Boxes aren’t so bad are they?

A few years ago I emailed Honda UK and asked if they’d ever bring the Element into the good old Blighty, not to everyone’s taste I know but with two dogs as passengers it seems a practical if maybe quirky choice.   The reply puzzled me though by stating that the Element,

represents Honda doing what it does best – being individualistic, doing things differently, boldly going where other companies cannot or dare not

but sadly for all sorts of reasons they’re were no plans to give UK buyers the benefit of this rather prosaic vision.  Odd seeing as it’s available in right hand drive form in Japan and as we know with the large number of grey imports from the Land of the Rising Sun on UK roads it couldn’t be that difficult with the resources at Honda’s disposal to sell them here. 

But now Ford US are getting in on the box with a wheel at each corner act with the Flex.  But as you’d imagine being American it’s done on a much bigger scale, whereas the Element is underneath a modest Honda Accord the Ford is 3.5l V6 with fuel figures to match.  Apparently it comes with something called ‘Eco Boost’ which gives it a huge 16mpg around town, maybe someone from Honda’s marketing department has moved to Ford in the intervening period. 

Can’t help thinking though the Flex looks like the love child of a Mini Clubman and Range Rover Sport.

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That’s no way to treat your Veyron

Most will laugh at this but not me as it’s like finding someone wreaking a work of art funny and that is going to be one expensive repair bill.

Thanks to G for finding the article.

I was never that good at maths

I’ve had the Mondeo for almost a year now so I’ve just taken it back to LS Eaves, the oldest and smallest Ford franchise in the UK, who proved once again what a great dealer they are.  This time it was oil change, brake fluid replacement and the usual check up and came to £237, this includes labour, parts and the dreaded VAT.

This got me thinking as I compare the experince of owning a Ford with that of owning a BMW as I can’t make the maths work.  I never managed to escape from a BMW dealer without being at the very least £400 lighter, often much much more and it seems the only explaination is the badge glued to the front and rear of the car.  Are BMW technicians two or three times better than those at Ford?  Are BMWs two or three times more sophisticated than their Ford equivalents? Are BMWs two or three times more difficult to work on?  No, no and no would be my guess.  So why is it two or three times more expensive to get a BMW serviced than a Ford?

No. I don’t know either.