The car for you?

[dhr90]

To be relaxing, I want to be able to get in my car and sigh in relief, relax and just sit back and waft as the journey goes by. I guess to achieve this I need the following:
Comfortable smooth ride
Light and airy interior, so beige seats/carpets and a sunroof help massively for this.
Quiet, as minimal intrusion from road, engine and other road users as possible.
Excellent seats, I don't want bucket seats to clamp me in place, I was to be relaxed and comfortable.
A good stereo with good quality sound is a must, satnav and cruise control are a nice bonus but not essential.
Reliable (but thats agiven really)

Thus far my old Rover 75 Tourer best fit those criteria, I only sold it 2-3 months ago but I really miss it.
Current V60 is technically better, lots more toys, for more reliable and economical but the seats aren't as good, at least I haven't found the ideal setup yet. It is also much quieter and probably a better ride at speed, but the Rover engine sounded so much nicer (petrol vs the Volvo's diesel).
Just haven't quiet felt utterly relaxed in it yet at the end of the day, but the 14 years of sentiment attachment of the Rover is tough to combat. But I have been able to drive 2000 miles in 6-8 weeks, which I had no confidence in doing in the Rover and probably wouldn't have dared to try to do.

[KerPLoD]

In my ideal world? Well, my van is my work vehicle so whatever other vehicles I have are purely for pleasure. And for me, my non-work vehicle has to be a special occasion for me to drive. I don't commute. It would be a B-road cruiser.

-front engine (easier to maintain than mid or rear)
-rear-wheel drive (fun compared with front-wheel drive)
-5-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with no cat (because noise) with OBD2 port
-around 150bhp tops (it's enough for me, I've driven cars with closer to 250bhp and I didn't feel like I needed it)
-less than a tonne in weight (low power + low weight is a good combo)
-2 seats, preferably fairly modern and made of cloth (base model P2 V70 are my perfect seats. Comfy, supportive but not heavily bolstered/sporty)
-hardtop preferably
-beige leather and wood panel interior, like a 1960's grand tourer.
-Understated coupe styling with subtle lip spoilers here and there. 15 inch approx. alloys. Think of a downsized Honda Integra DC2 or early '90s Prelude.

So basically my ideal car is a small, lightweight 2-seat sports car with 1990s exterior styling, 1960s interior styling with a 5-cylinder engine and modern, supportive seats. Mixing the sound of a 5-cylinder engine with a lightweight chuckable car is my idea of heaven.

Imagine a TVR Cerbera with a Volvo 2.4 litre 140bhp modular and you've got something close to my ideal car. I could afford the costs of a modular, but not a Rover V8 that's certain!

[canis]

I'll probably buck every trend here.

I want it big, small "family" hatchbacks I have found to be entirely unsuitable for actual family in actual use. I'm not at all swayed by the idea that smaller means more eco-freindly, since I can offset emmisions by using it less.

I like space inside. We do far more than travel in our car. We often end up just sitting in it, eating picnics in it, the works! When I'm sat waiting in a car-park to collect my daughter I don't need to be cacooned with driving controls at fingertip reach. Conversely, reaching out a hand to switch the lights on doesn't faze me, since I'll probably only be doing this just after I egt in and just before I get out. These types of "driver's cars" don't appeal.

Marketting jargon just annoys me. The very idea of making a "sport" version of a large family estate is utterly ridiculous. If I'd wanted a sports car, I'd buy one. I don't, I want a practical solution tomy family's transport requirements. Same goes for styling. Style is nice, but not at the expense of practicality. A large rectangular box is fine.

I'd prefer the tailgate open sideways. That way the spare wheel can be mounted on it, and afford me greater cargo capacity. It also means I could lower the rear windscreen, that'd be really useful on a hot day instead of relying on power-hungry air-conditioning, which I could manage without. It's kind of a nonsense, really; The car sits there baking to oven temperature, then is epxected to squeeze every last joule of heat through a half-inch pipe. Whose bizarre idea was this? Just open all the windows and drive away. Simple.

The roof. Why isn't this designed to take cargo? Roof bars are fine, but by the time a rack is added the whole affair has grown by several inches. If the roof was flat, ribbed, and had anchorages built in, it would be aerodynamically superior. A permanent solution to an ever-present problem. I'm forever carrying oversize objects, mainly because everybody else insists on owning stupid "family" hatchbacks.

I have no desire for lowered suspension, in fact I want it very bouncy. The speed humps are a confounded bloody nuisance! So I want big wheels, big tyres, and very very long chassis legs to allow lots of movement. Again, function before form is what I'm after. I don't need a car to make me look cool, I'm already cool, the car is just mobility.

I don't care for modern interior styling at all. These enormous swatches of plastic don't impress me - all they do is take up space. Yes, I know the desire by designers is to make it look stylish, but do I really need the dashboard contour to match the doors when closed? I'd prefer to have every last inch as empty space for me to move around in. I do not require that everything be covered in plastic to look finished. And the centre-console - get that **** outahere! And put the handbrake somewhere else! And the gear lever. In fact, put a bench seat in it, why can't we have three seats in the front?

Windscreen rake is a serious concern. The shallow rake of modern cars makes the front pillars into enormous blind spots which, frankly, only serve to **** me off. And the way frost melt-water runs down the screen at every traffic light I have to stop at is a constant nuisance. I'm sure the people who do high miles never notice this problem, and guess who the manufacturers listen to? Coming back to the real world, I speed up and slow down a lot on my journeys, and the lack of front gutter has been an issue ever since the '80s. I hate it! I hate it!

Toys. No need. Don't want. Never needed. Never wanted. In the 1980s, I /longed/ for electric windows. Now I've got them, I don't want them anymore! I hate being unable to open and close windows without the ignition key. And passengers don't even get that choice. This is wrong in so many ways. If they really need to provide a navigation system, just put a street atlas in the map pocket. Much cheaper, colour display and it's wireless too!

They say a panoramic roof gives a feeling of space. I can think of a much better way - make it f'kin bigger! That'd give me a feeling of space. Even supposedly big cars, I get in 'em, and I'm cramped! I don't like these wheeled coffins.

I think I've just described a Land-Rover. Before they joined in the stupidness. We often talk about consumer choice, but all I see is every manufacturer trying to appeal to the BMW market. Including, sadly, Volvo.

[AndyV7o]

Originally Posted by canis

I'll probably buck every trend here.

I want it big, small "family" hatchbacks I have found to be entirely unsuitable for actual family in actual use. I'm not at all swayed by the idea that smaller means more eco-freindly, since I can offset emmisions by using it less.

I like space inside. We do far more than travel in our car. We often end up just sitting in it, eating picnics in it, the works! When I'm sat waiting in a car-park to collect my daughter I don't need to be cacooned with driving controls at fingertip reach. Conversely, reaching out a hand to switch the lights on doesn't faze me, since I'll probably only be doing this just after I egt in and just before I get out. These types of "driver's cars" don't appeal.

Marketting jargon just annoys me. The very idea of making a "sport" version of a large family estate is utterly ridiculous. If I'd wanted a sports car, I'd buy one. I don't, I want a practical solution tomy family's transport requirements. Same goes for styling. Style is nice, but not at the expense of practicality. A large rectangular box is fine.

I'd prefer the tailgate open sideways. That way the spare wheel can be mounted on it, and afford me greater cargo capacity. It also means I could lower the rear windscreen, that'd be really useful on a hot day instead of relying on power-hungry air-conditioning, which I could manage without. It's kind of a nonsense, really; The car sits there baking to oven temperature, then is epxected to squeeze every last joule of heat through a half-inch pipe. Whose bizarre idea was this? Just open all the windows and drive away. Simple.

The roof. Why isn't this designed to take cargo? Roof bars are fine, but by the time a rack is added the whole affair has grown by several inches. If the roof was flat, ribbed, and had anchorages built in, it would be aerodynamically superior. A permanent solution to an ever-present problem. I'm forever carrying oversize objects, mainly because everybody else insists on owning stupid "family" hatchbacks.

I have no desire for lowered suspension, in fact I want it very bouncy. The speed humps are a confounded bloody nuisance! So I want big wheels, big tyres, and very very long chassis legs to allow lots of movement. Again, function before form is what I'm after. I don't need a car to make me look cool, I'm already cool, the car is just mobility.

I don't care for modern interior styling at all. These enormous swatches of plastic don't impress me - all they do is take up space. Yes, I know the desire by designers is to make it look stylish, but do I really need the dashboard contour to match the doors when closed? I'd prefer to have every last inch as empty space for me to move around in. I do not require that everything be covered in plastic to look finished. And the centre-console - get that **** outahere! And put the handbrake somewhere else! And the gear lever. In fact, put a bench seat in it, why can't we have three seats in the front?

Windscreen rake is a serious concern. The shallow rake of modern cars makes the front pillars into enormous blind spots which, frankly, only serve to **** me off. And the way frost melt-water runs down the screen at every traffic light I have to stop at is a constant nuisance. I'm sure the people who do high miles never notice this problem, and guess who the manufacturers listen to? Coming back to the real world, I speed up and slow down a lot on my journeys, and the lack of front gutter has been an issue ever since the '80s. I hate it! I hate it!

Toys. No need. Don't want. Never needed. Never wanted. In the 1980s, I /longed/ for electric windows. Now I've got them, I don't want them anymore! I hate being unable to open and close windows without the ignition key. And passengers don't even get that choice. This is wrong in so many ways. If they really need to provide a navigation system, just put a street atlas in the map pocket. Much cheaper, colour display and it's wireless too!

They say a panoramic roof gives a feeling of space. I can think of a much better way - make it f'kin bigger! That'd give me a feeling of space. Even supposedly big cars, I get in 'em, and I'm cramped! I don't like these wheeled coffins.

I think I've just described a Land-Rover. Before they joined in the stupidness. We often talk about consumer choice, but all I see is every manufacturer trying to appeal to the BMW market. Including, sadly, Volvo.

Sounds like you need a fiat multipla/freelander 1 cut'n'shut!

[canis]

Originally Posted by AndyV7o

Sounds like you need a fiat multipla/freelander 1 cut'n'shut!

Such a thing would be an abomination! It'd scare children! I know I said style wasn't of most importance, there are limits. :-)

[heckflosse]

I'd love a new 245, but 6" wider so it can seat three abreast comfortably, rot proof galvanised body and a low down torque six cylinder engine to avoid high revs and constant gearchanging.
Modest electronics and all built to the proper 1970s Volvo standard , a Victorian long life product in effect.
But I'm swimming against the tide, aren't I?

[biggbn]

Originally Posted by canis

I'll probably buck every trend here.

I want it big, small "family" hatchbacks I have found to be entirely unsuitable for actual family in actual use. I'm not at all swayed by the idea that smaller means more eco-freindly, since I can offset emmisions by using it less.

I like space inside. We do far more than travel in our car. We often end up just sitting in it, eating picnics in it, the works! When I'm sat waiting in a car-park to collect my daughter I don't need to be cacooned with driving controls at fingertip reach. Conversely, reaching out a hand to switch the lights on doesn't faze me, since I'll probably only be doing this just after I egt in and just before I get out. These types of "driver's cars" don't appeal.

Marketting jargon just annoys me. The very idea of making a "sport" version of a large family estate is utterly ridiculous. If I'd wanted a sports car, I'd buy one. I don't, I want a practical solution tomy family's transport requirements. Same goes for styling. Style is nice, but not at the expense of practicality. A large rectangular box is fine.

I'd prefer the tailgate open sideways. That way the spare wheel can be mounted on it, and afford me greater cargo capacity. It also means I could lower the rear windscreen, that'd be really useful on a hot day instead of relying on power-hungry air-conditioning, which I could manage without. It's kind of a nonsense, really; The car sits there baking to oven temperature, then is epxected to squeeze every last joule of heat through a half-inch pipe. Whose bizarre idea was this? Just open all the windows and drive away. Simple.

The roof. Why isn't this designed to take cargo? Roof bars are fine, but by the time a rack is added the whole affair has grown by several inches. If the roof was flat, ribbed, and had anchorages built in, it would be aerodynamically superior. A permanent solution to an ever-present problem. I'm forever carrying oversize objects, mainly because everybody else insists on owning stupid "family" hatchbacks.

I have no desire for lowered suspension, in fact I want it very bouncy. The speed humps are a confounded bloody nuisance! So I want big wheels, big tyres, and very very long chassis legs to allow lots of movement. Again, function before form is what I'm after. I don't need a car to make me look cool, I'm already cool, the car is just mobility.

I don't care for modern interior styling at all. These enormous swatches of plastic don't impress me - all they do is take up space. Yes, I know the desire by designers is to make it look stylish, but do I really need the dashboard contour to match the doors when closed? I'd prefer to have every last inch as empty space for me to move around in. I do not require that everything be covered in plastic to look finished. And the centre-console - get that **** outahere! And put the handbrake somewhere else! And the gear lever. In fact, put a bench seat in it, why can't we have three seats in the front?

Windscreen rake is a serious concern. The shallow rake of modern cars makes the front pillars into enormous blind spots which, frankly, only serve to **** me off. And the way frost melt-water runs down the screen at every traffic light I have to stop at is a constant nuisance. I'm sure the people who do high miles never notice this problem, and guess who the manufacturers listen to? Coming back to the real world, I speed up and slow down a lot on my journeys, and the lack of front gutter has been an issue ever since the '80s. I hate it! I hate it!

Toys. No need. Don't want. Never needed. Never wanted. In the 1980s, I /longed/ for electric windows. Now I've got them, I don't want them anymore! I hate being unable to open and close windows without the ignition key. And passengers don't even get that choice. This is wrong in so many ways. If they really need to provide a navigation system, just put a street atlas in the map pocket. Much cheaper, colour display and it's wireless too!

They say a panoramic roof gives a feeling of space. I can think of a much better way - make it f'kin bigger! That'd give me a feeling of space. Even supposedly big cars, I get in 'em, and I'm cramped! I don't like these wheeled coffins.

I think I've just described a Land-Rover. Before they joined in the stupidness. We often talk about consumer choice, but all I see is every manufacturer trying to appeal to the BMW market. Including, sadly, Volvo.

You have described a Citroen ds safari.

[Prufrock]

Just sold it !

J.

[volvo always]

Originally Posted by Waynedance

Surely aircon or sunroof not both, I would not use a sunroof as much prefer aircon which is on all year round and extras headroom.

I looked at Lexus but no auto on the diesel.

My 940 strangely has aircon and sunroof. Don't know if it was an extra cost option the owner bought at the time?

To be honest I rarely use the sunroof, much prefer the AC as feel the heat! Keep the shade closed too as hate the fact the sunroof is toughened glass rather than a safer laminated glazing. Think some yob lobbing a brick off a motorway bridge!

Yes a diesel 220d auto would of been nice.

On the Lexus forum they say to go for the V6 petrol 250 SE L auto over the 220d as still does good mpg for power and much, much more reliable than the diesel engine as can suffer head gasket failure and no diesel issues like DMF & EGR. I think the main issues of the diesel is short runs all the time a no-no. Like a good long trip to regen the DPF.

James

[biggbn]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Just sold it !

J.

What you sell pruf?