Cars are only occasionally simply a mode of transport, and even then there is a lot more to it than simple transportation. I see driving as a skill that is honed and improved every single time I go out. I'm always critiquing my own driving, taking pride in drives done well, and working out how some other things could have been improved.

I wouldn't expect you to recognise any of the names of most of my vehicles (F-Type, Caterham Superlight, Atom, GSXR1000) but they are all vehicles that are extraordinary pieces of engineering. Some of them are among the fastest machines you will ever see on the road and wouldn't be driven for long by anyone without a decent level of skill in any sort of spirited fashion without a very high speed accident being the end result. I take pride in my driving, and treat improving my skill as a kind of hobby.

It's not just about driving though, I'm similarly enthusiastic about all things 'automotive'. As mentioned above, we always have a cheap run-around for errands and suchlike, and I enjoy maintaining and keeping those on the road. I taught myself to weld when the old C max was in need of an exhaust repair, and have quite a well kitted-out workshop for pottering with vehicles.

It's not even just cars and bikes; I'm just as happy pottering about in vans, and can even spend a perfectly happy afternoon servicing or repairing a mower or chainsaw.

The science and art of getting a car or bike to do exactly what you want is a lot more than transportation, and is an interesting subject in it's own right.

You will be doing us a disservice if you look at our ramblings on these threads as a willy waving exercise to tell everyone how many expensive cars we have; there's a lot more to it than that.

You'll find a lot of car fans also have an appreciation for all things engineering or technical. I also shoot, and find the craftsmanship of a gun from Purdey or Holland and Holland spectacular. I come from a long line of precision engineers, but the skill and thought required to make such things still amazes me.

If you had ever opened up a site with pick and shovel on a south facing slope in southern Spain in August, as I have, you would not suggest that particular hobby as being very much about what other people have done

 

[AllUpHere]

If you had ever opened up a site with pick and shovel on a south facing slope in southern Spain in August, as I have, you would not suggest that particular hobby as being very much about what other people have done

You asked a question, I gave a considered response, and you picked through it to find something you could disagree with. Obviously I needed to generalise, and obviously you will find a exceptions.
Take the post in the spirit it was written, and realise there is more to these car threads than you thought.