Is it me or are BMW aficianados seemingly very tetchy compared to Skoda 'Happy Drivers'?

Is it me or are BMW aficianados seemingly very tetchy compared to Skoda 'Happy Drivers'?

Well observed. I think it's because they no longer have a birth right to the outside lane on motorways

""Amanda, their are no mettled roads in GB that a normal 2 wheel drive car can not negotiate, except in sever weather with ice or deep snow.""

Note what Anthony has said. I think you missed the EXCEPT part

Well observed. I think it's because they no longer have a birth right to the outside lane on motorways

It used to be "Mercedes Fahrer haben vorrang" in the fast lanes on the Autobahn. This has now changed. The fast lane is now dominated by various brand VAG vehicles with 2.0 TDI power plants - with the occasional Porsche and Bimmer.

For the linguistically challenged: (Mercedes drives have the right-of-way)

The fast lane is now dominated by various brand VAG vehicles with 2.0 TDI power plants - with the occasional Porsche and Bimmer.

Well, I never realised that the Bugatti Veyron which passed us on the way into Wolfsburg a few years ago was a 2.0TDI! I guess that would be the 170PS then.

Mark

Any opinions on the Suzuki Vitara's ability as a 'soft roader' / 4x4.....

Well, I never realised that the Bugatti Veyron which passed us on the way into Wolfsburg a few years ago was a 2.0TDI! I guess that would be the 170PS then.

Mark

Well, Mark, they are about as rare as Snowmonsters, so do not qualify as "dominating" . If you actually recognized it as a Bugatti, it must have gone awfully slow

Any opinions on the Suzuki Vitara's ability as a 'soft roader' / 4x4.....

ne of my 4x4 is a Suzuki Vitara but one of the older petrol short wheel base versions. Off road mine has very good off road performance with greater ability than one might first assume. Part of this is down to the short wheel base and reasonable sized wheels. The short wheel base even with only mild All Terrains allows mine to climb out of deepish ruts that my aggressive mud terrain shod Toyota Landcruiser will not climb out of very easily. They have a two speed transfer box which gives far greater control off road than a normal softroader. The gap between 1st and 2ndis far too great however. The transfer box is part time 4x4 so most ot he time on the road it is in two wheel drive.

On road they are a nightmare of discomfort, treacherous for all intensive purposes. they are very crude much inthe same way as older series Landrovers and the on road ride and handling is not much better than them. I should imagine the longer wheel base versions are better offering better handling and more carrying space. they are very cheap in comparison. Mine is just about tolerable for short trips to the nearest shop any further and it is a pain. It can be thrashed but what ever way I drive it the Landcruiser does better miles per gallon. The diesel versions should offer slightly better consumption.

It really depends on what you want the vehicle for and how much you can afford. Personally I would not buy one again. Mine cost only £500 so was a bargain and it does not matter too much how it is abused, like loading it up with six bags of house coal for instance. Unless you live on a farm and even then I would look else where even buy a used something else if most of its life is spent on road.

I drove a second generation short wheelbase Vitara for a weekend a few years back. I cannot vouch for its off road ability but on the road it was hideous. It felt bouncy and unstable and I was glad to drop it back off at work. The latest one may be a lot better though.

Very nasty is one description. Horrid is another.

Is it me or are BMW aficianados seemingly very tetchy compared to Skoda 'Happy Drivers'?

There is no question that on standard road tyres, rwd cars are pants. And along with some Mercs. I can’t think of many cars made today that are as rubbish, that’s why I have a Sedici 4x4 (I am 50% BMW and 50% Fiat and at the moment it feels like I am 99% Fiat)

At the moment my local BMW dealer has offered me a seriously good price on my Sedici (what I paid for in over a year ago! And that is the SIV not a trade in price!!) and can do me a really attractive offer (on a PCP) for a 330D. I have about a week or so to sort this out, but in the mean time I am frantically trying to see if I can get a similar deal for a 3.0TDI A4…………….did I mention they are Quattro’s? :(

""Amanda, their are no mettled roads in GB that a normal 2 wheel drive car can not negotiate, except in sever weather with ice or deep snow.""

Note what Anthony has said. I think you missed the EXCEPT part

In the next few lines, where he generalised about steep roads in Wales etc, implying that he was talking about general weather. The weather that defeats 2 wheel drive cars where I come from is not considered severe (ie out of the norm), merely typical Winter Weather.

At the moment my local BMW dealer has offered me a seriously good price on my Sedici (what I paid for in over a year ago! And that is the SIV not a trade in price!!) and can do me a really attractive offer (on a PCP) for a 330D. I have about a week or so to sort this out, but in the mean time I am frantically trying to see if I can get a similar deal for a 3.0TDI A4…………….did I mention they are Quattro’s? :(

Don't forget the E90 3-series is being replaced soon, so I'm not surprised there are deals available. I was really disappointed when I drove the 320d having been very happy with my previous E36 and E46, the ride and the chassis's ability to handle poor surfaces was unacceptable. If the Superb came with the 3.0TDI and 4WD, it would be a no-brainer. If you are considering RWD have you driven an XF?

There have been strange things going on with used car prices, the value of my old X-Type actually went up even when Jaguar announced they were stopping production!

I finally saw a Yeti in the flesh today and it's gone straight to the top of my want list for my next company car. Perfect size (driveable and parkable in London, but still a big and usefully-shaped boot), more than quick enough with the CR170, good standard kit and comfy seats. Plus the extra ground clearance and 4WD will come in handy on the building sites I have to visit from time to time.

To be honest I was struggling a bit to find a car I liked - they're all a bit identikit at the moment - and the Yeti seems a very good fit for what I want to do. I'm sure there'll be twits out there who insist it's a "fashion" choice, but anyone who knows me will know I have a very healthy disregard for such nonsense.

I will be harassing the MD on Monday morning.

Edited 17 January, 201016 yr by Sporky McGuffin

Don't forget the E90 3-series is being replaced soon, so I'm not surprised there are deals available. I was really disappointed when I drove the 320d having been very happy with my previous E36 and E46, the ride and the chassis's ability to handle poor surfaces was unacceptable. If the Superb came with the 3.0TDI and 4WD, it would be a no-brainer. If you are considering RWD have you driven an XF?

There have been strange things going on with used car prices, the value of my old X-Type actually went up even when Jaguar announced they were stopping production!

There are deals for E90s and E92s at the moment, but the E90 won’t be replaced realistically over here until at least 2012. There is a mild facelift any time soon for the Coupe though There is quite a bit of back-end money on the E90 I have heard, so a serious deal might be had.

I looked at the XF as Jag are doing very low finance, the thing with the Audi cheap finance is that the £2000 dealer contribution includes a £500 contribution from Audi themselves (gives a bit more to haggle with eh ) and hs the advantage of the 4x4. The Jag ‘S’ engine looks a stunner, but I think I would be looking at a base spec and I like to have a few toys of my choice, if I can. Terrific car though, if a bit middle aged man, even though i don't think the pipe and slippers are obligatory any more

Apologies for the OT

Edited 17 January, 201016 yr by Lady Elanore

I finally saw a Yeti in the flesh today and it's gone straight to the top of my want list for my next company car. Perfect size (driveable and parkable in London, but still a big and usefully-shaped boot), more than quick enough with the CR170, good standard kit and comfy seats. Plus the extra ground clearance and 4WD will come in handy on the building sites I have to visit from time to time.

To be honest I was struggling a bit to find a car I liked - they're all a bit identikit at the moment - and the Yeti seems a very good fit for what I want to do. I'm sure there'll be twits out there who insist it's a "fashion" choice, but anyone who knows me will know I have a very healthy disregard for such nonsense.

I will be harassing the MD on Monday morning.

Good choice, Sporky. You won't be disappointed by a CR170. I only bought mine as a fashion statement....