Motoring: Modern Britain

I think the only thing for me in recent years to affect the pleasure in driving are the petrol prices. I am much more conscious of maintaining good mpg.
Key word there is resent. Most of us can afford the petrol prices still, but whole heartedly resent it. I know I do. Apart from that I have not noticed much at all, except with the faster my car, the higher the maintenance costs, which is to be expected really.
 
Interesting posts, I share some of the same thoughts. Two things that have put me off is the cost of driving and the state of driving in a city like London. The minute you get on the road it's just stop start traffic, bad roads, speed humps etc, there is no joy in any of that. I'm personally thinking of going two wheels for transport as it seems much more cheaper and a better way of getting around a busy city.
 
I know what you mean Housey, it really has all become rather silly now, personally my main idea is to move countries, but ...of course I will be here for years yet most likely so I have to deal with the same thing everyone else does. Don't get me wrong, moving countries isn't a magical fix in my opinion, but a love of motoring and the way it is here now certainly does play a part in such a decision. Luckily I don't need exotica to excite me, an old Yanky big block V8 making all the right noises attached to something with leaf springs will work just fine for making me giggle like a girl, having said that, in this country that does count as fairly exotic, in that it's rare and unusual, a 911 Turbo is probably more common, but I find those rather unexciting.

The state of our roads, stop start traffic and all the other annoyances that go with day to day driving in Britain have pushed me further into the 'how can I make this experience as painless as possible' camp now, so the biggest comfiest most luxurious cars rather than finely honed driving machines ...and despite what I have said about diesel in the past, and I maintain that it is the devils fuel, I am even considering a diesel next. Something with 6 cylinders most likely, autobox, leather and lots of waft.
 
lemonade said:
Interesting posts, I share some of the same thoughts. Two things that have put me off is the cost of driving and the state of driving in a city like London. The minute you get on the road it's just stop start traffic, bad roads, speed humps etc, there is no joy in any of that. I'm personally thinking of going two wheels for transport as it seems much more cheaper and a better way of getting around a busy city.
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Owning a fast car in London is like giving a fleshlight to a woman. Pointless. :p
 
Moeks said:
The state of our roads, stop start traffic and all the other annoyances that go with day to day driving in Britain have pushed me further into the 'how can I make this experience as painless as possible' camp now, so the biggest comfiest most luxurious cars rather than finely honed driving machines ...and despite what I have said about diesel in the past, and I maintain that it is the devils fuel, I am even considering a diesel next. Something with 6 cylinders most likely, autobox, leather and lots of waft.
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Well I am now driving a diesel, something that I tried to avoid as long as possible. It sounds like a transit but it is comfortable on long drives and is returning 49mpg out of a 2.2 Diesel. I tried LPG for about 14 months which was great but the lack of stations with it nearby when you are travelling, combined with when you get there its a lottery if 1. they have LPG or 2. Some idiot has broken it put shot to that.

I'll keep a weekend car as something to put a smile on my face :) I can see this continuing for a long time unless my driving changes as I am currently doing between 35-45k per year.
 
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I agree that petrol prices are getting out of control, but I don't think that you need something mega quick in order to have some fun.

I can see smaller sporty cars like an Elise can be fun while still being able to run as a daily without having to pay thru the nose for fuel.
 
mattyprice4004 said:
Owning a fast car in London is like giving a fleshlight to a woman. Pointless. :p
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But it makes the process of getting out of the city and remember getting on some NSL roads feel immense. You lot are probably spoiled by having decent lanes to commute on and probably don't appreciate them like us city folk do, so it all works out in the end :).

As for Housey's point, I think 'petrolheads' as a whole are a dying breed. I'm sure I've told you lot the story about when I was on training - A group of teenage mechanics talking about there cars, but bragging rights weren't given for having the highest top speed, or the lowest 0-60 time, or the most BHP, or anything like that. Nope. Everybody was bragging about how much MPG they got on the trip to the hotel training centre. That can't be right, surely? :(.

As for me, I suppose I an 'lucky' in the way that I have no idea about how good things used to be. Paying over a quid for petrol has been par for the course since the first time I strapped myself into a driver's seat. Because I'm 'used to' high petrol prices and low teen MPG I suppose I can stomach the prices a little easier than the older generation who probably remember a gallon of milk being more expensive than a gallon of fuel. Don't get me wrong, the prices still hurt, but is by hobby and I'll struggle to turn my back on something that I've dream of doing all my life, so I'll put the resentment aside and not throw in the towel until I can't afford not to.
 
Housey said:
I was chatting about electric cars, Nissan Leaf thingy was the basis of the discussion and I remain to be convinced as to their value still, not at this stage in their development. You are still spending a lot of money for a basic car and the 2nd hand market for these cars is going to be awful due to their battery warranty or lack of it.
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FWIW. Leaf is 8years/100k
 
I'm 43, been driving since I was two weeks into 17, I did get banned for 6 Months due to totting up when I was younger but have driven since, I've done the fast cars, the posh cars etc.

Then one day I woke up, fuel cost was getting ridiculous, the 'Motorist' was getting hammered left right and centre for simply being an easy to target cash cow, Speed Cameras started popping up everywhere, NSL Roads were being dropped to 30MPH Limits for absolutely no reason, Town Parking restrictions were going crazy, isn't it amazing how when 'they' pedestrianise a shopping area and don't let cars park nearby how many shops start selling 'TO LET' and all the rest turn into charity shops... I'm amazed we didn't see compulsory fines for simply owning a car TBH things just seemed to get that bad.

Roadworks started appearing everywhere for no apparent reason than to drop the speed limit and rake in the penalty cash..the Govt. had apparently spent all our money on Traffic Cones and now had nowhere to store them so they had to find somewhere to put them all, along the highways where they can earn some money seemed an ideal place.

Insurances and Taxes were just taking the ****, and I thought 'WTF Am I doing?' I then thought almost immediately after 'Screw it..' and got rid of the flash car and expensive running costs that gave every Policeman a hard-on for it whenever they saw it and went for bangeromics, I now potter around unnoticed in my disposable vehicle that gets zero maintenance and is driven carefully not to save fuel, but to deny the Govt. the Tax revenue from me re-filling for as long as ****ing possible!

For the TL:DRers...

It's a sad day when the only enjoyable part of driving for me is trying to get the very best MPG not to save me any money but only to deny my greedy useless Govt. my hard earned for as long as possible...

/and breathe....
 
I just took my RS 250 out for a blast down some back roads. Still seems fine to me. Yes it's getting expensive to fill up, but that doesn't stop you having a good hoon every so often.

I also strangely seem to enjoy driving for its own sake, even through 30mph zones. Nice car, Recaros to sit on, some choonz on the stereo, life's good...

:)
 
doofer said:
Roadworks started appearing everywhere for no apparent reason than to drop the speed limit and rake in the penalty cash..
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Because we all wouldn't all be moaning if we were still on 56K connections, losing half our water through Victorian age plumbing leaks and driving down dual carriageways instead of 4 lane motorways? It's progress, and you gotta break a few eggs to make an omellete. Definitely not detracting from the rest of your post though, flash for cash speed cameras suck!
 
Kingy said:
That's just a motorway characteristic though, which is my issue. You can close a gap bloody quickly in a x35d, or XF DS, all with 40-45mpg (apparently) and an auto box to further simplify matters. Not my cup of tea, but it ticks the boxes for doing so many motorway miles...
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No apparently about it, they do do 40-45mpg if not more, the current tank in my 335d (which isn't the ED model) will have done about 600 miles when I fill it up later today.
 
i think it has something to do with cars needing an extended warrenty to exist.

i know theyre not something new, but i think its a relatively new thing for cars to be so tempermental.

in olden days when cars were simpler they could be run without an extended warrenties and fear of being totally bankrupted by a failure. my old man had a right good mixture of nice cars back in the day without these things

now a tdci mondeo can cost you thousands at the drop of a hat

is that something that is making monied types rethink?
 
tigerstyle said:
Because we all wouldn't all be moaning if we were still on 56K connections, losing half our water through Victorian age plumbing leaks and driving down dual carriageways instead of 4 lane motorways? It's progress, and you gotta break a few eggs to make an omellete. Definitely not detracting from the rest of your post though, flash for cash speed cameras suck!
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Maybe you should keep your eyes open, they're bright yellow where I live. :p
 
J1nxy said:
No apparently about it, they do do 40-45mpg if not more, the current tank in my 335d (which isn't the ED model) will have done about 600 miles when I fill it up later today.
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Impressive, I thought it was only the ED models that were particularly economical, and even then was taking the quoted figure with a pinch of salt... A guy who used to work here had a 535d and reckoned he only got 28-35mpg...

Do you need to drive like a granny to get that sort of range?

How big is the tank?
 
I totally agree that the 'joy' of driving has diminished, for me at least. Mainly due to the increase in the number of cars on the roads, and especially the increase in drivers that shouldn't be on the roads. The petrol price is a factor, but mainly because I don't get the enjoyment from driving I used to, so it seems like poor value though obviously it still gets me to work and back way faster and in more comfort than any public torture devices.

Partly for these reasons I've moved back to two wheels. More performance, usable more of the time, low fuel costs and just hugely more fun even when just commuting to work at a steady pace.
 
Its not petrol that has reduced my enjoyment, its points and bans, its got to the stage where i just plod now.

Track days aint my thing so i suppose its all down hill from here for us depressing old gits Housey.
 
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