How to ruin a nice car
Discussion
Had my first drive of an Audi S-Line today, albeit 'just' an A3, still an Audi, still an S-Line. In black, with S-Line styling. It's a company car and I borrowed it for what was just a short trip of about 10 miles.
On getting in I was pleasantly surprised by the interior, stylish, pleasant and not overly dull while still being suitably 'mannish'. The smell of the half leather interior was complimented by the comfiness of the seats - hard and supportive without being uncomfortable. The fact that you have to lift up the armrest to get to the handbrake is annoying but you can't have everything! Everything felt solidly put together and the door closed with a pleasant solid thunk. Even the space in the back wasn't bad - I was impressed!
Then I started the car.
Now obviously, this being a company car, it was a diesel. Nothing wrong with that - diesel's aren't everyone's cup of tea but I drive a diesel myself and quite like them but to each their own. The problem was this car was the 'eco' model. Not a 'nice' 1.9tdi with 130ish horses like I was expecting, no, just 100 of the miserable little f
kers, only available for about 50rpm, with the rest of the rev range waiting anxiously for the turbo to remember how it works.
The accelerator can be pressed by an inch. That's it. So basically it's on or off. Like the power delivery, off until just before the red line, then on a little bit.
Once up to speed it was okay except for the tyre noise was unbearable! Now had this been a car with a reasonable power output, the excessive noise would have been a small price to pay for that knowing smile that creeps across your face everytime you see a twisty bit of road ahead knowing that the next few minutes are going to be a coming together of man and machine to take part in what all of us on PH love, a great back road blast. Except this car can't do that - it just doesn't have the legs. So all the tyre noise serves to do is remind you what this car could have been, but isn't, and it's kind of sad, and a bit annoying.
Not as annoying, it must be said, as the fking eco-monitor display pointing relentlessly at me through the steering wheel. It tells you when to change up to save fuel, and when to change down to save fuel. If you don't do as you're ordered by the display it begins to - distractingly - bk you for not driving economically.
I understand the need for low emission cars but I have to say that this was merely a sheep in wolfs clothing, and as a result was a let down. Sad really.
I drive a Scenic. The tyres are not noisy, because they aren't wide, because I will never throw it around on a back road, because it would merely disappoint. It's a french car - comfy, quiet and rammed full of kit(all of which works - watch this space
) for ferrying the wife, kids and my mother around. It pretends to be nothing it isn't.
Which probably explains why I found a car that aesthetically promises to deliver a lot more than it does such a huge disappointment. Especially when for all of it's eco st and it's stop/start, it only managed 42mpg!
On getting in I was pleasantly surprised by the interior, stylish, pleasant and not overly dull while still being suitably 'mannish'. The smell of the half leather interior was complimented by the comfiness of the seats - hard and supportive without being uncomfortable. The fact that you have to lift up the armrest to get to the handbrake is annoying but you can't have everything! Everything felt solidly put together and the door closed with a pleasant solid thunk. Even the space in the back wasn't bad - I was impressed!
Then I started the car.
Now obviously, this being a company car, it was a diesel. Nothing wrong with that - diesel's aren't everyone's cup of tea but I drive a diesel myself and quite like them but to each their own. The problem was this car was the 'eco' model. Not a 'nice' 1.9tdi with 130ish horses like I was expecting, no, just 100 of the miserable little f
kers, only available for about 50rpm, with the rest of the rev range waiting anxiously for the turbo to remember how it works.The accelerator can be pressed by an inch. That's it. So basically it's on or off. Like the power delivery, off until just before the red line, then on a little bit.
Once up to speed it was okay except for the tyre noise was unbearable! Now had this been a car with a reasonable power output, the excessive noise would have been a small price to pay for that knowing smile that creeps across your face everytime you see a twisty bit of road ahead knowing that the next few minutes are going to be a coming together of man and machine to take part in what all of us on PH love, a great back road blast. Except this car can't do that - it just doesn't have the legs. So all the tyre noise serves to do is remind you what this car could have been, but isn't, and it's kind of sad, and a bit annoying.
Not as annoying, it must be said, as the f
king eco-monitor display pointing relentlessly at me through the steering wheel. It tells you when to change up to save fuel, and when to change down to save fuel. If you don't do as you're ordered by the display it begins to - distractingly - bk you for not driving economically.I understand the need for low emission cars but I have to say that this was merely a sheep in wolfs clothing, and as a result was a let down. Sad really.
I drive a Scenic. The tyres are not noisy, because they aren't wide, because I will never throw it around on a back road, because it would merely disappoint. It's a french car - comfy, quiet and rammed full of kit(all of which works - watch this space
) for ferrying the wife, kids and my mother around. It pretends to be nothing it isn't. Which probably explains why I found a car that aesthetically promises to deliver a lot more than it does such a huge disappointment. Especially when for all of it's eco s
t and it's stop/start, it only managed 42mpg!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff