Cars as white goods

[tangerine_sedge]

I've been in the unenviable position of having to use hire cars regularly for the last 6 months. During this period I've come to regard the vehicles as nothing but white goods (most of the bloody things are recession white too). I jump in them, tune the radio and drive them. None of them has given me any driving pleasure but have just got me safely and reliably from A to B.

Since I've been treating them as white goods I've also redefined my priorities for what constitutes a good hire car...

instead of "how quick" or "how balanced on the twisties", I now consider "how easy to connect my phone via Blutooth" and "how comfortable are the seats".

During this period it's been a sequence of 1.6 diesel/petrol Vauxhalls, Fords, Hyundais and Peugeots, and all of them have been totally insipid. They all have been fairly comfortable and painless to drive, but interestingly the diesels have all been better to drive than the petrol versions. So for anyone wanting some buying advice, buy the cheapest diesel with Blutooth connectivity.


It's been an eye-opener, as I now understand what it's like for the 70% of the population which has no interest in cars and just buys on badge and shiny optional extras alone.

I have nothing else to add, I just pity those people who have elected to buy one of these dreadful things and has to use it every day.

[richs2891]

I think you are correct for most people cars are simply white goods, A to B transport.

We have to be thankful that there are manufacturers out there that make fun cars, that are not dreary snooze boxes.

[forzaminardi]

Just drove a new Quashquai (sp?) rental. As you describe, painless to drive (apart from poor visibility) but insipid and with an oddly detached sensation, like driving a tall boxy cushion. I'd agree with the diesel comment, for that type of vehicle and largely urban use, diesel makes more sense. Oddly for a renta-car, this one was petrol and it lacked the low-end urge of a diesel I've come to expect in that type of car, while lacking the outright power or revability of a my usual drive. So a petrol Quashquai - worst of both worlds, really.

[PanzerCommander]

Pretty much summed up.

I have had all sorts of hire cars via work, from 207SD's to 118d BMW's, all of them have been dull as dishwater. I certainly wouldn't want to own any of them.

[tangerine_sedge]

forzaminardi said:

Oddly for a renta-car, this one was petrol and it lacked the low-end urge of a diesel I've come to expect in that type of car, while lacking the outright power or revability of a my usual drive.

My experience exactly, the petrol was always the worst option, lower performance than the diesel and much worse MPG too. it comes to something when the least worst car is a Peugeot 1.6 diesel.

[andy-xr]

Depends what you get I think, I worked in San Jose for a stint, 3 weeks there, 1 week home, 3 weeks there...

I used to land at SFO with the most basic booking so I knew I had something, then ask the desk to surprise me with something and gave them a budget.

3 Mustangs, a Camero, a Jeep and a huge Ford Explorer were free upgrades over what I'd ordered, the Chevvy Cruze, the Taurus and the Crown Vic were low points. Kia Sportage was the most surprising, could do anything with foot welded to the floor and it lapped it up. I really enjoyed it because I didnt expect anything from it

[tangerine_sedge]

andy-xr said:

Depends what you get I think, I worked in San Jose for a stint, 3 weeks there, 1 week home, 3 weeks there...

I used to land at SFO with the most basic booking so I knew I had something, then ask the desk to surprise me with something and gave them a budget.

3 Mustangs, a Camero, a Jeep and a huge Ford Explorer were free upgrades over what I'd ordered, the Chevvy Cruze, the Taurus and the Crown Vic were low points. Kia Sportage was the most surprising, could do anything with foot welded to the floor and it lapped it up. I really enjoyed it because I didnt expect anything from it

Unfortunately, I have no control over the car that I get as it's booked through the company (they won't let me drive my own and reclaim costs). To be honest, I'm not sure any of the alternatives would have been any better.

What was the real killer though, was the number of times I would get stuck behind a slow moving lorry, and couldn't find an opportunity long enough to safely overtake (it could be done but was bloody hard work, and introduced an element of risk which I was uncomfortable with!) I'm starting to understand now why so many drones sit for miles in slow moving traffic - their cars are just not capable of safely overtaking...

[MH82]

Quite agree, I seem to be getting 1.4 and the occasional 1.6 Astra as hire cars and they are so dull, just a bit better than the 208 estates we sometimes have.

Had a 118D and again, how dull - I really couldn't see why you would buy one over a Focus

[GrizzlyBear]

richs2891 said:

I think you are correct for most people cars are simply white goods, A to B transport.

We have to be thankful that there are manufacturers out there that make fun cars, that are not dreary snooze boxes.

The manufacturers only do that to differentiate themselves from the others, either that or not get called every name under the sun by the motoring press.

[daemon]

tangerine_sedge said:

I've been in the unenviable position of having to use hire cars regularly for the last 6 months. During this period I've come to regard the vehicles as nothing but white goods (most of the bloody things are recession white too). I jump in them, tune the radio and drive them. None of them has given me any driving pleasure but have just got me safely and reliably from A to B.

Since I've been treating them as white goods I've also redefined my priorities for what constitutes a good hire car...

instead of "how quick" or "how balanced on the twisties", I now consider "how easy to connect my phone via Blutooth" and "how comfortable are the seats".

During this period it's been a sequence of 1.6 diesel/petrol Vauxhalls, Fords, Hyundais and Peugeots, and all of them have been totally insipid. They all have been fairly comfortable and painless to drive, but interestingly the diesels have all been better to drive than the petrol versions. So for anyone wanting some buying advice, buy the cheapest diesel with Blutooth connectivity.


It's been an eye-opener, as I now understand what it's like for the 70% of the population which has no interest in cars and just buys on badge and shiny optional extras alone.

I have nothing else to add, I just pity those people who have elected to buy one of these dreadful things and has to use it every day.

Yup.

I've a 2012 Golf 1.6 TDI S and to me its the epitome of white goods. I do 25K a year and so far it has done 20K faultlessly.

It gets me back and forward to work in relative comfort and using the least amount of fuel and manageable depreciation. I never get out of it feeling tired or stressed and it has aircon to keep me cool and a decent sounds system. I'm getting 66-69mpg brim to brim every time and have a range of about 900 miles on a tank.

About 95% of the miles is my commuting. 5% is getting provisions in at the weekends or taking the dogs to the park.

Its a Ronseal car - does exactly what it says on the tin.

In terms of your "pity", well having a general workhorse that i know isnt going to cost me anything in terms of unexpected bills and averages 66-69mpg brim to brim means i have more money to spend on the things i want to. This year that has meant an MX5 and a 330Ci to play with for the weekends, and last year it was a couple of 330Cis, and Audi A6 3.0i quattro, an S Type and an XJ.

Edited by daemon on Friday 13th June 13:52

[Leins]

Exactly the same as this, other than mine is a privately-owned Mk6 1.2L petrol. It's comfy, has a sunroof, decent enough hifi, cheap tax, good consumption, practical, can keep up with motorway traffic, etc. Bought it at 2.5 years old last year, and it's proved very reliable since

It's as dull as the dirtiest of ditchwater, but performs its functions perfectly, the main one of which is to get me to work and back through the traffic and along boring motorways. I park it where I like and no-one pays too much notice, it's got the odd stonechip and little scratch that I don't worry too much about, and I accidently kerbed one of its snazzy alloys parking it on the street a few months ago, without feeling the need to constantly berate myself for a week afterwards

I find it all quite refreshing really, compared to running dailies that I was more emotionally attached to in the past


Other stuff comes out to play at the weekend, and keeps me sane

[daemon]

Leins said:

Exactly the same as this, other than mine is a privately-owned Mk6 1.2L petrol. It's comfy, has a sunroof, decent enough hifi, cheap tax, good consumption, practical, can keep up with motorway traffic, etc. Bought it at 2.5 years old last year, and it's proved very reliable since

It's as dull as the dirtiest of ditchwater, but performs its functions perfectly, the main one of which is to get me to work and back through the traffic and along boring motorways. I park it where I like and no-one pays too much notice, it's got the odd stonechip and little scratch that I don't worry too much about, and I accidently kerbed one of its snazzy alloys parking it on the street a few months ago, without feeling the need to constantly berate myself for a week afterwards

I find it all quite refreshing really, compared to running dailies that I was more emotionally attached to in the past


Other stuff comes out to play at the weekend, and keeps me sane

And conversely i've tried the "one size fits all" scenario where i try to find something that balances all my needs during the week with being fun to drive at the weekend and i've never really been able to get it to work. I bore too quickly so buying something at £50K which "seems" to be the right car suddenly isnt and you apply man maths to justify changing it and take a financial bath. Plus you end up with the thing being perpetually dirty - wifies black z4 is never clean.

I'd a 2003 MX5 there that stood me £1200, had it polished up and shining in my garage with the hood down and ready to go at all times. Had a wail of a time with it there for a couple of months and just punted it on for £1600. Bidding on a "semi classic" black Saab turbo three door now which might be my next toy / project.

And the golf just keeps plodding along....

[Gareth79]

forzaminardi said:

Just drove a new Quashquai (sp?) rental. As you describe, painless to drive (apart from poor visibility) but insipid and with an oddly detached sensation, like driving a tall boxy cushion. I'd agree with the diesel comment, for that type of vehicle and largely urban use, diesel makes more sense. Oddly for a renta-car, this one was petrol and it lacked the low-end urge of a diesel I've come to expect in that type of car, while lacking the outright power or revability of a my usual drive. So a petrol Quashquai - worst of both worlds, really.

I rented a Nissan Rogue in the US recently (the US Qashqai). Overly soft suspension (OK, it is a US vehicle), the brakes were overpowered and under-modulated. It had a 2.5 petrol engine which did have a fair bit of power, but it was mated to a CVT gearbox that whined at ~1,200rpm to such an extent it was difficult to hear other people in the car. I googled and apparently it's normal!

[Leins]

daemon said:

And conversely i've tried the "one size fits all" scenario where i try to find something that balances all my needs during the week with being fun to drive at the weekend and i've never really been able to get it to work. I bore too quickly so buying something at £50K which "seems" to be the right car suddenly isnt and you apply man maths to justify changing it and take a financial bath. Plus you end up with the thing being perpetually dirty - wifies black z4 is never clean.

I'd a 2003 MX5 there that stood me £1200, had it polished up and shining in my garage with the hood down and ready to go at all times. Had a wail of a time with it there for a couple of months and just punted it on for £1600. Bidding on a "semi classic" black Saab turbo three door now which might be my next toy / project.

And the golf just keeps plodding along....

People say to me "But you have your new car out in the rain, with all the old ones inside under covers. That's mad!" I tell them the old ones would melt away in the rain! Which unfortunately, in the case of my E30, is probably true


Good luck with the Saab, and don't forget to post some pics if you get it

Edited by Leins on Friday 13th June 18:10

[Pit Pony]

It's not what car you drive, (or own), but your attitude when you drive that matters.

I once owned a fiat 126, and I will happily agree that of all the ste cars I've owned it was rubbish. Slow, unreliable, cold (problems with air cooling ducts not sending warm arm to the front), brakes were naff, uncomfortable, and bordering on dangerous (I only actually span once and that was attempting a hand brake turn in the snow). It wasn't that ecomonical, it was impractical, and it had no crash protection.

And yet, I look back with rose tinted specs. My Overtaking attempts, my attempts to hit 70 mph uphill, my epic work related journeys, (because if they paid me 22p a mile (in 1993) why not drive 120 each way for a 2 hour meeting ?) The fact that everyone I worked with thought I was mad.

These days I think our rusty Mx5 might be in the same bracket.