What do you consider 'essential spec' on a car?

ICBM

Ability to seat 5 in comfort (ie full middle rear seat) and 7 occasionally.

Internal capacity as close as possible to a small van with the seats out.

5-star NCAP safety rating

40+ mpg (petrol)

Spare wheel (even a space saver)

Low insurance group

Low tax

Low maintenance

High depreciation - buying used so I want as new a car as possible for the money

I think that's about it. Everything else I want seems to come as standard these days. Lots I don't want does too...

jellyroll

Reversing camera on a bigger car. Sounds wanky....but it's bloody useful.

viz

You need a Zafira @icbm

ESchap

TTony said:

Roland said:

Just bought a car last month so have spent some time thinking about this. 

Bought mine at the end of last year ...

40+ mpg.

Music system that will play just about anything from any source and sound halfway decent.

4 comfortable seats.

 

The 265bhp (620Nm), V6 was purely a nice-to-have that came bundled with the car.

 

How on earth do you get 40+ miles to the gallon out of a 265bhp car?  Unless of course you drive like my mother?  or have a man with a red flag? .. and even then ...  :-O

mike_l

jellyroll said:

Reversing camera on a bigger car. Sounds wanky....but it's bloody useful.

I keep getting people asking about reverse camera's on 208's.........

bluechargeboy

- USB socket on the radio
- Nothing else springs to mind

chillidoggy

Emp lane-changing detection radar for motorway driving.

TTony

ESchap said:

How on earth do you get 40+ miles to the gallon out of a 265bhp car?  Unless of course you drive like my mother?  or have a man with a red flag? .. and even then ...  :-O

Spend most of the time at a steady speed (<85) on dual carriageways & motorways, with the occasional blip of the accelerator just to keep a smile on my face.  Keep it in "Eco" auto mode.  TBH, at 85, it's barely ticking over.

Around town, it's closer to 30mpg.

ESchap

TTony said:

ESchap said:

How on earth do you get 40+ miles to the gallon out of a 265bhp car?  Unless of course you drive like my mother?  or have a man with a red flag? .. and even then ...  :-O

Spend most of the time at a steady speed (<85) on dual carriageways & motorways, with the occasional blip of the accelerator just to keep a smile on my face.  Keep it in "Eco" auto mode.  TBH, at 85, it's barely ticking over.

Around town, it's closer to 30mpg.

Ah 30 is a figure that I'm more used to ... does it use the devils juice?  i.e. diesel?

axisus

equalsql said:

Me to my wife: "OK we need to buy another small  car now that the old one has been written off,  what would you like?"

Wife: "A green one".

sorry to further ridicule women, but ...

my mother in law: "I have a new car" 

Me: "oh, what type?" 

MiL: "a red one". Upon quizzing she could give me no further info at all.

axisus

Generally all I go for is economical, heater works, doesn't let water in.

TTony

ESchap said:

Ah 30 is a figure that I'm more used to ... does it use the devils juice?  i.e. diesel? 

E350CDi Coupe.

musicegbdf

assuming we are talking comfort/convenience  Climate control. One thing I am checking out now is also that the radio is DAB , as at some point they may switch the other stuff off.

If we are talking other stuff 4 wheel drive. I have driven 4WD only now for over 20 years (from Landrover to Audi Quattro)  and can't believe how 2WD feel so unstable.

I have cruise control , but hardly use it as the roads in the SE are too busy. Though can be useful in the "average speed camera" areas, as people tend to drive at more consistent speeds.

Like the idea of the .50 cal machine guns. The bugger is the ammo is expensive and I would keep running out.

What i can do without... bloody LED's that don't work

ESchap

TTony said:

ESchap said:

Ah 30 is a figure that I'm more used to ... does it use the devils juice?  i.e. diesel? 

E350CDi Coupe.

Very nice!  3 litres of petrol goodness for me, great fun ... but there is a price!

d8m

4 wheels is a deal breaker for me.

That and whether or not it's got go faster stripes.

)

Islandape

equalsql said:

Me to my wife: "OK we need to buy another small  car now that the old one has been written off,  what would you like?"

Wife: "A green one".

Similar conversation but she stipulated that it couldn't be a Skoda.

chillidoggy

equalsql said:

Me to my wife: "OK we need to buy another small  car now that the old one has been written off,  what would you like?"

Wife: "A green one".

I had similar but her response was "I don't care as long as it's nice."

jd0272

Big diesel (mileage and oomph), sequential 4wd (economy and go anywhere any weather) high up so I can see daft cnts in pre-accident stance and avoid the fckrs, gear carrying capacity, leather (kids), and sunroof cause I like em.

thisisguitar

I just bought a car last month (hence my post) and realised it had to have the following:

FSH, ABS, Cruise Control, Good Stereo, Discs all round, Leather and over 200bhp.

On top of that I got Xenons, low-ish mileage, Climate, and very comfortable seats :-)

thisisguitar

@TTony - Nice choice