New Motor for SWMBO N.B.

[steverow]

Right guys, got to get a new car for the wife, basically because Warwickshire to Swansea every weekend is costing us over £55 quid round trip in my 3 litre Diesel 4WD. She currently has a Tempra Estate 2.0 petrol injection (which aint a lot better on fuel) which we have had for about 8 yrs from new, and so far she has refused to part with it. However it's time has now come.
We have been offered a Focus 1.8 diesel zetec thingy(Jersey car with a few hundred on the clock) from a dealer freind of a freind at a good price...however, I am unconvinced..it looks the same as every other car on the road, and I do like a bit of style and comfort.
Personally, I really like the Rover 75 for a host of reasons, and if I could get her a diesel estate in Sky Blue (she supports coventry city)..she might go for that...
We have had a good look round at the family saloon offerings this week, but nothing really impresses, all seem much of a muchness.
So before I blunder in and waste a load of wedge anyone got any advice or suggestions on either, or anything else I should consider?
No preconceptions really, just needs to be diesel, good mpg, not too small..ie can transport two averagely overweight middle aged people and all boating paraphanalia and junk on a 300 mile round trip every weekend in comfort as well as taking SWMBO to work at college every day of the week.
Thanking you all in eager anticipation

Steve.

(how long is a piece of string these days??)



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[Kevin]

Hi

saab 9-3 2.2 Turbo diesel, 45mpg overall, 65mpg on long trips looks great and something different- Mum has one and even though not my sort of thing cant be faulted

kevin

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

The audi deisels are supposed to be pretty good.

Nice cars too, don't say anything about the driver at all.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[orionbelt]

Got to agree with last post. Audi A4 estate TD has comfort, good looks, plenty of space and plenty of oomph.

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[[2068]]

Have a look at the new Honda Accord diesel. Very undiesel like in sound and performance, but good MPG. Just a bit different to Astri/Foci/Vectri/Mondeaux. Saloon looks fine, estate looks a bit odd.

Or maybe the new Volvo S40(saloon) or V50(estate) diesel ? Both reasonably stylish (For Volvos), imho.

dv.

 

[JonBrooks]

"I drive a Toyota Corolla and its silver!"

We have Passat TDI here.
Fantastic motors.
I use the BP Ultimate diesel, give great performance and super MPG too.

Nice to drive, very comfy.
Lots of toy's.

Highly recomended

Regards

<hr width=100% size=1>Jon Brooks
Marine Dealer Manager
Icom UK Ltd.
01227 741741

 

[boatless]

Focus is supposed to be very nice to drive thought. Can only say not to buy a Peugeot 307. XSWMBO is on her second, they swapped the first one which suffered continual gearbox problems, and the replacement just had a head gasket fail.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[Talbot]

I like the audi A4, and if you want an economic automatic, the audi is the way to go as they use a different technology for their auto and thus have abt the same fuel consumption as the manual.

The Rover 75 is a nice motor, but the depreciation is horrid

What about the Jaguar diesel?


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[studgies]

Jim has the 130 TDI audi, it has been great, goes like stink and does about 700 miles on a tank.

The rover is very nice, very quiet and VERY slow!

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[AJW]

Ermm a bit apples and oranges isn't it trying to compare Focus to Rover 75? R75 being bigger and 'sposedly more upmarket than Focus.

Dunno how much you want to spend but Focus TDCi with common rail diesel is fine car. Handles well, economic & relatively well spec'd. Looks like every other car on the road 'cos well there are a lot of em about and there is a reason for that!

In a different league, A4 1.9tdi Estate is v nice but not particularly roomy and v expensive. I like the new V50 Volvo a lot (which is actually based on the new Focus "platform" as Ford owns Volvo.).

Wouldn't buy a Rover 75 new certainly as imagine depreciation is massive. Mebbe better 2nd hand buy?



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[Benny1]

Rover 75,

Hmmm... do they come with a pipe and slippers as standard? In addition to a speed limiter set at about 50mph.

Seriously though, they are, in estate form, not a bod looking car but one that is now a very old car underneath. Also will depreciate massively from new and even, I suspect, from nearly new. I know someone who bought one in spain with 500 miles on it for £10,000 - was £22,000 when new only 2 months before!

The focus is a good car with a great chassis for its class, but is very bland and the diesels can be coarse on fords. Is also due to be replaced in the next few months, so again I would not buy a brand spanker.

As for Audis, very well built, excellent cabins but pretty dull to drive. Having said that a mate of mine has a 1.9 TDS (I think)Estate one with the sports pack - inside and out - and it looks the business. However this cost about £30,000 in total so is not cheap for a smallish diesel estate car. I think the standard car is in the low £20's but as with most low to medium range German offerings it comes with pretty much nothing as standard.



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[tcm]

at last, some sense regarding Rovers. The original poster said they were middle aged, not octagenrian, so a rover is right out.

Best option is to buy swmbo summink trendy like a Smart open-top thing, or any older merc convertible cos it will last years and years. Then get a decent whammo motor (also erm a merc) to shoot down to the boat at high velocity.

To clear the road you need a lamborghini, as everyone flings themselves into hard shoulder hoping you'll come past. Only then will it become obviosu that you have a trailer to tow all the boat gubbins. Now, admittedly this is a bit expensive BUT you only live once.

hope this helps





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[Benny1]

Practical Italian/German Car

Agree re Lamborghini, best way to clear the motorway, and you will be going so fast no one will be able to let you know what a tit they think you are!

As an aside, went to see a friend of my father's new Ferrari at the main importer on Monday. What a place. Have you thought of one of those? Hmm might defeat the object of the fuel saving though....but you still have a nice sensible 4x4.

TCM's other suggestion of an old Merc SL is not bad either. Will have zero depreciation, which will more than make up for the money you would save on fuel with one of those diesel thingies - and you can pretend you are in Dallas - I would definitley drive everywhere in a "Ewing" Stetson if I had one of those....well, maybe.

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[LittleShip]

New Renault Scenic 1.9 Diesel Had one for three months average 47 mpg seats fold down or can be removed for all the gear out of 10 ???? 8/9 all the bits on board to play with and it is not the standard jelly mould.

A test drive is worth while!!

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[beancounter]

Hi Steve

just wandered in here from the dark side (Scuttlebutt)

I can thoroughly recommend the Focus. We bought the 115bhp TDCi last summer, and it has proved economical (never less than 50mpg), fast, and roomy (we take our daughter up to Uni in Edinburgh with loads of girlie paraphinalia)

They may not be the sexiest thing on the road (altho' the styling is fairly good IMHO), but they certainly do the biz.

cheers

John

<hr width=100% size=1>Fabricati Diem, punc

 

[KevB]

Has to be the Alpha 156 2.4 JTD 175 BHP!!! Fantastic driving position, all the economy of a diesel but with the performace that will leave a lot of the hot hatches behind in it's diesel smoke. They also do an older 2.4 150bhp diesel model and a NEW 1.9 140bhp mjet JTD diesel.

I hear the dealerships are $hite though.

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[steverow]

Unfortunately no dealer in either Warwick Leamington or Stratford that I know of.
The local fiat place only does Fiat and not Alpha.

Steve.


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[boatless]

Ah, another 156 fan. Try Coopers in Guildford if you're over this way. They've been good so far.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[steverow]

If anyone's having a Merc or a Lamby it'll be me!!
She can have me 4X4...

Steve.

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[tr7v8]

I run a 156 Sportwagon JTD 2.4 140BHP model. Goes like hell, does 42ish MPG.
Ate its turbo at 40K miles due according to Turbo Technics to dirty oil, they recommend more frequent oil changes. Handles very well. Had a 156 JTD SW 1.9 Multijet on loan whilst mine was in for service. Did 125 mile trip one Sunday in 1 & 3/4 hours at 45MPG. Very well equipped and best brought around a year old. Warranty on lates is 5 years, used to be 3. Yes some dealers worse than useless but ask around find a good one and you'll never change. B*W owner rode in mine a few weeks ago and had to grudingly admit it had more room and was as well screwed together as his 3 series. Mine has gone from 37K to 76Kmile in a year.

Recently drove 147 with the 1.9 MJ and that goes well.

Its also ALFA not ALPHA .



<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500