Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

zagubov

Lots of NPs know a lots about high performance cars but I'm looking for any NP tips on finding a reliable cheap small car for me to squeeze down narrow country lanes. Some posters here have mentioned some potential good examples. Any experiences worth sharing?

kabayiri

zagubov wrote: »

Lots of NPs know a lots about high performance cars but I'm looking for any NP tips on finding a reliable cheap small car for me to squeeze down narrow country lanes. Some posters here have mentioned some potential good examples. Any experiences worth sharing?

The only thing I can think of is to avoid the model variants which appeal to the young and new drivers; the low insurance models; since they will be in high demand.

The Honda Jazz was a surprisingly good car; didn't feel as small as it was.

silvercar

zagubov wrote: »

Lots of NPs know a lots about high performance cars but I'm looking for any NP tips on finding a reliable cheap small car for me to squeeze down narrow country lanes. Some posters here have mentioned some potential good examples. Any experiences worth sharing?

Toyota Aygo and its variants. Nice to drive but I wouldn't want to take it on a motorway long distance.

ukcarper

Nissan note not to bad on motorways also.

mystic_trev

zagubov wrote: »

Speaking of freebies. Trev, have you spotted that you can upgrade your 10.7 Lion OSX to Yosemite for free?
DD's done that, no problems.:beer:

Do check that all any paid-for software will run on it, but usually it will (for this particular upgrade).

Many thanks Zag I'll give it a try.

Doozergirl

zagubov wrote: »

Lots of NPs know a lots about high performance cars but I'm looking for any NP tips on finding a reliable cheap small car for me to squeeze down narrow country lanes. Some posters here have mentioned some potential good examples. Any experiences worth sharing?

I'm the queen of narrow country lanes.

A Mini. The paintwork hasn't been affected on any of them much by wedging into bushes constantly. I have had two minor scratches in eight years of driving to a school situtated on a narrow lane.

The car feels sturdy as well, not cheap just because it is small. The Clubman is a bit marmite but you'll get real people in the back - just about - and a bit more boot. "Lounge leather" seats are comfy like sitting on a sofa. Run flat tyres are the exact opposite. My Countryman is bigger and has always been fine down the lanes. Ultimately, you have to give way a lot and know how to brake, so it isn't really about size until you encounter Chelsea Tractors, which are annoying enough to make you wonder why they'd even want to drive them on those roads.

And of course, they handle like they're on rails so they're amazing fun on the wider lanes where two cars fit.

Doozergirl

The Toyota Aygo is the Citroen C1 is the Peugeot little thing. So more economic to buy the French ones.

I drove a C1 last year. It was good but I felt like I would die if I had a crash though.

Fiat 500? I drove one of those too for a week. Wow, it was slow.

Doozergirl

I have a lot less books.

Finding the motivation now to arrange the ones I have left is proving hard.

Perhaps I should keep 'the procrastination equation' after all?

michaels

zagubov wrote: »

Lots of NPs know a lots about high performance cars but I'm looking for any NP tips on finding a reliable cheap small car for me to squeeze down narrow country lanes. Some posters here have mentioned some potential good examples. Any experiences worth sharing?

I was about to suggest a Fiat Stilo and then I remembered your feelings about Fiats...do we get any clues on budget? Is insurance almost even more important than purchase price?!

vivatifosi

I was going through the list of new non fiction books as I do every week and for the first time ever saw one on hoarding. Unlike other books on tidying etc, this one is about hoarding as an illness and how to get better.

It is interesting as it is quite unlike anything I've seen before and hopefully will help a lot of people. I think it is due out in the autumn.

Mentioning purely because hoarding has been mentioned a few times on here.