Car advice (Read 110110 times)

chris j · July 11, 2015, 04:48:11 pm

I've got the Octavia 1.8TSi (manual, estate, L&K). Does 40 on a motorway run (70ish), 33-35 the rest of the time no matter how I drive. Went well enough for overtaking if you wind it up to 4000rpm+, though I found it a bit disappointing in that respect and it lasted about 3 months before a remap that lifted it to match the VRs and it now pulls well from 3000rpm. Which promptly upset all the standard insurance companies as it was over a 25% increase in power...

Drinks a bit of oil so needs keeping an eye on.

Estate is spacious enough, floor not flat if you fold the seats down, not as practical for load lugging as my old Focus as the boot is narrow & tall where the Focus was wider.

To sum it up, it's ok in most respects, not bad in any really, just a bit meh overall and I'd probably look for something different when I replace it.

Fiend · July 11, 2015, 04:54:29 pm

Quote from: tomtom on July 11, 2015, 03:55:47 pm

Is there anything wrong with the V70... ? Might give you another 250k: seen these milages?

Engine is constantly seeping oil.
Needed 2 replacement steering racks in last 3 years and last one took several months to source.
Propshaft (XC AWD) is taken off as it's gone twice.
Back shocks are leaking and need replaced.
Front suspension arm needs replaced.
Timing belt is probably due soon.
Air con might be leaking.
Bonnet latch is sticking and currently has to be kept ajar to get into it.
Recently replaced brake pads and discs are both squeaking and juddering.
Brake protector is corroded and rattling.
Radiator cracked on a trip to Cornwall which was a pain in the arse.
Neither key lock works so if remote goes it's gonna suck.

I could go on....

webbo · July 11, 2015, 08:28:02 pm

That sounds like the v70 I traded in 7 years ago

Fiend · July 11, 2015, 08:42:10 pm

You bastard!

Fiend · July 12, 2015, 05:32:54 pm

Had a 1 series suggested by a friend. PaulB - thoughts on that?

tomtom · July 12, 2015, 05:38:27 pm

Shit in snow.

Bubba · July 12, 2015, 06:50:30 pm

If you get a RWD Bimmer and want to drive it through winter I think you have to accept that you'll need to cough up for a set of winter tyres. More outlay but using each set for 6 months means they will both last a lot longer so swings and roundabouts over a couple of years.

Fiend · July 12, 2015, 07:00:00 pm

Yeah that was the caveat. Dunno what it's been like South of the wall but there's been a lot of fuck all snow up here in the last few years. I kept meaning to get the propshaft put back on for 4WD but once the 2 weekends of snow have passed there hasn't seemed much need.
The 1 series has more choice available with a lower mileage at the 5-6k mark, and slightly better stats, compared to the A3

plus it's now 2nd place nob-mobile after it too...

tomtom · July 12, 2015, 07:03:29 pm

Make sure you get one with the optional indicators installed...

bigtuboflard · July 12, 2015, 09:49:44 pm

Quote from: Bubba on July 12, 2015, 06:50:30 pm

If you get a RWD Bimmer and want to drive it through winter I think you have to accept that you'll need to cough up for a set of winter tyres. More outlay but using each set for 6 months means they will both last a lot longer so swings and roundabouts over a couple of years.

definitely go for winters on a RWD bimmer, had a Z4 for my daily commute from Hathersage to Sheffield and I kept it for about two months the first winter I had it and swapped for a 4WD as quick as I could. With winters on its as good as anything I've driven on snow. Nearly unstoppable.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cowboyhat · July 13, 2015, 02:05:05 pm

My brother in law who lives in Kopavogur has a 10yr old 4 litre V8 7 series and its fine in the snow = winter tyres. The difference they make is incredible, I'm surprised they aren't more of a thing in the UK considering the weather.

I have a 1 series, its fantastic, as does Omar15. We live in London though and the weather here is considerably better than Sheffield never mind etc.

Anyway, winter tyres.

tomtom · July 13, 2015, 02:20:49 pm

OK, did some asking - for the 1 series they fixed alot of things with a facelift in 2011 - including improving interior room, boot space etc.. its apparently quite a big change and advice was to go for one post 2011 (I suspect thats out of your 6k budget).

However, going past a garage to the Logport wall today, I noticed a 60 place Mk6 Golf estate for £5900 which seemed like a good price. I think I;ve said it here before, but despite Golfs generally having a premium price over Octavia's for some reason for the rarer golf estates they are sometimes cheaper than the Skoda (sorry Golf Estate is pretty much the same as an Octavia estate).

I just PX'd my 11 plate Mk6 Golf TDi for c£6k (90k miles) so they are within your range too.. was a decent enough car...

Fiend · July 13, 2015, 03:19:36 pm

There's something that doesn't do it for me about Golfs, and I don't know what....(edit: also diesel autos seem a bit slow || edit2: okay there seems to be a DPF (?) model with 170bph / 8.2 0-60, that's more promising)

I'm waiting for Mr B to give the definitive argument against owning a 1 series....

slackline · July 13, 2015, 03:24:50 pm

Quote from: Fiend on July 13, 2015, 03:19:36 pm

I'm waiting for Mr B to give the definitive argument against owning a 1 series....

They're easy targets for disgruntled OAPs to key.

tomtom · July 13, 2015, 03:26:15 pm

Quote from: Fiend on July 13, 2015, 03:19:36 pm

There's something that doesn't do it for me about Golfs, and I don't know what....(edit: also diesel autos seem a bit slow)

I'm waiting for Mr B to give the definitive argument against owning a 1 series....

God, forgot you wanted an auto. In that case I'd steer clear of the VAG/Skoda ones - those 7 or 8 speed flappy paddle auto's can incurr some extra servicing costs from what I heard...

Thought about a Prius? Sherioushly... within your price range and an auto of course...

andyd · July 13, 2015, 03:39:16 pm

Buy a 1 series if you want to drive around thinking you're a rally car driver. If you want some comfort and reasonably priced extras then I'd avoid them. Winter tyres help but take up space to store all year. Not all places have the machine to for run flat tyres so your local guy may not be able to help meaning a trip to kwikfit,or worse,a bimmer dealership.

Paul B · July 13, 2015, 04:17:19 pm

Quote from: Fiend on July 12, 2015, 05:32:54 pm

Had a 1 series suggested by a friend. PaulB - thoughts on that?

only that you haven't really decided what size car you actually want? Mrs. Paul B's Dad has one and it's a lovely thing. It cost a relative fortune though and people I know who've bought earlier iterations have all kind of problems. Parts, labour and Winter driving are the common things said against BMWs. I drove mine (on 18s) through the worst of the weather up here looking at houses and apart from some sideways action it actually performed pretty well.

TomTom is right, the VAG paddle boxes have a terrible reputation.

Why don't you state your criteria here in plain English and then we can have a stab:

Size (multiple pads in car with four people?)
Average Mileage (will inform fuel)
Budget
Mileage beyond which you won't entertain it
Gearbox
Fuel Type

etc.

Fiend · July 13, 2015, 04:20:24 pm

Large hatchback (or possibly small estate/saloon)
20k
5-6k-ish
100k
Auto
Diesel

lagerstarfish · July 13, 2015, 04:21:44 pm

Paul B · July 13, 2015, 04:22:14 pm

No minimum performance stats? You were looking at a vRS?

tomtom · July 13, 2015, 04:22:57 pm

Stick those into the auto trader app (substitute mpg for annual milage etc..) and see what cars it comes up with. Might be something left field in there...

I take it the car will also have to be suitable for using at drive through restaurants?

tomtom · July 13, 2015, 04:23:52 pm

Quote from: lagerstarfish on July 13, 2015, 04:21:44 pm

Golf

Ruled out on the Auto option.. (See above).

Thought about a Saab? 9-3? Good cars..

Paul B · July 13, 2015, 04:27:02 pm

Leon Fr (big enough?)?

VAG so may well have the gearbox TomTom is on about. Sometimes they are a generation behind so you might get lucky.

A3 Sportback
don't know anything about the offerings from Mazda (3?) etc.

tomtom · July 13, 2015, 04:31:14 pm

A3's have the same flappy auto gearbox... Nice to drive - big bill waiting for you somewhere..

Fiend · July 13, 2015, 04:31:41 pm

Quote from: Paul B on July 13, 2015, 04:22:14 pm

No minimum performance stats? You were looking at a vRS?

You didn't specify it in your list

150-ish+bhp
8-ish 0-60
40+mpg

I've been warned off Seat for some reason I now forget.
Golf DOES have a suitable option, see above.
Don't really like the idea of SAAB now they've shut down.
A3 Sportback is currently top choice.