How many of you drive SUV's?

Cmar-Ireland

prospect wrote: »

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

+1


I have a feeling this thread is going to spur some people on to buy an SUV

Gumbo

dodgyme wrote: »

??

im oxymoron number 2

thebman

prospect wrote: »

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.

Firstly, I can choose to make whatever judgments I like. Secondly I didn't start the thread.

Thirdly, I never said I wanted to ban SUV's or stop people driving them. I do think anyone that buys an SUV that can't go off road is a fool and believe it or not, I can choose to have that opinion too.

I don't think large vehicles should be allowed in the City Centre (unless they can justify that it) during peak hours because there isn't enough room for them. Even if everyone only had a Mini One, there still wouldn't be enough room for all the cars although there would be room for a lot more.

Mostly its the governments fault for inadequate public transport, broadband and almost every other infrastructure requirement we have, making more people have to drive to work than want to or need to.

AckwelFoley

I do think anyone that buys an SUV that can't go off road is a fool and believe it or not, I can choose to have that opinion too

Then its not an SUV. Its a big car.

Gumbo

brim4brim wrote: »

Firstly, I can choose to make whatever judgments I like. Secondly I didn't start the thread.

Thirdly, I never said I wanted to ban SUV's or stop people driving them. I do think anyone that buys an SUV that can't go off road is a fool and believe it or not, I can choose to have that opinion too.

I don't think large vehicles should be allowed in the City Centre (unless they can justify that it) during peak hours because there isn't enough room for them. Even if everyone only had a Mini One, there still wouldn't be enough room for all the cars although there would be room for a lot more.

Mostly its the governments fault for inadequate public transport, broadband and almost every other infrastructure requirement we have, making more people have to drive to work than want to or need to.

1000 mini coopers take some the same amount of car parking spaces as 1000 bmw x5's.

thebman

snyper wrote: »

Then its not an SUV. Its a big car.

Well I'd agree but it is what most car manufacturers label as their SUV range these days so I prefer to refer to an actual off roader as a Jeep to avoid confusion with people.

kceire wrote: »

1000 mini coopers take some the same amount of car parking spaces as 1000 bmw x5's.

Not really. If all cars became 200 mm shorter and narrower, you could repaint the lines in car parks and get extra spaces. Then there are the monsters of vehicles that can't fit in one car space and either take up 1 and and half making the other one useless or stick out at the back, slowing traffic down as they have to go around and in the cases of other large vehicles like buses, this can involve waiting for a break in traffic from the other direction in some cases.

Gumbo

brim4brim wrote: »

Well I'd agree but it is what most car manufacturers label as their SUV range these days so I prefer to refer to an actual off roader as a Jeep to avoid confusion with people.



Not really. If all cars became 200 mm shorter and narrower, you could repaint the lines in car parks and get extra spaces. Then there are the monsters of vehicles that can't fit in one car space and either take up 1 and and half making the other one useless or stick out at the back, slowing traffic down as they have to go around and in the cases of other large vehicles like buses, this can involve waiting for a break in traffic from the other direction in some cases.

reinventing the circle here mate.
car parking spots are 2.4 meters ide by 4.8 meters long therefore nearly all cars can fit in one. cars that over hang at the rear blocking traffic is just a case of bad parking and can be done in a mine just as much as it can be done in a volvo xc90.

250882

1000 minis may take up the same space as 1000 landcruisers but there would probably be less dinted mini doors:D

I live in the country and drive a 4x4, dont like it much but I need to have one to tow my boat trailer. I would much rather an audi A4 2.5 quattro.
My 4x4 is much LESS comfortable on country roads it bounces too much, it corners like a dog and feels downright dangerous when you go around a corner too fast and it has pittiful accelleration for the size of engine. It exaggerates every element of control, too much accelleration and the rear slides out, brake and the front goes down(ABS kicks in nearly immediately no matter how softly you brake) steering was designed for maximum control at slow speeds so it becomes very jerky on normal road conditions.

It just doesnt feel safe to drive and I would question anybody with the opinion that a 4x4 is safer for their family, how many of you actually know the NCAP rating of your 4x4?

I like the ground clearance. (already broke the engine cover off the bottom of my girlfriends car) and the fact that I can drive off road means I do so more often (scenic mountain drives I wouldnt do otherwise). It really is hard to justify driving it all the time but my next car will be a 4x4 and so probably will the one after that.

Given the choice I would take my girlfriends car most places, its more fun to drive and much more comfortable and personally I feel better able to avoid an accident in it(better brakes, acceleration, steering).

astraboy

dodgyme wrote: »

??

oxymoron number 2

I meant negative preconceptions, I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps you should give it a try. Now are you going to stay here all week and try and annoy me or are you going to contribute to the debate?

astraboy

brim4brim wrote: »

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.

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.

I agree there, but if a person is fooled into the marketing that a BMW x3 is worth approx 14 grand more then a 3 series, thats their problem! Personally if I pay an extra 14 grand for a car I perfer it to look better, handle better and drive better then a model priced lower then it!:D

Anan1

astraboy wrote: »

Personally if I pay an extra 14 grand for a car I perfer it to look better, handle better and drive better then a model priced lower then it!:D

Kind of rules out most SUVs for you so, doesn't it?;)

Anan1

prospect wrote: »

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

For my part,I agree with all of the above. Particularly the second and fourth ones.:)

astraboy

Anan1 wrote: »

Kind of rules out most SUVs for you so, doesn't it?;)

Suppose it does! I don't drive one BTW! I have an alfa 156 as I said earlier. I just believe in freedom of choice. If SUV's are banned(or their ownership restrained with draconian measures), then sports cars are next, then convertibles, then any car over a certain cc.

If I ever buy one, it would be to go off road and tow a trailer. I'm thinking land rover defender here. I'd far prefer a nice 5 series to an x5, a nissan 350z to a pathfinder. But if a consumer wishes to pay for one and uses it correctly, thats their business alone.

Anan1

astraboy wrote: »

Suppose it does! I don't drive one BTW! I have an alfa 156 as I said earlier. I just believe in freedom of choice. If SUV's are banned(or their ownership restrained with draconian measures), then sports cars are next, then convertibles, then any car over a certain cc.

Nice car, i've always loved the 156. I'm all for freedom of choice, but it has to be paired with social responsibility. My freedom to swing my fist ends where your nose begins and all that.:)

coolbeans

Anyway I had an incident recently where I was coming down the road towards my home when a neighbours kid ran straight out in front of me (this kid is tiny) and had I not being driving a Landcruiser I wouldn't have seen him, till it was TOO late. Now I was driving very slowly anyway as there is always kids around (my own included) and they just have no road sense. I stopped in plenty of time and he carried on oblivious to what happened.

I honestly can't see how being in a landcrusier helped you see that kid better. That's beside the point though.
If you wanna talk about safety though consider this.
How about a large 4x4's longer braking distances due to increased weight and height compared to a car of similar dimensions, for comparison's sake, a Volvo V70? The V70 will always stop first in an emergency stop situation.

Stark

A saloon car's bonnet will generally do less damage as well if an impact does occur. That's even if the SUV doesn't have bull bars on the front of it, which could take up a thread of their own.

Cmar-Ireland

coolbeans wrote: »

I honestly can't see how being in a landcrusier helped you see that kid better.

So having an 2 foot height advantage for seeing over walls etc will not help you seeing more :rolleyes:

Maybe you should go to an optician?

astraboy

Anan1 wrote: »

Nice car, i've always loved the 156. I'm all for freedom of choice, but it has to be paired with social responsibility. My freedom to swing my fist ends where your nose begins and all that.:)

Cheers man, I love driving it. Agree with what you said, once someone in a land cruiser does not effect me, I say fair play to them.

coolbeans

Cmar-Ireland wrote: »

So having an 2 foot height advantage for seeing over walls etc will not help you seeing more :rolleyes:

Maybe you should go to an optician?

If you're driving around an area with kids you shouldn't need to be able to see over walls to see them:eek: I'd imagine they'd be in front of you instead of over the wall:). Any what 'jeep' has two thirds of a metre height advantage over the average saloon.

leincar

Hi there,

I'm not bothered about 4x4's either way in fact if offered a Q7 would bite the hand but, travelling home from Dublin city today at Hueston station I saw the best car sticker on the back of a Q7.

"My carbon footprint is bigger then yours"

I love it.