What we drive in Europe. Compact cars

[Euro19]

Originally posted by Stefanel1
gang$tarr, you don't seem to be openminded... nevermind, but it's a bad think to be like that.
I'm fully according with Euro19, crayzayjay, etc.
Euro19 : you have an Alfa 156 1.8 : is it a good car ? My mother would like to change her 155 2.0 TS and she hesitates between BMW 318i, a peugeot 406 coupé 2.0, and the Alfa (maybe with a JTD or a 1.8/2.0). What would be the best.

Well, i have to say i recomend best the Peugeot 406 coupe, is a great performer car, a friend of mine has one. But since I needed the convenience of 4 doors I got a sporty car, that´s the Alfa 156, if you want to buy one of those get the 2.0, it feels more sport. Anywise is a good car, handles well, etc. The BMW is good too, I think it´s a hard choice to pic between those. If you care the Alfa and Peugeot are more certainly to be renewed maybe in 2003.

[gang$tarr]

Originally posted by crayzayjay

1. That's bull. Is every car in the US a truck?
2. Theres nothing wrong with hatchbacks anyway
3. American manufacturers would do well to copy European companies to try to improve the appalling handling of American cars!

Our cars may be smaller but dynamically the majority is pretty accomplished

Nah, I'm just saying that alot of cars in europe are hatchbacks.
When I was in Italy last year, atleast 80% of the cars were hatchbacks.

I just dont like hatchbacks

It's also weird seeing less of the good manufacturers in their own region. I see loads of BMWs and Mercedes cars everyday, while in europe all I saw was alot of old ones and the occasional newer model. Don't get me wrong there are alot of different cars in europe, but it just seems like there are alot more good cars in the US.

I also didn't see many exotics, a couple porsches, a couple Ferraris over a 3 week trip.
While everyday on the highway here I will see atleast 5 porsches, a Ferrari once a day (on average), vipers, loads of corvettes. There are a couple Lotus Esprits a see in my city often.

I dont think people in europe take advantage of the variety of cars they have to choose from

[Stefanel1]

I know it's not an easy choise We'll try it and do our choise. We have to sell the 155 before. But Alfa Roméo are difficult to sell that's why we're not sure to take another Alfa, although it a beautiful car. To sell a Peugeot or a BMW is far more easy.
Gangstarr : Italy is not Europe ! There are still many hatchback (not 80% !) in the EU because we have sometimes small roads (we've an history here...) and it's no use to have a longer car with a sedan : the best example is that in Roma, Paris, etc., people who have often Ferrari/Porsche/Venturi/masérati, etc. in their garage have often an Audi S3 (small but comfotable and powerfull) for a normal use. they use the Ferrari (etc.) the week-end. They don't also use these cars because there are many car jacking here. An anecdot : I know sby who wanted to buy an X5 or the new Range Rover and she finally bought a Nissan Patrol... not so luxurious but not so theft !
An example to explain also why you don't see many "big" cars in Europe : if you have US$20 000, you'll buy a Stratus whereas an European will buy the new Mini, a 206 or a Polo but well fitted ! (smaller than a Golf if you don't see what these cars are). If you have to drive and more, to park in a big town, wou'll be happy to have this car and not an S-class !

[Pennzoil GT-R]

Originally posted by gang$tarr


Nah, I'm just saying that alot of cars in europe are hatchbacks.
When I was in Italy last year, atleast 80% of the cars were hatchbacks.

I just dont like hatchbacks

It's also weird seeing less of the good manufacturers in their own region. I see loads of BMWs and Mercedes cars everyday, while in europe all I saw was alot of old ones and the occasional newer model. Don't get me wrong there are alot of different cars in europe, but it just seems like there are alot more good cars in the US.

I also didn't see many exotics, a couple porsches, a couple Ferraris over a 3 week trip.
While everyday on the highway here I will see atleast 5 porsches, a Ferrari once a day (on average), vipers, loads of corvettes. There are a couple Lotus Esprits a see in my city often.

I dont think people in europe take advantage of the variety of cars they have to choose from

i think that by going to italy you may have been in the wrong country to see more fancy cars. Countries like Italy and France seem to have more hatchbacks than some other countries in Europe. Certainly in Germany, there are Mercedes and BMW's all over the place, and this is true in the UK too, with quite a few big exotic cars too. I dont know why some countries buy different kinds of car, but if you came here to the UK you would find it very different to your trip to Italy

[Pennzoil GT-R]

Originally posted by Stefanel1
I know it's not an easy choise We'll try it and do our choise. We have to sell the 155 before. But Alfa Roméo are difficult to sell that's why we're not sure to take another Alfa, although it a beautiful car. To sell a Peugeot or a BMW is far more easy.
Gangstarr : Italy is not Europe ! There are still many hatchback (not 80% !) in the EU because we have sometimes small roads (we've an history here...) and it's no use to have a longer car with a sedan : the best example is that in Roma, Paris, etc., people who have often Ferrari/Porsche/Venturi/masérati, etc. in their garage have often an Audi S3 (small but comfotable and powerfull) for a normal use. they use the Ferrari (etc.) the week-end. They don't also use these cars because there are many car jacking here. An anecdot : I know sby who wanted to buy an X5 or the new Range Rover and she finally bought a Nissan Patrol... not so luxurious but not so theft !
An example to explain also why you don't see many "big" cars in Europe : if you have US$20 000, you'll buy a Stratus whereas an European will buy the new Mini, a 206 or a Polo but well fitted ! (smaller than a Golf if you don't see what these cars are). If you have to drive and more, to park in a big town, wou'll be happy to have this car and not an S-class !

Yeh, Stefanel1 is right also. Big fancy cars are not always practical, as European countries are often alot more cramped than America

[Ssom]

Originally posted by gang$tarr


Nah, I'm just saying that alot of cars in europe are hatchbacks.
When I was in Italy last year, atleast 80% of the cars were hatchbacks.

I just dont like hatchbacks

It's also weird seeing less of the good manufacturers in their own region. I see loads of BMWs and Mercedes cars everyday, while in europe all I saw was alot of old ones and the occasional newer model. Don't get me wrong there are alot of different cars in europe, but it just seems like there are alot more good cars in the US.

I also didn't see many exotics, a couple porsches, a couple Ferraris over a 3 week trip.
While everyday on the highway here I will see atleast 5 porsches, a Ferrari once a day (on average), vipers, loads of corvettes. There are a couple Lotus Esprits a see in my city often.

I dont think people in europe take advantage of the variety of cars they have to choose from

Yet another uninformed and ignorant post from mister "Rich guy"

Italy, like mentioned, is not Europe, in Italy all they seem to drive is FIAT Pandas or Punto's, but that is nuttty Itallians for you, but go to Switzerland, France or the UK and see just how superior these cars are to the shit-box trucks and American made shit (Or barstardised Jappers) that are North America, cars like Peugeot's, Smart's, Alfa Romeo's, Citroen's, Renaults, Rover's and Volkswagens come out in force in Europe and even smaller BMW's and Merc's, which make for a far more interesting trip down their fabulous roads (If we forget Portugal)

Of course Europe is not the onl place they are buying small, New Zealand is another place that has sorta-turned to small-cars, even if we still buy our Maxima's, Falcons and Commodores in force, slaes for cars like the Mondeo, Echo, 2O6, Golf, Polo, Stilo, 147, Clio, Astra, Barina and 3O7 to name a few have begun to skyrocket, which makes my trip's that little more interesting, now I have my balance of Japper's and Euro's

[gang$tarr]

Originally posted by Pennzoil GT-R


i think that by going to italy you may have been in the wrong country to see more fancy cars.

I've also been in England (London), France and switzerland.
I know it's not as bad there

I'm just used to the way roads and cars are here.
people have different opinions it's not a big deal

[Fliquer]

When I went to switzerland, there were twice as many audis as there were Mercs and Beemers. Plenty of big jags in london too.

[Pennzoil GT-R]

yeh, u get loads of the british cars like jags and range rovers in britain. Anyone with any kinda money in England seems to have a Range Rover

[crayzayjay]

I dont think people in europe take advantage of the variety of cars they have to choose from

one word: BULL
spend a day in london and you'll see so much exotica you'll want to live there forever

[gang$tarr]

Originally posted by crayzayjay

spend a day in london and you'll see so much exotica you'll want to live there forever

Well I did and I didn't see that much "exotica"

I see more here, not counting the 100s of boxsters driving around

Have you ever been to New York, L.A. or any cities in the U.S.?

[Pennzoil GT-R]

Originally posted by gang$tarr


Well I did and I didn't see that much "exotica"

I see more here, not counting the 100s of boxsters driving around

Have you ever been to New York, L.A. or any cities in the U.S.?

i think what kind of cars you see depends on the areas you go to. same as any city, if you go to East London for example, you will not see anything special, but if you go to Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, Chelsea etc. there are Porsches, Ferraris, etc. everywhere you look. From what i have seen of the US, the same is true over there

[gang$tarr]

Originally posted by Pennzoil GT-R


i think what kind of cars you see depends on the areas you go to. same as any city, if you go to East London for example, you will not see anything special, but if you go to Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, Chelsea etc. there are Porsches, Ferraris, etc. everywhere you look. From what i have seen of the US, the same is true over there

That's very true, I was only in London for a little while and mostly just in the downtown areas. We stayed at the Westbury hotel, there were a few nice cars there.

I'm not saying there aren't any nice cars, I just dont think there are more.

I know the roads are horrible for exotics in Europe though (not all the roads) but for the most part. Maybe people just dont drive them as much as they do here?

[Pennzoil GT-R]

Originally posted by gang$tarr


That's very true, I was only in London for a little while and mostly just in the downtown areas. We stayed at the Westbury hotel, there were a few nice cars there.

I'm not saying there aren't any nice cars, I just dont think there are more.

I know the roads are horrible for exotics in Europe though (not all the roads) but for the most part. Maybe people just dont drive them as much as they do here?

If you ever come to England again then you should visit Alderley Edge near Manchester. This is the richest area in England, and probably every 1 out of 3 cars you see are in the £50-100,000 or above price range. its like a different world there.

you are probably right in saying there are not more, but there are the same amount of exotics in europe as america. europes roads are not suited to exotics, so alot of people who have them keep them locked away for weekends etc. and use little cars to go to work during the week, hence why dont see them unless you live here full time.

[gang$tarr]

Originally posted by Pennzoil GT-R


If you ever come to England again then you should visit Alderley Edge near Manchester. This is the richest area in England, and probably every 1 out of 3 cars you see are in the £50-100,000 or above price range. its like a different world there.

you are probably right in saying there are not more, but there are the same amount of exotics in europe as america. europes roads are not suited to exotics, so alot of people who have them keep them locked away for weekends etc. and use little cars to go to work during the week, hence why dont see them unless you live here full time.

Yeah, you're right.
I'm sure there are nice areas with really nice cars in every country.
I guess some of those little cars a saw driving around had sister Ferraris sitting in the garage

I guess people would just rather buy a small car for the city, and nice cars for the weekends in europe.
While here people would rather buy a bigger luxury cruiser for everyday
I think our roads are more suited for for that.

So how do the sales for S-Class Mercedes and other large cars go in Europe? because I see them here everyday, but when I went there I didn't see many (if any, i don't remember)