Autoshite: New Car Worse Than Old One Shocker

[outlaw118]

As I've mentioned on here before, my work van is a 06 reg (built 2003!) Citroen Dispatch, N/A Dizzle, XUD 1.9.

And I hate it.

So, last Thursday, when the alternator decided to die, and I was given a car to replace it (temporarily) I was chuffed to be given a Vauxhall Insignia 1.8 VVT Sri NAV, in metallic black from Europcar.

November 2010 registered, 13250 miles, loads of scratched, appears last hirer was Stevie Wonder.

 

It's a bit pants to be honest.

 

 

Don't get me wrong, inside it's massive, I'm 6foot tall, and can sit behind myself (if you see what i mean) and theres probably enough room for a body or two in the boot. There's a decent stereo, air con, climate control, and too many buttons. The satnav is a faff, and the electronic handbrake is a pain in the arse.

I don't know how many horses it should have, but I reckon someone left the bonnet open and some of them have escaped. It seems to be drinking like a bastard too, I've NOT been caning it (much) and I've done just over half a tank in a week - 150 miles only - AND the road tax is £306pa.

 

 

GOOD POINTS

Roomy, enough space for five and luggage

Quiet, able to have "normal" conversation at 75mph ish

Looks good, in that colour anyway

Handles ok, normal fwd understeer, but you've really got to be trying....

Er.......

 

BAD POINTS

It's thirsty

It's slow

It's a bugger to park - really could do with parking sensors, quite difficult to judge edges

Rides a bit jiggly, doesn't appreciate speed-bumps

Too many buttons

Electronic handbrake

Won't start until you've got your foot on the clutch,

£306pa Tax

I know this one's had a hard life, but there's a few "quality" issues....

 

 

I like my Volvo better.

[carlo]

Horrible

[MK5 Escort]

So it's Europcar that has stacks of those Shrewsbury registered Vauxhall's then? I see them all over the place from the south coast and up in the highlands of Scotland. They all appear to come from Greenhous too.

 

Most cars today are set up more for handling than anything else, thus jarring ride qualities from most manufacturers. Anyone who’s driven a modern Audi (particularly S-Line models) or BMW will know what I’m on about…

 

Black is probably the worst colour to get a rental car in. A very high maintenance colour with countless low-maintenance drivers…

[garethj]

Considering the state of the roads in Britain these days with potholes and speed humps, it’s a wonder that cars are set up for lapping the Nurburgring. Surely we should all be driving a cross between a 2CV and a Dangel Peugeot?

[ashmicro]

My pal was given one of these to drive by her insurers after her 407 HDi got squashed. Same year and spec bar the colour (metallic BROWN). All of what you said. I'm used to hard/no suspension, but this shitbox had a terrible, fidgety, joint-jangling ride, and hard seats. It felt heavy, and as you say it was bloody thirsty for not much go. I had a 170k miler 1.7TD GLS mark 3 Cavalier, and it was just a better car, knackered although it was.

 

The Insignia is a predictable GM FAIL, in my opinion.

[M'coli]

I drove one from Yorkshire to Birmingham and back 2 years ago. To me it didn't seem that stiffly sprung, but did feel heavy, slow, claustrophobic and cramped - maybe not if you're lanky, but I'm broad so it was a problem. Petrol too, and sticking to the speed limit and using the cruise it did 43mpg, which isn't to shabby. I wouldn't buy one with the sports seats however, as my arse just doesn't fit in them.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Never driven one, but I have an irrational hatred towards them, as an uncle of mine bought one when they first came out to replace his SIMCA 1100 (he's quite well-off, had owned the Simca from new and had it maintained properly).

 

I think this is the result of the stupid 'let's make the new model bigger than the previous one' trend. You end up with all the mainstream manufacturers making 'family cars' that are bigger than a 5-series. With a couple of exceptions (e.g. Granada mk2, Granada mk3/Scorpio mk1 plus the Camry/Legend which are US models that get a few units exported to Europe), big cars from mainstream carmakers have been EPIC FAILS since the days of the Renault 30. The Superb is already suffering the same fate (although its development costs will have been minimal), the 407 hasn't really been a hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody were to tell me that sales of the Mondeo are not very healthy either.

[Pete-M]

The Superb is already suffering the same fate (although its development costs will have been minimal), the 407 hasn't really been a hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody were to tell me that sales of the Mondeo are not very healthy either.

 

The new Superb, as I've often stated, is an excellent piece of kit. Ludicrously huge inside, not that big outside. The suspension isn't rock hard in 'em, they handle well, they're quiet, comfy and in 2.0 TDi form reasonably nippy and very economical.

 

I would buy a new Superb, and I'd even consider a diesel one.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The Superb is already suffering the same fate (although its development costs will have been minimal), the 407 hasn't really been a hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody were to tell me that sales of the Mondeo are not very healthy either.

 

The new Superb, as I've often stated, is an excellent piece of kit. Ludicrously huge inside, not that big outside. The suspension isn't rock hard in 'em, they handle well, they're quiet, comfy and in 2.0 TDi form reasonably nippy and very economical.

 

I would buy a new Superb, and I'd even consider a diesel one.

 

Yes, I should have made myself clearer. I didn't mean to say that all of the cars I mentioned were rubbish (although I think the suspension setup on most of them is far too hard)- it's just they are trying to sell them to a nonexistent market.

[Pete-M]

 

Yes, I should have made myself clearer. I didn't mean to say that all of the cars I mentioned were rubbish (although I think the suspension setup on most of them is far too hard)- it's just they are trying to sell them to a nonexistent market.

 

Taxi drivers will always need a comfy, economical, easy to drive, decent handling, reliable car. That's who Skoda had in mind with the Superb, and the only reason the Toyota Avensis exists.

 

I'm surprised that the Avensis doesn't come from the factory with a taxi meter and feu orange option. Kinda similar to this;

 

[MK5 Escort]

Even though I think Vauxhall do get an excessively rough ride when it comes to criticism in general, I just don't like the Insignia. It's too big, too bulbous and in my eyes anyway, not pretty to look at in any bodystyle. I find the interior positively cramped compared to the underrated Vectra and headroom in the back leaves a lot to be desired. The seats are too hard and so is the ride on most of the models I've experienced.

 

Seconded on the common rail 2.0TDi units from VAG. One of the smoothest four cylinder diesels I've experienced to date. There’s been various power outputs of this unit in the last couple of years and other than the 'baby' 120, I'd happily own any of the others as a daily driver. Very smooth and refined (for a diesel), decent on juice if you have a light enough right foot and the latest 136 with stop-start (which can be deactivated by the flick of a button thankfully – otherwise GR8 for starter motor businesses) is only currently £30 a year to tax.

[rawy]

I bought an ex-enterprise Diesel insignia sept last year & just couldn't get used to the ride, you are correct when you say its jiggly, it just wouldn't go in a straight line without compensating every min or so. It also had hundreds of rattles, wind noise & everything. So I had to get rid & now have a Pug 205 TD.

 

Rental fleets are full of insignias though, I used to hire a lot through enterprise & last year I had:

 

1x Insignia Estate SE NAV

2X Mondeo Zetec

1x VW Passat Estate R-line

 

Which I thought was quite nice, liked the fords & vws

 

This year I have been offered 5x insignias, of which I've turned down 2 & ended up with a Nissan X-trail & eventually they found me a Mondeo Ghia with Leather & all the toys. Unfortuntaley thats going off fleet now, so the next hire will be an insignia as Enterprise has just had a shed load of 11 plate insignia's delivered

 

Need to find a hire company with mondeos... Insignia's suck

 

Rawy

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Sixt tend to have more VWs than anything else, however, outside of a handful of stations, they franchise/co-operate with local operators who could rent you any kind of random shite...

[trigger]

If you want a rough ride I'll take you around the block in my Mondeo, Sports suspension and 18" low profile tyres do not make for a comfortable ride.

[Guest]

How DARE anyone criticise Vauxhalls!

 

How DARE you!

 

BASTARDS!

[Futuramic]

The Superb is already suffering the same fate (although its development costs will have been minimal), the 407 hasn't really been a hit, and I wouldn't be surprised if somebody were to tell me that sales of the Mondeo are not very healthy either.

 

The new Superb, as I've often stated, is an excellent piece of kit. Ludicrously huge inside, not that big outside. The suspension isn't rock hard in 'em, they handle well, they're quiet, comfy and in 2.0 TDi form reasonably nippy and very economical.

 

I would buy a new Superb, and I'd even consider a diesel one.

 

Eh? Every new taxi round here is a Skoda Superb. Even I've been in one and I usually employ the truly shite method of walking home after a night on the bottle. It was a diesel; and had the DSG gearbox. I was too drunk to notice anything else about it; except that it was extremely comfortable.

 

On a relevant note: does the Insignia still employ the ridiculous circular gearknob of the old Astra? For those with small hands it was terrible.

[forddeliveryboy]

Vauxhall seem to have had ride probs for a while now - wasn't Lotus brought in to try and make the Vectra remain reasonably composed on M-ways? Whenever I follow them the back end always looks to be bobbing about. Cavalier with the half-hour clutch change last decent honest Vauxhall.

[Guest Len H]

The engine in the Berlingo is a DW8, not an XUD.

[BrianDamaged]

We've got an Insignia estate at work as a pool car, which has been nicknamed 'The Short Straw'. Horrible bloody thing. No more than you'd expect from a car named after a disgusting 80's aftershave.

[RoadworkUK]

Unfortunately, fashion dictates that all cars today must be fitted with 'kin huge wheels, with unnecessarily low-profile tyres and masses of contact patch.

 

The resulting huge levels of grip and roadholding are frequently miss-interpreted as "good handling", just because the car can be hurled around a corner without falling off. In reality, if these cars were shorn of their Pirelli P-Zeros everybody would realise that the chassis are usually hopeless. Mind you, there's never been a duff handling Mondeo.

 

The Accord I drove the other day felt particularly wierd; grip galore but a bizzare feeling of the front end not being connected to the rear end.

[fiatdaft]

1800 insignias are a bit wank,but there are worse cars oot there,btw tax is only £306 for the first year then reverts to £210 after that.

[cms206]

USELESS PHACKT - only four cars have ever made me carsick; my Dad's 1.3 Montego, my mate's 1.3 06-plate Fiesta, and both of my mate's Insignias, one an SRi, the other an Elite. The last two hire cars I had were Mk6? Astras, a 56 and an 07 and I found them perfectly acceptable, but not to the point I would have one over a Focus.

 

I did seriously consider an Insignia to replace my last Focus because Vauxhall were doing GR12 Motability deals at the time (ahh, the real reason the new car in the fleet comes to mind!) but the Mondeo just felt much more stable, better put together, comfier and... well... better. Even in 1.8TDCi trim mine isn't bad and I'd still take it over the 2.0CDTi Elite Insignia I could've had instead.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

if for whatever reason you have to have a new car, the Ceed/EyeDirty is pretty much the only option for a half-decent car that provides any kind of value for money.

[outlaw118]

Oh, didn't realise the first year tax thing....Doh!

 

I seem to remember when these things first came out someone one here found the dimensions of the old "egg box" grille Senator, and these fuckers are bigger!!! Would rather have a Senator though....

[fiatdaft]

if for whatever reason you have to have a new car, the Ceed/EyeDirty is pretty much the only option for a half-decent car that provides any kind of value for money.

 

 

nah !

[BrianDamaged]

if for whatever reason you have to have a new car, the Ceed/EyeDirty is pretty much the only option for a half-decent car that provides any kind of value for money.

 

 

nah !

 

 

I had to help out with a supplier audit for work 'dahhhn sarf' a few months back, and they rented me a C'eed CRD estate. Well grunty for a 1600 turdodiseasel and fun to drive, too. Was quite impressed with it!

[wuvvum]

I have to say every modern Kia I've driven has been SRSLY impressive. Whether that's just because my initial expectations were low is hard to say...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I have to say every modern Kia I've driven has been SRSLY impressive. Whether that's just because my initial expectations were low is hard to say...

 

I drove a Ceed and an equivalent-engined/specced Golf (which obviously comes with a higher pricetag than the Ceed) with only a couple of days in-between- it's chalk and cheese. Proves why SEAT are going the way of the dodo- the Golf only sells because of its reputation.

[Cavcraft]

I'm doing my best not go all 'Len' here but don't know how long I can hold out.

[Guest]

I'm doing my best not go all 'Len' here but don't know how long I can hold out.

 

Well fuck off and create your own forum then, YOU GRUNTING MONG.