Most complete car?

[JREwing]

On the basis I don't go to the track, I'd say Range Rover. The higher models are more than fast enough for easy overtaking, comfortable, great for towing, commodious and they look just as at home in Brooklyn as they do in Wales or outside the Savoy.

Other than that, I'll nominate the Jaguar XJR for adding some track appeal whilst keeping practicality

[Howard-]

I'm gonna vote for my ST220, because I love it

Cheap to buy, not a great deal more expensive to run than your average Mondeo, reliable, yet...

Pretty quick, fantastic chassis, great in the twisties yet very comfortable on long journeys, plenty of equipment, totally relaxed driving nature when you want it to be and will cruise all day at high speeds without feeling strained. I've helped two people move house with it now as well, and was surprised at how much clobber I could fit in, and that wasn't squeezing everything in stupidly tight and damaging any interior trim

I also love how they look. Such a smart and slightly aggressive design, even 10 years since they were introduced.

Edited by Howard- on Monday 12th March 12:36

Edited by Howard- on Monday 12th March 12:36

[Johnboy Mac]

Howard- said:

I'm gonna vote for my ST220, because I love it

Cheap to buy, not a great deal more expensive to run than your average Mondeo, reliable, yet...

Pretty quick, fantastic chassis, great in the twisties yet very comfortable on long journeys, plenty of equipment, totally relaxed driving nature when you want it to be and will cruise all day at high speeds without feeling strained.

I also love how they look. Such a smart and slightly aggressive design, even 10 years since they were introduced.

Good call.

[DJRC]

Chris71 said:

DJRC said:

russy01 said:

TAHodgson said:

If it had to be able to do absolutely everything I could throw at it, I don't think you could do much better than a boxster or 911. If you could do without the "back seats" a v8 r8 would do me

What about a school run or a tip trip? I don't see how sports cars or supercars can be classified. They are unique and only serve a couple of purposes - to enjoy driving or to pose/show status!

I used to do the weekly shopping in the Sagaris. I took it to the tip. Transported the cats to the vets. Used it as a delivery van when I did leaflet and catalogue drops.

I moved house with just an Mx5.

I find things with 4 doors and 4 seats far more compromised cars. They have 2 seats too many, 2 ft too much in the car length and way the best part of 400Kgs too much when 75% of their interior space is wasted 80% of the time. That to me is incredibly inefficient and compromised.

For the purpose of this discussion I would say probably the RS4 Avant. Its got 90% of the pace of the RS6, 95% of the time, £10k cheaper to buy and with lower running costs.

I agree with a lot of that. I very rarely use the rear seats in a car, so what I really need is a two seater with a large loading area behind (Megane R26R, perhaps?)

But there are some things you can't do with a sports car. Unless you have a Chimaera-sized boot it's impossible to get a barritone sax case in a sports car, I've discovered. And the same goes for mountain bikes. It's a real pain, because I'd have an MR2 or MX5 as a daily driver in a flash otherwise.

Barritone sax case will go in a Sagaris. Wife has 3 different sexes, so Ive done that exact load! You can also get 2 cat carry cases - complete with cats - in the boot and your luggage for a weekend away for 2 of you. And the passenger.

Mountain bikes dont count as no sane person would own one.

[Orbin]

DJRC said:

Mountain bikes dont count as no sane person would own one.

i'm officially mental then.

[otolith]

thinfourth2 said:

There is nothing in existence that can do everything i want of a car

This. Barges and off-roaders with big engines can never be complete for me.

[ybt1982]

SWoll said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

ybt1982 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

this is true but it gets tiring driving through london in a RR having most people making wker gestures at you

Sorry to go of topic, but do people really do that?

Back on topic, um.....



or

maybe slight poetic justice

but just about every one i know in town views them as "planet killers" or Chelsea tractors, 10 years ago london was full of them but there a much rarer sight.

will be even rarer in a few months once ken is back in power as the first thing he will do is bring back his £40 a day tax for SUVs and keep the extended part of the CC zone.

Must work in a different part of London to me. I'm Chelsea/Kensington based and every other car is a RR/RRS, if anything I'd say they are more popular than ever. With the money in that area a £40 a day tax would make little or no difference IMO.

I've also never seen anyone being abused etc. for driving one.

It just really shocked me that people can be so stupid and ignorant that they feel the need to insult someone they don't know, have never met and probably will never meet. Guess I'm happy living in the country side where the worst we have is anti-social badgers that try and remove your front bumper when you run them over.....

[tercelgold]

Howard- said:

I'm gonna vote for my ST220, because I love it

I only learnt about this from another thread, but something like this, £7,000
2007 Ford Mondeo 2.5 T Titanium X 5dr
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

Speed, power 220BHP, toys, servicing, reasonable insurance, 40mpg on motorway, safety, reliability, space, cheap parts, modern.

[Dave Hedgehog]

ybt1982 said:

SWoll said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

ybt1982 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

this is true but it gets tiring driving through london in a RR having most people making wker gestures at you

Sorry to go of topic, but do people really do that?

Back on topic, um.....



or

maybe slight poetic justice

but just about every one i know in town views them as "planet killers" or Chelsea tractors, 10 years ago london was full of them but there a much rarer sight.

will be even rarer in a few months once ken is back in power as the first thing he will do is bring back his £40 a day tax for SUVs and keep the extended part of the CC zone.

Must work in a different part of London to me. I'm Chelsea/Kensington based and every other car is a RR/RRS, if anything I'd say they are more popular than ever. With the money in that area a £40 a day tax would make little or no difference IMO.

I've also never seen anyone being abused etc. for driving one.

It just really shocked me that people can be so stupid and ignorant that they feel the need to insult someone they don't know, have never met and probably will never meet. Guess I'm happy living in the country side where the worst we have is anti-social badgers that try and remove your front bumper when you run them over.....

drive an audi, you may as well get "yes i am a cock" tattooed on your forehead lol

[HowMuchLonger]

Dave Hedgehog said:

drive an audi, you may as well get "yes i am a cock" tattooed on your forehead lol

Dave Hedgehog on the RRS said:

cock wagon

We get the message, you hate 4x4s.

Dave Hedgehog on 4x4s said:

I have always hated 4*4

Ahh I see, you really don't like 4x4's do you. So no Audi's, no 4x4's, Dave thinks we should all have really fast Golfs like his one.

Chill out a bit. Horses for courses and all that, you know ones man's meat is another man's poison.

[m44kts]

Howard- said:

I also love how they look. Such a smart and slightly aggressive design, even 10 years since they were introduced.

I was just thinking that they still look fresh & they've aged really well.

[Chris71]

Colonial said:

Chris71 said:

I agree with a lot of that. I very rarely use the rear seats in a car, so what I really need is a two seater with a large loading area behind (Megane R26R, perhaps?)

But there are some things you can't do with a sports car. Unless you have a Chimaera-sized boot it's impossible to get a barritone sax case in a sports car, I've discovered. And the same goes for mountain bikes. It's a real pain, because I'd have an MR2 or MX5 as a daily driver in a flash otherwise.

Oh hello fellow bari sax player.

It's actually my girlfriend's, but I spend a disproportionate amount of my time ferrying her around, so I need sufficient space.

...The bike is very much mine, though, and you won't get that in the back of a Boxster.

(...Easily, I should add, before someone posts a pic of themselves doing just that! )

DJRC said:

Barritone sax case will go in a Sagaris.

I'm not massively surprised. One of the reasons I ended up with a Chimaera is it would accommodate one where most of the supposedly sensible Japanese and German options wouldn't.

That said, the Sagaris/T350's luggage area does look quite a lot smaller than the Chim's.

[Fire99]

GravelBen said:

Fire99 said:

...Holden ... (with proven reliability) ...

I have to assume you mean proven to not be very reliable Just going by the opinion of mechanics I know that have to work on the things!

Interesting. My meanderings around the Holden/Monaro/VXR8 world (bar some doggy unloved older Holdens) have been better than average at holding themselves together.

What can you tell us?

[Vladimir]

We've got a pair of good all rounders and the BM has been excellent in the nearly three years we've had it.

So

BMW 335d Touring:
1) Does over 400 miles on a tank.
2) Is fun on the twisties
3) Gives up it's power easily - no thrashing needed.
4) Very comfortable for long trips.
5) Fits a fair bit inside
6) Has a giant sunroof which we love.
7) Is pretty subtle

But it's poor in snow and anything other than tarmac. Even a grassy car park can defeat it.

VW T5 California:

1) Compact footprint yet enormous inside
2) Is also a very small house
3) As comfy as most luxury cars and as well specced
4) Wipe down floors in case the kids throw up or worse
5) Despite high cost to buy, running costs are very low
6) Big tank so good range
7) AWD so while it's not a Land Rover, it goes most places
8) Can be used like a van

Things like the RS4 Avant and C63 estate have always appealed but range is just too small. M5 Touring was a consideration but the 'box would drive me mad and sub 20s to the gallon would pee me off.

An RR TDV8 is also a great allrounder IMO - as long as it doesn't break down.

Edited by Vladimir on Monday 12th March 19:36

[NadiR]

I'm struggling to choose between these four.

1. Accord Type R
2. Impreza WRX Wagon
3. E39 M5
4. 535d

[GravelBen]

Fire99 said:

GravelBen said:

Fire99 said:

...Holden ... (with proven reliability) ...

I have to assume you mean proven to not be very reliable Just going by the opinion of mechanics I know that have to work on the things!

Interesting. My meanderings around the Holden/Monaro/VXR8 world (bar some doggy unloved older Holdens) have been better than average at holding themselves together.

What can you tell us?

No real specifics off the top of my head (except for the car that was delivered from the factory with 3x 17" wheels and one 16" ) but most mechanics (and several former owners) I know do not speak highly of Holden build quality - mate was an apprentice mech at a Holden dealer and used to rant about how many brand new cars they had to fix before they could sell them.

Bearing in mind that in the UK you only get hot versions fettled by HSV they're probably better, I imagine they put a bit more effort into those (and have stricter QC) than the run of the mill taxis.

[graeme4130]

I couldn't think of another car that did all the things I needed
My needs for complete car are ;
- Accelerates very hard
- Corners well, but not so hard sprung that I couldn't do decent longer journeys
- Usable to drive hard if needed in all weathers
- Sounds good (had to be a V8), but not so loud I couldn't use in the early mornings (this is taken care of by S button exh bypass when I want noise) as neighbours are already not keen on my v loud TVR
- Space for kids & bikes
- Comfortable for long journeys
- Reliable
- Subtle - Not 'in your face' or hated by the general motoring community like a certain other German Marque's halo models
- cool enough to be understood by fellow petrolheads
- Manual (some of us still like the satisfaction of involvement) - Although I am slowly becoming a convert and the DSG B8 RS4 might be my next purchase as long as it doesn't take the dynamics of the RS5

This is why I bought this ;


If anyone else can name another car that does all those things for me better than an RS4 Avant, then I'll eat my hat

Edited by graeme4130 on Tuesday 13th March 06:26