So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[Buzzard]

I may be wrong but isn't the Mustang an "ordinary" car in the US?

 

[boomy]

I may be wrong but isn't the Mustang an "ordinary" car in the US?

The standard Mustang and Camaro are not that special, they look good but that's about it. The GT and SS models are a totally different story and they are not cheap to buy or rent even in the US.

 

[jb747]

Time for an update. We were hoping to replace our Discovery 4 with the new Disco 5, but didn't like it once we had a couple of drives. So, today we picked up the alternative....Range Rover Sport HSE.
And whilst we were waiting for the number plates to be transferred from the Disco to the RRS, we were given a new Velar to take to lunch. Not our cup of tea, but nice....

 

[Quickstatus]

The Range Rovers always look quite distinctive.
Which engine?
Off the showroom floor or a factory order?

Which of the multitude of options did you like?

Looks like you got the body coloured roof.

What did you think of the Velar?

 

[perthjay85]

After my partners Ford Mondeo started becoming increasingly problematic we decided enough was enough.
After searching for a few days we settled on the Mazda 6 / new ford Mondeo and something else that I forget.

One day when I was bored I spotted the Kia optima GT which I couldn't believe was a Kia.
We took one for a test drive and the better half fell in love with it immediately.

The features it has is pretty amazing. 7 year warranty / 7 year fixed price service and / 7 year roadside assist helped get us over the line.


Note: the picture is not our car but the same colour lol.

 

[jb747]

The Range Rovers always look quite distinctive.
Which engine?

3 litre SD. 225 kw.

Off the showroom floor or a factory order?

Dealer had it hidden away. I was hoping to find a runout model SDSE with NON BLACK interior. A HSE at a price I could reach was a real bonus. MY18 announced today. Main difference is that the 18's will cost a lot more, and have the Velar central screens.

Which of the multitude of options did you like?

I didn't have any say on most of the options, but it has:
Morzine headling (whatever that is, black anyway)
Red brake calipers
Tow receiver and wiring
21" diamond turned wheels (big round ones)
Body coloured sills and bumpers
Climate front seats
Fixed glass roof
Drive pack 1 (various bits)
Fixed side steps
Mudflaps

The pilot in me comes out when I set it up with the HUD showing just speed, and the instrument panel showing just the map. Didn't even know it could do that.

Looks like you got the body coloured roof.

Not much of it. Mostly it's black glass.

What did you think of the Velar?

Interesting contrast. I think it looks great.

Drove very well. Same engine/drivetrain, but felt a bit more sprightly. Very quiet...perhaps even better than the RRS.

Didn't have the glass dash (which the RRS does).

Hated the seats in comparison with the RRS, but they weren't the HSE equivalent.

The signature glass centre console display was distracting and nowhere near as intuitive as a couple of buttons. Very glad I don't have an MY18 RRS as it inherits this setup.

Overall, and with the right options, a very nice car. But not for me. I guess it would be shopped against the Jaguar F Pace, which in itself is a decent device.

 

[Quickstatus]

Is auto parking and adaptive cruise included in the drive pack?
Full size spare?

Haha eschewing a glass coughpit preferring a couple of buttons!.

They are beautiful cars. Congratulations.
Did the dealer give you a bottle of champagne as a gift.

My Golf came with a $5 bottle of wine.

 

[jb747]

Is auto parking and adaptive cruise included in the drive pack?

Ha. Auto parking. My Audi does it, and apart from using it to show off, I never use it. Parking just isn't that hard! No adaptive cruise..something else I don't want. It's too easy to go to sleep already. The drive pack has things like lane assist, blind spot monitoring, fatigue monitoring too. Some form of emergency braking too, but I haven't gotten that far into the manual.

Full size spare?

That was an absolute must have, and ruled out a lot of vehicles. All 5 seat RRS have a full sized spare, and it comes with the correct alloy wheel too, unlike some manufacturers. BMW, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes...none of them have anywhere to put your huge wheel when you get a flat, nor do they have a spare in the first place. Limiting!

Haha eschewing a glass coughpit preferring a couple of buttons!.

Buttons don't move, but virtual ones do. It seemed to require an inordinate amount of attention to do simple things. I guess you'd get used to it, but there are many things I do in cars, and aircraft, without having to look at the controls involved.

 

[trooper]

Subaru Levorg. Thoroughly enjoying it.

 

[Quickstatus]

I’ve never tried the emergency brake in my golf.

That involves driving at a stationary object and hoping the car will emergency brake by itself. That’s like holding ones breath hoping that you will suffocate yourself. Won’t/can’t happen

 

[Quickstatus]

Subaru Levorg. Thoroughly enjoying it.

CVT?

 

[jb747]

I’ve never tried the emergency brake in my golf.

That involves driving at a stationary object and hoping the car will emergency brake by itself. That’s like holding ones breath hoping that you will suffocate yourself. Won’t/can’t happen

It's a bit like some of the emergency features in aircraft. They might make the accident less severe, but you'll still be writing paperwork for months.
Anyway, this might be appropriate...

 

[Quickstatus]

Rant:

Why are car manufacturers going to larger and larger wheel diameters resulting in lower and lower profile tyres and harsher noisier ride. Grip is not necessarily improved.

And then less rubber = higher price

 

[jb747]

Marketing....

 

[Milboo]

I’ve never tried the emergency brake in my golf.

That involves driving at a stationary object and hoping the car will emergency brake by itself. That’s like holding ones breath hoping that you will suffocate yourself. Won’t/can’t happen

I actually had my Audi at the dealership last week for this. I was driving at 45km, no oncoming traffic, normally surburban street with cars parked both sides (not narrow). Had a car behind me but not too close. Car slammed on the emergency brakes with an absolutely clear road in front of me. Thankfully other car was far enough back but force of braking was enough to give my neck a good jar.

Had a prior occasion where I went to drive off at lights when they went green (was at line) and they applied then too for no reason.

No fault found...

 

[Milboo]

Interesting to hear the report of the Velar. I did give it consideration as they were just announcing it when I was looking. Having seen them, really not a fan of the side profile, the back especially.

Gave the Evoque some consideration too.

 

[jb747]

Interesting to hear the report of the Velar. I did give it consideration as they were just announcing it when I was looking. Having seen them, really not a fan of the side profile, the back especially.

In the flesh, it looks pretty good. But looks are always dealers choice..

Gave the Evoque some consideration too.

I'd always been dismissive of the Evoque, but we were given one a few months back when the LR was being serviced, and I was quite surprised. Be quite a little sleeper with the more powerful of the petrol engines, and it was a very pleasant thing to drive.

 

[Quickstatus]

We are at that stage on our lives where car ownership considerations have to account for emerging P platers in the family.

I planned 2 years in advance for our 1st p plater who got her Green P in 2017 and who wanted to go to Uni at CSU Wagga. So in 2015 I purchased a VW Passat Alltrack - AWD mid sized stationwagon. Drove my usual 30000 km per year then handed it over to daughter.

Next the twins will get their green P in 2019 but will stay in SYD, so Once I offloaded the Passat to daughter, I then bought a Golf. The twins will get that one in 2019 which they can share.

I’m thinking in 2019 I still need a smallish car for lots of city driving in traffic. Might go back to Passat Alltrack but the Golf 8 will be out then.

P platers = rule out anything high COG, large, red, High power to weight and anything that attract high insurance and LCT. Otherwise I would get a midlife crisis car

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Mr Up received his HSV GTSR a couple of weeks ago.. Are 5 V8s for two people too many
Bring on Bathurst weekend

 

[UP4014]

Rant:

Why are car manufacturers going to larger and larger wheel diameters resulting in lower and lower profile tyres and harsher noisier ride. Grip is not necessarily improved.

And then less rubber = higher price

Then they eliminate the spare........