The little things.

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
04/25/2015 at 09:08 • Filed to: None

When you’ve owned a car for a while you start to learn it’s quirks and bond with it (emotionally not dragoning) so what little thing do you love about your car oppo? An unusual quirk that you would only really notice from ownership.

In mine it’s the fact that the gear stick rocks slightly when you come on and off the power. For example when you floor it the gear stick pulls back a little, then dips forward when you lift. Can’t really explain why but it just makes me feel more in touch with what the car is doing, feels more mechanical.

DISCUSSION (55)

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:11

Could be a sign your mounts are worn I think. Could be all that POOOOWWWWWAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Can't think of any quirks right now. I shall be back

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/25/2015 at 09:13

Na I’ve checked they’re all like that. The stock mounts are just really soft because French.

Funktheduck > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:15

Ha. That’s good though.

My truck’s shifter is similar but I know it's because of bad trans mounts.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:21

I don’t know if I can say I ‘love’ the quirks in my 500, but they give the car personality. It this case, it’s the personality of a befuddled and forgetful old man (like its driver). Both the climate control and my sound system have no memory whatsoever. They will not (or cannot) remember what the last settings were. I can be listening to the radio, get out of the car for a minute, and when I start it back up it switches to the iPod. The automatic climate control, as soon as I shut it off all it remembers is the temp setting. It sets the fan speed at ‘0’ and switches to recirc when I turn it back on. WTF?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Funktheduck
04/25/2015 at 09:22

I might go for some poly upgrades if it gets worse, but for now I kinda like it, most modern cars isolate you from absolutely everything so anything that reminds me there’s mechanical stuff going on is fine by me.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:24

I discovered I can get fresh air in the car with the windows up, saving loads of noise on the motorway. If I put my vents into the ‘point at face’ position it opens up the vents, so I get fresh air, with no noise. Or I can crack the window and it creates low pressure in the car and pulls a really good stream of air in.

Odd little thing but surprisingly nice when doing long distance to have fresh air with no noise. (that and I’m too tight to use air conditioning unless I have too ha)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 09:25

The “quirks” in my little Fiat forced me to get rid of it. Really loved the car when it was working, which wasn’t too often.

Electronics definitely aren’t Fiat’s strong suit. When it rained a lot it struggled to start, even when it was mechanically fully healthy. The MPG meter would lodge at 142 mpg during a longer drive, the wipers sometimes came on for no reason, the indicators self cancelled for no reason whenever they felt like it. It goes on...

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:25

On the QX4 (I think Terrano Regulus for you), the air con window vents button does not work and only The multi mode switch works.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
04/25/2015 at 09:28

That worked on my Panda too, was pretty useful, especially combined with the sunroof. Annoyingly the Twingo doesn’t let much fresh air in and it doesn’t have AC or a sunroof...

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:29

Fortunately, mine hasn’t done that. What WILL cause me to get rid of it is the ESC. When it snows, the ESC makes the car almost undriveable. It fights with the transmission so much I thought the clutch was going to give up. And you can’t totally shut it off; it will still activate when ‘ESC OFF’ has been selected. I think I might be making a change in about 6 months.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
04/25/2015 at 09:33

I don’t think we even got the Terrano Regulus, I think we might have gotten a version of it called the Pathfinder, not 100% sure though.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 09:35

Maybe there’s a fuse you can pull to kill it? Neither of my cars have had any driver aids other than ABS.

I duno about you, but I loved my Fiat initially but the longer I had it the more issues I found. At least the honeymoon period was fun...

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:42

Fortunately for me the mountains are nearby. That means there’s lots of twisty roads I can fling it up and down. That’s kept me liking it longer that I would have otherwise.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 09:45

The Panda was good fun, but not as chuckable as the Twingo. So for spirited driving I’ve upgraded. The Twingo has a really good chassis for what it is, much better than the cars I compared it with. The 500 is probably a lot better than the Panda to drive though, since it’s not as tall.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 09:54

I do sometimes wish for the extra 30 or so HP you get with the turbo 1.4 they offer now (like when I’m merging onto a freeway), but it’s a luxury you can live without.

For an Italian car, the build quality and fit and finish has been better than I’d expected. The only real issues have been the plastic shroud over the steering column (which is broken and loose AGAIN) and the seatback release cable on the drivers’ side that was broken when I bought it and replaced under warranty. Oh, and the sunroof thinks something is in the way and won’t close about 50% of the time, but all I have to do is hold the button down for 10 seconds and it resets.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 09:57

I’ve got used to wringing out cars with no power. I rarely have to worry about speeding tickets at least. Last car had 70hp this one has 60hp.

My fit and finish was acceptable, but the drivers seat bolster had completely worn through already at about 70k miles. Oh and the back doors would stick closed if you didnt use them for a week or two, they needed to be kicked open from the inside.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:04

‘Slow car fast’ is definitely one of my favorite pastimes. Though it did get a bit ridiculous with my ‘87 Chevy Sprint.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.56576…

The highway shown here, C-470, has a very steep hill when you are traveling eastbound from Santa Fe/US-85. I used to have to travel that way every day in my Sprint. I would have to be at least going 70 mph at the base of the hill, then downshift from 5th to 3rd, and keep my right foot planted to the floor as I drove up the hill and if I was lucky I’d be going maybe 50 mph when I crested the hill, which is just before Lucent Blvd.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 10:34

Mine is competent enough for cruising and such, especially since in the UK I’m far from the slowest car on the road. Hills don’t slow it down too much.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:36

This 500 does so much better on hills it isn’t even in the same league as the Sprint. I haven’t taken it up I-70 over the Continental Divide yet, though. That would be a good test.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:36

The retractable antenna on my Civic. It literally has a mind of its own.

Plus, the hilariously gadgety aftermarket Kenwood stereo that has an ATTN button for reducing the audio levels by 90% so you can “pay attention to passengers when they are speaking”. Only the Japanese...

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 10:42

What engines does the 500 come with over there? The base 1.2 here had a big kick off about it because it apparently couldn’t pull away on a hill.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:45

The base engine is the 101-hp MultiAir 1.4 (which I have), then there’s the turbo 1.4 which is something like 135 hp, and the Abarth.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
04/25/2015 at 10:46

I haven’t seen a retractable antenna in years. We had one on our old Cavalier that was lodged up.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 10:49

101hp is pretty good in such a little car. The Abarth over here starts at 140hp, then you have to go to the essesse to get more. I think all US cars get the essesse package standard.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:52

Yep, you’re right. I haven’t driven the Abarth. Next time I’m in for service I should pretend I’m really interested in one and see if I can test drive it.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > fhrblig
04/25/2015 at 10:55

You should, I really want to have a go in one too. They’re wary of handing the keys for a hot hatch to a 20 year old who drives a car worth about a quarter the money an abarth costs though.

fhrblig > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 10:56

That’s one of the benefits of crossing over into ‘old man’ territory. People think I’m upstanding and stable and I can get away with more shit.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 11:26

The realization that if the 4Runner gets rear ended and gets just a slight dent in the tailgate, I have no way to open the rear gate.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
04/25/2015 at 11:39

Not even with big hammers?

MLGCarGuy > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 11:44

On the Versa Note you have to slam the handbrake onto the floor otherwise it will furiously beep at you saying it hasn’t disengaged, when in fact it has.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 11:54

I guess you could, but it would be more trouble than it’s worth, since there is a lot of window mechanisms in the way.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 12:19

My MR2 tries to kill me. It’s adorable.

Brickman > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 12:50

Timing belt cover rattle when my caravan starts up. One of the snaps is broken. I’d replace it, but have to remove the cam gears, water pump, etc. Goes away in 30 seconds.

Also the windshield wipers turn one by itself every now and then. Been quite a while though.

XJDano > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 13:20

The 1-2 syncro is going out on the transmission again. There is a way to downshift but it takes a few tries sometimes.

My brother in law said something about Avatar and the dragon things they fly in the movie how they are connected, like I'm the only one who can drive my car because I have that connection. Or something. I didn't see the movie.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 14:38

Kinja'd!!!

It’s got a few, but my favourite has to be the gap between the passenger seat and door—it’s perfectly - perfectly! - sized to fit fast food cups, and holds them securely on the way back from McDonalds/Burger King/Subway/KFC/whichever other place I decided to go to rather than cook for myself.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > XJDano
04/25/2015 at 14:40

My grandad always says some of his cars were so broken he was literally the only one who could coax them into life. No one else understood them well enough.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 14:45

I’ll have to tell my dad about that on his Saxo. That’s if it runs for much longer. I drove it and it doesn’t exactly feel fresh...

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 14:52

They can be surprisingly tenacious, even when heavily abused - my garage once told me the tale of a 106 driver who went along blissfully unaware that his head gasket had gone for months - but it’s a shame to hear his car’s having trouble. Keep in mind that, as compared to most modern, or even slightly older cars, they’re going to feel pretty creaky regardless of what shape they’re in—it’s a French design from 1991, with some of the thinnest sheet metal ever put on a car, after all.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 15:03

It just has a worrying amount of top end noise, the last time I heard anything like it was on an old Morris Minor. The steering is pretty all over the place, despite the suspension being in good shape, can only deduce the steering box/ rack is really worn. Brakes are pretty alarming at times too, but they might just need bleeding.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 15:09

I can’t really offer much advice on that, unfortunately—I’ve never noticed a significant amount of top end noise coming from mine. The steering issue’s a real bummer; one of the best bits of the 106/Saxo is how well-weighted and responsive the steering is. It might be worth looking into the power steering pump motor; unlike most hydraulically-assisted cars, the pump’s actually run by an electric motor, rather than a belt from the engine.

If the brakes are inconsistent, then there’s probably something wrong, but I should probably mention that most of the people who’ve driven my car besides me have commented on the brakes being substantially less, well, brake-y than they’re used to. I suspect that’s partly down to the lack of ABS, though.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 15:13

Ah I didn’t know they had an electric pump, I’ll give that a look.

Yeah maybe it’s just because I’m not used to it. The brakes on my Twingo and my old Fiat bite if you so much as look at the pedal, the Saxo needed quite a push to start scrubbing speed.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 15:25

My doors have electronic triggers that drop the window an inch, unlock and open the door. This adds a 1-2 second delay from pressing the button to door open. I have to tell my passengers to squeeze the button and wait. Most don’t and have to be retold, others panic. Once inside, I have to explain to them that if the button doesn’t work or in case of an accident, there is an emergency manual release for the door. I show them where it is and have them use it once so they understand how to get out in case of an emergency.

I feel like the airline stewardess giving the emergency exit brief everytime someone new gets in my car.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight
04/25/2015 at 15:28

My friends Mini does that. He can only open the passenger door from the inside because some part of the mechanism is stuck.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 15:29

Honestly, it might well be for the best—I imagine I’d have locked up my brakes a lot more often while transitioning from my instructor’s cushy, ABS-equipped DS3, if they’d actually been massively grippy.

(By the by, the handbrake locks those rear drums up real good. Of course, I’ve no idea why you’d want to do such a thing, particularly while pulling out of the Lydden Hill car park/muddy field after watching rallycross for a couple of hours...)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 15:34

The DS3 is an extremely forgiving car to drive, I passed my test in one.

I “tested” my handbrake in an empty car park at midnight a couple weeks ago. It definitely works.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 15:38

Yup, passed my test in one too. It was a dramatic improvement over the shitty Corsa my instructor had when I took my first few lessons.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 15:40

I started in a 2007 1.7 diesel Astra. What a completely hateful machine, can’t think of any redeeming features in it.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 15:47

If there’s one thing Vauxhall’s good at, it’s making you more appreciative of whichever non-Vauxhall car you happen to be driving at a given moment.

(There are exceptions, of course - Lotus Carlton, VX220, VXR8 and so on - but it’s worth noting that almost all of them are either rebadges, or have been at the very least fettled by another company.)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 15:55

I don’t think they’ve ever made a genuinely good car without outside intervention. The new Corsa is supposed to be a little better, but I’d still rather buy a Fiesta or even a 208 (looked at one of these when I was looking at Twingos, they’re much nicer than the rubbish Peugeot has been making since the 206).

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 16:05

They certainly are - I like the way they look, and the interior might well be a contender for best-in-class, even if I’m not a great fan of their whole ‘dials above the wheel’ thing - but they still lack a certain something, compared to Peugeot’s older cars. To borrow a little something from one of Top Gear’s last episodes, Peugeot really need to hire on a new ‘chef de suspension’, to revive their once-legendary reputation for fun workaday cars.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
04/25/2015 at 16:10

I didn’t get to drive one (miles out of my price range) but the interior is without a doubt best in class for me. Reviews say it’s fairly poor to drive handling wise so it seems you’re right. They’re so close to getting past this terrible era they’ve had with the likes of the 206, 207 and 307, which would be nice. I hope they can start making fun stuff again.

BenLikesCars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 20:27

Are you intrigued by or otherwise by the new Twingo’s rear-motor configuration?

BenLikesCars > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
04/25/2015 at 20:38

2014 Focus S sedan. If you reach for the headlight switch without consideration for its surroundings, the trunk-open switch might get touched and at least you will know that the trunk has sprung open.

You know when you’re parked and your door’s unlocked and your spouse (or another person) tries to open the back door and the back door’s locked and they POUND on it so that you can unlock that door and it’s just crazy you’re racing to press the unlock button just so they can stop tapping as if a well you know. (Then the car does a double-honk if you try to further unlock the car with the lock/unlock button. Unless you unlock with the button on the key-fob.)

[Incidentally, that’s her trying to open the rear door from the outside. To get stuff from the back. Just in case anyone wondered.]

[Edit: yes, there is one unlock/lock button on the dashboard. Yes, the car’s great.]

My wife has figured out that if I open my door then the rear doors unlock too. So that’s what I do now.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BenLikesCars
04/26/2015 at 07:36

When I bought my (front engined) Twingo I had a look round a brand new Twingo in the dealer. They look fantastic in my opinion, but I’ve heard they aren’t too great to drive. I’ll have to take a test drive some day.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BenLikesCars
04/26/2015 at 07:37

My car unlocks only the drivers door with a press of the key fob, you have to double click to let passengers in. This leads to confusion sometimes.