Hello everyone I'm new to this, I'd be very grateful for any suggestions
I'm utterly sick of speed bumps wrecking my exhausts! So I'm looking for a vehicle with sufficient ground clearance that I can stop single-handedly keeping my local Formula1 in business
Seems I am probably looking at a 4x4 but I couldn't justify an engine larger than 1.6L
Oh and here's the catch I only have about 1k to spend...
Any recommendations?
Thanks :-)
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Er, drive slower ;>)
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Er drive slower ;>)
ok ok I honestly DON'T drive like a nutter! but there is at least one speed bump in my town which my escort will not get over without scraping the exhaust even at virtually 0mph
my last car was an E30 BMW (low-hung!) there were whole estates where I just couldn't take it at all
Any serious suggestions??
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Go classic French! The 2CV, Renault 4 or if you prefer something bigger the Renault 16 will ignore speed humps. The 2CV was designed to drive over ploughed fields although I suspect some of our neglected roads are rougher between the humps. Buy right and you will not even have to pay road tax.
See www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/the-2cv--a-frenc...l
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If there is a hump severe enough to take the exhaust off an Escort at virtually 0mph then there must be thousands of people in your town who have suffered damage.
Start a campaign, get the local paper involved, find all the other victims and organise a class action lawsuit to get compensation for the damage - and get the hump removed or replaced with one that doesn't damage most cars.
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The previous city I used to live in had monster speed bumps everywhere, the biggest I have ever seen. We had a 1996 Renault Clio base model (on tall, narrow tyres = comfy) which was perfect.
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My Micra K11 copes fine with em
Not comfortable, understandably, but I've never grounded it on one.
No probs getting a decent one for under a grand either
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Is yr Escort all right nbd? The reason I ask is that I tend to hammer over speed bumps, not brutally but as quickly as I think the car will stand, and mine has never bottomed any part of itself on the road or on the peak of a bump (obviously others do, given the gouges to be seen). I live in London where you can't go anywhere without meeting some bumps sooner or later.
The Escort is a bit harsh over bumps but it feels tough, if a bit clattery sometimes. I believe though that the rubbers on the front suspension bottom arms get more wear than they deserve from these stupid obstructive things. I do hope the wallies who campaigned to have them in their streets are enjoying the extra noise and pollution they cause, and feel smug at the thought of all the extra damage and fuel.
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Escorts seem to get wear in the rubber bushes when driven over any kind of ground due to the crappy wishbone design. I'd imagine you'd have to replace them every MOT if you hammered over speed bumps. Ditto the KA, Fiesta and MK1 Mondeo.
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wear in the rubber bushes when driven over any kind of ground due to the crappy wishbone design
I've only had to change one in four years and many speed bumps Cooper-driver.
But I agree the design of the wishbone bushes is far from ideal. Typical piece of Ford up-yours design, but seems to work all right.
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Any Citroen with 'spheres' (only BX and Xantia in your price/size range, AFAIK) will be adjustable to suit, although most French cars have reasonable clearance, and suspension to deal with speed bumps. French estates often have height added at the rear so they run nearer level when loaded. ZX or Xsara estates come to mind, and should be cheap as chips...
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Early Ka!!
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Citroen ZX unwanted and unloved... 306 suspension for 50% of price.
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Another vote for the Citroen ZX - the 306 setup uses gas shock absorbers rather than oil and they're setup in such a nice way that even tackling speedhumps isnt a problem. Try one for yourself, its one of the (few) reasons I still drive a french car!
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I had a quick look (quickly lookibode) on Ebay just now, and found this. I'm not sure I'd want the car, even if it is clean, troughoos and reliabloe...
tinyurl.com/69y82e
Edited by J Bonington Jagworth on 09/05/2008 at 22:00
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I thought JBJ was in full Unwin mode 'til I read the ad. Thanks for that JBJ ;>)
Edited by bathtub tom on 09/05/2008 at 22:07
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You're welcome, BT. I wish I knew what he meant, though!
Edited by J Bonington Jagworth on 09/05/2008 at 22:22
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ebay item location ...stanley (unwin) :)
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