My fucking Shitroen strikes again....

[Guest]

*death by a thousand tiny cuts*Where do I buy glass cutter from?My brand new OEM 'idiot proof' wipers have scuffed the top of my windscreen. (Karma?!)Also, it got an advisory for 'slight play' in a lower balljoint, and the OS rear wheel bearing is utterly fucked. ON A BLOODY FIFTY THOUSAND MILE CAR.And the centre dash flap broke.And the glovebox.And the key (which snapped in half leaving the blade in the ignition).And the scissor jack.And the high level brake light (cracked).And the windscreen gutter trim (fell off).The rear seats flex.The steering STILL FUCKING JUDDERS despite the wheels being balanced AND the tracking done for the eighty billionth time.The rear discs (set 4, let's not forget) are warping again.Panel fit is atrocious.AND HOW THE LIVING BOLLOCKS CAN A FUCKING OIL FILTER BE £20????!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH FUCK THE PAIN MAKE IT STOP.Seriously, before I set it on fire for being the biggest pain in the arse ever, does anyone have any glass cutter (or know where to buy it) and have any pearls of wisdom about Volvo V50s?

[r.welfare]

any pearls of wisdom about Volvo V50s?

Yeah. A Focus is much the same thing and far cheaper.

[Guest]

any pearls of wisdom about Volvo V50s?

Yeah. A Focus is much the same thing and far cheaper.

I have an irrational hatred of modern Fords sir. But I should have known that skinning thing was going on, what with Volvo being part of the PAG.Looked at a C30 but it was the most 'lifestyle' thing I've ever seen and wasn't that impressed.Went in the Amazon and they hadn't a clue what it was. 'Is that a Packard mate?' 'Are you trading it in? Was it supergarded?'

[r.welfare]

Saab 9-3 SportWagon? Just don't touch the diesels*.* Mine was fine over 25k miles in 11 months, but the web is full of horror stories about the GM/Fiat 1.9 donk.

[Richard]

Is there any new car you can buy that doesn't bugger up on a regular basis?

[dollywobbler]

Andre would turn in his grave! My 2CV has clocked up 168,000 on the ORIGINAL axle arm bearings. Now that's how a Citroen should be!

[Station]

If you never want to spend another penny on a runabout in stupid 'broken' charges, get a mk3 Astra, even better with an Isuzu TD engine. 250 quid and they're built like a new Audi.

[aled]

i got the toyota for the wife and kids, while i have all the rest below for unreliability.

[alfetta]

old merc diesel or a toyota Carina....

[aled]

old merc diesel or a toyota Carina....

my old carina e was super reliable, wish i had kept it

[outlaw118]

Might I recommend a V40 T4?Insurance is a bit dear, but well built and go like shit off the shovel.

[Guest]

Might I recommend a V40 T4?Insurance is a bit dear, but well built and go like shit off the shovel.

I'd put it through a hedge in about 35 seconds.Plus, due to the fact that it's often shared with mes familie it has to be vaguely new. New to me means X plate onwards. New to everyone else in my fucking vicinity means ~2 years. 'Because it'll go wrong otherwise'. Will it? Will it really? Well, I've bought 'new' and all it's fucking done is go wrong! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING.Hence my plan to buy a GTI 6 goes out the window. But least I wouldn't resent spending money on it. And actually, I wouldn't have to lend it out because my mum 'wouldn't drive that shit old car'. Plus almost every GTI 6 now will be ragged to fuckery.The C4 pisses me off because all it has to do is do its job, and it can't even do that without going wrong with depressing regularity. I've lost count of the number of times I've arrived at work really wound up because something has irritated me on the drive in. Something that should rattle or judder or squeak.

[gallondrunk]

.

[Rocket88]

Skoda Octavia tdi [old model] seems to be built out of indestructium, bits that do go wrong are cheap, you can re-map them to approx 140 bhp, and still get 40/50 mpg. What's not to like?

[AnthonyG]

Buy a Ford.Seriously, they are good value, good to drive, and a lot more reliable than many supposedly 'superior' makes, such as Volvo or Volkswagen Avoid Saab if you are thinking of spending more than banger money, unless Fiat take them over they will probably get f**ked up and shut down like Rover - and you will end up with no resale value and not much aftermarket support either. You can't get away with no wear and tear on a 50,000 mile car though. Only a few years 50K was regarded as half the life of a car, and even now it's a quarter to third 'used' in terms of component life. Therefore the play in the joint and bearing replacement are not that surprising, particularly on a 'cheapish' brand like Citroen.

[AXrescuer]

If you never want to spend another penny on a runabout in stupid 'broken' charges, get a mk3 Astra, even better with an Isuzu TD engine. 250 quid and they're built like a new Audi.

Amen to that brother, I have two of them!

[Guest]

Skoda Octavia tdi [old model] seems to be built out of indestructium, bits that do go wrong are cheap, you can re-map them to approx 140 bhp, and still get 40/50 mpg. What's not to like?

That or a Mk1 Fabia estate had crossed my mind actually.Anthony, all I expect to spend on a brand new - 50K car is routine maintenance and tyres. That is reasonable for a new car.As my Citroen has cost me way, way more than that I really can't see the point of buying a new car. They're supposed to be no hassle. Why else would you buy one? It was bought to do a job and it can't even do that properly.Also, I don't want a Ford. Sorry. They do nothing for me at all.The Fiesta is hideous, the Focus is boring and the Mondeo is too big.I have 8 months left on my hire purchase. Then I will have to think, because unless it miraculously sorts itself out it will not be hanging around.So far, here's my list.Golf - expensive, boring, dull, overrated, not that reliableLeon - slightly less expensive but fucking hideousMegane, C4, 308 - fuck right offAstra - dittoFocus - boringC30 - Bollocks and lifestyle, stupid boot, stupid bodykit and trim, stupid NS handbrake and no dead pedal.306 GTI 6 - irrational want that won't go away.Are Mark 1 Leons any good? They seem like a Golf without all the pretentious horse shit.

[dollywobbler]

Mk1 Leons are pretty cool I think. Lovely looking and VAG mechanicals. That may or may not be a good thing - as you say with the Golf, they're not as reliable as the Eighties ads would have you believe...I've driven a Mk1 Octavia diseasel with 200,000 miles on the clock. Apart from a creaky driver's seat and a floppy gearchange, you'd hardly know. I think the Mk1 Octavia is a fine looking car.Oddball choice - Seat Toledo. The Leon-esque Toledo seems to have all but disappeared. Can't remember the last time I saw one.

[Pete-M]

Mk1 Leons are good.Focii are a lot better though. I don't get why people say they're boring. They're the best in their class by a mile. People who say the Focus is boring haven't thrashed one hard enough...Mk3/4/5/6 Golfs aren't very good. A3s are worse. Leons are weirdly ok though.Don't do the French stuff unless you're planning on keeping it for 30 years. At least if it's 30 years old Ratdat will probably buy it [1]Toyotas, Hondas, Mitsubishis, Mazdas et all are pretty dull but reliable.Focus is the best though.[1] Please note, I'm a closet big Frogmobile pervert.

[dollywobbler]

Actually, I'm a big fan of the Mk1 Focus too. The new one is bloody hideous, horrible to drive and makes you feel like you're piloting a coffin.I hate Ford diesels though, even though having driven Festers, Focuseses and Mundanos, the ones fitted to Focuseseses seem to be a lot better. Don't know why...

[r.welfare]

Last-of-the-line Fabia Mk1 vRS?

[Guest]

I have 8 months left on my hire purchase. Then I will have to think, because unless it miraculously sorts itself out it will not be hanging around.

Pop over to "Hirst Leasing" and get yourself an executive saloon at a price you can afford. Just tell your family they can get their own sodding car and cruise around to success in a Stanza/Carina/Montrose/Quintet/Tredia/L-Series. Seems to work for me.

[IanF]

I've been impressed with the Mk1 Leon's we've had in our family, as they feel like a genuinely superior car to Mk4 Golfs (certainly the low end ones anyway). Also had a hire Mk2 Leon which sucked out loud in comparison.

 

Would recommend a 1.6 as the 1.4 my Ma has now is gutless.

 

My Ma's first one ended up like this after a building site cement mixer hit it at a closing speed of about 80 mph She got a way with a knackered wrist and some cuts and bruises thankfully...

 

 

 

[Milford Cubicle]

I know someone with a Leon 1.4, the engine is so gruff I had trouble working out what fuel was powering it. It's also epically uneconomical for such a small engine - high-20s MPG is quite normal for her. I quite like them though, I guess the moral of the story is to get a bigger-engined petrol or diesel one.

[Guest]

WTF is it with all the Ford love around here?The Mk 1 Foci have a fucking awful dashboard and only handle well because Ford pulled a 306 apart and copied it, at least at the front. In short, it's only good because of what Ford ripped off of other manufacturers. The engines are still shit and they still rust around the rear arches, bootlid and bonnet like every other fucking Ford made. If you disagree with me, there's 3 at work between 7 - 8 years old and they're bubbled up to fuck and rotten. I drove a Mk 1 TDCi Focus down my favourite road and it understeered like a pig. Yeah fine, I was trying, but my [knackered] 90 BHP TD 306 was quicker down the same road. My mates colander TDDi is even worse.The Mk 2s are dull as fucking ditchwater and are trying far too hard to be a Mk4 Golf. The only decent thing about them are the diesel engines and that's because they're not a Ford design - they're from PSA.Fine, I'll go and try one, but it better be the best fucking car in the entire world to drive ever because it will bore me shitless otherwise.*is feeling the Fabia vRS love.**did have love for teH PSA but now fears it will never return unless they start making the 306 again.***comes from a circle of friends where Fords are almost universally derided and disliked, so is unused to hearing teH love for the modern Ford.

[dollywobbler]

Sorry but I still rate PSA diesels as some of the best, though VAG ones are bloomin' good too. Which leads me to recommend the Skoda Roomster! Futureshite?

[Guest]

Sorry but I still rate PSA diesels as some of the best, though VAG ones are bloomin' good too. Which leads me to recommend the Skoda Roomster! Futureshite?

Yeah, the engine in my C4 is decent. It's the only reason why the Mk 2 Focus diesels are good as well, strangely.Shame the rest of the C4 is complete and total unremitting shit, but I suppose you can't have everything.

[Richard]

I'm with you on expecting at least 50000 fault-free miles from a new car, what other reason is there for buying new? Unfortunately I don't think it's possible now.

[morris_ital_lover]

I know they have been slated here but the mk4 golf ain't too bad, haven't had any major problems with the parents cars although VW will try and take you foor a fookin ride on maintainence!m0rris

[Volksy]

How about a new shape Civic?