Big or little?

[pandamonium]

I am about to purchase a new daily driver....I have narrowed it down to two cars, but the differences are so vast, its hard to compare!Option 1Volvo 240 estate1992 (J) 2.0 automatic 7 seater - £400Option 2 Daihatsu Move1998 ® 800cc - £500Both have 12 mths test but the Volvo has no tax, so worth about the same!What would you choose?

[Timewaster]

Depends what you are going to use it for.I love big estate cars for carting shite, I love little cars that cost nothing to run.Both are suitably silly!

[pandamonium]

I'm leaning towards the daihatsu as I already have a huge estate! plus Volvo + autobox + sub 2ltr engine = painfully slow!

[Mr H Sceptre]

What kind of mileage to you tend to cover? Any long trips? Kids?

[pandamonium]

I'd be keeping the mazda for long trips if I got the Daihatsu, so it makes no odds really

[Timewaster]

Die Hard Sue it is then.

[Mr H Sceptre]

Die Hard Sue it is then.

Agreed

[pandamonium]

Haven't got a pic yet, but here's a close match

[michiel]

Move! But then again, I like small Japanese cars.

[pogweasel]

Both sound incredibly dreary and not in a good way. 2-litre slusher Volvo would be very, er, relaxed. My 2.3 was sluggish enough, so god knows what less cc's would do. Still, I'd rather that than 800cc's of daihatsu, which really looks like it should not be allowed to exceed 30mph or go out in winds exceeding a stiff breeze. I would imagine one of those would be a totally joy-less experience.

[pandamonium]

Well, there has been talk of me having her Suzuki Swift, and she'd have the Move.

[pogweasel]

Urgh. A lose-lose situation if ever there was one.

[Station]

I'd go for the Move, owning a small car again recently made me realise I don't need a big car, higher petrol bills/insurance/road tax.

[Pete-M]

I'd go for the Volvo. I don't like small and / or Japanese cars.There's also the 240 GLT estate I keep seeing parked, I do like those. I think it's the alloys on 'em, combined with their sheer usefulness and comfyness.The Dai Hats U would bore me senseless within 10 minutes.

[Guest]

I would have the Move SR-XX 4WD.

 

 

Same twincam turbo and 4WD combo as my Mira Turbo, but in a chassis even more prone to tipping over. Quick though.

[dollywobbler]

I would have the Move SR-XX 4WD.

 

 

Same twincam turbo and 4WD combo as my Mira Turbo, but in a chassis even more prone to tipping over. Quick though.

Simply buy the move and fit castors to the sides. Ace look!

[FredTransit]

Go with the Volvo. Our 240 saloon is nippy enough (GLT, 2.3 Auto) but don't know how the 2.3 would fair with the extra weight of an estate, let alone with a full compliment of passengers.

[pandamonium]

Went to see the Move tonight, I didn't get it in the end. Loved it, but a supicious knock from the engine put me off. I know what you are thinking, but I know what a 3-pot daihatsu lump should sound like!For £500 it wasn't bad though with a full MOT, but I didnt want to risk it. Back to the drawing board!

[michiel]

That SR-XX looks/sounds interesting! Racing granny mobile. Put on 'to import from J-land list'.

[Futuramic]

Look out for an earlier Volvo and be sure to get a manual!The J-Platers had the added complexity of a cat and Lamda-Sond injection.Mine has the old Fenix constant injection system. This is more reliable and gives 20 Bhp extra! I'm not lying the older style non-emissions cars were a hell of a lot faster. Fuel consumption is eye watering, however. Mine is a bit sluggish off the line (they all are) but has a nice punch in the mid range and will sit happily at 110 mph. Even relaxed at these speeds, like doing 65 in a Dai-shat-su. The Volvo will be the much better and more accomplished car, remember it was a luxury item in its day - but you will have the problem of fuel bills.It's the wrong spec too, the B200 auto is slow. Go for an earlier type, E-F 88-89 era without the Lambda Sond, and make doubly sure to get the manual box. They are sweet across the gate, the throw is long but they are notchily precise in a way that no front driver can be. I believe he saloon is bot stiffer and lighter than the estate. Mine handles reasonably. Remember they came with a five link axle as standard. Mk2 Escorts would kill for that setup. Saloons are less likely to have been ruined by children and dogs too.