TWers and their cars

[Dujon]

Are you trying to make a fashion statement?

To me silver is a no-no as other drivers seem to have a tendency not to see you; similarly with green. It'd be interesting to see some statistical breakdown from insurance companies on accident rates and colours in the 'not at fault' cases.

I've tended to white cars over the years but that's mainly because they tend to be cooler in hot weather - not by much, but it does make a difference - particularly if the vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning.

My current steed is this:



It might sound odd, living where I do, but this is the first vehicle I have owned that has a/c.

[communistworkethic]

Are you

To me silver is a no-no as other drivers seem to have a tendency not to see you; similarly with green. It'd be interesting to see some statistical breakdown from insurance companies on accident rates and colours in the 'not at fault' cases.

2 scientific studies say there's no difference, insurers suggest some trends...

http://www.yesinsurance.co.uk/insurance ... r-car.html

and your name is more likely to have a bearing.....

http://www.esure.com/news_item.jsp?nId=18945

natasha's dangerous drivers, huh??? and jasons!!

[Idiot Wind]

what do you make of this colour




would need to put 4 grand to my 206 in p/x

I'm sorry but that looks horrendous!!!

[officer_dibble]

Isn't silver supposed to be the safest colour on the road? Or is that just salesman bullsh*t?

[enfieldwhite]

Had this for a month now (same model different reg)

Looks great, but heavy.

[Soldier_Of_The_White_Army]

Had this for a month now (same model different reg)

Looks great, but heavy.

Your not one of those people who suffer hypothermia in winter, just so you can have the soft top down are you?

[Bruce Rioja]

Are you

To me silver is a no-no as other drivers seem to have a tendency not to see you; similarly with green. It'd be interesting to see some statistical breakdown from insurance companies on accident rates and colours in the 'not at fault' cases.

2 scientific studies say there's no difference, insurers suggest some trends...

http://www.yesinsurance.co.uk/insurance ... r-car.html

and your name is more likely to have a bearing.....

http://www.esure.com/news_item.jsp?nId=18945

natasha's dangerous drivers, huh??? and jasons!!

My mother has always insisted that bottle green cars are involved in more accidents than any other, thus occasioning a bout of 'I told you so's' some years ago when I wrote off my bottle green Laguna in London.

[Idiot Wind]

Statistics shmatistics!!! Did you know that the decline in numbers of pirates is the cause of global warming?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:FSM_Pirates.jpg

[AggyWanderer]

My mum always used to say that green cars were unlucky and wasn't surprised when both of my brothers wrote their cars off which were green. Never did understand what difference the colour made when they were both at fault and driving like complete nobbers.

I have a BMW 325i sport, which is why I don't care about a cars so called image, if I did I wouldn't own a BMW. I bought it because I have found BMW's to have the best mix of quality, reliability, practicality and handling to suit what I want.

Batman, step away from the lurid yellow MX5!

[Idiot Wind]

My mum always used to say that green cars were unlucky and wasn't surprised when both of my brothers wrote their cars off which were green. Never did understand what difference the colour made when they were both at fault and driving like complete nobbers.

I have a BMW 325i sport, which is why I don't care about a cars so called image, if I did I wouldn't own a BMW. I bought it because I have found BMW's to have the best mix of quality, reliability, practicality and handling to suit what I want.

Batman, step away from the lurid yellow MX5!

That's a belting car mate - what plate?

[Salford Trotter]

I've always found Mercs to be the most reliable as I do 30k miles a year I can't afford to worrying about the engine conking out on me. I'm currently driving C200 CDI (04) which is surprisingly fuel efficient as I commute to London a fair bit and regularly get 55mpg and more but around town no more than 44mpg. I never liked my 5 series BMW as I had all sorts of electrical problems that put me off but I guess when I nearly garotted my daughter when I put the alarm on (it automatically closed all the open windows on activation) and unbeknown to me her head was through the back offside window at the time. Thankfully it caught her head and not her neck and I managed to push her head back inside the car. Needless to say I had it disabled the next day!

[enfieldwhite]

Had this for a month now (same model different reg)

Looks great, but heavy.

Your not one of those people who suffer hypothermia in winter, just so you can have the soft top down are you?

It's actually a hard top which deploys automatically at the touch of a button (folds down into the boot). That's what makes it so bloody heavy but, as I say, looks nice round town.

As I've only had it a month I've not been cold yet but, yes, I shall probably be risking frostbite at some stage. Cos I is well shallow, innit!

[Raven]

The Ratmobile, minus the dents and scratches:



And did I really see 50sQuiff on here earlier, or was I imagining things?

Don't exchange that for the MK2 Focus, they are a pile of shite (got one and would like the old one back)

[Leonard]

Slightly off topic but not worth starting a new thread for, has anyone ever sold a car on eBay?

I'm picking up a new car in a couple of weeks and the one we have is pretty much only fit to be scrapped, but it has a good engine and a full leather interior, which people might want?

Any thoughts/advice welcome. I've sold a fair bit of stuff on eBay before so I'm not a novice, but never anything like a car!

[CrazyHorse]

Sold my last motorbike on ebay, and my Dad sells loads of cars and bikes (even once a tractor) on there. No real problems other than the odd hiccup tbh.

Trick is to be completely honest about everything, any misleading and the buyer will have the perfect excuse to pull out of the sale and bad-feedback you. In fact if anything make as a big a deal of the problems as you do of the good points.

[Leonard]

Sold my last motorbike on ebay, and my Dad sells loads of cars and bikes (even once a tractor) on there. No real problems other than the odd hiccup tbh.

Trick is to be completely honest about everything, any misleading and the buyer will have the perfect excuse to pull out of the sale and bad-feedback you. In fact if anything make as a big a deal of the problems as you do of the good points.

Thanks CH. There are PLENTY of faults. I think I should sell as spares or repair as I wouldn't feel comfortable selling it to someone as a car they would be intending to use daily...

[fatshaft]

I've always found Mercs to be the most reliable as I do 30k miles a year I can't afford to worrying about the engine conking out on me. I'm currently driving C200 CDI (04) which is surprisingly fuel efficient as I commute to London a fair bit and regularly get 55mpg and more but around town no more than 44mpg.

MErcs long since lost their build quality, they are living on their name now, like Alfa in reverse, Alfa's are now very good motors but everyone thinks they break down all the time.

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-rep ... EL=3196978#

[Mar]

That's the sort of car i'm driving. Except its not the same model, similar colour though and its a 1.6.

Pretty damn reliable.

My only complaint is that Vauxhall have put in a feature that allows for a 3 second indicator function as well as the regular indicate. A tad annoying at times it just means you've gotta make sure you've fully indicated.

[communistworkethic]

Slightly off topic but not worth starting a new thread for, has anyone ever sold a car on eBay?

I'm picking up a new car in a couple of weeks and the one we have is pretty much only fit to be scrapped, but it has a good engine and a full leather interior, which people might want?

Any thoughts/advice welcome. I've sold a fair bit of stuff on eBay before so I'm not a novice, but never anything like a car!

watch out for fraudsters. There's two very common types which catch lots of people selling cars - both rely on bum bankers drafts.

1. they give you a draft for more than the car's worth, you pay in to the bank and 3 days later you draw on it giving them the extra cash and your keys. a few days later the draft bounces as it's fraudulent, you've lost your motor and the extra cash.

2. They give you a draft, you hand over the keys thinking a draft is the same as cash. Turns out the draft if forged/stolen and therefore worthless (i.e. it's jsut a bit of paper as it's not been issued by the bank) and you've lost your motor.

If someone offers yo a draft as payment then don't hand over the key/docs until it's been confirmed as clear NOT "ok to withdraw against". They only way you'll know is to pay a few quid for "sepcial clearance", it'll go outside teh normal clearing systeme and be sent straight to the branch it's allegedly been drawn on. They confirm to your bank that it's kosher.

Otherwise get cash and check for forgeries.

[Leonard]

Slightly off topic but not worth starting a new thread for, has anyone ever sold a car on eBay?

I'm picking up a new car in a couple of weeks and the one we have is pretty much only fit to be scrapped, but it has a good engine and a full leather interior, which people might want?

Any thoughts/advice welcome. I've sold a fair bit of stuff on eBay before so I'm not a novice, but never anything like a car!

watch out for fraudsters. There's two very common types which catch lots of people selling cars - both rely on bum bankers drafts.

1. they give you a draft for more than the car's worth, you pay in to the bank and 3 days later you draw on it giving them the extra cash and your keys. a few days later the draft bounces as it's fraudulent, you've lost your motor and the extra cash.

2. They give you a draft, you hand over the keys thinking a draft is the same as cash. Turns out the draft if forged/stolen and therefore worthless (i.e. it's jsut a bit of paper as it's not been issued by the bank) and you've lost your motor.

If someone offers yo a draft as payment then don't hand over the key/docs until it's been confirmed as clear NOT "ok to withdraw against". They only way you'll know is to pay a few quid for "sepcial clearance", it'll go outside teh normal clearing systeme and be sent straight to the branch it's allegedly been drawn on. They confirm to your bank that it's kosher.

Otherwise get cash and check for forgeries.

Thanks - I've heard of those before. It'll be cash, paypal or a cleared cheque then!