Brand new speed machine

So, long time since I blogged on here...and since then I bought myself a new car.

Not 'new' new, its second hand, 6 year old, 35000 on the clock and more power than I've ever handled (which isn't saying much for someone who is not that well driven!)

I stuck to my ethos that I like small 'sporty' cars, but not 'mod-ed' cars. Cars that were purposefully designed as such with the manufacturers stamp of approval.

So I bought myself a Mini. Everyone says you should own one in you driving life for that go-kart experience and for that typically British built sentiment. Although most of the car is German and made by BMW now, it is simply assembled in Britain - but that is probably a good thing considering the great reputability of German engineering and reliability.

Obviously I did not go for the Mini 'One' and to be honest I can't see much reason why anyone would buy the base model? The Mini 'Cooper' comes with a lot more kit, a decent chunk more power, is still comfortable and cheap to run with low insurance and high MPG figures, you gain vdry little that I can see buying a Mini 'One'. HOWEVER did I go for the 'Cooper' - (which I believe should be everyones staple choice) ...I went for the 'Cooper S' ...unfortunaltely I was not quite able to stretch to the John Cooper Works version....maybe a goal for another time!

My new Mini Cooper S Specification

1.6 Turbo Charged Petrol Engine
175bhp Although som figure say 182bhp - going to have to look into which is correct)
240nm of Torque
Top Speed 140mph
0-62 in 7.1 seconds

Standard Kit:
- Adjustable Steering Column
- Anti-Lock Brakes
- Isofix
- Runflat Tyres and Runflat Indicator
- 6 Airbags
- 6 Speed Manual Gearbox
- Passenger Airbag Deactivation
- Radio/CD
- Remote Control Alarm
- Twin Chrome Exhausts
- White Indicator Lenses
- 2nd Remote Key
- Sport Button

Additional Extras
- Interior colour (in Pacific Blue)
- Exterior Mirror Pack (Folding and Heated Mirrors and Heated Washer Jets)
- Metallic Paint (Lightening Blue)
- Panoramic Glass Sunroof
- White Roof/Mirrors
- White Bonnet/Boot Stripes

Chilli Pack which includes:
- 17" Crown Alloy Wheels
- Passenger Seat Height Adjustment
- Front Fog Lamps
- Xenon Headlights
- On Board Computer
- Interior Light Pack (Ambient colour changable interior LED lighting)
- Part Leather Interior
- Air Conditioning

And finally, a picture of the beast, complete with racing stripes!

'The roads are not safe...'

:P

A question of taste...

So I get it, people like and buy different cars for different reasons. My own personal taste is no exception to the rule, I like sporty cars but not garishly expensive cars...and when I say sporty I mean that the manufacturer purposefully designed them that way...I am not a fan of 'mods' to give crappy little 1.0 litre boy racer type 15 year old car sporting credentials that it doesn't deserve seems somewhat pointless to me.

I own a Fiat Panda...however I did choose the sporty 100hp version...but why you might ask? Simple...it is better than the Fiat 500...which is a Panda underneath but with more bling, less room in the boot/back seats and a bigger price tag. As James May said the fiat 500 is an accessory, a bit like a hand bag..but the Panda is the better car for every other reason. So having looked at cars with similar power/spec the Panda was the cheapest to buy, lowest insurance group (which, when I bought it, made a MAJOR difference) and also they are relatively uncommon - and i like the feeling of marginal exclusivity. The panda 100hp comes with tinted rear windows, a nice spoiler, larger wheels/alloys than the standard panda, fog lights, a subtle bit of a body kit and is slightly lower than the standard Panda...a lot of this however only becomes really apparent when you park next to the standard Panda...and yes, I will actively seek out normal Panda's to park next to when I'm in a car park. It looks good, and has on all those accessories that you would want for your sporty little hot-hatchling. 

And in regards to my Panda, the aforementioned is just regarding the styling...inside it has slightly hugging seats and orange illuminating dash, a good CD player/stereo system, climate controlled air con AND last but not least...The Sport Button...not a big garish red power button but push it to see the word "Sport" appear on the dash followed by a flood of power as the engine revs more prolifically, the steering becomes super sharp and the engine fizzes with joy, begging you to rev the life out of it. 

Don't get me wrong, the Panda is not the be all and end all of cars...the suspension in the 100hp is ROCK hard...which is great to dart around corners, it handles great and sticks to the road really well...but when it's 7am in the morning and you're going to work half asleep and you hit a few sinks/potholes on the way it is very tiring. Also if you have the sport on a lot the mpg is not great...mine goes down to about 36mpg and as high as 44mpg if I do a long motorway journey and keep the sport off. Admittedly this is not stupidly low...but dissappointing when modern Diesel engines with more power can easily hit 60mpg without trying.

So...anyway...driving today and I get behind a fiesta (at least from what I could tell it once was a Fiesta) I'll give the guy credit that the colour was nice (an unusual grey-ish green colour) and it looked like decent paint job from the rear...what killed me was the wheels and suspension. He had clearly fitted larger wheels...too large, they stuck out around 2 inches from the side of the car and the alloys were red...RED? On a greyish green car? It didn't match to say the least. But the final straw was the suspension...it was so low that I could actually see the wheels touching the bodywork as he turned them...I considered following him to see him hit a speed bump or pot hole so I could laugh at the inevitability of him loosing some trim or bottoming out the over lowered suspension. 

I almost crashed with laughter.

And this brings me around to cost...I'm sure you can pick up an old corsa/fiesta/polo etc. for cheap...but buying stereos, tinted windows, body panals, re spraying the car, buying bigger wheels and alloys...then things like turbos and extra cooling for the engine you've added the turbo to...all of this costs SOOOOO much money! Why not just save all your pennies together and just buy a decent car in the first place? Something like the new Fiesta ST...better fuel economy...better power, engineered correctly not just stuck on with gaffa tape and much much MUCH better styling. Ford will have spent THOUSANDS of pounds on designing there ST the be fast, efficient, well designed, comfortable etc. if you think you can do a better job with a second hand turbo and some fibreglass body kit then you are so sorely mistaken. 

And you know if that guy I saw in his 10 year old fiesta with the wheels that can't turn properly found himself at a set of traffic lights with a proper Fiesta ST he would be shamed by its beauty, jealous of its power and luxury and I would put money on the proper ST beating it flat out...because even if he's added a turbo to give it stupid power it won't be able to sustain it for long as that old engine just wasn't built for it...it will inevitably overheat, or explode...but the proper version will go on and on. 

Additional note. If you are in the Peterlee/Shotton area you can quite often get a glimpse of this guy and his kitted out car hanging around A supermarket car park of an evening...his mates have equally ridiculous cars...I simply used him as a perticularly bad example! 

 

Cars

Stereotypes, at the moment in my current job logging accidents and arrange repairs/hire cars after accidents I have found myself terribly guilty if stereotyping people. Quite often the stereotypes are irrelevant and do not apply...but then you get a few claims in a row where you internally roll your eyes and think "how obvious" and "I could've guessed"

Especially with logging accidents...stereotypes generally do not apply, in fact one that really irritates me is the young driver stereotype. 

It is generally thought that young drivers cause all the accidents with there youth and inexperience...however after logging claims you find that yes young drivers are involved in lots of accidents but that they rarely seem to be to blame. It quite often seems that the young drivers are being more cautious/hesitant at junctions and an impatient middle aged businessman too busy looking at his phone or fiddling with his onboard complex computer system in his big fancy BMW goes running into the back of the poor young driver who was just taking there time a little at the junction.

And in that paragraph I have encroached upon another stereotype...the BMW/Merc/Audi drivers stereotype...that these cars seem to be owned by people who think that there journey is more important than everyone else on the road. It really isn't. 

Of course I highlight again that these are indeed just stereotypes from my observations...not all young drivers are blameless and not all businessmen crash into the back of people...so lets have fun. ..

My new favourite stereotype is that people who drive Subaru Impreza's think there car is glued to the road at all times...when I log a claim with no other vehicle involved in the accident...just the driver and their machine, it is nearly always the scooby with the (typically male) driver who tells me he was going round a corner and 'just lost control' - how hard and fast were you pushing that car to just 'loose control' especially in such a 'planted' vehicle. It was clearly just your terrible judgement thinking your car could go around a 180 degree corner at a million miles an hour. No...just no. 

I have a lot more 'rant' inside of me...but for now I'll stick a cork in it.

Long time no post

As per the title...it does what it says on the tin (ronseal style) it is not long since I blogged...just since it was a personal blog...the others are so functional. 

Anyway...a super speed blog for 5 mins of my lunch break and it is a personal winge/moan/personal flogging. 

So you feel flattered...dispair...hope...more dispair...fear... All just in a days work. Initially flattered but then slightly creeped out and the cut down, like you're a disappointment....and I'm not surprised if I am, I have very little self esteem...rarely (if ever) feeling attractive/pretty/ladylike. I don't do the tangerine fake tan/extensions/false nails...often told this is a good thing but when those around you make such effort, although possibly mis-guided effort, it leaves me feeling old and haggard. 

I want my confidence back...

The 40 something drivers...

I have recently noticed a strange 'sub-group' of drivers adopting an odd driving style. So far I can deduce it appears to be predominantly older drivers (people who have clearly retired) driving around EVERYWHERE at 40 mph.

Initially, on a national speed limit road doing 60 mph I quickly caught up to and got stuck behind an elderly gentleman in a brand spangly new Micra (Which honestly looked like he'd just drove it outta the show room) doing 40 mph. Figured it was just an elderly gentleman going cautious in his lovely new expensive car. BUT we reached a village, the speed limit dropped to 30 mph, and having just recently been done for speeding (doing 36 in a 30) I was not taking any chances and slowed down. To my disbelief, the elderly gentleman I had been stuck behind pulled away from me, continuing to do 40 through the 30 zone. I followed this particular gentleman from Durham to Peterlee (Around a 10 mile journey) and not once did his speed waiver from 40 mph regardless of whether we were in a village, on a back road, or on a national speed limit road.

It did not end there! The same journey (which I do twice a day playing taxi to my partner) and I had one of these people behind me. This time in the 30 zones they were right on my tail, attached to me and ranting wanting me to speed up or get outta there way, then in the 60 zones I'd pull away from them, leaving them trundling along at 40!

Crazy stuff right? - But not a one off I have been noticing these drivers more and more And have examined a few different theories. At first I thought maybe the car has cruise control, being old they set it to 40 and just leave it at that. But this cannot be, as the cars being seen to be doing this do not always come with cruise control.

Maybe there legs are old and arthritic, and they can only hold there leg in 1 position on the accelerator, so when they reach 40 they decide 'that will do'?

Odd...any theories?

Angry MPV Drivers

MPV's...Multi Purpose Vehicle's (Apparently) Infuriate me. I find them pointless and without purpose, expensive, all over the road and full of angry male drivers - But I have a theory.


Firstly lets cover WHY mpv's bought by families with 2 children are NOT a good buy by going through some of the basics.

(Before I begin i would like to clarify that this is aimed at 5 seat mpvs, If you have more than 3 children and buy a 7 seat mpv to transport your family then fair play, if you need to transport more than 5 people then 7 seat mpv's pretty much have the market cornered)

So lets do a basic comparison of a popular mpv vs a pretty basic hatchback.



Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6, 16v VVTI Model
0 - 60 in 12 seconds
Luggage Capacity 500 litres
Averages 40 mpg
Insurance group 13
£210 per year to tax
£16,000 - £23,000 to buy new



Honda Civic 1.4 I-Vtec SI model
0 - 60 12.6 seconds
Luggage Capacity 485 litres
Average 47mpg
Insurance Group 13
£115 tax per year
£13,000 - £17,000 to buy new






1. 0 - 60: Although the civic has a smaller engine it still manages its 0 - 60 time in only 0.6 of a second slower than the mpv - which on normal roads you will not notice, seriously to notice 0.6 of a second you need to be on a timed lap or track.

2.Boot Capacity: The civic's is only marginally smaller then the picasso - may I add to that, the picasso has one of the larger boot capacitys of the mpv's, were I comparing this to say a renault scenic its boot only has a 430 litre capacity - bare in mind most mpv's are sold to people with children giving the impression that you can get more in the boot (push-chairs/shopping etc) when actually modern hatchbacks have genuinely capacious boot. A terrible misconception.

3. Running costs: The civic is cheaper to buy in the first place, is in a much lower tax band and has a higher average mpg meaning less fuel stops.

4. Looks: I appreciate that looks are all down to taste. And I do not think the Picasso is an ugly car at all. But in general mpvs are tall, large, cumbersome and hatchbacks are a little more sleek, sporty, hunkered down and aesthetically pleasing.


5. Saftey: Both cars come with a 5 star NCAP safety rating. If you think your chidren are safer all high up in a big car, you are seriously overestimating your cars abilities. Both cars are equally as safe.

Theres a pretty basic comparison. Of course there are arguments both for and against hatchbacks vs mpvs. But I genuinely find MPVs to be overpriced and under performing, they are either no bigger or not much bigger, in 5 seat versions they carry no more people and are no safer or more comfortable to drive.

This is my theory behind angry male 'dad' mpv drivers:

The 'dad' of the family wants a sporty little number, not to expensive to run but looks good and a little bit 'racey' - the hot-hatch is what he craves. Golf GTI, Civic Type-R, Megane RenaultSport, Focus ST etc. reasonably spacious cars which are not excessively expensive to run, all have amazing safety ratings and capacious boots and are little or no more expensive to buy or run than those underperforming and unattractive mpvs.

Unfortunately for the typical male 'dad' type that wants this, his wife does not want this. She wants a sensible, safe, large car to transport lots of shopping children and push-chairs and she thinks (ill-advised by car companies and sellers trying to sell mpv's) that a large mpv usually in the most sensible grey of colours (dull) is the only car that will fulfill her needs. She wins the argument and they buy the mpv.

The 'dad', dissapointed at his mpv, feels his heart sink whenever a nice hatchback glides past him. So gutted is he that he is not driving it he gets a serious chip on his shoulder and starts to drive with serious rage.

So often I have been over took badly, been bullied out of the way and pushed in front of by large dull grey mpv's - increasingly so even over the usual 'cock' suspects of BMW's and Audi's who just think they are better than you (that is another blog! lol!)

So this is for you angry mpv drivers. You  should've just bought the hatchback you really wanted (and buy it in a nice colour, I'm bored with silver and grey cars, the world is awash with them) :)

Road Rage on Boxing Day

Just another bout of road rage from a rather angry chav in his crappy Corsa, with his day-glo girlfriend in the passenger seat and their unfortunate offspring in the back seat. What he was annoyed at me for was not immediately apparent, but seemingly he was angry because I stopped at a red light which he apparently would have jumped through, even though there was a stream of oncoming traffic whizzing across in front of us. Had he not been straddling my car so close that he couldn't even see my brake lights then he wouldn't have almost gone into the back of me. He expressed his disparagement at my abiding by the laws of the road with a cacophony from his horn and 'wanker' being shouted at me (He couldn't see me, and presume he thought I was a bloke, as a lady I very rarely get 'wanker' shouted at me - and actually if he is implying it is something I do well I would probably take it as flattery)

His outburst did not encourage me to aid his journey in any way - a general note for life is that the moment you loose your temper or become very negative towards anyone they become a lot less likely to want to help you. So when the lights did change to green I pulled away as slowly as possible, ensuring I was in his way at all times. Which I found most satisfying as I watch his own rage grow in my rear view mirror. The world now so full of rage. Unfortunately a gap became available on the inside lane, and he (with his infant in the back of the car and no apparent care for its safety) undertook me on the roundabout and cut in front of me without indication, then deciding he actually wanted to be on the inside lane he veered over to the inside lane, again without indication or checking any of his mirrors and almost went into the side of an unsuspecting Ford Focus.

Well done to this individual for having such rage. Almost causing 3 accidents on one roundabout as well as doing an illegal undertaking maneuver and cutting across 2 lanes without indication or checking your mirror at all. No regard for your families life, in an old Corsa with a rubbish safety rating which would've disintegrated on impact if the Focus hadn't hit the brakes to stop you colliding into the side of him. You just managed to put your child and partners life in danger 3 times in less than 5 minutes. Unfortunately it may take a collision for you to realize how dangerous your maneuvers are. I seriously hope that when you fuck up (which is enevatable if you keep doing such things) that you do not have your baby in the back seat.

You utter cunt, people like you should be lined up and shot.