Petrol or Diesel car?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That's exactly the journey I made with the MKI Prius - with a full load of passengers and luggage. It simply couldn't keep up on motorways - the M6 especially was a bad joke for a 20 grand car. And the fuel consumption was dreadful due to being thrashed hard to go at normal motorway speeds. It did almost exactly 10 mpg less than my then petrol BMW 525 auto over that journey. The passengers also hated it - poor ride when laden. Wallowed all over the place. It was better coming back solo - but by then I'd learned to hate it. There is no point in having a family sized car at that sort of price which is so outclassed to drive anywhere other than in town. Of course Toyata specialise in this sort of thing. The vast 4x4 Lexus

400H can't do any of the things a proper 4x4 of the same size can either.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's the claim for the new model. But since they won't let any respectable motoring magazine do a full test on it will be only a claim.

[clumsy bastard]

That all sounds all too realistic, unlike the dribble. In defence of Toyota, I have fond memories of 60mph across desert like sands in a Land Cruiser.

[clumsy bastard]

in any case the 55 mpg extended urban cycle (whatever that is) for the Cooper S sounded a lot more attractive. Even if they are exaggerating a bit.

[Andy Champ]

Priapus. Ought to be the god of spammers...

Andy

[Andy Champ]

I don't remember when I last saw one. I'm normally out when he delivers.

Andy

[Andy Champ]

I still want one that sounds like a Merlin. And no, a Griffin isn't good enough...

Andy

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember clumsy bastard saying something like:

Back then they still made proper cars with a penchant for reliability. I wonder if a modern LC would put up with the abuse and neglect the early ones thrived on. My 20yr old SOJC (Carina estate) just keeps going on and on.

[John Rumm]

Don't know really - a case of what you are used to I suppose. (then again, I drive a flat four petrol engined car that has a very bass note, but it sounds nothing like a diesel)

[Jules]

Yep, I had one in the Aussie outback a few years ago - brilliant fun. It'd happily pootle at those sorts of speeds over the sand, climb anything I threw it at, and drive through rivers with water surging over the top of the bonnet. I think it's the only modern vehicle I've driven that's actually been enjoyable...

[John Rumm]

Like you need to ask that question...

[John Rumm]

The FCX does recovery since it has a battery as well.

Slow charging being the opposite of what is required though.

So in true VHS tradition ought to win through then ;-)

If you can solve the electricity generation problem, then who cares about efficiency?

will need to move to California though...

Diesel yes, don't think I would try it with petrol.

like natural gas then...

Talking of which:

leaks more likeley and their consequences far more dangerous. You need

Since the car has passed all the required safety and crash tests it sounds like it can't be too inclined to launch you into orbit.

Not convinced personally, but then again I will stick with petrol for the foreseeable anyway.

[Dave Liquorice]

Which engine? The TD5 has a centrifugal oil filter that does make quite a racket and takes a while to spin down.

I do what the book says 12k for the TD5. I don't worry about the turbo, by the time you've parked up the turbo will have cooled enough. How often do you really go from 70 to stopped and engine switched off in less than 30 seconds?

At home I'll be manouvering with the engine only idling for a good 20 to

30 seconds and thats after a slow ish run in as well.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yehbut the Land Cruiser is a real 4x4. The RX400H is a hybrid. Albeit with a proper engine which can cope on the open road.

[Doctor Drivel]

You tell lies.

[Doctor Drivel]

Normal people do not go to Aberdeen.

[Doctor Drivel]

Another plantpot!

[Doctor Drivel]

Another plantpot!

[Doctor Drivel]

Deluded plantpots!

[Doctor Drivel]

When they test.......................