OT ML270CDI Mercedes (Tip Tronic)

UndercoverElephant

Aguila wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

To be fair to Mr. GTV, as a cyclist he's probably doing a great deal more for the environment than the average driver of a super-mini, regardless of what car he occasionally drives. It's reasonable to think that a car which uses a gallon every 30 or so miles is better for the environment than one which uses 50% less fuel, but is driven twice as often.

.

Fair point about usage, although in the example you cite the two vehicles would produce the same emmisions over a given time period. i think the bottom line is however far you drive you will leave the smallest footprint with the most efficient car that meets your needs.

Quite right. GTV has already mentioned (perhaps on a different thread) that he requires something with real towing ability. It's obviously more resource efficient if he buys one car that fills all his needs, rather than getting two cars, one for every day and one for towing. Especially if he has so many children, that the every day car would need to be a seven seater anyway.

There's not THAT much difference in emissions between a 4x4 and a large people carrier.

Aguila

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Aguila wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There's not THAT much difference in emissions between a 4x4 and a large people carrier.

Hmm not sure about that. GTVL tells us his 1st choice was honda crv, which would meet needs.

CO2 for honda 173g/km
Merc ML 246g/km

Thats 42% more.

jjojjas

Not read all the thread, but I can recommend the xc90. I have one and it's spot on. Its the only 7 seater I have had that I can actually still fit the dogs in behind the rear two seats and carry 7 people at the same time. I see about 37/38mpg fully loaded on european trips to see family. Nearly 90,000 on the clock and is still as new.
As for the defender argument, don't bother. I love them, had a couple, but they have had their day.
Jas

UndercoverElephant

Aguila wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Aguila wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

There's not THAT much difference in emissions between a 4x4 and a large people carrier.

Hmm not sure about that. GTVL tells us his 1st choice was honda crv, which would meet needs.

CO2 for honda 173g/km
Merc ML 246g/km

Thats 42% more.

But there's no 7-seat option on the CR-V, and also you're comparing a manual to an automatic. The most frugal CR-V automatic punts out 226 g/km, that's nearer 10%. I'm not saying that I would recommend either car, I just don't think that it's worth daemonizing someone over what is, in effect a small difference.

andy83

sorry to not suggest a top end car so to speak but have you thought about the qasqhai? or even the murano with more power etc

just got one myself, lovely to drive and very spacious. you can get an XL version aswell which is massive. also not too expensive and good on tax and insurance

shouldbeinbed

only read p1. +1 the Subaru, brilliant cars, my dad had legacy's and foresters for years and never a problem, also surprisingly comfortable and refined as a passenger.

I've got 3 kids 3 dogs and the Mrs drives a Nissan Qashqai +2. plenty of room for all and any of my bikes can fit in without being dismantled with a quick drop of the seats.

they're also class leading safety and its been far more sure footed than our old passat was over the last couple of days snow.

gtvlusso

Just to Apease Aguila, I bought the thing anyway:



270CDI (About 30 to 40MPG) - Tip tronic Auto with 4 matic (4 wheel drive only comes on when rough terrain is sensed), leather, Heated (variable heat) front seats, Climate control 4 zone, Command system with, Sat Nav, TV, DVD, CD, Bluetooth phone and so on. Rear TV in the roof (drops down!), Electric memory seats and mirrors and tons of other gizmo's and buttons.

Tax is £215 per annum currently and will be £245 next year.

IN terms of C02 - about the same as my 1999 318ise BMW estate which has 115k on the clock. So, reasonably eco friendly - comparitively.

Not looking forward to service bills, but should be spread out more!

Ultimately - all of our cars have completed interstellar mileage before being cast aside, and we have never bought a "new" car - so, in real terms, I guess my car CF is very low too + I cycle most places as has my wife for best part of 20 years.......

Everyone deserves a little luxery and this was had for £8000 (2002 vehicle with 68,000 miles on the clock).

Aguila

gtvlusso wrote:

Just to Apease Aguila, I bought the thing anyway:

Thanks!

greg66_tri_v2.0

What that needs is some nice big bull bars on it... For the ickle children at chrissmastime :twisted:

prawny

Greg66 wrote:

What that needs is some nice big bull bars on it... For the ickle children at chrissmastime :twisted:

On the subject of bullbars I always thought they should just make them out of deforable plastic or foam or somethinig then everyone would be happy.

gtvlusso

prawny wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

What that needs is some nice big bull bars on it... For the ickle children at chrissmastime :twisted:

On the subject of bullbars I always thought they should just make them out of deforable plastic or foam or somethinig then everyone would be happy.

yes - checking ebay now - perhaps some pig iron girders would do the trick?!

DonDaddyD

Just make sure you use dolphin oil at the petrol station!

Very nice! I heard when bought in black it comes with an AK47....

Can I drive it?

gtvlusso

DonDaddyD wrote:

Just make sure you use dolphin oil at the petrol station!

Very nice! I heard when bought in black it comes with an AK47....

Can I drive it?

I believe that they also come with a greek island when bought from new and an investment account in Shell Oil.

Yes, yes you can drive it....it is very slow though! And I am a rubbish driver, so anyone driving it is a bonus for other road users.

il_principe

Greg66 wrote:

Aguila wrote:

Do you really think that in order to be interested in climate change you must be some sort of bearded, hippy who hasn't washed since woodstock and lives in a rabbit warren?

Yes. Or a wannabe one.

Aguila wrote:

@Greg66 I find your post so depressing. Do you not beleive that these things are real or just not care? The world seems to be like this now, the "I'm alright jack attitude". Nobody is interested in taking individual responsibility for things. "someone else can do it" is the response to such issues.

This isn't the place to pore over it, but no, I don't believe. There. I said it. I'm a CC sceptic. I think in today's world that puts me somewhere between Hitler and someone who eats live baby pandas.

Why? Off the top: (a) I'm old enough to remember the threats in the 70s of a new ice age. Not so much; (b) it's a ridiculous bandwagon that's become an ethical justification for Govts to raise taxes. None of which are ringfenced for enviro-causes; (c) any science that hounds dissenters off the platform isn't science in my book; (d) if you want science funding you have to believe; (e) majority views don't mean right views. At the end of the 19th century Victorian scientists reckoned they had pretty much everything figured out, save for a pesky little thing that wouldn't fit. Which turned out to be quantum physics; (f) some of the claims are ludicrous: viz this week's Independent front page - "proof" that sunspots have no effect on the climate. Proof of an absolute negative. In respect of the energy source that keeps the planet going. Uh-huh; (g) it used to be Global Warming. Then someone figured that might be bad if the earth wasn't warming. Hence climate change. Well, duh-huh, the climate does, in fact, change. Like windy wind; (h) it's now used to scare people; think of a day when either terrorism, CC or the world financial collapse hasn't been on the front pages. Populations are easier to manage when they're scared; (i) have I mentioned taxes already?; (j) talking about temp change over a period of a decade is statistically meaningless in long term climate models; (k) cows produce more warming gases than all the wolds cars and planes put together. Any reason not to start slaughtering them? (l) I also remember the rainforests - CO2 sinks - being wiped out with complaints. That's still happening, without complaints. Because eg Brazil is a new big economy; (m) the whole "we must give up our cars/flights" wail smacks to me of simple envy politics; (n) those UEA boys weren't too smart, but the real giveaway was how slick the CC counter-offensive PR machine was.

That enough to be going on with?

Oh man, + 1, an emphatic + 1.

il_principe

double post

cjcp

What does Tip Tronic mean?

il_principe

Also @ GTV - don't take that off road, you'll get stuck. Pity your missus wouldn't consider the XC90. My old man has one (he's a farmer ooh arr) and it's a stonking bit of kit, fab off road and reliable to boot, although he regrets not getting the diesel... he got such a great price on the petrol he couldn't say no and it goes like stink. Noted on last night's Top Gear that the new Noble uses an engine from the XC90.

Aguila wrote:

Well you are in a very tiny minority with that view. There really isn't any place for not beleiving this problem is man made now.

I wouldn't assume that most people are onboard with the notion of anthropological climate change, there are an awful lot of sceptics out there. Sad thing is you can't voice a sceptical opinion without being treated like a holocaust denier...

lost_in_thought

Il Principe wrote:

Also @ GTV - don't take that off road, you'll get stuck. Pity your missus wouldn't consider the XC90. My old man has one (he's a farmer ooh arr) and it's a stonking bit of kit, fab off road and reliable to boot, although he regrets not getting the diesel... he got such a great price on the petrol he couldn't say no and it goes like stink. Noted on last night's Top Gear that the new Noble uses an engine from the XC90.

Aguila wrote:

Well you are in a very tiny minority with that view. There really isn't any place for not beleiving this problem is man made now.

I wouldn't assume that most people are onboard with the notion of anthropological climate change, there are an awful lot of sceptics out there. Sad thing is you can't voice a sceptical opinion without being treated like a holocaust denier...

I wonder if this is too OT for a poll... where is DDD when you need him?

Believers versus non-believers.... my use of the noun 'believer' is deliberate, BTW...

EDIT: I think the Noble's engine, although based on the XC90, may have had some slight changes made to it....

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

What does Tip Tronic mean?

It's a new fangled modification to the horseless carriage.

Automatic gearbox with the option, when in Drive, to select a mode that allows you to change gear: so you can select 2 for a corner and accelerate briskly out of it, rather than wallow in in 3 or 4, put your foot down and let the auto 'box kickdown.

As it's still a semi (or more)-auto and not a semi-manual, there are a few limitations, most notably it will change down for you, usually to stop you labouring the engine or stalling.

Those things in the sky that head towards where the sun sets. You know that they're big things a long way away, and not low flying birds doing a noisy glide, right? :twisted:

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

What does Tip Tronic mean?

It's a new fangled modification to the horseless carriage.

Automatic gearbox with the option, when in Drive, to select a mode that allows you to change gear: so you can select 2 for a corner and accelerate briskly out of it, rather than wallow in in 3 or 4, put your foot down and let the auto 'box kickdown.

As it's still a semi (or more)-auto and not a semi-manual, there are a few limitations, most notably it will change down for you, usually to stop you labouring the engine or stalling.

Those things in the sky that head towards where the sun sets. You know that they're big things a long way away, and not low flying birds doing a noisy glide, right? :twisted:

Ah, I see. There was a button on the gearstick of an automatic Mazda 6 we hired in NZ a few years ago. Never pressed it, mind. Sounds like a good idea I didn't.

gtvlusso

yes - off roading is not my thing unless drunk or with Wilma....

DonDaddyD

Greg66 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

What does Tip Tronic mean?

It's a new fangled modification to the horseless carriage.

Automatic gearbox with the option, when in Drive, to select a mode that allows you to change gear: so you can select 2 for a corner and accelerate briskly out of it, rather than wallow in in 3 or 4, put your foot down and let the auto 'box kickdown.

As it's still a semi (or more)-auto and not a semi-manual, there are a few limitations, most notably it will change down for you, usually to stop you labouring the engine or stalling.

Those things in the sky that head towards where the sun sets. You know that they're big things a long way away, and not low flying birds doing a noisy glide, right? :twisted:

Weirdly, 'the family' love tip tronic in their cars. Claim there is a marked difference in stress levels when in slow moving London traffic.

Bassjunkieuk

@DDD - I think any auto's are a god-send in stop/start traffic, so much easier on legs when we don't have to operate a clutch - I mean it's alright for most drivers who have legs like that found on an anorexic supermodel but it's considerably more tiresome for us cyclists with our muscular legs ;-)

Took me a week or so to get used to the Prius's complete lack of vibration or engine noise when sitting in traffic as it effectively turns completely off :-)

roger_merriman

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

@DDD - I think any auto's are a god-send in stop/start traffic, so much easier on legs when we don't have to operate a clutch - I mean it's alright for most drivers who have legs like that found on an anorexic supermodel but it's considerably more tiresome for us cyclists with our muscular legs ;-)

Took me a week or so to get used to the Prius's complete lack of vibration or engine noise when sitting in traffic as it effectively turns completely off :-)

I personally think any one who enjoys driving in stop start traffic with a manual needs their head seeing to!

can't beat a manual for the roads nr my folks place though.

Bassjunkieuk

roger merriman wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

@DDD - I think any auto's are a god-send in stop/start traffic, so much easier on legs when we don't have to operate a clutch - I mean it's alright for most drivers who have legs like that found on an anorexic supermodel but it's considerably more tiresome for us cyclists with our muscular legs ;-)

Took me a week or so to get used to the Prius's complete lack of vibration or engine noise when sitting in traffic as it effectively turns completely off :-)

I personally think any one who enjoys driving in stop start traffic with a manual needs their head seeing to!

can't beat a manual for the roads nr my folks place though.

Indeed, there is a time and place for a manual, nothing more satisfying then dropping down a gear and flooring it :-) At present the only manual car I get to drive is the shared van at one of the sites I work at, this is especially fun as a) I don't need to pay for the fuel b) I don't need to pay for the tyres, clutch, brakes etc. c) It's a diesel so has good acceleration :-D As the saying goes, your never gentle in a rental!

greg66_tri_v2.0

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

As the saying goes, your never gentle in a rental!

Too true. They're like the whipping boy/bitch in the corner of the playground. Everyone else's fun is their misery... :twisted: