[Closed] Am I now properly middle aged?

Kill yourself now

Both auto and diesel are my preference these days with traffic and petrol prices as they are.

how did people ever age before the car ?

I love my diesel. I really like the way it drives! I also like auto for cruising... No point in speccing a car for twisty mountain roads when it spends its time on the motorway like mine does.

Diesels get better all the time.

Seems to have every option imaginable, I just plonked it on cruise for the motorways and relaxed, not at all hectic or tiring, then took a circuitous route for the last 20 miles using the "tiptronic"? type gear shift for some A-road fun, utterly blitzed the corners, a total dream to drive even with the turbo lag and silly gear box...

Would make a great "bike mobile" too...

Had an S-Max on Monday, total gash!

A car is just a mobile bike box

I've told the wife and kids if they ever see me driving a people carrier or a Volvo to take me out and shoot me.

Diesel yes auto yes but not a Volvo

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I hate diesels also, but did look at a diesel XF today, as a replacement for my 535i...

It must be catching.

Tell me about it! I'm in the middle of trying to trade in my Megane 225 trophy for a diesel estate, preferably a passat as i can't afford a Volvo. BTW i'm only 30, what happened to me?

My friend crashed his subura wrx, around the time his first son was born. With the insurance money bought an ex company vectra diesel. 2 litre 2di (I think) 3 years old, 60k on the clock, fully spec'd for £5k. It drives really nicely, really comfortable and huge inside.

I'd love to buy my first sports car but I think when the 206 dies I will be going the vectra/mondeo route.

I'm also finding estate cars suddenly look 'mean and cool' and I want one.

I too think it is a sign of middle age.

I'd rather butcher my own children than drive anything with the words 'diesel' or 'auto' attached to it. The combination of the two forms a critical mass which makes a statement. It says "I have lost the will to live'. Why not just spend the money on an invalidity carriage and spend the change on a Stannah stairlift?

The anti-diesel thing still astounds me. I've driven around 20 odd hire cars in the last six months,plus of course mine and my wife's diesel cars. In this time, I would dread being delivered a petrol hire car. I hated them. They have to be screamed to get going, the fuel costs for my normal 350 odd mile journey would always be much higher with a petrol car, they were noisier, less powerful....just gash. And this includes some big engined vauxhall and ford cars.

The best cars I drove were the insignia with the 2.2 diesel engine and the mondeo with the diesel engine. Both pulled like trains, both economical, both quiet, both very fast.

If that makes me middle aged then hand me my pipe and slippers because it's way better driving them than petrol.

Have you got elastic waisted trousers in beige? I bet you have

The 7 (car based) ages of (Clarkson) man:
1) plastic and suckable
2) pedal car
3) old banger
4) hot hatch
5) --- I don't know anything about sporty cars ---
6) sensible diesel estate
7) invalid carriage

/Pulls out elastic waistband and lets it slap back against my waist.

I think my clarksn ages went this:

1. Small, cheap and fast.
2. Small, cheap and fast.
3. Big and slow, ultra reliable.
4. Small and cheap (family arrived)
5. Medium.
6. Sporty, quick and outlandish. Drank petrol.
7. Plush, expensive, German. (diesel)
8. Plush, quiet, fast (but never really floored), economical, Honda, diesel.

I'm slacking then. Mine goes:

1) loads of really really fast motor bikes
2) reluctantly pass car teat. Eventually
3) Buy silly car (Luuuuuuurverly Truimph Vitesse soft-top)
4) Buy proper car when i'd broke that one (Octavia vRS)
5) Drive sisters brand-spanking new Saab diesel and wonder how the technology of 1930s Russian Tractor collectives made it into the next century without being updated at all

Diesels are meant for agricultural equipment! Auto are driven by people who can't drive. FACT!

if I don't have a car will I never grow old ?

The anti-diesel thing still astounds me.

Me too. Petrol cars just feel gutless now. Can't be bothered revving the nuts off them to get anywhere quickly. Best car I've ever driven has been the new BMW530d. 245 bhp, 540 Nm of torque, superb handling, an auto gearbox that seems to read your mind and smoother than a very smooth thing.

Auto are driven by people who can't drive. FACT!

Nah, Auto's tend to be driven by people who can't really be bothered to with the hassle of changing gear...

Auto gearboxes are pretty good these days. The VAG DSG gearbox is somewhat of a masterpiece in my opinion, and I feel I can say this after my own experience as I've owned an VW R32 DSG for 3.5 years now. That's not to say that it's more satisfying than a really good manual box (I love those notchy BMW boxes), but I'd say switching instantly between gears with little paddles behind the steering wheel is great fun in it's own right.

The FACT is, that most Auto's are harder to drive fast than a manual is (DSG aside), so if you can keep up with a manual car round country lanes while driving a car with a sloshing Auto box then you are the better driver.

I have a touran with dsg and it is all the car I will ever need. I have had so many lovely cars over the years that I just no longer aspire to something more tasty in the way that most of society do. Dsg is superb in every way and there is just no need to fit either a manual or auto in a car IMO. Manual gearboxes may be good on a track but in the real world these days they just don't make any sense to me any more.

How any man can go from an impreza to a vectra and be happy somewhat concerns me!!

wrightyson - sometime the journey is better than arriving, having had a few fast and nice cars along the way the desire was in some respects better than owning, although still interested in cars, am more than happy with a Diesel T5, a Focus and a nice mountain bike, it's do able. Sometimes the petrol in your viens runs out, and the urge just goes.

Heh. i started driving last year, aged 39. Hopefully I'll get to the sports car stage when my eyesight and mental capacities start to fade. Should be fun. For me.

What I should add though is I am very glad I did own them it was a lot of fun 🙂 but it feels good to have got it out my system early on.

I'm middle aged and seem to be in a cycle, went from fast (WRX STi hatch), Forester XT to a T5 Diesel back to a S3 and a 911 and a Legacy GT Wagon (not all mine , well 2 are). Must be on the cycle to go to a milk float next or a Prius or something. Oh well. I'd buy a nice diseasle if we had more than 4k of motorway here but diesel is sh1te quality and cruise control is not exactly overly utilised on NZ roads !

Torque's where it's at for the motorway's - if I can't have it in V8 flavour then it'll have to be in diesel form, so that's why I'm currently driving a diesel Volvo.......bought it when I was 30, so I guess the middle age entry point is lowering

We were given a top spec touran diesel company car when we moved to Spain. I was, like, mleh.. But after driving a vauxhall hire car in the uk I can sure appreciate the quality and downright grunt of that bread van; added bonus is you can get four bikes in the back, or two with the wheels on (shuttletastic).
Our other car: [url= ]Clicky[/url]

The combination of the two forms a critical mass which makes a statement. It says "I have lost the will to live'

Wanna ask me about my will to live? 🙂 Personally, I think if you measure your life by your car, then you've got big issues.

Cars are for getting around in. Bikes are for pushing yourself and finding out what you're made of.

FWIW my hire car in the US was a 3.6l V6. My diesel feels more torquey... and it still pushes my car-appreciation buttons because it (like all modern non-basic cars) is a brilliant feat of engineering.

I've driven a few diesels and hated them all.

There is something completely anodyne and souless about them.

Its the way when you put you foot down and you get a nice swell of torque, you wait for the power to arrive and it doesn't happen so you change up, get a nice swell of torque wait for the power to arrive, change up repeat...

Yes you might be making good progress but in a totally uninvolving way.

A good petrol engine, not a weedy 1.6, a V6 or a 2.0 litre turbo, punches you out of the corners and back into the seat. You hear the exhaust note change as you head towards the redline dip the clutch and flick from 2nd to 3rd. Thats driving - diesel automatics don't really cut it for me

You hear the exhaust note change as you head towards the redline dip the clutch and flick from 2nd to 3rd.

anyone who could say that should get a lifetime driving ban 🙁

Personally, I think if you measure your life by your car, then you've got big issues.

Agreed. I can never understand people who try and define people by their car. It just suggests to me that they're trying to make up for a deficit in personality by suggesting that the car can somehow define them.

a bit harsh when they're already ostracized from female company, sfb.

My friend crashed his subura wrx, around the time his first son was born.

I fitted a set of roof bars to my car a couple of weeks ago. When I'd finished, I found myself stepped a few paces back from the car nodding my head approvingly. I was thinking how my German estate car is practical and comfortable and how it'll good to be able to get some loads up on the bars. It was at that moment that I realised my youth had departed me long ago.

On Saturday gone, I decided that I needed a shoe horn (for my 5.10s). So I bought one. As I dropped the shoe horn into my bag on the way out of the shop, I wondered if, in fact, my middle age had also departed.

simonfbarnes - Member

You hear the exhaust note change as you head towards the redline dip the clutch and flick from 2nd to 3rd.

anyone who could say that should get a lifetime driving ban

2nd gear redlines at about 55mph but don't let the facts stand in the way of the usual BS

Yes you might be making good progress but in a totally uninvolving way.

Rubbish. The corners are still the same corners, the car handles well, why on earth would it make a difference?

Torque curve in my CR diesel feels pretty similar to that in my mate's turbo petrol to be honest. Keeps on pulling to the limiter.

I don't think it's fair to compare a high performance large engined car to a practical everyday diesel anyway. Litre for litre, you get more torque, more fun and better fuel economy from a diesel. I don't see the problem.

I know I'm now middle aged .... beacuase I prefer the wife's auto Honda CRV (soft road thing) to my Golf GTI.

Why?

Because it's easier to get in and out of.

When i change the golf will defo get something "high"... hate sitting down "so low" now

Crikey, I didn't expect to open a debate on Rep-mobiles but still, looks like I 'll be trying lot's of rental cars potentially over the next few months so I may find a new automotive lover...

Tell me about it! I'm in the middle of trying to trade in my Megane 225 trophy for a diesel estate, preferably a passat as i can't afford a Volvo. BTW i'm only 30, what happened to me?

Don't worry, I'm 30 too! It's the new 45…

I've had and liked a Mundano (Pool car) 2.0-D (manual), but honestly the V70 I had yesterday puts that to shame, lovely to cruise on motorways in, give it the berries and it will move rather sharpish (D5 – Geartronic so ~205 bhp diesel auto estate)…

Got back in my own car this morning: a 10 year old Mk4 Petrol Golf Estate the only good things I can think of about it now are; No HP owing on it, plenty of space for Bikes and family, it’s not an MPV, no Turbo lag (cos there’s no turbo see)….

I’ve just been costing the V70 up I think I was driving a ~£35-40K version yesterday, lots of options, The missus would kill me if I bought one…. Or would she?.... No she would…

I reckon I could have a D3 with a few options under £30K but I’d still wish I’d bought the D5, and then there’s the T6… I bet that likes a drink…

People criticise Passats for being boring rep mobiles.. and I often think that when I approach mine past all the others in the car park at work. Then I get in and drive off, and it's all forgotten. They really are great cars 🙂

One with all the toys would be well less than £30k. Plus there's bluemotion versions 60+mpg...

you don't have to buy new you know; get a one year old job, the worst of the depreciation is already done and you still get 2 years warranty for a whole lot less wonga

I have a Saab 9-3 1.9TiD estate in Vector Sport anniversary trim. I bought it at 2 years old with 30k on the clock for £13k. I costed an equivalent brand new one up the other day, £27k. So I've saved over half the new vehicle price by not buying new.

The mileage I do makes petrol a non-starter, as I can get well over 500 miles to a tankful, more on a big extended motorway cruise. It takes bikes without too much trouble, and my drums fit in nicely too, with room for a couple of passengers as well.

OK it's a Vectra in slightly nicer bodywork but so what?

you don't have to buy new you know; get a one year old job

Goes without saying!

[i]no Turbo lag (cos there’s no turbo see)…. [/i]

And decent Tdi's nowadays don't have noticable lag anyway.

I have to admit there can be some lag on my Passat, but that's really the fault of the gearbox. You only get it when pulling away from a standstill. If you stick it in sport mode then the revs are always high enough.. but you still don't have as much control over lag as you do in a manual.

In a manual modern TDi it takes no time at all to get used to the shift points that remove lag altogether.

The turbo lag comment was stretching a very minor (almost to the point of non-existent) issue...

As a work colleague pointed out if I wanted a “Passat Class” ~200 BHP, Diesel, Auto (with tiptronic) and a few toys then the Octavia VRS is at least £10K cheaper and is basically a Passat…. Hmmm, might see if I can wangle a go in one of those next….

All of this is academic of course, I’m not buying a new car, I still have a House to purchase and a family to feed/clothe/entertain and as poor as it is the Golf does what is required of it perfectly well, so these musings really should end…

At least £10k cheaper? I only paid £10k for mine 🙂

Octys are Jetta sized tho, considerably smaller than a Passat and nowhere near as plush.

All of this is academic of course

It's a slippery slope.. you've started thinking about it.. it's only a matter of time.

Rubbish. The corners are still the same corners, the car handles well, why on earth would it make a difference?

Of course the corners are the same, its just driving out of them that is crap in a diesel. Each to their own though, my car sits in the driveway during the week and at the weekend mainly gets used for getting to the trails which normally involves a lot of A and B-roads, economy isn't really an issue. My car is usefully quick rather than properly fast but its fun to drive. I've driven a couple of similarly powerful diesels and it just seems like a layer of interaction is removed.

But hey, diesel does have lots of benefits like economy and...

Arguing about driving enjoyment with diesel drivers is a bit like discussing the merits of fillet over sirlion with a vegan

Well richmtb maybe you haven't driven the 202bhp Volvo V70? I have. It's a sequential twin turbo with a pancake flat torque curv (+320lb from 1400-3500rpm) and a power band that doesn't drop off. Not the usual peaky diesel torque curve. It's a very good motorway machine and pretty quick in most situations. Plus plenty big enough for loads of people plus bikes.

To those of you who say "you wouldn't see me dead in that car" because of your preconcieved notions of car=personality. Your lives must be very shallow. Really do you judge all aspects of a person by what they drive?

[i]Of course the corners are the same, its just driving out of them that is crap in a diesel[/i]

he he. I have a video somewhere of a friends chipped Golf 2.0 GTTdi leaving a 911 out of a whole load of corners at the ring. The 911 would catch up on the straights, get held up on the corner and then get left as they both accelerated away. All that torque you see.

Bet it was frustrating for the Porsche driver.

its just driving out of them that is crap in a diesel

Only if you've no idea how to use it properly! I honestly fail to see the problem. Lots of torque on demand, I can get out of a corner exactly as I could in a petrol car with the same hp.

Driver interaction removed? That's total twaddle.

The only thing you get with diesels is more low end torque and a bit of turbo lag. Removed interaction? Total nonsense. Press the pedal, it moves sharpish. I just don't see a problem.

It may well be that the car you drove which had a diesel was a worse car than the one you like with a petrol engine in it.. but that's another issue.

Not the usual peaky diesel torque curve.

The peaky torque curve was a specific feature of the VAG PD engine found in Seats, Octys, VWs from more than a few years ago, and Audis. It wasn't true of all diesels, and it's not true of modern ones now 🙂

Well richmtb maybe you haven't driven the 202bhp Volvo V70?

Can't say I've had the pleasure, I have driven a 335d which has just shy of 300hp and is an absolute rocketship, but its still not the most involving car to drive, its like an engineering achievement rather something designed to involve the driver.

I'm not talking about speed, acceleration or grip. Diesels just lack something, maybe its the lower revs, the exhaust note on the overun, the tappity engine noise (although less of an issue these days).

If you don't get what I'm talking about thats fine, I'm not passing judgement but hands up who would buy the diesel if the similarly powerful petrol was just as economical?

Until recently I've only owned rear wheel drive, petrol, manual usually 2 seat cars. I would not buy anything else for fun (let's ignore practicaltity just for now).

Had a Insignia Diesel on hire the other day, a week or two after the petrol version - the petrol one was awful and the diesel was about the best thing I've drive in years - it drove as I would hope the petrol would do, just change up a little earlier. The torque was ludicrous, felt like it could spin the wheels going 4th to 5th. And possibly 6th.

So my preconceptions have had their shoes removed and wee'd in.

However I have definitely got middle age taking me by the neck, have a burning desire for something small, 2 seater, British and utterly unreliable.

Jackets with patches on the elbows next.

If you don't get what I'm talking about thats fine, I'm not passing judgement but hands up who would buy the diesel if the similarly powerful petrol was just as economical?

Sticks hand up.....the extra torque makes a diesel much 'easier' to drive & overtaking on A roads requires much less gearbox stirring, forethought & screaming revs.

For most of my driving sat on the A1, my diesel sits at about 1800rpm. My mate's Corolla T-Sport with 60+ more horsepower is buzzing away nearer 4000rpm and is quite intrusive. In normal driving conditions I can keep up with him with little bother.

If you don't get what I'm talking about thats fine, I'm not passing judgement but hands up who would buy the diesel if the similarly powerful petrol was just as economical?

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I had a V50 T5 and I didn't have any problems overtaking at all.

Tried the deisel and it was pretty much the same just not quite as smooth.

Have to agree that cars are just transport they dont "mean" anything.

joolsburger - perhaps, but is your T5 as economical as the diesel??

The original (and rather pointless, due to it not being the case) question was would you still go for a diesel if a similar power petrol was as economical.....

I'd put my hand up too. The quietness of a modern diesel does it for me but then I am an old duffer now. My car and in particular the Insignia whisper along the motorway with barely a sound.

Since Easter I've managed to drive less than 100 miles. It's a bit annoying actually as I got one of the iPhone apps for working out real world mpg, but I filled the car up on 25th May and the needle's only just come down to full and its still claiming to have 580 miles left on that tank.
Anyway I have a diesel estate car. It seems to go and stop and go round corners ok, although I thought that 39,000 miles for a set of front tyres was a bit shabby.

It's not what you drive it's how you drive it, never forget my old man upsetting my ex bro in law who was in his fully specced impreza, the old boy was in his 850 Volvo tank. They decided to see who was first back to ours one night. My old man to quote " went the long way round" to avoid any silly overtaking, as boyo pulled up outside ours, the old boy was walking up the pavement smiling.

wrightyson - classic

I guess by that definition I became middle aged when I came down from Fort William overtaking everything and had to stop in Tyndrum cos passenger wanted the loo - every overtaken car had passed again before I had even locked the car door

Tho I thought becoming middle aged was defined by

1. Listening to Radio 2
2. Buying a 3 piece suite
3. Starting to wear slippers

But then I'm well past middle aged in everything but my my mind 😛

Is your Lycra beige..................

Honestly Steveb it's true! Mr impreza who also had the jacket to match his car was utterly shell shocked. He knew both ways back and thought he would pish it! My old man is a ledgend tho!

I drive an old diesel because it cost 500 quid and does 50mpg

I have definitely got middle age taking me by the neck, have a burning desire for something small, 2 seater, British and utterly unreliable.

Perhaps I have at least taken a step back toward earlier middle age having just gone from a base model diesel Passat to an E39 BMW 525d Touring - which I quite like in comparison 🙂

With one seat down can still easily get 3 bikes and their owners inside.