I've got a new car!!

Congratulations, Lexie! That's a really, really nice looking one! I'll bet you can't wait to take it for a long drive--or has that already happened?

quote:

Originally posted by Bartelby:
Christine - I hope you are proud I said I would never own a Ford....but when its the perfect car for what you want/need - what can you do?

Welcome to the dark side.

Nice car!

Looks like another soccer Mom in the making.



P.S. To improve gas mileage, only drive down hill.

Boy that looks good.
Sure beats my ratty old desert jeep.
You got me turning green with envy.

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Congratulations, Lexie! That's a really, really nice looking one! I'll bet you can't wait to take it for a long drive--or has that already happened?

Hasnt happened yet. Wont be long though!! Its got groovy *dickie* seats (7 seater) that disappear into the floor, so Nannie can even come along for the ride.

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P.S. To improve gas mileage, only drive down hill.

Your talking to a flat country girl remember!!

Steepest hill around here is the run down the driveway Guess I can roll it down there then get Tyler to push it back up a few times.

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You got me turning green with envy.

Fancy that Shop....that colour is called Envy

Nice, Lexie, but sadly no good for me:

• Has an eat-by date
  
• Cars with standard springs no good for our dreadful local roads
  
• Big lump falls off when you drive it away from showroom
  
• Not possible for me to maintain or service it.

BTW - what did you have before and why did you have to sell it?

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Your talking to a flat country girl remember!!

I’ll take that as “flat-country girl” and not “flat country-girl”.

Hi Mike,
I had one of these previously and sold it because I couldnt take my Mum and Hubby anywhere with the 2 kids. Also, I work at a car yard, so I change cars about every 12 months



Havent had any *lumps* fall off as yet, and I dont know why you cant service or maintain them yourself??

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I’ll take that as “flat-country girl” and not “flat country-girl”.

I definatley have bumps

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Originally posted by Bartelby:
Havent had any *lumps* fall off as yet

It is called 'depreciation' and it happens so quietly that you don't notice it!

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, and I dont know why you cant service or maintain them yourself??

Maybe things are different in the Antipodes, but modern cars here are full of software - it is cheaper than mechanical parts to produce - and only the dealers can access things that need checking or adjusting - they have £££££.00 equipment spent to do it.
Real mechanics that employ common sense are generally non-existent, and would have little to do. Service information is not freely available, either.
Many cars here have no drain plugs here - oil has to be changed by sucking it out of the dipstick tube! Transmission oil generally cannot be changed. 2 drain plugs - saving on cost of 10p per car.
It seems the manufacturers do not like people maintaining their own cars.

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I definatley have bumps

Steady on, Lexie - we will all be asking for pics!!
I know that any new car I have ridden in or driven feels uncomfortable when I get back to my Deesse that floats along the road!

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I definatley have bumps

Those be known as speed bumps, as one wants to go over them VERY slowly.

Ahhhh, now I understand Mike.

There was a report on a Current Affairs show here last nite regarding depreciation.

A fellow had purchased a $83,000 Audi and 2 years later the same car yard offered him $24,000 as a trade in. The salesman had TOLF him at the time of purchase, that it would be worth $50-55,000 in 2 years. OUCH!!

As for my car, not too bad on depreciation, since I work at the car yard, I can buy at the right price so they dont depreciate too bad. Once I got an extra $1,000 after driving the car for 18 months.

Servicing, I dont worry too much about that either...we have a service department on site.

We dont have any special equipment though, if the vehicle needs analysing we just send it to the dealer.

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Deesse

What's one of them? Picture please

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Those be known as speed bumps, as one wants to go over them VERY slowly.

Not a typical male view.

quote:

Originally posted by Bartelby:
Ahhhh, now I understand Mike.

Servicing, I dont worry too much about that either...we have a service department on site.

Ah - you're privileged, Lexie

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We dont have any special equipment though, if the vehicle needs analysing we just send it to the dealer.

The kiss of death, here!
If i can't fix 'em, I don't buy 'em!

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Deesse
What's one of them? Picture please

It is actually a Citroen DS21 - Cit used model numbers as a play on words. DS pronounced in French is 'Déesse' - the word for 'Goddess' Pronounced here 'day-ess'
The lesser model 'ID' is pronounced 'idée' which means 'idea'. Pronounced in English as 'ee-day'
Enough of my wittering - here is the beast, and its owner. Old ladies and small children, avert your eyes


This one is not mine!

quote:

Maybe things are different in the Antipodes, but modern cars here are full of software - it is cheaper than mechanical parts to produce - and only the dealers can access things that need checking or adjusting - they have £££££.00 equipment spent to do it.
Real mechanics that employ common sense are generally non-existent, and would have little to do. Service information is not freely available, either.
Many cars here have no drain plugs here - oil has to be changed by sucking it out of the dipstick tube! Transmission oil generally cannot be changed. 2 drain plugs - saving on cost of 10p per car.
It seems the manufacturers do not like people maintaining their own cars.

So true, Mike!
I recently had acceleration problems ,driving through the mountains in my van. The dealer, in the town I stopped in, put it on one of those confounded machines and I was on my way..$500.00 lighter and a major tuneup. Well, as soon I drove up the first mountain, it bogged down again. I drove it on home anyway. I took it to another dealer. It turned out to be the catalitic converter(under warranty)! I am still arguing with the first dealer about the charge, but all I hear is what their machine diagnoised!

quote:

Originally posted by Mrs.M.:

So true, Mike!
I recently had acceleration problems ,driving through the mountains in my van. The dealer, in the town I stopped in, put it on one of those confounded machines and I was on my way..$500.00 lighter and a major tuneup. Well, as soon I drove up the first mountain, it bogged down again. I drove it on home anyway. I took it to another dealer. It turned out to be the catalitic converter(under warranty)! I am still arguing with the first dealer about the charge, but all I hear is what their machine diagnoised!

Hi Shirl - nice to hear from you, by the way.
That is indeed how dealers operate. Fortunately, up to now, I have managed to avoid cars with catastrophic converters.
We were told that they were fitted because they were environmentally friendly. Pah! (this is a family forum )

I think the design went like: 'Now, how can we create a part that must be fitted when it fails, is very expensive, and cannot be supplied by aftermarket factors. Oh yes, we also need to give the marketroids something to brainwash the punters into believing they are a Good Thing.
Gottit - a catalytic converter'

Sarcasm apart:
Unleaded fuel was created because of the cats.
Unleaded fuel contains all sorts of carcinogens - benzene, toluene et al.
Cats give off hydrogen sulphide until they are warm (bag egg smell)
Cats give off CO2 - hole in ozone layer - when they are warm.
Cats can be damages in all sorts of ways - going over a puddle, fuelling faults, oil consumption.
Cats reduce power, so using more fuel.
A new car typically causes the same environmental damage as running it for 15 years.
<rant over>

Over here - there are stockpiles of brand new cars that lying in fields by the hundreds - the market brainwashing is really intense, TV ads are full of it (none of them actually say anything about the cars!)
The gubmint exhort us to recycle everything - their mantra is 'green and environmentally' - while at the same time, the motor manufacturers are in their pocket and motoring costs are escalating.
Viable cars are scrapped all the time.

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Old ladies and small children, avert your eyes

So, it's OK for young ladies and big children to stare?

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This one is not mine!

Which one isn't yours?

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Originally posted by Rick:

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Old ladies and small children, avert your eyes

So, it's OK for young ladies and big children to stare?

Providing they do not do so at the same time!

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quote:

This one is not mine!

Which one isn't yours?

The black DS isn't, although identical to mine. Neither is the Concorde, but I wish it was, or at least see it in the air again.
Two timeless icons of design; sadly, one of them paid the price of daring to make Mr Blur's gang lose face.

Its going to be another hot day here!

Between owning a Concorde or a Citroen – no contest. Citroen would win any day. Maintenance, parking, and gas cost (not to mention insurance) are so much cheaper. License plates for a Concorde must be outrageous.

Our plates here for any car are around $35.00 Our gas is another story. Right now it is about 2.58 a gal.

Are license plates cheaper for really old cars, aka "clunkers".

Let's hope it's not a 2CV more >>>

R2

Blergh...we are now paying, what equates to $5.50 per gallon. Its a killer.

It costs me $85 per week in gas alone.

I must look into a pushbike that has a 2 child carrying capacity. Then all I need to do is arrange for the babysitter to have the boys from Monday till Thursday (instead of 7 hours on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday).

RE: Truck squishing car video. My guess is the "cars" were prepped by removing the engines -- they just seem too squishable! Especially the first 2 the truck hit!

If you look at the video closely, the cars that are "squished" comprehensively are a Citroen 2CV and an Austin Maxi, both built years before current standards. Look carefully at the third (red) car - possibly a MK1 VW Polo - notice how it deforms at both front and rear and the occupants, though shaken, would have stepped out of it.

It is no surprise that the 2CV virtually disintegrated (no apologies to Mike here!) They were built as a "universal car" to be afforded by all and their versatility and adoption by the French farming community is proof of that. They started life pre war (1937 prototype) with a 375cc engine, so it was designed to be light and strong rather like an egg! A truck's impact would certainly burst that shell as you can see.

As to Mike's main vehicle the DS, what a design! I have throughout my life wondered at its mechanical advances and then steered well clear of them! I hanker after the later model convertible, but then sanity (& income) prevail!
(Chaperone built DS Convertibles tend to be 60K & up)

The only "minimalist" motoring on 2CV lines I have ever done was in A Berkey with a tuned 500cc motorbike engine - the most unreliable car I have ever owned.

Funnily enough one is currently on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Berkeley-B105-very-rare-British-s...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Current activities? Shoehorning a larger engine (over my wife's dead body I might add - she would like me to buy a nice Volvo Estate) into the Convertible GTE I wrapped round a telegraph pole two years ago! I mean these poles they just lurk in the bushes and then jump out at you when you'r not looking!

No comment about the cars, but I'm thinking about buying one of those trucks. Unless I'm wrong, there's a driver in the truck, but it didn't appear that his airbag deployed.

quote:

Originally posted by region2:
Let's hope it's not a 2CV more >>>

R2

That one has been well doctored, R2!
If a Deuche gets hit in this way, the engine and transmission go under the chassis - all three of these seem to be missing in the shot, as do both axles!
Moral to story - do not drive in a 2CV with no engine or chassis, and if you do not try to change the laws of physics and leave the accepted braking distance, so at least there will only be one car with a damaged rear!

quote:

Originally posted by Camera:

It is no surprise that the 2CV virtually disintegrated (no apologies to Mike here!) They were built as a "universal car" to be afforded by all and their versatility and adoption by the French farming community is proof of that. They started life pre war (1937 prototype) with a 375cc engine

Indeed, but the prototype bore no resemblance to the production car made in 1948.

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A truck's impact would certainly burst that shell as you can see. Indeed it would, but there is a chassis there as well!

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As to Mike's main vehicle the DS, what a design! I have throughout my life wondered at its mechanical advances and then steered well clear of them! I hanker after the later model convertible, but then sanity (& income) prevail!
(Chaperone built DS Convertibles tend to be 60K & up)

I have seen Chapron (note spelling) decaps much less - I would not want one as I need 4 doors, and do not like to lose the palatial room between the seats.
A decent DS can be found for £4k if you go to France.
Note the 'innovations' that are gradually appearing based on the DS years ago - steering headlights, high-level rear indicators etc.

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The only "minimalist" motoring on 2CV lines I have ever done was in A Berkey with a tuned 500cc motorbike engine - the most unreliable car I have ever owned.

Fortunately, a 2CV is very reliable, as the mechanical build quality is superb.

As far as all this safety stuff - apart from the fact it is thinly-veiled marketing, it is attacking the problem from the wrong end.
The idea seems to be 'It doesn't matter if I wrap my car round something or someone - I will be safe'
Surely we need to reduce the number of 'accidents' (as far as I am concerned, they are nothing of the sort). I could think of one way, but a lot of people would be very upset.

quote:

Surely we need to reduce the number of 'accidents' (as far as I am concerned, they are nothing of the sort). I could think of one way, but a lot of people would be very upset.

A tax on all cars that would make the minimum purchase price $100,000 would do it. It would be the opposite of a luxury tax - the cheaper the car, the higher the tax. Not only would there be fewer cars on the roads, but everyone would drive them VERY carefully.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:

quote:

Surely we need to reduce the number of 'accidents' (as far as I am concerned, they are nothing of the sort). I could think of one way, but a lot of people would be very upset.

A tax on all cars that would make the minimum purchase price $100,000 would do it. It would be the opposite of a luxury tax - the cheaper the car, the higher the tax. Not only would there be fewer cars on the roads, but everyone would drive them VERY carefully.

Many, including myself, would never either buy a new car or spend this amount on a machine to transport things and people in it. I do not do the status symbol bit. I have never bought a car for more than £5000, and could not justify any more.

IMHO a good start to avoid prangs would be to have a psychometric test in the driving test; this would weed out all the people with short fuses and terminally impatient that should never be be allowed to be in charge of a ton of metal.
Another idea (as in motorcycles in UK) would be to limit BHP until either you are 21 and/or have taken a motorway driving test.
This would stop teenagers being killed when they run out of road thinking they impress their passengers by atrocious driving.
A further one would be, instead of the plethora of speed cameras, have more 'red traffic light' cameras, and do something about the idiot tailgaters.
Bullet-proof vest donned.........

quote:

Many, including myself, would never either buy a new car or spend this amount on a machine to transport things and people in it. I do not do the status symbol bit. I have never bought a car for more than £5000, and could not justify any more.

IMHO a good start to avoid prangs would be to have a psychometric test in the driving test; this would weed out all the people with short fuses and terminally impatient that should never be be allowed to be in charge of a ton of metal.
Another idea (as in motorcycles in UK) would be to limit BHP until either you are 21 and/or have taken a motorway driving test.
This would stop teenagers being killed when they run out of road thinking they impress their passengers by atrocious driving.
A further one would be, instead of the plethora of speed cameras, have more 'red traffic light' cameras, and do something about the idiot tailgaters.
Bullet-proof vest donned.........

I agree. An inexpensive, reliable car is all anyone really needs. I don't understand why anyone would want to spend a fortune on a Hummer when a pickup would do the same job.

They could put a breathalyzer in every car, so if someone's had too much to drink the car won't start. Radios could only play calm, soothing music for those under 21 or who have short tempers, and filter out all news broadcasts and sporting events. Car makers should also go back to making cars out of metal instead of fiberglass or plastic. (What's next? Cardboard???)

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Another idea (as in motorcycles in UK) would be to limit BHP until either you are 21 and/or have taken a motorway driving test.

I must confess a certain hostility to crotch rockets. Must they always accelerate into 4th gear before leaving the intersection? The nice thing – I always know when my neighbor’s kid has gotten home, and when he leaves.

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They could put a breathalyzer in every car,

I’d like to see an agealyzer. It’s just a little spooky when I’m driving next to some older gentleman and all I can see is a bald spot peeking over the steering wheel.

Cardboard would be good – renewable and wouldn’t have the force of steel competing with flesh. We should all be driving around in water balloons. It would be environmentally friendly, save city taxes spent to water those plants in the center dividers, and if someone pisses you off you could just take a needle and pop their car.

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Radios could only play calm, soothing music for those under 21 or who have short tempers

I hate to pop your bubble, but from my experience, the ones with the shortest tempers are the older drivers. The younger drivers are still getting laid on a regular basis, and aren’t stressed out with all the responsibilities of “adulthood”. They definitely aren’t in a hurry to get to work, or even to school. Also, they do a much better job of carpooling than older drivers.

I still like the idea someone had of using water-based paint balls.

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I’d like to see an agealyzer. It’s just a little spooky when I’m driving next to some older gentleman and all I can see is a bald spot peeking over the steering wheel.

If I see you, Rick, I'll have to wear a toupee!!
Ironic that Alzheimers and other sorts of dementia can strike at 30.........

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I hate to pop your bubble, but from my experience, the ones with the shortest tempers are the older drivers. The younger drivers are still getting laid on a regular basis, and aren’t stressed out with all the responsibilities of “adulthood”. They definitely aren’t in a hurry to get to work, or even to school. Also, they do a much better job of carpooling than older drivers.

Seems different here - attention spans can be measured in milliseconds in yer average teenager. Furthermore, they tend to be more aggressive, as they think it is cool to do so.

We got what are called Echo Boomers over here. 80 million strong, and from all the group activities and team participation, they are more interested in pleasing. They are not big on creativity and individuality, but love to participate – an echo off the Baby Boomers, but more of an opposite echo. Don’t know how accurate of a job I’m doing describing them. Anyway, they’re the byproduct of all those soccer moms. Now, there’s someone you don’t want to be driving next to – a soccer mom with a SUV full of kids, late for practice, on the cell phone, and having a bad hair day (PMS optional). I’ll take 20 over-testosteroned teenage drivers any day of the week.

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Ironic that Alzheimers and other sorts of dementia can strike at 30.........

I'll try to remember that, but it might be difficult.

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attention spans can be measured in milliseconds in yer average teenager.

That's good - they quickly forget they are mad at someone.

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quote:

Ironic that Alzheimers and other sorts of dementia can strike at 30.........

I'll try to remember that, but it might be difficult.

First signs, Rick? Have you been eating too much aluminium?

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quote:

attention spans can be measured in milliseconds in yer average teenager.

That's good - they quickly forget they are mad at someone.

They also tend to forget lots of other things, like:

• Red traffic lights mean STOP
  
• If you are 10 yds behind the vehicle in front at 40mph, and they brake, the immutable laws of physics come into being.
  
• They have not yet learnt to cope with adverse weather
  
• You do not need fog lights when the nearest fog is in Moscow
  
• There is no sort of motorway testing in UK
  

I am sorry Mike, but round here, the most dangerous group are the over 60s. Not all mind you and they are easily recognisable - they wear cloth caps!

Hunched over the wheel, oblivious to the mayhem they are creating. In the old days, you knew to steer clear of the little Volvos (maroon or navy blue) or Nissan Sunnys. Now they seem to be inflicting their skills on Skoda Fabias!

I still rate the local Supermarket car park lethal for pedestrians & motorists alike. They wander over with their sticks, don their overcoats & caps (in Summer!) get and drive straight out without looking! I always, without fail park in the furthest corner.

The young tend to go round like lunatics, but Darwin's theories ensure only the most able survive.

Don't tell anybody, but yesterday I did 100+ on a long dual carriageway without a soul on it - not even a white Transit with "safety partnerhip" on it and temptation got the better of me. That's crowded Wales for you. I think I'll buy a cloth cap ....

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Have you been eating too much aluminium?

What’s the Minimum Daily Requirement?

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They have not yet learnt to cope with adverse weather

That might be a good idea, especially for snow/ice. But then whenever it snowed/iced all the driving-school cars would run into each other. Hurricane or tornado driving might be difficult to master.

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There is no sort of motorway testing in UK

Motorway must be the same as highway or, in the case of California, freeway? It might have something to do with the fact that none of the driving examiners are crazy enough to be in the same car driving at those speeds with someone 16 years old. That may apply to the States.

I wonder if driver instructors are more prone to being drunks. I’m fairly sure mine had to be admitted to rehab. Now that I think about it, the times I got into an accident, I should have sued my driving instructor.

quote:

Originally posted by Camera:
I am sorry Mike, but round here, the most dangerous group are the over 60s. Not all mind you and they are easily recognisable - they wear cloth caps!

Don't be sorry, Camera! These things are regional. When I did 20 years of driving to work across the Pennines each day the same drivers did the same things - taking root in lane 2, leaving 10% of room behind the vehicle in front, fiddling with phone/CD/sandwiches et al. All Mundano types with company vehicles!

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The young tend to go round like lunatics, but Darwin's theories ensure only the most able survive.

That would be fine if it were not for the carnage of innocent people - cf the recent incident on the M62 where a 17 year old was arrested by killing another driver and seriously injuring their passenger.

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Don't tell anybody, but yesterday I did 100+ on a long dual carriageway without a soul on it - not even a white Transit with "safety partnerhip" on it and temptation got the better of me. That's crowded Wales for you. I think I'll buy a cloth cap ....

That's fine - won't put points on my licence

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:
Motorway must be the same as highway or, in the case of California, freeway? It might have something to do with the fact that none of the driving examiners are crazy enough to be in the same car driving at those speeds with someone 16 years old. That may apply to the States.

I wonder if driver instructors are more prone to being drunks. I’m fairly sure mine had to be admitted to rehab. Now that I think about it, the times I got into an accident, I should have sued my driving instructor.

They are like freeways. Most driving instructors do now give a final lesson on a motorway, but there is no requirement to do so.

When they were first created in (M6 in 1968), BBC TV gave information films, but there is only now the Highway Code that no-one looks at after they have passed their theory test.

So, you get drivers:
Taking root in lane 2
Indicating exit after they have started the manoeuvre, and leaving the darn thing on for 100 yards.
Drivers in lane 3 suddenly realising they have nearly missed their exit.
Those who talk about 'slow' and 'fast' lanes - there are no such things.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:

quote:

Have you been eating too much aluminium?

What’s the Minimum Daily Requirement?

A few cans.....

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Don't tell anybody, but yesterday I did 100+ on a long dual carriageway

mph or kph?