Car advice ?

[shokenore]

After a extended search period I think I have whittled down the car choice to either a 2.2 Vectra or a Saab 93 1.9
or maybe an Alfa 156
Have read a few reviews on the vehicles listed, but would appreciate any thoughts any of you may have on the above.
It is for the Mrs as using the Surf for her commute to work is about 70 mile round trip so, yep about 3 gallons/£18 a day.....

[Sancho]

After a extended search period I think I have whittled down the car choice to either a 2.2 Vectra or a Saab 93 1.9
or maybe an Alfa 156
Have read a few reviews on the vehicles listed, but would appreciate any thoughts any of you may have on the above.
It is for the Mrs as using the Surf for her commute to work is about 70 mile round trip so, yep about 3 gallons/£18 a day.....

Ford make something called a Mondeo, which is not as bad as any of those three.

[andyverran]

2.2 Vectra
Saab 93 1.9
Alfa 156

I've owned the first 2, they're terrible....that might be a bit harsh on the Vectra....but the 2 93's I had really weren't great, they're Opel parts that cost a lot...Turbo's seem very sensitive to their oil quality.

I'd seriously think about the bus....you'll need it with the Alfa but at least it'll look good in the drive.

I've had a Mondeo 2.0 Zetec S TDCI Auto...38mpg and good looking...handled better than the Vectra/93.

[Tankerman]

Have to agree with the other posts. Vauxhalls and Saabs are known troublesome motors, and the Alfa's look nice but that is all they do!
Our fitter runs the latest in a series of TDCI Mondeo's and said it's the best family car his wife has ever had and she won't let him buy anything else!

[Predictable Bob]

I'm always amused by those that say they hate/will never buy a Ford - as an overall package they're cheap to run, reliable and handle very well the only downside is the Ford badge ...

[M8WHR]

If I was looking for a reasonable saloon car if have to look at Volvo first.... Yes it's a mondeo but build quality inside is better. Suppose if it wasn't for my Volvo I'd be dead though.

I'd then look at seat or skoda for German build quality without the German price tag.

The value of your vectra unless it's a 500 quid car, will plummet faster than RBS shares.

Can't say much about the Saab other than they went bankrupt, prob too many warranty jobs.. Enough said there.

Alfa do look nice, and I've heard there are a few decent ones out there. Good luck finding one though.

[Koi]

I looked at Saab as well and was advised to steer well clear, the Diesel uses a Fiat engine which is rubbish and has major faults with the EGR. Both petrol and diesel models suffer from the self adjusting suspension going wrong which I was told is a few hundred quid a corner to fix, this was advised by an independent Saab specialist.
Other than having a ford badge the Mondeo does get good reviews!

[gwh200]

My old 96 2.5 v6 Mondeo was a stonking motor. Would have another Mondeo in a heartbeat.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Me too!
I'd have a (petrol) Mondeo over any of the cars mentioned in the first post.

[andyverran]

I looked at Saab as well and was advised to steer well clear, the Diesel uses a Fiat engine which is rubbish and has major faults with the EGR. Both petrol and diesel models suffer from the self adjusting suspension going wrong which I was told is a few hundred quid a corner to fix, this was advised by an independent Saab specialist.
Other than having a ford badge the Mondeo does get good reviews!

In fairness to SAAB and Fiat, EGR is trouble everywhere...having said that I cleaned the Mondeo one with oven cleaner, came up lovely.

I'm always amused by those that say they hate/will never buy a Ford - as an overall package they're cheap to run, reliable and handle very well the only downside is the Ford badge ...

..and they sell less than BMW, so exclusive too
Though if you want to run WVO the Ford doesn't use a lift pump, so some mods needed.

[shokenore]

Thanks for the replies chaps.
It has been nearly ten years since I have had to buy a car, the last one was a Vtec Accord, which was so reliable it bordered on the ridiculous.However hardly very economical.
Fuel economy, however boring, is quite important and anything which will reduce a £400+ monthly fuel bill has to be considered(70 mile commute consisting of twisty A roads and a 20 mile motorway stint), and the Surf is surprisingly not that economical, I do sometimes wonder if they use diesel to cool the piston crowns

So the options have now changed to Primera, Avensis and Ford Mondeo/Focus.
Just have to find one that the Mrs likes the look of........
Once she gets her commuter car I get my Surf back

Thanks again

[BioHazard]

Nav run on the 26th Ady

[J i m s t e r]

There was a Focus 1.8 TDCI we used as a pool car a couple of years back, and you'd struggle to get that to do less than 50mpg no matter how you drove it. Motorways would see 70mpg easily if you kept under 90mph.

Every car has it's downsides, and with the TDCI it's separation of the dual-mass flywheel. Problem is common to most modern diesels (VAG etc.) as they use these flywheels to reduce vibration.

Never went wrong in the two years we ran it.

Looked like a melted wellie, mind. I'd never have one unless I had to

[Sancho]

If it's just for commuting, may I be a little unorthodox and suggest:

MX-5.

[gwh200]

If it's just for commuting, may I be a little unorthodox and suggest:

MX-5.

Why yes...yes you can.