September 2008
Well new job in a month or two means the beloved A6 2.7 Avant will be going back (company car, no such scheme in new job) so I will need to sort out a new family car.
Has to transport a family of four with two youngish kids. Usually a few hols in the UK each year and numerous trips around the country to relatives etc, so has to be big enough to cope (decent boot space plus decent cabin size to allow for car seats, also like to avoid the need for a top box and will on occassion be used to lug DIY bits around!).
Much as I like the Audi I've no intention of paying for such "prestige" privately so am thinking 1-2 years old and something a little more reasonably priced.
Wife would love a new shape CR-V (yummy mummy snob value but she won't admit to it like that....). Whilst I don't mind it and it fits the space requirements, I'm not convinced that we need a 4x4.
Am thinking something like a 2.2 diesel S-Max. Better value second hand, huge inside (although granted don't need 7 seats, but useful on occassion).
Any views? This car will be a keeper for some time so depreciation not that high on the agenda. We could go for another estate, but I'd rather not go for something quite as long as the A6, but then it seems you need to to get decent rear cabin space.
Thanks, Nik Read more
Article today
www.pocket-lint.co.uk
"Superfuels "don't equal super savings"
Paying more at the pumps may not improve economy, tests prove
NEWS: 29 September 2007 8:00 GMT by Jonathan Goddard
Drivers who fill their cars with expensive "superfuels" and expect to see big economy gains should think again, according to a report by What Car? magazine.
Real-world tests were carried out for What Car? by the AA?s former senior research engineer, Peter de Nayer. In these tests, high-octane premium fuels including BP Ultimate, Shell V-Power, Esso Supreme and Total Excellium performed little or no better than their cheaper equivalents, in spite of costing around 7% more per litre.
?Our tests show that premium fuels are an unnecessary expense with no major fuel economy benefit?, said What Car? editor Steve Fowler.
?The verdict is still out on whether superfuels prolong engine life, as fuel manufacturers claim. Nonetheless, even using the fuel companies? own figures, you?re unlikely to travel 7% further on a tank of fuel for a 7% increase in your fuel bill.?
The top-performing fuel in What Car??s tests was Sainsbury?s 97-octane fuel, which delivered 0.5mpg more than its 95-octane fuel in real terms that means just 6 miles more per tank.
?Unless the prices of these superfuels come down, there are far easier and cheaper ways of reducing your fuel consumption and your car?s emissions?, added Fowler. ?By changing your driving style, anticipating the road ahead and sticking to the speed limit, you can make fuel savings for free.? Read more
We used a small amount of petrol to get the Sunday bonfire going at the back of the garage, which tells you I'm going back a few years.
One day I decided to hang the expense and use five star.
It didn't quite explode, but it made a noticeable 'woomph!' noise and warmed my eyebrows.
Three star would just flare and not produce half as much heat.
There's clearly a lot more stored power in higher octane fuel.
Not sure what else the story proves, apart from the stupidity of playing with fire.
Latest road death statistics bring some good news
Road deaths have fallen to their lowest level since records began in 1928, according to figures published by the Department for Transport.
Last year a total of 2,946 people died - a 7% reduction on the previous year when 3,172 died.
It does look as though all those cameras are having an effect on the way people drive and the resulting accident rate.
Read more
Cause and effect not proven
Agree but it surely has to be considered as a factor in explaiing the downwards trend. There certainly seems to be less flagrant speeding than a few years back and my personal view is that cameras do affect the way people drive - they have certainly affected the way I drive.
I'm about to buy a car for wife and baby daughter and have test driven various contenders. However the one thing that keeps getting repeated by the salesperson is that any special deals and savings are only valid until 30th September, with one Nissan salesperson simply stating that if I bought next month I would 'have' to pay more.
This is all tosh and they're just meeting a sales target deadline right? Or should I get my skates on any buy before the 30th?
SM Read more
I bought my car at the end of march. The spec I wanted was 'in stock' , so they could deliver in a week and before the end of the month. Blue has posted exactly what I was told. The car was sold at a loss, but they more than recouped it though bonuses.
In our household we have 2 vehicles, a Picasso and a Berlingo. Our 17 year old has started driving lessons and our plan is to get rid of the Berlingo and buy a small car that he can learn to drive in and, when he's passed his test, have use of when I don't need it. Our requirements are - a low insurance group, the car should not feel basic(I'm used to some comfort) and we are looking to spend between £3000 & £5000.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you. Read more
You really need to do some checking on insurance costs - I think you'll find that anything over Group 3 become eye-wateringly expensive.
Also consider keeping your current fleet, and adding a group 1/2 cheap car - eg Corsa 1.2.
My 10 yr old Mazda Xedos needed oil service + MoT and the brakes pulled apart as they are ageing - pistons /calipers have stuck in past and caused issues.
Picked it up at my local independent and the bill £160 inc VAT and a fresh MoT - took 2.5 hrs due to the brakes.
Contrast that with my X-trail - 1 yr old - oil service £135 inc Vat (took 1 hour) @ Nissan dealer.
The Mazda service etc represented value - the Nissan a stamp to maintain warranty cover! Read more
Too much money and not enough cars in the world !
It has surfaced - again!
NOW EUROCRATS TELL DRIVERS TO KEEP CAR LIGHTS ON ALL DAY
tinyurl.com/4g4fao
Now Europe wants us to keep headlights on ALL day - inflating fuel costs by up to £160 a year
tinyurl.com/3qc45n
What is the point of having head light on on daytime??? Why other EU countries are supporting this? I don't think any EU country except Scandinavian areas doesn't get enough sun shine.
Why do we need to follow every EU directive? How long before they'd force us to drive on right??
{both links made clickable} Read more
Never mind the Audi drivers, the motor cycles will presumably lose (n.b. not loose) some of their stand-out when everything around them is lit up.
Hi all,
I wonder if any backroomers can either describe how a modern vehicles common data busses work, or point me to a resource that can explain things?
Might help if I point out that I'm fairly familiar with modern communications data networks? Is it comparable to packet-based systems, using logical addressing for each node, or more like a SCADA-based industrial control system, multiplexed serial? Or more like SDH, with a master clock?
Just curious really as to how this problem has been solved.
TIA-
tt Read more
Cheers Vern. I'm really just curious as to how all it works, from a networking perspective.
tt
Driving around in a Vauxhall Astra today (almost new example) reminded me of a bugbear I have with newer vehicles.
Gearbox linkages. Is it just me or are the majority of newer cars just carp in this regard?
I have had a succession of 90s Nissan cars, so perhaps I'm spoilt I don't know, but I am used to gearshifts that are:
a) short throw
b) the gearstick pretty much 'finds' the next gear automatically
c) there is no slowness to the change
d) it doesn't feel like you're pulling at bits of string to change gear
e) the linkage doesn't feel as if it's made of cheap plastic, or clicks away like it's about to self-destruct
f) actually feels as if there is some dampening process going on behind the scenes, without it feeling rubbery
g) you don't get that strange sensation of the system "catching up with itself" once the gear has actually engaged.
I think it's the cable-operated linkages that are to blame. The Astra's shift is the same as any other GM car I've driven -- plasticky, clicky, clunky and notchy. Horrid, in other words.
The Daewoo I have is even worse, but I'll forgive that as it is (a) a cheap car, and (b) an old one. A new Astra shouldn't be like this.
The Fiesta isn't much better -- you can feel the cables in that one, and the odd sensation of metal-to-metal chafing. Hyundais are similar. I haven't driven a newer PSA car, but the older ones had very little spring in them and the gearshift felt floppy and badly weighted.
Renaults (and newer Nissans) are just plain sloppy -- gearstick just flopping around when you're driving. VWs are the reverse -- slow, and clunky, but at least they feel as if they're built to last. Probably aren't but that's the feeling you get.
What is the point in having a car that handles if this basic refinement feature is so lacking in most cars? Read more
The acme of manual boxes was the MK2 Escort - Mrs P had one in the 80s - Clutchless gear changes were easily achievable.
Hi hope someone can help me before I blow my car up! Have a 98 1.9td 306 which I have recently lost the i/r remote key for and am still looking for.
I have been using the spare but tonight have the central locking has stopped working.
Basically the c/l kicks in locks then unlocks. I have such been unable to lock my car tonight and have had to put in garage.
Is this a problem with the central locking mechanism. I have checked all the doors and none are ajare etc.
Other question is how easy is it to get a replacement remote key. Obviously the new key will need to have the same transponder and match the existing key. Its driving me mad now! Read more
I take it its more likely to be the drivers door then. Only reason i question is the rear nearside door lock button doesnt push down as easily as the other ones. The doors seem like they are assisted by some motor if that makes sense.
Many thanks for your responses all
How about sneaking a Subaru Legacy Tourer diesel on the list? Less money than the Passat and far less "common" to appease SWMBO. I'm completely biased as I have one. Same torque as the 170 bhp Passat TDi, smoother engine, lower VED, better mpg and with all wheel drive, Subaru quality and no VW dealers to trash the ownership experience. The Passat is a bit bigger inside, has auto available and holds value better but you don't seem worried about depreciation and anyway, both will be worth zilch if you keep a very long time.