Chat Shoby Car on his first REAL Motorway Run

S

Sarge

A2OC Donor
Hey Guys, Well I am pleased to say that Shoby Car has performed absolutely faultless on his first real long motorway run! :)

I had to attend a Wedding today at Middlesbrough Cleveland, at least a 500+ mile round trip. As Shoby Car usually does local trips, which is what his purpose was, family outings/motorway runs haven't been possible as I have more 'Mini Me's' that can fit in a four seater, which is what My Merc is used for, however, Wife & I decided to go it alone, leaving the kids at home this time (no cruel parenting jokes here plz ..LOL ;)) and I was so eager to try out Shoby Car.
So off we went off this morning and I found I was pleasantly surprised, I've always owned big (and some powerful) cars, some of the biggest in fact, and this is my very first 'small' car he ran a solid all round performance, putting a lot of other cars to shame. All in all, a very nice car to drive.

I did notice a few 'Illusions' though!
On our return trip, I lead a four car convey and amongst them was a Ford Focus, now looking at this car in my rear view mirror, I SWEAR is looked like another A2! at times, also the top of the rear screen seems to elongate (is that the correct term) the front ends of cars viewed through it, at times the same ford focus would look like a ford galaxy :eek:,
I wondered if it was me, putting it down to tiredness, surely not? :p

What I would have liked is another gear, wish this was possible and would make the car even more economical and more comfortable, a bit less hard work for the little 1.4 heart beating under there, although must add it was more than adequate.



Cheers

SARGE
 
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nice one sarge! The car finally gets to stretch its legs. Yes, another gear would be handy but straightly at constant speed on relatively flat roads. An over-drive type of thing would be suitable.
 
... or just a longer third / fourth / fifth. Unfortunately, not possible :(

Did 400+ miles myself at the weekend, the vast majority on B / C / unclassified roads (no gravel, though) - very good, but the suspension is crashy as hell and *needs* new shocks.
Was worst on the extremely bumpy bits - i.e. the 100 miles at the top end - and I also managed to get the ESP light on in the dry at one point by realising a bit late that it was a sharp corner and having to stand on the brakes... oops. Oh, and my car is very quiet now, but still not as good as I'd like. Let's see what the new tyres / wheels do.

Great fun. Can highly recommend Kalkkinen to Nuoramoinen, Suonenjoki to Karttula and I'll be testing Kalkkinen to Vesivehmaa next trip :D

Bret
 
Thanks guys, I thought it was just me about the gearing. I have found the suspension a good balance with these 18"!! wheels :eek: I wonder if the 8J size has anything to do with it, because it sat solid on the motorway and I was very pleased with the that secure feeling, never expected it from a small car. :)

What about the rear screen effect on the looks of other cars? was it me? or do a some cars look like the A2 viewed through it? also some weird shapes and effects are created in the cars following at the curvature of the screen.


Cheers

SARGE
 
the screen does that, yes.

For me, with the wheels: a) worn shocks b) crappy surfaces c) "old" tyres - DOT0704 d) heavy wheel / tyre combo results in OK roadholding but no confidence over 80km/h or so. I think there's a real issue somewhere, still (and it's not the ARB or the droplinks), so I'm hoping the shock and mounting point change will bring back that "planted" feeling you talk about.

Bret
 
Yep Bret, That would be a good description, solidly 'Planted' wider wheels definately help.


Hope you get your car sorted soon, as a bad ride quality is enough to put a man off his car.


Cheers

SARGE
 
Sarge, I think it is in one of our 'things you may not know about the A2' sticky post. Every Audi looks like an A2 in the rear mirror! Especially true with the same generation A3/A4, it is unreal!
 
humps said:
Sarge, I think it is in one of our 'things you may not know about the A2' sticky post. Every Audi looks like an A2 in the rear mirror! Especially true with the same generation A3/A4, it is unreal!
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Opps,:eek: well at least it reinforces the same view :)
 
its a great little motorway cruiser !
When I had a 1.4TDi for a company car I did 100 miles day on the motorway, it ate it for breakfast. There were even a few times when it went top speed all the way home, with ease !

the 1.4 petrol Ive got now is also good on the motorway, though could be better with cruise control added.

I noticed the rear window thing recently, have to say didnt notice it on my 04 TDi, my current one is an X-plate. Is it only present on the early models ?
 
davidkoulakis said:
the 1.4 petrol Ive got now is also good on the motorway, though could be better with cruise control added.
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Then do yourself a favour and have it fitted at Skipton Autos! Join the growing ranks of members with 'Skipton cruise' in their signatures!

Cheers,

Mike
 
davidkoulakis said:
its a great little motorway cruiser !
When I had a 1.4TDi for a company car I did 100 miles day on the motorway, it ate it for breakfast. There were even a few times when it went top speed all the way home, with ease !

the 1.4 petrol Ive got now is also good on the motorway, though could be better with cruise control added.

I noticed the rear window thing recently, have to say didnt notice it on my 04 TDi, my current one is an X-plate. Is it only present on the early models ?
Click to expand...

I will be fitting cruise control to mine very soon :D

I don't know if the screen thing is only on early models, but wouldn't have thought so really.



Cheers

SARGE
 
Sarge786 said:
What I would have liked is another gear, wish this was possible and would make the car even more economical and more comfortable, a bit less hard work for the little 1.4 heart beating under there, although must add it was more than adequate.
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I'll second that, the day I drove back my 1.6FSI from Northampton, It's as though I just needed that extra gear to bring a bit of refinement back into the drive.

But for local runs I'm contemplating on a softer suspension, It's just a little too bumpy especially if your used to 7 series beemer's :D

For me the real + has been that I've only spent £36.00 in two weeks on fuel and covered 265miles, whereas in the Spacewagon I would have spent at least £65.00 by now. :)

PS. howz those 18"s riding, any arch rubbing etc?
 
Iqbal said:
I'll second that, the day I drove back my 1.6FSI from Northampton, It's as though I just needed that extra gear to bring a bit of refinement back into the drive.

But for local runs I'm contemplating on a softer suspension, It's just a little too bumpy especially if your used to 7 series beemer's :D

For me the real + has been that I've only spent £36.00 in two weeks on fuel and covered 265miles, whereas in the Spacewagon I would have spent at least £65.00 by now. :)

PS. howz those 18"s riding, any arch rubbing etc?
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Hey, I guess there's little or nothing at all we can do about the gearing, so that's that then I suppose. However the otherside of the coin is that we hardly use the A2 anyway, never mind the motorways. :)

I know I said it before, but honestly :p the ride on the new 18" wheels is faultless! there is NO issue with any rubbing or anything that I could honestly say is bad, in fact I REALLY like the car EVEN more all round now, (if, that was at all possible). WELL HAPPY ME > :D ...yes Murdi I am ...honest ...LOL

Iqbal, Yaar Aap mujhe apna patha bata tho, pir hum milangay...:D


Cheers

SARGE
 
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murdo said:
Thou protesteth too much sir ;) - I believe you Sarge, delighted youre happy with the new boots! :D
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Murdi, proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say :p.

Do you know what? I think I was scared so much about all the comments on these sizes of wheels and tyres that I was expecting it to be so harsh and undriveable, but as Shoby car gets VERY little use, I took the risk, I am so glad I did, cos I always wanted these wheels, and they look great, ....well they do in my opinion anyway. :)

When your going past stop by and test them matey.

I think you gents have got sports suspension which probably greatly affects it a lot more than the standard setup.

Will have to get Humps to test drive it when he's around, to post a second opinion. :)


Cheers

Sarge
 
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