Car Hire Lottery

[dinny_g]

[Simon]

Off to Lanzarote in the morning, and using a car hire company I've used before on the islands. Last time I requested 'Focus or similar' and got an Astra (in 2017). This time I've requested 'Astra or similar' so bets on what I'll get?...

[jamcg]

Fiat tipo

[mik]

Dacia Duster

[240PP]

That's an insult to the Espace's history.

i saw one today, i have to agree - it’s basically an estate car now - not even tall like an mpv.

For a car that basically invented a genre, it seems a shame to abandon it.

To be fair, it’s still a 7 seater..

I thought it was more SUV like than estate car. Which I guess is the look people want these days.

[dinny_g]

Off to Lanzarote in the morning, and using a car hire company I've used before on the islands.

That's not such a bad thing, given the terrain - we went with a local car hire company and in the collection inspection, they only pointed out dents NOT scratches. The Volcanic rock is so bad on cars that they said it would be impossible to monitor old and new scratches so they don't bother, only obvious prangs.

[Simon]

Dacia Duster

To be honest, I could give you all 100 guesses each and NONE of you would get it.

So....






Jeep Renegade Hybrid. (Quite how that's 'Astra or similar' I don't know).

A quick search shows only 41 for sale on AT in the UK. A version I didn't even know existed. My father-in-law in Brazil has a Renegade but I haven't seen it yet.

Anyway, it's....... not good. Fuller review when I get home.

[Simon]

Fun update - the fuel filler door is stuck closed. So refilling it before return will be.... interesting.

I've seen a YouTube vid where there's a pull cord inside the boot. Not sure if that'll work on ours. Need to go out to the car at some point and try it.

[jamcg]

Have you tried punching it really hard

[Simon]

Funnily enough yes. As hard as I dare anyway.

The rest of the car is warming on me though. Just confirms that I really want a hybrid for my next car and an electric car to replace my wife's Yeti when the time comes.

[Mito Man]

I know we live in a world where everyone leases everything for £110 per month but the list price for it is double what I imagined
https://www.jeep.co.uk/jeep-renegade/plug-in-hybrid

[Simon]

Still not as much as I imagined with the way new car prices are.

Got the fuel flap opened anyway. There's a hook in the boot that you unscrew and on the back is a string that you pull to override the fuel flap catch. Nifty.

[scotta]

Look - Its a white Alpine...

[DeskJockey]

Look - Its a white Alpine...

Is that the Dakar version of yours? Hadn't realised they made one.

[scotta]

Look - Its a white Alpine...

Is that the Dakar version of yours? Hadn't realised they made one.

Its got an Alpine badge on the wing and the seats - similarities then end.



No - I haven't got my fucking car back yet.

[240PP]

Picked up a Fiat Panda Hybrid from Milan to take us to Lake Como for a few days. It’s been a while since I’ve driven anything this slow. With a mere 1.0 3cyl uphill runs were power-sappingly mundane. But it was fun in its own way. Manuel, proper handbrake, no driver aids whatsoever. Like being 17 again!



This was the route to get milk in the morning.

[mik]

It’s been a while since I’ve driven anything this slow. With a mere 1.0 3cyl uphill runs were power-sappingly mundane.

You've just trigggered a memory of driving a 0.8 automatic Matiz from London to Glasgow for my wife's aunt. In gale force winds & rain. Passing 3 overturned artics on the way, and dodging various crap blown around the road. The drive was highly memorable, but not for any good reason.

Made it back - car still spotless - and the entire drivers side from nose to tail was bashed to bits within 72hrs after someone drove into her. Despite seeing that the collision was about to happen - she "couldn't avoid it".

[Jobbo]

With a mere 1.0 3cyl uphill runs were power-sappingly mundane.

[Mito Man]

I remember the Panda being discontinued but reading that it’s still available for sale in Italy

[Simon]

Still not as much as I imagined with the way new car prices are.

Got the fuel flap opened anyway. There's a hook in the boot that you unscrew and on the back is a string that you pull to override the fuel flap catch. Nifty.

So quick review. Yes, when I first picked it up I didn't like it, but it was so far left field from 'Astra or similar' that I gave it a chance. Over the course of the week it grew on me a lot. Certainly a lot more than I expected it to. On collection the hybrid battery was on 0%, so aside from reversing out of the parking space on electric it was on engine all the way to our AirBNB.

Initial impressions were damped by the fact that the tracking was off so the car pulled slightly to the left, and with the over-nannying lane assist nudging me back into lane constantly it didn't get off to a good start. That said, it swallowed our huge suitcase and bags with ease, the kids had plenty of space in their respective car seats and the ride was good. The built-in Nav was actually TomTom based, so easy to use, and integrated with the normal drivers display for upcoming junctions etc. 'Our' car also had the winter pack (in Lanzarote!?) so heated wheel and front seats, keyless entry/go, 240hp plug-in hybrid powertrain and full park assist and adaptive cruise.

My son is mad about hybrid and electric cars so I made a point of putting it in eSave mode to charge the battery on one run across the island, and easily got the battery to 50% or so. Over the course of the next few days petrol usage dropped significantly switching over to default hybrid mode and on our final run to the airport it was 90% by electric power alone, only kicking in the petrol engine to help us climb the mountains out of Playa Blanca, where we were staying.

Steering was sharp, almost too sharp, and despite the parking gubbins I still found it hard to judge the corners when parking etc. However, like the GLB/EQB, it has that Yeti 'quirkiness' in design that I like. Overall a grower, not a shower, but disappointing to find that I couldn't regularly open the fuel cap (a common fault according to the internet). It's a Stellantis brand after-all, so reliability and durability expectations are not high.

Would I buy one? New, no of course not. But I'd entertain looking at a second hand 2-3 year old one to replace the Yeti if my wife's car didn't go full electric on replacement.

Edit to say there's a pre-reg one on AT with 25 miles for £28k. That's pretty bargainous actually.