Invisible wrote:
> In the category of "I realise nobody actually gives a damn but I'm going
> to tell you all anyway": I have a new car.

Me too!
http://www.zbxt.net/~aero/saab/sc_front.jpg
http://www.zbxt.net/~aero/saab/sc_back.jpg

> I had a mark-I Renault Megane. I now have a mark-II Renault Megane with
> a bigger engine. (I still have yet to determine *exactly* what model
> I've bought, but it has a 2.0 L petrol engine which may or may not be
> turbocharged.)

I doubt it's not turbocharged.

> - The clutch doesn't enguage until you completely remove your foot from
> the pedal. You can lift the pedal all the way from the floor to almost
> fully released, and you're still not moving. Only in the last 5mm or so
> of travel do you get any power to the wheels.

Traditional French clutch. All the French cars I've drive have had a
clutch like that. It's something I've never got used to.

> - You don't get a key. Instead, you get a huge lump of plastic. If this
> is within 200 yards of the car, all the doors unlock, and the "start"
> button is enabled. (Yes, you actually start the engine by pressing a
> huge "start" button. How stupid is that?)

I wouldn't like the automatic locking/opening, but starting with a
"start" button is pretty logical - as long as you don't separately need
to put the key to the lock (sorry BMW, THAT's plain stupid).

> This means that if I park my car and go shopping, and I happen to walk
> past a shop front that's fairly close to the car park, my car will
> unlock itself and allow anybody who notices and hops in to start the
> engine and drive off.

I'd guess the engine will shut down when you're far enough?

> (Presumably once they get out of range, the engine will stop and they'll
> be locked in? Or maybe it won't - imagine if you were driving the car
> normally and the radio ran out of battery power. Could be quite a safety
> issue!)

Ah yes, if it doesn't load the battery while driving or alert the car
that "hey, my battery is running out, please disable the safety shutdown
feature".

> I still haven't found a way to lock the car yet. Presumably if I walk
> far enough away, it will lock. (But I'll be far away, so I have no way
> of verifying this.)

Try pushing all the buttons! :D

> - Rather than having the normal 4 or the extravagent 5 gears, it has 6.
> I'm not sure why. You'd think they would use this to add more gears to
> the top of the range; but no. They just took the other gears and spaced
> them closer together. In other words, you need to change gear more
> often. 

It gives you the possibility to drive more economically - at least in
theory.

> (Which, considering that the clutch doesn't work properly, isn't
> much fun.)

It does. It's just French.

> - It does not appear to be possible to turn the headlights on or off.
> They just turn themselves on or off when they feel like it. (Presumably
> too many French people decided to drive off in the middle of the night
> with no lights on or something?)

That's actually a good thing. Light automation rocks, when you get used
to it you'll hate the German cars without it :-).

> In addition to all this, it has the usual minor stuff that all cars
> have. 

Ah yes, "nothing ever works properly". Fix the problems and it'll be a
nicer ride.

> The wipers don't work very well (but then, they never do). 

Wait, what? They never do? In the history of me and cars I've had *one*
car with *one* problem on wipers and that was a loose nut on a 14-year
old car!

> The
> brakes are very sharp. (Presumably it just had new brake shoes or
> something.) 

New brakes take a part of the glory, but mostly it's just the way the
brakes are built. I too have new brakes, but they aren't oversharp (then
again, I've always liked the feel of Saab's brakes - they just fit my
braking foot).

> It's taken me ages to fiddle with all the mirrors such that
> I can see properly. And so on.

Yes, and to get the seat positioned etc. That always takes some time.

> So it's a rubbish car then?

If it was, would you have bought it?

> Well, not so much. The steering is absurdly light - not sure if that's
> good or bad. 

That depends on you and what do you like. I like light but sensitive
steering - Audi had a steering that absorbed the road to itself, even
while it wasn't a light one, I didn't like that, but I assume someone
else does.

> The suspension seems... "better" somehow. The car doesn't
> tip over when it goes around corners, and driving over lumpy roads (or
> just ramps) doesn't shake you around so much. It's better-damped or
> something.

Maybe it's just not worn out yet? Well ok, probably they have had some
time to tune it up, it's not the same model as your previous car, after all.

> I couldn't say whether the 20% bigger engine makes it go any faster,

If it doesn't, it's crap :).

> since I'm constantly in the wrong gear. (I've yet to figure out how to
> access 6th gear. Every time I try I get 4th instead.) Selecting reverse
> is a tad tricky too. I guess I'll get used to it.

You will, you just need to find the 6th first to know how to get there.

-Aero

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Invisible wrote:
> 
> My 4-gear Peugeot 1.1 seemed happy to do 60 or so in 3rd gear. But then,
> while it had a small engine, it was also pretty light too...

As I think I've mentioned earlier, I have an old Saab 9000 as a hobby.
I've bought a new gearbox to it, having extremely long gears - it will
take 120-130km/h (around 75mph) on 2nd gear before the rev limiter, so
3rd should be somewhere around 170-180km/h (around 105mph) :-). The
figures on standard gearbox are 100km/h (62mph) and 150km/h (93mph). I
can't wait to get to put it in the car :-).

-Aero

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Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> 
> (I also don't understand why one of the manouvers they get you to
> demonstrate is reversing around a corner. This has to be the MOST STUPID
> THING EVER. You should NEVER, EVER do this in real life! So... WTF?)
> 

Why not? You can reverse to a parking slot (or out of it) or to a garage
for example.

Try doing it with a trailer :-). After that reversing only the car is
pretty easy...

-Aero

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Invisible wrote:
> scott wrote:
>>> However... is it a 2.0 T 16V or a 2.0 VVT?
>>>
>>> The documentation from the shop says it's the VVT. The stickers on
>>> the car itself just say "2.0 16V".

I think the VVT means variable valve timing.

>> If you have the turbo you'd probably be able to hear it, speed up to
>> about 3000 rpm in 2nd or 3rd gear, then take your foot off the
>> throttle, you should be able to hear it making a faint high pitch
>> whining noise.

Also roll up to 3krpm and floor it - if it's a turbo, it accelerates
significantly better than the old one did. And I do mean clearly
significantly.

> From what I've seen, if a car has turbo, it constantly makes that
> annoying whistling sound. 

No, if a car has a broken turbo, it may do that. A good turbo can also
whistle on certain occasions, but not constantly.

> Also, if you floor it, nothing happens for 4
> seconds, and *then* it takes off like a rocket.

No, if a car has significantly too big turbo and a crappy engine control
system, it lags 4 seconds with nothing happening.

Go ahead and give Saab 9-3 TTiD or BMW 123d a test-drive. They both have
*two* turbos, still no whistle nor mentionable lag.

-Aero

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Eero Ahonen wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> (I also don't understand why one of the manouvers they get you to
>> demonstrate is reversing around a corner. This has to be the MOST STUPID
>> THING EVER. You should NEVER, EVER do this in real life! So... WTF?)
>>
> 
> Why not? You can reverse to a parking slot (or out of it) or to a garage
> for example.

Sure. But we're talking about reversing around a corner, out of one road 
and into a side road.

> Try doing it with a trailer :-). After that reversing only the car is
> pretty easy...

Heh. I still have trouble just parking in small spaces. Still, my new 
car has a superior turning circle and sharper power steering. (Now if 
only selecting reverse wasn't so hard and the clutch worked properly...)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Eero Ahonen wrote:

> Go ahead and give Saab 9-3 TTiD or BMW 123d a test-drive. They both have
> *two* turbos, still no whistle nor mentionable lag.

Oh yeah, like they're *really* going to let some college kid test-drive 
a £400,000 car. :-P

Still, the only vehicle I've come across that had a turbo was a busted 
old Land Rover that was, like, 30 years old or something and rusting 
apart... Maybe they've improved since then?

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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>> In the category of "I realise nobody actually gives a damn but I'm going
>> to tell you all anyway": I have a new car.
> 
> Me too!
> http://www.zbxt.net/~aero/saab/sc_front.jpg
> http://www.zbxt.net/~aero/saab/sc_back.jpg

...it's grey.

> I doubt it's not turbocharged.

Really?

The turbo version apparently generates an extra 30 BHP.

>> - The clutch doesn't enguage until you completely remove your foot from
>> the pedal. You can lift the pedal all the way from the floor to almost
>> fully released, and you're still not moving. Only in the last 5mm or so
>> of travel do you get any power to the wheels.
> 
> Traditional French clutch. All the French cars I've drive have had a
> clutch like that. It's something I've never got used to.

My previous car (exact same brand and model, just the previous revision) 
had a clutch which behaved normally. (Although it was starting to wear 
out TBH. One more reason to get rid of it!)

>> I still haven't found a way to lock the car yet. Presumably if I walk
>> far enough away, it will lock. (But I'll be far away, so I have no way
>> of verifying this.)
> 
> Try pushing all the buttons! :D

Turns out the button on the door handle will lock the door - if the key 
is in range.

>> (Which, considering that the clutch doesn't work properly, isn't
>> much fun.)
> 
> It does. It's just French.

[Insert joke here about the legendary tendancy of the French to not work.]

>> - It does not appear to be possible to turn the headlights on or off.
>> They just turn themselves on or off when they feel like it. (Presumably
>> too many French people decided to drive off in the middle of the night
>> with no lights on or something?)
> 
> That's actually a good thing. Light automation rocks, when you get used
> to it you'll hate the German cars without it :-).

This morning I drove to work on a dark, cloudy day - but the computer 
still decided I didn't need my lights on. *I* would have kept them on 
anyway...

>> The wipers don't work very well (but then, they never do). 
> 
> Wait, what? They never do? In the history of me and cars I've had *one*
> car with *one* problem on wipers and that was a loose nut on a 14-year
> old car!

The wipers leave little streaks behind at exactly eye-height [but only 
on the driver's side].

The rear wiper only sweeps 10% of the screen in the first place [because 
it's conical], and do almost nothing to clear even the area being swept. 
And, unlike any other car I've seen, driving at speed seems to somehow 
*attract* water to the screen, rather than repel it.

>> I couldn't say whether the 20% bigger engine makes it go any faster,
> 
> If it doesn't, it's crap :).

Well, yes. ;-)

So far I haven't been able to climb above 35 MPG - so that's 10 MPG 
lower than my old car. :-(

>> since I'm constantly in the wrong gear. (I've yet to figure out how to
>> access 6th gear. Every time I try I get 4th instead.) Selecting reverse
>> is a tad tricky too. I guess I'll get used to it.
> 
> You will, you just need to find the 6th first to know how to get there.

Selecting reverse requires you to pull the little ring. But, unlike my 
old car, it's at the opposite end of the stick, which keeps confusing me...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Invisible wrote:
> 
> First of all, all the diagrams are for a left-hand drive car. You think
> that doesn't matter? Well, the buttons on the central console are the
> other way around on a right-hand drive car. (E.g., the lock and start
> buttons are the other way around.)

Still the gearbox is the same etc, so not everything is mirrored?

> Thirdly, the manual contains endless instances of "if you have this
> option, press button A. Alternatively, if you have this other option,
> press button B." But which freakin option do *I* have?!

If you don't know, you test it.

> My favourit is the manual for the stereo system, which tells you how to
> load and unload CDs from the CD changer, but omits to mention WHERE THIS
> IS! (I have since discovered that I don't actually *have* one - contrary
> to the information given to me when I purchased the car.)

Ask them to lower the price for that or to change a CD-changer to the car.

> I spent 20 minutes trying to find the airbag disable switch on the
> passenger door before I figured out that when they switched the car to
> right-hand drive, they forgot to move the switch. So it's still on the
> right-hand side, it's just that that isn't the passenger side anymore!

Aaahahahaaa :-D

> And another thing. Does anybody remember when if you wanted to fit
> seatbelts, you just went to B&Q, bought some seatbelts, and bolted them
> to the car? 

OTOH you now have officially room for 5 passengers (really for 4) and
also seatbelts for 5 passengers. Why would you fit more of them?

> Well of course *this* car has seatbelt pre-tensioners,
> force-limiters, front and side air bags, and who knows what else. So if
> you want to do *anything* to the seats or seatbelts, you have to get a
> qualified Renault engineer to do it.

Isn't it actually a *good* thing that it's a lot safer than your old car?

> Now manufacturers *always* want you to use their own parts. They make
> way more money that way. And I'm pretty sure that no matter what the
> manual says, putting non-approved engine oil into my engine isn't going
> to destroy it (provided that it's of the correct type). 

Yep. It just can void the warranty.

> But it seems
> there are so many things on this car that require specialist equipment
> to work on.

Yes, there are.

> You're supposed to get the crash sensors and air bag pyrotechnics
> checked annually - which can only be done by specially-trained Renault
> technitions with specialist equipment.

That's probably in the service program, right?

> Good thing I don't have the Xeon lights though - those have to be
> referred to a qualified service technition due to the high-voltage
> components inside. (Seeing a pattern here yet?)

OTOH you don't need to change xenon bulbs so often. I drove 90Mm's with
the original xenon bulbs on Audi. Just try to do that with halogen.

> And then there's the controls. I think I'm going to have to build a
> flowchart or something. Take one example:
> 
> The control for the wipers has 4 positions, A, B, C and D. In position
> A, the wipers are off. B is intermittent. C is normal speed, and D is
> fast speed. Unless your car is fitted with the automatic wipe option, in
> which case B is intermittent wipe depending on the amount of water
> detected.

Well yes, this is pretty normal.

> [Don't you just love the way *you* have to know what the spec of the car
> is to figure out which instructions apply?]

Yes. The other possibility would be that the manual says that you
*don't* have that one option and then it's added afterwards.

> Mine evidently has the automatic option, since it wipes every 20
> seconds, but now and then it suddenly starts frantically trying to file
> through the glass! o_O

If you have a properly working automatic wiper option, you simply don't
need to touch the lever yourself except for some rare wipe-once
-situations - just keep it in the automatic position.

> This is probably THE single most annoying feature. It's raining, you
> stop at some traffic lights, and suddenly you can't see ANYTHING. Or
> even worse, you stop at a busy junction, trying to find a gap to pull
> out into. This is THE MOST CRITICAL TIME to need to see what's around
> you, but no, your wipers have turned themselves off without your
> permission.

Yes, that sounds stupid.

> Now of course, the lights turn themselves off, not when you stop the
> engine, but when you open the door. So somebody has programmed in a
> feature [I forget how you select it] where the lights stay on for 30
> seconds after you lock the car. (They call it "guide me home" -
> presumably so you can see your front door or something...)

Yes. You can see the lock in your door to fit the key, it's very
practical :-).

> And the middle part of the back seat folds out into a table with cup
> holders. WTF?

If you'll take some nice girl to a car-picnic and it starts to rain, you
can benefit from that table ;-).

-Aero

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Invisible wrote:
> What I liked most was the warning to never put the seatbelt under your
> arm or behind your back. It seems so *ludicrously* obvious that this
> will result in horrifying bodily injury that I cannot believe anybody
> would do something so stupid...
> 
> ...and yet, they bothered to print the warning, so...

That's a warning I'd remove, to let natural selection do its job.

> I also liked the warning to never leave children unattended inside the
> car. Yeah, LIKE ANYBODY IS TAKING ANY NOTICE OF THAT ONE! Still, I guess
> the idea isn't really to keep children safe, but to protect Renault from
> lawsuits. ;-)

I read about a man who had to do something at work on a weekend. It was 
supposed to be pretty quick (a 5 minute thing). He was in the car with his 
child (presumably to go somewhere else afterwards). He actually spent *three 
hours* inside the office. When he came back, the kid was dead.

Temperature inside the car, which was receiving direct and strong sunlight 
and had no open windows: 50°C.

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Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Still, my new
> car has a superior turning circle and sharper power steering. (Now if
> only selecting reverse wasn't so hard and the clutch worked properly...)
> 

You haven't driven Volvo 940/960 or even 740/760, have you? ;)

-Aero

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