PlusNet as a car?

[#1]

Mornin' all
I posted earlier this week about PlusNet and its similarities to the Mini. If you haven't already read the post then here's a link.
http://community.plus.net/blog/2008/06/18/is-plusnet-a-mini-what-do-you-think/
I'd love to hear what you guys think about this subject (at the moment I'm getting lots of interest from colleagues who must love their cars too much )
Cheers, and hope to hear from you soon
Phil
(PS prod me if this is more suited to general chit-chat, I put it here due to relevance to PlusNet)

[#2]

Tuts at Phil.
Maybe we'll move it somewhere else, maybe we won't.
Probably OKish since its about your blog.
/Reserves the right to change his mind later and move it to EI or GCC.

[#3]

Quote from: James_H

Probably OKish since its about your blog.

Thanks for your mercy James! Nothing so ignoble as posting in the wrong place

[#4]

Many many years ago I had a mini - in fact I have had two because my first car was a Wolseley Hornet, which was a mini with wings on the back.
Nowadays I wouldn't even consider one - I might be able to get in but thanks to my ageing body I would certainly struggle to get out!
Come to think of it, that's probably why I stay with PN - I am terrified of getting into something that would cause me grief and from which I couldn't extricate myself. I can't be doing with hassle and everything computer  and telephone-wise works perfectly for me with PN so that's all I ask.

[#5]

Poppy - I'm 6'2" and the girlfriend drives a mini.
If I can get in and out easily, I reckon you'd be okay

[#6]

If we are going back in history my better half had a Riley Elf back in 1969 which I used to drive and I am 6' 4" - only real problem (other than the throttle sticking wide open on a downhill stretch in falling snow - the linkage froze solid as it was in front of the engine just where the snow blew in) was the stupid design of the rear suspension which was on a pivot with two bushes and they needed to be greased every service - guess what - the grease feed was through a single drilling to the first bush and then the second so the second bush never gor any grease.

[#7]

Thanks for the encouragement James but it's not the size (a mini is an ideal size for a little 'un like me) - it's the creaking bones etc that's the problem.
I loved my minis and if I was fully fit would have another one like a shot (preferably one of those sporty little jobs) but I am really not comfortable in low cars because of my difficuties. We don't have a gas-guzzler at home but the car we do have is nice and high with a good seating position and, most of all, it is a joy to get in and out of.  Is this a good enough analogy to PN I wonder?

[#8]

Poppy - you have not said what sort of car you now drive?

I notice on  the comments on the blog site that someone else loves the Yaris - wonderful!
I hope that PN is never like my worst car - an Austin Allegro - it was horrible to drive and just do not know why I bought it 27 yrs ago!  I got rid of it as soon as I could so if PN was like that I would not still be using them as ISP!

[#9]

jmdlp: yes, one of the Yaris models - excellent car. I always used to buy British years ago when we had a motor industry and had an Austin Marina as well as (like you) an Allegro.
In considering the original topic, I was remembering my efforts to sign up with TalkTalk for broadband before opting for Force 9.
I think that with my telephone/broadband habits my bill would be slightly less with the former. However, like in the case of the mini I wouldn't be so comfortable, would have no forum to entertain and educate me and I definitely wouldn't be able to get out for 18 months!

[#10]

Ahh memories - I had a mini, my 6'4" hubby could steer it with his knees!
It stopped if you drove through a puddle and seemed to be addicted to WD40. It had to be parked pointing downhill to jumpstart it and did about 50mpg! My proudest moment was being signalled to slow down on the motorway by a Police car....that meant I had actually got it over 70mph!
The Allegro was nicknamed "all-agro'" and we had a bright pink Marina - it rusted and always seemed to have flat tyres.
I have a high up vehicle now so that I can emerge from it with dignity - creaky bones too. We expect more from the cars now, gone are the days of hanging ones handbag on the choke, lol.

[#11]

Thanks for the memory - I had totally forgotten about the puddle problem. My Wolseley Hornet always used to pack in with a bit of heavy rain (ironic because the colour was cumulus grey).  I had to buy an 'apron' to fit between the engine and the radiator grill - it did work.
My other 'alf is desperate for another old car so I have to keep changing the subject! Reliability and comfort is a great deal more useful than nostalgia.

[#12]

I'd be interested to see how a mini fits me (I'm 6' 1"). I drive a Megane and in this weather I knock the wipers off with my right knee

[#13]

My very first car was an allegro I brought it the same day I passed my driving test.  Paid £300 for it bloke I got it from said it will sale though the M.O.T how gullible I was in the those days (20years ago)  so I said no need I will trust you and book it in at the end of the month.  He gave me £20 off the price.
The brakes need pumping within 1/2mile and he did not want to know when I took it back.  so I bleed the brakes and took it in for its MOT a week later.  The test man said don’t waste your money it failed before I put it on the ramp.  The suspension was lower one side than the other.  He shut the back door hard and it feel part from tin worm.  They did not me have it back it was that unsafe.  From that day forward I always buy new from a main dealer and sell them at 12 months old. Buying from a main dealer was a problem once my new car hit a tree on a transporter and was knock clean off the top deck.
What car would PN be? any Japanese car in between a Nissan x trail and a Honda cr-v
puddy
.

[#14]

Ah...death by puddle, brake pumping and brake fade (with luck not both at once), leaking floors (I undersealed my early Mini on the inside as well as outside) - the engineers at Longbridge must have worked all hours to design this much fun. But no mention yet of rear subframes which were more or less disposable items along with each oil change.
These days it is Audi: so reliable it's almost boring (but a welcome kind of boring).
PN isn't quite yet Audi; and the early BL models remind me of T*****i and O****e.

[#15]

Plusnet as a car , hmm , im afraid due to recent episode it might seem a bit sarcastic , im sure we would all like the technology of an audi and the comfort ,reliability and build quality of a mercedes 300d but at this precise moment i think more along the lines of a ford cortina,everyone has one in one form or another and no problem that couldnt be fixed with a big hammer and a lot of swearing