New car

French Rooster posted:

why?   some very rich persons in Paris or Nederland , for instance, are driving only scooters or even bikes.    All persons don’t want to show their bank account in the street and prefer the convenience of a scooter vs big 4X4 like the BWW X6 , specially in a town .

All depends where somebody live also.  In US, i think it’s difficult to live without a car.  So a person with a naim statement in house will probably not drive a citroen 2v or fiat punto.   But why not finally....

Without only enough resources, and ignoring other demands on money, I’d likely choose the Statement level system and a secondhand car costing under £20k rather than a lot on car and less on hifi, because in the grand scheme of things music gives me more pleasure than driving, and other than possibly a Tesla model X I can get as much transport capability and driving fun out of £20k (I don’t believe in buying new cars, partly because of the initial sharp depreciation, and partly because then I’d feel obliged to clean and polish the damn thing! Apart from keeping windows and lights clean, I only clean cars when they really dirty.)

hungryhalibut posted:

IB, there are of course caravans and caravans. We have this, which is a caravan for people who don’t like caravans. We took it to the south of France in the summer and being really light, you don’t need a big car to tow it.

I don't usually like caravans but i rather like that. Who makes it Nigel ?

james n posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

IB, there are of course caravans and caravans. We have this, which is a caravan for people who don’t like caravans. We took it to the south of France in the summer and being really light, you don’t need a big car to tow it.

I don't usually like caravans but i rather like that. Who makes it Nigel ?

Dinky Toys?

Timmo1341 posted:

Oh no! Once Don & Winky get going that’ll be it for the next 50 pages!

Damn right! Don does like to drive. And drive. And drive. And drive.

james n posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

IB, there are of course caravans and caravans. We have this, which is a caravan for people who don’t like caravans. We took it to the south of France in the summer and being really light, you don’t need a big car to tow it.

I don't usually like caravans but i rather like that. Who makes it Nigel ?

It’s an Eriba. They are German, and have been going for years. They are something of a cult, and are made with an aluminium frame, rather than just being a wooden box. It only weighs about 850kg and being a pop top with a curved front, is dead easy to tow. I guess they are the Naim of caravans. 

james n posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

IB, there are of course caravans and caravans. We have this, which is a caravan for people who don’t like caravans. We took it to the south of France in the summer and being really light, you don’t need a big car to tow it.

I don't usually like caravans but i rather like that. Who makes it Nigel ?

It's an Eriba. Very neat things, they're well put together & have quite a following. Made in Germany.

Remember guys it doesn’t matter what car you drive, you’ll still get stuck in traffic jams. Personally I’ve gone right off the motoring thing, it’s used to be so much fun and I’ve had some nice cars over the years. Got a mk7 golf gtd that I bought ex demo nearly 5 yrs ago and I have no intention of getting rid of it till it dies. Every available moment is spent away from the Devon roads in the summer and out at sea.

winkyincanada posted:

Timmo1341 posted:

Oh no! Once Don & Winky get going that’ll be it for the next 50 pages!

Damn right! Don does like to drive. And drive. And drive. And drive.

Well, when you've got family and friends in Vancouver, Vernon, Canmore, Edmonton and Toronto on one side of the Pond, and London, Wales, Nottingham, Newcastle, Motherwell and Aberdeen on this side, driving is the most practical and  reliable option. And i'm going to do it as safely and reliably as I can, come winter, spring, summer and autumn !

At the moment, that means EVs are out.

Drewy posted:

Remember guys it doesn’t matter what car you drive, you’ll still get stuck in traffic jams. Personally I’ve gone right off the motoring thing, it’s used to be so much fun and I’ve had some nice cars over the years. Got a mk7 golf gtd that I bought ex demo nearly 5 yrs ago and I have no intention of getting rid of it till it dies. Every available moment is spent away from the Devon roads in the summer and out at sea.

Ah, an amphibious Golf! Now that sounds like a useful vehicle, if not as interesting as James Bond’s Lotus Esprit...

hungryhalibut posted:

james n posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

IB, there are of course caravans and caravans. We have this, which is a caravan for people who don’t like caravans. We took it to the south of France in the summer and being really light, you don’t need a big car to tow it.

It’s an Eriba. They are German, and have been going for years. They are something of a cult, and are made with an aluminium frame, rather than just being a wooden box. It only weighs about 850kg and being a pop top with a curved front, is dead easy to tow. I guess they are the Naim of caravans. 

Cheers HH, Tony. Will have a google. 

very nice caravan car, all you need if on 66 road for example.   But this vintage one must be not cheap today.

Some Wolkswagen combi costs 100 k today.  I don’t know the price of an Eriba, but guess it’s rare nowadays.

They are made today, and the new ones are better than ever. Ours is a 2017 model. Cassette toilet, fridge, gas heater, touch sensitive LED lights, alloy wheels, comfy bed. It’s wonderful. Next summer, Loire Valley. 

Innocent Bystander posted:

Drewy posted:

Remember guys it doesn’t matter what car you drive, you’ll still get stuck in traffic jams. Personally I’ve gone right off the motoring thing, it’s used to be so much fun and I’ve had some nice cars over the years. Got a mk7 golf gtd that I bought ex demo nearly 5 yrs ago and I have no intention of getting rid of it till it dies. Every available moment is spent away from the Devon roads in the summer and out at sea.

Ah, an amphibious Golf! Now that sounds like a useful vehicle, if not as interesting as James Bond’s Lotus Esprit...

I struggle keeping my boat trailer roadworthy with dipping it in the river a couple of times a week. I’d hate to see what it’d do to my Golf

hungryhalibut posted:

They are made today, and the new ones are better than ever. Ours is a 2017 model. Cassette toilet, fridge, gas heater, touch sensitive LED lights, alloy wheels, comfy bed. It’s wonderful. Next summer, Loire Valley. 

ah ok, i didn’t know.  Very nice choice HH!

Don Atkinson posted:

winkyincanada posted:

Timmo1341 posted:

Oh no! Once Don & Winky get going that’ll be it for the next 50 pages!

Damn right! Don does like to drive. And drive. And drive. And drive.

Well, when you've got family and friends in Vancouver, Vernon, Canmore, Edmonton and Toronto on one side of the Pond, and London, Wales, Nottingham, Newcastle, Motherwell and Aberdeen on this side, driving is the most practical and  reliable option. And i'm going to do it as safely and reliably as I can, come winter, spring, summer and autumn !

At the moment, that means EVs are out.

 

Bus, train and plane travel are all far safer than driving.

Don Atkinson posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

I’m sure my dislike of these vehicles is irrational, but they are just huge, unnecessarily so. If somebody wants the luggage or dog space, something like a 5 series estate seems ideal. It’s a nice looking car, but doesn’t take up half the road. There are a couple of examples on here, sensibly explained, of needing to go to snowy places or rough country tracks. But I bet hardly any of the owners do that. There’s a little unassuming guy round the corner with a Cayenne, which he drives at ridiculous speeds in 30mph roads. He won’t put his dog in the car as it would make it dirty, so has another vast 4x4 that he uses at the weekend. All week long, it sits on the road so we struggle to see round the corner. Another neighbour has a Jaguar F pace or something. It’s bloody enormous. The most challenging thing it does is go to collect his son from football. It has never seen a speck of mud in its life. It needs huge parking spaces. A nice 320 or A4 would suit him much better but no, it must be a puffed up Chelsea tractor. And it’s a bloody diesel. Why, why, why?

Freedom of choice.

We don't live in a dictatorship (yet)..........

 

 

Freedom of choice.

We don't live in a dictatorship (yet)..........

..but if that freedom of choice affects others? I have similar situation. A neighbor has got several large cars. Most of them parked alongside kerb-line on the narrow street: difficult to pass and obstructing the visibility, not mentioning that they take spaces for visitors. Some of them parked half one the street and half on the footpath so pedestrians need to walk on the street to pass it. Should the freedom of choice be taken away from him on the basis: if you want cars make sure you can park them on your own property? Should parking on footpaths be made illegal so the pedestrians can actually fully use footpaths?

Good thread this one.

I think parking on the pavement is illegal btw. It certainly is an ignorant thing to do and how on earth are young mothers meant to negotiate the pushchair around it, especially when they are not really paying attention anyway as one of their hands is already clasped to their ear holding their precious mobile phone.

Mine and the wife's inventory of machines for destroying the planet/children's future are as follows:

a ten year old BMW 330d used for my eighty mile daily commute across East Anglia (I do lift share with two others who like me appreciate its comfort on the rough roads)

an eight year old Mito which covers about 3,000 miles per year

a 1996 Alfa GTV used at the weekends by said individuals and our cavapoo for jaunts into the countryside etc

Ray

Woj posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

hungryhalibut posted:

I’m sure my dislike of these vehicles is irrational, but they are just huge, unnecessarily so. If somebody wants the luggage or dog space, something like a 5 series estate seems ideal. It’s a nice looking car, but doesn’t take up half the road. There are a couple of examples on here, sensibly explained, of needing to go to snowy places or rough country tracks. But I bet hardly any of the owners do that. There’s a little unassuming guy round the corner with a Cayenne, which he drives at ridiculous speeds in 30mph roads. He won’t put his dog in the car as it would make it dirty, so has another vast 4x4 that he uses at the weekend. All week long, it sits on the road so we struggle to see round the corner. Another neighbour has a Jaguar F pace or something. It’s bloody enormous. The most challenging thing it does is go to collect his son from football. It has never seen a speck of mud in its life. It needs huge parking spaces. A nice 320 or A4 would suit him much better but no, it must be a puffed up Chelsea tractor. And it’s a bloody diesel. Why, why, why?

Freedom of choice.

We don't live in a dictatorship (yet)..........

 

 

Freedom of choice.

We don't live in a dictatorship (yet)..........

..but if that freedom of choice affects others? I have similar situation. A neighbor has got several large cars. Most of them parked alongside kerb-line on the narrow street: difficult to pass and obstructing the visibility, not mentioning that they take spaces for visitors. Some of them parked half one the street and half on the footpath so pedestrians need to walk on the street to pass it. Should the freedom of choice be taken away from him on the basis: if you want cars make sure you can park them on your own property? Should parking on footpaths be made illegal so the pedestrians can actually fully use footpaths?

Let's be ABSOLUTELY clear.

First, DON'T play around with words. Freedom of choice is just that. We live in a RULES-BASED society. So that freedom comes WITHIN the rules. And it includes the associated RESPONSIBILITIES.

We can DEMOCRATICALLY agree to change the rules. But with regard to buying cars, whether 4x4s, diesels, SUVs or whatever, all are within the rules.

Parking on the curb or on the footpath, causing an obstruction, etc is NOT within the rules. Don't do it. Simple.

If the rules allow you park in the street, do so responsibly, in consideration of other users. Many people don't have the luxury of their own, dedicated off-street parking.

By all means lobby or campaign peacefully to change the rules. HH probably does that every day of the week. Please also feel free to self-impose rules on yourself even if such action isn't required by the current rules.

But just because people buy (diesel) cars because they have that freedom of choice, is no excuse to suggest that justifies illegal street parking or vice-versa.

Welcome back Don, we have missed you.

Cars have better road handling and are more fun to drive. I hope SUVs are only a passing fad because nobody really need them and they block  the view in front of me! 

Pony & trap.

Never quite got the need for a 4x4 just because the roads are bumpy or it's a bit muddy. Growing up on a farm we never had any bother with our normal cars; off the top of my head a Mk1 Cortina, 1600E, Avenger, Mini Cooper [yay!!!] and since I moved on to urban life cars like a 205GTi, Escort again [Mk4 by now], Espace, Corsa etc etc have never failed to get up the rough old pot-holed path or across a muddy field. And snowy roads? Doesn't matter if you drive a tank; first hint of snow and the roads are blocked by people who can't deal with it. Justifying a big 4x4 because the lanes are poor doesn't cut it tbh.

hungryhalibut posted:

Timmo1341 posted:

Some things in life require justification, but choices of transport, hifi, expensive wines and whiskies, size of house, partners’ jewellery, expensive wrist watches etc.....surely don’t belong in that category? I suppose if you look hard enough at anything made or produced by man there will be negative aspects, but we’d be living pretty empty, miserable lives were we to deny ourselves on that basis. Sanctimonious judgementalism is normally, in my experience, born of envy. When parliament decides to forbid the ownership of a particular car or engine I’ll take notice. Until then it really should be each to his or her own, and those with nothing good to say would do better to ‘say nowt’, to borrow from a famous Northern expression.

Tim, I know where you are coming from, but I’d suggest there is no need to take the moral high ground here. There are dozens of system pics where I think people have made bad choices in furniture, carpets, artwork and all sorts, but I wouldn’t dream of saying so, even if as grown ups they have cuddly toy all over the place. Much of the music in the Music Room would send me running for the off button, but people like what they like and there is an unwritten rule that we don’t criticicise each others’ choices. In this instance, however, the OP specifically asked for views on their purchase, so they are open to views both good and bad. I think it’s a bad choice, and am perfectly entitled to say that, and there is no reason whatsoever why the OP should feel aggrieved, or indeed why you should feel the need to lend him your support. 

Timmo is perfectly entitled to lend his support too, or not?Aggrevied me?You are the first one who knows you are not telling the truth.All you have to do is taking a look at the beginning of my  thread.After many and many replies I wrote:"thanks for your replies so far".What an obvious sentence is yours:I asked for some thoughts, negative or positive of course, your boring lessons too.I didn't say anything to you until you wrote I was responsible of someone's death.

Today is Friday and I wish all the guys on here a nice weekend, you too.

Ciao.

Anyways Fab. When you get it, tell us what it’s like...