The 308 and 408 share the same basis, but I guess the 408 was tuned more for comfort and practicability. Thus the big steering wheel etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvHxqYDWe6M This is what happens without ESP. Or this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcZBNJbu3aQ It's just better to have it, just in case. What if you have to turn very quickly (too quickly) because someone else makes a stupid mistake... or you do it? ESP can safe you.

A 4 speeder is fine for a big and powerful engine. But a small one profits from more gears, cause it is easier to keep it in the right range. A 4 speed may give you a certain speed at 1200 rpm or at 3000 rpm... either you don't have enough power to even keep the speed (a powerful big engine has enough power at 1200), or you are doing 3000 rpm (wasting fuel, noisy) just to keep the speed, although 1600 would be more than enough.

Also most 4 speeds are old torque converters which aren't very efficient in the first place, wasting a lot of power. I have 2 cars with a 75 hp 1.4. One has a 4 speed manual, one a 5 speed manual. Both weight about the same. The manual accelerates much better (the first gear is shorter, second too, third and fourth as well). It goes faster (though aerodynamics play a big role here too), I can often trot along at 1200 rpm, change long before reaching 2000. The auto would often have to rev much higher. Oh, and fuel consumption is almost half for the manual, despite driving that car faster (though without aircon usually). 7 vs 12 liter/100 km.

@kejusan: Defensive driving only helps you so much when someone else brings you into a dangerous situation. Or you fall asleep at the wheel and when waking up have to make a quick evasive maneuver. That's when you'll be glad to have ESP. Of course you shouldn't drive so that you'll constantly use ESP.

Well, it also depends on the size of the driver? I'm rather small, so I usually set it to the highest position possible in all cars that offer height adjustment. Someone tall may prefer a lower seating position.

Weird, usually it's the hydraulic that's good, electric are usually bad. I think BMW got lots of criticism for going with an electric system with one of their cars.

CNCAP is rather useless, they are much less strict than others. Can only compare with other CNCAP cars, and even then you don't know what happens at faster speeds.

Wait, what is the problem? That you overfilled your petrol tank? Is that an issue apart from wasting petrol? I always fill until it stops, wait a bit, fill again, and then maybe manually until it is really full.... Helps calculating how much I consumed...

Or is the problem that the car is leaking?

Ok. So... what is the problem then? Why need to tow car? Happened to me too, I just moved on... no problem. And not just one car, surely 2 or 3 different models.

Oh. I have misread that. Yes, in that case it was good that he let them tow the car away.

Maybe there is an overflow protection somewhere...? Like in a basin there is usually a hole so that excess water won't flood the bathroom.