NPR

Hal Jordan wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:32 pm Homer: This Friday, we're going back to the woods. And we're going to find that alien.
Bart: And if we don't?
Homer: We'll fake it and sell it to the FOX network.
Bart and Homer laugh.
Bart: They'll buy anything!
Homer: Now, son, they do a lot of quality programming too.
Bart and Homer laugh even harder than before.

All this chat about petrol costs, wasted space etc, ultimately people buy cars because they think the look good. And I think some SUV's look great. We like the way that Toyota Prados look, and that's why we drive them. Live and let live I say, and if people like me want to drive an SUV then so be it.

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:55 am

Dan54 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:43 pm Well my car is supposed to be a SUV, Subaru Forrestor, and f*** anyone who doesn't like it, as I got older I found it easier to get in and out of, don't have to fold up my knees etc. Besides SUVs are coming out as electric so don't know what the moan is anyway.

A Forrester is fine. It's the bloody great big Audi Q's. Mercedes G's and BMW X's that are used for the school run and shopping that are the bloody menace

You forgot Porsche.

The Porsche SUV. What is the point of that? There's a guy in my hockey team who has one and it's nice enough to ride in, but it's frankly nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth.

Just spent half an hour in a supermarket car park, waiting for my wife, watching a procession of Range Rovers park in the family car parking spots because they didn’t fancy the normal spots. I presume

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:41 am You forgot Porsche.

The Porsche SUV. What is the point of that? There's a guy in my hockey team who has one and it's nice enough to ride in, but it's frankly nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth.

Irritatingly the Macan is an extremely good drive. Would shame many sports cars. But then it has less space than a matchbox so why bother?

"Winter driving in the South Island........."

Didn't even know that winter tyres were a thing!

Just drive more slowly in ice and snow........or stay at home....

terangi48 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 10:06 pm "Winter driving in the South Island........."

Didn't even know that winter tyres were a thing!

Just drive more slowly in ice and snow........or stay at home....

THIS
If you can't drive and/or don't have the appropriate vehicle for the conditions, stay off the damned roads.

One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

Openside wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:32 pm

ScarfaceClaw wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 10:17 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 10:14 am
Forgot about the monster Volvos
You can add them to the list

I can’t get my dog crate into a Ford Ka.

Why do you need a dog crate? mine just curls up in the passenger footwell with CMOS in the back

Eggs actly. Our litle girl (called Hattie) gets bunged in the back seat. Hope you and CMOS are well. I still have a photo of T.

Sinkers wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:48 am One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

I've always been amused by reg plates. My dad had a pal whose Roller had "TRY 1"

Mine is a bit less interesting but it's not bad. The trouble is that everybody knows the ruddy car around here.

Sinkers wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:48 am One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

Wait until you see your first Rolls Cullinan

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:41 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:55 am

Dan54 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:43 pm Well my car is supposed to be a SUV, Subaru Forrestor, and f*** anyone who doesn't like it, as I got older I found it easier to get in and out of, don't have to fold up my knees etc. Besides SUVs are coming out as electric so don't know what the moan is anyway.

A Forrester is fine. It's the bloody great big Audi Q's. Mercedes G's and BMW X's that are used for the school run and shopping that are the bloody menace

You forgot Porsche.

The Porsche SUV. What is the point of that? There's a guy in my hockey team who has one and it's nice enough to ride in, but it's frankly nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth.

There is a Rolls Royce Cullinan that drives around near where I live. It's enormous, usually driven by a woman. Must have cost at least £300k.

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:41 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:55 am

Dan54 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:43 pm Well my car is supposed to be a SUV, Subaru Forrestor, and f*** anyone who doesn't like it, as I got older I found it easier to get in and out of, don't have to fold up my knees etc. Besides SUVs are coming out as electric so don't know what the moan is anyway.

A Forrester is fine. It's the bloody great big Audi Q's. Mercedes G's and BMW X's that are used for the school run and shopping that are the bloody menace

You forgot Porsche.

The Porsche SUV. What is the point of that? There's a guy in my hockey team who has one and it's nice enough to ride in, but it's frankly nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth.

It's basically just an expensively rebadged Volkswagen Touareg, isn't it?

robmatic wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:10 am
It's basically just an expensively rebadged Volkswagen Touareg, isn't it?

Audi Q5

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:11 am

robmatic wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:10 am
It's basically just an expensively rebadged Volkswagen Touareg, isn't it?

Audi Q5

One of my neighbors lives on the corner of our steet...he has his parked permanently on the grass verge...in the baking sun.....never see it move...just like its on display.

I lie...the one day it was not there and we thought he had moved out.....

Kawazaki wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:55 am

Rinkals wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 6:41 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:55 am
A Forrester is fine. It's the bloody great big Audi Q's. Mercedes G's and BMW X's that are used for the school run and shopping that are the bloody menace

You forgot Porsche.

The Porsche SUV. What is the point of that? There's a guy in my hockey team who has one and it's nice enough to ride in, but it's frankly nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth.

There is a Rolls Royce Cullinan that drives around near where I live. It's enormous, usually driven by a woman. Must have cost at least £300k.

You moved to Chigwell?
Modern Rolls Royces must be amongst the ugliest cars on the road

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 8:16 am

Sinkers wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:48 am One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

Wait until you see your first Rolls Cullinan

Had never even heard of it and just looked it up and it screams "I am moneyed with a small penis".

Sinkers wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:48 am One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

And you can only drive c.3 miles in any direction, max, with a 40mph speed limit (or at least used to be when I lived there). Could make use of it from JB for the weekend away to the islands off Mersing

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:27 am Modern Rolls Royces must be amongst the ugliest cars on the road

I actually like the lines and presence of the Wraith.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:44 am

SaintK wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:27 am Modern Rolls Royces must be amongst the ugliest cars on the road

I actually like the lines and presence of the Wraith.

Rolls saloons and coupes are ostentatious and vulgar, but they are also a beautiful bit of design. I’d never buy one, but if my Dubai hotel sent one to the airport to collect me, I’d slide inside joyously.

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 1:01 pm Rolls saloons and coupes are ostentatious and vulgar, but they are also a beautiful bit of design. I’d never buy one, but if my Dubai hotel sent one to the airport to collect me, I’d slide inside joyously.

Absolutely not a driver's vehicle for me in any shape or form. Despite all that power and clever engineering, you can't disguise you are driving a battleship up a narrow river populated with canoes.

Woddy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:43 am

Sinkers wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:48 am One of these parked at our place the other day. I imagine that’s expensive anywhere but here would be stupid stupid money.
Plus we’re a city state, not much horse and hounds stuff going on around here.

And you can only drive c.3 miles in any direction, max, with a 40mph speed limit (or at least used to be when I lived there). Could make use of it from JB for the weekend away to the islands off Mersing

Precisely. 90kph limit on the express ways. Any journey < 40 minutes.
Can’t even go for a blast up the Malaysia expressways with the Ferrari nerds under lockdown.

I'm no fashionista, but I'm currently on my second Hummer. Mind you... petrol is cheap here in the Middle East.

Turbster wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:04 pm I'm no fashionista, but I'm currently on my second Hummer. Mind you... petrol is cheap here in the Middle East.

I had a Hummer pick me and several mates up in the US to take us to a dubious bar. Just saying.

(It was a pretty good bar tbf. And the Hummer picked us up for the return trip as promised at Silly am.)

Turbster wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:04 pm I'm no fashionista, but I'm currently on my second Hummer. Mind you... petrol is cheap here in the Middle East.

And class is completely lacking.

Gentlemen drive Bristols.

GogLais wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:24 pm Gentlemen drive Bristols.

Well, they sit in the passenger seat of the flatbed truck, anyway.

GogLais wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:24 pm Gentlemen drive Bristols.

I've always had a soft spot for the older Bristols but the more modern stuff is awful: outdate tech with a big engine. Very American philosophy. That said, the Buccaneer looks nice if it ever got off the paper into production.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:29 am

GogLais wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:24 pm Gentlemen drive Bristols.

I've always had a soft spot for the older Bristols but the more modern stuff is awful: outdate tech with a big engine. Very American philosophy. That said, the Buccaneer looks nice if it ever got off the paper into production.

Yes, I was thinking of the older stuff. My lottery winning car would be an upgraded 411.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:29 am

GogLais wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:24 pm Gentlemen drive Bristols.

I've always had a soft spot for the older Bristols but the more modern stuff is awful: outdate tech with a big engine. Very American philosophy. That said, the Buccaneer looks nice if it ever got off the paper into production.

Bristol went out of business last year.

Looking forward to some Chinese corp buying the brand and slapping it on an EV SUV.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 1:03 pm

Sandstorm wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 1:01 pm Rolls saloons and coupes are ostentatious and vulgar, but they are also a beautiful bit of design. I’d never buy one, but if my Dubai hotel sent one to the airport to collect me, I’d slide inside joyously.

Absolutely not a driver's vehicle for me in any shape or form. Despite all that power and clever engineering, you can't disguise you are driving a battleship up a narrow river populated with canoes.

I had a driving job for a garage when I first left school. One day someone dropped their automatic Bentley on the forecourt and I had to drive round the back through a small lane. I thought I would see what it could do so floored the accelerator and the thing flung me back as the front rose up without moving then just fucking took off. Never been so scared in a car.

clydecloggie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:58 am

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:29 am

GogLais wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:24 pm Gentlemen drive Bristols.

I've always had a soft spot for the older Bristols but the more modern stuff is awful: outdate tech with a big engine. Very American philosophy. That said, the Buccaneer looks nice if it ever got off the paper into production.

Bristol went out of business last year.

Looking forward to some Chinese corp buying the brand and slapping it on an EV SUV.

Well, it was Indian. Owned by same one who bought Frazer Nash brand. Something tragically funny about ex-Empire countries gradually owning all Britain's assets.

Found an academic article that references Bradsher a few times.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/do ... 1&type=pdf

I sit here in Texas, reading this thread and laughing...

Carter's Choice wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 4:18 am All this chat about petrol costs, wasted space etc, ultimately people buy cars because they think the look good. And I think some SUV's look great. We like the way that Toyota Prados look, and that's why we drive them. Live and let live I say, and if people like me want to drive an SUV then so be it.

Horses for courses though, eh. You live in what I understand to be a fairly sparsely populated part of Queensland. That's a bit different to squeezing your Prado around the tight alleyways of South and Port Melbourne. Makes total sense up there.

I have some sympathy for those in the suburbs who despair at these monsters clogging up their little roadways. Usually it's because the driver is afraid to be on the roads due to their own incompetence, and the bulk of the vehicle provides some sense of security.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:54 am https://www.newscientist.com/article/22 ... tric-cars/

F*ck you back.

Speaking of SUVs doing the school run...

My wife’s friend has just traded in her small car for an SUV. As an older woman she has been finding it difficult to get in and out of the low slung car.

Fangle wrote: ↑Sat Feb 27, 2021 7:48 pm My wife’s friend has just traded in her small car for an SUV. As an older woman she has been finding it difficult to get in and out of the low slung car.

What kind? My gran is 82 and finds it tricky to get into her Ford Explorer. Banged up her shin a month or so ago and, having some paper thin skin issues, tore it up pretty bad.

No-one should get abuse for driving a Nissan Qashkai-sized SUV. It’s basically a hatchback in heels and the higher hip point makes getting in and out easier for lots of drivers and mums with babies.

Go BMW X3 or above and it’s time to talk about your small penis.....