The Car Thread (motorbikes reluctantly allowed!)

[woodbar]

After our experience of November 2022, we will not buy a car that doesn’t have a good Euro NCAP rating.

Oooh, that does not sound good?

There is a chap, presumably local, who I often see in his Triumph Herald - excellent condition but I always think I would not like to be in it if involved in some form of incident - the A,B and C pillars are so skinny!

 

[woodbar]

Just to balance out the car/bike idea ....
My last bike - when I retired!

 

[Paul.]

I don't mind or care what anyone drives - if it works for them and is pleasant to drive then job done!

The only thing I have against EVs is being forced to buy one in the near future by some misguided and ill thought out legislation!

Turns out all ev adoption needed was a misguided and ill thought out war 😬

 

[ninanina]

I love Alpha’s. My second car was an Alpha Sud……. I adored it

 

[ninanina]

I now own a Can Am Ryker trike and it’s honestly the best fun

After dropping many two wheelers I decided my two wheel days were over at my age

Enter the Can Am Ryker… it’s just amazing fun to ride

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I now own a Can Am Ryker trike and it’s honestly the best fun

After dropping many two wheelers I decided my two wheel days were over at my age

Enter the Can Am Ryker… it’s just amazing fun to ride

I knew someone who had one of them - an interesting machine.

I hope you don't go to an Alfa forum, as mis-spelling the name is probably punishable by stoning!

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Got the reminder for the annual VED, twenty quid... 🙂

 

[woodbar]

After dropping many two wheelers I decided my two wheel days were over at my age

Well that comes back to the old saying - There are two types of bikers, those that have dropped the bike and those that have not dropped the bike YET!

Although I did manage to escape that one!

That does look like it might be fun and I assume you still ride with the thought that a lot of 4 wheel drivers don't see you.

Have you got an actual photo of your trike - that one is a bit generic?

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Not a car, or a motorcycle but, it is a vehicle, the largest ever built:

Pioneering Spirit - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Al ears]

Not a car, or a motorcycle but, it is a vehicle, the largest ever built:

Pioneering Spirit - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Not a vehicle..... See definition.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Not a vehicle..... See definition.

Except it is normal these days, to use a wider definition of vehicle, incuding watercraft, aircraft and space vehicles.

 

[Al ears]

Except it is normal these days, to use a wider definition of vehicle, incuding watercraft, aircraft and space vehicles.

Perhaps, but this thread is about cars and / or motorcycles is it not?

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

Perhaps, but this thread is about cars and / or motorcycles is it not?

I posted it because to me, it's interesting, not least for the sheer scale of the it.

 

[Al ears]

I posted it because to me, it's interesting, not least for the sheer scale of the it.

It is indeed but a bit like posting about streamers in the Turntable subforum I thought.
However, crack on , that's just me......

 

[woodbar]

I posted it because to me, it's interesting, not least for the sheer scale of the it.

I zoomed in to the photo and was amazed to note the little black smudges were in fact people - it is absolutely enormous!

Probably OT but still interesting.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

This monstrosity was Britain's best-selling car in March, and is second YTD to the Ford Puma:



It ain't looking great for the UK's car industry. In 2016, we made 1.7m cars (thanks in no small part to the Japanese companies which have homes here), but last year the number had fallen to 765k. We won't go into causes and effects here as per forum rules, but it's looking unlikely that Mini will build it's electric versions here, and there are question marks about Toyota's long term future here.

(Autocar, Apr 26.)

 

[woodbar]

This monstrosity was Britain's best-selling car in March, and is second YTD to the Ford Puma:

View attachment 11510

It ain't looking great for the UK's car industry. In 2016, we made 1.7m cars (thanks in no small part to the Japanese companies which have homes here), but last year the number had fallen to 765k. We won't go into causes and effects here as per forum rules, but it's looking unlikely that Mini will build it's electric versions here, and there are question marks about Toyota's long term future here.

(Autocar, Apr 26.)

That is plain ugly! Expect to see many more of them and similar Chinese offerings on the road in the near future though.

Looking back in time we had the Japanese influx of vehicles and more recently the South Korean ones with an even bigger share of the market but the Chinese imports will be on a scale we have not seen before and it is likely to be almost market saturation. Based on the lower prices, specifications and extended warranties people will definitely buy them in increasing numbers - and who can blame them?

I don't really see a future for large scale UK/EU car manufacturing at all. Rather similar to quite a few other industries it seems. For example, my wife and I both had a chuckle the other day - she had bought some cotton buds for use with her make up and the cardboard box, which used to be plastic, says "Made in China" - really?!

I often think if China underwent some national disaster, heaven forbid, and ceased production for a protracted length of time the the western world would grind to a halt for lack of products.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I don't really see a future for large scale UK/EU car manufacturing at all. Rather similar to quite a few other industries it seems.

I think Germany and France would beg to differ!

 

[woodbar]

I think Germany and France would beg to differ!

Well, they may beg to differ but some are already struggling with sales?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Well, they may beg to differ but some are already struggling with sales?

I'm not sure about the French in terms of numbers - Peugeot, Citroen and Renault have always ploughed a bargain furrow, but the Germans are still doing pretty well. Japanese cars still don't have the cachet after decades (even Lexus), so I think they're probably safe from China/Korea for a long while yet. But who knows, really?

 

[jjbomber]

I don't really see a future for large scale UK/EU car manufacturing at all. Rather similar to quite a few other industries it seems.

JCB?

 

[Al ears]

JCB?

Could do with one looking at the parking abilities of some idiots on my street... .

 

[woodbar]

I'm not sure about the French in terms of numbers - Peugeot, Citroen and Renault have always ploughed a bargain furrow, but the Germans are still doing pretty well. Japanese cars still don't have the cachet after decades (even Lexus), so I think they're probably safe from China/Korea for a long while yet. But who knows, really?

Possibly, but from some of the comparisons I have seen then the attraction will be lower price, more gadgets included as standard and longer warranties so they will likely sell in todays market?

Why would you buy a 50k+ BMW or MB when you can get the same sort of vehicle for 35 - 40k as long as you don't mind not looking at it too much! As we head towards compulsory EV status then price will play an important part because EVs seem to be much more expensive than ICE anyway?

Some EU manufacturers have already severely cut back production of EVs because they have excess stocks, are not selling and have reduced the availability of ICE vehicles to try and manoeuvre the punters into buying an EV because they say that is the only version available? This strategy also helps them avoid the surcharges if they don't meet the percentage of EV sales versus total sales

I see a forthcoming unmitigated disaster on the horizon and by the time anyone rethinks the policy I think it might just be too late to recover.

Not even any point going to the local for a pint - it shut up shop last month!

 

[woodbar]

JCB?

Yes, they might well survive - not too suitable for an everyday driver though and probably no cruise control for trips on the M5?