Top Gear value for money TV?

[mark.t]

Along with many other of the BBC's choice programmes I personally am falling out of favour with it, we seam to be confined to the super car most of us can not afford, and treated to only the occasional run of the common people car, I find the presenting hitting new lows, also find the twaddle they talk painful to listen too and its too public school......they talk about cars as if they live and breath ...and that sounds good and deep and throaty ...the power will throw you back in your seat ...... get real we drive in Britain .... where the hell can this all go on ......unless you live near autobahns for a good straight blast then forget it .....people are struggling with debt credit card bills and higher interest rate payments, speed cameras,traffic pricing, higher car tax...rising .cost of insurance..servicing ...mot going up in price ..traffic claiming ..flow control ...bus lanes ''cycle lanes ..multiple occupancy lanes......and all they keep bleating on about is some 30--- too---
60,70,80,90,100000, pound car that the majority of us will never be able to drive...the shows mostly a dream and if it helps then who am I to shake the dream ...but I for one will not bother to tune in. dead cow or no dead cow but wait for a more shall I say down to earth and realistic motoring show ....

 

[Gollom]

I don't view it as a proper car magazine show - just as sheer entertainment. And tonight's is soooooo funny!

 

[Alfie]

It was funny.

As someone who has lived in The south of America I can understand a lot of what they experienced. Its rather close to the truth!

 

[BlackC55]

Todays show was excellent and worth the fee. I tink you are talking ********.

 

[glojo]

Along with many other of the BBC's choice programmes I personally am falling out of favour with it, we seam to be confined to the super car most of us can not afford, and treated to only the occasional run of the common people car, ..

Hi Mark,
What about changing channels, or reading a book? I have numerous magazines given to me by kind neighbours but I'm addicted to the TV and rarely get the chance to read them.

Good luck with channel selection
Regards,
John

 

[Howard]

Top Gear is great ...

As long as you don't go into it expecting the latest review of XYZ box versus ABC box , you'll be alright .....

Its pure fantasy , and that's what makes it great , it has transcended the average motoring program. If you want to find out about which is the best family saloon / rep mobile then there are plenty of online sources..

But lets face it, everyone likes to watch supercars hooning around and people doing silly things in cars most of us will never see in the flesh , let alone afford .....

Thumbs up from me !

 

[Vlad]

Tonight was very funny......Man Love Rules.......priceless...made me laugh out loud.

 

[andy_k]

hmmm, value for money

the TV licence costs £131.50 per year and at it's most basic level it allows you to watch TV 24 hours a day, 365 days a year which works out at about 1.5p an hour.

To complain about Top Gear (or any other program really) not being value for money seems a bit daft when there is always something else to watch on another channel.

 

[Seamster15]

Agreed, TD has turned into a "fun" show with a flavour of "car".
Enjoyable relaxing Sunday night entertainment, long may it continue.

 

[shadowninja]

People happily pay for those supercar DVDs that Clarkson keeps churning out so there is proof that people want to see > £100k cars being thrashed on a track.

the power will throw you back in your seat ...... get real we drive in Britain .... where the hell can this all go on ......unless you live near autobahns for a good straight blast then forget it

1) every time I exit a roundabout or the lights go green, I can do this. Can also do this every time I join a motorway (safer than those dawdling 85 year old grannies in Micras...).
2) a car that can pin you back in your seat can be had for £2k which is very affordable. Of course, it won't have an AMG or Porsche badge on it!

 

[GazCaff]

Whilst I appreciate the enterainment of Top Gear and enjoy watching it (although I won't go out of my way to watch it) I still preferred it when it was a proper motoring "magazine" program like it was in the late 80's early 90's. The Barry Boy/Max Power nature of todays Top Gear can be annoying at times. However, my biggest gripe is Clarksons blinkered love of Fords and hatred of anything that competes with the Ford he is reviewing on the day, particularly Vauxhalls.

Of course it has nothing to do with Clarkson being on Fords payroll, does it?

 

[Ian B Walker]

and all they keep bleating on about is some 30--- too---
60,70,80,90,100000, pound car that the majority of us will never be able to drive...the shows mostly a dream and if it helps then who am I to shake the dream ...but I for one will not bother to tune in. dead cow or no dead cow but wait for a more shall I say down to earth and realistic motoring show ....

Life is based on dreams. Without a dream nothing is possible. A dream is something to strive for, to set your goal. Top Gear in some way takes your mind away from mundane daily matters. I personally enjoy it. Helps me escape from the stress and worries of life. Call me sad if you want, I don't care. But for me yes, value for money and worth watching.

 

[TonyVianoAmbiente]

People happily pay for those supercar DVDs that Clarkson keeps churning out so there is proof that people want to see > £100k cars being thrashed on a track.


"People" happily pay for hamburgers at McDonalds. That doesn't mean they are any good.

"People" watch cr*p and "People" buy cr*p. It is still cr*p.

 

[wallingd]

Ford + Vauxhall loving/hating is all part of the fun.

I think there is definitely scope for the BBC to have a new factual show as well though. Would certainly give us motoring enthusiasts more licence-fee VFM.

 

[Gucci]

It's SO much more entertaining than the old school way of presenting...Chris Goffey complaining about bumping his head as he opens the bonnet...hmmm.

Let's make a programme instead about real motoring. So join us next week, where we'll be driving down the high street, stopping in traffic and then moving off again in an Astra. Brilliant.

 

[glojo]

Life is based on dreams. Without a dream nothing is possible. A dream is something to strive for, to set your goal. Top Gear in some way takes your mind away from mundane daily matters. I personally enjoy it. Helps me escape from the stress and worries of life. Call me sad if you want, I don't care. But for me yes, value for money and worth watching.

I ruined that dream when I started to question how they filmed these so called races across Europe. Jeremy Clarkson in a 250mph super and the other two in a Cessna. Who actually films the roadside shots of Clarkson and what on earth are they driving to both keep up with him to take the different links, then to get to the service stations to film him refuelling?


If they use a Transit van to haul all the film equipment then boy must it shift

John the inquisitive

 

[Ian B Walker]

If they use a Transit van to haul all the film equipment then boy must it shift

John the inquisitive

Did you ever see the Transit Van with a Renault F1 engine installed a couple of years ago? Could be that one

 

[stats007]

Hi Mark,
What about changing channels, or reading a book? I have numerous magazines given to me by kind neighbours but I'm addicted to the TV and rarely get the chance to read them.

Good luck with channel selection
Regards,
John

Not entirely sure what relevance this has to the thread John - it's a question as to whether you perceive the programme to be value for money - not whether it should be watched or not.

It's complete crap IMO - and I have stopped watching it; so no - it isn't worth the budget it's allocated.

 

[GazCaff]

Ford + Vauxhall loving/hating is all part of the fun.

I think there is definitely scope for the BBC to have a new factual show as well though. Would certainly give us motoring enthusiasts more licence-fee VFM.

When Clarkson killed the Mk1 Vectra at birth he was indirectly responsible for the loss of jobs of factory workers at Luton. I'll bet it wasn't fun for them.

From Wikpedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Clarkson

Vauxhall

Clarkson is well known for his criticism of Vauxhall Motors.[12][13] Clarkson has described Vauxhall's parent company General Motors as a "pensions and healthcare" company which sees the "car making side of the business as an expensive loss-making nuisance".[13]

Clarkson has expressed his disdain of the Vauxhall Vectra, including making what The Independent described as a "characteristically clever" film for Top Gear when the Vectra was launched which it judged may have damaged its sales.[14] Vauxhall complained to the BBC and announced "we can take criticism but this piece was totally unbalanced."[15] He has described it as "One of my least favourite cars in the world. I've always hated it because I've always felt it was designed in a coffee break by people who couldn't care less about cars" and "one of the worst chassis I've ever ever come across."[16]

However he has expressed his approval of several Vauxhall models. He has been complimentary about the Astra VXR and Astra SRi. Although highlighting that he thinks the VXR torque steers "like an absolute pig" and what he sees as poor handling in general,[17] he has expressed admiration for its looks, speed and price.[18] Regarding the SRi he said "when a car looks this good it can't be bad".[13]

Clarkson buries the Vectra VXR (note it lined up against a Mondeo (Ford) and a Mazda (owned by Ford and a Modeo with Mazda badges))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVfF_dGyimU

 

[glojo]

Not entirely sure what relevance this has to the thread John - it's a question as to whether you perceive the programme to be value for money - not whether it should be watched or not.

Just thinking how much it must cost

I think it is good entertainment and compared to East Enders I think it is a stimulating program with excellent actors and well worth the licence fee... So there

Still thinking about the F1 Renault powered Trannie with all the film crew onboard.

John the finka