Aquiring an automobile
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@dkf said in Aquiring an automobile:
@BernieTheBernie said in Aquiring an automobile:
A radar is used for more modern versions of cruise control which adjust the speed when the traffic in front of you gets slow.
Got that. It's superb in heavy traffic, especially when going through roadworks on the motorway. Set the cruise for the max legal speed for the section and then just concentrate on keeping in the narrowed lane instead of how far away you are from the idiot in front.
I have not yet acquired enough trust in mine to use it in construction zones. And probably the bigger question for the area I live in... will it pick up a horse & buggy and slow down enough to jolt me into awareness if my mind wonders
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@izzion said in Aquiring an automobile:
I have not yet acquired enough trust in mine to use it in construction zones.
When those construction zones are 25 miles long (e.g., because they're adding in an extra lane) it's really worth learning to trust. Otherwise you're having to hold way too much attention for far too long. It's also very good in heavy traffic with variable speed restrictions. The system is entirely fast enough to cope with a braking wave coming through, you're largely staying in lane anyway, so all you really need to do is ensure that the current legal limit is programmed in.
Also, I hate driving past Birmingham. Adaptive cruise helps a lot, but it's still really nasty.
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@dkf said in Aquiring an automobile:
Also, I hate driving past Birmingham.
On the M6? Yeah, it's awful. The M6 Toll is well worth the price of avoiding that horror.
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I have made a shortlist of cars, managed to cut down to three extra interesting models of three different types-ish.
For going cheapest possible: Citroƫn C1. Of the Aygo-likes I may as well go for the cheapest of them, and as it is now a discontinued model (as in not being renewed for 2021) they are being sold for cheap (as long as stocks last). It is also the one with the lowest fuel consumption and emissions, giving it the lowest tax of the three. It is however lacking cruise control, but can be obtained with a rear camera and climate control.
The sporty option: Hyundai i10 N Line. The i10 have been one of the more interesting models, and the cheapest option to get it with the stuff I want is to buy the sports version, as it got all the stuff from the best equipment pack and some extras. It has the benefit of coming with a turbo for extra vroom, rear camera and climate control, as well as a full media setup with navigation and smart phone control.
The 4x4: Suzuki Swift. I did find a couple cheap 4x4 options in the Fiat Panda and this one, and this looks more interesting. In addition to having 4x4, it also comes with adaptive cruise control. It does however lack the climate control and just has a regular AC. To me, this is the most interesting option right now, and the local dealer also happens to have a special offer on them right now.
Just need to get to the respective dealers to try them out now and see which one feels nicer. The dealers I have managed to get to this far is my "neighbour" (I live close to a dealership) where I could try out Volvo (too expensive), Renault (too uncomfortable) and Dacia (an option for a more spacious cheap car). Also the local Volkswagen, which is also a bit expensive. The third dealer in town is Citroƫn, but they were closed when I passed. The other two I will have to take in the town where I work.
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
full media setup with navigation and smart phone control.
My experience on a couple of recent cars (totally different brands) is that smart phone control is shitty, no matter what. Dumb phone control is OK, i.e. picking up a call or making one, or even getting your text messages read aloud. Streaming music through bluetooth also works reasonably well. But anything more fancy relies on using some sort of car-manufacturer app that isn't going to be the app you're used to and works whenever it feels like, or is sluggish and badly thought out and feature limited and inconvenient. Just use your phone directly for those, don't try to go through the car's systems.
The built-in car navigation systems are essentially a lottery. Some of them are very good, some are crappy, with some of the worst possible UI ever invented and minuscule screens and unreadable directions and catastrophic address database etc. But that part at least you can easily try out when trying the car (compared to the smart phone integration part, which you can't easily test out without pairing your phone and downloading and configuring stuff, which you can't really do in a quick test).
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@remi said in Aquiring an automobile:
My experience on a couple of recent cars (totally different brands) is that smart phone control is shitty, no matter what. Dumb phone control is OK, i.e. picking up a call or making one, or even getting your text messages read aloud. Streaming music through bluetooth also works reasonably well. But anything more fancy relies on using some sort of car-manufacturer app that isn't going to be the app you're used to and works whenever it feels like, or is sluggish and badly thought out and feature limited and inconvenient. Just use your phone directly for those, don't try to go through the car's systems.
Unless Car Play (for iOS) or Android Auto (for Android, natch) are available in which case the problem is solved.
Car Play is excellent, especially on newer cars with wireless Car Play.
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
The sporty option: Hyundai i10 N Line. The i10 have been one of the more interesting models, and the cheapest option to get it with the stuff I want is to buy the sports version, as it got all the stuff from the best equipment pack and some extras. It has the benefit of coming with a turbo for extra vroom, rear camera and climate control, as well as a full media setup with navigation and smart phone control.
This sounds the best option, plus Hyundai have a longer warranty than Shitroen or Suzuki.
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
I have made a shortlist of cars, managed to cut down to three extra interesting models of three different types-ish.
For going cheapest possible: Citroƫn C1. Of the Aygo-likes I may as well go for the cheapest of them, and as it is now a discontinued model (as in not being renewed for 2021) they are being sold for cheap (as long as stocks last). It is also the one with the lowest fuel consumption and emissions, giving it the lowest tax of the three. It is however lacking cruise control, but can be obtained with a rear camera and climate control.
The sporty option: Hyundai i10 N Line. The i10 have been one of the more interesting models, and the cheapest option to get it with the stuff I want is to buy the sports version, as it got all the stuff from the best equipment pack and some extras. It has the benefit of coming with a turbo for extra vroom, rear camera and climate control, as well as a full media setup with navigation and smart phone control.
The 4x4: Suzuki Swift. I did find a couple cheap 4x4 options in the Fiat Panda and this one, and this looks more interesting. In addition to having 4x4, it also comes with adaptive cruise control. It does however lack the climate control and just has a regular AC. To me, this is the most interesting option right now, and the local dealer also happens to have a special offer on them right now.
Just need to get to the respective dealers to try them out now and see which one feels nicer. The dealers I have managed to get to this far is my "neighbour" (I live close to a dealership) where I could try out Volvo (too expensive), Renault (too uncomfortable) and Dacia (an option for a more spacious cheap car). Also the local Volkswagen, which is also a bit expensive. The third dealer in town is Citroƫn, but they were closed when I passed. The other two I will have to take in the town where I work.
Test drive them, spend some time fucking around with the infotainment system and try parking them. Also, when you test drive, punish the car, don't just drive like a nice slow trip to the store, but push it a bit. That's when cars tend to show flaws.
Other than that, I'd probably pick the Hyundai of those. I drove an Aygo once, and fuck that was a rattling, uncomfortable shitbox. it's build for metropolis driving, not countryside.
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@loopback0 said in Aquiring an automobile:
On the M6?
I was thinking about the M42. Junctions 3Aā10 are not nice at all, but 7ā9 is usually better (including the bit which is is shared with the northbound toll road). The worst is the 9ā10 stretch, when there's way more traffic than the road really has capacity for, and everything's just shuffled around northbound because of coming out of the junction where things split from the tollroad.
And there's no good alternative.
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@dkf Oh yeah, that part of the M42 is dreadful too.
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@dkf said in Aquiring an automobile:
I hate driving past Birmingham.
Eh, the one in Alabama isn't too bad - done it plenty. Of course, don't do this (yes, that's TWO Top Gear clips in one thread!).
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@Carnage My list of most to least interesting of the three are Suzuki, Hyundai, Citroƫn. Suzuki wins due to 4 wheel drive and also having all the features I am looking for (although nothing extra). Hyundai probably is the more comfortable car due to me eyeing the sports edition, so having that kind of seats. I can live without the infotainment features of questionable usefulness, although all three cars got CarPlay support anyway.
Also, the local Suzuki dealer got special offer going on the Swift with cars in stock, and with nice colors too. Saw the blue one and it looked gorgeous. So it puts it cheaper than the Hyundai at the moment too.
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
@Carnage My list of most to least interesting of the three are Suzuki, Hyundai, Citroƫn. Suzuki wins due to 4 wheel drive and also having all the features I am looking for (although nothing extra). Hyundai probably is the more comfortable car due to me eyeing the sports edition, so having that kind of seats. I can live without the infotainment features of questionable usefulness, although all three cars got CarPlay support anyway.
Also, the local Suzuki dealer got special offer going on the Swift with cars in stock, and with nice colors too. Saw the blue one and it looked gorgeous. So it puts it cheaper than the Hyundai at the moment too.
4x4 is nice those times you need it. Depending on how you live, that may be never. Can it lock the diffs? In case it can, you can go pretty much anywhere as long as the car isn't too low.
But test drive before you make up your mind. Some cars just feel icky to drive. Also take your time with the test drive. No point in rushing it. The seats may be annoying after half an hour, or stuff like that.
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@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
Also take your time with the test drive. No point in rushing it.
Also, when you test drive, punish the car, don't just drive like a nice slow trip to the store, but push it a bit.
IOW: punish it for a long time
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@dkf said in Aquiring an automobile:
they're about as smart as a turnip
But still smarter than the bureaucrats responsible.
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@lolwhat said in Aquiring an automobile:
(yes, that's TWO Top Gear clips in one thread!)
That's very weird, considering this thread is about cars!
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@nerd4sale and yet there isn't a single computer analogy...
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Well, I called the scrap yard about getting my Ford taken care of. Not even gonna bother selling it, or give it away, as the list of things to fix is so long it would mainly work as a replacement part car anyway. And I don't want it to end up in some car hoarder's yard. Is a bit of a shame because despite its age it's got a low mileage and only 2 owners including me. But...
Rust eating through the frame, wheel being stuck, parking brake almost worn out, dodgy gearbox, driver side door handle knocked off in accident that also scraped the hell out of the side of the car, rear bumper cracked in another accident... But, in good news, it still has the Ford-branded pen in the pen holder!
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@Applied-Mediocrity White with a blue logo. Also, still worked last I used it.
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@Atazhaia Weird.
Filed under: Service tro32 failed to start with HRESULT 0xC0000182
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@Applied-Mediocrity Better than the branded pen next to me, that's from the government agency that is the bane of my existence. The ones that publish documents from hell that I have to follow in my work, decoding the stupidly vague requirements and bolded keywords into meaning.
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
Also, the local Suzuki dealer got special offer going on the Swift with cars in stock, and with nice colors too. Saw the blue one and it looked gorgeous.
Whatever you do, don't tell them that. In fact, tell them that you don't like any of the colours. If only the car was a little bit cheaper, you might be able to get over that though.
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@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
But test drive before you make up your mind.
Be sure to plan a route ahead of time. Try it at higher speeds to see what the engine and road noise levels are. Find a bumpy road to test the suspension. Take it around a roundabout a bit faster than you normally would. Try accelerating and braking (where safe).
Bring along someone to review the passenger experience as well.
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@Deadfast said in Aquiring an automobile:
@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
But test drive before you make up your mind.
Be sure to plan a route ahead of time. Try it at higher speeds to see what the engine and road noise levels are. Find a bumpy road to test the suspension. Take it around a roundabout a bit faster than you normally would. Try accelerating and braking (where safe).
Bring along someone to review the passenger experience as well.
While shopping for my current car I also made sure to take my kid's rear facing child seat to see how the leg room was with it behind. I don't have particularly long legs for my height, but it's shocking how many cars just don't have the space
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@Jaloopa said in Aquiring an automobile:
I don't have particularly long legs for my height, but it's shocking how many cars just don't have the space
I'm 6'2" and I can assure you that in most cars, the only person that can sit behind me when I drive is Kenny
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@TimeBandit said in Aquiring an automobile:
I'm 6'2" and I can assure you that in most cars, the only person that can sit behind me when I drive is Kenny
That's one reason why I prefer larger cars. Because who actually likes having their knees in contact with part of the car as a normal thing?
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@dkf said in Aquiring an automobile:
@TimeBandit said in Aquiring an automobile:
I'm 6'2" and I can assure you that in most cars, the only person that can sit behind me when I drive is Kenny
That's one reason why I prefer larger cars. Because who actually likes having their knees in contact with part of the car as a normal thing?
The last car I sat in that had room for someone my size in both the front and back seat was a Mercedes 300D, W123. Anything new is just too small to fit anyone taller than midget comfortably in all seats.
And I'm just 192 cm tall, so not particularly long.
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And the we have the next part: Checking with the bank if I can get a loan for a car. The first application was apparently sent directly to
/dev/nullas I physically went to the bank and asked about the application I submitted two days ago and she could not even see that there had been one submitted. So now it has been resubmitted, unfortunately using the same process as last time as that's apparently the only way to do that. Normally the process is handled the same day (site says normally you get a decision within minutes) but, hm, we'll see.
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After submitting applications 3 and 4 the bank decided that there may be something wrong on their end. One thing they said was that as it was a different part of the bank handling car loans they could not see the status, but then they double-checked it anyway. And ended up manually sorting it out for me and giving me the green light at the end anyway. They said I can come and sign the papers this monday, so now I can go to the dealer and finalize the deal on that end. So, all in all, banks are
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@Atazhaia said in Aquiring an automobile:
After submitting applications 3 and 4 the bank decided that there may be something wrong on their end. One thing they said was that as it was a different part of the bank handling car loans they could not see the status, but then they double-checked it anyway. And ended up manually sorting it out for me and giving me the green light at the end anyway. They said I can come and sign the papers this monday, so now I can go to the dealer and finalize the deal on that end. So, all in all, banks are
.Yes, peering behind the curtains in bank IT is... Interesting.
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@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
Yes, peering behind the curtains in bank IT is... Interesting.
I believe the word you are looking for is frightening
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@TimeBandit said in Aquiring an automobile:
@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
Yes, peering behind the curtains in bank IT is... Interesting.
I believe the word you are looking for is frightening
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@Deadfast said in Aquiring an automobile:
@Carnage said in Aquiring an automobile:
But test drive before you make up your mind.
Be sure to plan a route ahead of time. Try it at higher speeds to see what the engine and road noise levels are. Find a bumpy road to test the suspension. Take it around a roundabout a bit faster than you normally would. Try accelerating and braking (where safe).
Bring along someone to review the passenger experience as well.
Copy the car image and fuzz 99 of them with alternate
decision extrapolations in accelerated time while you drive. Be sure to vary the physical laws. Don't be a sucker.
The Kid Brother (1987) ā 6.3 | Biography, Drama
