Chat A very pleasant drive

[Birchall]

Hi,

As many of you will know, I am a huge fan of the A2 but that is because of how good they are, it is not a blind obsession.

I had to visit family today, it was meant to be a 3 hour round trip, but thanks to the M3 and M25 the return journey was 3 hours by itself, the journey there was close to two hours as well.

But I have to say that the A2 performed impeccably.

It was quiet (yes a TDI is quiet in the cabin), comfortable (our 80 year old rear seat passenger commented on how comfortable she was (unprompted).
Economical (even after hours in traffic jams it returned 65 MPG without even trying).
It was very pleasant to drive, the suspension (especially on the smooth Motorways, and even with 18" wheels) was smooth, the brakes and steering were precise (so much so that you tend to not even think about them).
The Climate kept everything at the perfect temperature (another piece of kit that I take for granted, I never need to touch the settings.)
The radio/ music options were ideal.

None of the above is due to the money I have spent on the car, these are thanks to the (mostly) standard features.

It is very easy to take a car for granted, especially one that is so reliable.

OK so I have my rose coloured glasses on again, but a 5 hour round trip, mostly in traffic, is usually a recipe for a headache and aches and pains!!!
The car made it entirely bearable.

Steve B

 

[A2Steve]

I wasn't aware you were a huge fan of the A2 Steve, you've never mentioned it

The longer we have our A2 the more special I realise it is. We have recently changed our family car to an A4 Avant and whilst its great quality and a good drive it is just so bland in comparison with the A2. It is clear that the designers enjoyed making the A2, so much thought and detail has gone into making it.

The other thing to consider is that an A2 could literally be a car for life. A body that will not rust and an engine capable of hundreds of thousands of miles mean that it will last you a very long time. How many other 16 year old designs still look so modern today.

If only we could manage with two A2's as a family.

 

[Jeff Sutcliffe]

Just to reinforce Steve B's comment that the pleasure of A2 ownership and driving doesn't arise from the mods that some members have made, I have exactly the same opinion despite my 134,000 miles ex cat C 2001 1.4 TDI SE being bog standard (apart from the 195/55 16 tyres!)

In the last couple of months I've endured three 4+ hours grid locked motorway journeys between home and Ross-on-Wye, a trip that the AA Route Planner suggests would take 2 hours 49 minutes, and the A2's air conditioned interior and comfortable seats made the queuing almost unremarkable; I've also made the three return trips in 2 hours 20 minutes thanks to the A2's easy performance! I've had a 150 miles day out in the Yorkshire Dales where the A2's handling allowed me to keep pace with the local enthusiasts on some of the more challenging twisty bits and, in between times, the A2 proves itself as a reliable daily driver on my local potholed A and B roads, quietly commuting yet, when the opportunity arises, allowing me the kind of driving fun that I last enjoyed over 45 years ago in a well sorted Mini Cooper 970S.

If only it'd tow a ton and a half of caravan and filter between lanes of stationary traffic, I'd drive nothing else!

Jeff

 

[Birchall]

Nice one Jeff.
Spot on, it is the car design that is amazing, the "toys" I have added are a slight bonus but a Standard A2 really is quite special as it is.

Steve B

 

[jp.oog]

Last year we did 2000 miles in a week in mine on the continent and will do around the same again in two weeks. So yes I agree they are pretty nice to drive