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Had the pleasure of driving a Merc C-Class over the weekend. I say drive but it was little more than turn the wheel every once in a while for 500 miles. So many buttons, so much automation, so much to distract you.
The only redeeming feature was that the ride was fantastic and the seats extremely comfortable.
Visibility was atrocious – privacy glass for the rear windows and windscreen, and huge A & B pillars. B pillar and roof line in particular was so badly-placed relative to the driver that it was almost impossible to see clearly when turning right from a side road. It was also possible to set the driving position so low that I could barely see above the belt-line, and I’m almost 6 foot. Made it tricky to judge gaps and passing distances relative to parked cars. I’ve also worked out why you see cars with gouges in rear doors – reversing cameras only deal with the back of the car, not the sides.
From a safety perspective I liked using the speed limiter (important, because it was so quiet you had very little idea of how fast you were wafting along) but I’d imagine it just encourages drivers to drive at the posted limit all the time, rather than considering road conditions. No other active/passive safety features on this particular car because it was a hire car.
It seems that manufacturers are effectively selling an interior/lifestyle choice rather than a driving tool these days, the car was completely uninvolving to drive, even on Sport+ mode (firmer suspension plus comedy throttle blips as you roll up to stop lines FFS)
On the plus side I now have absolutely no desire to own such a technological marvel.
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I find it very odd that a few families I know splurge £700 a month on car leases. Surely the better option is to pay off the mortgage and subscribe to the bangernomics approach? I’m probably going to spend £500 on a Xsara Picasso at the weekend – 1 owner, low miles, bit tatty but a good runner and easy to fix. Will easily last a couple of years. And I’m a higher-rate taxpayer.
All about priorities I guess. Cars have always been about hierarchy, just as horses and buggies were. Personal transport has always carried status – its only when you get to 40-something that you realise its all bollocks.
(Of course, the same applies to bikes, but probably best not to go there 🙂
Totally agree. Im my last job, there was a police call Centre on the floor above us. About half the kids who worked in there were late teens / early twenties and most of ’em drove leased BMW 1-series. Here’s a thought, why not drive a banger like we all used to and save some money towards a mortgage deposit
? The world has definitely gone car crazy…I suspect it’s mostly about status anxiety and (related) peer pressure. I think younger and poorer people tend to be more prone to such pressures (and advertisers know it).
On buying bangers, there’s also the risk that your £500 bargain generates a £2000 bill at the MOT stage… Of course that could happen to any motor but it’s more galling when it’s more than the thing is worth!
It’s not just cars… how many people who can ill afford it are tied into expensive contracts for the latest iPhone, etc when they don’t need more capability than a midrange handset (which is as good as the top end of 3/4 years ago)?
But let’s not be too smug… how many of us spend four figure sums on new bikes every year or two, or several hundred quid on wheelsets (etc. etc.) plus just to potter around at modest pace on a Sunday?
I find it very odd that a few families I know splurge £700 a month on car leases. Surely the better option is to pay off the mortgage and subscribe to the bangernomics approach? I’m probably going to spend £500 on a Xsara Picasso at the weekend – 1 owner, low miles, bit tatty but a good runner and easy to fix. Will easily last a couple of years. And I’m a higher-rate taxpayer.All about priorities I guess. Cars have always been about hierarchy, just as horses and buggies were. Personal transport has always carried status – its only when you get to 40-something that you realise its all bollocks.
(Of course, the same applies to bikes, but probably best not to go there 🙂
Totally agree. Im my last job, there was a police call Centre on the floor above us. About half the kids who worked in there were late teens / early twenties and most of ’em drove leased BMW 1-series. Here’s a thought, why not drive a banger like we all used to and save some money towards a mortgage deposit
? The world has definitely gone car crazy…
Put some extra lamps on and this is about as far as cars needed to evolve.
Extra lamps? It’s already got rally car driving lamps! Can you imagine a hatchback with rear wheel drive and a Lotus engine today?!?!?!
Mercedes have a radio ad for one of their new cars currently. There is nothing about the car at all, no benefits of this v the BMW/Audi competition or any car selling points; it literally only mentions that you can talk to it! And then there’s some throw away comment about it not being able to tell you a joke because it was engineered by Germans…
? The world has definitely gone car crazy…
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