Hyundai 50 Years old

[The Duke]

Surly your Tuscan must have a turbo on it bob?

What engine did you go for? I’m imagining a 2l diesel, and will have a turbo, a dieel with out a turbo isn’t a good experience. The FIL has an old Citroën pope mobile with a 2l na diesel and it’s does 60 in about 15s.

And all but the cheapest of City cars have a turbo on them, mainly for emissions. The new Ford and vauxhall (GM) 1 liter 3 cylinder petrol can do 120bhp at around 50mpg. Skoda have a 150bhp 1.4 turbo job that’s meant to be good too.

Saying that, the only new car I’ve come across with out a turbo is the new rav4 hybrid. That’s a 2.5litre NA plant, mated to a EV motor. And the thing really goes, and gets a real world 45mpg, which is amazing given the size of the car. They are using s allied up prius working. 1.8l upto 2.5l.

 

Update-yes bothe the 1.6petrol and the 1.7d are both turbo charged. Hope you got the diesel. The petrol has 175bhp but only 195lbft of torque. That isn’t alot for a car of thst size.

Your old Ford diesel  would of had probably 150bhp and 280lbft. I’d imagine the 1.7d offers similar. A much better match for the Tuscon.

[Drezha]

The Duke wrote:

Lane assist is a pita if it’s an option avoid it. The issue is it beeps and tugs on the wheel when you cross a white line, sounds obvious, but, in everyday life your crossing white lanes all the time. The system is stupid and shouldn’t engage untill your doing 55 (motorway speeds) when you don’t want to be drifting over the lines. Like parking sensors the can’t be set to off, only disable them for a short time. A good idea yet to be implemented well.

The Volkswagen one engages at 40mph and disables when you indicate (and therefore will be crossing the line!). Perhaps that’s why you’ve heard BMW drivers complain about it ? If I want the fancy lights with the auto high beam etc, then lane assist comes as part of that. Can’t get one without the other. And as I’ve said, I’m not paying for it. I believe that according to the tax formula, as long as the carbon emissions don’t change, the cost to me from an unspecced and a specced up version is negligible. No Android/Apple features though. Doesn’t really both me – bluetooth will be fine.

The biggest option I wanted comes as standard – cruise control. Though the GTE has adaptive cruise control which will brake for you as well to keep the distance ?

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[The Duke]

I really like the auto lights, especially the high beam, but form my experiance  with lane departure, Id for go do with out them to not have it.

The lights are handy evey now and then when I get you need high beam, the lane crossing will do my nut in daily.

Though in your daily commute do get above 40 in a city? Alot of weaving over to the other side of the road I’d presume. In the more rural places the limits are mostly 60 between the villages, and most do 80 on the straighter roads.

Adaptive cruise control is a must, I think standard cc is dangerous. Especially on really long night runs.

Bob I looked in to that 1.7 if yours is the D4FD power plant, which it should be,  it definitely does have a turbo. The engine is basically a standard DOHC CRI unit but the turbo is slightly different, as it has a veritable rate it can create boost at diffent times. Hyundai call it VGT (veritable geometry turbo charger). Bmw call there’s twin scroll turbo (catchier name) .

Basically the turbo can mimic a small turbo for low down torque, and as the pressure builds, it opens itself up to make itself bigger to become a larger turbo. Meaning the turbo can kick in earlier and stay on boost for a very large band across the rev range. No tiny peek torque, or turbo lag of old.

This may be why you don’t feel the turbo, and youll get very low peak, I’d guess, (not looked at the numbers) 1500rmp right thought to 4500rpm. Or pull like a tracker feeling.

You need to take the Rav4 hybrid for a test drive bob (when your bored) it had a CVT box, they don’t have the greatest reputation for drivers, but match a CVT with a electronic motor and it’s pull form just 200bhp is like a train. The CVT not having to change gears helps ad there is no cut in the pull. The car being a 4×4 isn’t dynamic, or that quick (7.5s), but the feelings of power, is greater than the BiL old BMW 3liter (v6 I think) diesel.

[Drezha]

The Duke wrote:

I really like the auto lights, especially the high beam, but form my experiance with lane departure, Id for go do with out them to not have it. The lights are handy evey now and then when I get you need high beam, the lane crossing will do my nut in daily. Though in your daily commute do get above 40 in a city?

The main reason for getting the car is not for commuting but for business, where I’ll be expected to drive from Manchester to where ever (so recently it’s been Shrewsbury, Liverpool and coming up is Derby and Leeming). So times when doing over 40 is more likely and along the motorway where it’s aimed for. Dunno, might give it a miss, might just get it (and then disable if needed) to make the most of my monthly car allowance.

"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett

[The Duke]

Are you going for the auto, the VAG 6, now 7 speed DSG box is fabulous darling. Im getting it in my skoda. Same Box, it’s the best auto in the “normal car” market. That should be first on your list of extras to maximise your works budget.

It will be about £1500 (usual auto price)*. Then again being the EV it may not come in a manual at all. Probably doesn’t come to think of it. But that double clutch auto is sweet, especially when you want to be a bit of a div, and great in normal auto mode for boring daily traffic driving.

My auto is ok in manual mode, but you have to get use to its slight delay. Once you know it you can anticipate it and start to wind the power in that bit earlier to compensate for the gap. In reality it’s about half a second, but if feels an eternity in the moment. The DSG mitigates most of that half second gap.

*in the states you pay extra ($1500) for a manual over an auto. Strange place that USA.

[Bob Williams]

Not strange when you think about the size of the USA Steve, and the distances they travel. Yanks have always been keen on labour saving, they love “set and forget”.

I was always against an auto box, but when my spinal problems killed 40% of and nerve conductance left leg function, I have not had a “clutch foot” since 1995. Nowadays, if some miracle gave me back working spinal nerves and a good left leg, I would still drive an auto. (My left leg is not even good for standing on, it just dies and crumples, which is why I have the elbow crutch.) I think it takes a lot of the hassle out of driving. The Tucson also has a 7 speed box.

Today I had a weird noise from the lower dash, behind the fan controls. It sounded like a demented, very loud blackbird doing its nut inside the dash. I thought it could have been a fan bearing on its way out, so switched off the fan and it stopped. Phoned Read Hyundai when I came home, got to call again Monday morning. After cleaning out the interior, I was too knackered to wash it, so went to the carwash, on my own. Took a diversion returning home and switched on the fan again, travelled about a 20 mile round trip. Squealing stopped. Now SWMBO has just had a new fancy digital hearing aid, and was in the car when it was screeching. I am wondering about that.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Ed P]

Probably dates back to the 55mph speed limit that used to be pretty much mandatory on all US highways. Some states used to do a number on all out of state cars that went even 1 mph over the limit. Many small districts funded their entire police operations on the proceeds. Things may have changed but 25 years ago I used to be paranoid about adhering to the limit when driving across State boundaries. Mid/Southern US was the worst in this. Believe me there is nothing more terrifying than having a cop flag down your car and swagger over with gun very visible and accessible  in his holster – cruise control was an essential!

[The Duke]

No I get why they have autos, what’s strange is they price a manual higher.

It may be down to the slow speed limit and vast distances, but I recon its down to they are just better. Not as fun but better.

However untill ten years ago, they was crap, crappy 3 speed job. By crap I mean crap for a our EU low torque engines. America the home of the V8, may of been low on hp but alway high on the power front. So a 3 speed box was fine. They just couldn’t work on our old na 4 cylinder jobs.

Today’s 6 7 and even 9 speed (merc and ford) can work with any engine. As long as the computers dialed in to not always be seeking, with a 9 speed you can be at peak torque all the time. So in theory you shouldn’t be able to feel the gear change.

Like you bob, I’ve had manuals all my (shorter) life, but with my back, my left leg can’t take alot of clutch work some days. So I swapped to an auto, and now I wouldn’t go back. There are down sides, but the positives out weight them. Now if it was 1980 and I had to have a na diesel match with a 3 speed auto, I’d stick with the back pain.

That’s my theory on why US and AUS adopted autos way back. As distance shouldn’t really matter as once your on a motorway, it doesn’t matter if it’s manual or auto, you don’t use the clutch for hours on end. An auto makes more sense if you live in a city than doing 1000mile stints. I thinks it’s all down to the mighty US love of V8. (and cheap fuel).

The V8 is much like a modern diesel, you can pull away in 3rd,and keep it in 3rd to 90mph if you wanted. There isn’t much need for gears. So the old 3 speed worked well. Try that in your 1970s Morris.

[Bob Williams]

Driving around any of the mountainous areas in North America is a complete PITA with a manual, Steve. I had a fortnight in British Columbia in the early 80’s and hired a DATSUN (that’s how long ago!) Bluebird Auto 1.8, along with Motel vouchers. I was mostly in the Rockies or land around the Rockies and it would have been hellish with a manual. Also followed the rockies down below the US border. Yank tanks with manual boxes would be OK in most of the midwest, but some of those mountains go on forever.

I remember some of the older autos I worked on and road tested when I was a workshop foreman. We did a lot of Classic car work and some of the classics had horrible boxes. Best were the Astons, although we did not get many. Never had a diesel auto in those days, thankfully. But I do remember the struggles we had with some diesel engines when the diesel emission tests came in. Leyland diesels were the worst, Peugeot diesels the best. I ran a lovely gold Peugeot 505 diesel off the forecourt for a time and was impressed with it. Then I had a dark blue 505 GTi and that blew me away. Remember I am talking about the 80’s, there was not much to touch that 505 GTi at the price. In those days, before the miners’ Strike killed our Car Sales, I would ‘borrow’ a car from the pitch, run it and find problems, fix them and sell with a full MOT and service, knowing that I lived amongst the customers and not wanting them knocking on my door! ?? I have driven so many different cars, can’t remember them all but some stick in my memory.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

Bluebird closely followed by the Vx Charlton had the comfiest of rear seats ever. Them two cars was so comply to travel in.

Was the mountain roads rough? As my mountain roads are a hoot to be a hooligan around.

The bluebird I was in was old at the time to, a friend work beater, but thst back seat was Stella. The Charlton was new, we use to hire then to do Belgium ciggies runs, as a side earner for them last week’s of the month when in the militery.

Youd clean up selling cheap fags to the whole base. It was a good thing untill the gov shut it down and the papers stopped the £1 walk on ferry crossings.

Take two cars down to Dover, drove one to Belgium fill it up with fags and baccie, dive thst back to callais, then spend 18h going back and forth walk on with the goods, then drive the other car back over. Limiting what you can lose/be caught with.

It wae all about logistics, so we learnt something from the mod.

Imaging the incident 10 active marines cause in smuggling ring. Lol. Things you do when young.

My grandad shouted at me at the time, while taking handouts, I may add! Later in life he told me of his time in Europe after the war as a transport plod. He was in control of seeing what stuff got where across half of the EU. Said he never made so much money in his life!

Typical parental advice. Do as I say not as I do.

 

Now I’m off on driving instructor duty. Taking the pergeot to pick my daughter up. I’ve been promoted from taxi driver status.

[Bob Williams]

I don’t do Driver Training with family, does not work for me. (I mean ‘us’) ALL my family argue a point, even the youngest, although they say ‘not arguing, just discussing.’ Rubbish: I tell you how to do something that you have never done, you disagree with my way. That’s argument. So I would rather pay for lessons and give advice when asked. Partly my fault, as I taught them to think for themselves and speak up if they see something they do not agree with. The times I could have said “I told you so!”…..

My problem is that I was taught to drive in the Army. 3 solid weeks of nothing but driver training all over the South of England: Andover-Salisbury-Southampton-Winchester and all points in between. Using a Bedford RL truck or a Land Rover, never knew when I turned up which it was going to be. All my driving tuition was taught ‘correctly’ and I cannot stand to hear some of the advice given today by D.I’s.

Never has a Carlton Steve, but my son had one (briefly, before a muppet in a van T-boned it) He moped about that so much at the time that I bought a Sierra and gave him my lovely black 1.6 Cortina Ghia. He was T-boned in that, by another idiot coming out of a side turning. Then he bought an old Skoda, I think hoping for another crash to collect on insurance. Had loads of cars since then, no more accidents. Now he drives a Transit 100 Diesel – safer for him, not necessarily everyone else on the road. Daughter has a little Mazda and is a better driver, although the only thing she has picked up from me, is criticising (shouting at) other motorists.???

Your experiences with UK Customs are much better than mine. In 1969 I had a temporary Strat Reserve posting to UK and N.I. and was trying to take an alomost new expensive stereo back home. The Dover Ferry had been full of Dutch Druggies heading for Hyde Park and the Stones concert. (as was I) You could get high on the Ferry just breathing in, but when we rolled off they let them all go and pulled us over. They charged me £170 excess Duty on the stereo (in ’69, told you it was expensive!) and strip- searched the car and my gobby mate, who just would not shut up. Fortunately I had a bit of money back home, but that was a miserable leave.

The mountains I spoke about are the Rockies and the hairiest part was the twisty roads above the Fraser River Valley in B.C. I think my mate just about cured his constipation on those roads, in some parts I was looking down at a drop of thousands of feet whilst he was up against solid rock. The Bluebird over there was the US export model, a hatchback, not like the saloon we got in UK. It was OK in Canada, out on their freeways they had no max. limit then, but in the USA it was 55, which has changed now I believe. I did see a beautiful, shiny black Chevy Pickup with Texas plates, huge dent in the back and a big handwritten sign saying “THANKS CANADA!” I also listened to a telephone convesation at a Vancouver motel, between a Canuck receptionist and a Californian at the Motel HQ. He put down the phone, shook his head and said “Why can’t Californians speak English?”

 

 

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

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