This week the Donegal Daily motoring correspondent Brian McDaid test-drives the Fiat Diablo and gets stuck into those who illegally park in disabled bays. If you’re an offender…..you may want to look away now.
Diablo
I was all excited when I got the phone call from the office that an email arrived asking me to include a test drive for this week’s motoring column.
My editor, in his strongest Dublin accent told me some guy was looking for me to test drive a ‘Diablo’. I couldn’t believe my ears and my mind was working overtime thinking about how lucky I was, and what a lovely Easter surprise it was.
I went searching for my finest sunglasses with visions of me on my way down to Milan or San Tropez, wind blowing through that little bit of hair I had left and that big beautiful six cylinder V12 whispering sweet nothings in my ear.
Even if I didn’t go all the way to the south of France or Milan and stop off along the coast in some sun drenched café for an expresso, I would happily settle for a run a round the wild Atlantic way somewhere in Co. Donegal. I would choose a road with no speed bumps so to be sure not to catch such a low set Italian sports car.
So like a true Italian infatuated by cars my patients were wearing thin and I decided I could wait no longer, so I got the email forwarded to me and rather than work by email I decided to ring the number provided.
The phone is ringing and I just can’t wait for it to answer, browsing through the email, I notice a small detail, it is Italian ok , they do as part of their group make drop dead gorgeous sports cars but my chances of driving a Lamborghini starts to fade fast. My Dublin friend had put his own pronunciation on my test drive. I thought he said “Diablo” but what he really said was “ Doblo” as in Fiat Doblo Van !
I honestly think that someone in the Fiat headquarters made a mistake when they were dishing out the names for their commercial vans.
Fiat who also own Ferrari could have had a mix up in the naming of one of their vans thinking they were naming one of their sports cars.
The drop dead gorgeous Italian sports car called the Lamborgini Diablo was produced from the early 80’s to the turn of the century with a six litre V12 cylinder engine. So as one great super car came to an end, the Diablo closed its pop up headlights and the Doblo supervan was born in 2001.
The new Doblo Van
The new Doblo van.
I searched for a replacement for my old Fiat Doblo for over a year. My Fiat had racked up over 170,000 kms in 6 years. To be honest I wasn’t a great fan of Fiat when I purchased the van but a man in the motor trade assured me “ them wee yokes go on for ever”.
I didn’t get a Fiat van in the end because there was no Fiat Van Dealership in Co. Donegal. I settled for an second-hand Opel Combi van which I knew was basically a Fiat Doblo with an Opel badge. I was no sooner on the road with my new second hand van when Donaghy’s in Letterkenny, famous for camper vans throughout Ireland were appointed Fiat Commercial Vans agent in Donegal. I was ripping, by the way at this but had to be content to motor on in my ex-Heineken van.
So as you can see, I was very interested, when ask to take a run in the new Fiat. The new facelift model is a lovely van to drive and as in the van it replaced, the driver has a good elevated view of the road ahead. I find it amazing how much power and torque that Fiat have extracted from this 1.3 turbo Diesel engine , at 90 brake horse power the van is well able for all the demands that a commercial vehicle requires.
€11,000 plus vat.
The Fiat range of vans are all normally named after coins. So in keeping an eye on the pennies the range available in Ireland starts at €11,000 plus Vat for the small Fiorino.
The van that we tested the Doblo 1.3 multi jet diesel produces 90 bhp and is priced at €13,650 plus vat, which I think is great value.
To answer a question about all the range of Fiat vans. You can avail of the €39 plus vat deal per week on all the vans but the deposit would differ depending on the vehicle.
The New Fiat Doblo would possibly have the most amount of cargo room in this small van class and the replacement of a all new suspension system in the rear make this van very comfortable to drive loaded or unloaded.
My favourite, in the range which they have in stock in black (the same as my old Fiat ) is the top of the range SX Doblo .
This version is loaded with extras from cruise control , Bluetooth radio to pick up your phone, a lovely red interior , fog lights ,extra lumber adjustments in the drivers seat, arm rest , steering wheel controls for radio and phone , and double side sliding doors, cuddly toy! ,the list goes on. All the Doblo vans have no bother returning well over 50 mpg, with a bit of careful driving.
I am driving a fiat van now for over 6 years and have to swallow my pride and admit that I was wrong on my initial view of the Fiat Brand. But don’t take my word for it. When you see a big German car manufacturer like Opel rebrand a Fiat Doblo and call it a Opel Combi, it’s the greatest endorsement any vehicle can get .
Parking Prats
For F sake – who would park illegally in a disabled bay?
I have tried to write about disabled parking bays in the past but always get bogged down in how many problems they create for people that have nothing to do with them. So while out for a walk one night this week in Letterkenny I happen to take a photo of one of these parking bays.
For me to get the town in The background I took the picture of the symbol upside down. Maybe it was because I captured the photo in black and white,
but as soon as I seen this image through the lens upside down I could see another message in the symbol, I seen the letters F and O ( as in F. Off) and there and then it all made sense to me.!
The blue painted disabled parking bay is recognised all over Europe. A disabled blue disc has to be displayed on the vehicle used by the disabled driver or the by someone who suffers a disability that prevents them from driving and have to have someone on to drive them.
So now we know who should and are entitled to park in the disabled bay. So why do so many others think it’s ok for them to park there as well? .
Could it be someone who is unwilling to recognise or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
Do these drivers look upside down at the F-Off letters and think they rules of the road do not apply to them. Do they think because they are so busy that no one should dare question them using this space for there own convenance ..for just a moment even. Do they think if it’s free and they feel they are entitled to us it. Do they think that disable parking bays are just for 10 to 5 the same as parking tickets,?
I think a lot can be said about a person if the decide to abandon their car in a disabled parking bay. I think that the people that are lazy and couldn’t be bothered walking any distance are not the worst offenders.
The people that are not disabled but feel entitled to park in the bay when they don’t have the disabled person that the disc was provided for on board with them in the car should understand more than anyone how infuriating this is but figure that no one is going to jar them because the disc is on show on their window.
Petrol prices
Fuel prices is starting to creep up in price again but Creeslough Supermarket was giving good value for diesel at 103.8 and petrol at 119.8
The price of fuel is starting to increase and the great value of under 99cents per litre is becoming a thing of the past. Our prices the week come from Creeslough. from the Applegreen filling station. We will keep you posted on the deals available around Co. Donegal . Safe motoring over the Easter weekend Folks .
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