My car has been written off and I need another. It was a 2009 VW Scirocco with leather heated seats. The most important feature when I bought it was the fact the stereo would play my iPod. I loved that ‘cockpit’, comfort, everything immediately to hand and fabulous music. It was the perfect car for me.
The hire car is a BMW 220i. It has a fancy ‘M’ badge, which means it has a bit of umph under the bonnet. I’ve got to grips with the stereo, though it takes more clicks to find the album I want. Radio channels are still a bit hit and miss. The satnav seems to take an age to set. Lovely woman’s voice, though. Despite, or because of the ‘M’, I find the clutch biting point woolly in first gear. It tends to dawdle in getting going. Other than that, I love it. It suits me, at my age and driving style. I looked up the price – £45k. Made me sweat. However, without the ‘M’ it starts at £25! Same shape, same size engine judging by the 220i. How does that happen? Is the ‘M’ for people wanting to do 200mph round Silverstone? I’m happy just to gently cruise everywhere these days.
Then, I see a Mercedes on offer for £299 a month, a price I could afford. I’ve never even sat in one but it was a silver Mercedes that wrote me off. It was his dad’s car. Two lovely girls were in the car, so I can understand why he decided not to give way when entering a roundabout. Fortunately, I steered right and he was angled left. Instead of T boning me in the side, we cuffed and were propelled into different orbits. No-one was hurt. Mercedes are nice, aren’t they?
To complicate matters my son sells Fords. They are perfectly fine. Nice stereo. Satnavs seem standard. Little compartment for driving gloves and such. Boots are big enough for a body. Just the one. However, I’d be given a ‘family’ discount.
Then, of course, the world is changing. In a few years, petrol and diesel will be on the wane. Insurance costs will rise, even when you have a no fault accident.
Work is only 6.1 miles away. I pootle round town a bit. No long trips these days. Occasional country path but nothing off-road. I can always put the car coat on the back seat.
There must be some Afterworders who know about cars. What should I do?
My little Honda Civic lasted us 11 years and 125,000 miles, but when two parts fell off it in a week – one of them with a shower of sparks so vast I could see it in the rear view mirror, like a golden rooster tail – I decided it was time to let it go. So I’m looking around now.
I have a feeling vehicle leasing is the next sub-prime. I’ve been offered ridiculous deals on three-year financing (10% APR!) with a guaranteed buy-back. I think a lot of people are over-exposed on their cars and will start to default – that means a lot of secondhand cars turning up on vendors’ forecourts, a collapse in that market, and a rise in interest rates for those left. Oh and don’t buy diesel if you’re going to drive in cities.
I had a Honda Civic many years ago. Most reliable car I ever had. Passed it on to my cousin who continued to drive for many more years.
Don’t worry diesel is out.
From now on, I’ll always think of your car – whichever you decide upon – as The Cockpit.
Pull up to my bumper, baby …
Technically speaking, cars are female. However, aren’t they all cockpits?
Depends on your definition a cock.
With newer Audi drivers your are probably right.
I have a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, Automatic 1.8L engine had it a year does the job. Before that I was hiring cars for years on weekends so tried many different ones. Wish it had a rear view camera, those are very useful. I like the Bluetooth connectivity for hands free phone calls and playing content from my smart phone. Didn’t lease as I do pretty high mileage. Performance is good and fuel consumption reasonable. Not a sexy car but I don’t care about that.
Do the deal with your son. Fords are excellent to drive, well equipped and pretty reliable. Plus, you’re keeping it in the family, so to speak. I’ve had a BMW, it was lovely, the best car I’ve ever owned. Now drive a Golf, it’s great (automatic – which I highly recommend) if I was splurging I would probably go for an Audi over the BMW or Mercedes. They are winning against the other Germans in lots of reviews. I have moments when I see a very nice new car go past me and think I might like to swap mine – and then I check myself and remember that this one does everything I want a car to do and it does it really well. That’ll do for me (pig) Oh, to reiterate what was said up there ^^^ don’t get a diesel.
The Hairnets are not ‘M-people’, so can’t help you there, I’m afraid. But we have just bought a new car – a Dacia Duster – and before everyone pours scorn, this is turning out to be a great basic car for people like me, who hate needless complications and technology. No satnav. No heated seats, with ten way adjustability. No rear cameras. Even the spare wheel was extra!
I was originally drawn to the Duster as one of the few remaining cars that still came with a CD player as standard. The lovely Spanish salesman assured me this was the case. So imagine my horror when the new car arrived sin CD! I spent a good five minutes scouring the dash for the mystery slot before discovering that the CD had been dropped for 2017. However, this has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The stereo has USB input, bluetooth and a 3.5mm audio jack input, so all bases covered there. Also, there’s a lovely little shelf just above the stereo that makes a perfect home for the smartphone.
Good fuel economy, decent load carrying, will cruise at 70-80 on the motorway all day. High ground clearance for jungle adventures and, best of all, very cheap to buy. Basic model starts at around 10 grand.
Best selling car in Scotland right now, or so I’ve heard.
I myself would settle for nothing less than one of these:
http://i.imgur.com/vkyR6ch.jpg
I’m getting on a bit now, although I’m not as old as minibreakfast thinks. However, I reckon I may live to see one of these for real. Sadly, by then, my eyesight will be too weak to actually drive it.
I reckon by the time personal air-cars are standard, you won’t actually be allowed to drive your own vehicle any more. The skies will quickly become dangerously congested and what would be a minor bump or scrape at ground level, necessitating an exchange of insurance details, could be extremely fatal at even a couple of hundred feet. And not just to you and your passengers.
The authorities won’t allow personal control of air-cars.
An automated grid of routes will be established, whereby you enter your destination into the car’s console and sit back and relax while the grid takes you and your car to where you’re going. Collisions will be virtually impossible, barring the odd system glitch, because every vehicle on the grid will be similarly logged into it and collision avoidance will be built into the system. Of course one other annoying glitch will be that occasionally your car will be taken to the wrong address entirely and you will be unable to override it until you arrive.
Sounds wonderful.
Ummm, how will personal jet packs fit this scenario then?
You are Prof. Popkiss and I claim my five space credits!
Five years ago I bought my “dream car” (or a variant of) – a Jaguar X Type (also known as a Ford Mondeo with a body kit).
Lovely motor – plenty of comfort, plenty of oomph, damn near perfect.
And then it went wrong – head gasket, steering rack, gearbox. It basically died on its arse (or the hard shoulder of the M1 just outside Northampton).
The replacement felt like a massive fall down the food chain as I placed myself behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Insignia.
Wrong!
Does everything the Jag did with bells on.
Good stereo, iPod port, Bluetooth, plenty of pointless functionality on the trip computer, properly comfortable seats on long journeys, big boot. And not a single “funny noise” in three years.
Sounds like a crap recommendation, but go for a Vauxhall and spend the £££ saved against a Merc or Beemer on more CDs or a new pair of driving gloves
I had an Insignia hire car for a short while after my old Saab 9-3 was written off by an idiot coming out of a side turning on my right and smashing into the side of me.
A very nice car indeed to drive, comfortable seats, good stereo etc. but with just 2 niggles.
Not such good rear and side vision as the Saab and hill start using the electric handbrake were never completely mastered in the few weeks I had it.
The e brake does take a bit of getting used to. The concept of releasing the clutch with the handbrake still on does mess with your mind for a bit.
Steep hill starts require a level of confidence and trust that the anti-pollution back function stays engaged long enough until the clutch bites.
Despite them being labelled as boring cars for golfers by Clarkson et al, my two recent cars have been Lexus and they are the best I have never had (and that includes a 3 series BMW). They are basically on par with your “executive class” BMW / Audi / Merc but with less “prestige” and a lower price,
Thing is though, they are incredibly reliable (I had my previous IS250 for 5 years and all I changed were tyres, shocks and brake pads – I.e. Normal wear and tear and nothing else went wrong). They are also incredibly comfortable and quiet. You won’t be playing at boy racer in one, but do you really care ?
I currently have the NX300, which is their baby SUV. It’s hybrid, so has great petrol consumption and almost zero emissions (esp when idling as it uses the electric motor). It’s got lots of buttons in the cockpit and a great stereo (with iPod integration). It’s also very very quiet and so you can really get the best from the stereo. it also came with a 5 year warranty and free servicing (but that’s here in Singapore and so is probably not relevent)
The plural of Lexus is Lexi
(c) Alan Partridge
I’ve had a few cars
and a couple of bikes
none of them among my best likes
Oh wait a minute, this isn’t the poetry thread is it?
Mrs duco01 and I have a Lexus IS 200 from 2000.
For a 17-year-old car, I reckon it’s still performing reasonably well.
I used to own one of them. Loved the clock face type dials in the dash.
But at 28mpg I got rid of it after 3 years.
I have but one need in a car, besides A–>B, and that is the music player. I listen to music more in the car than any other environ. A recent wife had higher ideals and persuaded me into series 1 BMWs, of which I have had 2. Never really liked ’em, but the 2nd one wouldn’t die, so I kept it for 11 years, which was 7 after it was fully paid for. It died on my 60th birthday and, having nominally retired, I was looking for something less emblematic and efficacious, as I was also ditching my daily commute.
I bought a 2nd hand Ford, 2 years, 14k on the clock, an Ecosport, daft name tho’ it is. It is a bit jeepy, but built on the base of a Fiesta. It has a fabulous stereo, it is quite cool for an old bloke and was cheap as chips. Get your sons discount and you are looking at less than 10k.
What colour is it? Looking at the photos, it needs a strong colour.
Black!
The moles have just gone through the excruciating pain of replacing the 13-year old Focus – 180k trouble free on the clock, but it is starting to fall apart. I would have been happy with another, and so would everyone except the other moles. So as a focus is not an option, though clearly it is the family car to go to, after tedious research the shortlist on a Focus equivalent was:
Hyundai i30
Skoda Octavia
Seat Leon
VW Golf
Mazda m3
Kia Cee’d
The Civic is ultra-reliable too, but styling meant others could not buy into it.
I think the question is how much motorway do you do – the Leon and Golf come in 1.2 as standard which is a bit small for 4 of us plus bags. Eventually we have opted for a 3-year old cee’d, 4 years left on the manufacturers warranty. Drives excactly like a Focus but with Bluetooth, USB ports etc.
No-one but Ford has the incredibly useful heated windscreen (its their patent) – clears ice in 60s on a frosty morning. I’d be Focus all the way – well built, reliable, cheap to insure and service.
Don’t the Jaguar XE and XF have heated windscreen as well?
Ok they are in a slightly different price bracket than our 5-10k used family car niche!
The XF I have from 2011 does.
I got my Cee’d estate four years ago, at 3 years old so its warranty is only just expiring now – not that anything serious needed doing in that time, which justifies Kia’s confidence with 7 years. Anyway, it’s been exactly the workhorse I wanted. Reliable, economical, plenty comfortable enough for the 20k miles I cover each year, with enormous luggage space and BT audio.
@malc picking it up this week – still has a CD player (2015 model) as well as bluetooth so all audio bases covered. And 6th gear – they probably all have this now – but like that a lot too.
@moseleymoles How about this for customer service…last month during its MoT we noticed some rust at the top of both rear doors. Unwelcome and a bit unsightly, but nothing too worrying. Even so, it still had a month left on the 7-year warranty so I took into Kia to see if I could claim on it. At the body shop I got a nasty shock when they pointed out where it had once had an accident (at some point in the 3 years before I had it), which included one of the rear doors and they thought Kia would probably reject it. So imagine my reaction when they called today to say that they would replace both rear doors under warranty. Turns out the rust is a known issue, but bear in mind this is for a 7-year old car with over 100k on the clock and apparent accident damage; they could’ve argued the toss to avoid coughing up, but they didn’t. How many other manufacturers would honour the claim?
@malc. Cautiously optimistic here, picking it up weds hopefully. We get 4 years of warranty. Good to hear .
@malc picked it up a week ago, all going just fine. CD player appears a little on the quiet side, though radio fine. And you can answer your phone from the steering wheel! Other than that so quiet you notice the road noise a lot more.
I own a six year old Jaguar XF 2.2d Portfolio and it has done nearly 100k miles and is barely run in.
I will be starting a new job in September and will be getting a company car instead of a car allowance so will sadly have to sell it. It has been a very reliable car and has all the luxuries that has made driving 90k miles in it over the last 5 years relaxing and comfortable.
Depending on whether you need a car this large or not I can thoroughly recommend a second hand Jaguar XF as a sensible choice (as do Autocar magazine which I subscribe to).
How much do you want for it?
11k in the first week of September would be nice.
It has a full Jaguar service history, MOT until August 2018 and new tyres!
Ooh!
Whose idea was it to call a Jaguar a Portfolio?
“So where it once said “cock” it now says “cook”, and where it said “piss” it now says “pass”, so it’s a bit less rude.”
I’ve been lucky with my two cars in the States.
A Civic that I drove into the ground – 240k in about 8 years. Only thing that broke was the alternator. Not exciting, but I’d recommend in a heartbeat.
I now have a Mazda CX7. I do a lot of Interstate driving, and I wanted something that was biggerish but with power. Again, no issues, and about 100k in 7 years. It’s a 2010 model, and the sound system is, I think, wonderful.
The only wanring note I have is around GPS/SatNav. No point getting one unless you get dynamic updates. Thank God for Google maps, because the satnav in the Mazda uses 7 year old data, which around here is tosh.
I am tentatively eyeing up the new Jag crossover, which looks nice. Or a Subaru XV.
Get the Ford discount. You’d be nuts not to. I have a Fiesta 1.0 automatic. It’s not sexy, but who needs a sexy car when you’ve got this? *waves hands back & forth across torso*.
For music it will do iPod (you can have fun speaking to it – “Play artist… David Bowie. Davidddd Bowweeee. NO – Dayyy …vvvid B..” etc etc, the miles just fly by), it will do Bluetooth to your phone. It drives like a car, cheap as chips, nuff said.
Hm. The Ford Discount. Sounds reliable.
I live off the beaten track and need to do some off road driving so I have a 4×4. This is a bit of a bugger when you go into town because parking spaces aren’t designed for 4×4’s unless you want to climb out of the sunroof and come back to dents and scratches in your doors. They are also rather less than economical (understatement). We decided that a second car for trips into town and the like would be a good idea and bought a Ford Fiesta. Now I’m a bit of a car snob but was very impressed with the level of kit it had, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, heated seats, bluetooth connectivity, satnav, etc. It drives like a dream and after driving a 4×4 for so long the first trip to the petrol station to fill up the Fiesta was a revelation – I couldn’t remember the last time I filled a car up for less than £80 so filling up for £45 was brilliant.
I echo Mr Escher, take the Ford discount, you’ll get a lot of car for not too much money.
Alternatively I’ve heard the new DB11 from Aston Martin is quite nippy…
I suppose it depends on whether you’re after what you want or what you need. If it’s the latter (six mile commute and a bit of tootling about), then go for the discounted Ford and treat yourself to a half-decent bike with the change with the added bonus of a bit of exercise and the satisfaction of not being sat in a queue of traffic in the tin box twice a day.
If it’s not apparent already, I’m not a huge car fan and have been happy enough with an 05 plate Almera for about the last nine years which cost me less than five grand when I bought it. Had to spend £500 recently on a new steering rack but that was the first serious money I’ve had to spend on it since I had it, so it’s basically cost me around £600 a year plus fuel, servicing and general wear and tear. Compare that to the depreciation on a £25k BMW. Sorry, but it makes no sense to me.
Yes, I wish I could plug the ipod into it (I’ve tried those things that use free FM radio frequency but they’re not great) and the air con has recently packed up but those are not sufficient to make me want to change it. I don’t do many miles but when I need to, it never lets me down (well, it hasn’t done so yet). 1600 miles in a fortnight in Scotland recently is testament to that. I hope it’s got a few more years left in it yet and I daresay I shall be looking for another Nssan given how reliable the last three have been over the last 21 years.
The biggest cost of owning a car is of course depreciation. The whole life cost of ownership is worth considering and could tip things the BMW’s way. The other thing to check is current owners’ experiences. Honest John is great for that. I had considered buying one of those Jaguar estate things a few years back as a kid/dog workhorse. Then I read owners’ experiences and I think I dodged a bullet on a car that was too clever (and badly built) for its own good.
I now have an M-badged Beemer estate for load lugging and it does the job, although the badge, trim and sports wheels are writing cheques that the engine struggles to cash. I’d avoid diesels as they’re about to be punished and punished again, as high CO2 cars once were. If possible, try and stay with a reliable, well reviewed 4 cylinder engine as they are more likely to survive the eco-onslaught for the next few years at least. Mercedes build quality has improved hugely of late, having been in the toilet for a few years.
The 1 and 2 series are enormous fun cars and if you enjoy corners, you won’t find a car that’s more fun to chuck around. That said, sporty Fords tend to handle superbly these days, albeit you pay when it comes to resale value.
Finally, if it’s big enough, the VW Golf GTi is an excellent car and holds its value well. I personally prefer the R, but the petrol consumption on that is pretty grim.
What would you describe as a sporty Ford? There is a Fiesta with B&O 360 degree surround sound. If it’s half as good as described, I’d never leave the car.
The GT is fairly sporty, but for us mere mortals, i mean the ST.
Ah. I see. Thanks.
*scurries off to internet*
(You may be guessing I haven’t phoned my son yet. Once I do that, I’ll be lost in a vortex from which I may never emerge.)
I drove VWs and Audis for years and now a Nissan Qashqai. I love the Qashqai. If you have to get in and out of it lots of times a day as I do with my job, the driving position makes a huge difference. It cruises beautifully and has bells and whistles you would pay a fortune for in another marque.
Yer ken draaahve ’em on the left!
If you love that cockpit feel (ooh missus!) and you loved your Scirocco, there’s only one real answer (unless you need back seats). A used Porsche Cayman (ideally an S)! It will be a step up in driving satisfaction from the Scirocco and for just £70.00 you can add a cable link for your iPod to the infotainment system (PCM – Porsche Communication Management). I currently had a 2008 Boxster S with a Bose audio upgrade. Both are outstanding.
If you need rear seats, there’s the evergreen 911 – probably a 997 model. Or another Scirocco. So that’s three answers…
10 year old 997s are £15-20k. Bullet proof engineering and glorious to drive and own. The second generation, ideally with the 7-speed PDK gearbox, is the one to go for.
These days I’m not remotely interested in cars, as long as they work. The main car is a Honda CRX, ideal for family outings, lengthy work commutes and long holiday drives. It’s sluggish, boring and automatic so no fun either, but needs must. The most annoying thing about it is it beeps with fury at the slightest provocation – open the door – BEEP – put it in reverse – BEEP – open the door with the key in the lock – two different beeps. It nags the fucking life out of you, consequently I wouldn’t have another one.
BITD I had a Golf GTI which I used to scream about like an idiot, thankfully not killing anyone or smacking into anyone. Then I had a 16 valve Calibra, again a Mondeo in a nice frock, mind you it had different wide wheels, different suspension, 2 litre engine, leather everything, lovely blue metalflake paint – loved it. I was stationary at a junction and some twat drove into me, which was a drag.
Mrs. T has a 15 year old Mazda MX5 which is fab – billy basic but nippy as all get out and makes up for the boring Honda. Then I have a motorbike….just upgraded to a Honda CB500X which is great fun.
re your dilemma, I agree with the comments above – get a Ford. My brother swears by them.
Don’t give a toss about cars. (Always think there’s something really Partridge about blokes and their cars but then I don’t like football either, so I’m a poor excuse for a bloke.)
But needs must and my automatic Audi A4 estate is the best car I’ve owned. Faster than I’d ever need, super comfy, heaps of space, safe as houses. (Plus it’s a good barometer for spotting total Clarkson-manqué wankers because they’re the ones who get hoity toity about automatics like it’s some kind of insult to masculinity to own one.)
I have to have a manual. Nothing feels quite as satisfying as a nice firm thick gear knob, especially when wearing a glove.
☹️ Did the Artic Monkeys write “When The Sun Goes Down” about you, Tigs?
I don’t think so. I’ve never met The Artic Monkeys.
😉
I have to disagree.
Automatics are my gear change of choice as a 51 year old man.
Smooth and will always hit the spot.
And what do you do with your hands?
I am a mime.
My hands are my tools.
I distract other road users at the traffic lights and zebra crossings!
Don’t you think it’s safer to rest it on a nice thick knob?
Whilst not doubting the allure of caressing a firm leather sheathed knob, I have to say that the whole manual labour involved bores me rigid. Autos – especially double clutch ones – all the way.
I used to have a manual, but I never read it.
If you’re considering a new car have a look here https://www.carwow.co.uk
They have a great review area, and when you decide on the car you want you select it on the site and then dealers from all over will knock thousands off list prices and you can pick the one you want. Or not. There’s no obligation to buy. If the dealer is a distance from your home they will often offer to pay hotel costs for you to stay overnight when you go to pick up your new car. 😍
Very interesting. Thank you.
We have an 8-year-old Ford Fiesta, built in Thailand, surprisingly. (Note I don’t say I ‘drive’, apols to anybody up-thread but only knob/petrolheads say that.) It’s reliable, cheap to run, fun to drive, nippy, goes round corners on rails, etc. Driving in Oz means you’re surrounded by hairy-chested utes and humungous great fourbies, so I sometimes feel less than the full Bruce in my little car. We wouldn’t take it on dirt roads in the outback, but it’s the perfect city car.
After giving the Uber account a caning in London I came back convinced I needed an automatic Toyota Prius. They’re comfortable, quiet, enthusiastically endorsed by loads of Uber drivers, and very cheap to run. Expensive to buy though.
Servicing could be pricey too. Yoove gotta do the kms to get the payback.
I’m no expert but I believe the batteries are expensive to replace so older vehicles are to be avoided. Similarly, not all hybrids are equal and some have poor mpg when not running on electricity.
I have a Subaru outback. 2006. The last vehicle was a Subaru too. V reliable cars solid and all wheel drive which I see as essential for handling. The engines are made by Fuji engineering wot make the plane engines so know their onions.
I’m gonna drive it into the ground as I am always loading stuff and anything new is going to get damaged. they don’t have heaps of grunt but are efficient. The stereo was a bit meh so I’ve put a new one in thus I’m locked in.
Having said all this I am currently inclined to drive my step daughters 2002 Ford laser. 250k on the clock. Light as buggery and runs on smell of an oil rag. I rarely speed as 60 km feel like 80. Got shockers worse than a billy cart but unless I m travelling distance its great.
I really enjoyed reading your post. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand any of it.
Onions? Grunt? Stereo? Meh? How hard is that to understand? The Afterword summed up in 4 words.
I think you’ve become acclimatised to the lingo, Mike.
I’ve driven VW Golfs since 1992 – Mk2 1.8 petrol for 9 years, a Mk 4 2.0 petrol for 11, both of which were excellent, a Mk 6 1.6 diesel which was for some reason was amazingly frugal but had paintwork made of cheese (generally scratched by passing leaves or the occasional insect) and latterly a wonderful 2014 two litre diesel that cruises effortlessly, goes like stink (it’s the closest I’ve ever come to driving a licence loser) and has more toys than Hamley’s (most of which I don’t use). I drove a Ford Focus automatic in the US a couple of years ago which was perfectly adequate and more than comparable, if appearing slightly less airy than the Golf. Minor quibbles. Friends have a Kia C’eed on a three year contract, which seems ridiculously well spec’d for the price.
After several hours stuck on the UK motorway system last week I’m increasingly hating driving anywhere so I’d just grab the best volume for your usage, ignore image and give cachet the cold shoulder – a Renault Kangoo van it is then.
I had a Golf 2.0 Tdi for a while – I loved it, went like shit off a shovel in the salesman’s immortal phrase. I got rid of it though – it was getting expensive to run, with some big turbo work coming up, and not really all that practical in the Cornish lanes unless you had a death wish.
Oh you guys!
*manly punches on shoulders*
We have a Toyota Xanax.
You can’t fool me, this thread’s about dick length isn’t it? Real or craved.
And I use the word ‘thread’ deliberately.
It is and you, Ithink, use public transport.
And as you know JW, a Melbourne tram is the equivalent weight of 30 rhinos.
Noted GJ – but you aint the driver
True. But I always think it’s best to let the experts handle the larger, um, item.
Speaking as one who has a Ford Fiesta, no…although to be fair, it is actually longer than my dick.
I’ve had a few rides in your car Mike and, for some reason, I’m not in a hurry to hop back in.
Please yourself 😉
It’s the length comparisons – I fear I will be in a mobile and considerably larger version (I’m assuming) of Mike’s appendage.
So, what are you driving at the moment?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjaMs_ioJPA
Gary seems awfully keen to steer the conversation towards the male appendage. Is it hard,Gary? In Australia?
😂😂😂
I don’t know about that, mate. You’re the one who wants to talk about fidget spinners.
Another euphemism that only you took to meaning. It’s okay, Gary.
😂😂😂
I’m winding you up bro. Relax!
😂
Cheers Doctor Bri! 😊
I’ve been driving VW Golf’s for 13 years now. Had 3 to date, the last (which is the oldest,) for 6 years, its 12 years old now. Still looks great, reliable, likely to move on, fancy a change, looking at a Honda Civic 1.8, bit more pace and a big boot. See loads of them on the road, seems reliable. Less than £200 road tax per year, 0-60 in under 10secs. thats enough for me. Ipod link too, which is a must. I don’t do a high mileage but still need a car that can deal with a long trip from time to time.
I’d recommend a Golf though. Does everything you could want it to do. Will always avoid diesels. Only time i had one was as a company car.
I looked up the price – £45k. Made me sweat. However, without the ‘M’ it starts at £25! Same shape, same size engine judging by the 220i. How does that happen?
Let’s put this into context, using guitars…..just for fun.
Martin make dreadnought acoustic guitars. D means the size, and the number is the style. The most relevant ones these days are the D18, D28, D42 and D45. They are all the same guitar. I won’t post pictures, look for yourself. D18 is the budget model, and D45 is the top of the range. 4 times the price! Apart from all the pearl, they are the same guitar.
I don’t really care about cars these days. I have a Toyota auris which cost 5 grand, 6 years ago. Obviously used, and I’ve put tyres and brake pads on it only. Before that, I had a Toyota avensis which also cost 5 grand. I had it for 9 years. 14 years for about 10 grand. My pal turned up last week in a 17 plate 2 seater cabriolet Mercedes. He’ll have lost 10 grand on it by Christmas.
Thanks for that. I don’t understand guitars either but I see your point.
Have just bough a mini, after diving an xk8 for a few years. Its the most fun I’ve had in a car since I started driving. Thoroughly recommended for city driving ( maybe less so for long distance cruising ) .
Plus, it has apple carplay interface which is very handy indeed.
Not as good as a guitar though, obvs.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
I’ve made a decision. I’m going for the Ford family discount. A five door Fiesta with a Bang & Olufson 360 surround sound stereo and all the trimmings, including heated steering wheel. No sunroof for me. My head is bald & will burn. The car is a copper colour. Nice.
Thank you all for your help.
Just what the doctor ordered! But is there room for a body in the boot?
And can you have a jump without getting the handbrake up your jacksie?
Of course.
That’s an answer to mini’s question.
In answer to Moose, it’s a brand new car we are talking about. I’ll be very surprised if I need a jump. But I could if I wanted one.
New car, yes…. give the upholstery a chance.
As John Lennon once nearly said.
The new model or the outgoing one?
The new one looks excellent ( does the old one).
Erm…there’s more than one version?
I saw one just like that this very evening. It’s a great colour!
Did the bass sound phat?
Definitely!
You can only get the B & O in the new model (no spare wheel in the boot cozzov the massive f***in’ subwoofer). I have already submitted an open-ended request to Santa. Says he doesn’t think it will be this year…
Looking forward to your “nights out” for this one, Tiggs. (Hey! They had motoring reviews in The Word mag, after all..)
Before kids, and indeed for their little years, we had a succession of Fiestas. I was perfectly happy with them as was Ms Moles
Mk2 Sri – went like the clappers – in red. Loved this car.
Mk3 in light blue
Mk 4 and Mk 5 in dark blue, went on forever
But then the kids got too big and 4 suitcases did not go.
A marine blue Renault five, à white turbo diesel Austin Montego, then, since I’ve been living in sweden, I rent a different car every year when I work on Öland, the last one has a camera that shows if there’s someone behind when I put the reverse gear on and the mirrors modes like an angry cat’s ears.
I am more proud of my bicycles, the ice-weather one and the army one which I found hidden in a deep “dike”, hidden under grass.
I wouldn’t mind owning an MG, though.