[Jim]

God knows I need cheering up in the mornings...

Is that what the 2 tone seats are for?

Get a convertible and sleep in a tent, always have a big smile driving about in it on a sunny day

[nik at work]

Get a pro kart, drive it in the rain and just sleep under whichever hedge you crash into (not the most practical/legal suggestion but certainly the most fun...)

[lagerstarfish]

convertible, Scotland, midges?

best wear some goggles

[Jaspersharpe]

And it's got a bloody awful electronic handbrake. 

Awful as in it doesn't work well or you just don't like electronic handbrakes? I love having one and even Mrs S has conceded that it makes driving way easier despite being dead against it when we first got the car.

[Jim]

I've got an electronic handbrake as well, can take it or leave it, doesn't really bother me either way

[tomtom]

They're shit for handbrake turns though...

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Does yours come on automatically if you roll back? Mine doesn't. I've just about got used to it now, but i would still prefer a manual. Its in a stupid place down to the right of the steering wheel where you would expect a bonnet release to be. I have to lean forward from my driving position to reach it. Its a stupid designed rocker button that Mrs Obi has managed to push 'on' the top of which actually turns it off! Initally as i wasn't used to having to rev a diesel to get any power out of it i constantly stalled it on every pull away. I still struggle on steep junctions, its lucky that Sheffield doesnt have many Stop start traffic on a hill is a pain in the arse. Other than that its great!

[Jaspersharpe]

Sound weird. I have a switch where the handbrake would usually be but I've only had to use it a couple of times and that was before I got the hang of not using it.

Stopping on a hill you just put your foot on the brake, green light comes on, foot off brake. When you want to move as soon as the clutch engages the brake releases. When you park it the green light comes on and if you take your seatbelt off or switch off the ignition the light turns red and you feel the car "sit down" knowing the proper handbrake has come on.

You basically never have to do anything, it's great.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Mines an early gen one, it never automatically comes on.

[Jaspersharpe]

Ah. That does sound shit then.

[lagerstarfish]

the electronic handbrake (parking brake really) on our c4 grand picasso (1.6 diesel, electronic gear box) is odd - a pull switch in the middle of the dash that feels like it will snap - I rarely use the switch as the brake releases when the go pedal is pressed after starting the car and turns on when you turn off the ignition

on hills the car holds automatically for 2 seconds after taking your foot off the brake allowing time to use the go-faster pedal to hold and move off - WHY JUST 2 SECONDS FFS?

feels like it's not a car ideally suited to lots of steep junctions, like where we live, but OK

luckily the electronic gear box doesn't allow us to stall (also getting used to the diesel revs thing)

a very unexciting car

easy to use speed limiter is useful

cheapish and does what we need - averaging 40mpg with lots of short steep journeys

makes motorway driving comfortable and relaxing

[galpinos]

I'm going through a lot of hire cars at the moment and the electronic handbrake really vary from brand to brand, the Merc A Class one drives me nuts (same as Obi, stupid button location and doesn't come on/off automatically).

[Jaspersharpe]

It was a Merc that the Mrs had driven previously and was why she was very anti the idea. The one on the new Golf is completely different.

Our last Golf had a manual handbrake but did the auto hold thing that lagers describes. I found that quite useful but I can imagine in a heavy vehicle with less power it could be annoying.

[SA Chris]

the Merc A Class one drives me nuts (same as Obi, stupid button location and doesn't come on/off automatically).

We got a small A class as a hire car in the Alps a while back, I was not at all happy using that electronic handbrake on steep hills and snow.

[Paul B]

My next car will most likely be an Octy.

 

I'd love a 325,330,335d or something but new location is less than ideal for this (and site visits to reservoirs on unmade tracks - fine when your car is very low value).

It'll likely be a vRS. #

That said, the commute took a whopping 12 minutes today and traffic was heavy (2 lollipop ladies), so something more ridiculous might be possible.

JB - you previoulsy owned French cars, did they make you smile?

[Johnny Brown]

Well I used to be happier because I wasn't working full time, and when I was I'd cycle. Now I have to sit in traffic very morning with all the other morons. I'd happily go back to a fucked 306 in exchange for freedom - handling was genuinely excellent on the top models.

I once watched a car burn its clutch out, catch fire and then explode in a fireball due to having an electronic handbrake. Very steep single track road in Scotland, car full of family and gear, quite a lot of traffic. Without a handbrake the clutch was going mental, then once it went the car couldn't be moved to put the fire out. Some kind of people carrier, might well have been a Picasso.

[tomtom]

My golf (and MrsTT's polo) have one of those auto brake hold things - put your foot on the brake and if your'e on an incline it will keep the brakes on for 2 secs. This is really useful - its plenty of time to get the clutch/revs sorted out.... and saves having to put the handbrake on for hill starts etc.. (its the same one as in J's old car).

Anyway - think PaulB should get a Prius next....

[Will Hunt]

I once watched a car burn its clutch out, catch fire and then explode in a fireball due to having an electronic handbrake. Very steep single track road in Scotland, car full of family and gear, quite a lot of traffic.

Gosh it's amazing what passes as family entertainment in Scotland isn't it?

[dave]

Seems to me the electronic handbrake is just something that didn't need inventing, regardless of the marginal gain in convenience. Manual handbrakes are fine, consistent from car to car, doesn't require learning or getting used to, and isn't something that will eventually fail you an MOT when the car gets old and be uneconomical to repair, and you end up scrapping an otherwise mechanically fine car.

[Monolith]

I don't know if it should be one for an additional thread but I wondered if anybody might have any beta before heading to a mechanic.

My 1999 Daihatsu Charade is currently experiencing an issue whereby after about 5-10 mins of driving, the rev counter goes to and fro between 1000-2000rpm when in neutral.  After making me sound like a boy racer when at a standstill, it eventually stops after a further 5-10 mins.

It's a cheap but so far hugely reliable car and I'm not too sure how much money I could outlay on getting this fixed if it's likely to be a major issue. Any help gratefully received!

[LB1782]

I don't know if it should be one for an additional thread ...

There is a whole thread of car woes. Afraid I can't help with counting revs bit.

[tomtom]

I don't know if it should be one for an additional thread but I wondered if anybody might have any beta before heading to a mechanic.

My 1999 Daihatsu Charade is currently experiencing an issue whereby after about 5-10 mins of driving, the rev counter goes to and fro between 1000-2000rpm when in neutral.  After making me sound like a boy racer when at a standstill, it eventually stops after a further 5-10 mins.

It's a cheap but so far hugely reliable car and I'm not too sure how much money I could outlay on getting this fixed if it's likely to be a major issue. Any help gratefully received!

Hmm.. sounds like either something in the ECU has gone awry, or the injection system is trying to compensate for somethign when the car is still warming up.. wonder if its a fuel/dirty injection issue.. (pure guess)..

Have a look online for the make and model - and if its nothing obvious then probably best lived with for now...?

[cowboyhat]

Still slightly regretting getting rid of my Accord Tourer.

What did you replace it with?

A very sensible, five year old, low mileage Volvo V70, which is fine except it lacks the power and toys of the Honda.
The 'eco' engine one = woefully underpowered  . I'm sure it would be super economical if I drove everywhere on my own in an empty car at 55mph, but once laden with kids, bikes, roof bars/box etc etc its only slightly better than my 2.2 Accord was. And it's got a bloody awful electronic handbrake. 

Back on topic, I believe Lund of this parish has had two of those v70 in a row so he must rate them. Maybe its a different engine?

[Paul B]

I thought they were all pretty disapointing when it came down to facts and figure (not that fuel efficient and not that fast either). I'm also not a fan of the 'floating' console.

[205Chris]

JB - you previoulsy owned French cars, did they make you smile?

I can't speak for JB but 6 out of the 7 cars I've ever owned were French.

I know French cars are often the subject of derision but their legacy of producing incredible hot hatches to put a smile on your face is without equal. Luckily when Peugeot lost the plot Renault were there to pick up the baton. It's hard to beat a late night drive back from Cheedale in small car with a ridiculous number of horse power.

Back on topic, my brother had no end of woe with his Octavia, including requiring an engine change under warranty as it kept going into limp home mode and the garage couldn't diagnose it.

I worked for Toyota for 3 years (in the plant that makes the Avensis) and although I've never owned one I'll say this for them - they might be dull but the quality standards and level of manufacture is incredible. I've seen them scrap cars off for defects that a customer would never notice because they didn't meet their own internal quality standards.