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[Doctor Gollum]

Give me a week and I shall review the Hyundai i40 diseasal saloon...

I can do that for you now: the I40(and its Kia cousin) offers all the flair and  attributes of an Avensis, but at 75% of the cost.


Any questions that my review doesn't answer are far too boring for anyone younger than 83.

Ok, after 500 miles in it, I would take the Avensis...

The wheels are effective at keeping the car off the ground, and the suspension functions adequately... That's to say it doesn't crash over bumps, but nor does it provide any handling attributes. Steering is numb and twitchy (think Omega with a worn out steering box and bushes).
It torque steers badly without effort.

It is very much an appliance and perfectly suited to anyone who is nearly dead/has no interest in driving/taxi drivers. It actually makes the mk1 Octavia seem sophisticated.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Give me a week and I shall review the Hyundai i40 diseasal saloon...

I can do that for you now: the I40(and its Kia cousin) offers all the flair and  attributes of an Avensis, but at 75% of the cost.


Any questions that my review doesn't answer are far too boring for anyone younger than 83.

Ok, after 500 miles in it, I would take the Avensis...

The wheels are effective at keeping the car off the ground, and the suspension functions adequately... That's to say it doesn't crash over bumps, but nor does it provide any handling attributes. Steering is numb and twitchy (think Omega with a worn out steering box and bushes).
It torque steers badly without effort.

It is very much an appliance and perfectly suited to anyone who is nearly dead/has no interest in driving/taxi drivers. It actually makes the mk1 Octavia seem sophisticated.

So you're not impressed then Al?         

[johnnydog]

That said, I wouldn't buy an old, low mileage diesel with dpf.

I thought 'old diesel' and 'DPF' don't go together - old diesels chuck out the smoke screen on acceleration because they haven't got a DPF. Newer diesels with a DPF are visibly cleaner in what they chuck out, and in the exhaust pipe because the DPF collects these otherwise visible deposits.
My experience of DPF's is purely down to the driving style of the user. Regular longer runs at reasonable speeds presents no problem as the DPF is burning off the deposits it collects. Low mileage pottering doesn't get the temperatures up to burn off the deposits, and that's when the problems start. But then you wouldn't buy a diesel and just use it to 'potter around', a petrol engine is the right engine for this type of use.
Another issue exists when users of diesels don't know the correct procedure when they get the first warning of a DPF issue - on VAG cars, an orange emissions light gives the first warning, and if the correct procedure (regeneration) is followed which basically involves a 15 minute run at higher engine speeds (motorway typically), the issue is normally rectified. If the normal driving style continues without remedying the issue, and the red warning appears, then it's a trip to the dealers. Generally, a simple regeneration procedure done using the computer is all it takes (its basically a programme that just automatically runs the engine through various rev ranges to clear the DPF)

Be aware on all those VAG cars of the A4/A6/Pisshat/Octavia sized cars, the front suspension wear sets in from about 80k.  There's quite a lot of arms/linkages involved, and once one starts to wear, the others generally aren't far behind, and it becomes a never ending saga.

I also would have to disagree with the above. Part of my job involved driving a wide selection of Audi / VW vehicles, from new low mileage cars to older 'been to the moon and back' high mileage cars. Very rarely did I ever encounter suspension issues; the only main item that tended to wear more than others were the 'C' links (anti roll bar drop links), which gave a similar symptom to any other car when worn - a minor knock / clunk or rumble over uneven road surfaces. Ball joints, wishbones, suspension legs and coil springs and the like were very rarely an issue.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Give me a week and I shall review the Hyundai i40 diseasal saloon...

I can do that for you now: the I40(and its Kia cousin) offers all the flair and  attributes of an Avensis, but at 75% of the cost.


Any questions that my review doesn't answer are far too boring for anyone younger than 83.

Ok, after 500 miles in it, I would take the Avensis...

The wheels are effective at keeping the car off the ground, and the suspension functions adequately... That's to say it doesn't crash over bumps, but nor does it provide any handling attributes. Steering is numb and twitchy (think Omega with a worn out steering box and bushes).
It torque steers badly without effort.

It is very much an appliance and perfectly suited to anyone who is nearly dead/has no interest in driving/taxi drivers. It actually makes the mk1 Octavia seem sophisticated.

I believe you have found the perfect car for STMO. All it needs is a restrictor to limit it to 70 MPH and the old boy and his whippet will be in heaven.

[tunnie]

That said, I wouldn't buy an old, low mileage diesel with dpf.

I thought 'old diesel' and 'DPF' don't go together - old diesels chuck out the smoke screen on acceleration because they haven't got a DPF. Newer diesels with a DPF are visibly cleaner in what they chuck out, and in the exhaust pipe because the DPF collects these otherwise visible deposits.
My experience of DPF's is purely down to the driving style of the user. Regular longer runs at reasonable speeds presents no problem as the DPF is burning off the deposits it collects. Low mileage pottering doesn't get the temperatures up to burn off the deposits, and that's when the problems start. But then you wouldn't buy a diesel and just use it to 'potter around', a petrol engine is the right engine for this type of use.
Another issue exists when users of diesels don't know the correct procedure when they get the first warning of a DPF issue - on VAG cars, an orange emissions light gives the first warning, and if the correct procedure (regeneration) is followed which basically involves a 15 minute run at higher engine speeds (motorway typically), the issue is normally rectified. If the normal driving style continues without remedying the issue, and the red warning appears, then it's a trip to the dealers. Generally, a simple regeneration procedure done using the computer is all it takes (its basically a programme that just automatically runs the engine through various rev ranges to clear the DPF)

Be aware on all those VAG cars of the A4/A6/Pisshat/Octavia sized cars, the front suspension wear sets in from about 80k.  There's quite a lot of arms/linkages involved, and once one starts to wear, the others generally aren't far behind, and it becomes a never ending saga.

I also would have to disagree with the above. Part of my job involved driving a wide selection of Audi / VW vehicles, from new low mileage cars to older 'been to the moon and back' high mileage cars. Very rarely did I ever encounter suspension issues; the only main item that tended to wear more than others were the 'C' links (anti roll bar drop links), which gave a similar symptom to any other car when worn - a minor knock / clunk or rumble over uneven road surfaces. Ball joints, wishbones, suspension legs and coil springs and the like were very rarely an issue.

Yep, spot on, sadly it's a gamble to tell. I could now tell via VAGCOM, but not sure dealers would let you plug in! Unless you did it when they were not looking and not telling them 

Bodes well then, currently 85k on the VW CC absolutely no sign of issues with front suspension. All still feels very taught and no feel through the car of problems. Slight weep from a rear shock, so will replace the pair soon.

Again, I think a lot is down to driving style. Throw it around at a lot and expect it to wear early, drive normally and only motorway miles means little wear.

[Doctor Gollum]

Give me a week and I shall review the Hyundai i40 diseasal saloon...

I can do that for you now: the I40(and its Kia cousin) offers all the flair and  attributes of an Avensis, but at 75% of the cost.


Any questions that my review doesn't answer are far too boring for anyone younger than 83.

Ok, after 500 miles in it, I would take the Avensis...

The wheels are effective at keeping the car off the ground, and the suspension functions adequately... That's to say it doesn't crash over bumps, but nor does it provide any handling attributes. Steering is numb and twitchy (think Omega with a worn out steering box and bushes).
It torque steers badly without effort.

It is very much an appliance and perfectly suited to anyone who is nearly dead/has no interest in driving/taxi drivers. It actually makes the mk1 Octavia seem sophisticated.

So you're not impressed then Al?         

For all its lack of charisma, it's oppsing frugal

Done 713.8 miles today. Still have 77 miles left.

Hypothetically that's a range of 790 miles

In reality, I have travelled from Arundel to John O'Groats on a single tank. Without trying.

That's 59.8 mpg at an average speed of 56 mph. Always at the posted limit or traffic, whichever slower, using cruise where possible and on every road type we have.

As appliances go, you can't argue

[TheBoy]

Again, I think a lot is down to driving style. Throw it around at a lot and expect it to wear early, drive normally and only motorway miles means little wear.

Not my cars (I wouldn't be daft enough to have one), so can't play that chestnut...  ...unless everyone drives like me, in which case I'm normal


If the requirement is for it to pass an MOT, then as I said in my post on the front suspension, it will likely last 150k before it starts failing, unless MOT tester is blind. Some people's requirement is for a tyre to be black and round, and begrudge the inconvenience that it might have to be legal to get an MOT. Same with bush wear as well.

When I got the Jag, it had been MOT'd 3 months previous, yet 2 of the front bushes weren't just worn, they were properly shagged.  That shagged, that they couldn't both have failed in those 3 months.  It was the first thing I noticed when I test drove it.


I think MOTs haven't moved on much from Morris Marina era.  Now, even your 160bhp soot chucker is 3 times the power, and most cars an awful lot more powerful, so I think MOTs should be tightened a lot more....


Mrs TB once owned a Metro, which I affectionately called the thrashmobile...  ...I quite liked that car.  It was always serviced and MOT'd by a garage due to time constraints.  Anyway, one day, I was just finishing work, got a phone call from a payphone (before mobile phones were affordable), it was Mrs TB saying the car wasn't right and was pulling under braking.  I told her to be brave, and nurse it home, thinking it was a slight brake pull.  I get home, and she still isn't back. Then I get another call from her (she'd made it to the next phone box ), saying she really didn't want to drive it further.  So I jump in the car, go tearing out to where she was, throw her the keys to my car, jump in the Metro, and start bombing home, thinking she was just being a girl.  First time I had to brake - a sharp left corner - I hit the brakes reasonably hard, and the car just spins . So nurse it home very gently, jack it up, it was a bush had obviously split some time ago, but had now completely separated .  Checked every other bush on the suspension, every single one was split and needed renewing. Yet had passed an MOT a few weeks earlier.

Car was scrapped, as the only viable way for me to change the bushes was all new components, as no access to press etc.  Replaced with a 1.2L Nova, which wasn't anywhere near the car that the Metro was . But was cheap

[TheBoy]

I think one of the WIM open days was an eye opener for many who attended. Virtually every single Omega had knackered wishbone bushes, yet all (presumably) had been MOT'd at some point.

[Nick W]

I think one of the WIM open days was an eye opener for many who attended. Virtually every single Omega had knackered wishbone bushes, yet all (presumably) had been MOT'd at some point.

That's not just an Omega issue: anything over 100k miles is well past its best. That probably won't be obvious to any driver who isn't interested in cars(most of them) or gradual deterioration masks the fault. It's only when somebody else drives the car, or other work is done that such faults are pointed out. Exactly the same thing applies to shock absorbers; I've never regretted fitting new ones, even ones that have passed the famed bounce test. All that really does is confirm that the thing is still attached to the car - the one I took off the Omega's NSF 'passed' but the piston dropped to the bottom of the case immediately the top nut was undone


Every time I drive my mother's Focus I find it hard to hear myself think over the noisy rear wheel bearing, but she's too deaf to hear it. And my sister is too stingy to buy new shocks for her car to stop the ghastly crashing from the rear end. I no longer bother pointing out such faults as I know the only they'll be fixed is if I buy the parts and do the work. And I'm behind on my own stuff. It could be worse though, at least I don't have to work on any of the Audi/Passat front suspensions again

[2boxerdogs]

Always bought low mileage cars be they old or new never had any problems like to see proof of good maintenance & look after them as per book.

[TheBoy]

Always bought low mileage cars be they old or new never had any problems like to see proof of good maintenance & look after them as per book.

Always a lottery, as FSH means diddly squat nowadays.

The Zafira had FSH went I got it. All fake, obviously.

TBE did as well. From Vauxhall. Took ages to resolve all that that implies.

The Jag does. Oh dear.

[2boxerdogs]

Always bought low mileage cars be they old or new never had any problems like to see proof of good maintenance & look after them as per book.

Always a lottery, as FSH means diddly squat nowadays.

The Zafira had FSH went I got it. All fake, obviously.

TBE did as well. From Vauxhall. Took ages to resolve all that that implies.

The Jag does. Oh dear.

. 




As I said never any problems all history  was genuine never part with cash unless 100 per cent happy , I am ultra fussy if the garage or private seller don't like it walk away.