What kind of car do you drive?

[Ilove165's]

As I can't drive, I obviously don't have a car...

But my dad has a silver 98/R Vauxhall Omega V6 which is a) rather large and b) quite beastly too...

 

[Metroland]

Don't have one, I've found other ways to burn money!

 

[Aussie_Rail]

So what are petrol prices like at the moment? Can it be possible to live without a car at all? I guess if you live in the middle of a city then you could get by without one, but just how far can you live from a City before you need a car?

 

[Metroland]

£1 or 2 Aus dollar per litre of petrol . I suppose I'm going to get a load of stick for it (because I usually do, cars in this country are like a religion, either way I don't care, I'm not responding this conversation has been had elsewhere on this forum) but you don't really need a car in the UK unless you live in a very rural area if you are sensible about a number of choices you make. I know plenty of people without cars, they manage just fine. It's people's choice to have one, but I believe they should have a choice not to have one and save on the £6133 of annual running costs, or £118 per week. (RAC figures)

The reason I don't have one is because I can't afford one, I'd have to be earning well in excess of £35k to consider buying another one as a half decent car takes up such a substantial part of your income.

http://www.which.co.uk/news/2007/06/motorists-count-cost-of-keeping-a-car-116014.jsp

 

[The Snap]

The reason I don't have one is because I can't afford one, I'd have to be earning well in excess of £35k to consider buying another one as a half decent car takes up such a substantial part of your income.

I have a part time job and I've got a decent small car - I don't earn anything like that! You can get a decent 5 year old car for £5000, and you're insurance will be far, far, far less than mine, so you can afford one, really. Then again, I guess you have bills to pay etc, unlike me - my wages go on my car, and alcohol (well, going out, but that always involves alcohol) .

I've got a 1.3L Ford Fiesta (2000), complete with brand new 15" alloy wheels, red rear drums and brake callipers, and a stereo system! I'm working to keep doing things to it - next on the list is a new back box and tinted rear windows.

Although, I'm looking to upgrade next year to a 1.6 Fiesta Zetec S (Mark 5/2000 model) - my god they are quick! A 1.6 in a car that weighs virtually nothing...

 

[Geezertronic]

1.3L Ford Fiesta (2000), complete with brand new 15" alloy wheels, red rear drums and brake callipers, and a stereo system! I'm working to keep doing things to it - next on the list is a new back box and tinted rear windows.

Although, I'm looking to upgrade next year to a 1.6 Fiesta Zetec S (Mark 5/2000 model) - my god they are quick! A 1.6 in a car that weighs virtually nothing...

Boy Racer

 

[GB]

2002 Audi TT Quattro, 1.8 turbo 225Bbhp.

No hair dresser remarks please:roll:

 

[Ilove165's]

2002 Audi TT Quattro, 1.8 turbo 225Bbhp.

No hair dresser remarks please:roll:

Well, it ain't gonna be easy

 

[The Snap]

Boy Racer

I know, great isn't it!

2002 Audi TT Quattro, 1.8 turbo 225Bbhp.

No hair dresser remarks please:roll:

Nice car, should be pretty quick I guess? Although, it is a bit "hairdressery" .

 

[Aussie_Rail]

Well for obvious reasons we are a very car dependent country and there are only a few places you can live well to not need them, in the state capitals and even still in the middle of them you can live without a car, in most urban centres 20km out of the city centre and you would need a car otherwise it gets very difficult.

Petrol is averaging around $1.10-$1.20 at the moment, some places lower and some places a bit more, but that's not too bad I reckon.

 

[subway156]

In the U.S., where there are 50 states, every one has a slightly different way of charging for insurance.For example, here in Pennsylvania, I pay for full covergae on both the cars we own. e pay because they are still owned by the bank who holds the titile until we pay off the loan. Conversly, the smaller the car, the less accidebts and violations you have will determine what you pay. Fuel, right now in this area is $2.57 USD, which has been going up for 50 days in a row. Also, in this area, there is a very very poorly run bus line and absolutely no train service anywhere. To get a train to NYC, which is under 100 miles away, I'd have to drive 70 miles south to Philadelphia to get a north bound train to NYC. Madness! My wife drives a 2004 Hyundai Accent with a 1.6L I-4 with a 4-speed automatic. It handle very well but has a rough ride at highway speeds. It's best as a local runner. My PTCruiser is a very capable car. Heavy on the road, good handling and very comfortable. My brother-in-law in Scotland always buys a car that was ordered off the road. Then he has his pals revive it and drives on. He had several Rover saloons for a while but now he has the tiniest Nissan you can get.

 

[thelem]

A class 377 (normally), but I get it driven for me.

 

[Buffer68]

I have a ten year old Toyota Rav4. It is very comfortable, gives a great driving position and returns 35mpg on a run. It's not your typical gas guzzling 4x4! When I replace it hopefully later this year, it will be passed onto my wife, who also loves it.

 

[Royston Vasey]

3 year old Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Sport 115bhp. Best car in its class. It's not flash, it's not overly luxurious, it's not that sporty, but it looks good, is well-built and reliable, does 50+ mpg and it's an absolute joy to drive.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Although, I'm looking to upgrade next year to a 1.6 Fiesta Zetec S (Mark 5/2000 model) - my god they are quick! A 1.6 in a car that weighs virtually nothing...

I've driven loads of cars now, various vauxhalls, peugeots, fiats, renaults etc etc and honestly the mk5 fiesta zetec s is one of the best cars I've ever driven!

 

[Royston Vasey]

The best car I've driven is a 2006 Ford Mondeo ST 2.2L TDCi (yes, a diesel), it went like S off an S, superb all round. That was a free upgrade on a rental because they had no Focii in stock, and I wouldn't have been old enough to rent it had I requested one!

 

[Buffer68]

The best car I've driven is a 2006 Ford Mondeo ST 2.2L TDCi (yes, a diesel), it went like S off an S, superb all round. That was a free upgrade on a rental because they had no Focii in stock, and I wouldn't have been old enough to rent it had I requested one!

A similar thing happened to me a couple of years back. A coach rammed into the back of my little Toyota Rav4 whilst I was waiting at a Pelican crossing and my insurance company provide a hire car FOC whilst mine was in the bodyshop. I was supposed to get the equivalent of my car but they rang up and said there was nothing in stock similar and asked whether I would mind a Jaguar S-type instead. I thought about it carefully - for a split second and then said no I wouldn't mind. It was brand new and a twin turbo diesel one at that!! It hurt to give it back some three weeks later.

 

[snuk]

I can't drive but the best car I've ever been a passenger in is my brothers' 2001 "Y" registration Ford Mondeo LX. Apparently, it's a basic model but when he bought it there were a few aftermarket bits added to it including alloys and spoiler. It's a stunning example for the year - absolutely spotless.

Steve.

 

[Callufrax]

2009 Holden (Vauxhall) Astra CD 1.8L petrol 5-speed manual.

 

[The Snap]

I've driven loads of cars now, various vauxhalls, peugeots, fiats, renaults etc etc and honestly the mk5 fiesta zetec s is one of the best cars I've ever driven!

Goooood! They look and sound wicked, and they're fast.

I've not persoanly driven one, but my best mate got a company car for the weekend to get it cleaned - 2.2L Petrol Vauxhall Signum! Giving one of those to two 17 year olds is not a wise idea...god it was fast!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I am to young to drive but my favorite car is a Vauxhall Vectra VXR Nuremburg edition,Idealy white with 2 blue stripes.

 

[devon_metro]

Drove a 53 Renault Clio 1.6L 16V but as i've now passed my test, looks like its going to be rather expensive to insure!

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I am to young to drive but my favorite car is a Vauxhall Vectra VXR Nuremburg edition,Idealy white with 2 blue stripes.

You will learn very quickly about the Vectra.

I drive a 03 plate Focus ST170. Currently missing its foglights thanks to some kind hearted person who thought I would be better off without them. Very rapid car and great to drive at high speed, but it is such a difficult car to live with when I am just driving normally (which is 90% of the time) - it crashes into bumps rather than absorbing them; the turning circle is woeful and the steering very heavy, which makes multi storey car parks quite fun; the clutch is absolutely ridiculous (my left leg is twice as big as my right leg) - not to mention the astronomical price of keeping it running (under 20 mpg and £300 a year tax). Still, when i get to enjoy it, I REALLY enjoy it!

Just as a piece of advice to those who are not yet driving/looking for a first car to insure: My first car was a 1.6 Focus (group 5) which cost £2509 to insure. Admittedly, I already had 3 points on my licence, but it is still something to consider. I have now been driving for 5 years and am in a Group 15 car which cost £736 to insure for the year. My advice is: start small and keep out of trouble. 6 points in your first 2 years and you are banned. From then on, insurance will be a nightmare for you.

 

[j0hn0]

Audi A4 R reg 1.8

silver with S4 alloys, cheap and reliable car, I love it

 

[466.networkers]

I am to young to drive but my favorite car is a Vauxhall Vectra VXR Nuremburg edition,Idealy white with 2 blue stripes.

Think you'll find that car doesn't exist, do you mean a Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S, Vauxhall Astra VXR Nurburgring (200bhp 1.9 CDTi), or the Vectra VXR?

I don't drive, but my dad's got a Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec, doesn't half shift for a 90bhp diesel.

Mate at work has got a Astra Mk2 GTE, very quick, sounds great too, another's got a Focus ST, goes like the clappers and sounds amazing to boot. Another mate's got a Vectra 2.0, planning an "upgrade" to an Monaro 5.7 (or 6.0/VXR).

 

[90019]

I do have a soft spot for the old Ford Escort, mostly the Mk4 XR3i, and especially this Mk6 Escort van
Although, I'd have the alloys dark grey or maybe black.

 

[O L Leigh]

I am to young to drive but my favorite car is a Vauxhall Vectra VXR Nuremburg edition,Idealy white with 2 blue stripes.

Nuremburg edition...? Is it good for (political) rallies...?

My best car was my previous one. It was a SEAT Toledo V5 170, and it was a fabulous car. It was basically a Mk4 VW Golf but with a 4 door saloon body, but it shared the 170bhp V5 engine with some of the hotter versions of the Golf. However, there were three big advantages that the Tolly had over the Golf. 1) It was better looking. 2) SEAT knew how to make the Mk4 Golf chassis handle properly (I know because the car I drove before the SEAT was a Mk4 Golf 1.9 TDI). 3) It was much better value for money and had waaaaay more toys than the VW as standard.

The best bit was the engine. It was no screamer, but it had so much torque at the bottom end that it was like driving a diesel. It honestly didn't matter which gear you were in because there was plenty of grunt to just keep it going. However, unlike a diesel you really could rev it. Pulling out into motorway traffic was a cynch. Just get it rolling, pick your gap, select 3rd gear and boot it. By the time you were approaching the red line it was up to about 70mph and you were already feeding into the traffic, so just depress the clutch to allow the revs to fall and "block change" straight into top. However, the surplus power could also help at the pumps. Because you seldom needed to trouble it in normal driving it would return a reasonable economy.

I do miss that car. I needed to swap for an estate and so I went over to Volvos, but if SEAT had made the Tolly as an estate car with that engine I would have stayed loyal.

That said, I've slowly been discovering that my current wheels is almost as good as the SEAT. It's a Volvo V50 2.0D and shares quite a lot with the Ford Focus, most notably the suspension and steering. This makes it a very sweet handling car and the 137bhp 2 litre turbodiesel engine is very nice. However, it is much classier than the Ford and has more toys than even the SEAT could manage. For a diesel it can be revved quite hard and it is a very brisk car to drive. But it manages to combine this with great comfort and practicality.

However, I also run a motorbike for that ultimate road experience. Cars are nice, but you just can't beat the feeling of freedom and the experience of being outside that you get from being on a bike.

O L Leigh

 

[Broken Viking]

Fuel, right now in this area is $2.57 USD, which has been going up for 50 days in a row. Also, in this area, there is a very very poorly run bus line and absolutely no train service anywhere. To get a train to NYC, which is under 100 miles away, I'd have to drive 70 miles south to Philadelphia to get a north bound train to NYC. Madness!

Hmmm...IIRC; USD $2.57 is roughly GBP £1.03 at todays exchange rates, which is around about what we're paying for unleaded in S.E. England at the moment. Are ye sure that Barack Obama hasn't simply handed responsibility for US fuel taxes over to HM Customs and Excise just to shift the whole affair away from the White House?

Anyhow...Even though I have a full and clean licence, the only "motor vehicle" I have at the moment is a 1:50 scale model of a Plaxton Paramount that usually sits on top of the stereo. Consequently, my main modes of transport (In order of use, most frequent first) are:

• On foot (Good for local journeys of up to 1,500 miles. ),
• SWT class 444s and 450s,
• Virgin class 390 Pendolinos,
• Various Dennis/Alexander built buses (Better for rainy days, but no more than 30 miles at a time with Stagecoach's fares! hock: )
• FGW class 166s and HSTs,
• Arriva XC class 221s, and
• Ryanair Boeing class 737-400s

When it comes to vehicles that I'd like to have - Putting aside my well-known desire for a Vanhool AGG-300 momentarily - I think that one thing I would love to have as a runabout would have to be an old Class 142 with the rail wheels replaced with rubber tyred ones, and a steering rack added to the front axle... hock:

Now THAT would be a right laff on London's roads during the rush hour...And as the 142 is built on a bus chassis, it would be exempt from the congestion charge, too!

 

[Tom B]

I think that one thing I would love to have as a runabout would have to be an old Class 142 with the rail wheels replaced with rubber tyred ones, and a steering rack added to the front axle... hock:

Now THAT would be a right laff on London's roads during the rush hour...And as the 142 is built on a bus chassis, it would be exempt from the congestion charge, too!

Aside from anyone wanting a Pacer sent anywhere but a scrapyard - doesn't the London congestion charge depend on the use of the vehicle, not what it's built as? i.e. it would need to be registered as a bus, and perhaps on service at the time?

 

[Broken Viking]

Aside from anyone wanting a Pacer sent anywhere but a scrapyard - doesn't the London congestion charge depend on the use of the vehicle, not what it's built as? i.e. it would need to be registered as a bus, and perhaps on service at the time?

True, true...But if it was registered as a PSV or private hire vehicle, then it should be exempt from the charges IIRC. 8)

...Although the very idea of trying to register a 142 as a PSV is an amusing one, to say the least. Could ye imagine the headache that the DVLA would have over it?