Observations from Driving in the UK - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

stephenson · #1 08-01-2004, 09:35 AM

- Wide variety of manufacturers
- Bigger cars only in London (can't fit through roads elsewhere)
- Very large percentage of diesels in every size, manufacturer, and shape; perhaps as high as 50% ... Saabs, VWs, Renaults, Citroens, Seats, Fiats, Audis, etc
- We are missing the boat on MB diesels here ...
- V220 CDIs are everywhere - van that is a bit larger than US sized minivans, a bit more boxy and space efficient, they were cruising 90 MPH on M roads (with 2.2L turbo diesel engines!)
- S270 CDIs, E220 CDIs, ML270 CDIs, BMW 730 CDIs ... not a whiff of smoke, fast accel, fast on open road ... incredible number of options
(Note: while I appreciate MB sending the 320 CDI to us in E class, I think we have missed the historical boat of having large car with small engine that gets incredible mileage ... why don't we have either the 2.2 or the 2.7L in CDI?)
- average speeds on rural 4 and 6 lane split roads is about 90 MPH with up to about 30% traveling at 95 MPH plus
- and, then you roll into towns that are 1000 years old with streets 10% wider than a midsize car requiring you to pull onto sidewalks to allow the other car to go by ... AND, no one is yelling, gesturing with fingers, or honking horns ... in fact, I heard a horn only once after leaving London in a week of driving

BTW, I had rented a 2005 VW Golf ... tried to get it with diesel, but wasn't able to ... shifting 6 speed on left side while driving 100 MPH down to 20 MPH in a round-a-bout while looking for signs (in a country where N-S-E-W has little meaning) was demanding on day 1 and way cool by day 5 ... another BTW, using round-a-about vice stop lights saved an incredible amount of time ... only occasionally was I required to actually stop the car ... you could drive for 6 hours through 30 towns without ever stopping ...

Great trip ... we did south of England starting in London, then directly to Canterbury, clockwise to Lands End ... I would skip most of the tourist areas on coast if I did again ... other than saying you have been to Brighton or Penzance, or Lands End, it looks touristy!