Day time running lights

[Carledo]

What is it with older drivers driving really slow?

Funny! I would like to think that I drive at a suitable speed for the local roads. Usually just over 50 on the country roads around here, to allow a bit of a chance when the pheasants and roe deer decide to shoot across the road in front of me. On Monday I picked up my daughter from school and took her to her babysitting job. We were early and there was no one else on the road, so I drove at 20mph to kill time. It was amazing how much I noticed at the side of the road that I haven't notice before in 15 years of living here!! I may start driving at 20mph all the time now!!!

Perhaps I have over-generalized! I don't drive around with my hair on fire (contrary to popular opinion) but I do like to "make progress". And I HAVE noticed that people who love cars and driving tend to be quicker, more alert AND more skillful, whereas those who have "white goods" cars and only drive because it's the best choice of a bad lot, tend to let the car drive them and their minds wander aimlessly. Unfortunately I don't see any way to rid our roads of these menaces since, though putting them out of their misery would be a kindness, euthanasia is illegal

Nick, I am quite content to let you drive as slowly as you want since you don't live anywhere near me! And that last paragraph is not aimed at you, a TR is NOT a "white goods" car!

Steve

[RobSun]

And I HAVE noticed that people who love cars and driving tend to be quicker, more alert AND more skillful, whereas those who have "white goods" cars and only drive because it's the best choice of a bad lot, tend to let the car drive them and their minds wander aimlessly.

Steve

I think you have a point there Steve regarding modern cars. I bought a Volvo V50 about two months ago, estates are handy for me to carry the animals and with MG parts getting harder to get, and some of those that are available now being of very questionable quality, needed something I could just jump in and drive and rely on for daily use. Its great in towns smooth quite and very light on the controls. I found myself on a dual carriageway pottering at 60. I had a wtf moment what's happening and started to press on. May be old age creaping in but I put it down to the car being bland uninspiring and just not giving any real joy. It's ok nothing wrong with it, handles and performs ok but not great, it doesn't inspire spirited driving with me though. If I hadn't got so much tied up in it I would change it. I've never owned a car before that after a few weeks I started thinking about replacement. Even my Hyundai's didn't give me those thoughts until their poor reliability and regular breakdowns got too much. 13 year old MG ZT never stranded me at the side of the road, two brand new Hyundai regularly, one on its first occasion two days old 150 miles done and two weeks to get the parts which were wrong when they came. After that it only got worse.

Bob

[Carledo]

If you want a Volvo Estate, I can thoroughly recommend the Amazon (I had one for 29 years, abused it horribly, never let me down and made a small profit when I sold it) or even a 240 series (Had 4 of these) The coming model at the moment is the 960 Turbo, still cheap but on the way up! I'm not so sure about the 850, A friend and customer bought one through me in 1998, a 96 flood damaged write off, ex dealer domonstrator with a top spec body and interior married to a poverty spec 2.5 10v motor and autobox and I loved it to bits and still do. (He still has it all these years later) I liked it so much that when a similar car (but manual) came up with a friend of mine in London silly cheap, I bought it sight unseen, cadged a lift down to the Smoke and drove it home. the drive home was OK but uninspiring and a week on the local lanes had me completely out of love. The manual box ruined a fine car, the ratios are badly chosen, the box obstructive and the result made the car feel bigger and clumsier than it actually was. 2 weeks after buying it, I moved it on! But newer Volvos than that leave me cold, as do most moderns. I have a little love for the 2001-2007 Seat Leon platform in both petrol and PD diesel form and not much else. I've got to the point where my daily drive is a 22 year old Cavalier, not because I can't afford to replace it (though that IS a consideration) but because I can't find ANYTHING I like as much, that will do the work and give the reliability and enjoyment that the Cav does! I had a brief flirtation with a 205hp Saab Turbo convertible, loved the power and the seats, hated the scuttle shake and the impracticality of the soft top and the fuel consumption was CRIPPLING!
Which is why I am building the Dolomega, a Sprint Auto with the engine and auto trans from a 2001 2.2 litre 16v Omega. The modern-ish power unit in a classic body has so many advantages, it looks great, is different from the herd, fun to drive, handles well, quick and relatively economical due to low weight (circa 1100kg) yet reliable enough for daily use with only normal maintainence. I can't wait to get it finished so I can start enjoying it!

Steve

PS, I don't mean to be rude, but anyone who buys a Hyundai gets what they deserve! The ultimate in "white goods" cars and the modern equivalent of a Lada Riva! (which, oddly enough, are now strangely desirable to some folk!)

[SprintMWU773V]

Someone at work drives a Hyundai I30. He drives extremely slowly and it's very annoying when you follow him in or our of work on a road that has limited overtaking opportunities.

I don't like the DRL's on the I30 either, in fact I just don't like the I30 at all. It's capable but not in the least bit exciting. Plus why buy an I30 with a mere 5 year warranty when you could buy a Kia version which is equally as dull, slightly cheaper and comes with a 7 year warranty. Hyundai's are really just Kia's for people who think Kia's are beneath them.

[soe8m]

Depends on the car.

When i drive my 1969 volvo 145 every corner i see as a challenge and drive it that way.

In January i damaged it because of a too big challenge (already repaired, just the rear window has to be fitted again) and did buy a silver 1998 nissan primera for the time being. I have to watch the speedo regulary and push the pedal because of underspeeding. It's such a boring car, you have time to think when driving and are just transporting yourself.

The same difference when i'm in a dolomite 1300 or a sprint. Not that my 1300 is boring, it's fun to drive but it gives me another mood and makes me drive different than when i'm in a sprint.

Jeroen

[Howard81]

Back in 2009 my Sprint was read-ended and for the duration of the repair the courtesy car I received a brand new Mondeo Estate with 40 miles on the clock!

Very very comfortable, quiet, easy to drive and therefore incredibly boring to be in. So dull in fact I fell asleep at the wheel on the M3 and ended up spinning off the grass verge. Not a scratch on it, but I took it home and didn't drive it again!

What is weird is that my parents had a 2006 X-Type estate 2.2D - which is essentially the same car - and that was great to drive.

[tony g]

I worked on one of the prototype x types that were actually mondeos and the guy that was hired to be the ride and handling expert did an amazing job of transforming the car. Lots of bushes with different shore numbers and lots of shocks were changed. He transformed the car . Ive driven both since production and the x type is definately not a mondeo. Saying that the 220 st mondeo was quite a good drive too.

Tony

[oily66]

Ive driven both since production and the x type is definately not a mondeo.

That's what I tell people.