What car?

[nero279]

I'd be tempted by a VW diesel, preferably the 1.9, so either a golf or a passat, but the polo is also available in a 1.5? diesel. I've got no experience with them at all though it's just where i'm considering going for an instructors car when i finally qualify. The VW diesels seem to have a good reputation, but i actually don't know anyone who's ever owned one i don't think.

[Woodzie]

Bmw , mercs , volvos and vw's are expencive on parts ........Servicing costs will make a impact on the running .......

but all of the above running on diesel will be practical.

Check out German and sweedish car spares for prices


Also i would say that melons ford focus TDCI is very good and would be a good alternative

[JUDWAK]

Hi all, just about halfway through my first week in the new job, and it seems ok.
I've been driving the van to the office, which gets me about 40mpg at 70-80 mph on the motorway, and it's a 100 mile round trip.

If I drive the surf, the mpg will be about 20 if I do the 70-80 mph, and about 30mpg if I keep to 60ish ( but this would increase the journey time.

Bear with me, I'm coming to the point.

It just ain't economical to run the surf 500 miles a week, let alone the risk of breakdown.

So the question is, what car do I get to do the commute to work. If the van goes back, there'll be no money back for trade in etc, if I sell the surf I might get £1500 if I'm lucky ( but I'd rather keep it if poss)

I have looked at the BMW 5 series, ( and the 635csi, but not practical) and wondered if a diesel would be best even though petrol is cheaper now.

Also looked at the old merc 190 D, coz they're bullit proof and will run on veg oil, and give about 40mpg.

So, what do you all think? can I afford to run the surf to work??
Or do I need to get a cheaper to run vehicle?

citren xanta 2.0 td
reason
very cheap to buy run and parts and its a french diesel runs on veg oil too
my old one did 100 miles to a tenner of diesel there is 67 miles left in it when the fuel light comes on i rallyed it through wood feilds and floods for 2 years with no problems at all ran it on pure veg oil from time to time ran fine stared first time every time
i only scraped it a few mounths ago (i never sell a car i kill it)
very good car
i have had about 23 cars in 3 years the xanta was the stongest and the best on fuel and cost me less to run and buy than any other car i ever had
200 quid 65000 on the clock 12 mouths mot and tax bergin
for that price you can run it in to the ground and buy another one

dont get a petrol one they are pants brake down alot
dont get a new one the 2.0 HDI they shatter the crank shaft pull alot
i have killed a lot of cars put cars through there pacers abit
learnt me that a french diesels run forever and they are not greedy too
its like haveing a peugeot but with out the elictrical problems

[JUDWAK]

Bmw , mercs , volvos and vw's are expencive on parts ........Servicing costs will make a impact on the running .......

but all of the above running on diesel will be practical.

Check out German and sweedish car spares for prices


Also i would say that melons ford focus TDCI is very good and would be a good alternative

ford focus?
doing them sort of miles it would need more bush's and ball joint's every year
than my truck plus the focus engine leeks oil from a few placers dew to very poor gasets when they are well run
there ok up to about 60000 mile
never do fords ford parts are cheap with a very good reason
you need lots of em

[ian2144]

The other half ran a Passat 1.9 130 TDi for three years and 106,000 miles, it was faultless..
Your budget of arond 2K will get an early 115 TDi, not many auto's..... most are 6speed manual.

For a motorway car you can't beat it !!

[hilly64]

Seat Toledo

VW based but cheaper and very very economical

[PDR]

Assuming that my maths are correct and that it takes you 50 min @ 60 mph or 42 min @ 70 mph to cover the 50 mile one way trip… you need to ask yourself how important those 8 minutes you save really are verses the extra fuel used.

Driving at 80 mph only saves an extra 6 minutes (over 70 mph) and of course is illegal….. and any time “saved” can easily be lost if your stuck in rush hour traffic.

[Woodzie]

ford focus?
doing them sort of miles it would need more bush's and ball joint's every year
than my truck plus the focus engine leeks oil from a few placers dew to very poor gasets when they are well run
there ok up to about 60000 mile
never do fords ford parts are cheap with a very good reason
you need lots of em

Melons focus is a1.8 TDci ghia on a 02 plate , my father bought it new and used it as a company car, it's done 120,000 with no major problems just regular servicing ..........I hate fords but have been surprised by its speed ,economy and the fact that it has been faultless so far.........

Also on a long run i get 550m out of a tank of fuel

[cataclysm]

The other half ran a Passat 1.9 130 TDi for three years and 106,000 miles, it was faultless..
Your budget of arond 2K will get an early 115 TDi, not many auto's..... most are 6speed manual.

For a motorway car you can't beat it !!

Exactly what I would suggest: VW Passat 1.9D.
Me ol' Ma had one that would go from Kent to Ayrshire, drive for a week and get back on a single tank.

Slow and boring, but a decent motorway mile muncher and cheap to insure.

Don't get an Audi 90 Quattro 2.3; 5mpg and 160 mph is fun, but not so great on the wallet, license etc.

[ian2144]

Exactly what I would suggest: VW Passat 1.9D.
Me ol' Ma had one that would go from Kent to Ayrshire, drive for a week and get back on a single tank.

Slow and boring, but a decent motorway mile muncher and cheap to insure.

Don't get an Audi 90 Quattro 2.3; 5mpg and 160 mph is fun, but not so great on the wallet, license etc.

Where did you get the above figures from ??

I have two quattro's, their averge fuel consumption is much better than you think. Once I did see my old turbo drop into single figuers, but that was going round the Nurburgring. That's not somthing you do every day.

ur quattro turbo 2.2 20V 220 bhp average MPG 25 - 30 Max MPH 147

90 quattro 2.2 NA 10V 136 bhp average Mpg 29 - 33 Max MPH 125

[plumb bob]

Assuming that my maths are correct and that it takes you 50 min @ 60 mph or 42 min @ 70 mph to cover the 50 mile one way trip… you need to ask yourself how important those 8 minutes you save really are verses the extra fuel used.

Driving at 80 mph only saves an extra 6 minutes (over 70 mph) and of course is illegal….. and any time “saved” can easily be lost if your stuck in rush hour traffic.

Thanks guys, for all your suggestions, I'll make a note of all the cars you've mentioned and look into each one when the time comes.

PDR, It actually takes an hour and a quarter to do the 50 miles, with about half of that at 80ish on the motorway, and the rest is speeding up and slowing down etc. etc.

You're right about the time saved though, it'll only run into 6-8 minutes across the whole journey, so it's not that important ( but you know how 5 minutes late leaving home in the morning can lead to being 20 minutes late at the other end)

When I went to Wales last year, the surf averaged about 30 mpg over the weekend, and that included doing Sarn Helen and all the Welsh lanes so the motorway mileage may have been even higher, so I've been thinking about doing a trial run in it next week, to check out the mpg ( at 60ish mph)and the reliabilty factor ( which is a bit of a worry in an 18 yr old 4x4) but maybe 100 miles a day will keep it working better than just sitting.

[plumb bob]

Well, just to revive an old thread with an update.

I eventually bought a Peugeot 306 5 door in blue, 1.9 TD (with intercooler) and has 134,000 miles on the clock, which is just about run in.

I have changed the oil anf oil filter and air filter, and made some adjustments to the cold start fast idle.
I will need to change the front brake pads and discs as soon as funds allow, and I'll also change the brakes fluid and the coolant too, just for piece of mind ( and they look a bit of a nasty colour)

It seems to do about 45-50 MPG, which I'm more or less happy with, as it's nearly twice what the surf does.

The parts for these little French diesels are pretty cheap, and they are fairly straight forward to work on ( compared to the surf anyway)

The only niggles are that the central locking is not working properly, so I took the fuse out to stop it from unlocking itself, and the radio don't work, but I've got the CD player out of the van which I'll put in, when I get a facia adaptor.
Oh and of the five tyres, there's not one the same brand, tread pattern or amount of wear

I found in the glove box, in a plastic bag, a FULL service history, from the first service at 9000 miles, right up to feb this year....what a bonus!

Anyhoo there it is, the surf has been relagated to weekend toy once more, and hopefully the little pug is now in place to take the strain off the surf ( as a daily driver) and save me about £200 per month, that I can try to put some of it towards surf related items..........................

PS:
Oh and forgot to mention, paid £600.00 for it......