buying a car

Why is it so difficult to find the right car? We love our trusty VW Golf Plus with its 1.9 Diesel engine. Solid, reliable and very economical - BUT like me, getting a bit long in the tooth.

A new diesel is not advised because they have Particulate filters that make them a bad choice for short journeys. Petrol seems OK, however this is not the stumbling block.

Why do so many cars not have spare wheels? They just have a repair outfit which is limited in its effectivness. Why is there a trend to do away with the handbrake and just have a button that works an electric brake?
Worst of all, why, why, why do they have a dashboard that looks like Starship Enterprise swimming in acres of plastic. All flash and no style and gizmos that you don't need and don't want.

Why the hell can't I just get a reliable modern car without all this cr@p? There are firms that rebuild Morris Minor Travellers with new engines, uprated brakes, steering etc..

I feel very tempted to get one.

Re: buying a car

I need a new car..I'm not too keen on the current fashion of your engine stopping when you sit for a minute at red lights...The number I have seen ''marooned'' on busy roads when the engine has failed to start up again!!

Re: buying a car

I don't blame you !
With all the above you list, why do away with the 'proper' rubber bumpers !

Re: buying a car

We've only ever bought used cars, usually a Cavalier but 3 years ago after our Cavalier was completely shot, we just happened to stumble upon a '99 Buick LeSabre for $4,000! We got it & loved it, it was luxury compared to the Cavalier.

Then a few months later, the engine blew. We decided to have the whole engine replaced because everything else about this car was wonderful, no rust either.

It cost us another $3,000 for another engine but even though we're definitely not rich, $7,000 for a Buick is still a terrific deal.

Re: buying a car

Lilac, the stop-start function on cars can be turned off, but it must be done at the start of every journey. This is to preserve the car's "eco credentials" and therefore, the low road tax .

Today I was shown a Ford C-max. A prime example of being 'flashy' without being either stylish or refined. On the plus side, the seating position as very good, the boot was spacious, it had a spare wheel and a handbrake..
BUT....
it looked cheap and plasticky
The boot lid was electrically operated
the dashboard and stearing wheel had more switches and buttons than an areoplane - most apparently to operate the radio/something called bluetooth (some sort of dental disease), but very little relevent to driving the car.

This wasn't a car, it was a box of 'toys' with a wheel at each corner.
To be fair to Ford, they are by no means alone in this urge to cram as many gadgets into a car as possible.

By contrast, the only gadgets my car has are... remote central locking, a Radio/CD player, Air-con, heated rear view mirrors and electric window open/close. Clean, simple and starts first turn of the key every time. (the Ford doesn't have a key)

Re: buying a car

Can't beat the good old mahogany dashboards with instruments you could read at any angle e.g. Jaguar.

Re: buying a car

I fully concur George , I so miss my old Volvo 440 built like a tank and I still forget what half the buttons do on my newer tin box.

When I went out with my son last week we borrowed his wife's Audi and had a puncture.
What a performance we had working out what to do with the temporary tyre and all the kit. With old cars you just whack on the spare in 5 minutes ..