Retirement car

[New Haven Neil]

Hmm, Jol, my Hyundai was made in Europe....not sure that is that much of a cheaper labour thing.

 

My previous two cars were Fords, Focus estate and a B-Max - they both had niggles, the B-Max was also in need of a second engine it was so pathetically torqueless - 1.4 twin cam 16v. nice sliding rear doors though and no B pillar - great for load lugging in what is a small car really. The only thing wrong with the Hyundai is the badge, in some people's views.  Cracking 6 speed proper (hydraulic!) auto box too.

 

A pal has a Renault Kadjar as a company barge, it is so small inside it is hardly fit for his uses (power wheelchair technician) yet it looks huge.  He didn't chose it....his manager did!

[APOLLO]

The FORD is my motor
I shall not want, another. 
It maketh me to lie down in strange places.
It anointeth my head with oil.
It carries me beside the still waters. 
It empties my wallet continuously.
It leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yeah, though I drive through the valley of the shadow of death, (M62 Eastbound, Manchester to Leeds) I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your piston rods and Your gear change staff, they worry me. 
You prepare a gearbox failure before me in the presence of my enemies.
My radiator boileth over. 
Surely rust and depreciation shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the FORD forever

Amen

[Jol Wilkinson]

Hmm, Jol, my Hyundai was made in Europe....not sure that is that much of a cheaper labour thing.

 

Hyundai has manufacturing plants in the Czech Republic, Russia and Turkey (with R&D in Germany, which is interesting). Government and EU subsidies may apply. When PSA teamed up with Toyota to produce the Aygo/107/C1, the factory was apparently 50% funded by the Czechs (from EU funds?).  PSA had also sought support from the UK Government to redevelop Ryton, but none was forthcoming, whereas the CR were possibly able to get EU funds as a developing economy (much like the Irish appeared to do).

 

So while labour costs may not be significantly lower, other financial benefits may help.

[jjb1970]

South Korea isn't a low cost economy. In the industry I work in salaries are equivalent to Western European rates of pay or higher (although Korean's tend to work longer hours and are expected to be more productive).

[rockershovel]

I had a Ford Kuga before buying the Skoda. Very comfortable car but like most SUV, suffered from poor utilisation of rear load space compared to the overall dimensions. Fancy wheels translated into very expensive tyres with few options. My daughter disliked the ride in the back, blaming excessive body roll and insufficient legroom. Definitely not the best towing car I ever had; I found the heavy, high-mounted body, short wheelbase and wide track made it waddle noticeably. My boys liked it, but I never really took to it.

 

I drove the Shogun Sport and Toyota Surf, I rather came to feel that smaller, “true” 4x4 were a bit of a specialist item with limited applications and quite a few disadvantages.

 

I owned a Hyundai Santa Fe, older type (referred to derisively by my boys as the “Hi-and-dry”). I rather liked it, along with the older type X Trail, LWB RAV4 and Suzuki Vitara but those “functional” crossovers are a lost cause now. The nearest thing now, is probably the Subaru Forester; my brother-in-Law has one and likes it, I quite like it but my good wife went into one of her sulks at the suggestion...

 

On the whole, I can see why SUV have developed the way they have. They are “fashion” 4x4 for people who have no real use for a 4x4 at all. No 1 Son has a Nissan Qashqai, apparently a class leader, but watching him cram himself and family (two tall adults and a toddler with all the “moon landing” paraphernalia modern toddlers seem to require) into it, I can’t really see the attraction.

 

On the whole, I think a “proper” estate car (including LWB body with full length, full headroom) is the way forward. I definitely like the AWD on the Scout, which definitely improves towing stability, traction on the odd occasion and general driveability in poor conditions, but whether there will be such a model in two years or so, I rather doubt.

Edited January 4, 2019 by rockershovel

[Zomboid]

The fashion is very much for 4x4/ SUV/ Crossovers these days, but I generally don't like them. My parents have a Quashqai, which they chose because it was a run-out special and was available for a good deal, and the extra height helps with transporting my Grandad around who finds "normal" cars hard to get in and out of now he's in his mid 90s.

 

The only exceptions I can think of is the Toyota C-HR, which is very much a style over substance thing and looks like it would be highly impractical (but I would still like one), and the Volvo XC40 which I think I like because it's a Volvo and they continue to do their own thing in comparison to the German brands.

[Enterprisingwestern]

If it's a big estate car you are after;

 

 

Mike.

[30801]

If it's a big estate car you are after;

 

 

Mike.

Will give you several happy yards of trouble free motoring.

[giz]

If it's a big estate car you are after;

 

 

Mike.

Lagonda Shooting Brake by Roos?

 

https://astonmartins.com/car/lagonda-v8-shooting-brake-by-roos/

[MJI]

The fashion is very much for 4x4/ SUV/ Crossovers these days, but I generally don't like them. My parents have a Quashqai, which they chose because it was a run-out special and was available for a good deal, and the extra height helps with transporting my Grandad around who finds "normal" cars hard to get in and out of now he's in his mid 90s.

 

The only exceptions I can think of is the Toyota C-HR, which is very much a style over substance thing and looks like it would be highly impractical (but I would still like one), and the Volvo XC40 which I think I like because it's a Volvo and they continue to do their own thing in comparison to the German brands.

 

I dislike fashion SUVs intensely.

 

What a pointless idea.

 

So what do I currently drive?

 

A Land Rover.

 

Not a fashion item but a useful vehicle.

[jjb1970]

I think it depends on the car. I rather like the MB GLA, not as an SUV but rather as the car that the A Class could have been (i.e. practical and with a decent boot and rear seats that most people can get into and use comfortably). For some reason I also like the Ford Edge, it doesn't drive especially well, is underpowered and is very wide for UK roads (IMO) but it is a very relaxing and pleasant place to be and is one of those cars that just sorts of wafts you along in splendid isolation.

[PaulCheffus]

For many people, what you wear, drink, drive, press to your ear, etc. is important in showing off their "worth" and position in society. "Vanity" number plates are a further example.

 

Hi

 

I have a personalised plate but you would struggle to tell it is one.

 

XX - Where I was born

YY - Year I was born

ZZZ - My initials

 

To anyone who doesn't know me it just looks like any other number plate.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[jjb1970]

If you want a practical 4x4 without having an SUV then I can recommend the Subaru Outback. Virtually bombproof build, big boot, plenty of space for people, terrific cars to drive and its just a 4x4 estate with a bit more ground clearance for green laning. I've owned Subaru Legacy estates and I still say that if you look beyond tactile touch point quality in the cabins their build quality shames most other cars. Certainly the Audi and VW Golf VII we currently have are nowhere near the same standard of build quality.

[MJI]

If you want a practical 4x4 without having an SUV then I can recommend the Subaru Outback. Virtually bombproof build, big boot, plenty of space for people, terrific cars to drive and its just a 4x4 estate with a bit more ground clearance for green laning. I've owned Subaru Legacy estates and I still say that if you look beyond tactile touch point quality in the cabins their build quality shames most other cars. Certainly the Audi and VW Golf VII we currently have are nowhere near the same standard of build quality.

 

I have a soft spot for Subarus, I would have considered one but I have always wanted an off roader.

[MJI]

Hi

 

I have a personalised plate but you would struggle to tell it is one.

 

XX - Where I was born

YY - Year I was born

ZZZ - My initials

 

To anyone who doesn't know me it just looks like any other number plate.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Years ago I worked with someone who considered changing his name by deed poll to get a personalised plate. He wanted to be Dnnn xxx where nnn is a 3 digit number and xxx 3 characters

.

[big jim]

I had a Ford Kuga before buying the Skoda. Very comfortable car but like most SUV, suffered from poor utilisation of rear load space compared to the overall dimensions. Fancy wheels translated into very expensive tyres with few options. My daughter disliked the ride in the back, blaming excessive body roll and insufficient legroom.

I had a quashquai (the biggest version they do) as a hire car a few months back, being as I was doing work a favour I requested an estate type car to get 5 passengers and luggage in to get to our caravan then I would use the car to get to and from the train I was working, when it arrived I was very impressed with it until we came to load the thing up with all of our stuff and we found a distinct lack of space both in the boot area for 3 suitcases and other sundries but also in the cabin, the 3 kids in the rear didn’t have much room at all for the size of the car, the front was ok but nothing spectacular

 

Sat on the drive looking at it it was externally not far off the size of my wife’s 2005 Nissan Murano but internally it was more the size of a similar vintage x trail or Honda CR-V, it was a car I’d have considered when the murano decides to give up the ghost but that one weekend put me off it completely, the murano will happily take 5 passengers and their luggage with ease and cruise up and down the motorway all day at 70mph getting 30-35mpg out of it

[big jim]

If you want a practical 4x4 without having an SUV then I can recommend the Subaru Outback. Virtually bombproof build, big boot, plenty of space for people, terrific cars to drive and its just a 4x4 estate with a bit more ground clearance for green laning. I've owned Subaru Legacy estates and I still say that if you look beyond tactile touch point quality in the cabins their build quality shames most other cars. Certainly the Audi and VW Golf VII we currently have are nowhere near the same standard of build quality.

My stepdad has just bought one of those, he loves it, not a new one but still something like a 16 plate one iirc

 

Before that he had an Isuzu crew cab pick up which was rough and ready to say the least but he did 150k miles in it both on and off road going to various shoots and it never really let him down

[rockershovel]

If you want a practical 4x4 without having an SUV then I can recommend the Subaru Outback. Virtually bombproof build, big boot, plenty of space for people, terrific cars to drive and its just a 4x4 estate with a bit more ground clearance for green laning. I've owned Subaru Legacy estates and I still say that if you look beyond tactile touch point quality in the cabins their build quality shames most other cars. Certainly the Audi and VW Golf VII we currently have are nowhere near the same standard of build quality.

Oooh, I like that! Obviously occupying the market position previously occupied by the old-style Forester?

 

Ok, that’s another one for the list...

[Tony_S]

Oooh, I like that! Obviously occupying the market position previously occupied by the old-style Forester?

Ok, that’s another one for the list...

Subaru like Skoda ticked a lot of boxes on my list. However it was lack of local dealers that was a negative factor for me. The car I chose would appear not to be one at all popular with other RMweb people though, a 4x4 with not a huge boot and rather comfortable seats. Petrol engine too!

[jjb1970]

Oooh, I like that! Obviously occupying the market position previously occupied by the old-style Forester?

 

Ok, that’s another one for the list...

 

The Outback has been in the Subaru range for years, it's a bigger car than the Forrester. I believe the Forrester shares a platform with the Impreza (nothing wrong with that....), the Outback is just a jacked up Legacy (at one time they were called Legacy Outback), it is the same concept as the Audi A6 Allroad and some of the jacked up Volvo estates however Subaru have been selling the idea for about 25 years and pretty much set the template.

One thing about Subaru, the 4x4 drive isn't a gimmick, they're genuinely capable and even the regular Legacy tourers I had came with a high/low ratio box and permanent 4x4. The fuel figures aren't great but I'll say this, they're the only cars I've ever had that actually achieved their claimed mpg, OK it was a pretty poor mpg but at least they did what they claimed and they were an awful lot closer to ostensibly much more fuel efficient cars than you might expect. I only stopped buying them as at the time I was doing about 20k a year commuting plus other driving and wanted something cheaper to run. Then I fell under the sway of Geran soft touch plastic cabins unfortunately.

[rockershovel]

Subaru like Skoda ticked a lot of boxes on my list. However it was lack of local dealers that was a negative factor for me. The car I chose would appear not to be one at all popular with other RMweb people though, a 4x4 with not a huge boot and rather comfortable seats. Petrol engine too!

That’s probably a deciding factor, there is a local Skoda dealer .... although the Subaru dealer isn’t far away....

[meil]

I dislike fashion SUVs intensely.

 

What a pointless idea.

 

So what do I currently drive?

 

A Land Rover.

 

Not a fashion item but a useful vehicle.

You know what the Australians say: if you want to go into the bush get a Land Rover but if you want to come back out get a Toyota.

[New Haven Neil]

A friend has a Volvo XC60, it too suffers from poor rear passenger legroom/seat height for adults. Nice to look at nice in the front, awful in the back as a 5 foot 10 adult with stiff joints.

 

Jol, yes the i30 is designed in Germany, built in Hungary, and so far is faultless unlike the previous Fords!  Better ride too, by miles.  The real clincher to buying it was the reported reliability and the fact it has chain driven cams, no belt.  My last Astra died as a result of a belt tensioner failure, only half way into the belt/tension life.  That wasn't a great car, most uncomfortable seats.

[Junctionmad]

I dislike fashion SUVs intensely.

 

What a pointless idea.

 

So what do I currently drive?

 

A Land Rover.

 

Not a fashion item but a useful vehicle.

If it’s a disco , thats a fashion Land Rover. If it’s a defender that a cross between a small tractor and a lawn mower , it’s certainly “ capable” , but it’s not a car Edited January 5, 2019 by Junctionmad

[Junctionmad]

Unless you're in the know, a lot of the vehicles mentioned would not be known in  the US. as they are unheard of over here. .  As for squeezing in layouts, the only suitable vehicles are the outsize SUVs  Totally differently approach to retirement cars or any other car, for that matter.

  You have to wonder when older people are seen struggling to get in the cab of some oversize pick up or a 4WD!

Brian.

Don’t knock light trucks , I drive a Navara , with all the trimmings , extra lights etc . great when you need it