Motoring
In car digital music without the wires
July 8, 2011 | 
Author Having just bought a car that actually has a radio and cd player I was wondering how best to actually listen to my music. Carting round cds didn’t appeal as judging by the state of the one that was in the player it doesn’t do them any good. My next thought was changing the fitted radio for a new one that will play mp3s, aacs etc and that will let you either plug in ipod dock or a usb flash drive. The trouble with this is that you have to take your ipod with you and you’d have to keep plugging and unplugging it from the car. Ditto a usb flash drive. Also I thought the usb flash drive would be a nuisance as it would stick out of the front and potentially get in the way during gear changes.
The old style cassette deck and jack system worked ok with cassette deck enabled cars but with only a cd slot and a desire for having no trailing wires that wasn’t going to be a solution.
Then I had a brainwave! My phone has an FM transmitter in it so that any music on the phone can be tuned by the built in FM radio. It works over a short distance, within 2 metres, so shouldn’t interfere with other radios too much. Handily there is a cubby just where it is a good place to stash the phone not too far from the rear of the car for good reception. Radio also seems to have RDS so it shows up as ‘Nokia’ so you know you have it tuned easily.
Works quite well and has just saved me £200 for a new radio and another few quid for another flash drive to put music on. No need for trailing wires around the car. No need to plugin and unplug things into the radio. No need to carry ipod everywhere either.
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Alfa Spider first impressions
After some hoo-ing and hah-ing I have finally got a sensible ish every day sort of car. It is a mere 10 years old so will be the newest car I have owned in a long while. Certainly the most modern as it is a 51 reg.
I didn’t think I’d like a front wheel drive car again. I’ve been used to 4wd and rwd so fwd is a novelty. Most of the other fwd cars I have driven I haven’t really liked much. I was expecting not to really like this much but I’m actually quite impressed with it. It’s better than all the other alfas I have driven.
Interior is pretty pleasant. There is a lack of cubbies in the dashboard area and the cigarette lighter is in the transmission tunnel area rather than in the base of the dashboard behind the gear lever. This seems rather modern to me. The ash tray even has some decorative green miniature gravel in it. There is a decent sized glove box, lidded cubby hole and open cubby hole. Lidded cubbie is just the right size for those biscuits you get in clear plastic trays from garden centres. There’s also another lockable compartment behind the seats which hides the battery and some more storage space. Boot is small but it is a good size for shopping bags as they tend to stay upright. Space saving spare wheel takes up far too much space so that was hoofed out quite quickly.
Electric hood actually works ok. It is quite slow and you can only operate it while the handbrake is on so driving along and putting the hood up for imminent rain isn’t on the cards. Catches can be a bit fiddly but you learn to release the passenger side and re-fix the passenger side first which makes it slightly easier. Buffeting is modest. The optional mesh wind break is supposed to make it much better. That is the next thing on my list.
Major irritant is seat height. It’s just a bit too high in the car for me. I feel like I’m staring into the windscreen bar rather than looking through the screen. Seat adjustment height wise is only a tilt like the BMW was but there isn’t the crazy pedal height disparity so it is much easier to get a sensible driving position. Controls are easy and straight forward and you don’t have to fiddle around endlessly trying to vary the speed of the wipers. Plastic rear screen is hard to see out of so you don’t bother and use the mirrors instead. Luckily these are much better mirrors than the useless lozenge shaped ones on the 156. Rear screen is a zip out one and seems to be reasonably easy to replace and costs around £150-£200. Complete new hoods seem to be available for just over £400 so it seems quite reasonable to consider replacing the whole hood.
It even has a radio/cd. Not had one of those in a car for donkeys!
Tags: BMW 120d MSport last impressions
Well, it fitted on the driveway nicely. I thought I might miss the car a little as it was economical but 5 seconds in my usual petrol powered rusty Italian conveyance and it was forgotten instantly. No more silly indicators, impossible to find reverse or rattling diesel. Bliss.
BMW 120d MSport first impressions
Ugh. Who designed the controls in this??? It is diabolical. The accelerator pedal is practically under the bonnet. The brake is under your chin and reverse is somewhere over in the passenger footwell. Considering this is the ultimate driving machine would it not have been sensible to get the ergonomic basics right in the first place?! In order to deal with the height problem and get a reasonable angle with the pedals I have to have the seat quite high so I’m more ‘over’ the pedals than necessary. If I don’t do this then my foot can easily disappear under the brake pedal or using the clutch smoothly becomes much more difficult. With such a configuration I’m conscious of having my head virtually in the roof lining. The bri nylon interior makes my hair stand on end and cling to the roof. This isn’t nice. This is an expensive car and it’s been fitted out by someone that must have made the interior of an Austin Maxi.
The stop start implementation is ok but having a normal handbrake seems very old fashioned and ‘rough’ compared to the modern electronic ones. The car also slouches on its rear alarmingly when you apply the handbrake on a slope.
The gearing on the car also feels wrong somehow. For a diesel it seems gutless low down. Higher up the rev range it seems ok but due to the extra clatter of a diesel you don’t want to rev it for long. The change up and down indicators should be completely ignored as they often seem to lead to labouring with the next gear or a give you a lurch when changing down. Go with your instinct. It’s better and will give much smoother changes.
The indicators are crap. I now understand why bmw owners rarely use them. Unless you smack them on quite firmly you get the first position which is just a few ticks of the indicator rather than a proper indication.
The seat adjustment is poor. If you want to tip the seat back to the high position you have to get out of the car and let it spring up! With ever other car with height adjustment you can remain in the seat while you adjust it both ways. Adjustments offered seem to be varied and not what you want at all. There’s even a back rest width adjustment but there isn’t a genuine height adjustment – you have to tip the seat up and forward!
What I do notice about the bmw and the one thing in its favour is its overall tightness. The vauxhall was a big blob on wheels, which it did well. The bmw is tight and solid feeling. Door handles feel a bit cheap and plasticky but the rest of the door seems to have a reasonable thud when you shut it.
It has sadly killed a dream. I thought bmws would be really good to drive but this 1 series 120d just isn’t. For its near 25k price tag its an expensive disappointment too.
Vauxhall Insignia First impressions
I have one of these behemoths as a loan car at the moment. It is about as dynamic as a sponge pudding. The 2 litre engine is noisy and rough at any rpm above about 2500. The parking brake is one of those electronic things which sort of works ok if you don’t mind a not smooth take off. I have yet to try a hill start or indeed a reverse hill descent so it remains to be seen how good it is. Gearbox isn’t too bad. Decent quality gear change. One thing I do notice is the greater lack of any engine braking. I assume it is a modern car thing as it just wants to keep on at whatever the current speed is when you lift off. It meant using brakes much more than I would normally for minor speed adjustments. Visibility out of the car is also very impaired by the large c pillars and a rear screen that is like looking out of a postbox.
The interior fit and finish is pretty good. I haven’t found a comfortable position for the seat yet. The lumbar support seems to be slightly in the wrong place for me. I’m sure I will if I spend enough time fiddling about with all the possible settings.
The question remains will it last the week? Coolant warning light keeps appearing even after being topped up. For a year old car with 25,000 on the clock it makes you wonder what has been done to it. Hopefully the attention of the RAC man might have cured it…
I have driven a lot worse and I am so grateful not to have been lumbered with a ford for the week or a nissan micra.
RAC man didn’t cure it. It is still wanting coolant so it is going back to avis… to be replaced with a 1 series M Sport diesel. Hmmmmm.
Peace of mind for motorists?
Promoting peace of mind for motorists
Motor Codes Limited is the body responsible for the self regulation of the motor industry through consumer codes of practice. Supported by government, consumer organisations and the motor industry we aim to raise standards and increase consumer protection for motorists. Our Codes cover garages, vehicle manufacturers and extended warranty administrators.
This is the aim of the new body. Let’s hope they achieve this aim as there are so many second and third rate garages out there that continue to rip off the less than car savvy consumer.
New Astra in 3d in your hand
This is such a cool concept! The possibilities are almost endless. It would also work really well with jewellery and watch stores where you could get an idea of how a product would look when worn on your wrist. Hopefully the next version will let you poke your webcam out of the window so you can see how the new Astra would look on your driveway.
More on the new Astra can be found on the community hub Torqueastra.
Snow hopers
What is it about snow and icy weather that seems to bring out the worst in drivers? Or should I say what causes them to fail totally in taking into account the reduced grip in these conditions?
I am continually amazed there aren’t more cars embedded into the armco around here. Most people I saw were braking harshly, steering harshly and generally oblivious to the potential for ice, black ice and loose grit. Are modern cars so good they can still stop in the same distance on sheet ice as on dry tarmac? Don’t think so. Do modern drivers have telepathy? Don’t think so. Are modern drivers not taught to drive in inclement weather as driving schools are too scared to take them out? Could be. Are modern cars so remote feeling you cannot even tell when you have no grip? Maybe.
Of course I could just be too cautious in assuming that sparkly sparkly means ice on the road so no grip. That wet looking roads could mean black ice so no grip. That compacted snow means less grip than fresh snow. That it’s easier to assume you have zero grip anywhere and drive like you have a glass of wine balanced on the bonnet and you don’t want it tipping over. Or maybe it’s me that’s wrong and I can drive just as normal and no harm will occur…
Astranomical fun
Recently I was lucky enough to get to drive the brand spanking new Astra at Millbrook, courtesy of TorqueAstra. Not just a new astra, *the* new Astra. We arrived minutes before the 12.30 start. Finding Millbrook is entertaining. Just when you think it doesn’t really exist and the satnav is convinced you’ve gone past it the Millbrook sign appears.
First up was the signing of a disclaimer saying you didn’t mind death or serious injury. Quite offputting if you hadn’t been to one of these events before! Not sure what happens if your next of kin is one of the other drivers either.
After that we went into the exhibition hall for a mill around and to poke about the new cars. They looked very stylish in black. First challenge was to return the immensely practical folding boot floor thingummy to its proper position after curiosity caused one of us to lift it. After several minutes of guilty fumbling the boot was closed and we disappeared away from the scene of the crime.
Next was a briefing from the marketing department about the new car. Plenty of music and flashing lights and an exclusive viewing of the new Astra ad campaign. Many of the marketing department focussed on the rear of the car. It does seem to be its best angle. Very Italian and a slight hint of Mazda about it. The flat boot entry is also great as folding rear seats and flat loading space isn’t much cop if you have to heave everything over a large boot lip.
After that was a quick demo of the car close up and a tour of its features. Our guy was called Steve and was bouncier than Tigger in extra bounce mode. He could fold the boot floor back flat again. Exciting features of the car included spring loaded bumpers so you can prang them happily at low speed with little damage. Ideal for the spatially challenged or those that have to park near the spatially challenged. Also adaptive lighting which would lit side areas in cities so you can see kerbs and pedestrians better (and a bonus for dodgy geezers who want to frequent red light districts and not end up with a minger) and it will do automatic main beam and dip for you.
Now the best bit. Driving the cars. We had been provided with competitor models and lots of Astras. I chose the Civic first. 2.2 diesel. Having not driven a front wheel drive car I was slightly anxious. I’m used to 4wd and rwd. The Civic was really good I thought. Interior was a let down. Garish and tacky instrument display. Engine was a peach and not too skeleton-having-an- epileptic-fit-in-a-filing-cabinet noisy either. Next up was a 1.6 Astra as a passenger. It was the petrol version. No idea of the trim level as from what I remember it just said 1.6 with nothing else. Interior was much more grown up than the Civic. Slight issue with finger trappage with the handbrake which marred the overall experience. Proper clunk to the doors which is always important. It was a little asthmatic and it took some bullying to get it to just a sniff under 100mph around the bowl. Ride quality was good and seemed more refined than the Civic which was noticeably firmer.
Next up was a focus tdci. Yuck. Loud. Slow. Handled like a pig. Stupid, stupid , stupid handbrake position which was next to the front seat passenger’s leg. I don’t want cup holders as a driver I want an accessible handbrake!! Door clunk was maestro-esque. Cheap and nasty feeling car. Not loud enough to wake the marshall that was asleep at his chair on the back of the hill loop though. Didn’t see him stir until the end of the session. Began to wonder whether he’d passed on or passed out.
Finally managed to grab an Astra as my third drive of the session. So much better than the focus. It was the 1.6 again and it was still asthmatic. Felt much better than the focus to drive. Had I known what I learnt later I’d have given it some more stick. Steering was very smooth. Ride was also supple feeling. More roll than the Civic but not much. More vague in the steering than the Civic but again only slightly.
The most fun car driven of the day was a diesel auto astra. A sentence I did not think I’d utter. Went like stink and stuck to the road like glue even with enthusiastic provocation.
After the driving session was over it was time to be driven by a pro driver to find out just what the ESP system can do. The new Watt’s link rear suspension is pretty special and did a good job of keeping the car together with no assistance whatsoever in spite of the best efforts of Justin our driver. I was in the front and stared agog as the car was turned in viciously into a 90 degree corner at about 60 mph and remained on the road and upright. Peril sensitive sunglasses were not required in the end. With the ESP on the car was much tidier through the corners. You could feel it working hard to correct the over enthusiastic right foot. If you can point the car where you want to end up, it’ll get you there. If you can’t you’ve got 5* NCAP safety features to save you instead!
This video is of another group’s ESP escapade:
ESP demo in new astra – what a scream!!
It was a great day and didn’t rain, which was nice.
