General Running Costs

[scout]

The chassis is appalling though, i took my 500 for he same drive as i did with our Subaru yesterday and it was appalling, it was horrible and almost dangerous compared to a car with suspension which is nearly 20 years old aside from the bushes on the front. It was woeful in the extreme.

I agree but you aren't comparing like for like. Of course a 500 is never going to compare with a rally bred 4X4 but as has been said you get to the limit at 'safe' speeds so get the buzz safely and as I've said before you don't have to go fast to get a rewarding drive.

 

[306maxi]

I agree but you aren't comparing like for like. Of course a 500 is never going to compare with a rally bred 4X4 but as has been said you get to the limit at 'safe' speeds so get the buzz safely and as I've said before you don't have to go fast to get a rewarding drive.

I agree, there are some roads where I can drive the 500 fairly quickly and it's actually quite rewarding, but I was just so shocked this morning. Let's not forget that the dampers and springs on the Subaru are 19 years old now and aside from the front being rebushed and having new balljoints, rack ends and tie rod ends, it's all original and has done about 220,000 miles. I enjoy driving the 500, I really do and on the right road it's really surprising what it can do, I just didn't realise how bad it would be on the wrong road!

If I can be bothered and I'm early enough tomorrow, I'll take a video in whatever car I take and then on Friday I'll take the other car and do the same. It's a nice bit of road and usually has a car or van parked in some completely ridiculous place so not one you could ever do flat out unless you were a complete idiot.

just press the mute button as Colin Clark is a complete and utter **** and his voice grates with me.

 

[scout]

I did the great Orme in a Hyundai Coupe, an absolute hoot if you get no traffic. Would like to do it in the 500 one day

 

[306maxi]

I did the great Orme in a Hyundai Coupe, an absolute hoot if you get no traffic. Would like to do it in the 500 one day

Best done in the morning when it's quiet or late on a summers evening, I drove it last weekend with the wife in the passenger seat and keeping it just in 2nd (2nd in the Subaru is good for 65 or 70 although i wasn't going nearly that quickly) and it was fun enough.

 

[scout]

I did it late one summer evening, watched the sun go down and then down in the dusk - magic

 

[306maxi]

I did it late one summer evening, watched the sun go down and then down in the dusk - magic

There are some absolutely cracking roads up here in North Wales, obviously the orme is one you have to be careful on as it's used by cyclists and walkers and often people park cars in the most stupid of places. The Llanberis pass and the road over the Denbigh moors are some of my favourites and places where the 500 is more at home due to the roads being a bit wider.

 

[ItalianWines]

There are some absolutely cracking roads up here in North Wales, obviously the orme is one you have to be careful on as it's used by cyclists and walkers and often people park cars in the most stupid of places. The Llanberis pass and the road over the Denbigh moors are some of my favourites and places where the 500 is more at home due to the roads being a bit wider.

Do you know the road from Denbigh thru Henllan and Groes, and then turn off towards Cerrigydrudion past the Brenig.. That road is amazing

 

[306maxi]

Do you know the road from Denbigh thru Henllan and Groes, and then turn off towards Cerrigydrudion past the Brenig.. That road is amazing

Yeah it's a nice road, can't really do much on the road through henllan and groes as it's narrow and usually has cars on it. I like the drive to Cerrigydrudion, but prefer not to turn off towards the Brenig and keep going over the moors, that said, it's not a road for pussies in that direction as you could potentially hit 3 figures on the long downhill stretches even in a 500, something about the rhythm of the road works better going in the opposite direction too.