Top Gear value for money TV?

[fuzzer]

I never moan about Fifth Gear simply because I never watch it. The giggling, girlish screaming of the female presenter annoys me as much perhaps as Clarkson annoys some members of this forum. My solution was to press a little button on my remote control, no more moaning, no frustration. I do accept that Top Gear is financed out of licence fees, but so what, so is tennis and golf, two televised activities that bore me to death.

John

I for one could never ever tire of the giggling girlish screaming of the said female presenter

 

[Dieselman]

For an hour every sunday evening we get to watch three blokes do what we all wish we could do. F**k about with £100,000 cars and have a bit of a laugh.

Do you think this is why VW aren't too keen on them having a Veyron to play with, or maybe it'll be outpaced by a Ferrari.

 

[stats007]

My main problem is that it could be a great programme if they buttoned it for a bit instead of all mumbling the same cliched driving jokes. How many times did they call the TT a Golf in a frock? The coupe 'road test' was good but what was the point of pi$$ing about on a golf course? Lose that nonsense and it could have been entertaining whilst allowing for more time on other features.

 

[DR1VER]

Part of me agrees. But as pure entertainment its great. Top Gear is one of the few programmes where the presenters are so endeering. Just think of the response to Hammonds crash. Even my 92 year old grandmother lost sleep worrying about him. May, Hammond and Clarkson could start a show about potato farming and i'd bet it would still be a good watch. Clarkson would want the tractor with the most 'POWER'. May would dress in tweed and hamster would help the growing by reflecting the sun with his whitend teeth. Not entirely sure what my point is here but in pretty sure i'm right.

 

[GazCaff]

Yep and I didn't rate it



Not comparing it to any Mercedes, we compared it to the Mondeo which we ended up buying. The 1.8 Mondeo was a much nicer car to drive. Better steering, enough life in it to overtake and far more comfortable for driver and passengers. In comparison the Vectra felt sloppy and unresponsive.

Fair enough.

 

[miro]

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, ....

How many episodes, nay, seconds would Baywatch have lasted if the beach was filled with pensioners, married women, fat-butt americans and a good dob of minorites. THe ratings would have gone down faster than the resale of a Bangle designed BMW.

If I want reality all I have to do is walk outside and look at the profound nothing in my street. The nothing that improves slower than the quality of a Korean car.

Give me a supercar, supermodel and internet superhighway any day. You can keep your cardigan, dial-up modem, Latvian petrol-sniffing electric car and sensible front lawns ... hardly a TV show in that.

 

[bahamars]

Top gear is a big load of crap.

What a waste of an hours worth of prime time TV.

All the features are pre recorded months before they go out - so its not spontanious.

And as for the talk, its all contrived - its appalling.

Bring back Wheelbase.

 

[miro]

Top gear is a big load of crap.

What a waste of an hours worth of prime time TV.

All the features are pre recorded months before they go out - so its not spontanious.

And as for the talk, its all contrived - its appalling.

Bring back Wheelbase.

Is there such a thing as a satisfied englishman ? I sometimes think that English cars are made to breakdown on purpose so that the local market can resolve to complain about something rather than face being contented.

 

[bahamars]

Is there such a thing as a satisfied englishman ? I sometimes think that English cars are made to breakdown on purpose so that the local market can resolve to complain about something rather than face being contented.

What's this got to do about Top Gear. Who said I was English.

 

[Tilly]

either way it was funny PMSL

 

[glojo]

Is there such a thing as a satisfied englishman ? I sometimes think that English cars are made to breakdown on purpose so that the local market can resolve to complain about something rather than face being contented.

Hi Miro,
In the services you very quickly learn you have problems if your men aren't moaning As my old sergeant used to say, "A moaning man, is a happy man!"

I posted a thread about Junior Mastermind, a BBC2 program shown at about 7pm. Folks clearly made a decision on whether to watch it or not. Those that elected to view it would have been impressed by the high standards of general knowledge shown by some exceptiuonal ten year olds. Those that never watched it, exercised their right to view a program they deemed more entertaining. Why on earth don't folks simply do this with any program they don't want to watch? Is there criticism constructive, and will it increase the popularity of this light hearted entertainment\comedy program?

Regards,
John

 

[Howard]

Aussies are never happy unless they're pom-bashing

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I continue to be amazed how often these TG debates crop up. It's clearly Marmite TV - love it or loathe. I had great fun reading it - it's great that we can each put our opinions forward - I had so many thoughts as I read through the thread, here are just a few...

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

I have a fairly quick car, live in an urban area, and still enjoy it - even though I drive like a daisy. The appeal of owning a car isn't just about using all of it's performance all of the time. At the end of the day any car is constrained by the same shackles in the UK. I enjoy giving the accelerator a prod when it's completely safe to do so, and I like owning a car that has potential that I for one will never tap into.

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

Isn't all of that a good reason to keep running the sort of slots TG is infamous for? Not everyone can afford a new supercar, but it doesn't mean they should be given the opportunity to see one going flat out? The environment is precious and we must all take greater care of it, so is not better for one man to thrash one car and let several hundred million people watch him do it, rather than go do it themself?

dead cow or no dead cow

I was surprised at that. Surely it wasn't real??!!

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.

I think it's fair to say that the Mk1 and even later Mk2 Vectras weren't exactly the finest cars to wear the Vauxhall/Opel badge, but I'm not sure JC is to blame for it not being a cash cow for it's owner. Vauxhall/Opel had been struggling to produce exciting cars for a while, and to be honest I would question whether that would be their stong suit anyway. Regardless they've made great strides in recent years - and don't forget the positive press JCs reaction to the Astra VXR, Astra Sporthatch, Monaro, VX2200, etc will have created.

To be brutally honest, the sort of people that buy new Vectras are not likely to be heavily influenced by JC's opinions, and are more likely to be making purchase decisions based upon the economics, ie the tax they'll I pay on it as a company car, how much discount they can get if they buy 1,000 cars for the fleet, etc.

By the time they filter through to the used market, depreciation has taken so much of a hit they become great value, and most second-hand Vectra buyers couldn't give a monkey about JC - many will just want a car to take the kids to school, get to the shops, etc. Dynamic excellence won't be a high priority in those scenarios.

very rich in Clarkson's case- from playing the clown-like figures

Like many celebrities then? I'm not dumbing down celebrities - they make money by amusing us - they each find their own way of doing it and capitalising upon it. The sucessful ones get rich.

You cannot take me doing 20,000 miles a year in an S class, put me in a Daihatsu Charade and expect me to give you a fair assessment of it.

JC any motoring journalists will have driven many, many cars of all types over their last 20,000 miles, which might actually make them well placed to comment?

Your evidence of Clarkson receiving backhanders is? If you don't have any i would be careful as he is known as being quite litigious of his reputation.

I think the comment was made in good humour, and should JC frequent this forum - and I think he might - then he would take it as such. If I was JC - having owned several MBs in recent times - then I'd be here. I'd also be in the same places that other motoring journalists frequent, like Pistonheads, etc. They're passionate about cars too - just because they make their living in the industry doesn't mean they don't spend far too much time online like us mere mortals!!

I for one can see the reasoning behind the comment though. Fords and Ford PAG cars do appear to get more air time, and seem to get greater success in comparisons than any other. So what if he's on the payroll? Or just jumped the queue for his GT40? Or just happens to like Fords? As has been pointed out it's entertainment - it's not intended to be a completely neutral entity is it? If it means there are more exciting cars more often then I don't mind, and well done JC for brokering the deal. If one exists. Or has ever exists. Please don't sue me.

He may have been correct but in the end he is only a journalist with no qualifications and no ability to make anything but subjective judgements.

A Doctor of Engineering from Oxford Brookes sounds fairly well qualified to me!!

Some might dismiss it on the basis that it's an honary doctorate, but at the end of the day there must be substance for a university to make such an award, and he is clearly passionate about engineering.

I have a degree in Automotive Engineering which I achieved through undergraduate study which means I do hold a relatively relevant 'proper' qualification, but JC is definitely better qualified than me to assess cars. He simply has a huge amount of experience to draw upon which I can't. I like to see him calculate the theoretical top speed of a Hellcat though!!

Let's not forget you can offset big chunks of a tradtional university degree with related practical experience, so it must be just as valuable - or IMHO even more valuable - than accademic study.

Phew that's even a long post for me!!

 

[pammy]

War and Peace was that one all points well put

I just want to go back to the original question, ie does TG provide value for money TV - as we've seen no simple answer because VFM is a very personal thing. If you like it then the answer is probably yes, if you don't the answer is likely to be no.

For me it's a big yes - anything that can make the night before Monday morning enjoyable has to be good and provide vfm in my eyes. I sit and watch it with the kids and they love it too. We all find it very very funny. If you try to analyse it then it won't provide the enjoyment it's designed to. Take it for what it is and it does.

It provides a hell of lot more vfm for me than any amount of flaming sport on tv.

 

[Alfie]

A Doctor of Engineering from Oxford Brookes sounds fairly well qualified to me!!

Some might dismiss it on the basis that it's an honary doctorate, but at the end of the day there must be substance for a university to make such an award, and he is clearly passionate about engineering.

Oxford Brookes is actually the old Oxford poly. Its not really considered part of the traditional 'Oxbridge ' group of the elite learning establishments. I really wouldnt place too much weight on any honorary PHd they hand out

It was a great debate that may well rage on. There is some absolute rubbish on TV some of which is far worse than TG (witness any Australian soap, any reality TV etc...). There are some excellent programmes on TV also. Not everyone will like everything thats why its so good to have diversity.

For my part I think that TG is good value as its entertainment that costs me pennies. I wouldn't base a car purchase on what they say. I make my own mind up. Just as I make up my own mind whether to watch TV at all or not! My wife and our 12 year daughter watched it this week and they both laughed their heads off. Thats VFM.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Oxford Brookes is actually the old Oxford poly. Its not really considered part of the traditional 'Oxbridge ' group of the elite learning establishments. I really wouldnt place too much weight on any honorary PHd they hand out

It is indeed an ex-Poly and I deliberately chose not to mention that. It would be nice to think that the former status of a Higher Education establishment would bear no inference on it's perceived reputation today.

Sorry for going off topic, but...

This sort of stuff is something I'm especially sensitive to as a few years ago I was involved in the milk round for the company I work for at the time. There was one chap who was head and shoulders above the rest, but policy dictated that we would only consider those with a "first". It didn't matter that he was clearly gifted in all those areas necessary for success, he was honest about the fact he wouldn't get a first. I put him through anyway. He was rejected later in the process as he actually got a 2:1. A massive mistake for that company - needless to say I'm no longer with them.

Made me realise just how much talent the company was missing out on. There were probably countless other equally gifted young people that would have slipped through the net as they went to the "wrong" university. Same policy dictated "top 10" universities only.

 

[mark.t]

this is becoming like BBC repeats ..... ok programme defended .this is the important bit ..."it dose not work for me". when someone has a opinion clearly its up to the individual to do one of two things keep it to themselves or share it .....if its kept to themselves then speak no evil rule comes into force ..... for fear of upsetting someone over something ...then we arrive at see no evil...hear no evil, and a forum becomes obsolete....every one agreeing ....that would be sad world

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

when someone has a opinion clearly its up to the individual to do one of two things keep it to themselves or share it .....if its kept to themselves then speak no evil rule comes into force ..... for fear of upsetting someone over something ...then we arrive at see no evil...hear no evil, and a forum becomes obsolete....every one agreeing ....that would be sad world

Definitely share it.

Internet forums are a new interpretation of a very old idea. Community.

Communities thrive based on a balance of harmony and difference. Sufficient harmony to gel people together, and keep them together. Sufficient difference, to introduce variety and push the boundaries of knowledge, understanding, perspective and creativity. Seldom does a great idea come from one person with no inspiration, influence or input from another.

We definitely have a community in MBClub.co.uk, and it's that difference of opinon that keeps us all coming back.

Oh, that and the fact we want to tell somebody how dissapointed we are because last time I was at the dealer...

 

[Alfie]

It is indeed an ex-Poly and I deliberately chose not to mention that. It would be nice to think that the former status of a Higher Education establishment would bear no inference on it's perceived reputation today.

Sorry for going off topic, but...

This sort of stuff is something I'm especially sensitive to as a few years ago I was involved in the milk round for the company I work for at the time. There was one chap who was head and shoulders above the rest, but policy dictated that we would only consider those with a "first". It didn't matter that he was clearly gifted in all those areas necessary for success, he was honest about the fact he wouldn't get a first. I put him through anyway. He was rejected later in the process as he actually got a 2:1. A massive mistake for that company - needless to say I'm no longer with them.

Made me realise just how much talent the company was missing out on. There were probably countless other equally gifted young people that would have slipped through the net as they went to the "wrong" university. Same policy dictated "top 10" universities only.

Thats why I said 'I really wouldnt place too much weight on any honorary PHd they hand out '

 

[Dryce]

Have you ever driven a Vectra, or been a passenger in one?

Sadly I'm with JC on this one. I've had the opportunity to put miles on various cars on holiday and business. Vectra was not good. Astra on the other hand -- in 1.8 auto guise -- I've tried two - bl**dy brilliant. (Zafira isn't bad either).