Interesting thought - will look further. Probably simply too big, but until I look I won't be sure.
Sensible Vehicles
- Thread starter oyster
- Start date
Well all I can give you is my experience as an independent with no specific connection to any particular make and I’m 30 yrs into it so far
As for that from a ford tech we have a customer with an electrical fault which started on his 18month old ranger and it’s been back to several dealers non of which can fix it the truck is now nearly out of warranty with no end to the problem
I also know several people who work in dealers and the story’s are the same
Over complicated rubbish springs to mind and shoddy build quality
I could go on with masses of fault of many types for you but I neither have the time nor patience to do that
Apart from that I have a week ahead full of rubbish cars to fix
Ps you have been lucky with your transport flecc
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Yes, the Imp had much to dislike. As part of one job I inherited running a company fleet of 144 cars with mixed makes. The largest number were Hillman Avengers, quite the worst car I've ever driven and I can't imagine what possessed them to to buy those.
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I sympathise on the over complication, I'd also prefer to see much less electronic complexity, so much of it unnecessary. First thing I did on the new Leaf last week was program out many of its features that I don't need.
Some of my older past cars suffered from poor build quality, but my recent ones have been fine. Those recent ones have been a Skoda Fabia (5.5 years), Nissan Qashqai (3 years), Chevvy Matiz for town use only (5.5 years), Suzuki SX4-SZ5 (7 years), the S/H Mitsubishi L200 double cab pickup (2 years) and now the new Nissan Leaf.
The Matix with the larger 4 cylinder motor was put together OK, though light, tinny and unrefined, but a great nippy in-town hack, narrow enough to get through minimal gaps. I actually still miss it in London streets 8 years after selling it!
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1955 VW Beetle, over 350,000 miles (documented) on the clock, original motor, sold when I left NZ
1967 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupé, rusted and broke in half
1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupé, blew motor recovered from first one
Fiat 126, new from the factory in Poland, traded
Fiat Panda 1000S, new, traded
Lancia Delta, new, destroyed at speed in a ditch coming back from a meeting with a client
Lancia Delta, too small for 3 kids, sold on
Citroën XM, heater stopped working on drivers side so much humidity inside dangerous to drive, junkers yard
Smart, destroyed after sliding on jet fuel and rolling multiple times end over end through a forest finally cutting a telephone pole in two 2.5 metres above the ground and landing right side up back on the road on remaining 2 wheels...
Fiat Stilo, junkers yard, too expensive to fix all the little things required to pass warrant of fitness inspection
Pedelec and bliss! No more car!
Dreaming of a vélomobile and a Butchers & Bicycles tilting cargo trike for my old age
1967 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupé, rusted and broke in half
1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupé, blew motor recovered from first one
Fiat 126, new from the factory in Poland, traded
Fiat Panda 1000S, new, traded
Lancia Delta, new, destroyed at speed in a ditch coming back from a meeting with a client
Lancia Delta, too small for 3 kids, sold on
Citroën XM, heater stopped working on drivers side so much humidity inside dangerous to drive, junkers yard
Smart, destroyed after sliding on jet fuel and rolling multiple times end over end through a forest finally cutting a telephone pole in two 2.5 metres above the ground and landing right side up back on the road on remaining 2 wheels...
Fiat Stilo, junkers yard, too expensive to fix all the little things required to pass warrant of fitness inspection
Pedelec and bliss!
No more car!Dreaming of a vélomobile and a Butchers & Bicycles tilting cargo trike for my old age
Enjoyed this thread as a car industry man (office based Japanese Brand).
Pretty sure the reliability has improved overall during my 20 years in the trade.
Now I am a cycling evangelist and trying to get my startup off the ground. Main idea is to integrate bikes with cars!
I have designs on fully integrating the rack onto the car, but so far the rack needs to be put in the boot.
I wouldn't recommend a van if you can help it as the acoustics inside a big metal box are never great.
Most towbars are specified to allow for 2 E bikes now. I designed these before leaving my last company. S load is the important figure. I don't think fixing to a towball is a good idea though. You need to apply a lot of force and this damages the surface treatments. Hence our Flange Towbar option. We are in discussion with a towbar manufacturer to offer an under the bumper fitting point for more vehicles.
Pretty sure the reliability has improved overall during my 20 years in the trade.
Now I am a cycling evangelist and trying to get my startup off the ground. Main idea is to integrate bikes with cars!
I have designs on fully integrating the rack onto the car, but so far the rack needs to be put in the boot.
Most towbars are specified to allow for 2 E bikes now. I designed these before leaving my last company. S load is the important figure. I don't think fixing to a towball is a good idea though. You need to apply a lot of force and this damages the surface treatments. Hence our Flange Towbar option. We are in discussion with a towbar manufacturer to offer an under the bumper fitting point for more vehicles.
Here is a bike trailer for 3 bikes.
Oh and you need a bike to pull it... They make one for 5 bikes too!
https://munich-biketrailer.com/produkte/model overview.php
Oh and you need a bike to pull it...
They make one for 5 bikes too! https://munich-biketrailer.com/produkte/model overview.php
The problem with these double cab pickups is the lack of length or width, 4 feet in both directions. Bike really need about 6 feet or a little over for some e-bikes. The tailboards can't drop fully but extend the load length to around 5.5 feet, just enough to include bike wheelbases, so one could be tied each side with plenty of cargo space between.
Don't buy without trying though, they aren't remotely as comfortable as cars, the rear suspension designed to take a one tonne payload so it lets the occupants backs know it over road irregularities.
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And also all of the above and dont buy an l200 there engines are rubbish for cracking heads blocks and blowing headgaskets ,
Nissan navara stay away too as they snap cranks have weak clutches and timing chains and have a habit of snapping just behind the cab ,
All i will say is isuzu or toyota for pick ups
But as flecc says there no cars for comfort and the load area aint that great for bikes .
Nissan navara stay away too as they snap cranks have weak clutches and timing chains and have a habit of snapping just behind the cab ,
All i will say is isuzu or toyota for pick ups
But as flecc says there no cars for comfort and the load area aint that great for bikes .
What had made me think of one is that a neighbour has a Ford pickup and there are several Hiluxes around. Checked out Hilux and they are about 1505mm with the smaller cabs having proportionally larger. Can two bikes not go at an angle to fit better? Or are the issues of doing that too great?
Thanks. Had been reading recently that Nissan's reliability overall is pretty poor. With some models like Leaf doing well, some others obviously have to be seriously poor.
Trouble is the huge wheel arches greatly narrow the front load width, so there isn't the diagonal you might expect from a four foot square. You'd need to have a physical look at the Hilux, but I doubt you'd find it much different.
Fine for the tonne of loose gravel I was dropping in each load, but I've never understood their popularity, given how limited the load space usefulness is.
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Indeed, that just about sums it up The old L200 I bought from a neighbour who'd bought a VW Amarok, obviously a glutton for punishment. He's even admitted he doesn't like it very much!All i will say is boys and toys
I only bought the L200 to do the nature reserve path repair job for two years, I'd never want to own one for myself.
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