February 2007
www.autoweek.nl/newsdisp.php?ID=5912&cache=no
The page can be a little slow to load, but once it does click the link for fotoshow(15) underneath the four main photos.
You will then (unsurprisingly) see 15 slides of the new car.
Me (on the basis of these photos) no like.
Predictably a pumped up V50, but out of proportion as a result.
Quite a clanger after the super styling treatment of the new S80.
Horrid tailgate - for some reason evokes memories of a mid nineties Mitsubishi Galant estate - and the svelte lines and wonderfully convex flanks of the current V70 have been lost.
Would love to think it's a Photoshop job, but it isn't.
Perhaps a good job when we purchased our V70 2.4T in 2003 it was for long term (8+ years) ownership. Read more
In response to an earlier posting on the Auris - reliability IS important but not ALL-important.
In 1977 I bought a Fiat 128 3P. It was great fun to drive with an eager engine and sharp handling and I enjoyed every trip. Trouble was it had lousy paintwork and rusted prematurely and was none too dependable (the clutch cable snapped at 15,000 miles and the driver's seat upholstery parted company with the frame). Nevertheless, after 3 years I was sorry to see it go.
Its replacement was a Toyota Corolla 30 - the first designed for the European market they said - and bought mainly because the Fiat's quality shortcomings made me want Japanese reliability above all else. This was a mistake. Yes it was reliable but the suspension was underdamped and bouncy (I often hit my head on the roof), the steering woefully imprecise, the handling skittish, the noise unbearable at anything over 60 mph.
After a few disappointing months the Toyota was replaced by one of the then-new first generation of FWD Mazda 323's, a 1.5 GT. This was just as well made as the Toyota and nearly as much fun to drive as the Fiat. On my very first drive I caught sight of myself in the mirror, grinning idiotically.
The moral of the story? I suppose it's in the first line. Read more
Hi,
I have a Renault grand scenic 2.0T privilege, i have noticed a few times that i have had to slam on the anchors the hazard lights flash rapidly and will not stop until i press the hazard warning button,
Does anybody know if i am able to turn this feature off?
cheers
Read more
thanks for the replies, the thing is, that i haven't had to brake particularly hard at all before the hazard lights come on, i've only had to slam them on once, when i nearly had a fight with an oak tree that had fallen into the road, is there any way of turning this "feature" off??
thanks
Hi all,
Going to change the oil in the MX5 tomorrow- assuming semi-synthetic will be the stuff. Any opinions? It's a 1997 mk 1 1.8iS, done 104k.
Thanks in advance,
Alex.
--
Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner. Read more
Cheers guys- really helpful.
I bought some Comma 10-40 semi-synth- have oil filter (genuine) from MX5 parts, great supplier!
BW,
Alex.
--
Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
I read a while ago something on this forum (can't find where now) about the above parking not being very secure - is this true? Has anyone heard this also? Stories of increased mileage, damge etc
Thanks Read more
I've left mine at the Crowne Plaza before now - I think they still do an official 'stay and fly' deal. They run a minibus to the airport.
A businessman has admitted paying a man in a Perth pub £500 to take the blame for his speeding ticket.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard how Steven Stewart, 38, was facing his fourth speeding fine in three years when he made the approach.
His Range Rover was clocked doing 86mph in a 70mph limit on the A9 at Dunblane in March 2006.
He admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice and speeding.
His sentence was deferred for reports.
Perverting the course of justice? - 3 pts and £60 fine / ban looks a better bet now.
Read more
From my training as an auditor, I would invite all people
with 9 points and a NIP on their car and a
third party taking the blame in to a police statement to
swear the truth of the third party's blame. It's one
thing to tick a box on a form; quite another to
swear on the bible in a police station.
OOOOH! aren't you a one!
Did you mean Police Station??
MD
I'm hoping someone can help me with this strange problem...
At the beginning of the week I noticed that in the first quarter of turn to the left the wheel was very light and over the week it's spread to both sides almost to full lock both ways. It's very disconcerting because I get hardly feedback through the steering wheel at all and I could drive all day using just a finger and thumb!
The car's a 94 L-reg Popular just past the 80K mile mark. Just had a whole new exhaust and new rear shocks put on it, the tyres were fine last weekend but I'm going to check them in the morning.
Any suggestions? Read more
The tyre pressures were spot on. I know a local mechanic so I'll get him to check it out for me.
Thanks for the reply!
For all those with fancy alarm systems this story might raise an eyebrow:
tinyurl.com/2w4u39
--
e Prof Read more
IMHO, leaking radiation from faulty microwave ovens is one reason why we are turning into a nation of dafties.
We had been thinking about trading in our 1999 Honda Accord 1.8LS for something a little newer and funkier (It's done 115K miles now).
Several posters here however have at times questioned the sense/economics of trading up, suggesting instead in effect to stick with the devil you know. This makes sense given that the Honda still works well, the Vtec engine (even the lowly 1.8) is still a joy to rev and of course the car has been 100% reliable.
One option therefore would be to keep the car but spend about say £500 freshening it up.
Any suggestions then as to the likely best return for the money in terms of improving the driving experience?
The front bumper is bashed in couple of places so I'll get the cosmetic things like that fixed.
It's still on the original shocks so I had thought that the first stop should be to replace those all round. (should I get the bushes too?)
I had thought of a new front windscreen as that obviously a bit scratched now.
Obviously I'll have a wee look at tyres and brake pads etc, put in new air filter/ plugs etc but I do keep up with these things as a matter of course anyway.
Is there anything else anyone else can think of?
Read more
I think you'd be wasting your money changing the shocks, bushes etc unless they show signs of needing it - Honda shocks etc don't wear out like lesser makes. My 116k 92 Accord is still as tight as a drum, as have been the other high mileage Hondas I've owned. The only one that ever needed a suspension bush was the Legend - built by guess who?
Give it a good valet, get the dings sorted, upgrade the stereo and enjoy!
Hi Everyone,
Apologies if this is an oft aired subject here, but I need a new car, have a budget of 10-12k, and have no idea what to get
My requirements would be;
- fuel consumption not an issue, don't drive far, had a V6 2.5 auto last time, so something similar would be great
- favourite car I've owned would be my 2001 Audi S3, they do fall into the budget this time round, so a consideration
- I like the look of the Alfa 147, but worried about depreciation
- ideally would like something FAST, with leather, air con, CD etc, maybe auto
- like the look of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the 2.7 diesel sounds like an ideal choice, this is in budget
- other end of the scale, Lotus Elises seem to be going for around this price, as do some Honda S2000's
- also seems like some BMWs - 330, 325 - fall into budget, shape before the current one, older M3's look nice
Any advice greatfully received, as you can see I'm all over the shop really
Thanks
Dirk Read more
You could probably get an Alfa 147 GTA for the money you're suggesting. It would give you a 3.2 V6 - one of the sweetest engines you'll ever come across.
You've already stated you like the look of them, and the GTA is pretty rare (I saw figures the other day, I think there's around 150 in the country) and sought after, so the depreciation seems to be keeping above the usual Alfa rate.
It is certainly fast, and has everything you ask for. Available as a 'selespeed', rather than an auto, but you might not get one of those in your budget.
Browse
Hmmm
Definately a Forester tailgate, but doesn't work on the larger car and ugly rear lights. The rest has simply too many lines. Too busy and in no way the great leap forward that the last one was.