Bin men smashed my car up - What Car?

Bin men smashed my car up - What Car?

Author
Discussion

Devil2575

13,400 posts

188 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
OP said:
not so raw that I'm going to dread the 4am commute in the mornings over winter
Just how is a BMW going to be good in the 4am winter commutes... like the Merc they struggle to move on anything thats remotely cold ground!
No they don't.

They struggle in snow, but then so do plenty of cars.

Given that we don't actually get that much snow in this country I hardly think it's going to be an issue.

C.A.R.

3,967 posts

188 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Whilst yes it's possible to drive a BMW in snow and ice the RWD fans have to admit that they're fundamentally not as effective in those conditions as something fwd. RWD cars generally have big fat tyres too, coupled with the weight balance it's naturally going to be harder to drive, but I concede - not impossible. Just depends how much you want the car.

I suppose it fits most people's perception of an involving drive but don't let it cloud your judgement of FWD cars, of which there are many good examples. You can still get a bad RWD car!

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
Whilst yes it's possible to drive a BMW in snow and ice the RWD fans have to admit that they're fundamentally not as effective in those conditions as something fwd. RWD cars generally have big fat tyres too, coupled with the weight balance it's naturally going to be harder to drive, but I concede - not impossible. Just depends how much you want the car.

I suppose it fits most people's perception of an involving drive but don't let it cloud your judgement of FWD cars, of which there are many good examples. You can still get a bad RWD car!
This exactly. If you check my garage you will see there has been a mix of all different vehicles - FWD, RWD and AWD. There is no question the RWD ones have been the ones to struggle most with grip in poor conditions and thats what I'm referring to. Yes you can use them in all weather but they are almost always at a disadvantage compared to non RWD vehicles (assuming like for like with respect to tyres - i.e winter tyres or summer tyres).

You can almost plot the locations I lived by vehicle types - i.e. areas with probability of snow were the ones where AWD was preferred and those with milder climates RWD.

Fastdruid

8,643 posts

152 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Devil2575 said:
lostkiwi said:
OP said:
not so raw that I'm going to dread the 4am commute in the mornings over winter
Just how is a BMW going to be good in the 4am winter commutes... like the Merc they struggle to move on anything thats remotely cold ground!
No they don't.

They struggle in snow, but then so do plenty of cars.

Given that we don't actually get that much snow in this country I hardly think it's going to be an issue.
Buy two (if RWD) sets of snowsocks (other makes are available). Throw in boot come winter.

If it snows, fit them and laugh at all the other drivers struggling in the snow.

Yes RWD is "worse" than FWD (which is then "worse" than AWD) in snow but really it's all about the contact with the road and for the very very few times it actually snows a set of snowsocks will get you where you want to go regardless of which wheels are driven.

Otispunkmeyer

12,593 posts

155 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
AB57 said:
andy-xr said:


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-S60-2-4-auto-2005M...

Check that auto box though, they can be a bit troublesome. Easy enough to spot, move from park to drive and see if it takes a while to engage
I was considering one, my friend has the 2.5 petrol turbo, it's an 02 and they look lovely inside. They handle well for a big old lump? Any concerning problems with them?
They handle like a boat and have the turning circle of a cruise liner. But they go quick in a straight line and are supremely comfortable. I've driven notts to bude/polzeath a number of times and its just lovely. Not much wrong with mine and it was shed money....but they are heavy cars so would probably have a check of suspension, steering etc (steering rack is known to leak).

aka_kerrly

12,418 posts

210 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
What is this obsession with snow and getting RWD cars stuck all about??

According to the OP's profile he lives in Bristol, I live a few miles north and in the last 15 years there have been only a handful of occasions in which there has been enough snow to make me think twice about driving.

Ice on the other hand is more likely at 4am and from my understanding of ice it doesn't matter which wheels or how many are receiving drive once you start skidding!

andyb28

767 posts

118 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
HerrSchnell said:
lostkiwi said:


Thanks for the info, I'm going to sell mine post haste now I know it will struggle to move on remotely cold ground.
This one doesn't really look like its ripping about in the snow!

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
lol @ snow about 1 day every 3 years of bad snow

OK we've had a couple of "weeks" at a time in the last 8 years or so, but rare

Obviously rural settings are more affected, but more likely to be affected by floods there.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

54 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
What is this obsession with snow and getting RWD cars stuck all about??

According to the OP's profile he lives in Bristol, I live a few miles north and in the last 15 years there have been only a handful of occasions in which there has been enough snow to make me think twice about driving.

Ice on the other hand is more likely at 4am and from my understanding of ice it doesn't matter which wheels or how many are receiving drive once you start skidding!
Thanks for noticing! Yeah snow is not so much of an issue to be honest. Think I haven't been able to drive due to snow 8 times since I was 18? I'm 23 by the way. Volvo sounds nice for a gap filler but I was hoping to get a Subaru Impreza WRX by the end of next year. Maybe this is a sign?

Downward

3,593 posts

103 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
boyse7en said:
Saab 9-5 Aero...



Next!
Estate 04 ish - pick up a nice one with black leather heated seats for £2k with money left over for any issues.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Downward said:
boyse7en said:
Saab 9-5 Aero...



Next!
Estate 04 ish - pick up a nice one with black leather heated seats for £2k with money left over for any issues.
Whats with the current PH obsession with Saabs?

I'm getting rid of mine!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

54 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
Whats with the current PH obsession with Saabs?

I'm getting rid of mine!
This. What I've read they sound like vamped up vectras?

AyBee

10,535 posts

202 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
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Fastdruid said:
Mazda 6 MPS
yes

Batfink

1,032 posts

258 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Its wide sports tyres that are the biggest problem, rather than which powered axle. The only issue I had with my BMW was with standing starts uphill on compacted snow. Other than that it was a barrel of laughs sliding it around. I've had the same lack of traction issues with FWD cars on sporty/summer tyres.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
AyBee said:
Fastdruid said:
Mazda 6 MPS
yes
Yep - good call...

Spanglepants

1,743 posts

137 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Never had a problem when i had my E34 520i , had normal tyres for there time - Uniroyal 440. Never got stuck and would often go straight past other cars in the snow ( MKs dual carriageways)

Saab like a Vectra? Not even remotely similar in their build or drive.


AB57 said:
lostkiwi said:
Whats with the current PH obsession with Saabs?

I'm getting rid of mine!
This. What I've read they sound like vamped up vectras?

Axionknight

8,505 posts

135 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
AyBee said:
Fastdruid said:
Mazda 6 MPS
yes
Yep - good call...
Are those in budget? Pretty potent car, those. yes

Fastdruid

8,643 posts

152 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
Axionknight said:
lostkiwi said:
AyBee said:
Fastdruid said:
Mazda 6 MPS
yes
Yep - good call...
Are those in budget? Pretty potent car, those. yes
Just. Not many but then there weren't too many new. There are currently 3 on Autotrader at <4k and one from a dealer up for £4.3

I think they've pretty much hit the bottom of the depreciation curve as well. The nearest mileage/year to ours on autotrader is up for only £350 less than we paid for ours nearly 4 years ago!

aka_kerrly

12,418 posts

210 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
AB57 said:
I'm 23 by the way. Volvo sounds nice for a gap filler but I was hoping to get a Subaru Impreza WRX by the end of next year. Maybe this is a sign?
Bold parts, you are 23 and have already been considering a Impreza WRX - if this insurance isn't an issue then DO IT get one now, there will be plenty of time in the future for you to buy a boring as hell Volvo or Saab when you have to worry about children/car seats an other guff like that where as there will be no more "proper" Impreza WRXs.

Your budget should get you into a 2003> "blobeye"

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

54 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
Bold parts, you are 23 and have already been considering a Impreza WRX - if this insurance isn't an issue then DO IT get one now, there will be plenty of time in the future for you to buy a boring as hell Volvo or Saab when you have to worry about children/car seats an other guff like that where as there will be no more "proper" Impreza WRXs.

Your budget should get you into a 2003> "blobeye"
I've been dying for one, however I put getting a house priority, got 13k already so realistically I could start saving for one end of next year. However I feel this could be a great opportunity to get one now. It's only 1k a year of insurance so it's not that bad, and blobeye all the way biggrin

Any idea what price and mileage I should be looking @ for a blobeye?