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O/T - No one wants a regular car anymore

A step in the wrong direction IMO but car manufacturers exist to sell cars, and everyone wants ****ty crossovers now, so...

I'd rather we saw manufacturers pursuing lighter, smaller and more efficient cars rather than just chucking bigger batteries in bigger cars. I used to think Ferraris, at about 2m wide, were too wide for a lot of roads in the UK but they look pretty slim now, compared to a lot of current model cars.
 
the hypocrisy in pushing suvs and crossovers etc whilst we get the electric car rammed down our throats as environmentally sound! you do have seriously wonder dont you!
 
Kyodo said:
This, 100%.
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Totally agree.

There's definitely a place for larger cars with 4 wheel drive though. Out where I live with many of the smaller roads ungritted we wouldn't be without some form of 4x4 given the route my wife has to take to work at a small primary school in the middle of nowhere. And if you only have a small car where are you supposed to put the kids and two black Labs that every farmer round here seems to have? Our local Shepherd drives a big 4x4 - sheep dogs in the back and he drives across fields all the time, not sure a Fiesta would work all that well. There are people who have a significant distance to drive along a farm track before they even get to a public road out on farms on the fens, I don't think it'd be fair to tell them they need to ditch their Landrover or other 4x4, and all buy Fiestas and sit out the winter at home just so people in more civilised parts of the country feel better about life.

A lot of these people have these cars because it has to cover being a 4x4 and being a comfortable family car. They don't want or need a Defender AND an estate car for example, they just need something that'll do both.

There are places and situations where these vehicles make perfect sense.

But the school run in Kensington isn't it imo.
 
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Nosevi said:
Totally agree.

There's definitely a place for larger cars with 4 wheel drive though. Out where I live with many of the smaller roads ungritted we wouldn't be without some form of 4x4 given the route my wife has to take to work at a small primary school in the middle of nowhere. And if you only have a small car where are you supposed to put the kids and two black Labs that every farmer round here seems to have? Our local Shepherd drives a big 4x4 - sheep dogs in the back and he drives across fields all the time, not sure a Fiesta would work all that well. There are people who have a significant distance to drive along a farm track before they even get to a public road out on farms on the fens, I don't think it'd be fair to tell them they need to ditch their Landrover or other 4x4, and all buy Fiestas and sit out the winter at home just so people in more civilised parts of the country feel better about life.

A lot of these people have these cars because it has to cover being a 4x4 and being a comfortable family car. They don't want or need a Defender AND an estate car for example, they just need something that'll do both.

There are places and situations where these vehicles make perfect sense.

But the school run in Kensington isn't it imo.
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Agree with all this, and I'm as rural as you - but a Ford EcoSport isn't any better on muddy roads etc than a Fiesta. Clearly the competent stuff is completely different to the small SUV; but Qashqais and the likes I just don't see the point.

I've got an Audi S4 Avant as I want something quick, spacious and 4wd - I don't see why jacking it up and turning it into a Q5 would make it any better or have a bigger boot. If I needed to go down muddy lanes an Audi Allroad or equivalent would probably where I would look rather than the aforementioned Q5.

I sometimes wonder how we got through the 90s with Cavaliers etc and not SUVs...
 
mon the fish said:
Agree with all this, and I'm as rural as you - but a Ford EcoSport isn't any better on muddy roads etc than a Fiesta. Clearly the competent stuff is completely different to the small SUV; but Qashqais and the likes I just don't see the point.

I've got an Audi S4 Avant as I want something quick, spacious and 4wd - I don't see why jacking it up and turning it into a Q5 would make it any better or have a bigger boot. If I needed to go down muddy lanes an Audi Allroad or equivalent would probably where I would look rather than the aforementioned Q5.

I sometimes wonder how we got through the 90s with Cavaliers etc and not SUVs...
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Here in rural Italy, where I am this week, most people seem to get by perfectly with a panda 4X4 :)

Many families have two.

Our rental car this week on the other hand is a plug-in Hybrid Jeep - it is utter pants
 
Modificato said:
Here in rural Italy, where I am this week, most people seem to get by perfectly with a panda 4X4 :)
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Absolutely. Normal panda's in the towns and the surprisingly capable 4x4 or Cross up in the hills. We see thousands. We hired a standard Panda in Sardinia a couple of years ago, great fun squealing it around the corners out in countryside :grin:. When our house in Liguria is finished we'll probably get a 4x4 to keep out there.

I know this is off-topic (sorry) but Mod, do you have any inside tips on registering an Italian car as a non-citizen. Our South African soon to be neighbours set up a non-trading company and registered a car through that. I wonder if it's the only way...?
 
mon the fish said:
Agree with all this, and I'm as rural as you - but a Ford EcoSport isn't any better on muddy roads etc than a Fiesta. Clearly the competent stuff is completely different to the small SUV; but Qashqais and the likes I just don't see the point.

I've got an Audi S4 Avant as I want something quick, spacious and 4wd - I don't see why jacking it up and turning it into a Q5 would make it any better or have a bigger boot. If I needed to go down muddy lanes an Audi Allroad or equivalent would probably where I would look rather than the aforementioned Q5.

I sometimes wonder how we got through the 90s with Cavaliers etc and not SUVs...
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Pretty much agree in fact prior to the Yeti we had an Octavia Scout which was excellent and covered most things for us. If they hadn't stop building them for the public we'd have probably got another after the Yeti but I believe they only make them for emergency services now (which should say something about how capable they are).

And as for a 4x4 Panda, much as I like them you're going to look very funny in one with 3+ kids and the afore mentioned black Labs stuffed in the back. Horses for courses as they say but they wouldn't suit everyone.

I don't disagree with much of what's being said, I just think it's very easy to look at our own situation and 'dictate' that everyone should have the same as we need. Isn't that at least part of the reason a certain demographic have pushed the EV so hard - it so perfectly suits their situation, forget all those with no private parking or those with other different requirements, they'll just have to cope.......

In some circumstances a fairly large 4x4 does in fact make perfect sense. That's all I'm really saying.
 
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Kyodo said:
Absolutely. Normal panda's in the towns and the surprisingly capable 4x4 or Cross up in the hills. We see thousands. We hired a standard Panda in Sardinia a couple of years ago, great fun squealing it around the corners out in countryside :grin:. When our house in Liguria is finished we'll probably get a 4x4 to keep out there.

I know this is off-topic (sorry) but Mod, do you have any inside tips on registering an Italian car as a non-citizen. Our South African soon to be neighbours set up a non-trading company and registered a car through that. I wonder if it's the only way...?
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It's basically impossible to own a car in Italy, as an individual, without being a citizen; even if you own property there. Which is why I've never bothered and we just rent every time.

I've not looked into the loophole you describe in any detail however but now car hire is so expensive it might be worth investigating...
 
tom said:
I've not looked into the loophole you describe in any detail however but now car hire is so expensive it might be worth investigating...
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I'll keep you posted. Our new neighbours have already done it and bought themselves a car to bomb around in. Being South African their non-EU situation is the same as ours here in the UK. I've just insured my Boxster with Saga (unlimited EU cover) so that little beastie will be spending a LOT of time out there :wink3: :dude:
 
Kyodo said:
Absolutely. Normal panda's in the towns and the surprisingly capable 4x4 or Cross up in the hills. We see thousands. We hired a standard Panda in Sardinia a couple of years ago, great fun squealing it around the corners out in countryside :grin:. When our house in Liguria is finished we'll probably get a 4x4 to keep out there.

I know this is off-topic (sorry) but Mod, do you have any inside tips on registering an Italian car as a non-citizen. Our South African soon to be neighbours set up a non-trading company and registered a car through that. I wonder if it's the only way...?
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I’m in that exact boat myself and trying to figure out what is the most ‘efficient’ thing to do. What I do know is my U.K. registered Ferrari’s are a fraction to insure from the U.K. compared to what they would be over there. We will likely set up as a business (Olive farm / agrotourismo) in Italy but need to have a local car and farm equipment.

Will keep you posted.
 
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