RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Bob Purton on August 23, 2009, 01:34:03 PM
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Hi all. Just thought I would tell you all that there has been a change in the Purton stable, our Microcar Vigo that we have enjoyed for the past five years has been sold to another enthusiast and we are replacing it with an AC G-wiz EV, this will be the first time Shelley and I have owned an EV apart from when Bruce Wieners Hazalcar was briefly in our possession! The G-wiz will be our local runabout and we will let you know how we get on with her. Any other G-wiz owners on the forum?
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I think there was a fellow here a couple of years ago. I drove one very briefly in our yard, seems fun, good luck!
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Well, we have gowwn and done it, we are now the proud owners of a two year old AC G-wiz, first impressions after a test drive were that it felt reasonably refined after the Virgo, quite nippy in boost mode, build quality is a bit suspect but overall quite impressed. What scares me though is all the electronics, when an old tech petrol car goes wrong I can stick my head under the bonnet and stand a good chance of sorting out the problem, these things are like computers on wheels. Maybe I will nick Banana skins job and write up a road test for RCN. or has it already been done Chris?
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Dear Bob
If you look back through the your Rumcar News magazines you will see that I did one about two and a half years ago.
Having said that Tony is always looking for interesting articles and you could do a group test between an electric G wizz, a petrol 4 stroke Virago and 2 stroke Inter ( what diesel car could you include?).
How about a road test comparison between the lead acid battery model and the new Lithiam Ion batter model
Either that or you could do a "Living with a bright spark" article about how easy it is to own a G wizz.
The one thing I remember about the Gwizz was going around Marble Arch and feeling as if it was about to lift two wheels off the ground (even with my weight on the on the off side). Having said that I have not heard of any G wizz crashes.
Have fun saving money
Chris Thomas
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Hi Chris. I had a vague recollection of something Wizz in a back issue. Did you test the DC or AC? I would imagine that it would be quite hard to get two wheels up because of the low center of gravity and the weight of eight batteries under the front seats, maybe a slight suspension roll just gives that impression. Too many things on the go at the moment to write a complex article but The idea of "living with an electric car" is a good idea, give me six months to form an opinion, it is actually Shelley's car but I so enjoyed the test drive and always prefer automatics anyway, I dont think she will be getting a look in! :D
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Dear Bob
The car I drove was a DC I think, as the AC ones were just about to come in. I am sure that you are right , it probably just felt like two wheels were lifting. But it must be possible, so I will leave it to you to tell us at what point the wheels will lift in a corner.
Chris Thomas
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Dear Chris. As I have been driving three wheeled cars for many years and have not even come close to lifting one wheel, its highly unlikely that I will be driving the wiz in a manner that will lift two! :o We leave that sort of thing to Clarkson! :D So you drove a DC? I have only driven this ac so cannot say how they compare but am told that the ac has better speed and range, also an anti roll back device , this device was added because if you are in slow moving traffic on a hill it is harmful to the motor if you use the throttle pedal to stop rolling back so the device eliminates the need and also the need to use the hand brake, incidentally I hate the hand brake, its a ridiculous design. A thing I really like about the car is the high seating position. We are collecting it on thursday so will let you know how we get on with it. Bob
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Wow! I just drove it back from Highbury to Hornchurch, 20 miles, it does 48mph flat out, I drove it hard and in boost mode and it still had a third or a charge left in the batteries. I'm chuffed with it!!
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Good to hear you are happy with it, I would be interested to hear long term up-dates to how it behaves, and of course a pic!
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Just reporting that the G-wiz is going very well and we both really like it.
I was completely miss informed about what was described as an anti roll back device on the AC G-wiz model that I mentioned in an earlier post! I turned out to be an ANTIROLL BAR added to the back suspension, thus explaining why the DC model that Chris tested rolled badly and mine {ACmodel} doesnt roll much at all. It seems that Reva cars listened to the customer feedback .
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Great stuff, hope it serves you well.
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Dear Bob
It is nice to hear that Reva (Gwizz) have taken note of the comments in my road test article in Rumcar News and improved the handling on corners accordingly.
Have you seen the two new Reva electric vehicles being shown at the Frankfurt motor show, a 2 seater coupe and a four seater saloon. I can just see you Bob in the coupe.
Also at the Frankfurt show is the new VW 1 L with tandem seating, a real moden day Messerscmitt. The 1L refers not to the engine size but 1 litre of diesel that will take you 100Km. This is about eqivilent to 275 miles per gallon. However under normal driving this is likly to be about 200 mpg and if you thrash it about 150 mpg. It is said to be for sale in about 2012. I have started saving already.
Keep the reports coming
Chris Thomas
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VW have been on and on about their 3 wheeler modern Schmitt/ scooter for at least 20 years. I saw it on TV and I have a newspaper clip in my scrapbook yellow with age. Still 2 years away? I have lost all patience with this sort of PR/teasing, I don't believe them at all!
Er, rant over...have you got any pics of it?! And the new Reva?
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Yes Chris, I saw the new Reva a couple of weeks ago on the Reva forum, we would not have bought one because we are told its not going to be in the quadricycle class but ordinary car class which would prevent Shelley from driving one. I will try and get a picture up.
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(http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm224/gyrostarter/pjnxr.jpg)
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Dear Bob and Marcus
I think I have provided some mis information. The new VW 1L should be called the 1.5L as it requires 1.49 litres to cover 100 Km and therefore the MPG would be 190 which means a useable 120-150 mpg in real world figures. Hyper economy vehicles are very sensative to driving conditions and driving style, so achiveing the upper figure is possible but things like diving in town or with the air con on take a chunk out of your economy as you need to drive constantly at 50mph in top gear to get near the printed figures.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/241876/volkswagen_l1_concept.html
Also a link to the Reva NXG which looks quite neat
http://www.cartradeindia.com/car-bike-news/reva-nxg-and-nxr-models-at-the-frankfurt-auto-show-111468.html
Chris Thomas
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Cheers Chris.
As I thought: a re-working of a 7 year old teaser, which was a re-working of other VW teasers going back to their Cabin (?) of nearly 30 years ago. I wish they would put up or shut up about their Highly Original Nothing-Like-A-Messershmitt-We-Are-True-Innovators-Publicity-Stunt-Wagens.
BMW too, put up or shut up!
Yours,
Gog.
(Grumpy Old Git!)
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Dear Marcus
There is nothing like a gumpy old skeptic.
This is the first time that VW has said they intend to put it into production, and normally they do what they say. So I am willing to wait and see before I accuse them of dishonesty.
It is a shame that the engine size is 800 cc and not 700cc. But then again they may do two options like they do for most of their vehicles.
Chris Thomas (THE NON GRUMPY OLD GIT)
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Hmm, perhaps! I was certain that their Cabin/Scooter of the late 70s/early 80s WAS intended to be produced, but perhaps that rumour was just started by the media.
Then again, all manufacturers love to get maximum PR for their Concept Cars, and that would not happen if they made it categorically clear that they are just teasing us.
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New Riva factory in New York Naaaaa! http://www.depozitul.net/2009/09/reva-t ... -ny-state/
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Dear Bob
Thank you for that piece of news.
It sounds like the usual US protectionism being exerted. By the sound of it they are prevented from importing vehicles and only if they build in the US with X% of the car using local products will it meet the US federal approval. So much for free trade.
Very interesting
Chris thomas
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You are probably right Chris, maybe the UK should have stuck with a similar policy and we still may have had a motor industry, I could have got a nice little job down the road at the Ford Motor Company like my forebears.
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Not just a car industry! Planes, armaments, rocketry, steel foundries, ships, computers, clothes, food, cinema, music, you name it, but you will not find a single industry here that has not suffered or collapsed under unequal trading practices.
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This is a link to more pictures from the Franfurt motorshow.
http://gwiz.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2729