After 220 miles of driving on the 25/26 taking in the M1, A47, & A1(M) I did not come across queues of hardshouldered stationary french and italian vehicles demonstrating the typical reliability statistics normally associated with these vehicles. Total dead vehicles - ONE - but it was a Rover 25!
Anybody else find the same profile?
PS This is undoubtably the kiss of death - as I look at the driveway with 2 french, 1 italian (and a TR7 in the garage).
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>> (and a TR7 in the garage).
Broken is it?
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Even the dumbest of Italian car owners know better than to use their car when it is most likely to break down: rush hour on a motorway at Christmas.
Even you left yours at home.
QED :-)
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I've owned a few Fiat punto's petrol and diesel.Drove in all kinds of weather through Europe never let me down both little cars.All claptrap in my opinion of the superiority of Jap or German cars.
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>>
>> >> (and a TR7 in the garage).
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>> Broken is it?
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No, summer use only:)
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>> >>
>> >> >> (and a TR7 in the garage).
>> >>
>> >> Broken is it?
>> >>
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>> No, summer use only:)
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Yes, but what's the betting that when you come to start it for the summer, it won't start? My brother has a TR7 & a TR8, and I know these cars have form ...
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No problems - starts every year at 2 or 3 rd turn. although since I now keep it on a smart chager it gets started evry few months. Had it about 9 years. Bought from a friend who had had it from new ( and he had it waxoyled from new). Probably one one of the last non patched/welded ones left! I would have liked an 8 but not really practical. Very driveable in modern traffic conditions - the only problem is getting in/out if the hood is up!
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>> After 220 miles of driving on the 25/26 ... I did not come across queues of
>> hardshouldered stationary french and italian vehicles
Quick answer: They'd already all broken down on the 24th.
Long answer:
I did 380 miles for work on the 24th, and I noticed many broken-down cars throughout the day. They all seemed to be entirely unsuitable for the use to which they were being put - 1-litre Clios and Micras carrying either five adults or one student and all their worldly possessions. They seemed to be being driven from one end of the country to the other by folk with no apparent awareness of the weather conditions, the traffic conditions, or the functions of their headlight switch, mirrors or heater fan. The number of cars with badly misted-up windows alone was shocking, while many cars had multiple blown bulbs or simply no lights on at all.
I did 200 miles to and from family on the 25th, and by contrast to the previous day most cars seemed to be well-maintained and competently driven. Perhaps there was an element of "Sunday best" pride about this? The less confident or able drivers seem to have deferred to those more suited to the task of driving on the big day on the big road.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Fri 28 Dec 12 at 00:06
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>> 25th, and by contrast to the previous day most cars seemed to be well-maintained and competently drive<<<
I had wondered about that - a self selecting sample? The only aggressive driving was the predictable Audi crowd:)
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It was ever thus though was it not? Bank holidays and weekends too to a lesser extent. People driving in unfamiliar circumstances. Often those who never normally drive on unlit roads or at sustained higher speeds or for extended periods of time. Add in cars full of bored kids, stressed spouses etc and you're going to get some collateral damage. Maybe there are fewer drunk drivers but I'd warrant there will still be plenty of hung over ones.
Stir all that up with perhaps a greater proportion of older more careworn vehicles than would normally be found on the roads, well, the motorway network anyway, on a normal working weekday and the joys of winter weather and you have a recipe for mishap.
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>> It was ever thus though was it not? Bank holidays and weekends too to a
>> lesser extent. People driving in unfamiliar circumstances. Often those who never normally drive on unlit
>> roads or at sustained higher speeds or for extended periods of time.
> Stir all that up with perhaps a greater proportion of older more careworn vehicles than
>> would normally be found on the roads, well, the motorway network anyway, on a normal
>> working weekday and the joys of winter weather and you have a recipe for mishap.
>>
Indeed, Humph.
The local death toll over december stands at over 1000 so far.
A lot of those deaths were "5+" ones, where 5 or more died in accidents caused by head-ons.
Your scenario is doubly true on SA roads - people who normally do a daily commute, for example, of 20kms in rushhour conditions, suddenly out for an 800 mile hi-speed dash for their holidays.
Now, put them in a (loaded) car at 75mph, and they are trying to get past an articulated truck doing 65, on a 2-lane road, and with insufficient oomph, little experience of speed and overtaking distances required, and the effects of tiredness, and it is a recipe for disaster.
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>> The only aggressive driving was the predictable Audi crowd:)
Funny that... The standout idiots on Xmas Day itself were the blacked-out silver '02 A4 and blacked-out grey '04 Avensis racing / weaving in and out of traffic on the Bedford bypass at +20mph over the general traffic speed. Otherwise nothing to report all day.
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I was AUDI'd this morning, I was trundling along in lane one at the speed limit (70) nothing behind me for a few hundred yards. The AUDI was approaching fast in lane two and cut very close (15 feet ish) in front of me and went up the slip road I was passing. A woman driver with two unsecured kids in the back of her car. And I thought the schools were off at the moment. :-)
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Oi you lot! This is getting well out of order. This is supposed to be the Season of Goodwill and all that - even to Audi drivers.
I'm beginning to get a persecution complex.
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>> I'm beginning to get a persecution complex.
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If the pressure gets too much you could always trade it for an older model Beemer...... (sniggers)
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I quite fancy an Audi...my previous 2 were lovely cars, even the third hand, much thrashed 80 Sport (B626VCX) I bought off my best friend many many year ago.
My local dealer has a new S6 Avant, in a fetching blue, which I may buy next month.
When my Premium Bonds get lucky.
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>> I quite fancy an Audi...my previous 2 were lovely cars, even the third hand, much
>> thrashed 80 Sport (B626VCX) I bought off my best friend many many year ago.
>> My local dealer has a new S6 Avant, in a fetching blue, which I may
>> buy next month.
>>
>> When my Premium Bonds get lucky.
>>
You will need a big win to pay for the servicing costs. Gin and glass palaces don't come cheap.
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>> >> When my Premium Bonds get lucky.
>> >>
madf replied:
>> You will need a big win to pay for the servicing costs. Gin and glass
>> palaces don't come cheap.
>>
Listen to this man. He speaks the truth.
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>> You will need a big win to pay for the servicing costs. Gin and glass
>> palaces don't come cheap.
>>
No idea what they charge now, but when I had my a6, and then the a4 cab I don't recall the serving being that bad.
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When I had the Audi that inspired my nom de plume (2004), it was BMW drivers who got all the flak. How glad I am that I didn't spend £7,000 extra for a mechanically similar A4 over my Octavia vRS, just to get the unpopularity!
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£7000? The difference between a Skoda Octavia Estate vRS Diesel, and a comparable spec A4 is greater than that these days!
I just checked out "What Car" and specced up two cars with a few desirable extras (Leather, Metalic paint, Auto Box etc) .
It was £25710 for the Octavia, and £34890 for the A4. Net difference = £9180 in favour of Skoda. That's a heck of a lot for some nicer plastics and a snobby badge!
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£25.7k is far too much for a Skoda,
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Look you lot, when I get my million on the PB's next month servicing costs on the '08 RS6 will not be an issue. In fact, I may even condescend to buy you a humble S6 as a 'pool car' to share.
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>> Look you lot, when I get my million on the PB's next month servicing costs
>> on the '08 RS6 will not be an issue. In fact, I may even condescend
>> to buy you a humble S6 as a 'pool car' to share.
>>
No thanks. Be bad enough if one of us has to be seen in it, but not all of us together. ;-)
Last edited by: Harleyman on Sat 29 Dec 12 at 23:46
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>> £25.7k is far too much for a Skoda,
>>
Correct....and £34890 is far too much for a badge-engineered Volkswagen.
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Shock horror - Zero
