Hateful courtesy cars offer real context

[seopher]

Now I'm not going to complain about having a courtesy car, absolutely not, it allows me to go from A to B while mine is off the road.

Dropped the 350z off at Nissan for a service this morning and was handed the keys to a lovely 2010 Nissan Pixo. It's a hateful little city car which couldn't be more different to the Z if it tried. Underpowered, feather light steering, feather light clutch, gear-stick so low it's practically in my shoes, plenty of body roll yet not an overly comfortable ride...

Courtesy cars always remind me why it's worth owning something a bit more enjoyable. On the plus side this thing is easy to drive and leagues ahead of the Chevrolet Matiz I've had previously.

Is there a feeling better than getting your own car back after such a thing? Probably not.

[HellDiver]

Friend of mine just got a Chevvy Spark as courtesy car. She normally drives a modded Leon FR.

[anonymous-user]

seopher said:

Is there a feeling better than getting your own car back after such a thing?

No. It makes you appreciate your own car, after having no power getting into a nice V6 makes it feel quick again(& smooth).

Edited by Dave_ST220 on Friday 9th July 10:25

[Mr Darcy]

I love coutrsey cars. They are always faster than your own car, can handle whatever you throw at them and don't need to slow down for speed bumps.

The rental car is still king though, they are like hookers, will take whatever abuse you throw at them and still love it

[8400rpm]

Same when getting out of pool cars and back in to mine.

It's those times when you appreciate having a nicer car. I found myself getting numbed, and didn't appreciate what a nice drivers car I had. Used a pool vehicle for a couple of days, and in comparison, getting back into my car at the time felt like a super-focused racing car.

It wasn't, but that's how it felt.

It's also useful for picking up, what hateful, over rated crap there is about these days.

Got out of a Mk5 2.0 TDi Golf, and back in to my 1999 Civic. Made me realise what crap the Golf really was.

[Simbu]

Couldn't agree more. The principle still applies to less exotic metal as well i think. When i get a courtesy car i miss the torque from my Focus since they usually give me a poverty spec Fiesta or a Ka. I simply see it as an opportunity to appreciate my car all the more.

[GPT]

I remember jumping out of a brand new 1.0 Clio courtesy car and back into my Elan and thinking that the bodyshop must have fitted rocket boosters and slick tyres to it...

...and disconnected the brakes.

[seopher]

On the flip side, I borrowed a brand new Jaguar S-Type 2.7V6 Diesel with all the toys when I was 21 and had a 1.4 Rover 25 as my daily.

There's nothing worse than the reverse swap, 200something bhp torque-monster for an 85bhp Rover. Felt bad.

Edited by seopher on Friday 9th July 10:32

[sday12]

Mr Darcy said:

they are like hookers, will take whatever abuse you throw at them and still love it

It's no wonder people damage your cars.

[miniman]

I've currently got an ageing, 130k miles 3-series compact which I can only assume is a 1.6 and its surprisingly amusing to punt down the country lanes. Really makes you think about maintaining momentum and is so much more chuckable than a nasty new Kia Rio or suchlike.

[anonymous-user]

I currently have a Vauxhall Meriva as a courtesy car, it's the most horrible car I've ever driven.

In the year 2010 they've managed to squeeze a shameful 105 BHP from a 1.6 engine, and made a car for people who are 7 1/2 ft tall, which has the effect of making it feel very tall and very narrow, which coupled with polo mint sized wheels inspires no confidence going around corners. The seats are flat, I can't see the instruments for the steering wheel, the gear lever and handbrake sit about 6" further back than they should, the windscreen is about 2 ft away from the dash which creates huge blind spots where the a pillars stretch forwards, and every time I start it up the radio automatically comes on tuned into radio 2. I feel embarrassed to be seen in it, it is truly a car for people who have no interest in motoring, and want a cheap-ish car with more headroom than is ever going to be necessary.

I may take the train today and leave it at home!

[pilchardthecat]

sday12 said:

Mr Darcy said:

they are like hookers, will take whatever abuse you throw at them and still love it

It's no wonder people damage your cars.

It's ok, he treats his own cars like st as well I vaguely recall him trying to sell an M5 which he'd washed once in 3 years, ragged the hell out of, and had half an inch of dog turds in the boot. Or something.

Did you ever shift it in the end Mr D?


edit; rogue apostrophe.... shudder.

Edited by pilchardthecat on Friday 9th July 11:25

[Dunclane]

seopher said:

On the flip side, I borrowed a brand new Jaguar S-Type 2.7V6 Diesel with all the toys when I was 21 and had a 1.4 Rover 25 as my daily.

There's nothing worse than the reverse swap, 200something bhp torque-monster for an 85bhp Rover. Felt bad.

Edited by seopher on Friday 9th July 10:32

^^^ This, I have been given a IS250 and a GS 300, I was gutted to get my IS220d back ;(

[angusfaldo]

8400rpm said:

Got out of a Mk5 2.0 TDi Golf, and back in to my 1999 Civic. Made me realise what crap the Golf really was.

And the same in reverse. Got out of a courtesy 2009 Civic back into a 2.0 TDI Golf and made me realise what a heap of ste the latest model Civics are.

[Animal]

The last time I dropped my 350Z off with the dealers I got given a Micra. It was at this point I realised that they hated me.

[ShadownINja]

I had a Z4 for a week. Reminded me what driving was about... then I got back into my CLK 55 AMG.

[Mr Darcy]

pilchardthecat said:

sday12 said:

Mr Darcy said:

they are like hookers, will take whatever abuse you throw at them and still love it

It's no wonder people damage your cars.

It's ok, he treat's his own cars like st as well I vaguely recall him trying to sell an M5 which he'd washed once in 3 years, ragged the hell out of, and had half an inch of dog turds in the boot. Or something.

Did you ever shift it in the end Mr D?

They are cars at the end of the day, we drive them, eat in them, drink cans of red bull in them or whatever and it doesn't matter if its a 1.0 Fiesta or a veryon. For example, a woman parked next to me in a supermarket yesterday, as I got into my car she said she was admiring as it looked really nice, she did comment though that she had never seen a sports car look so untidy inside, she told me to get rid of all the empty fag packets, coke bottles and various crap in the passenger footwell. Then she would let me take her for a drive. Exit stage right !!!

Yes the M5 is now gone. Really miss it as well. There was no dog turd in the boot though it was a little bit untidy and cost me 80 notes to get it cleaned. Got it serviced as well before the geezer picked it up. Excellent person to buy a car off aren't I.

[seopher]

Animal said:

The last time I dropped my 350Z off with the dealers I got given a Micra. It was at this point I realised that they hated me.

Urr, your Micra will have been better than this Pixo thing I've got in return for my 350z. It doesn't even have a rev-counter which is a little retro.

[mrmr96]

Animal said:

The last time I dropped my 350Z off with the dealers I got given a Micra. It was at this point I realised that they hated me.

Funny you say that, last time I dropped of my Micra I got a 370Z. Weird hey?

[pilchardthecat]

Mr Darcy said:

pilchardthecat said:

sday12 said:

Mr Darcy said:

they are like hookers, will take whatever abuse you throw at them and still love it

It's no wonder people damage your cars.

It's ok, he treat's his own cars like st as well I vaguely recall him trying to sell an M5 which he'd washed once in 3 years, ragged the hell out of, and had half an inch of dog turds in the boot. Or something.

Did you ever shift it in the end Mr D?

They are cars at the end of the day, we drive them, eat in them, drink cans of red bull in them or whatever and it doesn't matter if its a 1.0 Fiesta or a veryon. For example, a woman parked next to me in a supermarket yesterday, as I got into my car she said she was admiring as it looked really nice, she did comment though that she had never seen a sports car look so untidy inside, she told me to get rid of all the empty fag packets, coke bottles and various crap in the passenger footwell. Then she would let me take her for a drive. Exit stage right !!!

Yes the M5 is now gone. Really miss it as well. There was no dog turd in the boot though it was a little bit untidy and cost me 80 notes to get it cleaned. Got it serviced as well before the geezer picked it up. Excellent person to buy a car off aren't I.

I agree with you in the main, although i try to keep mine free of significant filth. Easier since i gave up smoking.

I know one or two people who treat their cars like some sort of holy relic - i remember putting something into someone's boot, and i gave it a gentle shove to get it in between two other items -"don't force it!" he exclaimed

Holy Relic Syndrome - as i refer to it - is a recipe for increased stress and angst. It's almost a relief sometimes when the shiny new perfect car gets it's first small car park blemish.