twit

ST4 said:
Why, they make a great profit for BMW. The 5dr one will too.

They're not my sort of car, too small and too expensive but they sell well and the margins are high
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I can't understand why they do? From what I can remember about them, they are uncomfortable to spend any sort of time in (even just a test drive) the engine is gutless unless revving through the roof. Good handling tho, but maybe just because it's a small car.

I'm sure now I would wear one like a dress LOL far to small for me.
 
Techno-Geek said:
I can't understand why they do? From what I can remember about them, they are uncomfortable to spend any sort of time in (even just a test drive) the engine is gutless unless revving through the roof. Good handling tho, but maybe just because it's a small car.

I'm sure now I would wear one like a dress LOL far to small for me.
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They are awful things, but people adds lots of profit making options to them. I'd buy a low spec 5 series over a high spec mini but thats me. People like small cars, for some unknown reason to me.
 
ST4 said:
They are awful things, but people adds lots of profit making options to them. I'd buy a low spec 5 series over a high spec mini but thats me. People like small cars, for some unknown reason to me.
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That's because there are people with different priorities to you. Small cars tend to be more economical for town driving, they tend to be cheaper to buy than bigger cars (I'm speaking generally here, the Mini is rather expensive for what it is) and they're easier to park. Believe it or not, some people buy cars because they like the look of them. As long as it gets them from A to B, they're not bothered about much else.
 
A large "mini" is rather nice looking car. They will be OK when they hit used 3-5 year old market. I can't stand the original or the smaller new ones. I once tried one for fun in a dealership and couldn't fit in one :LOL:

Insignia is, I don't know, not my cup of tea. It is still a cheap car made look big. I'd rather get a new Mondeo estate or any Skoda for around same money.
 
ST4 said:
A mini is a poor value choice. I can get small cheap cars, but small dear ones. Nope. You could get a nice Insignia for the price of a 5dr Mini. Seems nuts.
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Yes but females and hairdressers struggle to drive/park something as small as a mini so an Insignia is definitely a no no. :exit:
 
AHILL said:
Yes but females and hairdressers struggle to drive/park something as small as a mini so an Insignia is definitely a no no. :exit:
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fail!

Ironically the easiest car to park was Kia Sorento (Range rover size SUV) with a rear view camera. There are some that park themselves. I agree Insignia without parking sensors would be a little tricky parallel parking in limited space. I am not sure why they still make them so bare?
 
daugirdas said:
A large "mini" is rather nice looking car. They will be OK when they hit used 3-5 year old market. I can't stand the original or the smaller new ones. I once tried one for fun in a dealership and couldn't fit in one :LOL:

Insignia is, I don't know, not my cup of tea. It is still a cheap car made look big. I'd rather get a new Mondeo estate or any Skoda for around same money.
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Mondeo is a decent car actually, not quite as nice inside as a Mercedes but as a car, its superior to a Skoda Superb having been in both the fords much more comfortable and much quieter. I could almost drive on if its rear axle was driven
 
ST4 said:
Mondeo is a decent car actually, not quite as nice inside as a Mercedes but as a car, its superior to a Skoda Superb having been in both the fords much more comfortable and much quieter. I could almost drive on if its rear axle was driven
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Titanium is pretty nice one. However if you saw LX or some Zetecs you'd want to cry - they make my car look luxurious. However it's the reliability of 1.6 and 2.0TDCI engines that rule them out in the used market.
 
Guy drove me in a 550,000km TDCi 2.0. Shocks seen better days but he had few issues with it.

Fella I know did 300k in a Ford Mondeo and Addison Lee use them in their fleet. I think they are ok, nearly Mercedes levels of good these days.
 
ST4 said:
A mini is a poor value choice. I can get small cheap cars, but small dear ones. Nope. You could get a nice Insignia for the price of a 5dr Mini. Seems nuts.
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You do seem to struggle with the concept that not everyone wants a big car. I know 3 people with BMW Minis, they all love them and they8're very happy. They're also very intelligent and very nice people.
 
fabs said:
You do seem to struggle with the concept that not everyone wants a big car. I know 3 people with BMW Minis, they all love them and they8're very happy. They're also very intelligent and very nice people.
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Why not just buy a Kia Picanto/Ford Fiesta/VW polo (best of the small cars I was in)? Cheap, reliable and small.
 
bigfub said:
But Lamborghini & Mini are both German cars essentially :p
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Yup, expensive VW and FWD BMW.

ST4 said:
Why, they make a great profit for BMW. The 5dr one will too.

They're not my sort of car, too small and too expensive but they sell well and the margins are high
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The Mini name and LandRover's 4WD technology were what attracted BMW to the group and despite assurances from them that they would keep Rover, they dumped the rest of the group as fast as possible once they had what they wanted. Not sure Rover would have lasted much longer anyway but the (effectively) asset stripping of these 2 valuable parts almost certainly delivered the coup de grace to them.

dejongj said:
Luckily times move on and things get better.
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No doubt the FWD BMW, rounded FIAT Panda and VW Golf are better than the original Mini, 500 and Beetle but all 3 are cynical cashing ins on earlier motoring icons.

ST4 said:
Why not just buy a Kia Picanto/Ford Fiesta/VW polo (best of the small cars I was in)? Cheap, reliable and small.
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Quite tempted by a small car as a city runaround/shopping cart. Just need to decide what!
 
ST4 said:
Why not just buy a Kia Picanto/Ford Fiesta/VW polo (best of the small cars I was in)? Cheap, reliable and small.
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Here is the bit you are struggling with - because they LIKE the BMW piece of crap and it is their money to spend as they wish, it really is that simple. Let's face it, if everyone liked the same car, you wouldn't be getting much choice or variety would you?

oh and for anyone that says they can't fit in a modern BMW Mini-ish - I had a proper mini when I was 19, a friend of mine was 6'3" tall and quite frankly, almost the same in girth, he was well beyond 'average' in every direction. He could get in my mini and could drive it. Now I admit he really couldn't have done it for any length of time, or not without help from an osteopath afterwards, but the point is, whilst the modern one may well be padded up to its gunwales with all the required crash impact zones and what have you that make the interior tiny, the original design was SO popular because most people could actually fit into a very small car and drive around quite happily.

AHILL said:
Yes but females and hairdressers struggle to drive/park something as small as a mini so an Insignia is definitely a no no. :exit:
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:sleep:
 
Yv said:
Here is the bit you are struggling with - because they LIKE the BMW piece of crap and it is their money to spend as they wish, it really is that simple. Let's face it, if everyone liked the same car, you wouldn't be getting much choice or variety would you?
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No, I am all for free choice, but cannot fathom people liking it...LOL. A 5 series though, my mates just got one. Wow, for £19k (lightly used) its a stunning car, so quiet, comfortable and smooth. I should get one over the S class I promise myself
 
I prefer Audi over BMW or Mercedes. Audi's have a much better finish, from a valeters point of veiw. Mercs rust and the wheels pickle on BMWs. The biggest problem with German cars though is the crappy rubbery coating they put on their interior plastic trim. Its nice while its new but when it starts to wear off it looks horrible.
 
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ST4 said:
No, I am all for free choice, but cannot fathom people liking it...LOL. A 5 series though, my mates just got one. Wow, for £19k (lightly used) its a stunning car, so quiet, comfortable and smooth. I should get one over the S class I promise myself
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Personally I have no idea why someone would want one, but having spent WAY too many years of my life in the motor trade, I simply accept that they do and no longer question it. It is rather like I have absolutely not a clue why some people spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on super cars that a-most lack anything like the driving ability required to use them at their best and b - even if they had that ability, there are precious few places in the world, never mind this country, where you can do so legally anyway. Again, I just accept that some people have more money than sense and think that such cars make them look oh so cool... :rolleyes:
 
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Raptor Mike said:
I prefer Audi over BMW or Mercedes. Audi's have a much better finish, from a valeters point of veiw. Mercs rust and the wheels pickle on BMWs. The biggest problem with German cars though is the crappy rubbery coating they put on their interior plastic trim. Its nice while its new but when it starts to wear off it looks horrible.
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I prefer a focus estate - basically because i don't give a s*** about valetting or top end performance, my requirements in a car are something reliable into which i can shove a muddy dog, a boot load of logs, a chainsaw and/or a load of photo kit, and which won't cost a second mortgage to run and maintain. I wouldn't drive a Bini if i was given one
 
big soft moose said:
I prefer a focus estate - basically because i don't give a s*** about valetting or top end performance, my requirements in a car are something reliable into which i can shove a muddy dog, a boot load of logs, a chainsaw and/or a load of photo kit, and which won't cost a second mortgage to run and maintain. I wouldn't drive a Bini if i was given one
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Lol. I'm just making a comparison between the German makes, I drive a Mondeo estate :)
 
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Raptor Mike said:
I prefer Audi over BMW or Mercedes. Audi's have a much better finish, from a valeters point of veiw. Mercs rust and the wheels pickle on BMWs. The biggest problem with German cars though is the crappy rubbery coating they put on their interior plastic trim. Its nice while its new but when it starts to wear off it looks horrible.
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The older Mercedes rust due to the poor quality steel and the wheel arch design which catches dirt between the liner and arch. The newer ones have no lip to catch the dirt and will be fine. I found with VAG cars the leather shines up more easily inside and mechanically they have more foibles than the Mercedes, but none have as many potentially issues as the BMW range.

I'm considering the Audi A8 (D3)and S class (221) as my next car. Although I could be persuaded into a mass market car, every mk4 mondeo I've been in punched above its weight for sure
 
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I have seen rust on newer mercs even if its just blistering under the paint, and the vans are terrible for it. Your right about the lips on older ones. I fire the pressure washer at the back of arches and the water goes around the top of the arch and cleans behind the lips. This method works very well on other makes but you have to get it it exactly the right place on mercs.
 
Raptor Mike said:
I have seen rust on newer mercs even if its just blistering under the paint, and the vans are terrible for it. Your right about the lips on older ones. I fire the pressure washer at the back of arches and the water goes around the top of the arch and cleans behind the lips. This method works very well on other makes but you have to get it it exactly the right place on mercs.
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Which models and ages? W204 C class, W212 E class, W212 S. I am sure 211, 219 will rust and the 164 M class is terrible. I hate rust, but snapped cam chains, expensive faults that feature on the BMW range just aren't there with MB.
 
AHILL said:
Yes but females and hairdressers struggle to drive/park something as small as a mini so an Insignia is definitely a no no. :exit:
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I would agree with you there, I can't drive small cars these days, put me in a volvo and no problem.
But in the same vein I have never been able to drive into a parking space in a car park, always have to reverse in,
which gives me problems at work as we need access to the rear doors so have to :(
Can't remember who I was talking too at the time, but someone said part of the learning to drive
should be removing the interior rear view mirror and forcing people to learn how to use the outside mirrors
I always park my car using them and obviously on a van you don't have one
 
First car I remember was dads AlfaSud... with vinyl seats.... they hurt like a bitch after a day at the seaside in hot sun and you're 3 or 4 in shorts (when shorts were short) .. to be honest he's had some crap cars... fiat 127 (also my first car) fiat 128, fiat strada, fiat regata (see a pattern here) , fiat tipo, fiat tipo, now on 3rd punto..........

however my track record isn't that great...

fiat 127 in literally metallic s*** brown, fiat uno, golf Mk 2 Gti, (that was pokey!) but had a drinking issue, punto mk 1 sporting, punto mk 2b diesel (70mpg) - god I am getting old!
 
Lynton said:
First car I remember was dads AlfaSud... with vinyl seats.... they hurt like a bitch after a day at the seaside in hot sun and you're 3 or 4 in shorts (when shorts were short) .. to be honest he's had some crap cars... fiat 127 (also my first car) fiat 128, fiat strada, fiat regata (see a pattern here) , fiat tipo, fiat tipo, now on 3rd punto..........

however my track record isn't that great...

fiat 127 in literally metallic s*** brown, fiat uno, golf Mk 2 Gti, (that was pokey!) but had a drinking issue, punto mk 1 sporting, punto mk 2b diesel (70mpg) - god I am getting old!
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You know they say the mind is particularly good at blocking out very painful memories? Well, there was a photo of me taken on a sunny day out at the seaside, about the same age as your twins are now, sitting on the boot of my dads burgundy Ford Zephyr, the one that had American style fins on the rear wings. I dread to think how hot that boot lid was, but luckily neither I, nor the back of my thighs, can remember the experience :LOL:
 
ST4 said:
Which models and ages? W204 C class, W212 E class, W212 S. I am sure 211, 219 will rust and the 164 M class is terrible. I hate rust, but snapped cam chains, expensive faults that feature on the BMW range just aren't there with MB.
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Too be completely honest I can't remember (I do see a lot of cars), but they weren't old, around five years. Im a mobile valeter and a lot of my customers are out in the sticks, which doesnt help cars because they get so chipped. Next time I see one I'll post on this thread.
 
Yv said:
You know they say the mind is particularly good at blocking out very painful memories? Well, there was a photo of me taken on a sunny day out at the seaside, about the same age as your twins are now, sitting on the boot of my dads burgundy Ford Zephyr, the one that had American style fins on the rear wings. I dread to think how hot that boot lid was, but luckily neither I, nor the back of my thighs, can remember the experience :LOL:
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That horribly reminds me of someone else's family snapshot I was shown. "We sat the toddler on the bonnet of the Rolls [my friends had flashier cars, you see] to take the picture and she started crying and only then did we realise how hot the radiator gets!" :crying:
 
Raptor Mike said:
I prefer Audi over BMW or Mercedes. Audi's have a much better finish, from a valeters point of veiw. Mercs rust and the wheels pickle on BMWs. The biggest problem with German cars though is the crappy rubbery coating they put on their interior plastic trim. Its nice while its new but when it starts to wear off it looks horrible.
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same here. I'd get Audi AWD / FWD any day over the extremely fun to drive into a ditch MB or BMW. Sure the styling is better with Mercs (thats a personal opinion), and the 7-series look about right to drive around in town, but honestly - RS6 / Q5 S-line / Q7 every time if I had the money for it. I am in fact considering an A4 convertible at some point next year.
 
I actually wondering. How many of you have gotten recently (or ever) a brand new BMW or Mercedes? There seems to be a fair few opinions banted around that I really don't recognise at all.
 
Slightly OT but I was driving behind a Mk 2 Escort Harrier.....Looked fantastic BTW in white with blue decals I drive a shogun and O my word how small did it look in the left lane of the M6.....approaching a jnc I slowed a little to allow a Mini....."BMW" variety and it entered the motorway between myself and the Harrier....WOW the mini was higher by a fair bit as well as much wider! was a reality check to just how big cars have become.......

MINIandClassicMini_0.jpg
 
daugirdas said:
same here. I'd get Audi AWD / FWD any day over the extremely fun to drive into a ditch MB or BMW. Sure the styling is better with Mercs (thats a personal opinion), and the 7-series look about right to drive around in town, but honestly - RS6 / Q5 S-line / Q7 every time if I had the money for it. I am in fact considering an A4 convertible at some point next year.
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I've breve had problems driving rear wheel drive cars. Look at your driving as unless your being hamfisted, you won't go into a ditch in a Mercedes or BMW, even if it's snowing.
 
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