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Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I have done a stupid and agreed to buy a major project car. From 1956.
 
The interior of the new Lincoln Navigator looks like a very nice time to spend a drive. However, the exterior just isn't imposing or "substantial" enough for who I think normally shops for that type of car, so I suspect it'll fail to capture much of the market.
 
Matt2000 said:
I've always thought of those tow bar solutions as the best option, having grown up with awful contraptions that clamp to the boot lid. They're at least difficult to fuck up. :p

Thule even make a tow bar tent, I was checking it out at a show earlier in the year. Sadly too big to work with the Mazda (the packed tent would be taller than the car) even if it could have a tow bar, and I think it's a bit espensive for what it is.
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Yup I can confirm, the "clamp this side to the rear hatch and the other side to the glass, it'll be fine" things DO work, but I'm very nervous and basically drive around like I'm a million years old. It's also nearly impossible to do without scratching the paint and I kinda hate that.

Sure the proper towbar setup is (a lot) more espensive (this is what this word is now), but also a whole lot better. I've had one for I think 7 years now for the kids bikes, and it's still being used weekly without any faff. Getting the plug for the lights in properly is a hassle in my car because of the stupid location of the plug (it involves almost lying on the ground groping around at something you can barely see and hoping for it to bite *not a euphemism*), but I've become adequate at it. Only thing we needed to replace in all that time is the grabby thingy that holds the bike (because they had worn out from using and wouldn't clamp down hard enough).

Also also, you can do this if you want more luggage space and not compromise aero efficiency/ fuel consumption :

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In other news : took my wife's car to the MOT station, where several miracles happened in quick succession

1) the whole thing took less than 30 minutes, waiting twice (once in line to get in, once in line to pay for this privilege) included
2) while thorough, the guys doing it didn't seem hellbent on finding something stupid so they can fail me. They did check for stupid stuff though like "do all the seatbelts close and retract properly, and what is the expiry date on the fire extinguisher, which has never happened to me before
3) perhaps related to 2), there were NO remarks. I've had "keep an eye on that rust on the exhaust" remarks, only for me to return 2 years later and there being no remark at all .... which is it? Because rust doesn't vanish by itself and I did exactly nothing to remedy this nonexistant problem

So all in all, it passed, it didn't take half a day, and I'm happy as can be!
 
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Drove this eC4 loaner for a few hrs, too short to do a proper review, but here’s 2 things I like and 2 things I hate

👍
It has the only kind of keyless go system you want : the one that opens as soon as you walk up to it, and automatically closes (with a tiny beep) if you walk off. I don’t know why not all systems have this, it basically eliminates the need to press the keyfob. My kia still needs a press to lock it, which I often forget, and then it sends me text messages to tell me.

It has wireless Carplay. Again, my car needs a cable to be plugged in, this just works. It’s also quick and snappy and doesn’t need any user input after the first pairing. Good!

👎
It has a weird boot spoiler thing that runs across the rear window, cutting it in half and ruining the little rear visibility you have. Yes it has a backup camera but this smells of being weird for the sake of it.

The regen needs to be set at every startup and is nowhere near strong enough. Also, it creeps if you let go of the brake pedal and there’s no auto hill hold. No major problem but an annoying one (and I’m very petty)

Bonus hate fact : the correct name for this car is the ëC4 not the eC4 or C4e. This bugs me because its pointless and daft

Overall a pretty decent car, good ride, decent interior space, with acceptable range (300ish kms)
 
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Dammit, you are even more pedantic than I am! And even worse, you are technically correct (which is the best kind of correct)

I will however say this : does there exist a language (other than Dutch which is weird ik itself) where you get an ë? And do the ‘points’ make it sound different?

Let’s just all agree to stop putting an E in the name of every car name/model, let’s have proper names of cars instead of BZ4x or whatever that Toyota is called
 
Since I'll have to hand in my company car in the coming weeks and I'll be needing some temporary wheels I've been looking at cheaps cars that are both cheap to buy (sub 3000euro range) and also affordable tax-wise with a tax for registering used cars which can be more than what you pay for the car if you buy something with an engine bigger than 2liters.
Most sensible options are 2000-2010 Fords or Citroëns with 1.4-1.6 liter petrol engines (= usualy lower taxes): they can be found in the 1500-2500euro range and many of them are stationwagons which I prefer. Don't really need or care too much for luxury since I don't plan on driving/owning it for very long.
But today I stumbled upon a Jaguar X-type stationwagon. It's only a 2.0 diesel with only 130hp, a lot more comfort/options/luxury than the mostly early 2000's Ford Focuses I've been looking at, taxes aren't too bad and I know it's more Ford Mondeo than Jaguar but it's actually itching to go have a look purely to check off the "having owned a Jaaaaaaaag" box 😂 .
 
kalf said:
Since I'll have to hand in my company car in the coming weeks and I'll be needing some temporary wheels I've been looking at cheaps cars that are both cheap to buy (sub 3000euro range) and also affordable tax-wise with a tax for registering used cars which can be more than what you pay for the car if you buy something with an engine bigger than 2liters.
Most sensible options are 2000-2010 Fords or Citroëns with 1.4-1.6 liter petrol engines (= usualy lower taxes): they can be found in the 1500-2500euro range and many of them are stationwagons which I prefer. Don't really need or care too much for luxury since I don't plan on driving/owning it for very long.
But today I stumbled upon a Jaguar X-type stationwagon. It's only a 2.0 diesel with only 130hp, a lot more comfort/options/luxury than the mostly early 2000's Ford Focuses I've been looking at, taxes aren't too bad and I know it's more Ford Mondeo than Jaguar but it's actually itching to go have a look purely to check off the "having owned a Jaaaaaaaag" box 😂 .
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What if.... Citroen Plurial? :D
 
93Flareside said:
What if.... Citroen Plurial? :D
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With kids I really prefer something with 4/5 doors. Plus I plan on moving the Ford Escort to the new place this weekend and I hope to finally get it running and driving in the coming months. So that should check the 2/3 door convertible box then.
 
I'd say go for it. It's a Mondeo underneath, with a decent engine and a more posh interior. Also having driven a 2010s 1.6 Citroen, I'd wager it'll be nicer to drive and a better overall engine too...

Aside from all the boring stuff, just saying "I'll go get the Jaaaaaaag" is worth the price of admission
 
NooDle said:
Also, it creeps if you let go of the brake pedal and there’s no auto hill hold. No major problem but an annoying one (and I’m very petty)
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I’ve owned only automatics for the past two decades and I like creep. I like it when EVs or DSGs emulate auto creep too because that is how a car should behave, IMO. And doesn’t creep negate the need for hill hold?


On a semi automotive related note, I did some Boat Yoga™️ today and installed a 12V DIN socket for the handheld search light, because lighter sockets are hateful. Boat Yoga is when you do electrical or mechanical work while in a very uncomfortable position, bending various body parts in ways you didn’t think was possible. I left the wiring a mess because I didn’t have any zip ties, put the console back together and decided i’ll sort out it out at a later date when my back and neck has stopped being cross with me. It was at that point I found a bag of zip ties in one of the storage lockers. I quickly decided I didn’t actually see the zip ties at all and called it a day.

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One of the Nation’s Largest Auto Lenders Told Customers, “We’re Here to Help.” Then It Took Their Money and Their Cars.​

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www.propublica.org

One of the Nation’s Largest Auto Lenders Told Customers, “We’re Here to Help.” Then It Took Their Money and Their Cars.

CarMax partner Exeter Finance makes high-interest loans to people with troubled financial histories. It allows borrowers to skip payments but often adds thousands of dollars in new charges — costs that customers say Exeter didn’t tell them about.
www.propublica.org www.propublica.org
 

Volkswagen's audit of Xinjiang plant failed to meet international standard, FT reports​

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The FT, which obtained a full report of the audit that was conducted last year, found interviews with workers which should have been confidential were live-streamed to a law firm's headquarters in Shenzhen, southern China, and only managers were asked questions related to forced labour.

Investors demanded last year that the carmaker conduct an independent audit of labour conditions at the site, jointly owned by SAIC, in the Xinjiang region, where rights groups have documented abuses including mass forced labour in detention camps. Beijing denies any such abuses.
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www.ft.com www.ft.com
 
For reasons unknown they ground away a part of the asphalt layer. In daytime this makes traffic move slowly because everyone brakes for the bump. At night everything flows better because drivers don’t see the it. As it turns out, cars have something called an suspension. It’s almost as if it was designed specifically to cope with situations like these without slowing down to snail pace.


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Perc said:
For reasons unknown they ground away a part of the asphalt layer. In daytime this makes traffic move slowly because everyone brakes for the bump. At night everything flows better because drivers don’t see the it. As it turns out, cars have something called an suspension. It’s almost as if it was designed specifically to cope with situations like these without slowing down to snail pace.


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Yeah, i find it frustrating how slow people go…. I don‘t expect full speed limit, but still.
 
Perc said:
cars have something called an suspension. It’s almost as if it was designed specifically to cope with situations like these without slowing down to snail pace.
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For some reason I instantly get the image in my head of a yellow MK1 Capri jumping and hopping all over the road.:ROFLMAO:
 
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