small car myths,

[urbtaf]

With the "scappy" sceam the gov has fetched in, and the general feeling that we ought to run smaller cars for the sake of the enviroment and our pockets ( though I doubt that the mess a new cars prodution makes out ways the mess an old car causes).
Any way I had my 10 year old Toyota 1800cc petrol estate in for its test this week, and it needed all the brakes basicly ripping out and renewing. Its never cost me any more than normal servicing and tyres ect. in 6 years and with 130000 miles under its belt, thats impressive, and very economical.
So I hired a Toyota Ayga or arga (something like that),To get me to work, Little, but it has everything you could want, lecy windows,AC, 4 doors,C Locking. On first impressions its like driving a 1960s mini cooper, hard suspension, great handling,very fast of the mark, no boot to speak of, but I can live with that. Then I did the first of my 3 times a week commute from South Yorkshire to Gt Manchester, first through the hills to Huddersfield, which it did well (but my left arm began to tire with all the gear changing to keep up with the rush hour traffic)
Then Junction 22 Outwood M62, down the sliproad build the speed up to 65mph, slip on behind a wagon, pass the wagon, speed up to 70mph, first of the big hills, speed drops to 65, then 60, the wagon now is undertaking me change down to 4th, floor it, back up to 70, engine sceaming, sneek in behind a tanker and stay there for the rest of the trip. Got to the end and my arms were tired with all the gear changing and holding onto the steering wheel for dear life.
2 days of that and I got my trusty old Avensis back, and it felt like a Rolls, went over the Pennines today in pouring rain and wind at 78mph in quiet, laid back mode, ready to take on the world. Economy, well the old Avensis does about 40mpg the shopping trolly thing has used a massive amount of fuel because I had to work it SO hard, and theres no way that car is going to be giving good service at 130000 miles.
So the next time my daughter has a go at me for driving "a big car" I think the answer is " horses for courses"

 

[coventrycraig]

I take it your sticking with what you know!

My old Renault master is 9 years old, and it doesnt let me down, Its a work horse that im not afraid to mark it. I couldnt justify buying a brand new van (for working with) with all the depreciation, and upset everytime I damage it.

Craig

 

[888dee]

interesting this, my daily driver is a 12 year old 172000 mile Alfa 155 and no it's not great on fuel but the way I see it is I do 7-8000 a year now and it will take a very long time to offset the "carbon footprint" created by obtaining the raw materials & building my new car, getting it to the dealer, the dealer itself etc etc....

then there's the design and build quality, now as someone who drives an Alfa designed in the late 80's it has it's "characteristics" and the build isn't up to your toyota but then again all cars are now build to a price and I believe cars (and the vast majority of consumer goods) will not last....

jeez I sound old

 

[urbtaf]

Dont believe the Toyota are perfect line, my model of Avensis is known for its dodgy gearbox, the syncro works when it feels like it.
As a matter of interest, my mechanic, loves Alfa cars, he says, if you can find a good one it will run for years and be great fun to drive, the only problem is finding a good one!!
But at 12 years old I think you must have got a good one

 

[watchthis]

(QUOTE FROM ABOVE)
With the "scappy" sceam the gov has fetched in, and the general feeling that we ought to run smaller cars for the sake of the enviroment and our pockets ( though I doubt that the mess a new cars prodution makes out ways the mess an old car causes).(QUOTE)


Down here in Kent one of the big dealers (Kia) advertised their small Picanto at £4195 including the scrappage scheme that was a about six weeks ago I passed the garage the other day and guess what the car is now £4495 including the scrappage scheme so it's not only the politicians who are on the make ----Has anyone else seen anything like this happening????
Bye for now
Freddie

 

[Randonneur]

If you look back at car sales adverts from before the scrappage scheme came in you could have got a far larger dealer discount on virtually any model of new vehicle due to the recession hitting sales targets.
In the newspapers this week they reckon that the money will have run out by August, but it was only going to last to March 2010 anyway.
My berlingo does'nt qualify for it but even if it did I could'nt afford the repayments on a new car even if I wanted one.

 

[Yogihughes]

I was thinking of maybe changing my 13 year old Merc, but as it has only 51,000 on the clock and never let me down why should I take a chance and get a "New" car that might give me problems.
It is heavy on fuel admittedly but I do use it sparingly.

 

[Jacqueslemac]

... but the way I see it is I do 7-8000 a year now and it will take a very long time to offset the "carbon footprint" created by obtaining the raw materials & building my new car, getting it to the dealer, the dealer itself etc etc....

Aah, but the initiative has nothing to do with saving the environment. It's all about shifting more new cars to help safeguard some jobs, some of which are in the UK.

Big green opportunity missed.

 

[urbtaf]

Aah, but the initiative has nothing to do with saving the environment. It's all about shifting more new cars to help safeguard some jobs, some of which are in the UK.

Big green opportunity missed.

I May be wrong on this, so somebody is welcome to correct me, but arnt the main sellers Kia, Hyandu,

Anyway the price thing is all kidolagy, approach a manufacturer direct to buy 10 or more cars/vans and you wont believe the price drop. Maybe if they just slashed the price to realistic levels, people would go back to the days when we changed cars every few years.
The high price being justified as research money! but havnt the gov just allocated many millions to the industry to develop "green" cars. Whos kidding who.
Were developing a new type of childrens earring that uses no metal at all wonder if that would get a green grant from our gov.