The Need For Power

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  • #252562
    DumfriesDik
    Participant

      How many horses do you desire for your Motability car? Is 0-60mph king?

      Over the years I have had various cars and most have fitted my needs. BUT without exception, I always hankered for the car with more horse power. As I have grown older*, the need for speed has eased and I would think 150 to 200 hp would be more than enough. I say that as the current car (VW ID3) is 200hp and it is plenty quick enough for me.

      If there was a few quid difference in the AP of two cars, the one with more hp would be more desirable still. Maybe I am yearning for my youth, I am too old for it to be a mid life crisis!

      I recall that I once had a VW T4 (Caravelle) which only had 100hp and that used to bimble along okay, even fully loaded.

      * The cost of fuel has gone up

      Skoda Enyaq Race Blue

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    • #252571
      Phaedra
      Participant

        My next car (Enyaq 85x due next month) is about 25% faster 0-60 than my current Ateca.  Did I look at the specs when ordering? no, never crossed my mind.

        The most important factors for me were accessibility and then running costs.  There were only a few choices as far as accessiblity was concerned and the Enyaq was by far the most economical option (by a long way!).  I hadn’t planned on a BEV and had been looking at HEV’s (full hybrids) but the Enyaq came along at a decent price and I decided to go full electric.

        Please excuse spelling/typos. Apart from being a clot it turns out I had one on my cerebellum that's now causing various problems!

        #252582
        kezo
        Participant

          Torque, 0-60 are useful for pullng out of junctions etc and adversing dangeous stuations (getting  out of danger)

          Whils’t 500 bhp is likely over kill for the average family car 200-300 is about the norm the norm.

          I want AWD as my next vehicle. If it comes with 500hp so be it ?

           

           

          #252607
          DBtruth
          Participant

            It depends on the size of the car. For me, somewhere in the 150-200bhp range is ideal.

            I’d say that 200-300bhp for the average family car is a bit of an over estimation. I don’t know what percentage of cars on the road have over 200 bhp but I doubt it’s very high. 5% maybe?
            Probably even less if you take EV’s out of the equation

            #252608
            kezo
            Participant

              If you consider today most 1.2 3 cylinder are pushing 130 -150 on average, 1.5 3 cyl up to 150- 180, 1.6 4 cyl 180 and over and 2l push the 200 mark easily these days.

              Shove a small battery on them, the likes of the 1.2 3cyl Reno Austral gets 200, 1.6 Sportage, Tuscon 230 etc The average now is 180 to 200 ICE, I wonder what it is for BEV’s.

              My last scheme car (2017-22) had 220, extended as Motability gained a love affair with 1.2 and 1.5’s. Before I joined the schem which I have come on and off a couple of times, I have always powerful motors.

               

              #252613
              DBtruth
              Participant

                You know, I didn’t consider hybrids and had no idea the Renault hybrid made that kind of power.
                I guess that shows that the type of car is important because I bet that Renault has similar performance to a 1.5 petrol golf even though it has about 50bhp more. (Obviously heavy with batteries)

                I’d still say, that although most cars are available with a powerful engine, the average person wouldn’t buy that one. For example, I bet there are tons more 320i’s out there than 335i’s.

                Slightly different on motab where the price difference between lowest power and highest is just a one off payment rather than a big increase in monthly payment.

                My theory was mostly based on this thought – if you make a mental note when you’re driving of cars you pass that probably have over 200bhp there aren’t that many.

                but saying that the majority of cars on the road are probably 5-10 years old so maybe that average power increase is yet to be seen on the road. Well that’s what it’s like where I live anyway ?

                #252620
                kezo
                Participant

                  TBH the Renault isn’t quick for a hybrid and with 200 horses under its hood, and 250nm of torque which i bet the golf surpasses.

                  Thinking about it, familily cars in VW group are typically 150, 190, 220  and similar to other manufacturers, so maybe I’m pushing it at 300 as an average car.

                  The majority of my cars off the scheme have been V6’s however I’m propably not the norm lol

                  #252628
                  DumfriesDik
                  Participant

                    At one time we had 3, 4, 5 and 6 cylinder vehicles, nearly a poker straight! But retirement and £££ running costs meant the fleet has suffered!

                    The nicest cars have been the BMW 3 series, had a couple of those on the scheme and they were just great.

                    Skoda Enyaq Race Blue

                    #252629
                    mitch
                    Participant

                      it may be an age thing but hp doesnt come into the equation most times its is it comfortable, can i get in and out easily anyything else is not really important these days.

                      although when i got the countryman i did go for the cooper s as it was within my ap range.

                      i did also look on jealously when the mini jcw came on briefly oh how i wish i was due to change then i think i woulld have put up with the difficulty getting in/out for the smile benefit.

                      #252733
                      DumfriesDik
                      Participant

                        I managed to bag a BMW 120d M Sport Coupe once. Suspension was carved out of granite! ‘Twas a hoot to drive though.

                        • This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by DumfriesDik. Reason: Added missing word

                        Skoda Enyaq Race Blue

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