More Beat Questions!

[Tamsin Nunley]

Hello All!

I've got some more girly questions to add to these techy ones about engines and so on... :help:

Like: Is it economical. How is it for reliability? How difficult/expensive is it to find spares (a bit easier now I have found this website, I think! :) )

My Renault 5 (which i adored) expired the other week, and I saw a beat in Autotrader and instantly fell in love. At the moment I am also having a look at Smart Cars, and am looking for a few personal perspectives on the Beat to decide which I should go for.

The sort of driving I would be doing would be, zipping around Guildford occasionally during the week, but some longer trips up/down the M1 some weekends. Does anyone have an objective opinion on whether the car would 'like' that sort of treatment, because the engine is quite small, isn't it....(though the same, i spose, could be argued about the Smart..)?

Oh, another question (and probably a daft one - sorry!) does it have any luggage space at all? The engine's in the rear, isn't it? Or am I just imagining that! And can you fit a bike rack on it?

I know some of these questions are probably idiotic, but I don't know that much about cars - just that I love the look of this one! Which, by itself, isn't really a good enough reason to buy the car I guess (though i am practically drooling over the For Sale forum!) - hence the attempt at research!

[Tamsin Nunley]

Anyone...?

Any advice/opnions would be much appreciated :confused:

[Paul w]

Hi Tamsim and welcome!

Right, lets see what i can do to answer you questions! (i'm sure others will add comments too)

Economy- depends on how you drive it! Expect between 30 and 50 MPG. Its only a little engine, but works hard when you need it too.
Reliability - its a honda......get one with a service history and you should be fine. (check out the posts about cambelts and distributors though)
Zipping about is what they do best, just remember how low down you are though, can make getting out at junctions a bit tricky (if your turning left, and theres a car turning right, you cant see over their bonnet). The car laps up town driving, and you'll find yourself going 'weeeeeeeeee' a lot!
Long journeys are an experience, but good fun. They will do 80mph all day, and they arent too noisey really.
Summer is coming too, so just think of all those top down days!!

Luggage - hmmmmmm! there is some space, but you have to be a bit inventive.
You can get a suit carrier down the back of the passenger seat, about 2 shoeboxes worth of space in the 'boot' and some people take the spare wheel out (under the 'bonnet!) and you can get an overnight bag in there. (take a can of tyre weld though!)



My advice would be to drive one!! (i'm sure there is someone nearby that would give you a go!)

As for bike rack........(eastenders voice) 'Your having a laff aint ya?'

Regards

PW

[Steve_M]

I suppose you could fit a bike rack on the back, one of those ones with suckers and straps the hold to the edge of the boot and down to the towing eye.

Only prob might be that the bike will be wider than the Beat !!!

Dont forget that terry collier actually had a towbar on his beat!!!!

Other wise great fun to drive, yes long motorway journeys can be a bit uncomfortable, but 70 - 80 mph is easly obtainable for constant times.

As paul says its a Honda, but does need a bit of TLC at times.

HTH

[adrianp]

What can I add????

I use mine as my daily driver and to be honest, even though I've had mine for coming up to 2 yrs now, the fun factor is still very much there...

As Paul said, Luggage can be carried but you have to be a bit creative with the packing unless you manage to find one with the optional boot rack fitted which means you can carry your lunch box tied too the boot...:p

Any more questions then don't hesitate to ask, we're here to help...

Adrian.

[tinytim]

I've had mine a few months now and haven't looked back. I use it as a town runner daily, back-road driving around Wales often and zip along the M4 occasionally, gererally I get a tad over 50 to the gallon. The car is best suited to zipping about (and Zipping is the ideal word), it loves the twisty turny B roads and can scoot up the As with the best of them.

The Beat isn't the best car for motorway driving, it can do the speed with no problems but as previously said it can get a bit uncomfortable. One can also feel a little intimidated on a busy motorway, it's a small (very small) car. I suppose it depends how far up the M1 you go and what your driving style is BUT,,,once you get where your going and you want to zip about again the Beat is back in it's element.

The guys seem to have omitted the parcel shelf from the luggage space. The Beat may be a soft top but it has AC, so if luggage is an issue leave the hood up and you can put a reasonable sized bag behind you. Alternatively, just don't take a passenger.

As you may have picked up form the other threads on the site the Beat is a "fun" car to drive. That is not to say it's a boy racer but if you don't get out after you first, proper "see what it can do" drive with a grin from ear to ear, then check you pulse because it must have stopped.

The only real way to make your decision is to test drive them. I would suggest you do the Smart first, just to be fair because it wouldn't get a look if you drove the Beat first.

Tim

[Tamsin Nunley]

Hey Everyone :)

Thanks for that - what a great response!

As Tinytim suggested, I am taking a Smart for a second test-drive this weekend, then I will see what I can do about maybe taking a beat for a spin.

The only problem is, because you can't just find them in a garage and book a test drive, it sort of means turning up at a private sale, and I wouldn't want to come across as a 'time-waster' if I then decided a Smart was more practical. But I guess that is all part of selling/choosing a car.... :(

The main potential 'issue' is the luggage space (the reason i was asking about bike racks is because me and my other half are keen on camping!), but apart from that I'm very tempted! The right-hand turns thing is an interesting thought though Paul - that sort of thing never occurs to you if you're used to driving a taller car, does it?

Thanks again you lot, you've been really helpful :)

If anyone has anything else to add, please fire away!

[Paul w]

Hmmm
Camping and a beat?? that will work,
but you will need a 3 man tent if you want the beat in with you!!

Anyone near by Tamsim that can let her have a spin??


PW

[tinytim]

I'm at the other end of the M4 but if your're planning a camping trip in this neck of the woods (chilly in the morning but also beautiful) drop me a line.

You could try to pack your gear in it aswell.

Tim

[Tamsin Nunley]

Thanks TinyTim! :)
That is a very kind offer.
I will definately take you up on it next time I am in Wales!!

Well, took the Smart for a second test drive. I do like it a lot - though I'm not so sure about the speed of the automatic gear change (though, as the woman there pointed out - if you're looking for something sporty, don't buy a Smart!!) and it is fairly noisy.

On the subject of hard-tops for a Beat (which would be pretty important in the area I am staying at the moment, if you know what I mean!) - I could only find one post about this when i searched, and it seemed to be a case of importing them from Japan at over £1500 a shot!!

Has this situation changed, at all? Does anyone know where I might be able to find one in the UK (I hear it's pretty rare for them to come with a hard-top in the first place, which is probably why that one in Autotrader got snapped up by a chap from Scotland who hadn't even seen it before I even got a look in)?

On another subject (one that hasn't got much to do with anything!), a noticed a couple of your Beat events are pretty much on my doorstep! (or my mum's, more accurately!!). Newport Pagnell & Billing Aquadrome are both within spitting distance. Cool :D Will try to pop by at Billing and say hi.

PS: Does anyone know how the Beat is for insurance? Looked on a couple of sites for quotes but, unsurprisingly, the car wasn't listed. I've been driving 10yrs (i'm now 27), but have no No Claims, as I was on me mum's insurance with my last two cars - for shame! :)

[Paul w]

Insurance - Tesco list the car i believe, as do Privilege (www.privilege.com i think)

It works out about the same as a group 12-13 car. Not cheap, but not daft either. I was paying about 350 fully comp. (aged 31, full no claims)

Hard tops are around, but like you say, you have to be quick!

I'm sure someone on here would help you source one.

As for smarts, i've heard owners say the gear change drives you mad eventually, and it sometimes 'hunts' when driving around town.

Sunday night is chat night, so pop in around 9pm (live chat button at the top) if you like

PW

[tinytim]

I don't think Tesco list the Beat on the web site but if you phone the number it is still on their database. I found them the cheapest.

I've never driven a Smart but I can say the Beat is not a quiet car either, it does however have tone and character.

If you do get down to Wales I've got an all elusive hard top you can see but it's not for sale,,,,sorry:D

[Tamsin Nunley]

Dammit! missed the chat :(

What does 'hunt' mean, Paul...?

Tinytim, I bet you are glad to have a hard-top - especially after seeing that post about that guy's Beat getting vandalised ...again! That makes me mad. To screw up something lovely cos you're jealous of it is about the most childish thing I can think off! :mad:

I am going to see Rosalyns Beat (hopefully, if it is not sold yet!) soon :) Although I see there is some competition for it, unsurprisingly!

I also saw a silver one with a red soft top for sale at a garage in Southampton - anyone heard about that one? (I found it on the net so it could be way out of date)

[ozsamurai]

Don't know about fitting a bike but I have seen one fitted w/ a machine gun.......mmm....

[Paul w]

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Don't know about fitting a bike but I have seen one fitted w/ a machine gun.......mmm....
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That will be ady's new one then!



Tamsim - By hunting i meant that they change up and down through the range of gears without any change of speed. I imagine it being a bit anoying after a while.....



PW:bounce: