June 2004
Hi there,
Please could I get your opinions on a forthcoming car purchase.
We need to replace a 190E (E reg - 1986 - had from new, now time to move on, sadly) with something capable of the following:
Three children side by side in the back (with car seats - 7, 4 and baby).
Adjustable steering column for tall driver.
Automatic.
Solid and well built.
Air Conditioning.
We have around £3,000 to spend (I know, maybe give suggestions on up to £4,000).
Our other car is a Volvo 850 Estate, which is a bit dated inside, but we like it.
We have considered another Volvo, a BMW 5-Series, possibly another Merc (with adjustable column) or a Skoda Octavia / Superb (that one I need to get past the wife!)
Suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks, Nigel. Read more
I have a great problem getting a dipstick reading on a Merc220 diesel M reg. when a reading is taken cold the level is way over the top of the level indicators, when the car is hot it is way below! I have consulted the experts who have differing opinions...''cold is right''...''no no hot is right'' 'strewth! help. Read more
DD
Many thanks. As I've said many times: Ignorance is 'not knowing' but 'not wanting to know'
Gratitude
Ian
Its time for car shopping again - yaay!! Only kind of shopping I enjoy.....
The brief is to find a new 5 door hatch of the oil burning variety in which Leoness will transit herself and four paying passengers daily from home to work and back (70 miles round trip).
Have narrowed the chioce on paper to MK V Golf (105 BHP), Mazda 3 (the most highly spec\'d of the four contenders), Honda Civic 1.7 TDI (offering best MPG on paper) or the Toyota Corolla T3.
The Mazda 3 undercuts all on price, and tops the poll for standard equipment spec. The VW Golf tops the poll on Price. Civic takes it on MPG and the Corolla, just cant find a reason not to look at it!
Have test driven none except the Golf, and with an independant dealer offering me a trade in of £7250 on her July 2001 MKIV TDI 90 with 70,000 on the clock the golf is tempting me back thanks to the residuals. However it is predicted the Mazda will retain 57% of its new value and is coming in £1,300 less than the Golf.
Confusion reigns..... Anyone, care to offer their comments and views on the final four contenders. At least when I buy her the \"wrong\" car I can side shift the blame to my fellow backroomers!!!
BTW - she wouldn\'t consider an Leon or Toledeo, she considers the rear view visibility to be poor.
Cheers,
Leon
Read more
Apologies, but obviously I wasn't aware you had a diesel...:-)
I'm surprised that anyone thinks the Octavia is too big - like the Bora, Toledo and A3/4 it's based on the Golf platform.
But there's no doubt that the local taxi drivers love 'em to bits. They even travel 200 miles or so to Glasgow where they can buy them at the best possible price and then drive them back; also helps with the "running-in".
I've just received a letter from Honda saying that my Jazz is due a service. I bought it new in January and at no point in the manuals does it say anything about a 6 month service. I'm inclined to leave it until it's 12 month service and then follow the advice of the FAQ on how to run in a new car (new synthetic oil and transmission oil change etc)
Is a 6 month service a 'must' or are Honda jumping the gun a little?
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If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished Read more
Ta muchly...will give them a call.
Incidentally my first service (labour and parts) is going to be a free one after I commented on my 'customer satisfaction' form that the 'door protectors' don't protect very well if someone opens their door into yours just where the protector narrows. Within a week I had a letter back giving a reason for the narrowing and offering the free service as a goodwill gesture (totally unexpected as I was only commenting on it, not complaining). 10 out of 10 for Honda Customer Service!
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If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished
I currently run a Golf TDI 130 mark 4 model. I bought it new two and a half years ago as an EU import, after I had to hurriedly reject a new Mini Cooper.
The Golf has been faultlessly reliable, there are no squeaks or rattles and the engine is smoother and zippier than ever. Running in took a while though, exclusive use of Shell Diesel and 18 mile part motorway commute to work probably helped. Anway, I have experienced nothing to put me off buying another Volkswagen.
During the recent 30,000 mile service I had a Golf 5 courtesy car. This was a cunning sales ploy, as depite it being a basic 1.4S the talents of the car shone through. Yes they have cut corners with the interior (scratchy hard plastics) and the styling takes a while to get used to (lots more room inside), but the chassis was a huge leap forward.
While mine is the improved handling 2002 model it doesn't compare with the Mk 5, which can dart around corners and glides over road imperfections. Not sure how a BMW feels to drive, but there must be similarities. It was certainly comfier with much less road noise than my dad's Focus. I have since tried a TDI 105. This was a bit coarse sounding, reminiscent of mine before it was run in.
I think I could sell my car privately and buy a new TDI SE from a broker, without it costing me any more to run over 3 years. Less outright pace on the straights, but otherwise more agile and enjoyable. Forecast seems to be 60% retained value against list price after 3 years (What Car?, Autocar).
Anyone have any experience of running the Mark 5 versus the previous model? Is a second-hand 3 series diesel a better bet? I am looking for something more rewarding to drive. Thanks. Read more
Thanks g4rtt.
This thread had gone off on a "VW's are unreliable and overated" tangent. Its good to hear from someone who is actually living with a Mk V! I'm glad you like it so much and that your (admittedly top-spec) car surpasses the TT driving experience.
Any other owners out there?
I am thinking of buying a VW Touran and have a question regarding the retractable parcel shelf. I recently took a test drive in a petrol driven S model although I am thinking of buying the diesel Sport. The S model was an ex demo and one fo the first Tourans and the luggage cover was a tiny affair that only covered the small space if all 7 seats were up. Since I would be using the rear seats occasionally and would usually have them down to allow the use of the large luggage area I will obviously need to hide anything that I am carrying in the boot! The brochure shows a full size luggage compartment retractable cover (rather like my passat has) although the salesman in the VW garage seemed to think that the larger cover was for the 5 seat Touran and not for the 7 seat. Does anyone have a 7 seater with a full cover? Read more
I have a 7 seater VW Touran 2.0 TD Sport with a full luggage cover! As far as I am aware, VW have stopped making the 5 seat version in order to market the full potential of the car.
The retractable luggage compartment cover usually sits behind the 2nd row of seats and works extremely well to keep out prying eyes. I have also bought a large rubber SUV floor mat from Costco for £10 which has provides protection from spillages and prevents luggage from rolling around the 695 litres of space. This works out a good deal cheaper than the £65 VW issue loadspace mat!
When the 3rd row of seats are in use, the cover can be "stored" behind the seats by moving two plastic covers to reveal a mounting point. These are then placed in the underfloor compartment next to the headrests. It doesn't interfere with the space but remains on hand when you fold the seats back down. I found this was also useful when I wanted to partially recline the 2nd row seats to allow my children to sleep during a night journey from London.
I haven't driven the petrol versions but I gathered that the first petrol engines were fairly low on power. The 2.0 TD is a superb engine and well worth booking another test drive to experience the torque and power delivery right up to the red line as well as having a proper luggage cover demo.
Have been talking to an elderly (70 ish) person today who has admitted to me that he has cataracts on both eyes and that his vision is so impaired that he should not be driving. This is after writing off his car last month in a head on collision (fortunately no injuries) and has since hit his replacement vehicle twice, luckily no other car or person being involved. One can only question how many other motorists are driving around with similarly impaired vision and why compulsory eye inspections are not introduced for older drivers.
I feel so concerned that I ought to report this person before a young child is possibly killed, but am reluctant to shop anybody for fear of reprisals. Read more
It amazes me that there is no legal requirement in the UK for drivers eyesight to be tested on a regular basis.
I believe that in Australia, for example, not only do you have to have regular eye checks and the need for glasses is endorsed on your licence, but also carry spare glasses in the car.
And you don't have to be old to have defective vision. My wife (50's) lost part of a lung and the reduction in oxygen level has affected her sight. OK with glasses, but would be deadly without.
I'm after some advice on the above. Currently have a need for a second car probably keep for 3 years. Mostly town work with either 1 or 2 120mile round trip each week.
Had a Fabia 1.9TDI as a rental car and was amazed at the performance and economy - badge doesn't bother me one bit!!
However I'm concious that its been out for a while and over 3 years the residual on the Mini will be better.
1) How does the trade rate the diesel? Doesn't seem to be many around used - is this good or bad. A friend has a regular Cooper and the fuel economy is really bad - hence the interest in the diesel.
2) If I do go for the Mini what are the vital options to add - clearly aircon, anything else??? The list seems to be very long!!!
Any advice would be gladly welcome - especially anyone who has a Mini D. Read more
We've had the Mini now for about a year and a half now and it's been good fun. Eyewateringly expensive for a car of its size but well built and most importantly, cute!
I honestly think your workmates will be impressed by the Fabia, it's well put together and IMHO, has an excellent interior - I loved the clear lines, showed the Polo up as being gimmicky (if there is such a word).
Your 3 year old is a tougher audience - saw that Argos are selling a portable DVD player for £99. That, along with a couple of choice DVDs for long comfortable journeys will certainly do some persuation on the junior contingent.
That it hasn't got the stiff suspension and rock hard run flat tyres of the Mini is good news for you too as you'll have a lot less car-sickness to cope with/clear up!!
Lee.
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Lee
MINI adventure in progress
I\'ve had a 1990 E30 320i for a year now and getting a bit pink fluffy dice off at how bad the MPG is, the best i can get on a long run down motorway is 25 mpg, i end up driving like a granny cause if i put my foot down the mpg goes well below 20 mpg.
Is there any other car around the same size with a 2 litre engine thats automatic thats got a better MPG.
Read more
Sirion,
Could you please give us a review of the little Sirion automatic please?
Cheers
Autouk
www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2761-1159572,00...l
HMG grabs another tax raising oppertinuty. Read more
In response to Aprilia, what has become of the people of
this once great nation of ours is that the people who
in the past had no money now have significant disposable incomes
which they do not necessarily dispose of particularly wisely. Hence widespread
drunkenness, obesity, teenage pregnancies, tasteless alterations to former council houses, social
security fraud, TV shows like \'Big Brother\', fortunes spent on road
humps, fashions for body piercing, tattoos and ten year old scrapped
Japanese 4x4s, and a queue of Eastern Europeans coming and join
the fun.
HJ
People in many other countries also have a higher disposable income that formerly, but they don't seem to have grown so 'graceless' to quite the extent that the British have. I have gathered from working in Germany that the German nickname for the UK is 'Affeninsel' - 'Ape Island' - I think they have a point.
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Thanks for notifying me, Espada.
Unfortunately, a bad experience of Hondas (or perhaps an experience of a bad Honda) a few years ago mean that it is not on my list.
Many thanks for everyones suggestions, I think I'll be looking on the 'old BMW' route - any other comments on these lines welcomed.
Cheers,