F**king cars

[tintin40]

i wish i could have a car. public transport is shit

 

[Alison]

Incidentally what was so flawed about the original Beetle??? I mean, compared to the other cars around at the time.

Hot,, noisy , cramped, slow, appalling space efficiency, thirsty, shit handling...
even by 1950s standards.

Slow? Through the gears maybe yes but there's more to it... Acceleration was poor due to tall gearing and large diameter wheels as it was designed for German Autobahns, but in sustained high speed cruising they were almost untouchable among 'affordable cars' when the M1 was first opened. Boy racers in low geared water cooled Fords and Austins used to overheat and blow gaskets trying in vain to stick with the fast cruising Beetles. You needed a Jag or something to outrun a Beetle - and stay in front. But cramped and sh*t handling yes!

And they can beat a sports car in a mile race, Top Gear, OK the Beetle was falling from a mile up

I had a 2CV, you'd never be too warm in that in summer and it was a bit on the slow side but was the most craziest fun I've ever had on four wheels, and other unfortunate owners always flashed their empathy on passing

Alison

 

[Alison]

i wish i could have a car. public transport is shit

It is especially when you live 2 miles from the bus stop. I got my first because 20 years ago the bus drivers would never allow my son's pushchair on the buses, and now I've just become dependent on it, taking three children by bus is so expensive, taking my daughter on Saturday to get her new glasses took 3 hours and £11, a trip in the car would have taken 50 mins and cost £2 max in fuel.

Alison

 

[kenaltobelli]

right so thought iid share my tale of woe;
self employed need a van; have one 57 plate astra
ok gets it tested new back discs new headlight
timeing belt done vans mileage is 140 k
brakes down rac fit a new battery 98 notes
puts 30 notes of derv in clutch and gearbox goes its scrap
just started falling out of gear that day;
ont interweb gets a fiat fiorino 59 plate 4000 notes 150 miles
service lights on into garage allsorts done under warranty
chopped it in 5000 notes a nearly new nemo
wish me luck 11/12 grand gone like that :facepalm: :facepalm: f in hate vans now

 

[elPedro666]

Incidentally what was so flawed about the original Beetle??? I mean, compared to the other cars around at the time.

Hot,, noisy , cramped, slow, appalling space efficiency, thirsty, shit handling...
even by 1950s standards.

Slow? Through the gears maybe yes but there's more to it... Acceleration was poor due to tall gearing and large diameter wheels as it was designed for German Autobahns, but in sustained high speed cruising they were almost untouchable among 'affordable cars' when the M1 was first opened. Boy racers in low geared water cooled Fords and Austins used to overheat and blow gaskets trying in vain to stick with the fast cruising Beetles. You needed a Jag or something to outrun a Beetle - and stay in front. But cramped and sh*t handling yes!

So what you're saying is ... Beetles are the original 29ers?

 

[raleighrider21]

did you get your car diagnosed yet alison?
sounds like its gone into limp mode for deffinate because mines doing exactly the same thing as yours, half the lights on the dash have come on too :facepalm:

 

[legrandefromage]

and our Doblo brakes down for the second time in 90,000 miles.

Alternator has just eaten its bearing tearing up the belt in the process - it happened just near our house.

 

[kenaltobelli]

had a doblo van from new;only ever spent 3oo notes on repairs
serviced yearly .great van
would have another fiat

 

[raleighrider21]

fiat = fix it again tomorrow

ford = found on road dead saying nothing more aha

 

[Alison]

I've had Citroens, Fords, Vauxhalls and Volvo's and have yet to have a car that's been reliable

Still need to take the Mondeo for diagnosis.

Alison