Didn't realise it had moved either - flicked over from Corrie just in time to see lovely Richard taking the P out of Jeremy for hitting his head in the Rover (was that what it was - assumed so because they were doing brummie impressions.)
Why's it moved? Thought it might be to make way for some sport or something but there are only some fame seeking ex SAS people on now, explaining how to be bodyguards.
Hmm.
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I got the closing credits !!!
Anyone know if its repeated later in the week ?
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As far as I can see on Radio Times on the net, TG isn't repeated. But will be on a cable channel in about a years time.
Sorry
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I watched it, you didn't really miss much. A few weeks ago this program was getting better, now its worse than ever.
Why the BBC changed the time to 7pm is something I will never understand, perhaps they think the target views want to watch the sports personality of the year ?
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I watched it, it was great :-) Let's see now. A review of the new mclaren mercedes with oodles of horsepower that sounded unbelievably good but had on off brakes and nasty plastic interior which you don't want on a 300k car. A test drive of the new mg sports car with again beautiful engine that is used in the new mustang where jeremy hit his head. Rory Bremner doing a cracking time in the liana. Arguments over the best british car comparing the noble m12 (yumm), the rover 75 (aah) and the morgan plus 8 (yawn). I would love the noble and would happily toodle around in the 75. Some intelligent folk trying to do burn outs including Heinz Wolf (remember him from the great egg race?) Brian Sewell the art critic and another bloke that was a very good scientist who looked like he used to be on the open university...
An hour well spent I thought....
teabelly
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If you get UKHorizons then you're in luck. They're repeating the series, but about three weeks behind time. It's on Wednesdays at 10PM, last week they had the Lambos on, so that's about three weeks behind, right?
Anyway, week after this, it's the Aston V8 Vantage, so I'd best not miss it again, or I'll cry.
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"Prog brought forward bec of breaking news ..." says "Customer Feedback" chappie when I ring. "We have no control over programme schedulers."
And because it has been shown, not cancelled, it's unlikely to be screened again.
Arrogance, I call it!
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I watched it.
Saddam Hussein missed it.
His day started bad and improved.
Matt35.
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I watched it. Saddam Hussein missed it. His day started bad and improved. Matt35.
ROFLMAO.
He may have been an evil "PFD", but they shouldn't have paraded him in front of the camera like that.
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"Prog brought forward bec of breaking news ..." says "Customer Feedback" chappie when I ring. "We have no control over programme schedulers." And because it has been shown, not cancelled, it's unlikely to be screened again. Arrogance, I call it!
I call it nonsense. It was marked for a 7pm start in yesterday's "The Times" weekly TV guide (in quotes so as not to confuse with the TV Times, if that still exists).
Hardly "breaking news" if the sceduled start time of 7pm was known when Saturday's paper was produced Friday evening!
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mmmmm It was in Saturday's paper as being on at 7.00pm. Taped it
'cos I was out in the 5 ("report" later) I had on loan for the weekend. Anybody want it (the tape not the car !)
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If you get UKHorizons then you're in luck. They're repeating the series, but about three weeks behind time. It's on Wednesdays at 10PM, last week they had the Lambos on, so that's about three weeks behind, right? Anyway, week after this, it's the Aston V8 Vantage, so I'd best not miss it again, or I'll cry.
Nice one Bazza! The lasty one I managed to catch was the Lambo effort, so right on cue for this Wednesday.
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If you get UKHorizons then you're in luck. They're repeating the >> series, but about three weeks behind time. It's on Wednesdays at >> 10PM, last week they had the Lambos on, so that's about >> three weeks behind, right? >> Anyway, week after this, it's the Aston V8 Vantage, so I'd >> best not miss it again, or I'll cry. >> Nice one Bazza! The lasty one I managed to catch was the Lambo effort, so right on cue for this Wednesday.
Of course, if you're wanting to catch this one, it'll mean watching it on New Years Eve I think, so maybe it's not that helpful after all.
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\'salright, we\'re having a party round here so I can put what I want on the box. Most of my mates are petrolheads and a few of the wives/girlfriends ditto so would be well received.
I can put a picture of a fluffy kitten above the kitchen sink to occupy the other girlies for an hour.
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Right, fair enough.
So what time should I come round then? ;)
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I turned on the TV at 8pm to watch TG only to find that some plonker at Auntie Beeb needs a good wallop.
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I watch it though Sky Digital and have the schedule reminder already set so that it automatically comes on. I noticed yesterday while programming another program to come on that the time for Top Gear had changed to 7pm.
I know it's no consolation for those who missed it, but it was one of the better episodes of the current series.
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Perhaps they are moving it towards the children's television slot.
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The breaking news bit is a lie, our NTL cable 'now and next' service had it down as 7pm, this is never updated to take account of short notice changes so they must have known about it for some time. I reckon it was moved to avoid clashing with the BBC Sports personality show.
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It was also listed as 7pm in the Radio Times, which is available a week in advance.
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That's right - the change in time was advertised weeks ago. All the TV schedules and the sky remote had it down for 7pm.
They didn't want it clashing with the Sports Personality of the Year. Sorry all you creatures of habit I'm sure it will be repeated on UK Horizons soon.
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Nah, I believe that the Americans had scheduled to capture Saddam when they did, and had forewarned all media outlets of the time and date, so as to ensure maximum coverage. So Topgear was bought forwards because of breaking news, it's just that the schedulers knew it was going to break.
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For info; it\'s on at 7pm this Sunday (21 Dec 03) as well. No excuses this time, you have been told in advance.
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All,
Do you mean it wasn't on at 8pm ?
...went to Chester to see Dr Feelgood gig sunday evening (I'm sure that you all wanted to know that) and set the video.
AI
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Acording to Digiguide ( www.digiguide.com )
Top Gear
Sun 21st = 19:00hrs
Sun 28th = 20:00hrs
John R
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There is also a "Best Of Top Gear" at 12:05 am Sunday Morning (21 Dec 03), which is on for ½ hour.
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Get Sky+ and set a series link, then you don't need to worry if program schedules change. Is a brilliant piece of kit.
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saw 10 minutes: usual drivel.. BBC should be ashamed of itself..
who wants carp Rovers and undriveable supercars...
madf
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erm, i'll take the supercar. You can keep your rover...
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Seeing as how the Rover is actually a BMW design then it really can't be seen as the best BRITISH car.
I'll go for the plastic supercar please.
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There's a thought for a BR poll!
Is Top Gear (a) Drivel (my vote) or (b) Great ?
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Is Top Gear (a) Drivel (my vote) or (b) Great ?
I\'d say there are quite a few \"great\" bits and yes, the occasional \"drivel\" but all in all it\'s not bad entertainment for a Sunday night and given what\'s on the other (terrestrial) channels it\'s sometimes the only option.
Chad.
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Mark, ND, DD??? ..Thank you for editing my sloppy tagging.
Cheers, Chad.
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we all watch it cos it provokes much interest - as with all programmes, it's subjective. Matters not whether we like or dislike. TG is doing a good job of entertaining/informing.
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Seeing as how the Rover is actually a BMW design then it really can't be seen as the best BRITISH car.
Popular misconception! None of it was designed by BMW - they only paid for it all.
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But a large number of parts have BMW part numbers stamped on them !!
And when taking them apart it easy to see the BMW influence.
Probably just a parts bin sharing exercise.
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One recurrent theme throughout the programme was "anti German" which was a bit embarrassing and juvenile.
The Luftwaffe dropped a bomb on my Mother and I in 1941 ( I have a photo of the target area from one of the aircraft on the raid)
but some of the comments were a bit over the top for a motoring programme.
Matt35.
PS - it was nothing personal - the air raid killed a number of people!
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"The Luftwaffe dropped a bomb"
Or, as Alf Garnett had it, "being bombed by the Lufthansa".
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Frostbite,
Known by many Germans as Spaethansa!
Spaet - with an umlaut over the a - meaning late.
Matt35.
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Please don\'t mention the war. You mentioned it once, but I think you got away with it.
Not the right site for it.
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Mark,
They started it!
(Couldn't resist - sorry)
Matt35
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I don't believe it. I blinkin' well missed the repeat last night!
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Don't panic. Remember: That repeat would have been of a three week old program.
I'm still waiting for the xmas eve one so I can see my beloved Aston Martin being roundly praised.
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But I've missed them for the last three weeks!
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ND,
Check the TV listings for either Saturday or Sunday on UK Horizons. Not 100% sure, but the current TG series was repeated on at least one of those days last weekend.
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Just a reminder for those of you who have forgotten.
Its on at 7pm again tonight.
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Thanks DD - read your post at 7.58 just before I logged off to go and watch Top Gear!! (and yes I had read the other posts earlier in the week saying it was on a 7!!. A senior moment I fear - or at least that's what my wife and kids will say!!)
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Damn, so when's the repeat?! Caught the last few minutes as the radio times said it was on at 8pm >:-( Only saw them racing the old and new generation cars.
teabelly
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I missed it too!
Was this the week that lovely Richard was test driving the new Micra? Got to say that would be the only thing that would get me back in one... imagine if all cars came with your own personal Richard Hammond! (Is it too late to write to Santa?!)
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Just because he has big puppy-dog eyes......
If he had eyes like yellow holes in the snow he wouldn't get a look-in.
Yes, as another person of limited vertical achievement I'm insanely jealous that a fellow short-butt has cornered the market in cute appeal.
[grind teeth mode on]
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He only looks short compared to Jeremy!
Anyway ND, you are spoken for and I need a man with a proper car, not that pfiffy Italian thing you've got. ;-)
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pfiffy Italian thing? Don't think a "winky" will get you off that one!
Is this the pfiffy Italian thing that regularly takes me across France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland at 40+mpg loaded with people, luggage and assorted sporting paraphernalia?
Grrrrr! {waves virtual fist}
It doesn't help that Mrs ND rather likes the little oik......
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It doesn't help that Mrs ND rather likes the little oik......
...or that the 'little oik' drives a TVR and a Porsche AND a bike...and looks pretty good in leathers too. :)
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Less bandinage with the female BRM N.D. More moderating and getting this speeding camera rubbish condensed into the thread it belongs to. Chop Chop.
Phil I
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I know, [sigh] I have to chase around doing ND's moderating for him, as per usual, while he spends his time flirting with girls.
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I'm busy making a new cupboard for the boiler (no, not her) following last weeks plumbing escapades. Only nipping in here whilst waiting for glue to dry on my joints (no, not that sort).
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Top Gear seems obsessed with mega expensive high powered cars that I for one certainly cannot ever afford. I wish they would return to the older format of testing cars that the person in the street---note political correctness-will be considering buying. I,ve seen everything from Porsches to Aston Martins but not any everyday cars.
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Everyday cars are dull dull dull. Buy car magazines and read this site if you want to find out about such cars. Leave the programme makers make something that is at least slightly interesting.
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Anyway, why are you telling us? There's already several threads debating this exact issue. If you really want to complain, then email/write to the BBC. I suppose that if enough complain, they might revert back to the old format. However, i doubt that is likely.
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I'm with Barney however I don't see why, given the amount of carp repeats on TV these days, there isn't room for a motor show dedicated to the needs and problems of the ordinary driver.
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The reason there are not programmes catering for the ordinary driver is the same reason that we don't see programmes on commuting on the 7:45 to Waterloo or any other day to day activity. Ordinary driving is just a chore and therefore not exiting or even interesting TV.
What Top Gear et al cater for are those of us who enjoy driving as much as we can but like to see the other side of the coin on the screen.
As an aside when watching TG recently with my father who is completely blase about cars he commented that he'd not enjoyed a programme as much as that in a long time and that they made "boring motoring" really entertaining and interesting.
As always with this debate, horses for courses.
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100% agreed.
I believe we used to have a dull motoring programme that had diminishing viewers but covered all the main motoring topics. I think they called it, er, Top Gear. Pre Jeremy Clarkson era Top Gear of course.
There is an affordable everyday car on every week - the Suzuki Liana of course so we cant say we never see affordable cars.
Also they have had the Hyundai Coupe, the Nissan 350Z, the E30 series BMW M3 (£8k to you sir), Renault Megane, Peugeot 307. All affordable in different circles but everyday cars nonetheless.
We should appreciate a programme that actually shows cars we dont normally see, on the move. If i want to see Golf's, Focus', Meganes I'll just put my head out the window.
If you want boring everyday motoring issues -read What Car.
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I used to feel the same about TG. I now watch it painlessly with a sense irony and enjoy. After all they can't really be serious (apart from James May) can they ?
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Got no problem watching programmes on (and even dreaming about) supercars but given the fact that 99% of us own and drive more ordinary vehicles I don't see any reason why the Beeb couldn't put on just one programme telling ordinary people about all about the cars they're likely to own. After all, this forum is full of posts from people who find out too late that their choice of motor is a real dog. They don't have money to burn and certainly could do with some unbiased advice so why not create a programme for that purpose and let the likes of JC and Tiff stick to what they know best - the sorts of cars most of us will never drive, let alone own.
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You might be astounded to find that the loopy driving style on Top Gear has now developed into a sport.
Yes seriously, in Japan and has spread to USA.
Coming to a B&Q car park near you.......
vegasdrift.com/drifting.asp
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When following another car that is slowing down, I find that invariably I have to brake but the driver in front doesn't. (I can't believe that they all have no brake lights.) And it's not because I'm too close. I can only assume that my 1999 2-litre Focus has a very low deceleration in top gear. Is this due to any differences between modern 4 valve per cylinder engines and earlier 2 valves per cylinder engines?
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I suspect simply because they start engine braking a little time before you notice they are slowing. Your engine braking would then be insufficient because they have a head start in the deceleration process.
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Personlly I tend to have it the other way round - Car in front starts braking but I only need to release the throttle to slow down sufficantly (maybe it\'s because I tend to leave lots of space in front)
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I tend to agree with OP on this, probably for the same reason. I think I watch the brake lights of the car ahead but one,or more, and ease off without braking. Most people only watch the car immediately in front, and then have to slam on their own brakes because inevitably they are starting later.
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>>I think I watch the brake lights of the car ahead but one,or more, and ease off without braking. Most people only watch the car immediately in front, and then have to slam on their own brakes because inevitably they are starting later.
I agree with you CP. Although I once watched one of those driving programmes where they bring a psychologist on for their opinion on why people drive the way they do and he said that men tend to keep their eye on the car in front whereas women tend to look further ahead. Obviously not true in your case CP. Totally true of the male members of my family!
Fill what's empty, empty what's full and scratch where it itches!
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I agree with CP as well and find it annoying following these SUVs/MPVs/vans/lorries because I can't see thru their windscreen easily
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You'd love following the Synergie with the sunblinds down or with a full load wouldn't you? And I guess caravans make you apopleptic.
May I politely suggest following from a greater distance and varying your position on the road to see past what you can't see through?
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
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That's what I meant. You have to be pretty close to see the next car's brake lights through the windscreen of the one in front.
A similar effect happens when a stationary queue of traffic starts to move. Half the queue start to edge forward as soon as the one at the front moves, the rest (obviously the men, I now learn!) stubbornly wait until the car in front has already moved, and then do a sudden acceleration in their panic not to be left behind.
I coast (see alternative thread) up gently behind and usually the queue has started again by the time I get there.
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Could it be that the car in front is slowing down with his gears?
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OK, of those who don't need to brake how many are driving diesels?
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I am but diesels also have heavier flywheels and components so engine inertia comes into effect more so than petrol engined cars.
I was quite surprised when I drove my first diesel, I had anticipated far greater engine braking.
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When I had a new Zetec engined Fiesta in 1996 I was surprised by the non existent engine braking on the overrun. I made a few enquiries and was told that this was the management system doing its best to be economical. I also found a driving instructor who had the same car and found it was unnerving him and his pupils who had become accustomed to some engine braking. He had his car remapped by Ford to overcome the problem.
There were stories at that time that this resulted in VERY heavy pad wear in some cars such that service interval was too short to spot pads to metal! If this was the case Ford may have changed the mapping for all similar models.
Maybe the same design engineer just moved jobs to work on 99 Foci?
pmh (was peter)
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Might that explain some squeaks from the brakes of my new Fiesta, and what I think *might* be a decrease in braking performance. All of this just before the 12,500 mile first service...
Blue
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When I had a new Zetec engined Fiesta in 1996 I was surprised by the non existent engine braking on the overrun. I made a few enquiries and was told that this was the management system doing its best to be economical. I also found a driving instructor who had the same car and found it was unnerving him and his pupils who had become accustomed to some engine braking. He had his car remapped by Ford to overcome the problem.
I think my old N-reg Mondeo V6 must have had the same system- take your foot off, and it was only 1-2 secs later that you started slowing down. And it wasn't a particularly smooth transition, so if you put your foot back on just after it happened, it got a bit jerky.
Nice car though- no alloys/spoilers etc. so a bit of a q-car.
John
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I had a V6 mondeo too and when I asked about the over-run on accelerator lift-off I was told that it was to prevent jerky progress in traffic. Seemed like a cop-out to me but there was definitely a delay programmed in to the engine management system.
Otherwise it was a great car, but got too expensive to repair at 130k miles.
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I have had my S reg Focus 1.6 for over 3 years, and engine braking has always been almost non-existent. Going down a slight incline in a high gear, I always have to use the brakes at lot more than traffic in front, and it is nothing to do with following too close etc. This is the first car of mine that I have found this to be a problem, so don't think it is down to my driving.
Pete Mansell
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*Could* this even be due to the person in front not being in top gear, so having more engine braking?
My grandmother never used 5th gear once she got a car which had one - she'd only ever had 4 gears before and was quite happy to stick with just those, no matter how high the revs in 4th went!
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*Could* this even be due to the person in front not being in top gear, so having more engine braking?
I don't think so. It happens too often for that.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I have had my S reg Focus 1.6 for over 3 years, and engine braking has always been almost non-existent. Going down a slight incline in a high gear, I always have to use the brakes at lot more than traffic in front, and it is nothing to do with following too close etc. This is the first car of mine that I have found this to be a problem, so don't think it is down to my driving. Pete Mansell
Thanks Pete. That's precisely what I wanted to say, but at the time I didn't know how to put things. Your experiences mirror mine exactly. It's the first car I've had this problem with as well, so I don't think it has anything to do with my driving style either.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Lack of engine braking equates to economy??
I'm missing something fundamental here - engine management controls ignition/injection so no fuel at all on overun should equate to max engine braking (without changing down)- anything else would suggest that fuel is still being injected.
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Isn't it for emissions, rather than economy?
My dad's '87 Corolla had a carb that held onto revs for a second or two after you lifted right off. Seem to remember reading somewhere it was for improving emissions performance.
Meant you had to adapt your style though, as unlike earlier cars it wouldn't lose revs between changing up gears.
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Where I live it's brakes only. Leave more than a car's space between you and the guy in front and in a second someone will be in there (no indicators, don't expect any, never give the game away as to what you're doing)....Filipino machismo won't let him do anything less, especially if he sees I'm a forrinjer. Women are not so much of a problem, they crawl along in the fast lane primping in the mirror or texting on their cellphone.....
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What about the differences between automatic and manual gearboxes...modern electronically controlled automatic gearboxes have almost non-existent engine braking ability compared to the older hydralic automatics or manual gearboxes.
Ian L.
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Regardless of engine management system, lower gear means more engine braking (because the braking effort stems from the friction + compression effort involved in turning the engine; so more revs per distance travelled means more braking).
And sensible modern automatics do take this into account by selecting a lower gear when speed is increasing while foot is off accelerator.
It is amazing how few people will change down when going downhill. I often pass through Lamberhurst (on the A21) which is in a deep valley, and has a 30 limit through the village. It would seem everybody stays in 4th, or perhaps even 5th, thus having to keep braking in order to stay below 40! Whereas shifting down to 3rd keeps me and the old Golf gently plodding downhill, without brake pad wear. And then we're in the right gear for overtaking on the uphill at the other end of the village, after the end of the speed limit!
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Owned an 800cc BMW twin ,an R80/7, went for a test ride on a K75, 3 cylinder 750cc, and was pre-warned about the much greater engine braking.
Now gone to an 1150cc twin and the engine braking is even better.I guess compresion ratio , valve timing and gearing all make a difference.
My Passat diesel seems to gain on cars in front down the long trans-pennine hills. It is not especially highly geared , something like 30 mph/1000 rpm. If I do drop to 4th gear then the engine braking becomes more effective as you'd expect.
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"Whereas shifting down to 3rd keeps me and the old Golf gently plodding downhill, without brake pad wear."
Pads & disks cost a lot less than transmission parts though.
I'm not sure that engine braking is good practice. Wouldn't it increase wear on the whole transmission system? Not bad slowing on a motorway, but perhaps not good on a long downhill section?
I'd say it's a case of being in the correct gear for the situation, so at, for example, 30, that will most likely be 3rd in my car, and at 40, 4th. If the car is tending to 'run away' down a hill, I'll control it with braking.
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I find exactly the same problem as L'escargot. I hang back, say on a downhill, because I know some folks are nervous about going fast. But I catch 'em up. I slow and match my speed to theirs. And then I still catch them up!
(Not to be confused with 'Ooh, there's a suggestion of a little bend; dab on brakes needed.)
I put it down to others' cautious use of lower gears. This is bad news. One, changing down means wearr on clutch and transmission: brakes are cheaper. Two, and worse, it means brake dust on my sparkling alloys.
Once I'm moving, I hate slowing down unless I have to; it makes driving far more enjoyable and I keep my wheels clean. Simple.
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One distinct advantage of LHD cars in the UK is that it's easier to see three or four cars ahead of the one in front. This is especially true on motorways where everyone else tends to move over to the right, leaving a clear line of sight down the inside.
When I'm using the Chevy I often find that I'm slowing/braking two or three seconds before the driver in front reacts.
It's a bit awkward getting in and out of barrier-controlled carparks though!
Kevin...
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One distinct advantage of LHD cars in the UK is that it's easier to see three or four cars ahead of the one in front.
Yes, true on motorways, but how does that work on single carriageway roads?
For example when i drive in europe, in my own car, i am on the 'wrong' side to be able to see ahead for overtaking etc as to wander out for a little look ahead involves using almost all of the other side of the road!
Same problem with LHD in the UK surely
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Yes, true on motorways, but how does that work on single carriageway roads? For example when i drive in europe, in my own car, i am on the 'wrong' side to be able to see ahead for overtaking etc as to wander out for a little look ahead involves using almost all of the other side of the road! Same problem with LHD in the UK surely
>>
Funnily enough single carriageways aren't really a problem either. Bends in the road mean that you can always see down one side or the other and if you can't see past on the straights you're too close. Often though it's not even worth overtaking on single carriageways, you only get to the next obstruction quicker.
The only real problem I've encountered was an artic parked (illegaly) on a gentle left-hand bend with a tall hedge down the LHS. I couldn't see down the inside of him because of the hedge so I was totally blind. Luckily I've only come across this situation once and I had my wife in the passenger seat who could call the shots. Even RHD vehicles were having problems with this one.
Kevin...
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Pads & disks cost a lot less than transmission parts though. I'm not sure that engine braking is good practice. Wouldn't it increase wear on the whole transmission system? Not bad slowing on a motorway, but perhaps not good on a long downhill section?
Except that transmission parts don't fade.
Try the A404 into High Wycombe (from either direction) - a very long steep downhill stretch. Brake all the way down that every day and I wouldn't like to guess how long the pads will last. Alternatively, put the car in second at the top and roll down at the 30 limit and the car will happily sit at 3000 rpm or so without any throttle applied. Then, at the bottom, you have nice fresh brake pads to bring you to a halt at the junction. If anything happens on the descent, you still have the full range of control over the car.
I don't expect that 3000 rpm will be a problem for a modern transmission. There are also a plethora of signs warning of a steep hill, select a low gear, escape lane ahead, and a brand new rumble strip on the southbound approach, so it strikes me that there have been a number of accidents involving people who relied on their brakes.
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Patently, by coincidence I live near Henley so know the hills you mention into High Wycombe and use them both, though not frequently. I would normally stay in 4th to the 30 restriction, then use 3rd and control my decent with the brakes. Never found it to be a problem, and I haven't needed the escape lane yet! I use 3rd in virtually all 30 limits by the way, hill or flat.
You have eveidence to back up the claim that all the accidents where due to brake failure? The last one I read about I seem to remember being caused by the engine cutting out, removing braking assistance, and the elderly driver rolled into the gravel trap more in panic than anything else, being unused to unassisted brakes. I don't read the Wycombe paper so perhaps don't see all the reports.
I'm not an engineer so don't know if there will be damage, but I am concerned about the forces on the transmission coming from the 'wrong end' so to speak.
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GOG - I find that in 3rd the car tends to run up to about 35-40 so prefer 2nd for the 30 sections. Every car has its own ratios, though, so in a different car the same approach might dictate a different gear. I also tend to stay in 3rd in 30 limits so that I am less likely to allow my speed to drift upwards.
I know that one accident involved a 7.5 tonne lorry whose brakes failed, with the predictable results.
My point about having control of the car (btw) is that if you are descending at 30 or 40 then there is still adequate speed for a nasty bump if someone changes lane right in front of you, as they are wont to do on the northbound descent given the junction at the bottom. If you are holding 30 but using 75% of your braking power then you don't have a lot of scope for action. If you are in gear but pressing neither pedal then you have 100% braking effort available.
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I see what you're saying p - keeping a foot on the pedal all the way down would really cause problems. I apply and release every few seconds to keep the speed under the limit while not overheating the brakes.
You have picked the perfect example here as both hills are particularly nasty. :-)
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Hmmm. Fair enough as regards your car, but surely your speed then oscillates. Might that not cause problems behind you?
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