Unpopular Motoring Opinion Thread

[Stinkwheel]

On 19/03/2024 at 08:28, Dj_efk said:

Oh here’s one - Citroen 2CVs are as good as the sum of their parts - a weedy lawnmower engine bolted to a number of pieces of corrugated iron with a few deckchairs sprinkled inside.

Having bought a nice example I couldn’t wait to offload it asap the first time I took it out of a 30mph zone - where it went from being a hilarious clown car on the corners and roundabouts to a terrifying instrument of torture.

I managed to double my money by selling it to some nutter in Malaysia in the end!

Can’t agree, they work just as well as any small, cheap ‘Everyman’ car ever did. They are actual car sized as well and they can travel at 70mph all day long. Technique is needed for different cars. If you don’t learn the one for the car you are driving then everything is crap.

my unpopular opinion is that all French cars are better to drive and more fun than anything built in Germany. Often more reliable as well, this comes from my time working at a bmw dealer, all I can say is don’t believe the hype 

[Talbot]

3 hours ago, Bradders59 said:

Im still trying to work out how and why someone thinks that FWD is an advance over and is better than RWD.

One of the major benefits is that in slippery conditions they are more stable in a straight line.  In ice and snow, a FWD car is somewhat more controllable than a RWD one.  That is, for the average (IE utterly incompetent) driver.  Yes, I prefer a RWD car in the snow, mainly for the LOLs, but FWD is proven safer.

Also for interior space.  A RWD car loses a surprising amount of interior space compared to the equivalent FWD arrangement.

[Rocket88]

Back in the eighties I worked at a provincial Fiat dealership. Back then pretty everything Fiat made was dynamically superior to the equivalent Ford…. Build quality, on the other hand…..😱

[warren t claim]

14 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

Back in the eighties I worked at a provincial Fiat dealership. Back then pretty everything Fiat made was dynamically superior to the equivalent Ford…. Build quality, on the other hand…..😱

Are you saying that an Argenta or Croma is a better can than a Granada?

[Rocket88]

Yup….. apart from build quality and rust proofing 

Fiat 127/Fiat Uno v Fiesta

Fiat Strada v Escort

Fiat 131 /132 / Regatta v Cortina

Fiat 130 v pretty much anything!

 

 

 

 

[5speedracer]

On 25/03/2024 at 16:29, egg said:

Sorry @sierramanI have sinned. I've just put the bins out and it ain't 5pm yet.  But not sure Canterbury Council has any rules about it.

You guys getting your bins lifted at night or something? I put mine out when I have breakfast, 8 - 8.30am.

[egg]

3 minutes ago, 5speedracer said:

You guys getting your bins lifted at night or something? I put mine out when I have breakfast, 8 - 8.30am.

They have to be out by 7am, and we're not always up then (in school holidays)

[Yoss]

16 hours ago, warren t claim said:

Are you saying that an Argenta or Croma is a better can than a Granada?

Yes and yes. The Croma was basically the same car as the Lancia Thema and Saab 9000 and very few people would question their superiority over a Granada.

[grogee]

Just done my bins. I thought of @sierraman. It's a four-binner tomorrow as well

[Dyslexic Viking]

On 14/04/2024 at 19:42, Yoss said:

 

He's not wrong though is he. British Leyland cars were always way ahead technologically, except the Marina obviously before anybody buts in, but that was there because they could see Ford were outselling them with their horseless carts and thought they'd have a go.

But by the early seventies BL had FWD, five speed boxes, fuel injection, 16 valves, hydraulic suspension (and proper springs on the ones that weren't hydraulic) and self levelling suspension. And not just Leyland, most of the continental manufacturers were dabbling in these things too.

Yet Ford couldn't even manage FWD until 1977. But Ford knew how to sell cars and Leyland didn't. BL came up with lots of good ideas but never developed them properly. Any problems at the start of production tended to stay throughout the life of the car. And of course they were selling cars competing with themselves. Ford were selling simple to the point of ancient technology but people liked that because they understood it. 

Obviously Ford won by keeping it simple but there's no doubt everybody else was building better cars.

Ford could if they wanted, such as the rather forgotten Ford Taunus P4. V4 engine and FWD.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Taunus_P4

Quote

During 142 days in 1963 a standard specification Ford Taunus 12M travelled 356,273 kilometres (221,378 mi) round a disused race track at Miramas at an average speed of 106.48 km/h (66.18 mph).

The above and how many of these have survived here in Norway suggests that they were good cars.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 18/04/2024 at 16:25, egg said:

They have to be out by 7am, and we're not always up then (in school holidays)

#binfluencer

[sierraman]

3 hours ago, grogee said:

Just done my bins. I thought of @sierraman. It's a four-binner tomorrow as well

[GrumpiusMaximus]

If we put our bins out early three times, does @sierraman suddenly appear like a shit Beetlejuice?

[sierraman]

16 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

If we put our bins out early three times, does @sierraman suddenly appear like a shit Beetlejuice?

I catch you in a morning with footage the first time. There isn’t a third time… 😂

[EyesWeldedShut]

5 hours ago, grogee said:

Just done my bins. I thought of @sierraman. It's a four-binner tomorrow as well

Bins? Euwww - there's posh - we get this four 'thing' collection this week:

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 18/04/2024 at 22:31, EyesWeldedShut said:

Bins? Euwww - there's posh - we get this four 'thing' collection this week:

The smiley faces make me want to scream.

[EyesWeldedShut]

44 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

The smiley faces make me want to scream.

Any better in Welsh ?

No, thought not.

Not sure if a graphic designer got paid oodles of monies for this or if it was the result of an age 4 to 6 schoolkids competition.  

[MrGTI6]

1 hour ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

The smiley faces make me want to scream.

 

 

[Cavcraft]

The (old) Suzuki Ignis isn't a great little fun runabout. It's a horrible, badly made biscuit tin on wheels.

[Rocket88]

On 18/04/2024 at 19:03, Dyslexic Viking said:

Ford could if they wanted, such as the rather forgotten Ford Taunus P4. V4 engine and FWD.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Taunus_P4

The above and how many of these have survived here in Norway suggests that they were good cars.

Only Fords I ever liked were the various Tauni that I had in the late seventies in BAOR

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Rocket88 said:

Only Fords I ever liked were the various Tauni that I had in the late seventies in BAOR

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116158557361?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=fQyFmIH7SBS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

??

[Rocket88]

19 hours ago, Matty said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116158557361?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=fQyFmIH7SBS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

??

Been to see that…. Needs paint and a bit of sparkle stick action, but a good price to a fundamentally sound car.

[Dobloseven]

Manual gearboxes are an anachronism in todays world.A modern ICE car will have a computer controlling its every move.Especially the engine.Fuel,air,speed , temperature etc.will be monitored and adjusted thousands of times a minute.Yet to put its power to the wheels,one has to press a pedal,move a lever,press another pedal whilst releasing the first.And as soon as any speed is achieved,do it again.And again.With extra opportunities having been  added over time,for increased "pleasure".And when you slow down,do it in reverse order.Some people say they don't like automatics, because "you're not in control".Well, surely you move a lever for forwards,backwards or not at all.Press one pedal to go and when you want to slow down or stop,stop pressing it so hard or press the other one.

[Spiny Norman]

If we're talking proper tried and tested torque converter slushmatics I agree, but all this semi-auto powershift/geartronic.selespeed/DSG shite can GITS.

Perversely nowadays it seems you're far safer buying a secondhand auto because all it'll likely need is a fluid flush and change for a couple of hundred quid rather than the ubiquitous DMF clutch change for a grand or so.
 

[sierraman]

6 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

If we're talking proper tried and tested torque converter slushmatics I agree, but all this semi-auto powershift/geartronic.selespeed/DSG shite can GITS.

Perversely nowadays it seems you're far safer buying a secondhand auto because all it'll likely need is a fluid flush and change for a couple of hundred quid rather than the ubiquitous DMF clutch change for a grand or so.
 

Err… Powershift… I think I’ll take the manual.

[Dobloseven]

The point I'm trying to make is that the manual transmission is the only thing there's been no development in,apart from putting more ratios in to require more input from the driver.There's still a disc trapped between two spinning plates,cogs that need slipping in and out of mesh,a degree of foot/hand coordination required, particularly on hills,where use of a further control can be critical.To add insult to injury,MrsDs car has an indicator telling the driver which gear to change to and moans at me when I ignore it because obviously I know better,or can't be bothered.

[eddyramrod]

12 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Manual gearboxes are an anachronism in todays world.

Totally!

[MiniMinorMk3]

12 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Manual gearboxes are an anachronism in todays world.A modern ICE car will have a computer controlling its every move.Especially the engine.Fuel,air,speed , temperature etc.will be monitored and adjusted thousands of times a minute.Yet to put its power to the wheels,one has to press a pedal,move a lever,press another pedal whilst releasing the first.And as soon as any speed is achieved,do it again.And again.With extra opportunities having been  added over time,for increased "pleasure".And when you slow down,do it in reverse order.Some people say they don't like automatics, because "you're not in control".Well, surely you move a lever for forwards,backwards or not at all.Press one pedal to go and when you want to slow down or stop,stop pressing it so hard or press the other one.

My father stopped driving manuals in 1972 when he got his Hillman Avenger, and my mother can only drive an auto as that is what she passed her test in.

As for the not being in control argument, I guess the detractors have never driven one that you can shift into the lower gears by using the lever. My father was a put it into D and leave kind of driver and always commented "What are you doing" when I went for the leaver in his Rolls Silver Shadow when going down hills. I said to him I like to keep the brakes for emergencies and not overheat them and wear them out before that time comes.

[Yoss]

Though shirley with the onslaught of the electric car then all gearboxes are on borrowed time anyway. It makes little sense to spend very much developing gearboxes of any persuasion now. May as well just stick with what we have.

And on the same note, as electrics get more common, less and less people will have a manual license anyway because there won't be any new manual cars to take their test in. 

[Wibble]

The problem I can see coming, if more and more people takes their tests in automatics, is who will be able to take on and drive current classics in the future?

Also, talking about going up and then down through the box. I went on a defensive driving course at Goodwood in the early nineties, where the instructors were all ex traffic cops. Their mantra was “gears are for going, brakes are for stopping. Brakes are cheaper than clutches and gearboxes, don’t slow your car with gears”. Was alien to me but I’ve remembered it since whilst not always complying.