Small Cars!
Is it just me, I am getting really fed up with all this hysteria about carbon pollution.
I fully accept that we must do something to reduce global & atmospheric pollution, but why pick on the motorist every time? How much more pollution comes from heavy industry, HGV's and even some public transport. although I do accept huge strides in improving
the latter in recent years.
But this drive against the motorist has meant that its almost impossible to buy a decent sized car today or get a decent engine. Nearly all cars seem to be going below 1 litre and often down to 3 cylinders.
Yes I know, - someone will point out that the power has been maintained & often improved etc etc. But just how long will those over blown and highly stressed engines last? What will they be like at aged 5 or 6 years ?
An even bigger problem is coming for our hobby. Many of the new generation very clean engines are great for top end performance but have very poor low end & low speed torque.
Take my own car as an example Its a Merc V6 3 litre with stump pulling low end Torque! But its five years old now & I was thinking of changing it but its very difficult.
The 3 litre V6 has been replaced in the range by a 2.1 litre 4 cylinder. its top end performance is up, but its smoothness and low end "Grunt" has gone. Without spending shed loads of money I cant find a decent 3 litre V6 anywhere. I love one of the series
4 Discoveries but their prices are now out of my range. I guess that Merc will have to soldier on!
TF
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We have a Peugeot 508 2lt diesel. All I care about is:
a) it pulls our caravan with no problem; and
b) its £30.00 road tax because of the polution.
I don't really bother with anything else. If its pollution you're looking at look at China and India and most of Asia - they are the worse polluters on the planet
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If you are paying a for Road Fund license, who cares, I don't, hope you are well TF
Admiral
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Thanks for asking Admiral. Under two specialists now, one for the back & going into Hosp for treatment soon, and one for the sleeping disorder. So at least things are being looked at.
I do realise that China and India are far far worse polluters than us, which is why I asked why keep picking on the motorist, or is it really because we are the simple and vulnerable target?
I think the cheap tax business is overblown, tombar is pleased because he only pays £30. But in 10 years of motoring that probably only costs £2,000 less than a much bigger and less stressed engine. I wonder which one will be in better condition after many
years of service?TF
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We were developing countries once, so it seems kinda wrong to point the finger at the likes of India and China who have an abundance of coal. Personally I'm at an age where I don't care and will do/use whatever to enjoy my pastime.
But yes, I am having a very hard job to decide on my next towcar, its all 1.6 to 2.0 litre engines.
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The problem I have with small cars is when they're parked beside a bigger one. You think there's a space and then you have to go looking for another!
the great thing about small cars is an easy 50+ mpg, about £30 to fill up, and i can (literally) park it in the spaces most folk drive by...
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But I bet my big mill with its slow revving engine will have years of life left when your "toy" engine is all worn out!
TF
You tell 'em TF
Admiral
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But I bet my big mill with its slow revving engine will have years of life left when your "toy" engine is all worn out!
TF
You tell 'em TF
Admiral
i doubt that Ill notice....the car only does about 2500 miles a year, so many years of pottering yet....
...the Mh does around 5k miles and the electric bike does around 3k miles a year...
..so only 25% of my total mileage is done in our small car....
.oh, legs have probably done several thousand, too
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I'm not so sure about the inability of small cars to cope either. How many of us have been joined on the autoroute by a 2CV loaded to gunwhales charging along with its little engine screaming away for mile after mile. They seem almost indestructible. Bit
like the Top Gear Hilux.0
