Discussion
This is a thread about possibly the least PH car ever, but it's actually rather good.
I've been fortunate to be given my first company car, and as such it's from somewhere nearer the bottom of the car ladder than the top. No Director-spec. Jaguar XF for me. Still, I must say I've ended up with something completely great. It's a VW Polo 1.2d Match with a heady 75bhp.
On paper this sounds rather glum - and I'll be the first to admit it is glacially slow, but I can hardly begrudge it that when it provides me with free motoring. In fact it's a fantastic little car.
My commute and business mileage is 99% town and motorway driving. I am therefore entirely realistic about the fact that I do not need a performance car for this. I tried the same thing with my Elise and it was hell. The Polo is great for this kind of work. It is comfortable enough, the visibility is excellent and it's got plenty of toys. Even as a budget car it's got Bluetooth, DAB radio, electric everything and air con.
It has this slightly unnerving ability to constrain one's driving. Instead of attacking roundabouts with a couple of blipped downchanges, I now serenely cruise in, gently guide the revs up and carry the momentum through with minimal input and fuss. Everything in the car is damped in a deeply impressive way. It feels like that is how mechanical parts actually work. Of course, they don't. It's just VW are able to make everything feel very tactile and natural, but smooth and fuss-free.
I realise this all sounds dreadful and utterly anti-driving, but I promise it's not. I'm constantly learning from the Polo. I am driving more smoothly than ever and the lack of shove means I am working on my anticipation skills as I can't rely on having greater performance than other road users. The total absence of power when the turbo isn't spinning means better planning on roundabouts. It's an educational experience.
And the best bit? Well I am now a totally converted hypermiler. Trying to convey myself as swiftly and effortlessly as possible, carrying momentum, anticipating traffic movements to avoid braking...it is actually completely addictive. My fuel is paid for by the company, but when a vehicle's raison d'etre is efficiency then why not play to its skills? As an indicator, during a recent trip from Birmingham to Leeds I averaged over 62mpg - remarkable!
I really believe as the roads become ever more congested, speed limits become policed more stringently and fuel prices increase, this will become the petrolhead's model for vehicular enjoyment. You do your boring stuff in the most comfortable, economical car possible and the fun, weekend, stuff in something as stupid as humanly possible.
I'll be honest, it isn't the most photogenic car I've ever owned (in fact it's pretty 'metro') but here it is trying to persuade me I'm Sebastien Ogier about the tackle the snow-covered special stages of the Monte or Sweden...
And gleaming away the day it was delivered.
Oh, and what of the rest of the fleet?
Well, the Rallye has earned a stay of execution in the family. My missus is running it as her daily and she adores it. Everything keeps breaking on it but we just love the old thing so we'll keep it as long as we can possibly afford to do so - it's fantastic. I drove it on Friday and it brought back so many happy memories. The best steering/ride/noise of any FWD car I've ever driven. Great old friend!
And finally, the Exige. You all know what these are about. It hasn't left the garage in a few weeks as the weather's been crap but I have a few plans for it over the summer. It's having a few mods and improvements in March. If I have any cash left over I'll do a trackday or two later in the year. It's stupid, but it's by far and away my favourite car in the world.
I've been fortunate to be given my first company car, and as such it's from somewhere nearer the bottom of the car ladder than the top. No Director-spec. Jaguar XF for me. Still, I must say I've ended up with something completely great. It's a VW Polo 1.2d Match with a heady 75bhp.
On paper this sounds rather glum - and I'll be the first to admit it is glacially slow, but I can hardly begrudge it that when it provides me with free motoring. In fact it's a fantastic little car.
My commute and business mileage is 99% town and motorway driving. I am therefore entirely realistic about the fact that I do not need a performance car for this. I tried the same thing with my Elise and it was hell. The Polo is great for this kind of work. It is comfortable enough, the visibility is excellent and it's got plenty of toys. Even as a budget car it's got Bluetooth, DAB radio, electric everything and air con.
It has this slightly unnerving ability to constrain one's driving. Instead of attacking roundabouts with a couple of blipped downchanges, I now serenely cruise in, gently guide the revs up and carry the momentum through with minimal input and fuss. Everything in the car is damped in a deeply impressive way. It feels like that is how mechanical parts actually work. Of course, they don't. It's just VW are able to make everything feel very tactile and natural, but smooth and fuss-free.
I realise this all sounds dreadful and utterly anti-driving, but I promise it's not. I'm constantly learning from the Polo. I am driving more smoothly than ever and the lack of shove means I am working on my anticipation skills as I can't rely on having greater performance than other road users. The total absence of power when the turbo isn't spinning means better planning on roundabouts. It's an educational experience.
And the best bit? Well I am now a totally converted hypermiler. Trying to convey myself as swiftly and effortlessly as possible, carrying momentum, anticipating traffic movements to avoid braking...it is actually completely addictive. My fuel is paid for by the company, but when a vehicle's raison d'etre is efficiency then why not play to its skills? As an indicator, during a recent trip from Birmingham to Leeds I averaged over 62mpg - remarkable!
I really believe as the roads become ever more congested, speed limits become policed more stringently and fuel prices increase, this will become the petrolhead's model for vehicular enjoyment. You do your boring stuff in the most comfortable, economical car possible and the fun, weekend, stuff in something as stupid as humanly possible.
I'll be honest, it isn't the most photogenic car I've ever owned (in fact it's pretty 'metro') but here it is trying to persuade me I'm Sebastien Ogier about the tackle the snow-covered special stages of the Monte or Sweden...
And gleaming away the day it was delivered.
Oh, and what of the rest of the fleet?
Well, the Rallye has earned a stay of execution in the family. My missus is running it as her daily and she adores it. Everything keeps breaking on it but we just love the old thing so we'll keep it as long as we can possibly afford to do so - it's fantastic. I drove it on Friday and it brought back so many happy memories. The best steering/ride/noise of any FWD car I've ever driven. Great old friend!
And finally, the Exige. You all know what these are about. It hasn't left the garage in a few weeks as the weather's been crap but I have a few plans for it over the summer. It's having a few mods and improvements in March. If I have any cash left over I'll do a trackday or two later in the year. It's stupid, but it's by far and away my favourite car in the world.
Hi Jay - very well remembered. In fact the Punto is still in the fleet! It is kind of unofficially for sale. By unofficially I mean the PH advert expired and I haven't got around to updating it!
The Punto actually came to the rescue last week. Sooze (Mrs Chev) was driving through the Leeds tunnels on the way to work when the bracket on the clutch pedal which retained the clutch cable broke on the Rallye. She was left stranded in the middle of a tunnel at rush hour, which, by all accounts, was fairly traumatic. Still, no damage done and the Rallye now has a new bracket and cable, and feels great. The Punto was there for her in her hour of need. It's a cracking car actually - very under-rated. We'll definitely miss it but there's no justification for keeping four cars and we can't really afford it just at the moment. Before the the Punto Sooze had a 1.7 Puma so she's got pretty good taste in cars. Oh she's a bloody quick kart racer too.
The Punto actually came to the rescue last week. Sooze (Mrs Chev) was driving through the Leeds tunnels on the way to work when the bracket on the clutch pedal which retained the clutch cable broke on the Rallye. She was left stranded in the middle of a tunnel at rush hour, which, by all accounts, was fairly traumatic. Still, no damage done and the Rallye now has a new bracket and cable, and feels great. The Punto was there for her in her hour of need. It's a cracking car actually - very under-rated. We'll definitely miss it but there's no justification for keeping four cars and we can't really afford it just at the moment. Before the the Punto Sooze had a 1.7 Puma so she's got pretty good taste in cars. Oh she's a bloody quick kart racer too.
vescaegg said:
chevronb37 said:
An MX5 is no less worthy than an Exige. I bet you dare take it out when it's raining, unlike me 
Not at the moment because I don't enjoy getting wet even when the roof is up! 
Stupid roof!
Another Fluffer said:
Very nice, I have the older 9N3 1.2 petrol, glacial doesn't begin to describe it! 
Two different reg plates on the Exige...
Previous owner had a Lotus M250 on order and wanted a private plate for it. His initials are MGS. The second photo was taken the day after I bought the car so it was still carrying his private plate, before it went on retention. He had the car continually for 10 years before I bought it so nice history, really. X48UOM was its original reg so I just reverted to that one. Ultimately it'd be nice to get the reg 447EXG as it's build no 447 but I'm not over-burdened with cash at the moment!Two different reg plates on the Exige...
Another Fluffer said:
447EXG Would be cracking!
Either way the S1 Exige is one of the most awesome cars ever made, would love a go in one.
Congratulations!
Cheers, buddy :-) If you're ever in the Leeds area and fancy a pax ride just drop me a line. Either way the S1 Exige is one of the most awesome cars ever made, would love a go in one.
Congratulations!
The Exige seems to be far more than the sum of its parts. It is epic! Maybe not the most sensible automotive purchase I'll ever make but there's no such thing as a boring drive in it. This is from a little jaunt around the EVO Triangle last year.
Dan - delighted you enjoyed it, mate.
chevronb37 said:
Is that Seb Ogier or our hero wackojacko? ;-)
I bet Ogier doesn't suffer from his colleagues daubing the word 'homo' into the dirt down the side of his Polo.
Well I can only assume that it is Ogier as I haven't seen it plastered all over the internet with comments of how brilliant he is, that he wrote. I bet Ogier doesn't suffer from his colleagues daubing the word 'homo' into the dirt down the side of his Polo.
Well that is probably down to the fact that Ogier isn't a homo... Well I suppose he could be, in which case his colleagues are probably much more mature than yours...
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