Re: What do you drive?
 

ahhhhhhh...gotcha! LOL (Maine weirdos!)

Re: What do you drive?
 

I'll keep an eye out for ya...

Re: What do you drive?
 

It really sucks in the snow.

Re: What do you drive?
 

Mine:
'96 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 coupe
'04 Land Rover Discovery SD7
Hers:
'04 Mini Cooper S

No yank tanks here!

Re: What do you drive?
 

My FrontWD matrix handles superb in the snow many a time I've cruised past large trucks that have failed in the kind of weather I LOVE!

-17c wind chill at the moment :thumbup:

Re: What do you drive?
 

Currently -13c and 8F here...



Driving back from Kansas City on Sunday, I lost count of the vehicles either on the shoulder or in the median in various states of wreckage. Some were just facing the wrong way, one was flipped on it's roof, another was completely destroyed after smashing through a guardrail and hitting a bridge piling. This was, I reckon the aftermath of Thursday night's blizzard. It only dumped about 8-10 inches of snow, but the first hour was sleet which is slicker than snot, and with the 40-50 mile an hour winds visibility was low.

What was interesting was the variety of vehicles "in the ditch". The overturned and bridge piling wrecks were both 4x4 pickups and were both wrecked in the median, which tells me they were *possibly* in the fast lane when they lost it. There were two later model Firebirds which is also kind of what you would expect. But the rest were smaller front wheel drive cars, a Honda Civic and a Mazda 3 are two that I remember.

Rear wheel drive cars (especially high performance types, Mustangs, Firebirds etc... ) and 2wd pickups have to be the worst kinds of vehicles in snow. 4x4 will help a truck, but it doesn't make you invincible. You still have to slow down and use the brakes as little as possible. Tires make a big difference, as does adding weight over the rear axle. This of course is all in conditions where there is still some traction to be had, on ice nothing works except studded tires or chains.

I commute a fair distance to work and I've driven home in some pretty rough conditions. Driving 50+ miles at 25mph in ice and snow isn't my idea of fun, but I've found that the only thing that will help any vehicle cope with those conditions is the way you drive. Decrease speed and pay attention to what everyone else around you is doing. If you see a guy half a mile ahead of you hit his brakes, let up on the gas in case he starts spinning. Turn on your indicator a long time before you change lanes to allow other people to adjust, pay attention to the character of the road ahead and slow down even further well in advance of any curves, sharp turns etc... Use the transmission to slow down instead of the brakes as much as possible.


Then pray to God some idiot doesn't pull out right in front of you at the bottom of an icy hill.:rolleyes:

Re: What do you drive?
 

Maybe no Yank Tanks, but a big reliability problem ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover#Quality

Extract ....

...Land Rover marque ranked last on the US J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Survey for 2005 (published 8 July 2005)
...In August 2006, Land Rover was rated in last place in the J.D. Power US reliability survey, which looked at three year ownership experience for 2003 model year cars.[28] Land Rover acknowledged the problems and attributed them to electrical issues following the change from BMW to Jaguar supplied engines.
...Tied for last (with Hummer and Porsche) in the 2006 Consumer Reports (US) car reliability survey. It was only one of 6 makes that did not have a model whose reliability was "Good" or above
...Ranked second-to-last in the 2007 Consumer Reports (US) car reliability survey
...It also was ranked as one of the 3 least reliable over the last 10 years in 2007
...Land Rover Discovery 6th-from-the-bottom of 100 models for reliability in an Auto Express 2002 survey in the UK.

Re: What do you drive?
 

Yep...I had a new LR3 two years ago. Had several major problems with it...glad to see the back of it. Likewise hubby had a XJ8...never again.:thumbdown:

Gone back to German cars now. :thumbsup:

Re: What do you drive?
 

I want to know where this new Dodge Detonator looks different to the one I already drive The Nitro :confused: ..Yes I can see it's yellow but!! looks wise whats the differance?

http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/08/auto...show/index.htm

Re: What do you drive?
 

Colour co-ordinated bumpers? :D

Re: What do you drive?
 

lol So you agree its the same damn car..what a swindle.

Re: What do you drive?
 

You just want to get the yellow one;)

Re: What do you drive?
 

Well that's almost "out of the frying pan, into the fire" - albeit a mild fire ...
In this rating list (with '1' being top), Audi and BMW are 5; MBZ 6; VW 8. By comparison, Toyota 1, Lexus 2, Infinity, Honda 3. (Buick at #1 ... woah! )

This report suggests similar results:

(extract):
Asian brands still in command

Of the 48 models with top reliability scores, 36 are Asian—Toyota accounts for 18; Honda, eight; Nissan, four; and Hyundai/Kia and Subaru, three each. With only a few exceptions, Japanese vehicles are consistently good. All Honda and Acura products have average or above average reliability. ...

Models from Nissan and its Infiniti luxury division have mostly been very reliable. ...

Hyundai and Kia continue to make reliable cars. The Hyundai Elantra and Tucson, and the Kia Sportage get top marks. ...

European models continue to rally


European brands continue to improve. Mercedes-Benz has significantly rebounded, with most models average or better ... Scores from rival BMW are more mixed. The 535i sedan and X3 SUV declined in reliability, and the 135i, debuting in this survey, scores below average. Some BMW models have average or better reliability, but the 328i versions are the only ones that we have tested and can Recommend.

Volkswagen and Audi are also staging a nice reliability recovery. The Volkswagen Rabbit (Golf) and the new CC earn top scores. The VW Jetta’s Recommendation now extends to the diesel version, making it the only diesel Consumer Reports currently recommends.

Both the VW Passat and Audi A3 have improved so that they now have average reliability scores. The new VW Tiguan SUV is average. The Audi Q7 SUV continues to be much worse than average, but not as bad as its plat¬form mate, the VW Touareg, which not only scores poorly but has the worst new-car predicted reliability score in the survey.

Re: What do you drive?
 

Not in this lifetime, Canary Yellow coming from Norwich City :rolleyes:

Re: What do you drive?
 

Interesting. However, the '04 Discovery had a lot less problems than the '03. Sure, they're not Hondas- but I'd still drive one over any Yank contraption any day! As for the Porsche- mine is a 993- commonly believed to be the best 911 ever built. 14 years old and it hasn't let me down yet! Mini has a few problems- always has had- but I rarely drive it.

YMMV.

Cheers,

Paul.