Thought you may have a Rover.
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What vehicle(s) do you drive on a regular basis?
- Thread starter Scally-Ho
- Start date
Thought you may have a Rover.
For my personal use, I have only bought outright, paying cash. A top of the range, Rover 75, which I've had for very many years, and kept in a semi-preserved state. A gentleman's transport, bought when I had the company car, a VFR, or the Rover to choose from. It doesn't do much annual mileage, I spent much of my working life behind the wheel, no I'm retired, and in less of a hurry, I try to let other chauffeur me, but never in my car
Landlord of my local always used to run around in 10 year old Peugeots. Then about a year ago he bought a 2002 75 2.0 V6 petrol in metallic moonstone green with 50,000 miles. Apparetly he had been looking for one for some time and after viewing some poor ones, he came across this one owner in Cornwall for £2000. It belonged to an old boy who was giving up driving, and at that price and condition, it's an absolute steal. It is like a 2 year old car, not 22 years and has been cosseted and well maintained all it's life. I had noticed the car in the pub car park for some time, but thought it belonged to a customer as there are a few enthusuasts who drink there. I am slightly envious as it's just my sort of car, having owned many large saloons - big early Carlton fan having had 3 of them, and used to have a 1960 Rover 100. Although I know the LL quite well, I never took him for a petrol head. You never can tell!
They are a luvverly long-legged, very comfortable, well appointed motor. It's the first diesel I've ever owned, after having had several company diesels. Apart from the badge, they are BMW's, BMW detuned the diesel ECU, so the BMW engine wouldn't compete with the actual BMW's, which made it far too sluggish for me. So one of my first jobs to do on it, was remap the ECU, after which, it flys from the lights, and the economy is also improved. I turn-in 50/60 mpg regularly, cruising.
Weak points, are the very heavy clutch pedal, clutch master cylinder failure. It takes so much effort, I hate driving it in traffic. Rust problems are usually confined to the rear sills, where it joins the mudguard. No such problem on mine, it was rustproofed, before it left the factory.
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Woof!!!
For me it's a Peugeot Bipper van for carting stuff around (67 plate, 1.3 diesel, 60 MPG and the springs are hard as hell) a Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid (72 plate, 60 MPG) and 'er indoors has a Honda HRV 1.6 diesel (19 plate, 52 MPG - with wincing service costs).
Plus a classic Honda CB500S when it's play time (Can't handle 1200cc bikes any more!)
John
How do you drive the Bipper to get 60mpg? Is that brim to brim measurement? And is it urban/motorway or combined?
I have a 1.6HDI c4 grand, and because I clearly have nothing better to do with my life, I've been trying to see how efficient I can drive the thing.
The max I have got urban driving is 55mpg with a small element of motorway. (brim measurement)
The highest I managed motorway might be around 76mpg. (trip measurement, but it seems accurate)
That was also with a fully loaded car, 5 adults and a heavy boot full.
But, in both those cases, that is really trying hard to drive efficiently. I have better lift and coast skills than modern F1 drivers.
In terms of the C4 Grand, I love it. Not sporty, but so damn practical. I abhor the move to SUV style cars. It's very frustrating that nearly all manufacturers have stopped traditional MPVs.
I'm still not in the least bit sure where the dividing line between MPV and SUV is, to be honest? I strongly suspect it has more to do with marketing departments than engineering departments, though!
To me, an SUV needs to drive all 4 wheels and have a separate space for cargo to the passenger compartment - like a pickup or double-cab van. If it's 2 wheel drive, primarily for passengers, and with a flexible seating arrangement that allows the carriage of caro in the same compartment as the people, it's an MPV, but that's just me!
My ubiquitous Pathfinder has 4WD and it is classed as a mid-sized SUV, but to me she is a very reliable + dependable workhorse and the 4WD enables easy towing of a fully ladened vehicle trailer without overtaxing my concentration, especially on wet roads etc, so for me she is a MPV in every sense of the words and I'd be lost without her 
@Avocet - I think there is a big difference. It mainly comes down to ground clearance and actual benefits.
It also might be that we are defining SUVs differently. I don't mean anything that is akin to a pick-up or discovery or has an actual utilitarian purpose. I'm talking about the modern trend of making normal cars "faux SUVs". Which is the majority of designs these days.
Nearly all these types of SUVs have much higher ground clearance, so there is an element of climbing into them. Basically it's to give people the feel of having something closer to a 4x4 without actually owning one. There are very few benefits to this (economy, handling, pedestrian safety, actual space).
So, for example, the new Ford Puma is essentially an SUV version of the fiesta. They just jacked the fiesta up on stilts, (it's the same chassis and interior to a large extent). There is no additional practicality as the rooflines are not much higher. The car itself is just higher.
MPVs, in most cases, have normal/low ground clearance, much closer to most cars, and are essentially vans with seating. Because the roofline on MPVs are actually higher, seats can be slightly raised, so there is no element of falling into the seat as per a normal car. In addition, because the roofline is actually higher, there is a tonne more practical space for storage.
This also has major benefits for someone with a disability. Anyone who struggles to lower themselves into a car, or get out if it, or has to get their leg high enough to climb into an an SUV will know what I'm talking about.
With the low ground clearance, tall roofline and seating which is often at thigh height, there is often minimal effort getting into and out of a MPV.
It also might be that we are defining SUVs differently. I don't mean anything that is akin to a pick-up or discovery or has an actual utilitarian purpose. I'm talking about the modern trend of making normal cars "faux SUVs". Which is the majority of designs these days.
Nearly all these types of SUVs have much higher ground clearance, so there is an element of climbing into them. Basically it's to give people the feel of having something closer to a 4x4 without actually owning one. There are very few benefits to this (economy, handling, pedestrian safety, actual space).
So, for example, the new Ford Puma is essentially an SUV version of the fiesta. They just jacked the fiesta up on stilts, (it's the same chassis and interior to a large extent). There is no additional practicality as the rooflines are not much higher. The car itself is just higher.
MPVs, in most cases, have normal/low ground clearance, much closer to most cars, and are essentially vans with seating. Because the roofline on MPVs are actually higher, seats can be slightly raised, so there is no element of falling into the seat as per a normal car. In addition, because the roofline is actually higher, there is a tonne more practical space for storage.
This also has major benefits for someone with a disability. Anyone who struggles to lower themselves into a car, or get out if it, or has to get their leg high enough to climb into an an SUV will know what I'm talking about.
With the low ground clearance, tall roofline and seating which is often at thigh height, there is often minimal effort getting into and out of a MPV.
To be fair, I only use the on board computer for said Bipper and that says between 59 and 61 MPG and always has done.
It has a Fiat engine, 1.3 turbo diesel and it is very swift......it will always be more economical than the 1.6 which is a cracking engine in itself. The Bipper is very much a lightweight 600kg van, which is why it stots around when empty!
John
But I don't think any of that answers the question as to what is an MPV and what is an SUV? To know what is a "faux" SUV, one first has to have a definition of a "real" SUV, I think? Nissan call their Qashqai an SUV, for example. For me, that's an MPV? Peugeot call their 3008 and 5008 SUVs. To me, they're all "people carriers" or "MPVs". I think the two terms can mean whatever people want them to mean, to be honest.
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Thats why I buy Hondas
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I've gone off my Honda crv now, but it's so reliable I just can't bring myself to sell it.
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Im of the same thinking. But I could do with cutting down from Van and car to a double cab. However I keep blowing hot and cold
I drove a new Hilux 2.8 a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was the best yet with its 6-speed auto box and quieter that the outgoing model. It didn't hang around long as it was sold a few days later.
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No good for work.. I need a comfortable van.