Note to mods, not sure if I'm allowed to resurrect a post, but this is buried on page 46 of a 48 page thread and not sure many new to the forum readers would start on page 1 and continue to page 48
(Although I did!!?) So wanted to re post (with updates at the bottom)?
Warning!
Very Loooong Post.........
If I am honest (and I am) we only went to test drive an MG4 for a bit of a laugh.
My Audi Etron was coming to the end of its 3 year warranty, and with two warranty related issues dealt with in the last 3 months decided to have a change and getting something brand new would be the way to go.
"The" wife is retired and I am very nearly retired, so we have become very much more value aware, hence popping into my local MG Dealer (O C Davies Carmarthen)
Booked in to drive an MG4 at 11am on 29th August and he gave us an hours free rein.
Only the standard car on offer for the test drive, but we were both very impressed with it. (Surprisingly so if I am honest) ((and you know that I am ?))
I was ready to order the Trophy spec LR in Red with 0 percent PCP until he said "We would have to wait 16 weeks......
might be less"
Now, it is one of my biggest failings (of which I have many) but patience has never been one of my strong points.
They had an XPower (on demo) and yes I had seen it (oh boy had I seen it) on the way in, but I had instantly discounted it.
This was the new me, the sensible me, and I did not want a lairy, shouty, hard riding, baseball cap wearing, land based missile thankyou very much. Until..............
I asked if we could take it out for a drive? Purely to discount it of course, as I am pretty sure that I won't have made it to the first roundabout before bringing it back because it was too stiff or crashy etc.
We were gone another half an hour!
Now, I am not easily seduced by speed and power in a car, since I discovered motor bikes in 2015, but before finding bikes I have been lucky enough to own many fast cars:
Escort Cossie, M3, Mini GP, M5, couple of RS4's, VXR8, VXR500, E63 AMG, to name but a few, in bikes Yamaha R1 and MT10, Ducatti 1299 Panigale, Aprillia Tuono Factory V4....
My current steed is a Kawasaki Ninja1000SX.
I promise you, I am not boasting about how lucky I have been, just trying to give some context to how so very, very, fast the XPower is.
But it's not just fast, the handling is just so well judged for UK roads it blew us away.
That looks weird " blew us away" but we were, just...... blown away!! ???
In the real world, where most of us live, where we are not all driving at 10 tenths, and trying to eke out the last 0.2 seconds per lap this car is devastating.
But......... You can also drive it normally.
(Which to be honest is how I proceed 99.9 percent of the time) ((No honest))
I saw 4.0 miles per kilowatt on my round trip to Aberystwyth last month and that included several mind bending, incredibly fast, but safe, overtakes.
(And now knowing the car better, 1500 miles in, I reckon I can see that improve next time)
Time Exposed To Danger. (T.E.T.D)
This is the first car that I've ever driven that reduces T.E.T.D whilst overtaking.
It feels very much like a fast motorbike.
We went back to the dealer and unbeknownst to me while I was in the loo my wife had pretty much done a deal behind my back, but told Ryan (my dealer) to let me come to a conclusion by myself. (A very clever, if not a bit of a sneaky cow?)
So I asked how many miles had it done?
196.
How long had they had it?
2 weeks.
And I could buy it right here, right now, today?
Yes.
It's a used car now, so can I have a discount?
Of course.
Where do I sign?
My wife burst out laughing! (I now know why!)
I have a Defence Discount Card for ex forces (amongst others) and could have used a company called Motorfinity to get a bit of a discount on a car, but got the car for £34,995 so was over the moon to be honest. (Yes I know it's 33k now. Grrr edit Sept 24 Now 28k!!! )
I really did not expect to see a penny off the price of the car, with it being so new to market, so hats off to my dealer for doing me a deal that we were very happy with.
Now......the hum (more like a gentle vibe, like a change of surface if you will)
Yes we have it, and if all you do is motorway work then this "might" become an issue for you.
I have tuned it out but I only do short trips, 16 mile round trips to St Clears, twice a week, 26 miles roundtrip to Carmarthen, Once a week, 40 mile roundtrip to Haverfordwest once a week.
Any other trips out, I always use A and B roads where possible, of which there are many plentiful and excellent roads in my part of the world.
The infotainment speed is no better or worse (in lag) than the Audi but far superior where amount and depth of information is concerned.
The MG App is excellent and it will be a real boon being able to preheat the car in the colder months before getting into it.
I do have one recurring issue at the moment which is that the reverse camera picture is intermittently going blue.
I turn off the Lane Keep Assist every time.(now)
Probably works very well in China where all the roads are well lit and well painted (road markings) and on the whole, straight?
I really miss my electric boot but that's because I have become old and wizened.
This car has brought back my love of driving.
I had really given up with a series of large, heavy, inefficient suvs (petrol and electric) and dull and unexciting hybrids.
I had truly forgotten what it was like to just enjoy the drive instead of just mundanely going from A to B.
Yes, it is a lot less involving physically, without a clutch to press and gears to change but as
@Brettus (I think) said in a post somewhere that all seems a bit quaint now, and it does to me as well.
I look forward to going out in the XPower every time.
The actual driving experience never dissapoints.
The business of going, turning and stopping is just so much fun "when" you want it to be, and quiet, calm and efficient when you don't.
We wanted to become greener and more efficient by buying electric and we also wanted another "back up" to powering our house (Completly off grid Solar)
The real point though, is that just because we may be getting on a bit now, who says us older folk still can't have a little bit of fun now and again eh?
evsandbeyond.co.nz
