Voice command tech is terrible. And in a panic, I will have done the action before you will have thought of the word. And then you have to hope the car hears you right. In a cloudburst. At highway speed. Read more

Today, on a 4 hr drive with intermittent light rain, there was a sudden 10 min cloud burst which my wipers on full could barely cope with. And Auto wipers had thrown in the towel. Read more

Me too. Same for most classics, the non metallic pastels alway look "vulnerable" in damp conditions..   I fear for them...

Wife had one (pre wife stage) and they were terribly uncomfortable. That era fiesta with the base 1.3 motor gave me one of the best drives of my life, on back roads across Northern Ireland in 1999. Slow car fast.  You could use all the "power" all the time.  Rental cars are wonderful. Ford made brilliant handling… Read more

A1 has two latches. Both Lexus I’ve had has just 1. Can’t remember the BMW’s. Read more

I am the third child, and the oldest sibling was starting school when I was 5 months old. (Mid 70's, Ireland) So mum got a Renault 4 (think very small station wagon). I rode in a carry-cot in the trunk. Within 8 years, the floor had rusted out and while there were (non inertia) front belts, these were attached to said… Read more

We have two garbage companies doing collections on our street, each has a separate run for trash and recycling waste.  So 4 visits a week, starting at 6am.  I, for one, welcome something quieter than the thunderous roar of their current diesel fleets.  Retro fitting would be great, but probably not worth it?

ESP aside, Add metallic Blue and tan leather and you have my E90 318i. 143bhp but sideways whenever you want at a speed you can handle at speeds the cops don’t notice and the Karen's don't report.

Problem is leasing and residual. Dealers want what they can shift. Read more

Irish guy here. 2 points for minor speeding, 3 for more serious speeding. Then it really escalates. Get 12 in 3 years, lose your licence. Get more than 6 and Insurance becomes fun. 5 points for using your phone. And Insurance companies view that like DUI. Which is a ban. Read more

Cyprus, 8-9 years ago, I’m “enjoying” the rental Ford Focus in the mountains on the way down (1.4L motor) and comment to the wife that it is great that the kids don’t get car sick . 10 seconds later.... “Mum..... Daaaad.... BLEUGH.....” Read more

Years back in Ireland, we had occasional amnesty’s for learners on second learner permits. And back then, there was no theory test, so you could have never driven and got a licence. And not just cars. Tick whatever category of vehicles you want... Read more

Mum had one in 1970's. Great little car. Rust claimed it after 12 years, but way more reliable than the other French cars we had at the time (R16, R20, Citroen CX).

There is a mid 90's Ram pickup in a very posh and genteel road in Blackrock, South County Dublin. Ireland. Anything not a BMW/Merc/Lexus / Volvo is viewed with suspicion. Range Rover and Audi would be considered vulgar. Read more

Europe calling: we did a 5 year old and 2 year old in an audi A1. Including vacations. I occasionally do the school run for 3 kids (12 to 10 years old - car pooling) in an audi tt.

Auto wipers. I live in Ireland. We are green for a reason. Wife’s tts has the hairy motor and quilted leather, but otherwise is poverty spec. No cruise. No auto wipers. Bizarrely lane keep assist. Read more

And that leaves the parking pall in the transmission holding the weight of the car... Read more

Filling up urea (“ad blue” here in the EU) is really annoying. And your car will not restart if you run out. Here, every gas station sells it. But the 10L Jerry can of the stuff spills with the cheap filler and the posh half US gallon bottles are small and expensive. And the distance count down to zero in my wife’s… Read more

Counterpoint: I started washing the car in the driveway as something to do while keeping an eye on my boys playing in the cul-de-sac. It was an excuse to be around and figure out if any of the neighbourhood kids were dodgy. And listen to the language they use and tone towards other kids. Read more

It is, on the 2017IS and 2019 ES. And it confuses people.  Once.