Originally posted by charlesr
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Microsoft lorries come with a three-user licence -
I've always liked my Japanese cars and bikes and after about a decade with big engined cars I'm going to be trying something completely different.
My car for the last two years has been a Lexus GS430 Sport Series II and as much as I've enjoyed owning it, I feel like a change. I've liked the quirky appearance of the Toyota iQ since I first saw one properly a few months ago and after going for a test drive on Saturday the deal was done on Monday. The problem is I've gone for a new one and there's an 8-12 week delivery time, so I've got a long wait. I'm really hoping it arrives in September, because the part exchange valuation on my Lexus is less in October. I've never owned a new car before, so it's a different experience all round. I hope Toyota's own build quality is as good as their Lexus marque.
I've opted for an iQ3 CVT with just the iUrban pack in eclipse black. I don't need sat nav, I've got a TomTom, and after having leather seats for several years I went for the cloth interior, plus I like the black against the black bodywork. I just missed out on the three years free servicing Toyota were offering, but they reduced the cost of the car by £433.25 to cover this and gave me the iUrban pack for free. I was interested in the iSport pack, but the brochure shots put me off spending the £505 on it and I don't think they would have given me that for free as well. Now I've seen decent pictures of iQs with the iSport pack though, I'm regretting it a little by not opting for it. Having said that, I've seen some genuine roof spoilers on eBay from Toyota dealers, so might just get that on its own. I like the shape of the car from the side both with and without the roof spoiler though, so am a bit unsure at the moment.
I wasn't bothered about changing it from stock, but seeing some iQs with subtle mods I think I might change a few things. Although the rear windows are tinted I think I'm going to get the back screen done a little darker because it looks too clear compared to the small rear side windows. I know the fronts are supposed to transmit 70% light, but I'll see if my tint man will put his lightest shade on them anyway.
Here's the demo I test drove:
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I was admiring one of these yesterday. Small car done right.Comment
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Nice car and all but quite a change from the Lexus!Comment
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I don't mean to offend but I think they are a complete rip off for a very small car.Comment
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I know! I looked at a few different cars, like the Audi A5 3.0 TDI, Honda Accord GT and Alfa Romeo Brera, I like the Honda CR-Z too, but I kept gravitating towards the iQ. The more I thought about it and looked at them, the more I felt like trying something completely different and since my last three cars have been a 4.3 V8, 3.0 I6 and a 3.0 V6, I should be laughing running a 1.33 I4.Originally posted by neil2k View Post
I also thought about the type of driving I'm doing and it's usually just around town with me and my gym bag and bits I take to work. I was quite impressed with the demo car, it wasn't fast, obviously, but it wasn't a slouch either.
I'm not happy with the price, but after being up close and personal with one I can see why Toyota are charging a bit of a premium for it. I know they're too young to tell how they will age, but it did feel very well made, things like the boot, doors and bonnet felt quality and opened and closed with a nice feeling, and it has a nice kit level for a small car (auto headlight, auto wipers, keyless entry, start/stop button, auto dimming rear view mirror, six speakers, MP3 CD player, nine airbags, etc.) and even nicer kit if you spec it up. Plus they offered me a good trade for my Lex and the part exchange will take the hassle out of trying to sell a big engined car that's in the highest tax bracket (?435 per year at the moment - ouch!).Originally posted by vanpeebles View Post
If I really don't get on with it, then I can always sell it and try something different, but the fact I can't wait to get it must be a sign that I made the right decision.Comment
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Was it a French lorry?Originally posted by charlesr View Post
The 'top speed' they are allowed to do is based on number of year experience driving HGVs (or something like that). They are on a 'provisional' to start with and can max out at 60. As they gain experience they move up the speeds. They are still required to show the old ones as proof that the current one is legit.
I'm sure its something as weirdly convoluted as that.Comment
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I'm in the same boat last cars have been BMW 330ci M Sport, BMW 325ise and my current Audi A4 2.0 Turbo Cabriolet Multitronic S-Line.
I only do about 7k a year so the running costs for me are fairly low tbh.
May try and convince the wife to ditch the new Golf GTi idea and go for one, don't think she'll have it mind.
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Both Toyotas I've owned in the past (a Mk1 MR2 and a Carlos Sainz Celica) have been bullet proof.Last edited by Neil; 15-07-2010, 20:43.Comment
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Plough Boy wins. Yes it was a French lorry.Comment
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People who are too stupid (or lazy?) to understand where to put the warning triangle behind the car if it breaks down. I almost never see people using it correctly. It's meant to be a fair way back behind the car to give people a chance to slow down when they see it.
Most people place it a few feet behind the car....
So came round a bend yesterday to find a car broken down in the road, the triangle a few feet back from the car. Luckily I already had my learning experience on the motorbike a few years ago, so now I only go round corners as fast as I can stop in the distance I can see, so stopped safely. It would have been far more useful just around the corner so I could have slowed even more.
On the motorway it needs to be even further back. If someone decides to pull on to the hard shoulder at night and suddenly there's a car with a triangle leaning on it, there's no chance - everyone's dead. It needs to be 80 yards back or more I reckon.Comment
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It would be nice to go one journey to work without having to deal with stupid/arsehole drivers...
People who undertake (always seems to be the golf drivers), people who indicate at the same time as pulling out (had a slower moving truck do this to me this morning, and he was less than 2 metres in front and driving slower than I was).
It's a cliche but White Van men really are some of the worst drivers on the road. One was tailgating me at 80mph in the middle lane today.
Last week I was in a stationary queue of traffic at a rail crossing, I was partially blocking a left turn off (no cross hatches and it was only a minor road, there are turn offs every 15 metres so ). I got beeped by a white van man, had to go within an inch of the car in front to give him enough space to turn left. He then gave me the finger after I did this.
I wondered where the hell that huge van came from then I realised what he would have had to have done; he pulled out of the stationary lane into the right turn lane then drove along to it to get to the left turn.
Grrr...Comment
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Middle Lane Morons are my main driving peeve! You know what I mean so I won't bang on about them.
My town centre has recently moved the parking tickets system from the police to a private firm (netting the Council ?550000 in 10 months!) and because they're supposed to issue at least nine tickets a day, they're constantly hovering like vultures.
I've been stung a couple of times and a co-worker got a ticket for parking in a loading bay, in a car with a trailer, right next to our office because he'd been away from the vehicle for 6 minutes. You have to put something into the vehicle every 6 minutes to avoid a ticket!
Anyway, I was loading in the town centre and followed all the rules - drive in through the correct entrance, was within the loading times, used my hazard lights and first gear so people could see/hear me coming and parked where I wasn't blocking vehicles trying to pass (extra tricky now there are lots of market stalls about).
I get out and a parking attendant creeps from the shadows and asks if I'm loading. I politely explain that I was and that I've followed all the rules to do so.
5 mins later, I'm getting beeped by a car that's squeezed through the bollards I'm parked by that separates the pedestrianised area and continues to drive the wrong way up the high street.
Where's the chuffin' parking attendant then?!
Raargh!
Hey MJ, nice iQ! Is that your silver Nissan 300ZX in the background of one of the pictures?
I couldn't help having a look at the other photos in your album and spotted this one:
Nice puppies!
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I'm still happy with my iQ decision, but I'm still not happy about the wait.Originally posted by QualityChimp View Post
The 300ZX (Z32) is my dad's, but I used to own the previous model (Z31).Comment
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How long? Ordered my car on April 17th, finally picking it up this Friday! Saw it on Saturday morning though, it's lovely.Originally posted by MJ View PostI'm still happy with my iQ decision, but I'm still not happy about the wait.
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Not meaning to sound like an old man, because its great fun to drive fast, but people really should be more careful on the road, and keep spirited driving to the track. The tailgating etc on the motorway is awful in this country, if the police weren't relying purely on speed cameras to catch naughty drivers them maybe they could do something about it.Originally posted by abigsmurf View Post
What prompts this was I was at the scene of this accident yesterday, it really makes you think and just before it happened people were driving like total morons, overtaking each other in their boy racer Golfs and Citreons, my guess is that the Hyundai with the family in was part of that too.Comment
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