What's your minimum car spec?

I've been thinking about this lately as once we get our house next year I'll have the choice, finances permitting, to switch to two cars or just switch out the mito for one good one as we'll have a garage. Which prompted the thought of what could I live with as a cheap daily runner.

So 100bhp
A/C
some way of inputting music in mp3 form whether that be an aux in or whatever
high 30 mpg
comfy seat. my other halfs mazda2 gives me back ache for any drive over an hour long.

That's pretty much it. Bluetooth is nice but can add that to most things easily enough.

ohhh and this!

phil675 said:
Foot rest next to the clutch.
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When I had a giulietta for a couple weeks I absolutely hated it. This was one of the main reasons, it did not have a footrest and yet somehow my mito does.
 
4 wheels
Must move
Must be CAT D

On a serious note though, it depends entirely on the sort of car it is. :)

If its something sporty then AC, PAS and ABS will do.

If its something a bit more comfy then adaptive cruise, climate control, nav, bluetooth audio, hands-free, etc, in addition to the usual (electric windows, mirrors, decent stereo, electronic assists, etc), would be nice. :)
 
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Why do so many people list ABS as a must?

I've driven ABS cars for years, then on my 2nd car one of the abs rings got damaged when I swapped a bearing and I couldn't be arsed to fix it so left it (pulled abs fuse as it kept kicking in for first 1-2 mins driving), after that I drove a different ABS-less car for a while about half the time (dad's Corolla, other half I still drove an ABS car), and now, sporadically, I still take the Rolla instead of my company car. It's hardly a ''must have'' feature, you get used to braking well without ABS (and releasing brake slightly when your wheels lock) instead of stamping on the brake like a moron soon enough.

Now on my motorbike lessons, my instructor goes full rant mode if I brake in a way that makes the ABS kick in and also had to learn to dose braking. ABS is, while a great safety feature, imho hardly ''required'' for any car enthousiast as a car enthousiast should know better than to stamp on the brakes/ABS kick in in the first place or at least react accordingly once the wheels are locked.

Yes it's nice, but really over A/C (mainly for fast demisting)? Or over a handsfree phone? Or at least an engine that can keep up decently in traffic or accelerate out of danger when needed?
 
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Having been in a minor crash in a car without ABS which just slid under braking (completely my fault but ABS would have helped) I'd be at least a bit wary of driving one without again.
 
4 wheels
Roof
At least 250bhp
Reliable


My current car (which I've now had fourteen years) is hardly a model of comfort or economy. It's fun though. But replacing it will be hard without more money than I have.
 
Bought a new (to me) car a couple of months ago and my ist of must haves for that purchase were

Xenons
Leather or Part leather seats
Cruise Control
Climate Control
Built in Sat Nav
Bluetooth for phone (audio capabilities a bonus)
USB for music
Auto lights
PDC
under 6 secs 0-60 (this was the first time this was a must have for me)
Good Auto box
 
For my next car it will be quite a huge amount; My next car I envisage lasting me 10 years or so, so It's going to need to be pretty epic spec-wise.

My current car was pretty simple. Reliable, relatively cheap, AUX input, relatively cheap to insure, and reliable again :)
 
p1RATE said:
I'm suprised how many people see AC as essential. It's a nice luxury but it doesn't really get that hot in the UK so it wouldn't have me walking away from a car. I'd much rather have a heated seat.
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It does more than cool you down in a heatwave. It keeps the cabin dry all year round, and even when it's not that hot outside it can still get stuffy.

It's an absolute essential IMHO and there can't be many brand new cars available on the market without it as standard.
 
Acme said:
4 wheels
Must move
Must be CAT D

On a serious note though, it depends entirely on the sort of car it is. :)

If its something sporty then AC, PAS and ABS will do.

If its something a bit more comfy then adaptive cruise, climate control, nav, bluetooth audio, hands-free, etc, in addition to the usual (electric windows, mirrors, decent stereo, electronic assists, etc), would be nice. :)
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And how much of that is in your Octavia?

I thought this was a thread about must haves? Not like to haves?

Must haves are really seats and a steering wheel. Things like AC and cruise too at a push. But clearly adaptive cruise and nav aren't must haves for you, since they are not on your Octavia (unless you have retrofitted nav of course).
 
convertible
sub 5 seconds to 60 (or close)
Nav
Good sound system

other than that not to fussy re gadgets though I do miss memory seats
 
Rotty said:
convertible
sub 5 seconds to 60 (or close)
Nav
Good sound system

other than that not to fussy re gadgets though I do miss memory seats
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Do you not just hear the road noise over the sound system?

My next car actually, if I'm doing a lot of miles I'd like a less noisy engine/Road noise.
 
As a daily:

Cruise
Aux input or bluetooth A2DP
Heated seats
Memory seats
0-60 in 6s or less
Automatic
Xenon or LED headlights
Reversing camera
Proper hifi (good speakers and decent amps)

All of those apart from the last one are really easy to find on modern cars. The last one seems very difficult unless it's a standard fit item. People don't seem to be interested in good car audio.
 
The polar opposite to what I wanted when I was 20 something:p These days it's:

-Automatic transmission
-Cruise control
-Air conditioning
 
xs2man said:
And how much of that is in your Octavia?

I thought this was a thread about must haves? Not like to haves?
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I don't like my car. It just serves a purpose.

If we all just said "4 wheels, steering wheel, seat" it wouldn't be a very interesting thread. :)

Having used normal cruise extensively now, I know that adaptive needs to go on the list.
Having had Bluetooth audio in my old car and not in this one, it goes on the list because i miss it greatly.
Same with climate. I thought normal AC would be OK, it isn't!

Nav sure, I guess that can come off the list as I could just neatly retrofit something. :)
 
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