Brownie Points

[Guest Wireless]

Hi,

 

Took delivery of a new C1 Rhythm last Friday for the wife to use for work, she was using a 23 year old Fiat Panda 45CL 903cc, see eBay 150265562226, which used to return 50 - 55 mpg.

 

She absolutely loves the new car, she does between one and two thousand miles a month, and the Fiat wasn't really the right car for the job, interesting that you all (and the manufacturer) label this car as a city bug, we live in Shropshire and 95% of the mileage she does is rural B roads.

 

Took 8 weeks to appear at the show room, which seemed a long time, but I imagine that not many are ordered with air conditioning, the full safety electronics pack, and extra air bags on such a little 5 door. She transports children around while working for Social Services.

 

Anyway, the suspension is a marked improvement over the rear leaf springs on the Fiat, and the noise levels are so low, except road noise, but I've read elsewhere on the forum that they skimp on sound insulation?

 

She's had the C1 on PCP, and intends to get another new one in three years time, fingers crossed that the mileage will be nearer the 68.9 mpg that they claim.

 

BTW, I drive a planet eating V8 Land Rover.

[750Nig]

Welcome to the forum Mr Wireless. I am really suprised a 23 year old Panda is/was still on the road, we had one about 19 years ago and it rotted away as we looked at it !

I think your wife will see a huge difference in the drive although perhaps not in the interior. Its still pretty basic in the Rhythm isn't it. The noise I don't think is unpleasant, even at motorway cruising speeds its not bad.

 

Your not destroying the planet cos the Disoc is on LPG.

We had a 4.2 Rangie on gas a while back, we loved it, the wife drove a 3.5 V8 LR 90 at the same time. They had to go, having 2 V8s in one family is just too much for the wallet to bear.

 

8 weeks for a new car ain't bad, we just waited 5 months for a VW golf estate (or variant). Lovely car tho' well worth the wait.

[TurboSlag]

BTW, I drive a planet eating V8 Land Rover.

What on earth for? Even the famers round here don't use them (they use tractors for agricultaral work and quads for getting about the farm).

[ColinC1]

The 'city bug' name covers the C1, Pueg 107 and Aygo which are all made in the same factory using most of the same parts. This is handy because you can mix and match accessories from all the makes.

 

Being a 'city bug' does not mean it has to be a city car, it can be used everywhere, A roads B roads, motorways, etc, though not off road as it is too low to the ground (I found this out the hard way, when trying to park on waste ground) :P

 

City bug, means easy to park, easy to drive, good fuel economy, and overheads are low, and the C1 does that just fine ;)

 

Do I get my Brownie points now :)

[Guest Wireless]

What on earth for? Even the famers round here don't use them (they use tractors for agricultaral work and quads for getting about the farm).

 

Because you need someone to shout at?

 

Because we live in a rural county?

 

Because the seat height is right for my disabled body?

 

Because it does up to 19 mpg on LPG (57p a litre) and can tow the two ton trailer for the local Scout Group?

 

Because my mother lives on a farm in Mid Wales?

 

Because my radio hobby supports community and emergency events held in the countryside, such as 100 mile walks / runs, horse rides across several counties, and the like?

 

Because I have three Labradors?

 

Because I want to drive along green lanes using a tread lightly approach and it makes an excellent wheelchair for accessing the countryside?

 

Or, maybe I love Land Rovers and want to own the vehicle, pay no road tax because I'm exempt, and it's perfectly legal?

 

What's it got to do with you anyway, is your bobble hat itchy and you want to make brownie points with your clueless mates over 'car choice'?

 

Stick your nose where it's wanted, which ain't here.

[Guest Wireless]

The 'city bug' name covers the C1, Pueg 107 and Aygo which are all made in the same factory using most of the same parts. This is handy because you can mix and match accessories from all the makes.

 

Being a 'city bug' does not mean it has to be a city car, it can be used everywhere, A roads B roads, motorways, etc, though not off road as it is too low to the ground (I found this out the hard way, when trying to park on waste ground) :P

 

City bug, means easy to park, easy to drive, good fuel economy, and overheads are low, and the C1 does that just fine ;)

 

Do I get my Brownie points now ;)

 

Yes, 10 points, same I got when when I agreed to the C1, (wife is a Scout Leader).

 

You've listed virtually all the reasons why the wife wanted it for work, transporting children and families for Social Services.

 

Even though the Road Tax drops from £35 to £20 following the Chancellors questionable recent decision, I will still pay less...well nothing actually as I'm exempt as a disabled person.

 

In fact, now the 4x4 second-hand market appears in free-fall as a result of fuel rises and impending Road Taxation, I'm considering buying a five year old 4.4 V8 Range Rover Vogue, the seat height is the same, the interior is more comfortable, and a new Prins LPG injection system is now offset by the drop in second-hand values. I may be the only person I know who is happy with Gordon Brown over Road Tax.

 

Plus the scrap value for the old V8 Discovery has risen sharply! Mine isn't quite ready for the scrapyard (mines worth maybe £800 to £1200 now), so maybe I'll wait two years for the Rangey, when the Road Tax will really bite the second-hand market.

 

Then if Gordon is still around, I'll award him his Brownie Points.

 

BTW I am still a Member of the Rambler's Association, although since my accident in 1996 I've not been able to walk with the local group. However, I'm also a Member of CRAG, and Mud Club, so have a wheel/foot in both camps as it were, but no bobble hat!

[downsman]

Because you need someone to shout at?

 

Because we live in a rural county?

 

Because the seat height is right for my disabled body?

 

Because it does up to 19 mpg on LPG (57p a litre) and can tow the two ton trailer for the local Scout Group?

 

Because my mother lives on a farm in Mid Wales?

 

Because my radio hobby supports community and emergency events held in the countryside, such as 100 mile walks / runs, horse rides across several counties, and the like?

 

Because I have three Labradors?

 

Because I want to drive along green lanes using a tread lightly approach and it makes an excellent wheelchair for accessing the countryside?

 

Or, maybe I love Land Rovers and want to own the vehicle, pay no road tax because I'm exempt, and it's perfectly legal?

 

What's it got to do with you anyway, is your bobble hat itchy and you want to make brownie points with your clueless mates over 'car choice'?

 

Stick your nose where it's wanted, which ain't here.

 

If you're so touchy about the subject, why did you call it a :

 

planet eating V8 Land Rover.

[Guest Wireless]

If you're so touchy about the subject, why did you call it a :

 

Bait

[TurboSlag]

Because the seat height is right for my disabled body?

Thats fair play, and wouldn't denouce anyone having one for that. The rest is poo though - I too live in a rural county smack in the middle of a patchwork of working farms, and none of the farmers use them.

 

Stick your nose where it's wanted, which ain't here.

Grow up, you child. I merely asked a question.

[750Nig]

Grow up, you child. I merely asked a question.

 

Handbags at dawn ?

[TurboSlag]

Handbags at dawn ?

Barbours at dawn?

 

Labradors at dawn?

 

Park on the path outside a school at dawn?

 

I personally don't care what he drives, but he's chump for having a pop at someone for simply asking a question, and the fact that his diatribe was so intense would suggest his case is not as strong as he believes (which it isn't - the fourbie is a dreadful vehicle for modern agricultural use - not as good off road and more expensive than a quad, and of less use than a tractor for moving equipment and materials) and having four wheel drive will have zero impact on his disability as my Vito driving wheelchair bound friend can confirm. I don't give a stuff, and the chump should wind his neck in and stop snapping at people for simply asking.

[Guest Wireless]

Barbours at dawn?

 

Labradors at dawn?

 

Park on the path outside a school at dawn?

 

I personally don't care what he drives, but he's chump for having a pop at someone for simply asking a question, and the fact that his diatribe was so intense would suggest his case is not as strong as he believes (which it isn't - the fourbie is a dreadful vehicle for modern agricultural use - not as good off road and more expensive than a quad, and of less use than a tractor for moving equipment and materials) and having four wheel drive will have zero impact on his disability as my Vito driving wheelchair bound friend can confirm. I don't give a stuff, and the chump should wind his neck in and stop snapping at people for simply asking.

 

Your question was loaded, your evidence is based on hype, and all because you decided to take the bait. You didn't like the answers to your 'question' and the fact that you're a nosy busybody whose attentions are unwanted.

 

Your anocdotal evidence aside; based on your limited experience of farming, and one disabled person's view on 4x4's, I think you're the one that needs to grow up.

 

Defending a point of view to any intensity does not detract from the validity of that point of view, that is solely your interpretation. Yours is a poor attempt at ridicule intended to bolster your own position, based on no evidence, only supposition from your interaction with 'Green' hype attached to the use of 4x4's.

 

I'll leave the parking outside of schools to you, for whatever reason that might be.

[TurboSlag]

I'm not biased, I couldn't care. I've had fourbies myself, so why should I be?

 

You were out of line and exceedingly rude.

[wozza]

I'm not biased, I couldn't care. I've had fourbies myself, so why should I be?

 

You were out of line and exceedingly rude.

 

 

To be fair your first reply was rather troll like. He replied the same way you posed the question. Pose your questions better and you might not get such an aggravated response. It certainly looks like your first response was attempting to bait someone into an argument.

 

Its like me saying why on earth do you drive a C1 when you could buy a 1.6 HDI C4 get similar MPG pay the same in tax and have a better, larger, more comfortable and refined car? People do not like being told what they should or should not own. Or having to give an argument of why they purchased it in the first place.

 

So how about we all be civil now.

[Guest Wireless]

Well at least independent thought sees what happened here, thank you moderator for pointing out what was obvious, it needed to be said.

 

I am however, left with the thought that turboslag has unresolved issues relating to his previous ownership of 4x4's, and having invented his own 'Green' agenda/credentials based on the media (always a poor choice), wants to vent this on any unsuspecting current owner of a 4x4 that might just not share the same view he has currently.

 

My belief, having just used my 4x4 to drive for the Scouts this weekend, down unsurfaced tracks covered in thick mud, that my wife wouldn't dream of taking a shiny C1, is that turboslag has a poorer grasp of vehicle suitability and choice than any reasonable person would expect.

 

To use the information within my previous response to the initial troll for the comparison;

 

The 4x4 can tow a 3.5 tonne trailer, the C1 as far as I am aware cannot be fitted with a tow bar.

 

The road to my mother's farm is a private unmetalled gravel road, which is rather steep, and fords a stream, you'll just have to take it from me that a two-wheel drive isn't a viable option to allow me to visit her.

 

Providing Safety Radio obviously isn't high some people's lists of priorities, but to those people wishing to access the countryside for sporting and endurance events, this is important, and access to off-road sites is essential.

 

I don't think many people would attempt to transport three labradors in a C1, the vehicle isn't reasonably suitable.

 

I have a legal right to access the countryside along RoW for motor vehicles, again, you'll just have to take it from me that two-wheel drive doesn't promote a tread lightly approach to unsealed road surfaces (tendency for people to take a run at things at speed), and with a two-wheel drive you will more than likely damage the vehicle and/or get stuck.

 

I've not seen any Law banning the sale or re-sale of Land Rovers.

 

Any reasonable person would suggest that car choice depends on the use to which the car will be put, and that tarring all with the same brush regarding vehicle choice will cause an argument.

 

A case in point; my usage demands the ownership and use of a 4x4 capable of towing a couple of tons, yet my wife drives 100% on tarmac roads for business use transporting babies, toddlers, and young children in car seats on behalf of a Statutory Service, so she chooses ownership and use of a C1 5dr.

 

I can't see why my choice is such a poor one, particularly as I have made every effort to reduce the cost of ownership, and use the available technology for environmentally friendly fuel. When an electric solar powered 4x4 becomes a viable affordable alternative, then I'll have a better set of options to choose from than I did nine years ago, when I fitted LPG to a V8.

[Guest Wireless]

Well at least independent thought sees what happened here, thank you moderator for pointing out what was obvious, it needed to be said.

 

I am however, left with the thought that turboslag has unresolved issues relating to his previous ownership of 4x4's, and having invented his own 'Green' agenda/credentials based on the media (always a poor choice), wants to vent this on any unsuspecting current owner of a 4x4 that might just not share the same view he has currently.

 

My belief, having just used my 4x4 to drive for the Scouts this weekend, down unsurfaced tracks covered in thick mud, that my wife wouldn't dream of taking a shiny C1, is that turboslag has a poorer grasp of vehicle suitability and choice than any reasonable person would expect.

 

To use the information within my previous response to the initial troll for the comparison;

 

The 4x4 can tow a 3.5 tonne trailer, the C1 as far as I am aware cannot be fitted with a tow bar.

 

The road to my mother's farm is a private unmetalled gravel road, which is rather steep, and fords a stream, you'll just have to take it from me that a two-wheel drive isn't a viable option to allow me to visit her.

 

Providing Safety Radio obviously isn't high some people's lists of priorities, but to those people wishing to access the countryside for sporting and endurance events, this is important, and access to off-road sites is essential.

 

I don't think many people would attempt to transport three labradors in a C1, the vehicle isn't reasonably suitable.

 

I have a legal right to access the countryside along RoW for motor vehicles, again, you'll just have to take it from me that two-wheel drive doesn't promote a tread lightly approach to unsealed road surfaces (tendency for people to take a run at things at speed), and with a two-wheel drive you will more than likely damage the vehicle and/or get stuck.

 

I've not seen any Law banning the sale or re-sale of Land Rovers.

 

Any reasonable person would suggest that car choice depends on the use to which the car will be put, and that tarring all with the same brush regarding vehicle choice will cause an argument.

 

A case in point; my usage demands the ownership and use of a 4x4 capable of towing a couple of tons, yet my wife drives 100% on tarmac roads for business use transporting babies, toddlers, and young children in car seats on behalf of a Statutory Service, so she chooses ownership and use of a C1 5dr.

 

I can't see why my choice is such a poor one, particularly as I have made every effort to reduce the cost of ownership, and use the available technology for environmentally friendly fuel. When an electric solar powered 4x4 becomes a viable affordable alternative, then I'll have a better set of options to choose from than I did nine years ago, when I fitted LPG to a V8.