← Continued from Page 2 of "Automotive Industry Gotchas. Buying a Good New Car Without Getting Screwed"Ground clearance, Xenon, Turning Circle? Um, what?
That’s right. These are just a few notions typical buyers usually ignore or are not even aware of. This must change, and soon. I’ve become accustomed to seeing cars with a bashed front bumper, clueless and frustrated people in repair shops and drivers hopelessly trying to turn around when there’s clearly insufficient space for their car to do that.
You’ve got to understand that not all cars are alike and appearances can be deceiving. A car that seems solid may, in fact, be more fragile than one that looks rather frail.
Ground clearance is more important than most people tend to believe and, among other seemingly boring numbers, is something which should not be overlooked as it can save you a lot of trips to the repair shop.
Many cars have a ground clearance of only 4-4.7 inches which, in theory, makes them unfit for day to day city traffic. These are generally considered sports cars, bought to be taken out for a ride at times, like a prized purebred pet. Preferably when it’s not raining or snowing, on a perfect road and when you’re not in a hurry.
While some cars are easy to read due to their design and, especially, the price, there are others, that look quite normal but will turn any parking attempt into an unforgettable experience, especially when using an underground parking lot with a steep driveway.
The car should have a ground clearance of at least 5.2 inches, ideally 5.5-5.9 inches. Hard to find, I know, but it’s really worth it, as you won’t need to have your front bumper fixed several times a year and won’t shudder at the thought of going (again) to the repair shop whenever you see an ant taking a stroll in the middle of the street. True, roads are generally very well looked after but there’s the occasional bump and snow, not to mention routes that are a bit more offroad-ish.
Never ever fall for the “sticks to the road” trick dealers try to use to convince buyers that cars with a low ground clearance are more stable and easier to handle than those with a 5.5-5.9 inch elevation. Technology is now sufficiently evolved to be able to deliver extremely efficient systems to assist the driver, and that line is starting to look more and more like gibberish salesmen resort to when they’re out of ideas. Low ground clearance matters when you’re on a racing track, not when you’re talking real cars and normal roads for normal people, not WRC drivers.
You’ve got to understand that not all cars are alike and appearances can be deceiving. A car that seems solid may, in fact, be more fragile than one that looks rather frail.
Ground clearance is more important than most people tend to believe and, among other seemingly boring numbers, is something which should not be overlooked as it can save you a lot of trips to the repair shop.
Many cars have a ground clearance of only 4-4.7 inches which, in theory, makes them unfit for day to day city traffic. These are generally considered sports cars, bought to be taken out for a ride at times, like a prized purebred pet. Preferably when it’s not raining or snowing, on a perfect road and when you’re not in a hurry.
While some cars are easy to read due to their design and, especially, the price, there are others, that look quite normal but will turn any parking attempt into an unforgettable experience, especially when using an underground parking lot with a steep driveway.
The car should have a ground clearance of at least 5.2 inches, ideally 5.5-5.9 inches. Hard to find, I know, but it’s really worth it, as you won’t need to have your front bumper fixed several times a year and won’t shudder at the thought of going (again) to the repair shop whenever you see an ant taking a stroll in the middle of the street. True, roads are generally very well looked after but there’s the occasional bump and snow, not to mention routes that are a bit more offroad-ish.
Never ever fall for the “sticks to the road” trick dealers try to use to convince buyers that cars with a low ground clearance are more stable and easier to handle than those with a 5.5-5.9 inch elevation. Technology is now sufficiently evolved to be able to deliver extremely efficient systems to assist the driver, and that line is starting to look more and more like gibberish salesmen resort to when they’re out of ideas. Low ground clearance matters when you’re on a racing track, not when you’re talking real cars and normal roads for normal people, not WRC drivers.
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