{"id":1589,"date":"2012-04-02T13:47:57","date_gmt":"2012-04-02T03:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.privatefleet.com.au\/?p=1589"},"modified":"2020-06-20T01:49:14","modified_gmt":"2020-06-19T15:49:14","slug":"when-bigger-is-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/makes-models\/when-bigger-is-better\/","title":{"rendered":"When Bigger Is Better"},"content":{"rendered":"

OK, there\u2019s been a lot written about small cars with small engines and how they can save you wads and wads of dollars because they use less petrol.\u00a0 And there certainly are some thrifty little numbers out there, plus some amazing hybrids that are easy on the environment and on the fuel.\u00a0 You might even wonder if the days of big cars with big engines are numbered.\u00a0 Will we still see the likes of Land Rover<\/a> and the Mitsubishi Pajero<\/a>, not to mention all the big-engined Ford and Holden utes and stationwagons in years to come?<\/p>\n

Yes, we will, and we\u2019ll probably see some new numbers, too.\u00a0 There are times when a small hatchback just won\u2019t do, no matter how frugal it is.\u00a0 So when is bigger better?<\/p>\n

1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When you do a lot of towing.\u00a0 Small engines just can\u2019t cope with the hard work involved with towing heavy loads and if you try to lug something around, the motor is going to work so hard that it\u2019s not going to be particularly frugal, and it will probably add a bit to the old wear and tear.\u00a0 Truck companies know this, and realise that you don\u2019t send your smallest unit out to tow a road-train, as this isn\u2019t the most fuel-efficient way to do things.\u00a0 While your average little Suzuki <\/a>or Peugeot <\/a>will probably handle a trip to the garbage dump \u2013 oops, make that the recycling and waste recovery station \u2013 and can probably take a three-piece lounge suite across town if you\u2019re helping a mate shift house, if you tow a big trailer on a regular basis, it makes better sense to get a bigger vehicle that can handle the harder work.\u00a0 This applies to owners of boats and horse trailers, and also to contractors.<\/p>\n

2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When you have a big family.\u00a0 And these days, \u201cbig\u201d means three children or more, or two children plus a dog.\u00a0 OK, you can cram three kids and two parents \u2013 just \u2013 into a Nissan Micra<\/a> but it will be a squeeze, especially if you add in school bags or the shopping.\u00a0 Double the squeeze if the kids are teenagers.\u00a0 You might save on petrol but you\u2019ll probably drive everyone bonkers instead.\u00a0 If you really are pinched for cash and are trying to save petrol, there are some frugal sedans out there that will save you getting frazzled (which can potentially cause accidents) by the continual \u201cGet your elbow out of my guts, you idiot!\u00a0 You just trod on my foot.\u00a0 I\u2019m telling! Ouch!\u00a0 Muuuuuuum, he hit me!\u201d<\/p>\n

3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If your work requires you to take stuff around with you.\u00a0 If you are a contractor, as mentioned above, you probably want something that can tow a trailer on a regular basis, but you probably also want something that you can store gear in so light-fingered passers-by don\u2019t help themselves to your paintbrushes, weed trimmers and hammers.\u00a0 Utes and 4x4s are classic favourites for contractors, along with vans, and there are plenty to choose from.\u00a0 Sales reps, providers of mobile services (e.g. hairdressing, dog grooming and cleaning) and even childcare workers often have to take lots of bits and pieces with them.\u00a0 It\u2019s more convenient to you and to any passengers you have to take (and we all take them from time to time, whether our work is suitable for car pooling or not) if you don\u2019t have to shift your boxes of whatever, a diary, an invoice book and twenty biros off the passenger seat.\u00a0 Something with a generous boot or a stationwagon is likely to be the best bet here.<\/p>\n

4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If you actually need to go fast at times and need the extra oomph.\u00a0 You will still need to be legal, but if your work often means that you have to go against the clock or else (midwives, for example, especially those specialising in home births) then having a bit of grunt for when it\u2019s needed is always reassuring.\u00a0 Or keep an eye out for a small engine with a lot of grunt \u2013 they are out there. http:\/\/credit-n.ru\/ipoteka.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OK, there\u2019s been a lot written about small cars with small engines and how they can save you wads and wads of dollars because they use less petrol.\u00a0 And there certainly are some thrifty little numbers out there, plus some amazing hybrids that are easy on the environment and on the fuel.\u00a0 You might even […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-makes-models"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1589"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12361,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1589\/revisions\/12361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}