Kia Picanto Brakes?

I found the brakes on the Aygo, and Panda IIRC to stop stupidly quick. Once you get used to them you could brake at a sensible rate, but IMHO it is dangerous working how they do. It probably encourages people to brake heavy and late. Many buyers probably consider it to be a safety feature lol.

Like most things, you would get used to it. Have you ever tried a Xantia?

The message from "DervMan" contains these words:

With or without the rubber dome - or was that the DS?

Guy King ( snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Some DS - some had a more normal pedal on a different brake valve - and SMs. But if you want REAL fun - try a Belphegor... 4.5ton truck with mushroom brakes...

Xant and XM brakes are as close to "normal" as you can get. There's a little squishy springy thingy between the pedal and the brake valve to make them feel "normal".

C5 and C6 have normal brakes. They're not on the hydraulic circuit at all.

If you want to try something readily available with proper high-pressure brake feel, try a BX. CX and GS have the same setup - a pedal operating the high-pressure valve directly - so it's foot-pressure sensitive, not pedal travel sensitive.

I was caught out the first time I drove a Clio MkII. Nearly put myself through the windscreen before I'd reached the end of the car-park.

Didn't cause any hassle the next time, though.

I still want to try the funny DS 'rubber tit' though.

SteveH ( snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

First time I drove a D, it wasn't an issue, because I was used to CXs.

But the first time I drove a CX...

CX steering is... unusual... Two turns lock-to-lock, VERY light, powered- self-centre... And it was a C-Matic. Three speed, torque converter, electro-hydraulic clutch off a microswitch in the gear lever.

So you have to change gear with your hand - but DO NOT even think of using the phantom clutch, because that's an auto-width brake pedal - and if you press it thinking it's the clutch, you WILL bang your head on the 'screen.

Peter...!

Heh, my brother goes from his Xantia to the Locost (none-assisted M/C) without any problems and TBH he's a mediocre driver at best ;)

Heh.

I really want a CX GTi Turbo 2.

But that would be silly.

SteveH ( snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

eBay 4602112717 - A CX Turbo... but... longer...

No, it would not. It would be very sensible indeed. You KNOW you need one. Every home should have one.

But I prefer autoboxes with CXs - the clutch/gearchange just feels so... at odds... with the rest of the car. Shame the autobox is so low-geared.

Yes, that would have done nicely.

Just a bit too silly for commuting, really.

I still want one, though.

I bought my SM in London. Never having sat in one before, I had to drive it across London, then up the M1. Change of underwear...

The message from Adrian contains these words:

Look at the lower picture here and see how the front/rear brake proportioning was done.

I mean - it's /clever/ and oh so French - but come on guys - it's so complicated!

The message from snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) contains these words:

Wish the wife's Clio was like that. It's a lot better now I've overhauled the brakes but when she got it you couldn't lock anything even on wet greasy roads.

I was thinking about the potential fuel bills in my hands.

Bollocks to all this stuff about "not right for commuting", you only live once.

Buy car, ensuring it's obviously fully legal (tax/mot/insured), and any immediately required jobs get done.

Ensure it's covered by breakdown cover.

Drive it. If it breaks down, recovery will sort you out. If something hideously expensive goes wrong, get recovered home, think "oh well", and put it on ebay.

Ever hired a 7.5 ton truck?

Still nicely sharp though! I have fond memories of jumping from our Peugeot

406 TD into the Xantia TD. Now the 406's brakes worked well but there was what felt like half the brake pedal travel before they kicked in. Try that in the Xantia and you'd scare anybody behind... :)

Ahhh the BX. Yes I remember the guy saying, "oh and be careful with the brakes, they're linked to the same high pressure system as the suspension" and a young and very foolish Dervy thinking, "oh comfortable soft ride, must have comfortable soft brakes too."

Hehehehehehe **cough hakk choke**

They won't be that bad, surely. Besides, I thought proper drivers didn't care for fuel consumption? ;)

LOL! What about the first time though... :)

But you're right, it's what you get used to. I'd find the brakes on almost all cars sharp the first time I went to use them because the Ka required some measure of pressure before they start to slow you down. But I was aware of it... Still occasionally screwed up though...