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Post by commerdriver on Nov 13, 2017 9:56:45 GMT
OK, so it's not on the scale of some recent new cars on here but, being a new company car, it won't cost as much and is at a more normal level for the few mere mortals in this place.
It is a white VW Golf GTE, a plug-in hybrid version of the latest Golf, reasonably fully featured and selected after testing a Golf 1.5 TSi, a BMW 218 Active Tourer, a Toyota Prius, and a Golf GTE.
It has been ordered now for delivery in March, in accordance with the usual company rules to try to align end of lease on the previous car and manufacturer delivery schedules although I expect there may be a little delay on the new car but we will see.
Not as exciting as some but I am looking forward to it a little bit more because it will be my last company car (unless I make some sudden decision to retire in the next 5 months).
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 13, 2017 11:04:43 GMT
Did you go to Windrush, CD? And if so, how long will you have to wait for delivery?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 11:47:30 GMT
An excellent choice, Sir. Looking forward to hearing about it.
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Post by commerdriver on Nov 13, 2017 11:55:03 GMT
Did you go to Windrush, CD? And if so, how long will you have to wait for delivery? Its ordered via Leaseplan as a company car so I have no influence over where they use, but Listers, the local VW dealer to current client site in Warwick have been very helpful and provided test driving in their own demo car, Delivery is the great unknown. Earliest date is 14th March when current lease ends but currently quoted general time is more than that, I should get a specific expectation for mine in the next few weeks, couple of small extras should not be a big factor. |
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 13, 2017 12:45:24 GMT
Ah, I was forgetting you're still in company world. I can picture that Listers VW showroom - still on Tachbrook Park Drive, with Peugeot next door?
Certainly a good choice in tax terms. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with it on longer trips. Of course, we may have one too by then, but MrsB1's unexpected enthusiasm for the i3 has pushed the GTE down the list, and our usage pattern will favour doing as much as possible on battery power alone.
Incidentally, did you try the PHEV version of the Active Tourer? Different plan to the GTE in that one motor drives each pair of wheels, which must give some curious effects as it turns them on and off. With the GTE I found it hard to tell, except by listening, which motor was doing the work.
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Post by commerdriver on Nov 13, 2017 13:40:18 GMT
Couldn't get a drive at the PHEV Active Tourer in the timescale from BMW centrally, neither the Warwick or Wycombe dealer had one locally, in fact the Warwick one did not have an Active Tourer of any description, seems to be a bit of a cinderella model for BMW, surprising the petrol one I had seemed a nice car in many ways.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 13, 2017 14:20:57 GMT
Yes, it's a bit hard to see who it's aimed at, given that the X1 has the same mechanicals, is better looking and probably better for space too. The friend of mine who has an Active Tourer is a recent grandfather, and bought it after looking at the Grand Tourer version I had as a loaner from Sytner at Taplow. Still seems pleased with it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 17:18:58 GMT
I'm surprised. The general view is that SUVs arejacked up hatchbacks with not huge amounts of space, whereas MPVS genuinely provide additional space, because the floorpan sits at teh same level as a regular car, but the roof is higher.
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Post by Humph on Nov 13, 2017 17:38:00 GMT
Good call I'd say Commerdriver. A PHEV might suit me next time. Tax and so on. Unless I go for a pick up.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2017 20:26:14 GMT
We've had a Hybrid for three years. It's very good for local running around and very economical BUT (there's always a but) once you get out onto roads above 70kph it's a 1.8 petrol with the fuel costs and running costs that go with that. I think I will have an electric car for commuting to work in the next 5 years. Once they hit 300 kms on a single charge and 30 minute re-charge time then who ever is making that car will not be able to make them fast enough. The four big ones (BMW, Daimler, Ford and VW) have joined forces to setup a charging network, no doubt the governments will figure out how to tax it: techcrunch.com/2016/11/29/bmw-daimler-ford-and-vw-to-build-high-power-european-ev-charging-network/ |
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Post by commerdriver on Nov 20, 2017 13:12:17 GMT
We've had a Hybrid for three years. It's very good for local running around and very economical BUT (there's always a but) once you get out onto roads above 70kph it's a 1.8 petrol with the fuel costs and running costs that go with that. I think I will have an electric car for commuting to work in the next 5 years. Once they hit 300 kms on a single charge and 30 minute re-charge time then who ever is making that car will not be able to make them fast enough. The four big ones (BMW, Daimler, Ford and VW) have joined forces to setup a charging network, no doubt the governments will figure out how to tax it: techcrunch.com/2016/11/29/bmw-daimler-ford-and-vw-to-build-high-power-european-ev-charging-network/What kind of hybrid is it BPD? the two I tested, the Prius and the Golf PHEV, both have capability not only to pass regex'ed amps back to the battery and to supplement the petrol engine with the electric one in load situations including going uphill on main roads / motorways. The effect on the Prius was to give me over 63mpg on motorway / main road driving which is way more than I ever got from a 1.8 litre petrol and also way more than I got for the same Motorway/main road runs from modern petrols (BMW 218i and Golf 1.5 TSi) on the two previous weekends.. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2017 14:04:02 GMT
It's an Auris hybrid estate 2015MY pre the latest updates. The best we've seen out of town is 53mpg driving at the posted motorway speed limits through Holland and the UK. Around town we have seen 97mpg which shows it's a very good urban runabout, never need to worry about the charge state of the batteries just get in and drive it. It's only when you leave urban speed limits it cannot compete with a diesel. That comes down to personal usage and local traffic conditions.
As I mentioned above, once I can drive an electric car in traffic without being a mobile chicane or having to think about charge and plugging it in every day like a smartphone i.e. it will allow 3 or 4 days (c.300kms) between charges then that will be the tipping point for me.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 20, 2017 15:45:06 GMT
I'm surprised. The general view is that SUVs are jacked up hatchbacks with not huge amounts of space, whereas MPVs genuinely provide additional space, because the floorpan sits at teh same level as a regular car, but the roof is higher. Forgot to answer this at the time. In the case of the X1 and AT, the space question doesn't arise because they are essentially the same machine. The space in the X1 is very good indeed, although I expect it's compromised as a cross-country machine - for all the difference that makes. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2017 15:53:04 GMT
X1 isn't quite an SUV to me. It's one of the very few cars in Forester territory. I rode in an X3 earlier in the year and it was as dreadful as I'd imagined. Don't mind the cut of the X1's jib (gib?) quite so much. Fine lines in my world.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Nov 20, 2017 16:03:21 GMT
My thoughts too, Vić. An X1 would probably sit window-to-window with an i3 - which certainly won't seat four of me, but is hardly an SUV either. I suspect the i3 is more fun to drive, though.
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