Well, a Jeep Renegade actually, but I thought I'd just boot that particular elephant out of the room! Yes, I know it's a Fiat, and so does "She", but I don't care, and neither does she.
My wife's Qashqai had reached its 13th birthday and 84,000 miles this month, and we had owned it since 2010. In fairness to it, it has been a great car which has served its purpose flawlessly apart from needing a new battery a few years ago, and three new door mirrors which were not its fault...
There was no real need to change, it passed its MOT a couple of weeks ago, and it would almost certainly have continued to be a useful thing to have.
I've never really bonded with it, but, a bit like the fridge, the cooker and the washing machine, it was just good at being what it was.
But, she could hardly be blamed for fancying a change.
Many different options were considered, but ultimately some criteria were set, which included being an SUV, petrol, manual, three years old or younger, 20,000 miles or fewer, and a nominal but entire flexible budget of £12,000.
Dusters, Vitaras, Qashqais and so on were all considered, but the one she really wanted was a Renegade.
Managed to get a test drive in one and she just fell for it. That one was just a bit too tired to buy, but a few days later we spotted the one we ended up with.
It's a 1.4 petrol manual in Longitude spec. Black paint with a charcoal interior. 2018 with 14,000 miles and we got change from £10,000 after trading in the Qashqai.
Lovely to drive, much "smoother" than the Qashqai and noticeably quicker. 6 speed box that copes far better on the motorway than the 5 speed unit on the old Nissan.
Sat nav, DAB etc.
Have to say I really like it too ( apart from the EPB ) and I've never seen her so excited about a new to her car.
I admit, it's a bit daft, and I know it's a bit of a gamble, but it just makes us both smile. A bit like a big Panda in truth, which shouldn't really be too surprising I suppose.
It will be a ideal as a platform for our mountain bikes, and having a bit of ground clearance for accessing remote locations can't hurt.
In these miserable times, it has cheered us both up a bit, and don't we all need a chunk of that right now?
;-)
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Sounds like a win win all round.
I was sanding down my old mums garage door yesterday and neighbours Renegade was no where in sight. Today it’s been replaced by a Fiat 500 Abarth. I’ll have to have a chat in between coats of paint.
The Renegade is a funky looking thing. It will be interesting to see how you get on with it.
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Thanks Robin, maybe I'll get a couple in stock...
;-)
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Well, the thing us LL, the flat area of the loadspace is much smaller of course than my Merc estate, but it's also much taller. Just for the heck of it I tried loading the Jeep with all the stuff I need for work and it fits.
I'm so taken with it that I could just about imagine buying a second one, but with a Diesel engine for work. I'll see how we are getting on with this one after the honeymoon period before developing that theory any more of course.
Generally, I prefer automatics, but the manual box on this is just so nice. Reminds me of a Ford in its positivity.
Evidently the auto boxes on these are a bit of an aquired taste.
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All joking to one side, surely the 1.4 engine in what is a substantial car is insufficient?
I notice you said it was quick, but is that because it's a bit 'thrashy'? I've no experience of ultra modern little engines, but I don't think I could live with a 1.4, however good it was.
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I thought it might be too, but, it's got a turbo, and produces 140 bhp. Not entirely sporty of course but more than adequate. The 1.6 normally aspirated Nissan it replaces had 115 bhp.
Surprisingly sprightly thing actually.
I can remember my father saying that he couldn't imagine anything less than 3.0 being powerful enough until he got a 2.0 and was pleasantly surprised.
They even do the Renegades with 1.0 engines now. Not tried one, but I guess they must be ok.
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I like the Renegade. I'd have one.
I'm not wishing to cast Nasturtiums on your opinion, which I would normally trust, but I struggle to believe that I would be happy with a 1.4 in that car. Aside from anything else it must surely be very 'revvy'?
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Not especially really. It'll rev alright, but only if you ask it to. Quite happy pootling about at legal speeds. I was quite surprised too to be honest.
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2 or 4 wheel drive?
I drove the Fiat version a few years ago, thought that was OK.
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Oddly enough I think your Renegade has essentially the same 1368 cc turbo engine as the Fiat 124 Spider. I quite fancied a 124 instead of the MX-5 as I actually like the retro shape, but I wanted the proper peaky twin cam in the Mazda version, and the turbo in the 124 has a completely different character - much more suited IMO to your JEEP than a little sports car.
Maximum torque in the 124 is 240Nm @ 2250. MX-5 1.5 150Nm @4800. Renegade 230Nm @ 1750.
Power - 124 140PS@ 5000, Mazda 131PS @ 7000, Renegade 140PS @5500
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The comment about being Panda-esque is spot on.
Bought a 1.6 diesel one for the GF last summer. Was an ex demo in Limited trim. It has so much kit and was a steal. It has the ring LED headlights too.
Its torquey and quite rapid, whilst doing well over 40mpg. I really like driving it.
They tend to be a bit marmite though.. one of my mates said it looked like it was made of Duplo lego….!
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We could have had a pre-reg 70 plate no-miler 1.6 diesel in "Night Eagle" trim ( where do they get these names ? ) for £17995.
Must admit it was a bit tempting. But in the end it was bought really mostly to get her to and from the shops, and a bit of weekend pottering, so we decided to go for a used one.
Yes, they do look a bit "Tonka" I suppose, but perhaps perversely, we both sort of like that.
Hey ho, if it does half as well as its predessor at being the "other" car for a few years, we'll be happy with that.
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>>..but I don't think I could live with a 1.4, however good it was. >>
Really? :-)
tinyurl.com/zm79jx5a
Last edited by: Stuartli on Tue 23 Mar 21 at 18:51
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Really. After all an F1 car is only 1.6 and I still wouldn't want to live with it.
My Explorer has a 4.something engine and wouldn't get near either of them in a race. On the other hand it is quiet, smooth, low-revving and unstressed.
My hammer-from-one-bend-to-the-next days are long, long behind me. Probably 40 years behind me.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Tue 23 Mar 21 at 19:18
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Look, I haven't been this popular at home in decades. If I'd known I could achieve this status for the relatively minor investment of 10 grand I'd have done it years ago.
I don't care that it's a 1.4, or that it's a Fiat masquerading as a Jeep, or that I may have to wear paper bags over my head when driving it unaccompanied, or that it looks like it has been made of Lego. Because currently "I am a lovely man" apparently...
I mean c'mon guys, 10 grand, cheap right?
;-))
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.......yeah, but a Fiat Jeepolino.......... :-(
(It even makes my motorhome look less like a brick on wheels ;-) )
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>> "I am a lovely man" apparently...
Until the next thing you get wrong. Can you make it to the weekend?
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Not sure if my back can...
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...you won't need "something" for the weekend, then... :-O
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Just think how popular you’d be if you splashed some cash on an older 911. And even put your better half onto the insurance policy. And you’d save on paper bags.
Every female I’ve been ‘involved’ with would kill to get behind the wheel of a 911.
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I think it would probably initiate a similar but tangential reaction if I bought a 911. In so far as she would, almost certainly, kill me.
I'll stick with my Dusseldorf taxi for now.
;-)
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It was an as well as the D Taxi. A car to use when not on a tip run.....
An ex LL had an MGB GT in her twenties...three young children, and rather than get something practical and boring ( her words) the baby was put in a box on the rear parcel shelf....she rarely used her Frontera which was mainly used to tow her water ski boat...her need for speed was greater than mine, which is now greatly diminished.
Today’s Police Interceptors would have had a field day.
Time waiteth for no man. Which is a bugga when ewe think about it.
Last edited by: legacylad on Wed 24 Mar 21 at 11:12
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A tip run qualifies as a day out at the moment.
:-(
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Haha :-)
My first drive out in two weeks was last Thursday. 15 mile drive to .....beer shop at Tesco’s, maple syrup shop at Aldi, tile showroom for a look round and collect some samples, electrical bits at CEF, paint at B & Ms, M & S Simply Food, pork pie shop, gingerbread men at confectioners then home.
Normally that would be a 4 hour PITA but it was a nice few hours out.
How sad. Never mind.
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Have you got something to drive now?
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>> Have you got something to drive now?
>>
No.
Had a jolly out with a pal of mine.
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>> No. Had a jolly out with a pal of mine.
Best get a Renegade then.
I believe it's what all the cool trendy folk are going for these days...Hadn't you heard? Latest thing y'know. The crumblies don't get it, but hey...
;-)
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>> Best get a Renegade then.
>>
>> I believe it's what all the cool trendy folk are going for these days...Hadn't you
>> heard? Latest thing y'know
>>
>> ;-)
Good job I didn’t get a Cashcow as a cheap runabout. Apparently they’re out of favour with the hip old folks.
Or is that old folks needing hips ?
Don’t need a car at the moment. Everything i need is within walking distance, and train next week to meet up with pals for the reinstated Tuesday walk.
Mind you, I did covet a dark metallic grey 911, with red fabric roof, in the market place today. With my first two initials on the reg.
Steady on LL.
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A convertible 911? Girls ones those aren't they?
;-)
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Yes. Both my ex’s would have traded my organs to drive one of those.
A good pal of mine, strapping retired rower type, always tries to hire a dinky 500 whilst on holiday. He obviously doesn’t think they are girlie cars. And I’m not going to argue.
In my favour I once owned an N reg Defender 90. It’s been downhill ever since.
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Actually, a friend of mine has a Boxster convertible thingy. Very very nice car, but a two seater of course. Not quite as eye wateringly expensive a 911 though.
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I get to go to Rhyl on Sunday...:-)
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Make sure you leave before dark.
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>> Not sure if my back can...
I am glad that it is working out so well for you. I thought that you'd probably want to continue like this as long as you can, so I thought this might help.
tinyurl.com/y34rlu8j
Of course, I am sure a man of your years is fully aware of these matters, but better safe than sorry I thought.
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Kind of you. Very thoughtful.
;-)
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Well, she's had the Renegade a month now and she is delighted with it. "Best car I've ever had" according to her.
I know it's no favourite of car nerds, who can't seem to get past saying, "Y'know it's a Fiat don't you" ( yes, we knew thanks ) ;-)
But, she is so taken with it. What's more, it seems to have chimed with her elderly parents, her middle aged friends and indeed with our 21 year old son, his girlfriend and their crowd who all like it.
In truth, I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but she's been hankering after one for a while and sort of thought what the heck, it's not for me anyway.
However, it has cast a little spell over me too, it's actually a very pleasant thing to drive, much more so than her old Qashqai which was a worthy thing, but not something you'd rush to take out just for the fun of it.
Only a 1.4, but with a turbo very smoothly generating 140 bhp, which feels more than adequate in a small car. I'm more of a fan of autos but it's a sweet little manual gearbox that is really quite Fordy in its precision.
I'm not keen on the EPB, but we've both got used to it if nothing else.
As previously mentioned, it feels a bit like a big Panda really. Inexplicably puts a smile on your face.
Still a bit of a domestic fight for the keys to it which must be a good sign I suppose.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Tue 20 Apr 21 at 13:28
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What more could you possibly achieve with a car than an owner/driver that happy with it?
Great move.
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Yes its amazing how much that experience echoes with my own
Can't put my finger on it but its really nice to drive and I also thought it was Panda-esque
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I guess it is partly nostalgia. A lifetime ago, when we were young and skint, we had a couple of old Mk1 Pandas. Basic as they come, but they provided a joyful little platform for our skiing and mountain biking trips. Even got as far as the Alps and back in winter a few times in those cars back then.
Later, my job took me to Italy at least once a month, and if I'd flown, I'd rent a basic car while there. For many years they were usually Pandas. I've done thousands of miles in them and have an irrational soft spot for them.
The little Jeep somehow shares some of the same vibe/feel I suppose, and it just makes us both feel happy I guess.
And we all need a bit of that right now don't we !
;-)
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Fiat-egade - legacylad
