May 2009
Hi all
We picked up our new i20 1.2 Classic yesterday (replacing SWMBO's old Micra) and thought I would share my thoughts on the deal, the garage and the car. Don't know if anyone's interested, but here goes anyway -
Pluses :
1. Very good deal. Under scrappage, we got a discount of £2,400 off list price. So we paid just under £7k for a Classic with metallic paint and parking sensors. I know that's a genuine discount, too, as we had been looking to buy pre-scrappage, and struggled to get anything at all off list price. That contrasts to certain other makes we looked at where they do a 'smoke and mirrors' trick so that you struggle to get any real discount at all!
2. Car presented well on delivery (but see below) - looks great in metallic blue
3. Seems well-built, quite substantial and safe, drives nicely, good clutch action and gearchange, soaks up bumps well, good firm seats
Minuses :
1. A bit gutless (but not pushed as running in and my car's a V6) and bland
2. Too wide to fit in the garage (well, I could but the wife would knock the mirrors). A bit silly when you can't even get a supermini in the garage!
3. Not too impressed with the selling dealer - car in poor condition when we went to look at it last Monday (all covered in tree sap), plus didn't like the salesman answering his phone all the time when he was supposed to be dealing with us. But, to be fair, I think Hyundai are inundated with scrappage orders at the moment, so they are very busy.
4. Think the car has been standing around for a while. It came from existing stock and had a big sticker on the windscreen last Monday saying NOV - so think it was probably built 6 months ago. HJ advised looking at the seatbelt tags for dates, but all they say is DLJ - don't know what that means. One component under the bonnet is dated 24/6/08 - so that is probably consistent with a November build. This also means the car was pretty early off the production line, as it was only launched last October (and this January in the UK).
5. Couldn't get ESP from stock (even though all reviews say standard from Feb) - factory order only, which would have meant a 3 - 4 month wait.
6. Annoying little red seatbelt reminder lights on the dash
Salesman did say yesterday that they had sold out of i10s/i20s from existing stock within 3 weeks of the budget and that they are now quoting October orders for deliveries. All very well if you can wait that long, but who knows if the scrappage scheme will still apply then.
In summary, a good, competent little car so far. Not exciting to drive, but 'does what it says on the tin', which is exactly what SWMBO was looking for. And about £2.5k cheaper than the equivalent Fiesta. So we're pleased - although obviously early days!
If anyone has any more specific queries, let me know.
Read more
I bought my 2003 Triumph Sprint RS 3 years ago.
I recently found out that it is a 2001, not 2003 model - seemingly identical but 108 bhp and not the 118 bhp I thought it had.
Should I be upset?
All the 955i owners I have mentioned this to say the earlier engine is better for road use - more low and mid-range grunt.
I then thought : What if it were a Jap bike? They seem to update their engines every few weeks! How do you know when your bike was actually built? Read more
I tried to buy a new Suzuki DL1000 - my local dealer said they had just uncrated one, so i toddled down there. It obviously wasn't the current model - wrong colour. the id plate showed it was about 2 years old. The salesman did agree that the list price was not going to be achieved - but then offered such a poor part exchange that the 'cost to change' was silly.
Apart from the obvious don't drink it . . . . . .
Somewhere along the line I have had 2 different types of antifreeze mixed in my car. Don't know the names of them TBH but the one in the car was the new pink long life type apparently. When I got a coolant change some 18 months or so ago it would appear the old style 'blue' stuff was used and the system hadn't been flushed. As a consequence there was a reaction between the two, causing a corrosive (It apparently it particularly harmful to aluminium components) sludgy, jelly like substance to form through the entire cooling system. This has caused through time pressure to build up in the system resulting in head gasket failure, thermostat failure and failure of the oil cooler too. Hopefully the matrix will be a bit sturdier and OK.
Anyway system has been thoroughly flushed, and hopefully all seems just fine now. Garages were until recently unaware of this phenomenon apparently. SO if you see a build up of residue in your expension tank, please drain off and get the system flushed asap as it could be costly.
.******* Read more
Agreed, they've known about this for years, it isn't a recent phenomenon.
Hi,
I'm after a rear wiper motor for my poorly pug - Mot in a month and rear wiper motor is completely knacked. It's a bosch part ADO12V 0390 201 545. Can't find a breaker anywhere near me who has one available - can only find online breaker at near new price.
This is wiper motor where the washer jet is integrated with the motor. Does anyone know if this is fitted to any other makes/models??? Not seen it anywhere but need to get it sorted, Mot in a month.
Thanks in advance and hoping some one can help. Read more
Hi Moulder,
The one you saw on e-bay, is it this item no "120427864664". If so thank you anyway but that is the Valeo version with different connectors and not the part I'm after.
Thanks anyway
RM
Hi,
I was driving up the M40 last night when the car started to have some problems and the engine management light came on.
In the preceding 50 miles I'd felt a slight hesitation from the engine but suddenly the engine stuttered and felt like it was misfiring, I lost all power and had to pull over to the hard shoulder.
A few seconds later I had power again and gradually wound up my speed to around 50 and made for the nearest exit which went fine and I was able to pull off.
As luck would have it, as I joined the road at the Gaydon junction, an AA van pulled out in front of me, I flashed my lights at him and he kindly pulled over and had a quick look. His engine management code reader pulled fault code along the lines of 'Camshaft Position Sensor' I didn't think to note the number or the exact text, but it was definitely a camshaft code.
He reset the code and I was able to continue for another 30 mins before the fault re-appeared but by this time I was only a few miles form my destination and so decided to carry on.
So my question is, how big a job, in terms of cost and time, is it to replace the camshaft sensor? I'm assuming that there actually is a fault and it needs replacing, but maybe I'll be lucky and it's just a loose connection or some other transient fault.
Also I'd like to say a huge thanks to the AA patrol guy who kindly stopped and spent 15 minutes to tell me what the fault was and to put my mind at rest that I'd be able to limp the remaining distance to my destination. Not that he'll ever read this, but he was a great advert for the AA!
{kicked over from Discussion. Awaiting year and engine info} Read more
Fixed yesterday.
Turned out to be a loose connection, car now running fine and no OBD codes or engine management light to be seen.
I have a vauxhall astra, which has had two new EGR valves in as many years - the car appears to have the same fault (cutting out unexpectedly) again, is this normal?
{moves from Discussion. Awaiting year and engine info} Read more
my son has very similar car, similar problem, he had his isolated by local dealer, but it didn't seem to correct itself, but then weeks later it mysteriously righted itself! so I'm a bit unsure if to go that way or not! thanks for the the reply tho
I recently purchased a copy of 'Roadcraft', the highly rated police driver's handbook with a view to becoming a better and safer driver. I had also shortlisted a Telegraph publication called 'How to be a Better Driver' or something similar but was advised against it as it tended to focus on physical car control rather than real-world situations. Having read 'Roadcraft' I can now safely say that I wish I'd bought the Telegraph publication instead.
As somebody with a moderate enthusiasm for motoring, I drive by feeling and understanding what is going on underneath me and applying that to the situation in hand. I do not need to be told about abstract 'mental processes' and the merits of 'push-pull' steering.
I feel that if you learn how to drive properly and have an understanding of the physics going on underneath you, everything else falls into place. I recommend learning real car control at a racing circuit over the pedantic nonsense found in 'Roadcraft'.
Without meaning to come over all Mr X, I feel that the police drivers would be better off learning more about the physics of car control than the stuff that is taught in 'Roadcraft'. The current system seems to instill a rather wooden driving style. Read more
Heel and toeing is as outmoded as double-declutching. You have to move with the times!
MULTIPLE ID's.
How are these monitored and prevented - are they even checked for?
Has consideration been given to IP addresses being shown, as other forums do to increase security and prevent individuals from having multiple ID's on HJ and answering their own questions/fuelling debates? Read more
I was here first :-)
And I'm locking this thread as I see no need or point to the discussion.
hi can anybody help me its doing my head in keep losing rev counter and loss of power changed all the filters thought it may have been fuel filter clogged but no its doing it can anybody help please Read more
This happened to me at the weekend.When I looked around the engine compartment I found a split hose going into the EGR electric pump thing behind the battery. Piece of gaffer tape sealed it.It also took off the management light and gave me my power back. Got me home no problems. Now I've replaced the thin rubber 90 degree bend. Must have saved me a small fortune finding the split !
We've just put a deposit down on an i20 1.4 auto and will order it properly on monday when our 10+ year old pug 306 has been with us for a year.
We managed to get a whopping £3100 discount on the list price by scrapping our 306! (Which has dodgy electrics, broken alarm and central locking and rear windows don't work so is unfortunately about ready for the scrapyard despite still having plenty of life in the engine).
Bit of a no brainer for us really as it's looking by far to be the best quality new car at the price. We're cash buyers also so no extra debt for us.
We needed an automatic as my wife prefers one. This gave us a problem as there were only 3 i20 automatics available and those are currently being shipped and are not even in the country yet! Unfortunately this means we couldn't change any specs as Hyundai can't currently build a new car and ship it to the UK in time to meet scrappage deadlines (over 4 months to do it apparantly).
Anyway we got a blue one too reserved which to be honest was my favourite colour anyway and probably wouldn't have wanted any options apart from possibly parking sensors but to be fair they'd probably just confuse the missus :-)
Hope to take delivery in October. Like the original poster, safety was a primary factor in the purchase really. Although without the scrappage scheme would have hit the second hand market. Looking forward to having a car from new at last.