Tell us your driving secret - it's safe with us

[Fessia fancier]

I find it hard to believe the slight power and spec differences make any real world difference on inherently sporty cars. For example a 911 that is 50kg lighter - can anyone tell on the road?
Not quite on topic but I was amused by the Urus Performante which is 47kg lighter than standard. That truly must be pointless.

[Sporky]

Flanders. said:

I'm currently overseas and my hire car is a very basic Fiat 500 with the smallest engine fitted.

It's a fantastic car which I would love to have at home.

Holiday romance...

[Olivergt]

I have a "friend" who got done for doing 59 in a 50. He was so embarrassed he told everyone it was 120 in a 60 to keep up his "image" on tik tok.

[MrGTI6]

Robmarriott said:

I don’t mind people sitting in the middle lane.

I pass them on the inside and glare at them. They normally look really confused, though I suspect that's how a lane-hogger's face tends to rest.

[andrebar]

Baldchap said:

FiF said:

Hate it when have one of those passengers who can never be ready on time.

There's a whole group of people out there who think 'leave at half past' means 'piss about starting to get ready at half past'.

If that means there’s another group of people somewhere who don’t do that I’d be keen to meet them.

[Randy Winkman]

MrGTI6 said:

Robmarriott said:

I don’t mind people sitting in the middle lane.

I pass them on the inside and glare at them. They normally look really confused, though I suspect that's how a lane-hogger's face tends to rest.

What if the outside lane is free? Do you still pass on the inside to make a point?

[paulrockliffe]

Earl of Petrol said:

parabolica said:

I honestly believe in todays world there is not a single crap car to drive. Even the most basic, slow, built to a budget white goods appliance will cover all the basics to a perfectly acceptable level and it’s only car snobs who will decry otherwise.

Think you are right, and it’s been the case for some time. I can remember looking at new small, basic cars in the early 90’s. They all did the job.

Absolutely.

I have a Skoda Citigo, the previous owner sorted it out like I would have wanted it if I was 17, I told my wife that made it cheap and bought it because I still think I'm 17. I'm 40. The rear end gets very bouncy when it's on lowering springs because the stock dampers are crap, presumably because they cost 47p. So I spent £800 on Eibach Pro Street coilovers for my £3,000 car, then put wheel spacers on it just so it would fill the arches properly. It's an epic drive, so small, so light, so noisy, so composed round corners. So slow, so you really need to maintain speed through the corners to avoid having to regain speed again. Always puts a smile on my face, there's not much I'd rather be driving until you start getting to 10x the cost.

Will probably keep it until the kids start complaining about the rear leg-room, buy something boring and then strip the Skoda and put a silly engine in it.

[DickyC]

Fessia fancier said:

I find it hard to believe the slight power and spec differences make any real world difference on inherently sporty cars. For example a 911 that is 50kg lighter - can anyone tell on the road?
Not quite on topic but I was amused by the Urus Performante which is 47kg lighter than standard. That truly must be pointless.

And could you own a car named after a bladder infection?

[Super Sonic]

MrGTI6 said:

I pass them on the inside and glare at them. They normally look really confused, though I suspect that's how a lane-hogger's face tends to rest.

I hope a nobody suddenly brakes in front of you while you're glaring.

[Olivergt]

Doing a 0-60 in slow motion, red line in 1st/2nd gear, really slooowww gear change, taking about 30 seconds to get there.

[LunarOne]

5s Alive said:

Mac. said:

I’m bored of being considerate as the favour is never returned.

Edited by Mac. on Saturday 17th September 15:02

You're not the only one. It's pretty damned obvious when the car on the inside is gaining on the vehicle in front and takes hardly any effort to move over in anticipation yet few seem to do this. However there are occasions when you meet like minded souls and the traffic just flows. It's automotive ballet.

Anticipation? Most people don't anticipate actions they will shortly need to do. They seen genuinely surprised when they catch someone up in the lane in front of them. How do you expect them to anticipate the needs or actions of other drivers?

[Axe wound]

Earl of Petrol said:

parabolica said:

I honestly believe in todays world there is not a single crap car to drive. Even the most basic, slow, built to a budget white goods appliance will cover all the basics to a perfectly acceptable level and it’s only car snobs who will decry otherwise.

Think you are right, and it’s been the case for some time. I can remember looking at new small, basic cars in the early 90’s. They all did the job.

Ever driven a Citroen C4 Cactus? They're woeful.

I'm a lucky boy in that I've had a few years of getting to drive tons of stuff ranging from £150 stboxes all the way to brand new Bentleys and out of every 'newish' car I've driven, those Cactus's are the worst. They're built badly out of cheap material. The steering feels like it's done by pulling two pieces of string. The petrol engines are hopeless, the front seats would be more at home outside a bus stop and the infotainment screen they use looks and feels like it's come out of a ToysRus catalogue. You'd be better off going to work on your hand and knees.

I love small, cheap cars because they almost always do exactly what you want them to do (like paulrockliffe's Citigo), but there's definitely still some crap out there.

Edited by Axe wound on Sunday 18th September 08:20

[Jaguar steve]

parabolica said:

I honestly believe in todays world there is not a single crap car to drive. Even the most basic, slow, built to a budget white goods appliance will cover all the basics to a perfectly acceptable level and it’s only car snobs who will decry otherwise.

You've just saved me the 20 seconds of my life it would have taken me to type that.

[carlo996]

[

parabolica said:

I honestly believe in todays world there is not a single crap car to drive. Even the most basic, slow, built to a budget white goods appliance will cover all the basics to a perfectly acceptable level and it’s only car snobs who will decry otherwise.

Can’t say I agree really. Plenty of wheezy horrible cars out there, take your pic of any small petrol engined hire cars, mostly all quite horrible. Worst was probably the ‘big’ Fiat 500, not sure what engine is fitted but it’s absolutely flat, a 2CV feels quicker Then there’s the darling of PH, the Duster. There is a special place in the warm place for those. If we are going to make sweeping generalisations then it’s likely anyone who doesn’t mind what car they drive is probably the same individual who has zero interest in driving. Yours, ‘a car snob’

[Vintagejock]

I just refuse to do road rage. Let them do what they do and karma will look after the rest.

[Mezzanine]

Niponeoff said:

If a car goes past me at high speed I always think:

Go for it.

Me too.

Stick Legs said:

I never like to go the same way to and from somewhere, even on short journeys.

It’s almost become a compulsion.

I am glad I am not the only one, I love taking different routes on the way back.


Two of mine…

I have recently become a serial undertaker of middle lane morons on motorways and it makes me feel better.


And more of a non-driving specific secret, I think these are a great looking piece of design:

[The spinner of plates]

Ok, if this is a safe space..

I prefer MPVs to SUVs. They’re more practical, I never go off road and I don’t need a fast version for transporting people / stuff. I don’t care if they look naff.

Having done many track days over the years, I left the last one at lunchtime because I was actually bored. I enjoyed the drive home more - rowing along at 7/10ths, reading the road, passing where it was safe, only revving to about 5k, enjoying leisurely heel/toe downshift practice etc was just more than than beasting the car and myself at 10/10ths. I’ve not booked a track day since and probably never will again.

I take a perverse pleasure in my daily drivers being utterly reliable but unfashionable, battle scarred and cheap as chips - a friend described it as an anti-statement car. Yet agreed he’d happily borrow it tomorrow if he needed to move some furniture to southern Spain at short notice. I take more pleasure in smashing my mortgage over payments / maxing pension allowances than having a nice car to get to work and back.

I think I’m just not as into cars as I was.. but yet still take great pleasure in the odd occasions I can be bothered to wake the weekender from it’s almost permanent sleep - I go to bed like it’s Christmas Eve and wake before the alarm

I’m increasingly confused and conflicted about whether I’m actually a car enthusiast or not!

[LunarOne]

The spinner of plates said:

Ok, if this is a safe space..

I’m increasingly confused and conflicted about whether I’m actually a car enthusiast or not!

Perhaps you're like me. A driving enthusiast rather than a car enthusiast. Don't get me wrong, I like cars, but I don't pore over power to weight ratios or worry whether I have Macpherson struts or double wishbones. I don't want ceramic brakes, because I never do track days. Driving round in circles on the same piece of tarmac holds little interest. Unlike some here though, I do dislike FWD cars unless they are small runabouts as I can definitely tell the difference.

[LuS1fer]

I always quite fancied the idea of having a VDP Allegro just for the grille and picnic tables.

It helped that I had a rusty old banger as my first car, at that time.

I never liked the VDP 1300.

[andrew]

i quite enjoy riding my bicycle