2003 Microcar Virgo Voiturette from UK and Ireland - Comments

You can make aixams faster by altering the spacing of the transmission pulleys, but there's something wrong if you can't get more than 35mph. 55mph should be attainable.

The 2 cylinder diesels sound like a dumper truck.

My mum has a MicroCar Virgo HSE and hers does 60mph quite easily, and its like lightening out of junctions/traffic lights etc!

She has the occasional trouble of it stalling @ junctions, but it starts again straight away or to stop it stalling using the choke.

I've driven it often too, and think it's a fab little car, she's thinking of changing it to a 4 seater Axiam if the do a petrol one as the diesel is SO noisy you need ear defenders to drive one.

Does anyone know if they do a petrol Axiam?

Louise, Suffolk.

I don't think they make a petrol aixam. Just looked at the website, the two models they offer are a 400 or 500- this refers I imagine to cubic capacity. both are 2 cylinder kubota diesels.

I must confess to being fascinated by these cars at first, but they really don't seem that much of a good deal. 7 grand for something incapable of exceeding the speed limit that does no better on fuel than a VW lupo diesel with 3 times the cubic capacity?

I just bought a -01 Ligier Ambra 500 diesel (lombardini engine). Struggling to find a dealer for either Aixam or Ligier, I found a local Ligier dealer.

Moped-registered as it is, it did about 30 mph originally... On the top-variator you will probably find spacers..? (sorry for my lack in english, I'm from Norway) stopping it to gear all way. You can check if your belt goes all the way out on the top variator. If not, you should have this crap as well. Just remove the outer disk with the weights and all, and you'll probably find this things on yours as well. Mine does about 45mph now. A LOT less up hills : (

What is your fuel consumption on the diesels? Mine does about 50mpg... They say it should do at least 70mpg, so I don't understand what could be wrong with mine. I'll have the injectors checked soon, I've checked everything else.

Except relatively high consumption on this one at the moment, I couldn't find a cheaper car to own, each year I save about £400 only in insurance and taxes compared to a normal car!

Well, a Smart would be a lot more fun to drive, but with all the positive attention given to my yellow Ligier, it sure gives a lot of fun in its special way ;) Not to mention the price-difference, a used smart costing anywhere from £6.000 here, and £1.400 for my Ligier!

Sheesh, wouldn't it be worth getting a car license so you don't have to drive automotice crud like this? OK, if you're single, live in a big city and only do local work, then it makes sense - otherwise I can think of no other advantage. My 200 quid banger does 50mpg, has room for 5 and their luggage, and will do 100 mph.

Hi Anyone, I need a new drive belt for my Ligier Ambra, looked in loads of websites but no luck. HELP PLEASE! I haven't had the car very long but find it quite fun to drive, apart of course from the noise but even that is not too off-putting.I am hoping a replacement belt will help to lower the revs. johnunderhill@btinternet.com.

Hi, Just bought a 1999 Ligier diesel. Like the car but it rattles and is very noisy. Are all the diesel Ligiers the same, or is it just mine?

The pre heater light fails to come on and it's difficult to start; any tips?

Is a workshop manual available?

Best regards, Neil

neil_mail_box@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Guys, I own a Ligier Ambra and have done for the past two years, but today my drive belt broke. I have managed to find one from a Belgium company, but when it arrives, I don't know if I can fix it. Can anyone offer some advice on how to fix a new Ligier drive belt?

Bazza-1.

Hi BAZZA-1

I have provided a link below where someone has posted how to change a drive belt on a Microcar, hope this helps I have also cut & copied it to make a word document if you want me to e-mail to you

Best regards

Neil

neil_mail_box@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.thearea.co.uk/r3w/forum/showthread.php?t=7034

Hi Neil thank you for your input. I tried the site, but it's down at the moment, so if you could send me that file, that would be greatly appreciated. I have emailed you as well. my e-mail is Bazz.sinclair@hotmail.co.uk and thank you again.

Bazz.

"You're missing the point - you can drive them on a motorcycle license!"

What a bizarre line of argument. You mean for the small number of us who would like a 4-wheel car, have a great deal of money to burn on something that's really poor value for money, have somehow ended up with a full cycle permit BEFORE getting a car one, and for some reason can't get a car license?!?

These things are built for France and a small number of other European countries where they sell quite well because of the different licensing laws - IE for certain classes of motorcycle and quadricycle, you don't need any kind of license at all, you only need to be over a certain age (e.g. in Italy, 14!), and getting qualified for the larger, quicker types such as this is quite a lot easier than the UK. Plus the even tighter cities of course, and the much lower cost of diesel for the 500cc ones.

The fact that they're sold in this country at all with our much different and tighter legislation is a bit baffling, not much more than a service to quadricycle/motorbike diehards, golfers, campers (the very idea of someone driving a behemoth, diesel-quaffing campervan going for a tow-along economy car rather than a moped, or simply going for a far more economic all-round holiday like taking a train/plane to a ready-built campsite then hiring a bike/car really makes my head spin) and maybe a few motability users who haven't opted for a normal car with modified controls. I mean, they don't even seem to offer the 50cc one any more, which at least had some reason to exist (being the only legal way to drive a "real car" at 16, even if it did mean you were limited to 31mph). The sales figures speak for themselves...

If you're not operating within those rather narrow (in the UK) guidelines, then there are better options, including the multiple times aforementioned £500 1-litre banger, which if driven conservatively (i.e. not *much* faster than an Aixam or Virgo can manage, just enough to make a point) will offer up similar or better economy, better acceleration and top speed (not only a point of utility and enjoyment, but safety as well in some cases - buying a deathly slow car for "safety" is like ****ing for virginity as the old saying goes... what do you do if you need to pull into a small gap on a 60mph A-road, or a busy 40mph city one even, or overtake a slow tractor without much straight road before the next series of bends?), and better carrying capacity and crashworthiness. And resale value and kudos to boot.

Incidentally, you know why the 500cc diesel ones sound like a dumper truck? Guess where that Kubota powerplant is more commonly found... building site mini diggers and tippers.

For heaven's sake, just get yourself a decent bike for the time being, it's much more enjoyable, faster and cheaper (if my time mucking about on hired 125cc scooters is anything to go by) and put the saving of time and money towards passing your car test and buying something practical and more economic afterwards (go reliable and second-hand, a turbodiesel Corsa perhaps), rather than a glorified milk float meant to fill a gap in a continental market that doesn't exist in the UK.

(Would it be mad of me at this point to admit I've thought about making my own 500cc microcar? However I'd be starting with a base of 4 x 125 twist & go Honda maxi-scooter engines & drivetrains. That's 52hp, insane acceleration for the engine spec thanks to the lovely V-matic drive, somewhere between 90 and 100mph max, possibly 4WD if I can figure out the logistics, and probably still better fuel economy than the Aixam if I can keep the frame weight down. Then make a pure economy version with 2WD, 2 cylinders and just 26hp... it'll still charge forward in the city and top out at 65mph or more on the open road. A single motor would initially seem the most economic but I think it would spend so long at full throttle and max-power revs that it would drink fuel like crazy)

Hey.

I have fallen in love with the Microcar Virgo, and have been looking into them for quite a while. I have been saving over the last 4 years to have one of these, but can someone tell me if they are drivable at the age of 16??

I am 16 tomorrow and I feel as though my walking days are coming to an end, but I was told you can't drive them at the age of 16. someone help??

Please E-Mail me if you have any information

Thanks.

corsamad123@hotmail.co.uk

Interesting comments - thought I'd give my Microcar Virgo experience - first why did I choose it?

OK I wanted a new economical smallish car with room for 2 adults and 2 children - so first choice - the Toyota iQ - nice car but far too expensive £10k.

OK, so the Smart was second choice - obviously the Smart fortwo is out because of only 2 seats, so Smart forfour - well it's too big for one, and again expensive.

OK so looked at some others; Fiat, Korean new cars - mmm all OK, but didn't really capture my imagination.

Then the Virgo - Well very small - easy to park - quite cheap 2nd hand - so got one off ebay - after a few weeks getting used to it (coming from a Mazda 626) - this car is superb - the children love it - it's economical, nippy, great to park - OK it's not a Ferrari - but I've got my motorbike for that - and the lack of space has never been a problem - you can fit quite a lot more than you would think into it - has to be the best car I've owned and very unique.. highly recommended..