October 2010
Hi all,
I currently drive a Mk2 1.8 Mondeo Zetec that I'm looking to replace for a number of reasons, but mostly because corrosion has set in and it'll be too expensive to put it through an MOT next year.
So I'm looking for a new motor and the budget is tight so want to make sure I'm not stung by buying something that I'll regret.
I drive about 10k miles a year, with the bulk of my driving being a 6 mile trip to work and back on city roads every day but a trip to my parents is a 600 mile round trip so whatever vehicle I get needs to be good around town but capable of long motorway journeys without exploding or giving me a headache.
Things I need:
- approx £3500-4000 to spend
- needs to be economical around town where most of my driving is. Ideally 40mpg+
- ideally lower than group 9 insurance (i.e. less than the current Mondeo)
- when required it may have to transport 2 adults and a child with pushchair etc.
- needs to be reliable i.e. not French or a Punto
- needs to be able to manage long motorway journeys comfortably when required.
- needs to last 4-5 years or another 40k miles approx
Cars I've considered:
Honda Jazz 1.4dsi - economical and roomy, but not sure how this will manage at normal motorway speeds (i.e. 80 rather than bang on 70)
Mitsubishi Colt 1.5dci - wife has an older Colt (1.6 16v P reg) currently and has been an unbelievably good car with no issues. Also concerned about how it handles on the motorway after reading HJ's review.
Skoda Fabia 1.4 TDI - would be looking at one with 60-70k+ miles to fit in budget so a bit concerned about expensive diesel engine faults. The 1.2 petrol seems a bit under powered for the motorway?
Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI - plenty of these around but again not sure about long distance performance. Also a bit spa*** inside the cabin.
Ford Focus Mk1/2- petrol versions aren't that economical but am a bit wary of buying a higher mileage TDCI due to costs of diesel repairs.
Toyota Aygo - economical and not many in budget but suspect this will not be roomy enough.
Toyota Yaris - 1.3 VVT would be a good bet but not sure on the boot space.
Honda Civic - (older shape) seem reliable but HJ didn't seem to rate them that highly? Also apparently prone to rust, which I'm keen to avoid.
Peugeot/Renault - would not touch with a 10 foot pole, seem to have far too many faults.
Corsa 1.3 CDTI - boot maybe a bit small and a bit dull inside. Also common as muck.
Astra - really doesn't appeal. I drive an 05 plate 1.7 diesel at work and don't like it. Too flimsy and feels like it will fall apart.
As you can see I've considered several cars in some depth and the Jazz/Colt seems to be the favourite. I love the top end power of my Mondeo at motorway speeds but truth is it I don't need a 1.8 Zetec for 95% of my driving so will have to downsize but still want something that I could cruise for 300 miles in without feeling ill or deaf.
Any thoughts/suggestions welcome!
Read more
Hi,
The engine in my 2002 Golf 1.9tdi 130 has seized after a loss of oil from the sump and have been told by a garage [who I trust] it needs a new engine.... Read more
I am wnting to get my front wheels aligned as my drivers side tyre is worn on the inner side and the tyres are only 6 month old. Only problem is my passenger side ball joint has some play in it. Can I still get the wheel alignment done if this is the case or will the measurements be out due to the worn ball joint? I am getting the ball joint fixed in next few weeks but would like to get alignment done asap as I think thats what could be causing the problem wth the worn tyre.
Thanks Read more
You keep labouring this problem no you cannot track a car with worn ball joints or worn anything else in the suspension or steering field.
I changed the plugs on both my 1999 focus and my wifes 2002 1.8 petrol focus's at the weekend since then both cars have been trying to stall? It happens when they are warm, both start fine and run ok and the tick over seems ok but from time to time after driving and stopping or slowing down the battery light flickers and then the engine stalls?? The new plugs i fitted were NKG plug's and were the right ones for the engines. The old plugs were quite burnt with a huge gap, maybe 3 - 4mm. the book says 1mm which is what the new plugs are, could this be too small?
James Read more
Ford have their own plugs interesting could be the answer injecton doc always learning.:)
Hi All,
Found myself with a requirement for a 7 seater (well, 6 plus a huge buggy) and after looking at older threads still couldn't find much.... Read more
i went with the 5008 rather than the citreon to get a 2.0 diesel and avoid semi auto gear box.
You should note the 2.0 hdi 5008 has anti roll stuff that the 1.6 doesnt. Roll is fine and not excessive.
Our V70 is a 2005 D5 which came with a telephone and On Call and SOS comms installation. At 83000 miles the telephone stopped working. I replaced the external SIM as the dashboard messaging system said the SIM had failed with no effect. The local Volvo dealer charged me for reading the codes which, they said, said the SIM had failed. I took the car to the dealer from where it had been bought, some 170 miles away, and he said after examination that it was the internal SIM, ie the SIM that deals with On Call and SOS, that had failed and was not a dealer-serviceable part. I emailed Volvo Sweden who directed me to Volvo UK asking why it could not be serviced or exchanged for a refurbished part as it didn't seem terribly "green" to just replace the telephone module. No beneficial response and no help from the original dealer with a request for a contribution from Volvo. We are informed the cost to replace is £1600, locally, or £1200 plus software plus installation (?£1400) at the original dealership.
I cannot understand why it is not possible to just replace the internal SIM.The telephone model is a Nokia 3210, not very complex in design. I'm informed
by a Volvo mechanic that the problem may well be just a dry joint on the PCB
which a competent technician should pick up and re-solder. Or perhaps we just
have an old-fashioned notion of repairing and maintaining kit. Has anybody any
further suggestions, please?
Read more
Many thanx, Andy, for your suggestion. Unfortunately, although I gain the bluetooth function, good, I continue to lose the On Call and SOS automatic functions. It just surprises me that Volvo do not provide a better service. It's as if cars have a short life and their electronic parts even shorter. If that is the case then cars have an unreasonable cost/benefit with limited value and Honest John's frequent advice to buy cheaper and simpler to most enquries by buyers is the only way forward. Everythings else is fashion and safety priced out of reach of most of us that don't have our vehicles provided by a business or the government.
Once again, many thanx fofr your kind advice.
My 2001 Honda Civic Type R went onto 3 cylinders, and I took it to Howards Honda Taunton, who charged me £120, and said they had not a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I complained to Honda UK, who were not interested, and offered a FREE 1/2 hour back at useless Howards. The problem is no fuel pulse to cylinder 1. The injector is fine, and squirts if fed from the cables for cylinder 2, and the cable to cylinder 1 will not trigger the injector for cylinder 2, so the problem must be in the lack of an electrical pulse to the injector of cylinder 1, which I can demonstrate easily.... Read more
Hi, my civic type r 2003 vetec was not kicking in then it did parked car up and in the morning started it but cut out after 5-10seconds and had a miss fire on cylinder 2, I have changed the cam and crank sensors cleaned all the earths replaced ecu checked the timing and still the same, swapped injectors around still the same and coils, would this miss fire cause the ecu to shut the engine down? I have also done a compression test and all is good only fault code was misfire detected in cylinder 2. Any idea please? Thanks
Our V70 is a 2005 D5 which came with a telephone and On Call and SOS comms
installation. At 83000 miles the telephone stopped working. I replaced the
external SIM as the dashboard messaging system said the SIM had failed with no
effect. The local Volvo dealer charged me for reading the codes which, they
said, said the SIM had failed. I took the car to the dealer from where it had
been bought, some 170 miles away, and he said after examination that it was the
internal SIM, ie the SIM that deals with On Call and SOS, that had failed and
was not a dealer-serviceable part. I emailed Volvo Sweden who directed me to
Volvo UK asking why it could not be serviced or exchanged for a refurbished part
as it didn't seem terribly "green" to just replace the telephone module. No
beneficial response and no help from the original dealer with a request for a
contribution from Volvo. We are informed the cost to replace is £1600, locally,
or £1200 plus software plus installation (?£1400) at the original dealership.
I cannot understand why it is not possible to just replace the internal SIM.
The telephone model is a Nokia 3210, not very complex in design. I'm informed
by a Volvo mechanic that the problem may well be just a dry joint on the PCB
which a competent technician should pick up and re-solder. Or perhaps we just
have an old-fashioned notion of repairing and maintaining kit. Has anybody any
further suggestions, please?
Read more
Why not just fit a parrot bluetooth hands free they work much better and its going to be far cheaper.
Hi, I've recently been involved in an accident where the other person went through a red light on me. The front end was smashed in on the side which got hit, bumper (with winter pack), wing, bonnet and headlight. The salvage firm or whoever opened the bonnet have done yet more damage to the vehicle by opening the bonnet and have bent the radiator and air con rad too.
... Read more
Hi Andy, thanks for the reply. Yeah, I might have to look into the way it's been handled, it's caused at least £150 of damage that is visible ( if I was to buy a new front head light with foglight). It's a MK 4 from 2002, but only has 60k on the clock. I think over here they go to about 25% of the value of the car, Germany sounds much better as by the sounds of it, you're being put back where you were befre the accident, instead of being given a low sum to then go out car shopping again. A much fairer system.
I might ring my local garage and get the car inspected underneath for forklift damage before I get any body work done so I don't find any horror stories afterwards.
Just had an oil change done at Evans Halshaw in St Albans (while having some warranry work carried out), and realised when I got home that the "service technichian" had filled the engine with the wrong grade of oil, Happily I spotted it and Evans Halshaw have refunded the oil change and apologised, and the car has now been drained and filled with Castrol Edge fully synthetic. (elsewhere)
Evans Halshaw service manager 10 out of 10 for the quick refund, I won't name the technician but 0 out of 10 for not doing your job properly, could have cost your employer a new engine. Must stress however that service reception were helpful at all times, so not your fault. Read more
Hello Oldroverboy,no offence was intented and its a credit to you the way you look after your car.Myself if this had happened to me regarding the oil,I would have had a word with the technician ,without getting him into trouble.We are all different that makes us unique.:)
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As I said before good cars underrated and the diesels are good also.