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Thread: The "I just drove a..." Thread

  1. #631
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    Feb 2005
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    My daily driver is an MX-5 actually, not a 3. My idea was to trade in the i30 we have at home (brilliant little car, by the way) for something which would be frugal and quiet (none which are the Mazda or the Hyundai). I have in the end decided against it mainly because investing 10 grand in what basically is an American appliance with a diesel engine is a bit steep for now. Maybe in a couple of months I'll go mad again. I can't stay with a car for too long, in the end driving the same car over and over again bores me (usually)...

    Nevertheless it seems like I have done the right thing. Is it really that unreliable, or just a fair share of problems all cars currently have? I mean, I was under the impression that all modern cars are (mostly) reliable, and that while some individual units can have problems these are for the most part restricted to individual cases. Am I wrong?

    On the other hand, the cheapness must come from somewhere, and while it didn't seem apparent while driving, maybe they have saved money on the quality of some component and this will actually affect the car on the long run.

    As for interior quality, I thought it was fine (for a 15 grand car). Yes there were no noble materials, like leather or wood, and the plastics weren't all soft-touching and nice, but our 12 grand Hyundai has a plastic steering wheel and blue electroluminescent display which seems to have come from an 80's Casio factory.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  2. #632
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    Aug 2013
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    21
    All cars have a soft spot I think, but it's true that nowadays they are mostly reliable. In this case I'm familiar with the problem with the 6 speed gearbox because it happened to a family member and when we tried to find out a bit more, we understood it was something relatively common. On the other hand I didn't know there was a problem with the piezoelectric injectors from Bosch installed in all Mercedes-Benz cars with the 2.2 liters diesel engine, if I remember correctly the power steps of 170 and 204 bhp. It was such a problem that all injectors were bound to fail at some point, indeed eventually Bosch and Daimler extended the warranty on said injectors for their whole life, and they started replacing them for free as soon as the issue was perceivable on the car.
    Something I discovered only when we were on the market for such an equipped car.
    I've had friends which had less than happy experiences with just about any brand, and while it's true that some cars are just bad apples, I still believe some quality issues can be embedded in each model for one reason or another. See the weak gearbox on the Vectra, 9-3 and Croma diesel cars (and turbocharged petrol Vectras and Astras), the Bosch high pressure injectors on those Mercedes models and so on.

    As far as the quality of the Cruze goes, I think it's a decent car which gives you exactly what you need, nothing more and nothing less. As soon as someone is fancying something a bit more, it doesn't make any sense to try to load it with options as the price difference with other more refined models just won't be there anymore. As a basic car I don't think it should have more issues than others, and as far as I know the gearbox could be top quality by now. Then again the cost may end up being hidden in some poor design decisions, like making the substitution of the primary belt or of the clutch more expensive than on other cars because of the time required, but it's something it's hard to tell before hand. Cars tend to be quite complex miniature universes, but most people like to think they figure it all out...

    On the other hand the second hand market, more so these days with the weak economy and all, is there for everyone to find their perfect car and at better price most of the time. Devaluation of new cars is a great issue, and if you try to divide the cost of ownership for the years you're planning to keep the car, or kilometers you plan to cover, and you'll discover that nailing the best car for you can make a big difference also from an economical point of view. In this regard, a Cruze is great from the economical point of view, but probably not your best option since I figure you got yourself an MX-5 (sorry for assuming about the 3) for some specific and enthusiast-oriented reasons. I'd, for example, look into a second hand Mazda 3 with just a few kilometers rather than the Cruze

  3. #633
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    Tallinn, Estonia
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    2,861
    I drove the ultimate Q car today.

    A mate of mine bought a new car. I did not notice anything special about it before I sat behind the wheel. There was this angry air scoop right in front of you, ready to eat anything on the road.

    "Just how much power does this thing have, anyway?"
    "Um, 169 kW" was a casual reply.

    Right. Off we went - in a 2006 Subaru Forester with 2,5 turbocharged engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox.

    Needless to say, it is a brilliant car. It is fast, it is loud and most importantly - it has personality. Hidden under the skin of your average soccer-mom-type-of-SUV.

  4. #634
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    Jun 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by Revo View Post
    I drove the ultimate Q car today.

    A mate of mine bought a new car. I did not notice anything special about it before I sat behind the wheel. There was this angry air scoop right in front of you, ready to eat anything on the road.

    "Just how much power does this thing have, anyway?"
    "Um, 169 kW" was a casual reply.

    Right. Off we went - in a 2006 Subaru Forester with 2,5 turbocharged engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox.

    Needless to say, it is a brilliant car. It is fast, it is loud and most importantly - it has personality. Hidden under the skin of your average soccer-mom-type-of-SUV.
    We have a Subaru Forester, 2003 I think, but no turbo and an automatic. I love the car- has a huge moonroof, 4WD is great for the snow we had last year, and it carries EVERYTHING. Push down the seats and it will carry anything you wish. Slightly underpowered, but a great car.

    I've kind of always wanted a Forester STi, which was only available in Japan.

    Subaru Forester STi - Mini Test Road Test - Car Reviews - Car and Driver

    And I also love the fact that it's tall but not overly tall like it's on stilts or something. Heck, a new Ford Taurus has almost as high a roofline than our Subie.

    It's a shame that Subarus have gotten larger and larger though- the new Legacy Outback is downright huge.
    Last edited by NSXType-R; 09-14-2013 at 01:38 PM.

  5. #635
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    Forester XT(one with the 2.5 Turbo) is great buy...and probably the best candidate you can get in US to do a STI look-a-like...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  6. #636
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    Apr 2003
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    Saw a new Mazda 3...pretty good looking in person...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  7. #637
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    Feb 2005
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    Barcelona
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    2013 BMW 328i Sport

    A family friend popped down this afternoon and he came with his brand new BMW 328i which replaced an E90 BMW 330i (which I also had the pleasure to sample back in the day) and let me have a go around to see what's what. It was only a short drive, but nevertheless I still got some impressions on it.

    First thing you notice is the ride which, unlike previous BMWs, is really rather comfortable. The car smooths out bumps and potholes easily without the firmness of old Bimmers.

    While driving at low speeds you also notice that the four cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine is pretty much lag free and it is quite linear, much like if it was trying to impersonate a normally aspirated engine. It is not quite as smooth or as sonorous as the old six, but overall it's not bad. It also delivers quite a lot of performance.

    The six speed manual gearbox is pure BMW. It requires decision to operate, but it is an immensely pleasurable exercise. In this car it feels as though all the controls have been engineered with the driver in mind, and it shows. Rev-matching down shifts for instance are extremely easy.

    Out on the open road, it is time to attack some corners. And here is where things take... a turn for the worse. For the first time ever I have experienced something which I had never experienced before on a BMW and it is something that worries me. This car understeers.

    It is not quite as catastrophic as say, an Audi or a Subaru, but on the initial turn in it seems like there is a bit of hesitation before the car actually decides to change direction. It opens a bit the trajectory then grips and turns but it is nowhere near as agile or immediate as BMWs used to be.

    It can be cured somewhat with the throttle, as accelerating while in the corner actually balances the car and gives it a more neutral character (and uninterrupted beeping from the traction control light). Thankfully the awful body control which the 1 Series exhibited is absent from the 3 Series and the steering is accurate if a little bit light for my taste. Brakes are good but could do with a little more bite early in the pedal's travel.

    Just to make it clear, it still handles well, it's just that the understeer is odd in a BMW.

    Overall, the car has clearly grown up. It seems it no longer is the focused sports saloon it once was and it is more of a luxury comfortable cruiser, but still with good handling. It is also quite possibly, a victim of previous BMWs. In isolation it is a very good car. But compared to the old 330i it doesn't have the charisma or the enjoyment that car provided. I also think that quite possibly the previous C-Class (W204) handles better and rides better than it.

    I have mixed feelings towards this BMW.
    Last edited by Ferrer; 03-15-2014 at 11:34 AM.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  8. #638
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    Joy of joys.

    2009 Citroën C5 3.0 V6 HDI

    Today not only have I sampled the latest offering from Munich's finest, chance also provided me with the possibility of driving my first Citroën with hydropneumatic suspension. And I have to say, I rather liked it.

    The car I drove had the 3 litre V6 diesel coupled to a six speed automatic gearbox. The engine pulled strongly from low revs and was smooth and didn't sound much like a diesel (from the inside, that is). Gearbox also was smooth changing, but had tendency to hold onto gears for a little too long unnecessarily over-revving the engine, when an upshift would've been better.

    Handling? Well, it goes round corners without crashing... understeer is moderately under control, but all in all it feels like a big heavy car, so small twisty backroads aren't its home turf. The steering is light and uncommunicative, but I've seen worse. Brakes stop you at lights. Suspension has a sport setting which tames body roll, but I wouldn't bother with that.

    And we arrive to what really matters; the ride. And boy does it ride. It is utterly comfortable. It makes potholed roads feel like they are made of glass. After so many cars with sporty suspensions and preposterous rides it is a refreshing change. This cars wants to make each journey as comfortable and as easy as possible; it wants to isolate you from the road, and it does succeed.

    I have to say, I thinks it's a very competent and underrated car which deserves more credit.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  9. #639
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    2013 Hyundai i30 1.6 CRDi

    Today I've been able to have a go the new generation of Hyundai's C-segment hatchback. As you all know we do have a first generation i30, so it would be nice to see how they compare.

    First of all, I have to say that the car I drove was the top of the range diesel model, while ours is the basic petrol version. The contrast was stark to say the least. Both inside and out the new car feels much more expensive and has a definite quality feel. It also had pretty much every extra available, including sat nav, electric seats, leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof, bluetooth, xenon headlamps, big alloys and so on and so forth. Thankfully though once inside you do not feel overwhelmed by all the gizmos. They somewhat have managed to integrate them very well without overpopulating the dashboard with buttons and everything feels pretty intuitive. A good driving position is easily achieved and the seats are comfortable.

    This new model is much more sophisticated than the old one. For instance it has a button which allows you to switch between three steering modes. Comfort is comically light, I didn't bother with Normal and Sport has nice weighting, even if not terribly accurate or full of feel. It is nevertheless better than the old car, which at times makes the steering feel like it isn't connected to the wheels at all. Handling has changed too, I'm not sure if for the better though; the car now feels more planted and stable but it has lost that agility and nimbleness the old one had, lifting the throttle mid corners pretty much has no effect in the car's direction although understeer is quite well tamed. Ride is improved too, more comfortable and less firm than the fist i30, but with bodyroll kept in check.

    The drivetrain is the exact opposite of our car, but even so I can see improvements in the transmission. It's less notchy than in the old car and the gearbox and clutch action is easier and smoother; still not top of the of class but better. The 1.6 litre diesel, masks turbo lag pretty well although there still is some and is moderately smooth although the fuel that's being used makes itself noticeable under heavy acceleration. Performance? Well, merely adequate I'd say. It didn't feel explosive or full of power in the upper range of the rev counter.

    My overall impression is that the transition from first generation to the second one has brought maturity to the i30. It seems to have polished the rough edges the first generation had, and while it has lost some of the joie de vivre the original car it is a very solid car indeed. My impressions are favourable and I would happily recommend one to someone who needs a family hatchback; I'm adding a footnote though, first the price: test car cost 26 grand "as was" which is a significant amount of money for a generalist C-segment hatch, and second it remains to be seen if that grown-up feel remains in the more basic versions of the car.

    PS. If you are all about driving, I'd consider steering away from the (this?) i30. It's competent but no more exciting than a Chevrolet Cruze for instance. It seems to have lost the enjoyment the old had on a twisty mountain road. While I came away favourably impressed I wondered, from the driver's point of view, if it did really differ from, say, a Chevrolet Cruze.
    Last edited by Ferrer; 04-02-2014 at 01:35 PM.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  10. #640
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    Apr 2003
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    I just autoXed a car that's probably as far away as my car as possible. A 1984 Porsche 911 3.2. This car:
    STR Carrera

    Manual steering, stick shift, Rear engine rear wheel drive, no ABS...

    Very interesting experience, ended up not surprisingly much slower than the owner of the car. But it was a ton of fun...The weird disconnect afterward when I went back to drive my car was really telling. You are so isolated in a new car....
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  11. #641
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    I just can't get my head around having an engine in the trunk. I like Porsche, but...

    Were you intoxicated by the analog nature of the ass engined Nazi slot car?

    Are you going to buy a rusted out 944S2 now?

  12. #642
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    Apr 2003
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    Well no, but it was a good experience, but I am not sure one that I can take on.

    Its interesting driving other people's car, I should try to do that more often...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  13. #643
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    I think this is going to be my shortest car review ever.

    2014 Jaguar F-Type S Coupé

    Oh god.

    The end.

    (I know Duell doesn't like the expression, but I need it in this case)

    (Also, sorry for the rubbish picture)
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  14. #644
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    Good review. I liked the first bit. And the ending.

  15. #645
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    The Netherlands
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    As a passenger only, true.

    2009 Mercedes-Benz E 350 Coupe, V6 306 hp ...

    Not ultra sporty, but the smoothness and power felt amazing. And damn sexy in black with 19 inch AMG alloys.

    Yeah baby ;-)

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