Recently, I have warmed to...
Discussion
... MINI Clubmans (the new shape ones)
At first I hated the mis-naming, the pointless van doors on the back and the fact they couldn't be arsed to put the third door on the correct side of the car for us Brits.
Now I'm looking at it as a sensible sized run-around that will do everything I need in a car. The fact that most seem to be available in brown is somehow a bonus. The third door on the wrong side? Who cares! It doesn't actually make a blind bit of difference.
What have you lightened up about recently?
At first I hated the mis-naming, the pointless van doors on the back and the fact they couldn't be arsed to put the third door on the correct side of the car for us Brits.
Now I'm looking at it as a sensible sized run-around that will do everything I need in a car. The fact that most seem to be available in brown is somehow a bonus. The third door on the wrong side? Who cares! It doesn't actually make a blind bit of difference.
What have you lightened up about recently?
Cooking squid..... Easy once you've done it once.
Astra Bertone 1800c coupes. Suddenly they make real sense as a no fuss snotter with some nice touches. Dull as f
k, but tick the boxes.
The idea of living with the OH, after some time soul-searching and realising that 99% of the problems are created/compounded by us both "squatting" with parents.
My "cheap" Accurist watch. Have 2x Tag ones, but always seem to worry about damaging them.
The idea of a whippet/greyhound as a pet. FIL rocked up with a 6month old one, and it gets on well with my leonberger/alsatian....and is generally adorably chaotic.
Astra Bertone 1800c coupes. Suddenly they make real sense as a no fuss snotter with some nice touches. Dull as f
k, but tick the boxes.The idea of living with the OH, after some time soul-searching and realising that 99% of the problems are created/compounded by us both "squatting" with parents.
My "cheap" Accurist watch. Have 2x Tag ones, but always seem to worry about damaging them.
The idea of a whippet/greyhound as a pet. FIL rocked up with a 6month old one, and it gets on well with my leonberger/alsatian....and is generally adorably chaotic.
Mr Gear said:
... MINI Clubmans (the new shape ones)
At first I hated the mis-naming, the pointless van doors on the back and the fact they couldn't be arsed to put the third door on the correct side of the car for us Brits.
Now I'm looking at it as a sensible sized run-around that will do everything I need in a car. The fact that most seem to be available in brown is somehow a bonus. The third door on the wrong side? Who cares! It doesn't actually make a blind bit of difference.
What have you lightened up about recently?
I'd give a +1 to the Clubman as well. I also find myself being recently having an interest in things like a SportKA, Citroen C6 and 996 C2's. Car which normally or previously at least wouldn't have featured on my radar.At first I hated the mis-naming, the pointless van doors on the back and the fact they couldn't be arsed to put the third door on the correct side of the car for us Brits.
Now I'm looking at it as a sensible sized run-around that will do everything I need in a car. The fact that most seem to be available in brown is somehow a bonus. The third door on the wrong side? Who cares! It doesn't actually make a blind bit of difference.
What have you lightened up about recently?
angusc43 said:
BMW's. Now that Bangle has finally moved on.
Actually, whilst this is totally on topic, I disagree. I hated every one of Bangle's designs at first, but they have left a legacy worth celebrating. Those awkward curves actually leave a longer lasting interest than rivals of a similar age.Audi A3 - handsome but bland:
BMW 1-series - odd but still interesting to the eye:
Bangle-era BMWs are definitely something I have warmed to.
Mr Gear said:
tuffer said:
Pears, never ate one until I was 40 and now find them quite pleasant.
You just have to catch them in the 5 seconds when they exist in an edible state between being rock hard and being rotten. This is usually when I turn my back. 
Mr Gear said:
What have you lightened up about recently?
Porsches. I always used to find them a bit clinical - anodyne even - but after a bit more exposure I've become a total convert. You can jump into a 30 year old 911 and drive it to the shops like a modern hatchback. It'll start from cold, it'll demist properly, it'll idle in traffic, it'll ride well for a sports car ... it'll do all the things that seem to phase its more exotic competitors and then it'll still provide a genuinely engaging experience when you start pressing on.
I know it's a bit of cliche, but I honestly think they're built with the same level of passion as Ferraris or TVRs (not to mention a good deal more development budget), just with some of the focus shifted away from form and onto function.
Eco Versions of normal cars.
I've not owned one yet, but the daily drive is nearly ALWAYS a trudge following another car, and other times are mostly towing the toy on motorways, which, if I'm honest, a bog standard Mondeo Econetic could manage. These days they've all got the important toys (air con and cruise at least) and I'd be getting 60+mpg rather than 35+mpg.
= More money to spend on the other cars.
I've not owned one yet, but the daily drive is nearly ALWAYS a trudge following another car, and other times are mostly towing the toy on motorways, which, if I'm honest, a bog standard Mondeo Econetic could manage. These days they've all got the important toys (air con and cruise at least) and I'd be getting 60+mpg rather than 35+mpg.
= More money to spend on the other cars.
Dimski said:
Eco Versions of normal cars.
I've not owned one yet, but the daily drive is nearly ALWAYS a trudge following another car, and other times are mostly towing the toy on motorways, which, if I'm honest, a bog standard Mondeo Econetic could manage. These days they've all got the important toys (air con and cruise at least) and I'd be getting 60+mpg rather than 35+mpg.
= More money to spend on the other cars.
Spot on. Wasting fuel on fun = cool. Wasting fuel going nowhere = depressing.I've not owned one yet, but the daily drive is nearly ALWAYS a trudge following another car, and other times are mostly towing the toy on motorways, which, if I'm honest, a bog standard Mondeo Econetic could manage. These days they've all got the important toys (air con and cruise at least) and I'd be getting 60+mpg rather than 35+mpg.
= More money to spend on the other cars.
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