Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[tunnie]

Actually, the old 1.9 A6 is growing on me the more I drive it.  Needs chipping though. Fortunately, I think we have a decent map for one of those

Prefer to have A8 3.0 diesel...

See, I'd prefer a Jag XF diesel.

We are all different. It doesn't make my choice better or worse than yours....

Never said it was 

XF's are really quite nice, but carry a heafty price tag 

[Dishevelled Den]

I just feel there are much better cars out there for the money, even second hand:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/featuredlistingad/advert/200942344013932/usedcars/model/prius/make/toyota/page/1/sort/priceasc/radius/1501/postcode/tw89de/advert-type/featured-listing/dealer/13023?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fused%2Fcars%2Ftoyota%2Fprius%2Fpostcode%2Ftw89de%2Fradius%2F1501%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&logcode=flp

£12k for 2007 example!?

Mondeo TDCI,  more comfy, better on longer runs, if i had £12k to spend i would be looking at BWM 530d (520d if you want more mpg)

£7k for 2007 Mondeo

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/200949347615065/sort/priceasc/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_40000_miles/fuel-type/diesel/price-from/7000/model/mondeo/make/ford/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/tw89de?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fused%2Fcars%2Fford%2Fmondeo%2Fpostcode%2Ftw89de%2Fradius%2F1501%2Fmaximum-mileage%2Fup_to_40000_miles%2Ffuel-type%2Fdiesel%2Fprice-from%2F7000%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&logcode=p

Both same miles / same age.... Mondeo can be taken to any dealer / back street place. You are already saving £5k, which is going to take years and years to pay back doing big miles (which you won't in a Prius)

So i still fail to see the point, unless people get it for the status  :-/

I  don't really disagree with you T but I didn't want a used car at the time.

When the warranty expired on my wife's Omega she didn't really know what to look at for a change.

She eventually settled on a Signum and wanted to know the merits of the 3 litre diesel over the 3.2 petrol so I took her to the local dealers in an attempt to find out.

Having been obliged to stand around for what seemed to be an eternity I sought out a sales person.  I might as well have whistled 'Dixie' as it was apparent he wasn't really interested in selling a car.  Wife got pissed off and left.

There was a VW dealer just down the road so I stopped there on the way past as I'd seen one or two of the new Passat models which looked to be quite nice.  Again, after some time kicking tyres, a sales person reluctantly came over and tried to 'help'.

They couldn't offer a test drive in a Passat with the DSG 'box as from what I understood this was the equivilent of an auto - in fact they had no access to any DSG equipped car in their range at all and had no real interest in finding one to demonstate the worth, or otherwise, of the system.  Wife got pissed again and left.

On the road home we were passing the Toyota dealership so I decided  have a final try at getting a car that day. (having just returned from London I knew about the Prius anyway as they were becoming more numerous in government service.

We were immediately welcomed by a 'greeter' who fetched a salesperson without delay.  The very polite, presentable and above all knowlegeable young man took his time to establish what our requirements were.  When I mentioned the Prius he, again without delay, fetched the Prius manager who had a demonstrator brought round for an extended test drive.

He subsequently answered all questions about the car politely and with sound knowledge. My wife liked the car so we ordered one there and then.  It was delivered 7 weeks later from Japan.

So, far from being a car obtained using environmental criteria this Prius was purchased as a result of two people being fed up with the indifferent attitude shown by staff at the two previous ports of call, one dealership the staff menbers of which dispalyed a professional attitude and the desire of two people who wanted to buy a car on that particular day.

Nothing more - nothing less.

There is little in life that has true status, a tin box on wheels certainly doesn't come even close to making the grade.

[TheBoy]

I just feel there are much better cars out there for the money, even second hand:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/featuredlistingad/advert/200942344013932/usedcars/model/prius/make/toyota/page/1/sort/priceasc/radius/1501/postcode/tw89de/advert-type/featured-listing/dealer/13023?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fused%2Fcars%2Ftoyota%2Fprius%2Fpostcode%2Ftw89de%2Fradius%2F1501%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&logcode=flp

£12k for 2007 example!?

Mondeo TDCI,  more comfy, better on longer runs, if i had £12k to spend i would be looking at BWM 530d (520d if you want more mpg)

£7k for 2007 Mondeo

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/200949347615065/sort/priceasc/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_40000_miles/fuel-type/diesel/price-from/7000/model/mondeo/make/ford/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/tw89de?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fused%2Fcars%2Fford%2Fmondeo%2Fpostcode%2Ftw89de%2Fradius%2F1501%2Fmaximum-mileage%2Fup_to_40000_miles%2Ffuel-type%2Fdiesel%2Fprice-from%2F7000%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&logcode=p

Both same miles / same age.... Mondeo can be taken to any dealer / back street place. You are already saving £5k, which is going to take years and years to pay back doing big miles (which you won't in a Prius)

So i still fail to see the point, unless people get it for the status  :-/

I  don't really disagree with you T but I didn't want a used car at the time.

When the warranty expired on my wife's Omega she didn't really know what to look at for a change.

She eventually settled on a Signum and wanted to know the merits of the 3 litre diesel over the 3.2 petrol so I took her to the local dealers in an attempt to find out.

Having been obliged to stand around for what seemed to be an eternity I sought out a sales person.  I might as well have whistled 'Dixie' as it was apparent he wasn't really interested in selling a car.  Wife got pissed off and left.

There was a VW dealer just down the road so I stopped there on the way past as I'd seen one or two of the new Passat models which looked to be quite nice.  Again, after some time kicking tyres, a sales person reluctantly came over and tried to 'help'.

They couldn't offer a test drive in a Passat with the DSG 'box as from what I understood this was the equivilent of an auto - in fact they had no access to any DSG equipped car in their range at all and had no real interest in finding one to demonstate the worth, or otherwise, of the system.  Wife got pissed again and left.

On the road home we were passing the Toyota dealership so I decided  have a final try at getting a car that day. (having just returned from London I knew about the Prius anyway as they were becoming more numerous in government service.

We were immediately welcomed by a 'greeter' who fetched a salesperson without delay.  The very polite, presentable and above all knowlegeable young man took his time to establish what our requirements were.  When I mentioned the Prius he, again without delay, fetched the Prius manager who had a demonstrator brought round for an extended test drive.

He subsequently answered all questions about the car politely and with sound knowledge. My wife liked the car so we ordered one there and then.  It was delivered 7 weeks later from Japan.

So, far from being a car obtained using environmental criteria this Prius was purchased as a result of two people being fed up with the indifferent attitude shown by staff at the two previous ports of call, one dealership the staff menbers of which dispalyed a professional attitude and the desire of two people who wanted to buy a car on that particular day.

Nothing more - nothing less.

There is little in life that has true status, a tin box on wheels certainly doesn't come even close to making the grade.

In Vauxhall's case, the dealer network is the weak link.  A lot of the jap dealers, Toyota included, have been much better.  I nearly bought an early Avensis instead of the Omega, as the dealer was helpful.

[tunnie]

Totatly agree with you Zulu77 on the dealer part, i bought my first bike from a local garage, cost £2k. Few months later spotted a BMW GS 1150 there, i went by and asked for a test ride.

Their reply was, you going to buy it? - I don't know got to ride it first! - The said ok if you ride it will you buy it!?

Basically they wanted £20 for me to take it out for 15 mins, which i thought was a bit off, since i had spent £2k with them earlier in the year and its just a local little garage.

Rang BMW Oxford (motorbike not car bit) was told, sure you can try one, how does 4 hours sound? Told them i would be there 11 ish following Saturday.

Strolled in just gone 11, was greeted by name 

Offered a propper cup of tea, walk around on the bike, demo of its controls ect, given the keys and told to have fun.

Worked, cause i bought from them a 56 Plate 1200 GS week later 

[Kevin Wood]

Say what you like about Hybrid cars - they are not for everybody and I don't believe that they are going to be the magic bullet once the game has played out.

However, they are at least getting batteries, motors and control systems into vehicles and out onto the roads, and supporting the development thereof.

With that incentive for development, when the time comes that some lentil-muncher eventually drags me kicking and screaming out of my Omega there is a better chance of someone having developed an electric car that can do 0-60 in 8 seconds and comfortably carry 5 people at up to 149 MPH. 

I see them as a stepping stone along that route, in the same way that the Ford Model T was to an Omega. So, I'm glad that there are people like Zulu77 providing the impetus.

I'd just rather wait for the state of the art to move from the Model-T era too - ooh! let's see. At least the Aston DB5 / Jensen Interceptor era before I jump on the bandwagon.

Kevin

[albitz]

So, in conclusion, Zulu bought a car which is an acquired taste shall we say(I would say ugly personally) and is probably overpriced for what it is because the dealer was friendly and helpful and it suited his purpose.
Tunnie bought a motorbike which is also an acquired taste (most people would say if you had any taste you would never buy one) ...and I defy anyone to seriously argue that they arent ludicrously overpriced, but the dealer was friendly and helpful and it suited his purpose.
Motor trade sales people take note, you can sell anything if you treat people nicely and do your job properly.

[Martin_1962]

Actually, the old 1.9 A6 is growing on me the more I drive it.  Needs chipping though. Fortunately, I think we have a decent map for one of those

Prefer to have A8 3.0 diesel...

See, I'd prefer a Jag XF diesel.

We are all different. It doesn't make my choice better or worse than yours....

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go XF

[Kevin Wood]

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go X

 :-?

[TheBoy]

Actually, the old 1.9 A6 is growing on me the more I drive it.  Needs chipping though. Fortunately, I think we have a decent map for one of those

Prefer to have A8 3.0 diesel...

See, I'd prefer a Jag XF diesel.

We are all different. It doesn't make my choice better or worse than yours....

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go XF

That sounds like somebody who believes everything God Clarkson says...

[TheBoy]

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go X

 :-?

God Clarkson has moved onto Audis being c0ckish

[TheBoy]

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go X

 :-?

God Clarkson has moved onto Audis being c0ckish

Incorrectly, I might add...

[Taxi_Driver]

The new Prius is an eco-model which is sold for between £19,500 and £22,600

How much for that plastic sh!t box!? 

I'm rather disappointed at you choice of language there T

Which bit, the colourful phrase for 'I don't like them', or the shocked bit that a milk float is so expensive?

I was referring to 'plastic shit box'

I refer to my previous question - what part of PSB did you find offensive - his particular choice of words, or the fact its a milk float?

I think the term PSB and the way it was used is quite clear - as for the implied critism of the car, I would have liked to have seen why T decided to reduce his doubts of the car's credentials to just such a pejorative phrase.

Its my personal opinion of them in short form 

In long form, ugly, slow, over-hyped, pointless. The amount of work, effort, transportion that goes into building them is huge, far more than a standard car. All that fuel used in transporting parts, batterys across the world cancelles out any gains in mpg.

Consider the basics - Servicing, if i did not DIY, i would take my car 1/2 mile down the road to old 'chunky in town to fix. All jobs can be done there. PSB? That needs to go to a dealer, which would be Oxford for me, a 40 mile round trip on either country roads or the motorway, exactly the place were a Prius is in no way shape or form economical.

If you want something economical get a diesel, if you want to save the planet, wait for hydrogen fuel cell cars. A bunch of AA batterys strapped to a small petrol engine, in a cheap jap box is not the way forward.

For your situation... Now think of a reversal of this.

You live in the city/town centre (anywhere there is a dealership within the general area) and rarely go outside the limits, therefore are within a 30mph limit most of the time. A Prius would be very economical for you.

Now, I'm not defending them because I think they're over-hyped... Anyway

If i lived in a town / city centre, i would walk or cycle. Which i did at Uni, was just over 5 miles from my house to Uni, cycled it in all weathers. Record was 11 mins, usually 18 mins, faster than any car 

If i did need a car, i'd get a small diesel, better mpg, cheap to run, cheaper to buy.

Not as cheap as a small petrol   

[Lazydocker]

The new Prius is an eco-model which is sold for between £19,500 and £22,600

How much for that plastic sh!t box!? 

I'm rather disappointed at you choice of language there T

Which bit, the colourful phrase for 'I don't like them', or the shocked bit that a milk float is so expensive?

I was referring to 'plastic shit box'

I refer to my previous question - what part of PSB did you find offensive - his particular choice of words, or the fact its a milk float?

I think the term PSB and the way it was used is quite clear - as for the implied critism of the car, I would have liked to have seen why T decided to reduce his doubts of the car's credentials to just such a pejorative phrase.

Its my personal opinion of them in short form 

In long form, ugly, slow, over-hyped, pointless. The amount of work, effort, transportion that goes into building them is huge, far more than a standard car. All that fuel used in transporting parts, batterys across the world cancelles out any gains in mpg.

Consider the basics - Servicing, if i did not DIY, i would take my car 1/2 mile down the road to old 'chunky in town to fix. All jobs can be done there. PSB? That needs to go to a dealer, which would be Oxford for me, a 40 mile round trip on either country roads or the motorway, exactly the place were a Prius is in no way shape or form economical.

If you want something economical get a diesel, if you want to save the planet, wait for hydrogen fuel cell cars. A bunch of AA batterys strapped to a small petrol engine, in a cheap jap box is not the way forward.

For your situation... Now think of a reversal of this.

You live in the city/town centre (anywhere there is a dealership within the general area) and rarely go outside the limits, therefore are within a 30mph limit most of the time. A Prius would be very economical for you.

Now, I'm not defending them because I think they're over-hyped... Anyway

If i lived in a town / city centre, i would walk or cycle. Which i did at Uni, was just over 5 miles from my house to Uni, cycled it in all weathers. Record was 11 mins, usually 18 mins, faster than any car 

If i did need a car, i'd get a small diesel, better mpg, cheap to run, cheaper to buy.

Not as cheap as a small petrol   

Better still... A small LPG converted pertol

Probably be greener than any hybrid too

[tunnie]

So, in conclusion, Zulu bought a car which is an acquired taste shall we say(I would say ugly personally) and is probably overpriced for what it is because the dealer was friendly and helpful and it suited his purpose.
Tunnie bought a motorbike which is also an acquired taste (most people would say if you had any taste you would never buy one) ...and I defy anyone to seriously argue that they arent ludicrously overpriced, but the dealer was friendly and helpful and it suited his purpose.
Motor trade sales people take note, you can sell anything if you treat people nicely and do your job properly.

Like all BMW's they are, but i like its riding position, power delivery and smoooth ride. I mean 6k for a bike is insane, mine was cheap, brand new they are 10k 

At the end of the day its a toy, a very expensive one, but still a toy.  8-)

[Martin_1962]

Well the market for non OAP and non c0ck is basically 5 series vs XF and I think I would go X

 :-?

The c0cks have moved on to Audis