How many of you drive SUV's?

prospect

lightening wrote: »

Sh8t.. I was hoping you weren't going to ask that. Now your going to go and name all the SUV's that are safer than my car. I was too lazy to go looking...

here goes anyway. Golf GTi 06.

Crucify me.

EDIT... I just looked my car up, its a very safe car!

LOL,

Nice car.

Just noticed while flicking through the NCAP page, if you are going to get knocked down, make sure it is by a Citroen C6...

I can't actually find one that beats it ian all catagories...

But you get my point, alot come very close,.,.,.,


And before any over-exaggerating bandwagon hoppers pipe up, this does NOT mean all cars are safer than ALL SUVs.

dodgyme

WHITE_P wrote: »

your TOO close (tailgateing) dosen't .

i never mentioned tailgating. When you are in arrotts car park and pulling out of a car parking space with 2 huge SUV's beside you, your vision for pedestrians or other cars etc is impaired and this is backed up the the fact that SUV drivers say "I can see everything coz I am up high" , I never mentioned tailgating, but the fact is these things impair vision both for themselves at times and others and contrary to astraboy it is not just about me, its about being considerate to your fellow road users.

lightening

prospect wrote: »

this does NOT mean all cars are safer than ALL SUVs.

Is mine though?

astraboy

dodgyme wrote: »

i never mentioned tailgating. When you are in arrotts car park and pulling out of a car parking space with 2 huge SUV's beside you, your vision for pedestrians or other cars etc is impaired and this is backed up the the fact that SUV drivers say "I can see everything coz I am up high" , I never mentioned tailgating, but the fact is these things impair vision both for themselves at times and others and contrary to astraboy it is not just about me, its about being considerate to your fellow road users.

Fair enough, but what make/model are the SUV's you describe as huge? Consideration for other road users is a given for me, I don't care what you drive. Like I said, judge the driver not on what they drive but how they drive it.

Cmar-Ireland

This is a great thread to read, very entertaining! But inherently futile. Neither side is going to back down on the issue. The axles of evil brigade will always hate SUV/4x4's despite what any of the owners say. And the pro SUV/4x4 crowd won't be swayed by any of the arguments of the anti's.
At the end of the day, to each their own IMO.
I have driven many cars and 4x4's in my 17 years of driving and each have their own merits, and shortcomings.
IMO most cars are not safe driving along our typical meandering country lanes, but the higher 4x4 are safer due to the increased visibility they provide. And your less likely to damage a 4x4 if you have to pull into the ditch to allow another vehicle past.
However, 4x4's can be intimidating to other road users, not helped by the fact that *some* owners have an air of arrogance about them.
On the other hand, if your easily intimated on the road, perhaps you shouldn't be there.
The "I can't see past them" "They're to big" "They use too much fuel" arguments are so petty that they have become comical.

As you can read, I do like SUV/4x4's and will be trading in my current car (a 5 series estate, before anyone asks) for one next time. Probably an X5.
At the end of the day, I'm pro-choice. It's up to the individual to choose their mode of transport, no-one has the right to object to that choice.
Nor should anyone have to justify why they choose a particular vehicle.

Peace!

prospect

lightening wrote: »

Is mine though?

I'd have to say yes.

(Terms & Conditions Apply)

stackerman

Well said my friend ! Now if you could come up with a way of stopping the extremist few from 'keying' 4x4's. . . . . . Mine has been done twice :mad:

lightening

Cmar-Ireland wrote: »

MO most cars are not safe driving along our typical meandering country lanes, but the higher 4x4 are safer due to the increased visibility they provide.

Incorrect I'm afraid.

4x4's are great if you need to go offroad, or if you need to tow, farm, push... etc. For bringing the kids to school, they are a bit impractical.

If you don't need to do any of the above, but if you feel you need a 4x4 thats your choice.... a silly choice I'm afraid. A bit like bringing a mountain bike to the Tour De France!

dodgyme

astraboy wrote: »

Consideration for other road users is a given for me, I don't care what you drive.

oxymoron

lightening

keving wrote: »

Well said my friend ! Now if you could come up with a way of stopping the extremist few from 'keying' 4x4's. . . . . . Mine has been done twice :mad:

Thats just wrong. No reason for anyone to do that.

prospect

lightening wrote: »

a silly choice I'm afraid. A bit like bringing a mountain bike to the Tour De France!

Not really,

People compete in the TdeF to win, so the best tool for the job is required. A 4x4 & a Car will both bring the kids to school equally well.


What if the next Gen. of Golf GTI is 4x4 for increased grip......

And then they release the Golf Plus in a GTI mode and the 4x4, for the person who has a family and needs to get out of the regular Golf.....

At what point does it cease to be a 'car' and start being an 'SUV'?

lightening

prospect wrote: »

At what point does it cease to be a 'car' and start being an 'SUV'?

When it has good offroad ability, lots of torc, and starts loosing road handling I guess.

Biro

prospect wrote: »

Not really,

People compete in the TdeF to win, so the best tool for the job is required. A 4x4 & a Car will both bring the kids to school equally well.


What if the next Gen. of Golf GTI is 4x4 for increased grip......

And then they release the Golf Plus in a GTI mode and the 4x4, for the person who has a family and needs to get out of the regular Golf.....

At what point does it cease to be a 'car' and start being an 'SUV'?

The problem is the height. A lot of people (it has to be said, women more so) like being high in a car. For the most part, these same people don't care for the handling ability and chassis dynamics of a sporty orientated car. A Golf Plus is designed for the people who like height. A Passat estate is designed to effectively carry a family of 5 and their significant luggage with ease, something a Golf plus can't do nearly as well. You can get an M5 touring and an RS4 avant, which are fine. It's where they try to cross a high vehicle with the sports orientated vehicle that the car enthusiasts have the problem! An M version of the X5 would be wrong, like an RS-Q7 would be wrong. Same with a GTI Golf Plus.

prospect

lightening wrote: »

When it has good offroad ability, lots of torc, and starts loosing road handling I guess.

Well, that eliminates most of the current batch of what are currently defined as "SUV's"

astraboy

dodgyme wrote: »

oxymoron

Not really, I show all road users respect and courtesy, and I don't per judge them on who they are based on what they drive. If a person is an ignorant so and so in a sports car or an SUV, I'm not going to make preconceptions about other drivers of similar vehicles, like you are. If I see someone driving a Golf Gti, I'll probably think, "That person is a car fan" but I wont make negative judgements until I see how they drive. What age are you incidentally? You seem to have no interest in contributing to the debate and just want to get a reaction out of me. Sad in a way.

lightening

prospect wrote: »

Well, that eliminates most of the current batch of what are currently defined as "SUV's"

I guess its a matter of opinion in what one regards and handling not too well. Compared to all the cars I have owned, any SUV I have driven handles like a ship! (including that Quashqai, I don't know what category that falls in to)

Biro

lightening wrote: »

I guess its a matter of opinion in what one regards and handling not too well. Compared to all the cars I have owned, any SUV I have driven handles like a ship! (including that Quashqai, I don't know what category that falls in to)

I think it's an opinion as to what someone would prefer, but a good handling car can be argued to that end effectively.
Basically, if someone says that a Lotus Elise doesn't handle well, they are wrong. If they say that they don't like the way it handles, then we can't argue with that!

lightening

Biro wrote: »

I think it's an opinion as to what someone would prefer, but a good handling car can be argued to that end effectively.
Basically, if someone says that a Lotus Elise doesn't handle well, they are wrong. If they say that they don't like the way it handles, then we can't argue with that!

Yep... true. I just find the SUV's bouncy and sloppy. I feel a lack of control if you know what I mean.,

Cmar-Ireland

lightening wrote: »

4x4's are great if you need to go offroad, or if you need to tow, farm, push... etc. For bringing the kids to school, they are a bit impractical.

If you don't need to do any of the above, but if you feel you need a 4x4 thats your choice.... a silly choice I'm afraid. A bit like bringing a mountain bike to the Tour De France!

Exactly, it's your choice. Regardless as to whether you think it's silly or not.
The school run thing has been done to death. A badly driven/parked 4x4 is a hinderence on the road, but equally a badly driven MPV/Saloon/Hatchback/SuperMini etc etc is just as much of a hinderence.

prospect

lightening wrote: »

I guess its a matter of opinion in what one regards and handling not too well. Compared to all the cars I have owned, any SUV I have driven handles like a ship! (including that Quashqai, I don't know what category that falls in to)

I have driven quite a few different cars & SUVs also,

And it is true that alot of cars handle better than SUVs, I also think it is reasonable to say that no SUV I have driven has ever handled so badly that it was dangerous.

I often wonder why people (not pointed at any poster in particular) don't consider the varying degrees of difference between vehicles. e.g. My car handles better than your SUV, so therefore you will 100% absoloutely die if you continue to drive it. When the reality is, the difference in handling can only really be noticed when driving at high speeds on windy roads, which you shouldn't be doing in the first place.

WHITE_P

astraboy wrote: »

Fair enough, but what make/model are the SUV's you describe as huge? Consideration for other road users is a given for me, I don't care what you drive. Like I said, judge the driver not on what they drive but how they drive it.

x2

lightening

prospect wrote: »

I often wonder why people (not pointed at any poster in particular)

I know you mean me!!!:p

prospect wrote: »

When the reality is, the difference in handling can only really be noticed when driving at high speeds on windy roads, which you shouldn't be doing in the first place.

Yeah, I see what you mean. I just feel safer in a car in an emergency, an avoidance swerve etc... The other reason people are banging on about the fact that cars are safer is that a lot of people are convinced that the SUV's are much much safer simply because they are higher and have big wheels.

Again, I'm not enraged about what people drive, I would love a Lamborghini, that's practical! I just think its silly in some cases.

prospect

lightening wrote: »

a lot of people are convinced that the SUV's are much much safer simply because they are higher and have big wheels.

It is like football,
Over confidence is the mother of all fu*k-ups...


The funny thing is, I agree with some of what the 'Anti' brigade spout out, what I don;t agree with is the oversights and generalisations:

Not all SUVs are uneconomical
Not all SUVs are safe
Not all SUV drivers are dangerous drivers
Not all SUV drivers have a superiority complex

And the same applies to cars.


And what makes me laugh most is people giving out about the Soccor Mom who drives her SUV 2 miles to drop her 3 kids to school every day.
But,
the choose to ignore the thousands of Business Execs driving their huge heavy 3L+ cars hundreds of miles a week, with no passangers or luggage...

unkel

Biro wrote: »

An M version of the X5 would be wrong, like an RS-Q7 would be wrong.

How about a G-class AMG?



Or an LM002?

Biro

Na, both are impressive in a way, but they're a halfway house.
Now a bowler wildcat on the other hand... that's the real off road vehicle!

thebman

prospect wrote: »

It is like football,
Over confidence is the mother of all fu*k-ups...


The funny thing is, I agree with some of what the 'Anti' brigade spout out, what I don;t agree with is the oversights and generalisations:

Not all SUVs are uneconomical
Not all SUVs are safe
Not all SUV drivers are dangerous drivers
Not all SUV drivers have a superiority complex

And the same applies to cars.


And what makes me laugh most is people giving out about the Soccor Mom who drives her SUV 2 miles to drop her 3 kids to school every day.
But,
the choose to ignore the thousands of Business Execs driving their huge heavy 3L+ cars hundreds of miles a week, with no passangers or luggage...

That really depends on what your objection is to an SUV. Your assuming the entire anti-argument hates SUV because they aren't a green friendly car or other such nonsense? Who's labelling who now?

Personally I don't have a problem with someone who drives hundreds of miles every week buying a 3L exec car as they come will bells and whistles for those people and if you drive your car that much, its like your second home so I wouldn't give them a hard time about it.

I dislike a lot of the SUV's on the market because they don't really do anything well. It has nothing to do with their drivers.

I use a distinction to bring Landcruisers and the like into a category of Jeeps or off roaders as they are actually useful for people that need high ground clearance and the ability to tow stuff across fields or constructions sites or whatever. Don't have a problem with those.

A lot of these wannabe Jeeps are terrible at most things though. They have space which an estate would anyway or a people carrier and the only other thing they seem to have is ground clearance that isn't required considering most people drive them on roads all the time.

Rovi

Biro wrote: »

Na, both are impressive in a way, but they're a halfway house.
Now a bowler wildcat on the other hand... that's the real off road vehicle!

Would a Tomcat do?-

DeBeere

unkel wrote: »

How about a G-class AMG?

Such an awesome Suv!

The new X5 is one SUV that seems to break all the rules. Its handling is as good as many cars Ive driven and it has speed to match.

In my opinion it drives much more like a car than any other SUV or CUV I have seen. That said it will barley climb a hill if it has to!

dodgyme

astraboy wrote: »

I'm not going to make preconceptions about other drivers of similar vehicles, like you are. If I see someone driving a Golf Gti, I'll probably think, "That person is a car fan" .

??

oxymoron number 2

prospect

brim4brim wrote: »

I use a distinction to bring Landcruisers and the like into a category of Jeeps or off roaders as they are actually useful for people that need high ground clearance and the ability to tow stuff across fields or constructions sites or whatever. Don't have a problem with those.

And what gives you the right to make that judgement?

I don't think the Mini One is useful for much, but that is no reason for me to continually create threads to air a petty grievance.


To all you mnosey nanny staters, I say each to their own and long live choice.