# Spoilt Bastard!



## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Every now and then, one gets a motoring reality check, which helps to put things in perspective. Â Most here are fortunate to drive quality cars. Â But what of the fleece-wearing M&S-suited masses?

My reality check has come from by latest steed, dropped off by Avis yesterday, whilst the tractor is in having a bit of physiotherapy after it's tussle with Â scaffolding truck. 

The mighty Vauxhall Vectra 1.8LS. Â There will be no slotting in and out of gaps or acclerating up hills for me for a few days then.

What can I say about it after 30 miles? (I'm avoiding all customer visits this week). Â Well it's very quiet and not badly put together. Â That's it.

The interior is ghastly with a hard plastic sharp edged steering wheel that is the least pleasant I have held for some time. Â It would help if it felt attached to the front wheels. Â My trawler had more steering feel. Â It is very difficult to see out as the thing is so high and whilst it has a all the interior cues (remote radio) lots of shiney bits - the materials are brittle and cheap, and I would imagine that the average 2.4 kids would dismantle it and dispatch half of it to the bin within a few months. Â

I won't bother with the driving impressions. Â With all that weight, no clutch feel, and 1.8 of lutons finest, it can barely get out of it's own way.

That's because I've been spolit buy decent machines. Â I used to rep in a 2.0 Cavalier and rack up stellar mileages. Â Many innocent people will be sentenced to spend 3 years and 100,000 miles with one of these, dreaming of overtaking with power in reserve; turning in with plenty of feel and grip; sitting on comfortable seats with a decent stereo.

Conversely, many average families will dream of being able to buy and run a Â£15K Vectra, so they can go shopping at the weekends, visit the coast on bank holidays, and there grannies when theye are ill. Â Doubtelss it will get cleaned and strimmed on sundays too - with pride.

And there's me 'dissing' the car. Â Spoilt Bastard? Â Damn right, and I'd spend my Â£15K on a 3 year old Audi/BMW any day. 

What's your reality check?


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

> and I would imagine that the average 2.4 kids would dismantle it and dispatch half of it to the bin within a few months. Â


And imagine what the monkeys at longleat could do to it


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

> With all that weight, no clutch feel, and 1.8 of lutons finest, it can barely get out of it's own way.


LOL ;D


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

> Spoilt Bastard


Tut tut! Only a few days as a moderator and you are already in trouble. The 'holier than thou' tt-quattro brigade will be over in a bit telling you off for such language and letting forum standards slip Gary! 

Come on, shape up or ship out! ;D


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Tut tut! Only a few days as a moderator and you are already in trouble. The 'holier than thou' tt-quattro brigade will be over in a bit telling you off for such language and letting forum standards slip Gary! Â
> 
> Come on, shape up or ship out! Â ;D


But, but, but, but Â I was born out of wedlock and over-indulged as a child....ergo spolit bastard  ;D


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## bec21tt (Feb 27, 2003)

Driving a 1.0l Corsa for two days whilst the TT was in for repair.

I used to own a 1.2l, about 8years ago, then it was great, but having gradually progressed in the engine size and performance of a car, Oh it was depressing. I couldn't even get it to do 70mph on the motorway, and that was going down hill!

The colour didn't help either - mint green! [smiley=sick2.gif]


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

I actually have a similar confession:

When my TT (I think) was in having its bumper repaired I got a shiny new 206 106. I had kicked up like buggery to get a car as I needed to get to heathrow for a flight. I picked the car up, & after about 5 miles I hated it so much I left it in a layby, & went by train. I picked it up a week later once my car was repaired.

Even small things like the wobbly square windows made me cringe, so 5ish miles were more than enough for me!


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

My reality check is twice a week teaching a friend to drive in a 10 year old peugeot 205 GRD! I get ti drive it for about an hour a week. That makes me _really_ appreciate my car.


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## NickP (May 6, 2002)

> My reality check has come from by latest steed, dropped off by Avis yesterday, whilst the tractor is in having a bit of physiotherapy after it's tussle with Â scaffolding truck.
> 
> The mighty Vauxhall Vectra 1.8LS. Â There will be no slotting in and out of gaps or acclerating up hills for me for a few days then.


Make out theres something wrong with the car, and get it swapped...the Alfa 156 and VW Passat are in the same group ;D


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

My reality check came when the lovely government's 3% stamp duty forced me to part with my 225TTR after just 5 weeks.

Having owned 2 225s, I went back to a 6 year old Rover 620 SLi.. nice.

But then, as has been said, at least I got to drive a TT. Most people will never get the pleasure of owning one.

Mart.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> My reality check is twice a week teaching a friend to drive in a 10 year old peugeot 205 GRD! I get ti drive it for about an hour a week. That makes me _really_ appreciate my car.


I reckon that a 205D may in fact be more satisfying to drive than the Vectra.


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## Wolfsburger (Oct 21, 2002)

I guess you are a spoilt bastard then!

I own a fleece and an M&S suit. :


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> I guess you are a spoilt bastard then!
> 
> I own a fleece and an M&S suit. :


Figure of speech


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

No M&S suit, but I do own plenty of fleeces. As a geology grad it would be hard not to.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

My reality check came with twenty minutes in a brand new MB320CDI. Great car if you spend your whole life on a motorway, otherwise it is just a characterless domestic appliance. Life is to short to spend more than 20 seconds driving a fridge.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Listen, can we get off fleeces, and back onto being spoilt with our cars?


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## kingcutter (Aug 1, 2003)

> Listen, can we get off fleeces, and back onto being spoilt with our cars?


i am not spoilt i work hard for my wheels and bollocks to everyone else  i don't feel lucky or privileged and i have loads of bloody fleeces ;D


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Feels 'Fleeces, the least imaginative garment on the planet' Flame coming on.'


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## paulb (May 6, 2002)

I went from a TT to a Vectra out of choice. I didn't thinkthe A4 of the same age I drove was 2.5 times as good as my Vectra but was 2.5 times the price. Still with the V6 under the bonnet it goes a bit better than many.

It really makes me appreciate my proper sports car when I get to drive it!


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## Steve_Mc (May 6, 2002)

Had the pleasure of a 1.0 (IIRC) Micra a few years ago while the TTR was in the bodyshop. A real turd on wheels.

The carpark of the bodyshop was on an incline, and as I tired to hill start it I couldn't find the biting point (combination of lack of power plus overlong clutch). Cue Micra rolling backwards towards car park barrier, and I almost felt I had improved it cosmetically by re-arranging its rear end slightly ;-)


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> I went from a TT to a Vectra out of choice. I didn't thinkthe A4 of the same age I drove was 2.5 times as good as my Vectra but was 2.5 times the price. Still with the V6 under the bonnet it goes a bit better than many.
> 
> It really makes me appreciate my proper sports car when I get to drive it!


I had a V6 Vectra back in '95. Was OK until it broke.

OK, they made me redundant and I drove 50 miles up the motorway in 1st on the rev limiter; followed by 10 100-0 emergency stops; and an intersting hill start exercise in 5th gear with lots of slip before handing it back - but it still broke 

Actually the bottom end fell out and a drive shaft broke within a week of my sucessor taking over the car, once I'd gone. Heh, heh. ;D


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Had the pleasure of a 1.0 (IIRC) Micra a few years ago while the TTR was in the bodyshop. A real turd on wheels.
> 
> The carpark of the bodyshop was on an incline, and as I tired to hill start it I couldn't find the biting point (combination of lack of power plus overlong clutch). Cue Micra rolling backwards towards car park barrier, and I almost felt I had improved it cosmetically by re-arranging its rear end slightly ;-)


Did you wear a fleece whilst driving it to B&Q.


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## Wolfsburger (Oct 21, 2002)

I`ve been thinking!

A while ago I borrowed my Mother`s Ford Ka. Now I don`t know if any of you guys have driven one but I rather liked it.

It`s a 2000 Ka Collection with A/C , CD and alloys etc. Now, although it`s got a lot less power than my S3 (60 bhp and 77 lb ft) it was an absolute hoot to drive. These cars handle well. The best thing though was that it made me think about driving again. Because of the lack of power you really have to anticipate to make progress in traffic.

Another thing that I enjoyed was the perception of other drivers, the Ka is able to get away with things that would certainly wind people up if it were a BMW.

All in all it was OK, I was glad to get back into the Audi but if the brown stuff hit the fan I`m sure I could get used to driving ordinary cars again.

Oh, and I`ve actually got 2 fleece jackets!


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