Why bother with a 500bhp V10 if....
Discussion
E65Ross said:
17 miles of my 20 mile (each way) commute is motorway and I finish work at 7pm, by which time the motorway is clear. The difference in economy is obviously still there, but I can make up a surprising amount of time if I'm getting hungry. More than 1mph average, that's for sure.
So going 70 rather than 55 on the motorway stretch saves a max of 4 mins. You must be hungryI'm firmly in the camp here of slow cruise on the m-way and fast back road blasts etc. I don't see the point in maxing out your car on the motorway, some people flying in their old fiestas at 90+ must take about a mile to stop and their economy must be worse than a v8 with redlining 5th gear.
I can't agree with this though:
I can't agree with this though:
Rawwr said:
I commute on the M1 and M25 on a Fireblade and most of the time I'm just plodding in L1 (as this is by far the quickest lane overall). Sometimes, just knowing you have devastating power is enough.
When I had bikes I found it hard to sit below 90 on the m-way. I tried doing a few miles at 70 but it felt like I was walking...fulham911club said:
E65Ross said:
17 miles of my 20 mile (each way) commute is motorway and I finish work at 7pm, by which time the motorway is clear. The difference in economy is obviously still there, but I can make up a surprising amount of time if I'm getting hungry. More than 1mph average, that's for sure.
So going 70 rather than 55 on the motorway stretch saves a max of 4 mins. You must be hungryIt does surprise me just how many people drive thirsty (2-3x the consumption of a 2 litre TD) and expensive to own/lease cars on (very) long, purely motorway/dual carriageway commutes.
Many of these people aren't really enthusiasts and they don't really use the car for much else either, and if they did, they are probably well-off enough to have a commuter car and a weekend car.
Yes, I know that it could be argued that everybody could be driving the world's most economical car, but for most people there is a compromise and they can only afford one car.
Many of these people aren't really enthusiasts and they don't really use the car for much else either, and if they did, they are probably well-off enough to have a commuter car and a weekend car.
Yes, I know that it could be argued that everybody could be driving the world's most economical car, but for most people there is a compromise and they can only afford one car.
70mph on a calibrated speedo is plenty for the motorway cruise, it's far more relaxed.
I do admit I've moved far more swiftly on the motorways at times but to be honest there's too many utter planks driving around without any awareness to their surroundings, pulling last minute lane changes without looking or signalling etc that it's genuinely less hassle to just stick to the speed limit & mostly lane 1 and 2.
Sometimes if I'm going for a drive after work I'll go a junction or two on the M5 or M4 just to warm the car up ready to have some fun away from the main roads on the way home.
I do admit I've moved far more swiftly on the motorways at times but to be honest there's too many utter planks driving around without any awareness to their surroundings, pulling last minute lane changes without looking or signalling etc that it's genuinely less hassle to just stick to the speed limit & mostly lane 1 and 2.
Sometimes if I'm going for a drive after work I'll go a junction or two on the M5 or M4 just to warm the car up ready to have some fun away from the main roads on the way home.
Leins said:
Major Fallout said:
Motorways are boing
Sorry, that just entertained me! I agree though, unless you decide to ignore the consequences and pretend you're bahn-storming, they're shockingly dull things to use. And even then, give me a decent back road for a bit of fun any day. All about the comfort and getting there as cheaply as possible otherwise for me
I genuinely cannot be bothered to drive fast anymore... too much risk of being caught, too much fuel burnt, no real advantage in terms of time to reach destination.... plod along within the legal speed limit and you can quite happily take a snooze, catch up on a bit of reading, make a few conference calls, send some emails and do your online shopping with waitrose and still arrive at the bowls club in time for your match.
E65Ross said:
You never use it. On the drive home from work most evenings I see a lovely dark blue '55 plate BMW M6 with the 5.0 V10 and every single time I see the guy (which is about 2, maybe 3x per week) he is sat on the motorway on a 55mph cruise.
It's not like sometimes he's doing 65-70, sometimes 55, it's literally 55mph every day. Surely he'd be better off with a 630i if he wants a 6er bmw with a smooth engine, or a 635d if he wants more economy....
Who knows, maybe off the motorway when he turns off he nails it to over 8000rpm
Either way, fair play for having the car, but it just seems a waste of a glorious engine.
Nothing wrong with that at all. Doing 70mph instead of 55mph wouldn't make that much difference in time on an average commute (for example, 25 miles @ 55mph takes 27 minutes, and at 70mph it's only 6 minutes quicker). Doing 60, 70mph, 80 or 90 in a straight line isn't exactly that exciting or interesting, and doing 55mph in a performance car is significantly quieter and cheaper. The fun of driving a car like the M6 is the corners and there's quite a good chance he really enjoys himself on A and B roads.It's not like sometimes he's doing 65-70, sometimes 55, it's literally 55mph every day. Surely he'd be better off with a 630i if he wants a 6er bmw with a smooth engine, or a 635d if he wants more economy....
Who knows, maybe off the motorway when he turns off he nails it to over 8000rpm
Either way, fair play for having the car, but it just seems a waste of a glorious engine.
I rarely speed on dual carriageways
Or motorways as I find them the most boring of roads to drive on and my blood pressure stays much lower keeping out of the audi vw lane
So I save the excitement for proper roads, still motorways are handy for travelling a long distance in a shorter time, well most of the time I venture on them anyhow's 🚙
Or motorways as I find them the most boring of roads to drive on and my blood pressure stays much lower keeping out of the audi vw lane
So I save the excitement for proper roads, still motorways are handy for travelling a long distance in a shorter time, well most of the time I venture on them anyhow's 🚙
E65Ross said:
You never use it. On the drive home from work most evenings I see a lovely dark blue '55 plate BMW M6 with the 5.0 V10 and every single time I see the guy (which is about 2, maybe 3x per week) he is sat on the motorway on a 55mph cruise.
It's not like sometimes he's doing 65-70, sometimes 55, it's literally 55mph every day. Surely he'd be better off with a 630i if he wants a 6er bmw with a smooth engine, or a 635d if he wants more economy....
Who knows, maybe off the motorway when he turns off he nails it to over 8000rpm
Either way, fair play for having the car, but it just seems a waste of a glorious engine.
LOLLLLIt's not like sometimes he's doing 65-70, sometimes 55, it's literally 55mph every day. Surely he'd be better off with a 630i if he wants a 6er bmw with a smooth engine, or a 635d if he wants more economy....
Who knows, maybe off the motorway when he turns off he nails it to over 8000rpm
Either way, fair play for having the car, but it just seems a waste of a glorious engine.
Sounds like me in my M6 (mine is a Silverstone II 2006 model though) a few weeks ago. My range showed 40miles left from Sheffield to Huddersfield and I couldn't be bothered finding a petrol station so I challenged myself "let's see if I can do these miles"
As soon as I set it off went from 40 miles went.....34....28....*blink*...25....22...20. In that time I'd done less than 500 meters. The M1 was just a few miles away and I am wincing at the thought of pulling over and people laughing at me. Nevertheless, I carried on....55mph up the M1 to Junction 38. I got the range up to 30 miles.....only 15 left via country roads
"Do I dare floor it???" No way!!!
Just got it home with 10 miles left showing and probably a few hundred more yards away from conking out. Luckily the petrol station is 100 meters from my house.
The least - and in a wierd way - the most satisfying journey in my M6. Would never do it again though.
Edited by Schermerhorn on Friday 26th September 14:49
Schermerhorn said:
LOLLLL
Sounds like me in my M6 (mine is a Silverstone II 2006 model though) a few weeks ago. My range showed 40miles left from Sheffield to Huddersfield and I couldn't be bothered finding a petrol station so I challenged myself "let's see if I can do these miles"
As soon as I set it off went from 40 miles went.....34....28....*blink*...25....22...20. In that time I'd done less than 500 meters. The M1 was just a few miles away and I am wincing at the thought of pulling over and people laughing at me. Nevertheless, I carried on....55mph up the M1 to Junction 38. I got the range up to 30 miles.....only 15 left via country roads
"Do I dare floor it???" No way!!!
Just got it home with 10 miles left showing and probably a few hundred more yards away from conking out. Luckily the petrol station is 100 meters from my house.
The least - and in a wierd way - the most satisfying journey in my M6. Would never do it again though.
I got a massive economy boner when I managed to eek 385 miles out of a tank instead of the usual 350-60. I prefer to relax and focus on my music and have a good think about like on motorways.Sounds like me in my M6 (mine is a Silverstone II 2006 model though) a few weeks ago. My range showed 40miles left from Sheffield to Huddersfield and I couldn't be bothered finding a petrol station so I challenged myself "let's see if I can do these miles"
As soon as I set it off went from 40 miles went.....34....28....*blink*...25....22...20. In that time I'd done less than 500 meters. The M1 was just a few miles away and I am wincing at the thought of pulling over and people laughing at me. Nevertheless, I carried on....55mph up the M1 to Junction 38. I got the range up to 30 miles.....only 15 left via country roads
"Do I dare floor it???" No way!!!
Just got it home with 10 miles left showing and probably a few hundred more yards away from conking out. Luckily the petrol station is 100 meters from my house.
The least - and in a wierd way - the most satisfying journey in my M6. Would never do it again though.
Edited by Schermerhorn on Friday 26th September 14:49
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