Tekforums
Chat => Sports, Hobbies & Motors => Topic started by: Beaker on June 27, 2007, 20:05:51 PM
-
Right then, was going to wait a few months to buy a new car, but the timeframe just got moved forward. Basically I think im going to need a car in the next few weeks. The clutch is on its way out, and ive been advised its in the region of £300 to do it because the engine needs lifting out. Not too bad i guess for the amount of work, but not on a car that BARELY pased on emissions last MOT, and definatly wont pass another without a new CAT and Lambda sensor. So, rather than the £3k I was going to spend, ive got a budget of £1500.
Advice please. Only rules are No Rovers, No Fiat, No Rovers, Nothing too small (Im 63"), No Rovers, No Automatics, and did i mention, No Rovers?
-
vectra? cheap, nasty, if it goes wrong throw it in the bin, big.. big enough for me and im that tall to. Come in all flavours (slow, quick, bog standard, all the toys).
Im betting its a no but i thought id chuck it in early lol
-
vectra? cheap, nasty, if it goes wrong throw it in the bin, big.. big enough for me and im that tall to. Come in all flavours (slow, quick, bog standard, all the toys).
Im betting its a no but i thought id chuck it in early lol
Literally, anything thatll work and isnt too crappy. I quite like the Vectra TBH. Big, comfey and while it isnt flashy it does what it does well. Was looking at an older Mondeo GhiaX earlier, so im not exactly a brand snob.
-
vauxhall+fords, cheap parts and generally reliable
id go for the mondeo over the vectra, its one of the best cars in this country
-
id have a vauxhall over a ford any day, had 13 vauxhalls myself and the parents at least another 6 and never had a single breakdown.. speaks volumes to me tbh
-
Rover 45 ftw.
-
Rover 45 ftw.
im sure i mentioned somewhere "No Rovers", does someone else want to check? ;)
-
makes me laugh when people think with cheap and nasty thrown together cars like vaux and ford are better than rover for some reason.
-
I would say Im biased, but Im not - Every time Ive been proper serious about buying a car for the long term, Ive done my research and thought long and hard about what I want and what I can afford... And totally disregarded the badge.
Hence Ive been the very happy owner of a Daewoo Nexia, and a Rover 45. Each car has had everything I wanted and been supremely reliable. Some badge snobs may snigger, but Im happy in the knowledge that Ive got a lot of car for my money :)
-
makes me laugh when people think with cheap and nasty thrown together cars like vaux and ford are better than rover for some reason.
think is, i dont actually like Rovers that much, might consider a 45 that doesnt have that bloody k-series in it, but thats unlikely to get hold of. I know its got plenty of poke, but even the local rover garage dude says they are only good for 60k miles befire you are running a serious risk of a head gasket blowing. Ill take his advice over anyone elses, he specialises on them. oh and Rovers are also cheap nasty thrown together cars!
-
You have a good point, I wouldnt touch a K series with somebody elses barge pole - thank god for the L series DERVs
-
i agree tbh, i would think twice about buying a 1995-2000 k-series, before and after they are fine tho.
I know the engines inside out tho so HGF doesnt faze me.
The l-series is bullet proof though.
If you dont fancy a k-series get a T-series engined 420, excellent engine. get a good milage GSI(top) spec for around £1000
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-ROVER-420-GSI-GREEN-400-SALOON-RACING-GREEN-416_W0QQitemZ320130715475QQihZ011QQcategoryZ18262QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
p.s. quality and finish wise, rover where a cut about vaux/ford
-
A mate of mine has a Rover 600 and its bomb-proof. He treats it like sh*t (its a £500 car), no cleaning, no servicing, no nothing. It just sailed through the MOT and a minor collision.
otoh my rover 100 collapsed after 24hrs owning it..
Sommink like a 45 you get a lot for your money. On the later ones the interiors do seem quite nice compared to fords & vauxhalls (ford>vauc btw :) ) but they ugly on the outside ...lackluster.
-
Peugeot 306 D turbo
On a 96 to 99 plate.
1.9Turbo diesel, can get them from about £800 and £1500 should get you a good 97 model I think.
Group 5 insurance, so quite low and a damn good mpg figure.
http://motors.search.ebay.co.uk/306-d-turbo_Peugeot_W0QQfromZR4QQsacatZ9859QQssPageNameZWLRS
-
youd get a real mint xantia for that :)
maybe even a V6
-
Its all BS quality and finish.. just find an unmolested car and your away less rattles and bits falling off, they are all put together the same, only need to rip the door cards off a vectra and a range rover to see that.. and yes i have done
edit ok yeah theres a little more soundproofing in the range rover but then it was like £50k more to buy originally
-
Personally, Id go ford or vaux too.
Parts are cheap and readily available from 99% of motor factors.
-
BMW 3 series 1994-2001
Quote from http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/index.php?url=/carbycar/index.htm
Whats Good
As E36, but lighter and therefore quicker. 13 10" long by 5 7" wide and weighing 1,215 to 1,400kg. 102bhp 1.6 (replaced by 105bhp 1.9 from January 1999), 90bhp 1.7 diesel, and 140bhp 1.9 litre twin-cam 318Ti quickest of all. No RHD sixes or M versions in the UK so drivers less likely to be branded as status seekers. 17th from top in R reg J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. BMW, Toyota and Ford jointly suffered the fewest breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. BMW had sixth lowest average cost in warranty claims for cars up to 10 years old in 2002 Warranty Direct index. BMWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 81.41 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk
Whats Bad
As E36. Has simpler rear suspension based on E30 3-Series. Six-cylinder 323i engine available in LHD only. Later 2nd and 3rd year dealer warranty requires expensive top up to be effective. Climate Control Units @ £276 for the part are prone to failure.
What to Watch Out For
As E36.
Recalls
1997 (E36 from January 1996): tighten stub axle bolts. 1997 (E36-77,000 cars): possibility of corroded steering shafts. 1998: compacts built before Nov 94 recalled to fit new radiator cap (very few cars involved, as Compact not launched until Sept 94). November 2002: All lower steering shafts to be replaced FOC if not already replaced (takes about an hour).
Or.. VW Passat 1988-1997
Again from Honest John
Whats Good
Estates have excellent rear legroom, are comfortable and handle well. 15 long by 5 7" wide and weighing in from 1,125kg to 1,250kg. Engines now transverse, not overhanging. Was a 174 bhp VR6, briefly, 1993-95. TDI 90 best compromise engine. Estates hold value well. Saloons worth £2,000 less. Aircon available in lieu of sunroof. VWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 76.83 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk
Passat (1988 to 1997)
Whats Bad
Good, well-specified estates hard to find and still sell for strong money. All diesel models may have been cabbed. Saloons have dowdy image.
What to Watch Out For
As Golf/Jetta/Vento. Make sure aircon blows cold. Make sure not cabbed. A lot of this model Passat began their lives on rental fleets. Problems emerging of stretched timing chains on VR6s and chains actually breaking at around 90,000 miles.
Recalls
1995 (VIN3ARE 0000001 to 3ASE 142536): headlamp failures. 1996 (4-cylinder Passats 1988F-1989G): bypass valve to be inserted into heater pipe; heater matrix to be replaced if degraded. 1996 (1993-95 build): Cooling fan motor may seize. VW Passat (Dec 95-Mar 98): may be airbag activator fault.
Volvo S40
Whats Good
Top in class for secondary safety in NCAP crash tests. Turbo versions are very fast. 1.8 litre 125 bhp GDI versions economical. Always had three three-point rear belts. Plenty of places to store oddments inside. Significant, much needed suspension improvements from spring 2000. 5-speed 2.0 turbo automatic is a real flyer. The ordinary 115bhp 1.8 engine is 1,731cc; the 125bhp 1.8 GDI is 1,834cc, and the later 122bhp 1.8 non GDI petrol or bi-fuel engine is 1,783cc. Bi fuel LPG option from June 2001, but the car is noticeably less lively on LPG and the tank takes a lot of boot-space. S40LPG: £17,020; S40SE LPG: £18,842; V40LPG £17,870; V40SE LPG £19,692. Low 3 out of 9 point death rate from accidents in this model. 99% breakdown free in 2003 Which survey.
Self-help site: www.brickboard.com Volvos generally had slightly below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 90.54 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk Rated one of the cheapest large cars cars to run in 2003 Which survey (but how is an S40/V40 a large car?). 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 fewest breakdowns, average for problems and faults; 1998-2000 average for breakdowns, problems and faults in 2003 Which survey. Production continued to June 2004. Run our models called S40/V40 Classic. All have leather upholstery, a/c, 6-speaker CD player, alloy wheels, electric windows, leather covered steering wheel. List prices start at £14,485 for S40 saloon and £15,485 for V40 estate. V40 and S40 4th and 5th most reliable car in 2005 Warranty Direct Reliability Survey with 12 and 13 repair claims per 100 cars. Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk
Last updated 15-6-2007
S40/V40 (1996 to 2004)
Whats Bad
Bright, quartz iodine daytime running lights can dazzle and infuriate other drivers, especially at traffic calming points. If you switch to sidelights to avoid this you get no lights-on warning when you leave the car. Ride, steering, handling and roadholding not up to expectations created by good-looking body and clever marketing. Lots of early production quality problems at Dutch factory, later rectified. Not the car the image leads you to expect. Pre-spring 2000 cars had indifferent handling and overlight steering. (T4 very much better in this respect.)
What to Watch Out For
Minor accident damage buckles the inner-wing structure. Car may have been badly repaired to save cost. Bottom front suspension ball joints tend to wear prematurely. Anti roll bar mountings can come adrift. Problems of valves carbing up on T4s and also on lesser injection models driven on petrol with inadequate detergent content. Main wairing loom passes in front of radiator and is protected by a split plastic tube which cann let in water leading to severe corrosion by road salt blowing a 40 amp fuse and putting out heater, aircon and indicator circuits (see recalls). Sender for digital petrol gauge prone to failure. Joint fourth bottom in 2002 Which reliability survey of cars up to 2 years old; 126 cars surveyed. GDI system of 1.8s prone to failure at around 60,000 miles due to carbon build up if cars are run on 95Ron petrol rather than the 97 - 99 Ron Super the engine is designed for. On S40 and V40 when the car is locked and the alarm set the indicators may start repeatedly flashing and draining the battery. Dealer fix is £1,000. Short term fix is to leave the bonnet slightly open so alarm does not set. For a proper fix bring in a Car Electrics specialist (Yellow Pages).
Recalls
Volvo has an in service cure for intermittent poor running, applied if owners complain. 2000: 2000 model-year cars: front brake callipers may crack and leak fluid. 14-6-2001: on 2001MY cars a diode in the climate control system may not be sufficiently durable leading to fan stopping working. Additional heater fan cable harness with climate control diode to be fitted. November 2001: TSB issued with fix for cold start ignition problems on 1.8 engines. 14-5-2002: On diesel models, brake vacuum pump may fail leading to reduction in brake servo assistance. Solution: fit modified brake vacuum pump. 14-5-2002 VIN 315000 to 599999: Fault in alternator drive pulley may cause auxilliary drive belt to fail leading to loss of power assistance to steering and possibly also tangling in the timing belt resulting in catastrophic engine damage. 02-07-2002: 1,696 S40s and V40s recalled because part of horn operating mechanism may foul drivers airbag module causing it to become loose in nits mounting. Airbag mounting plate to be replaced. 11-7-2002: 1,042 Volvo Towbar kits recalled because tow ball can prematurely detach itself from rest of assembly. All towbars to be modified, then replaced at a later date once supplies are available. 17-11-2003: On 8,183 S40s and V40s the engine fuel rail may leak. Fuel rail end cover to be secured with a V-clamp.
Parkers Results for said cars
BMW 3 series compact
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Data.aspx?model=90
VW passat
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Data.aspx?model=1024
Volvo S40
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Data.aspx?model=1064
-
Anyone got any experience living with a Renault Megane Coupe?
Ive driven plenty of brand new ones, but ive got a "1.6e Sport II" winking at me.
-
its french.. enough to put me off lol
-
its french.. enough to put me off lol
its £850 on an S with 86k miles and FSH. :\
-
Anyone got any experience living with a Renault Megane Coupe?
Ive driven plenty of brand new ones, but ive got a "1.6e Sport II" winking at me.
used to have a megane diesel. It was a good car tbh. well put together and nice to drive, brakes are too heavy tho.
only problems i had was with the alarm going of at random times for no reason and it went through bulbs like no ones buisness.
-
Anyone got any experience living with a Renault Megane Coupe?
Ive driven plenty of brand new ones, but ive got a "1.6e Sport II" winking at me.
Cypher has a 1.6 eRT
-
its french.. enough to put me off lol
just like most of the electrical components on all your cars then eh? :D
-
most of the bits iv pulled out of vauxhalls iv broken have been german tbh
-
so im not exactly a brand snob.
Rover 45 ftw.
im sure i mentioned somewhere "No Rovers", does someone else want to check? ;)
Seems like you are, and although you mentioned it in a previous thread its best to repeat it in nice big CAPITAL LETTERS IN THE FIRST POST OF A THREAD ;)
Anyone got any experience living with a Renault Megane Coupe?
Q Does my bum look big in this new style Megane?
A Yeah, its got an enormous one of its own anyway...
-
Seems like you are, and although you mentioned it in a previous thread its best to repeat it in nice big CAPITAL LETTERS IN THE FIRST POST OF A THREAD ;)
nah, far too many people i know have ether had assive troubls with, or have warned me off the K-Series engines, meaning no Rovers for Rick.
Im looking at the older Megane Coupe, probably a Mk1 Series1 TBH as they are slap bang in my price range. Also with one of those it has the added advantage of being a car the GF would drive.
-
bit of an update for those who are uninterested.
Had a go at 2 of the coupes today. I forgot what a nice drive they are, both 1.6 Sports, both full leather and with all the kit youll ever need. I also drove a normal 1.6, and the difference is amazing. Its been years since i drove either and forgot how different they are.
Also took a 1.8 Mondeo Zetec for a spin, actually considering a Ford and I dont like them!
-
Ended up with a Vectra 1.8 LS.
W-Reg 2000, 84k on the clock, 2 owners from new. Origional owner was Vauxhall Motors, Sale (I assume it was a factory car). Next owner bought it at 2 years old and got it dealer serviced from then on. New Cambelt 12k ago, last service was 2k ago. 4 Goodyear Eagles on it, couple of slight marks in the paint. Drives perfectly, and it rides beautifully. Nice aftermarket Thatcham Cat1 alarm and immobiliser.
Only thing i want for it is a way to make my Blaupunkt MP3 CD player interface with the controls on the steering wheel.#
Edit : Forgot price, £2000 including a 12 month ticket and 2 months tax.
-
Only thing i want for it is a way to make my Blaupunkt MP3 CD player interface with the controls on the steering wheel.
Youll need this (http://thebassbin.co.uk/shop/product/products_id/2199.html) adaptor and also this (http://thebassbin.co.uk/shop/product/products_id/2192.html) one and should be sorted.
Jaimz :rock:
-
Only thing i want for it is a way to make my Blaupunkt MP3 CD player interface with the controls on the steering wheel.
Youll need this (http://thebassbin.co.uk/shop/product/products_id/2199.html) adaptor and also this (http://thebassbin.co.uk/shop/product/products_id/2192.html) one and should be sorted.
Jaimz :rock:
cheers man, ill fire them an e-mail to make sure my 12 month old stereo works with them. :D
-
Peugeot 306 D turbo
On a 96 to 99 plate.
1.9Turbo diesel, can get them from about £800 and £1500 should get you a good 97 model I think.
Group 5 insurance, so quite low and a damn good mpg figure.
http://motors.search.ebay.co.uk/306-d-turbo_Peugeot_W0QQfromZR4QQsacatZ9859QQssPageNameZWLRS
I just got rid of my 306 XLD (same engine but no turbo). Damn reliable car and very cheap to run up until the last 6 months when things started falling apart. I owned it for 5 years and 60000 miles (~100,000 on the clock when I got it, 164,400 when I traded it in last Sunday). In that time she never failed to get me where I was going. Engine started first time every time.
Electrics were shoddy though, so make sure everything works if you get one.
edit: little late to the party it seems, congrats on the new car, hope it serves you well.
-
sweet a vectra :D id have probably gone for the 2nd cheapest i could find tho since they are as common as.. but hell if your happy with it nice one :D
-
sweet a vectra :D id have probably gone for the 2nd cheapest i could find tho since they are as common as.. but hell if your happy with it nice one :D
I drove a couple of them, this was both the nicest looking, and the only one with a good history. One i had a try in was an S-Reg for £1300, it wasnt a patch on the one im getting. This is also the one with the 125bhp rather than the 113bhp engine, so its a tad smoother to drive.
-
the S reg should have been like £800 picked up a CD 2.0 16v on an R for like £750 saying that it had no history but i never look for that since it doesnt matter to me, if it goes well on the test i buy and service it once i get it home, never had a problem
-
Yeah, I was looking at cheaper ones, but they just werent up to the same standard. I dont mind doing my own servicing either, but when i drove the w-reg is just felt so much better than any of the others i was looking at. I dont know if that is the fact its just a bit newer, they changed something on the chassis/roadgear or just because its well looked after (whoever owned it previously even got tyres from the main dealer). I was surprised how much different it felt to the other Vectras i had been looking at.
-
fair enough, some will feel a bit loose if they have had a hard life as the bushes get worn out
-
Ill post up pics when i get it, the olny bad bits i could find are there are 3 light scratches on the top of the offside rear wing, some t-cut and colour match polish will srt those, and there bottom corner of the drivers door has been banged and has some slight surface rust. Ill get that seen to by a professional, its a weird bluey green and ive already found i cant buy a colour match for it myself, ill have to buy a litre of paint :(
-
yeah im looking to repair my antalope mica vectra.. its kinda of metallic brown, cant get the paint off the shelf :(
-
Piccies :
(http://www.prestone.co.uk/images/vectra_side.JPG)
(http://www.prestone.co.uk/images/vectra_front.JPG)
(http://www.prestone.co.uk/images/vectra_angle.JPG)
-
looks fairly tidy
Jaimz :rock:
-
cool, wish mine was a facelift :(
-
cool, wish mine was a facelift :(
im trying to work out the actual differences :\
-
headlights, rear lights, front grill, colour coded bumpers and bump strips, bootlid
may be some others
-
looks in pretty good shape to be fair, nice find.
I like the lines on those old vectras, probably one of those and signums are the only vauxs id condisder.
-
Only Vauxs Id go for would be the VX220 or Monaro.
Jaimz :rock:
-
headlights, rear lights, front grill, colour coded bumpers and bump strips, bootlid
may be some others
cool, was doing some reading and they say there are some chassis tweaks. Also the Engine is beefier than the older version.
-
an addendum.
Just sold my old bin, £400 for a car i didnt want anymore. Advertised it this afternoon at 1pm, the guy just rolled up at 11 tonight, had a look round it, drove it a bit, then handed me £400. I think thats a new fridge freezer and washing machine!
-
After living with it for a week, ive come to some conclusions. Mostly positive.
Pros :
Runs cheap, pushing 130miles out of £15 of petrol
Quick when required
Loads of room, and the seats are excellent. Im tall, and my back hurts a lot when ive been sat in a car for too long.
Handles Pretty well.
All round disk breaks with ABS. I forgot what a difference they make.
Quiet, The engine purrs. Massive improvement over the old 18S and 18SEs ive had in the past.
Bye Bye boy racer :)
Aircon, Who needs a sunroof?
Cons :
Torques Steers like mad when you put your boot in on a corner, and the power steering is a little too light to make it easy to correct.
Ride is a bit bumpy in rought roads, but it appears that Vauxhall ordered the car with some extra anti-roll bars and the like (was a Vauxhall owned car for the 1st two years). Probably why it handles better than the R-reg one of the lads I know has.
Its a Vectra, bugger all status for driving one. If i was bothered I wouldnt have bought it though.
-
Its worth signing up to an online owner club like migweb.
My £15 for the year was easily paid for by the trade club membership (service parts cheap at vaux dealers) and trade prices at autovaux.
-
Its worth signing up to an online owner club like migweb.
My £15 for the year was easily paid for by the trade club membership (service parts cheap at vaux dealers) and trade prices at autovaux.
I wasnt sure if it was worth it, ive no intention of tuning or bodykitting the car, so a Performance related website didnt seem right forme to join.