DOTS - A Far Flung French Enigma

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
10/21/2020 at 20:06 • Filed to: Dots, Oppodentify, Import, Renault, Not from around here

This is a modern Renault crossover of some description. Possibly a Mexican market Captur or similar. What on earth is this doing in Atlanta rush hour traffic?

Also, I drove my car again for the first time in over two months. It was nice. I miss my humble Chevy Cruze.

Funny story, a friend I haven’t heard from in a year texted me after seeing it on my story as he lives in Korea and his family has one. He couldn’t say much besides, “it drives fine.”

DISCUSSION (30)

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 20:27

Geez, try saying that headline ten times fast... It keeps coming out as some variation of “Flar Fung Fench enigla”...

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 20:27

I saw a VW Polo in Atlanta a few years back - pretty sure it had Mexican plates too.

I miss my cars too. Haven’t driven at all since I arrived on campus in late August.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/21/2020 at 20:37

I actually didn’t observe the plates on this Renault but I figured that’s the only place a 5 year old French crossover could realistically have come. It’s an awfully long way. I had enough trouble just confirming it wasn’t a Kia Sportage by craning my neck to see the badge.

Living in Atlanta I have not had one single use for a car thus far. Everything that I need is within walking distance and the Gatech bus service has weekly trips to Atlantic Station should I actually need something. What do you drive again?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
10/21/2020 at 20:40

Well it was almost as hard as noticing that wasn’t a Kia Sportage to begin with.

boredalways > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 21:20

There are embassies in ATL, right?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > boredalways
10/21/2020 at 21:23

Probably? Though why would an ambassador drive a low end 5 year old crossover all the way to Atlanta? I wasn’t able to even catch a glimpse of the plates or the front so I can’t answer that. And it most likely isn’t even from France anyways.

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 21:30

I have a 2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI and a 1978 Westfalia. Fingers crossed that they don’t salt the roads before I go home so I can get the bus out again.

Despite never actually living there, I have spent an insane amount of time visiting family in Atlanta. I still have no sense of direction there and have hardly driven there . I get what you mean about everything being within walking distance though.

boredalways > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 21:31

Well, not the embassador themselves, but it could be someone on the staff like public relations, executive secretary, etc.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/21/2020 at 21:45

It’s not too hard to know vaguely where you’re going but using a GPS for place not on one of the major roads is a must unless you’ve spent a lot of time here as the streets intersect in such crazy ways. I’ve found walking to be the most instructive way to learn the street grid. Or aimlessly driving abouts. Knowing the difference between West and East Peachtree isn’t too hard but I’m sure I could navigate to the in tersection(s) of most major roads north of Martin Luther King Boulevard around Atlanta proper without a GPS. Though my knowledge majorly runs out around I85 and the Atlanta Bypass.

Ah, a spertwergen owner! Sure is a popular choice for Oppos. I was wondering if you had another car besides the van (didn’t know it was a Westfalia). My own 2012 Chevy Cruze (great year for reliable dailies with a flair) is kind of in a weird limbo state where it technically belongs to me but my mom is driving it occasionally as I have no use for it. I expect to sell it to my parents at the end of the year and use the money to buy something more exciting as I don’t really need the practicality anymore and I want to live, dangit!

Where exactly are you located again? I thought you were maybe closer but the mention of road salt says otherwise.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > boredalways
10/21/2020 at 21:48

Maybe someone on their staff who brought their family up from Mexico? It’s just such a weird time and place to see something like that.

Kinja'd!!!

Though also I don’t see a likely candidate nearby.

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 22:06

I’m from Madison, WI, but I’m in Beloit, WI for college right now.

The Sportwagen was my dad’s until winter 2018. I don’t know what’s going on with it right now though. I’ll either end up keeping it forever or it will go to my brother when he gets his license and I’ll get to pick out something a little more interesting.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/21/2020 at 22:10

Clearly your dad has good taste. How’d you come by the Westfalia? Because that’s a really good combo of practicality and fun you’ve got going on.

That’s a really long drive to Atlanta. Do you uually fly down? Maybe next time you’re down here you could give me a shout. I’ve never really been up that way so in not very familiar with the c ti y where you’re attending college. What major? I'm a first year architecture major.

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/21/2020 at 22:59

My dad’s first car was a red, 5-speed, second generation Integra coupe . Around when I was born my dad’s grandfather stopped driving and gave him a beige, automatic 1999 Accord and the Integra was sold . I wish the Integra was still around, but I’ve been told that despite spending most of its life in Atlanta it was pretty rusty because my dad took it with him when he went to college in Chicago.

The Westfalia came into my life 5 years ago when 13-year-old me was window shopping for cars on eBay as usual. It was within 15 miles from my house and my parents had always wanted one...
The engine failed the next year, but after we got that fixed it has generally been pretty reliable for a 42- year-old car with 150k miles.

I generally fly to Atlanta, but most Christmas es we drove down. That’s not happening this year for obvious reasons . I probably will not be down there again until the pandemic is over over, but I’ll be sure to mention it when I am.

There’s not really anything interesting in Beloit other than the college. I haven’t declared a major yet, but unless something big happens I’m going to go for e conomics and history. Architecture sounds really interesting, but for me it’s something I admire from a distance because I feel like I could never do it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/21/2020 at 23:09

Admiring from a distance is a wise thing to do. I’m here late at the studio trying to completely redraw something so I can later completely redraw it again and then build a model only then do that again for another thing all before Tuesday. It takes up so much time.

Econ omics and history, that’s interesting. I love history but I hate memorizing it because I have to. Is it a liberal arts college? Georgia Tech is renowned for being extremely difficult and ARCH is one of the more intensive first year experiences you can have.

I really like those Integrals. I’m sure the Accord was a step up but probably wasn’t as fun. Shoulda kept it since rusty cars are worth basically nothing in Georgia. My friend has an extremely rusty 4x4 4Runner with no AC that’s basically worth nothing because it’s too rusty to off-road and too broken to daily. A non rusty one with AC would probably be worth 8k in that condition. Though hey, those northern winters that rusted it spared the paint and interior in a way you simply don’t see around here.

You got a Westfalia at 13? I got my Cruze at 17 and the two years I've had it have been great though I really am wishing for something more exciting. It was perfect for me at the time as I just wanted reliable transportation but I want to branch out. Is your Sportwagen a manual?

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 00:02

Beloit College is definitely a liberal arts college. My first 2 classes (quarters for better flexibility with the pandemic) weren’t hard at all and I have lots of time to watch anime lurk on the car internet , but I think that may change in the future as I get into more advanced classes. 1 of the classes I just finished was on the history of the relationship between the US and Cuba. Lots of reading and writing, but no memorization. I can’t memorize anything actually useful - just what interests me.

My parents were living Seattle when I was born, but I think your comment about the value of rusty cars still applies there. However, at the time my dad had no time, money, or space for what was then just an old Honda with a lot of miles. Someday I want to track one down so I can know what it was like. Still, I want so many cars (Legend coupe, 1st generation Insight, MK4 R32, 996 911... ) it may never happen. At least by the time I have a career and stupid car money the 90s car bubble will have burst or prices will have stabilized.

The bus was actually the first car I drove. It was just around the storage place where we keep it, but that still counts to me . My Sportwagen is unfortunately a DSG because my dad just wanted something efficient to get to work and would not buy a car my mom couldn’t drive. The DSG is generally fantastic , but the 2- >1 shift and the way it creeps make s it suck in even the lightest of traffic.

I actually have never had the opportunity to learn manual. The bus has a hilariously bad 3-speed slushbox which is somehow constantly rougher than the DSG at its worst. 67 horsepower/100 lbs-ft of torque and a 3-speed automatic means that most of the the time I am driving the bus harder than I have ever driven a modern car.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/22/2020 at 00:32

I have a lot of time to browse Oppo during online meeting slogs but then things get hectic sometimes. Last two weeks were suspiciously light though.

I have an incredibly good selective memory for car names/IDing and random trivia that I have developed because it was fun but I despise memorizing lists of info without context. Give me a chance to explain why my answer is right and I’m good.

Lots of great cars that will always be too expensive. Lots of underappreciated cars you don’t have time for. Sometimes you just have to wait until the right one comes along.

Haha wow you should do a write-up of how the car has impacted your life! That sounds exciting. But man I cannot imagine a Westfalia up an incline with a 3 speed auto.

Sucks that the DSG was so bad. The 2010s had a lot of fancy automatics that failed to be pleasant to live with. The torque converter can be a resilient thing even if it isn’t always very efficient. I wish my Cruze were a stick because the autobox is known for being fragile but then I probably wouldn’t have bought it. With 136 ho and 3000 pounds you really want the extra power and torque. Can’t imagine 67 with even more weight, though my mom’s Volvo XC90 has 180 hp out of a turbo I5 (cool noises!) and it weighs 5000 pounds. It’s a real pig.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 01:06

More importantly, why is it in boring gray !

VW Max > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 01:07

I wouldn’t say the DSG is a bad transmission, it’s just really out of its element in traffic. It smoothes out above 20 mph and is obviously insanely fast to shift when you put your foot down. The better manual control compared to most older automatics also pairs really nicely with a diesel (engine breaking!).

Driving the Westfalia up any sort of hill is a test of patience and planning ahead. There are times when it is impossible to maintain the speed limit, but generally if you floor it right before the hill you can avoid that.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
10/22/2020 at 01:12

I don’t know at all. I don’t think it would be terrible looking in a better color.

Funny story, a friend I haven't heard from in a year texted me after seeing it on my story as he lives in Korea and his family has one. He couldn't say much besides, "it drives fine."

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 01:18

Yeah, the first generation Captur wasn’t great looking but at least most of them are not in gray and black in here :)

It’s a lifted Clio so it shouldn’t be driving bad.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VW Max
10/22/2020 at 01:23

Knowing VW reliability I’m not sure if you meant engine breaking or engine braking. Good thing it is a diesel as those TDIs are amazing.

I’ve only ever driven conventional torque converter slushboxes so I have no experience with anything different. 4 speeds, 5 speeds , 6 speeds, driven them all and they're ok I guess. Some are good and some are bad but they do do a good job of smoothing out low speed stop and go.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
10/22/2020 at 01:31

It looks like a slightly better styled Kia Sportage. I’m sure it drives like a top-heavy more boaty Clio so I don’t know. Just seems like a thoroughly unremarkable vehicle. Probably FWD too.

Should be orange or blue or maybe green. It deserves colors that don't take themselves seriously.

Jb boin > VW Max
10/22/2020 at 02:17

Yes, creeping with a DSG, especially on a diesel is the biggest challenge.

As a passenger of taxis, even torque converters sometimes feels bad in this situation.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 02:23

Even a boatier lifted Clio is decent :)

I think that they only did came in two tone (at least European ones) which is good but dark gray and black make is less “quirky” and in here they are more often with colors than most cars.

The new generation that started this year is looking sensibly better in and out, we were behind one yesterday in orange and i thought it might be of DOTS interest but i didn’t take a picture of it, it was like that :

Kinja'd!!!

Cé hé sin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 04:39

It’s a Captur. They’re everywhere, though not where you are.

Fun fact: the Captur is based on the Clio. The Clio is feminine but the Captur, he is a boy.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
10/22/2020 at 08:49

I think that looks sign ificantly less meh. Really hard to get a good impression from my fleeting glance but it just seemed like they hadn’t quite figured out how to style crossovers yet. The profile view looks nearly identical though. My friend said it felt small inside with four people (not really surprising) so good thing the beltline didn’t really rise.

I bet it still handles better than most of its contemporaries though with the Clip underpinnings.

The orange color really fits it well. Two times still haven’t really caught on in this market, though most CUVs seem to offer some sort of two or true tone roof option if you count the floating pillars. Not a terribly high take rate on those though. And the accent roof colors are usually not more exciting than white.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Cé hé sin
10/22/2020 at 08:53

Ah yes, because big manly crossover something or other. I can’t tell if that’s a coincidence or just eye rolling marketing.

I assume this one came from Mexico but it's really hard to be sure. That's a long way to travel by car on a visa, whether work or tourism or whatever. I wasn't able to spot a plate so it's really all guesswork.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 12:10

As a comparison, the first gen (non-latin-A merica/Brazil version ) is smaller than a Golf in length and width, it’s only about 15 centimetr e s longer than a Honda Fit and the new generation is about 10 centimet re s longer so about the same length as a Golf 8 .

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin
10/22/2020 at 12:47

It honestly looked bigger than that ass uming the second gen is somewhere in between those measurements. Perhaps it is just that it is a pretty tall car.

Though I haven't yet seen a Golf 8 but I assume it is slightly larger than the 7.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
10/22/2020 at 13:26

No, they are almost the same, only 0.5cm longer for the MK8 and the same width.