| Motoring Discussion > Time to replace our Saab 9-5 | Buying / Selling |
| Thread Author: Mike H | Replies: 46 |
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 17:42
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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We've had our 2004MY Saab 9-5 Aero estate auto for 8 years, and after a recent breakdown, the second within the last year, it looks like it's time to move on. It's fast (around 7.5 secs to 60, has 265bhp and 420 Nm), comfortable, and has loads of space. But it only does 27mpg on a day to day basis, and rarely exceeds 33mpg on a long run. The head gasket is leaking oil externally, and this week, while the alternator is being replaced (cause of the recent breakdown) the mech will check the compression and test for combustion gases in the coolant to determine whether there is also an internal issue. Until the last year, it has been very reliable, and until the recent problem was running well. Looking at the figures on a spreadsheet, it makes no sense to keep it. It has covered 227,000 miles. The fuel consumption, the potential head gasket issue, and the long list of parts that are still original (and therefore with the potential to break) such as auto gearbox, turbo, starter, exhaust, aircon compressor etc. show a compelling set of figures. The problem is the replacement. We have simple tastes, and don't need loads of gadgets. SWMBO wants a large car similar to the Saab, estate, and something with a bit of power. I'm getting fed up with fixing cars, so I'm wanting reliability, and something young enough to either get the remains of a manufacturer warranty or an aftermarket (preferably a manufacturer "approved used" type). We would prefer auto, although I'm stronger on that than she is, having driven manuals more in the last 6 years since we dropped to the one car when we moved to Austria. I would prefer a TC auto rather than DSG, having read what people have to say on here and other forums. The problem comes with the fuel type. Our regular drives are no more than 15 miles with one stop. Every couple of weeks we probably make a trip of up to 40 miles, perhaps one or two stops. Once a month, a longer trip of around 60 miles, the only one which includes about 20 miles of motorway.We drive around 16,000 miles per annum, including a couple of trans-european trips back to the UK (she doesn't fly). I'm thinking that this driving pattern would indicate a petrol, with which I'm hoping to achieve an overall 40mpg-ish. I'm struggling to think of a petrol car that meets our criteria. The Passat or Superb estates with the 150bhp 1.4 TSi engines seem to be close, but of course they have a DSG. I think they would feel reasonably pokey. The other VW group TSi engines seem to be too thirsty. I did think of a Mazda 6 2.0 auto, but I think I might be disappointed with the fuel consumption. The Peugeot 308 is probably two small, and only offers a 1.2 with 130bhp - I remain unconvinced on the amount of power from a relatively small engine wrt fuel consumption and longevity. The other possibility is the 2.0 Ecoboost Mondeo estate auto which seems to have been last sold in 2011, but once again, there is the fuel consumption question. Having said all that, there are a preponderance of diesels here in Austria because of the pricing structure - diesel is currently c. 1.10 euros per litre, super is 1.26, and super plus, which the current Saab uses, is 1.33. There seems to be no widespread issue with clogged DPFs, given that most cars here are driven short distances and cover low annual mileages. None of our friends, who mostly drive diesels, seem to have this type of problem. Finding petrol cars in some model ranges is almost impossible - for example, there appear to be no used Mazda 6 petrol autos in the whole of Austria!! Budget and full spec are largely irrelevant to discuss here, as used prices are different, and specs are not the same as UK cars, but I wouldn't want to go to more than 20,000 euros, which won't get much newer than 2001-2012 in the size we want unless it's very leggy (e.g. I've found a nice looking and well equipped 2012 Passat estate 1.4 150bhp DSG with 82,000 kilometres on the clock for 15,500 euros at a trade site). We can sort that out ourselves when we can at least narrow down our search. Sorry for such a long post, but I'd value suggestions because I'm struggling a bit on this one, and particularly comments whether I'm wrong on the petrol vs. diesel debate and the exclusion of DSGs from my short list. Last edited by: Mike H on Sun 26 Jul 15 at 17:43
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 17:57
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| Should have mentioned that there are plenty of ways to finance new cars here, including leasing and PCP type plans, so new/almost new options meeting our criteria, even if the new price is greater than 20K euros, are not completely ruled out. |
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 18:03
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - sooty123
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When you say stop, do you mean a break or a traffic lights etc?
Last edited by: sooty123 on Sun 26 Jul 15 at 18:03
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 18:09
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| I mean it's not a continuous drive - we drive into town for something and leave the car for an hour or so. The day to day traffic is light, we're not crawling through heavy traffic, there is generally far less traffic so it keeps flowing, and much of the journey is what you'd call a country road, driving at around 45mph (forgot to mention the driving conditions in the original post - well spotted). |
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 20:38
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - mikeyb
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I don't see your usage pattern as a problem for DPF - I've driven less miles and shorter patterns in DPF equipped vehicles with no issues. You mention PCP and in the UK they can often be cheaper on diesel vehicles due to the better residuals - may be worth comparing in your home market Does it absolutely have to be an estate? BMW still fit TC autos, but if you could compromise on the estate how about a Lexus is300h ? |
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New Sun 26 Jul 15 21:45
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> BMW still fit TC autos, but if you could compromise on the estate how about >> a Lexus is300h ? >> I guess a big hatchback might work, but an estate would be better. I don't think a BMW would fit in our spending bracket, much as I'd like a 5 series xDrive :-( Haven't looked at a Lexus. If a diesel would work for us, then the choices are widened. Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 27 Jul 15 at 01:33
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 01:41
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Auntie Lockbrakes
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The solution screams diesel to me. Your annual mileage and the type of driving you do suit. The fuel is cheaper and there are far more diesel cars than petrol to choose from. Obvious contender must be the Volvo V70 D5? |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 07:44
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> Obvious contender must be the Volvo V70 D5? >> Looked at that option, not convinced that the gearbox is trouble-free. Re the petrol vs diesel question, there is also the environmental question to be considered re diesel particulates. But now I've written down the usage pattern, rather than just thought about it, you're probably right that diesel would be fine. |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 08:23
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - RichardW
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| Any diesel that is <5 years old will be Euro V with a DPF so there are no particulates. If you select carefully you may get a Euro VI car with NOX reduction (VAG has been adblue for a while I think?). You useage pattern should be no problem for a DPF diesel, it will regen OK |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 09:29
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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It's gots to be an E-Class hasn't it? Like this: www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201504162651946 |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 09:43
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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That would delight SWMBO, she has always wanted a Merc! The nearest I can find here is a 2011 with 230k kilometres on the clock at 125000 euros, which looks cheap. Will investigate further, thank you. PS. Want to buy a 9-5 with a working auto box in good order? ;-) |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 10:06
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Duncan
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>> That would delight SWMBO, she has always wanted a Merc! The nearest I can find >> here is a 2011 with 230k kilometres on the clock at 125000 euros, which looks >> cheap. 144,00 miles and £93,000! I think you may have slipped a decimal point somewhere, old chap!! |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 10:19
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| Lol. One too many zeros! |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 10:31
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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>> Lol. One too many zeros! >> Sounds familiar. |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 11:07
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Zero
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>> >> Lol. One too many zeros! >> >> >> >> Sounds familiar. Had you listened to your uncle Zero, you wouldn't have the physical scars from laguna Ownership. |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 11:19
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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>> Had you listened to your uncle Zero, you wouldn't have the physical scars from laguna >> Ownership. The bite marks from the tailgate trying to eat me are almost invisible now. (I loved that car. Sigh.) |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 10:30
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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>> PS. Want to buy a 9-5 with a working auto box in good order? ;-) >> Sadly the bell housings, according to my local SAAB specialist, are different in the diseasals, so your box wouldn't be much use to my car. 125000 doesn't sound cheap. ;-) |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 11:47
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mapmaker
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Honda Accord or Toyota Avensis. In Diesel. Why wouldn't you? |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 11:53
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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| Not saying it's a bad idea, but in my experience Accord and Avensis diesels with auto boxes are rare beasts. |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 18:49
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| The Accord tourer is a distinct possibility, but as you say, there aren't many around. From waht I gather, it's a better drive than the Avensis. |
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New Mon 27 Jul 15 19:06
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - ....
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What do the locals drive Mike H ? Are they like the Germans and stick with the German brands or are they stepping out ? Some of the locals in Germany are getting adventurous now. When we moved into the street it was a 90/10 split between black and silver. There are now dark blue, and white appearing. I was very surprised to see another burgundy car after my wife had one. Do you find the market skewed toward the German brands in terms of spare parts prices and insurance costs ? |
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New Tue 28 Jul 15 11:39
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> What do the locals drive Mike H ? >> >> Are they like the Germans and stick with the German brands or are they stepping >> out ? >> >> Some of the locals in Germany are getting adventurous now. When we moved into the >> street it was a 90/10 split between black and silver. There are now dark blue, >> and white appearing. I was very surprised to see another burgundy car after my wife >> had one. >> >> Do you find the market skewed toward the German brands in terms of spare parts >> prices and insurance costs ? >> Well, we're lucky in our area that we have dealers for most of the main brands, including 2 VW/Audi/Skoda dealers within 5 miles of each other. BMW, Honda, Renault, Peugeot, Ford, Hyundai, GM Opel, Nissan etc in no particular order. My snap answer to "what do the locals drive", is that I'd say there is a majority of VW group cars, but really it's a fair old mix. We occasionally get flyers from various car-related companies (tyre dealers etc), and yes, the good offers (e.g. new pads & discs for a fixed price) are all for VWs. I'm leaning towards a VW group car simply because of the ease of getting it fixed both here and in our journeys across Europe (althoug hopefully the new one won't need any fixing). Just this morning I was browsing online at a 2011 Passat 170bhp DSG 4Motion at just under 18,000 euros, which for here looks a good price. Just a bit worried about the DSG as the car has done 150K kilometres. Also browsing a 2010 CR-V 2.2 diesel auto, with only 70k km on the clock. Would I be making a mistake to look at a DSG of that age and mileage? I'm in the process of checking what warranties the two cars have. Interestingly they are both more or less in the same place, a few kilometres from the Spielberg circuit. |
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New Wed 29 Jul 15 01:54
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Auntie Lockbrakes
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I'd take the lower mileage CR-V over the Passat every time. Half of the wear and tear. Any Mondeo TDCi's in the area worth a look at? |
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New Fri 31 Jul 15 00:41
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Avant
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That CR-V seems well worth a look: but if you'd be happier with a VW Group car as you suggest above, look at a Skoda Octavia vRS (the estate is no longer than the hatchback, so go for it). If you have to have an automatic, these have the 6-speed wet-clutch DSG which is less troublesome than the 7-speed dry clutch. I have a petrol manual vRS estate which gives over 40 mpg on a long run. |
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New Fri 31 Jul 15 09:31
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> That CR-V seems well worth a look: but if you'd be happier with a VW >> Group car as you suggest above, look at a Skoda Octavia vRS (the estate is >> no longer than the hatchback, so go for it). >> We've been doing some more discussing and thinking over the last few days. The Octavia vRS is more our sort of car, as would be a 170 Passat, as we are used to driving what might loosely be called relatively sporting cars. The CR-V would be a new departure for us, and I need to get my head round the concept. We have two friends with (manual) CR-Vs, and they're very happy with them, in fact one of them has commented that it's probably the best car he's had. Both of them are the 2007-2012 model. The overall owner satisfaction over on HJ with this model is 4.4/5, which is pretty damn good. Re the vRS, the only one I can find in our price bracket, and with up to 100k km on the clock, is a petrol, and with the fuel pricing structure here, it will cost nearly 40 euros a month more to run than a similar diesel. As a matter of interest, it was registered in May 2010 and is priced at 16,500 euros, which is around £11,800. A couple of people have suggested taking advantage of lower prices by buying in Germany and importing, an avenue I may pursue, although with relevant taxes it may not be financially worthwhile. A further search shows that there is a reasonable mileage BMX X1 AWD 163bhp diesel in our price and the odd 3-series xDrive estate, but servicing costs are likely to be more expensive. The Accord tourer is still an option, but not many around! This weekend we need to crystallise the options, and what we can get for our money, against our criteria. Next week there should be some time for test drives. |
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New Sat 1 Aug 15 12:00
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - neiltoo
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>> >> The Accord tourer is still an option, but not many around! This weekend we need >> to crystallise the options, and what we can get for our money, against our criteria. >> Next week there should be some time for test drives. >> We rented one in N Ireland this spring. It managed 5 largish adults, and luggage with ease, and did (according to the computer) about 65mpg. Drove nicely, and even loaded could move on. Manual but didn't check which size engine (diesel) |
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New Wed 5 Aug 15 18:02
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> That CR-V seems well worth a look: but if you'd be happier with a VW >> Group car as you suggest above, look at a Skoda Octavia vRS (the estate is >> no longer than the hatchback, so go for it). >> A quick update. Looked at a Mondeo yesterday, it could well fit the bill but comes out above our desired budget (although it could be made to fit). Not driven it yet but ticks all the boxes in terms of size and space. Today we went to the Honda dealer, to look at the Civic tourer and the CR-V. The Civic was a non-starter due to the virtually non-existent nose. The CR-V however ticks all the boxes in spades. It feels bigger, and a lot more metal for the money. We'd only be able to go to the 1.6i-DTEC FWD with 120PS, but looks promising at a likely real life MPG of 55mpg. In terms of overall monthly cost of ownership (tax, insurance, leasing, fuel) it comes out at the same price as the Golf SV. The downside of the CR-V seems to be that it's not a particularly good drive. So, back to back test drives on Friday. SV at 1pm, CR-V afterwards (albeit the CR-V is a manual 4x4 with a more powerful 1.6 at 160hp but the extra weight of the 4x4 gubbins means that it feels pretty similar for performance allegedly). And the SV is a manual, not the DSG. Avant, I haven't dared to check out the vRS, as I know it will be significantly more expensive given that the Mondeo 150PS has shifted out of what we can afford. There is a monthly tax here based on engine KW - so the tax on the current Saab costs 112 euros per month, and on the SV and the CR-V c.40 euros. The tax on a vRS diesel would be c.80 euros. If I have a few minutes I'll do some rough calcs as I've found an Austrian-based insurance comparison website. |
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New Fri 31 Jul 15 10:22
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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| Would there be any merit in looking for the newest 9-5 estate money can buy? It'll be a 2010 at best, of course. Or have you discounted that option already and I've missed the memo? |
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New Sat 1 Aug 15 10:16
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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No, you didn't miss it. I did briefly consider it, but to realise significant savings in running costs I really need to switch to diesel. The later 9-5s had the 1.9 diesel, which can be troublesome, whereas the 2.2 tended, in general, to be more reliable due in part to the older technology. And finding used Saabs here is like looking for a needle in a haystack. There would be some upsides, for example I'm pretty familiar with the mechanics (except the engine) and could fix most things, but I was already losing my enthusiasm for crawling on the drive...... |
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New Sat 1 Aug 15 22:43
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - ....
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There are a few 3.0 TiD SAABs kicking around in Germany. Here's one with about mid-80k miles: ww3.autoscout24.de/classified/272701371?asrc=st|as Schaltgetriebe though, can you cope with all that torque on tap ? ;-) Last edited by: gmac on Sat 1 Aug 15 at 22:46
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New Sat 1 Aug 15 23:06
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| Not sure I'd want a 3.0 TiD given the likelihood of a blown engine :-s |
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New Mon 3 Aug 15 10:25
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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I think any problems with the 1.9 are exaggerated. That's the impression I get from the various SAAB forums out there. I'd like one myself, but the one thing that puts me off is..................cambelt. The 2.2s re all old now, they finished in 2005. My SAAB specialist reckons that, now I've renewed the injector seals that the only thing which could go wrong majorly with the car (except the transmission of course) is the fuel pump, the repair of which can run in to the thousands. Anyway, I'd not write off the 1.9s, they can be upgraded in power terms very easily too. A very common engine across GM and FIAT group cars. I might even overcome my cambelt fears to get one in the future. I'm surprised there aren't many around in Austria, I'd have thought Swedish cars would be popular in that climate. |
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New Mon 3 Aug 15 20:14
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> I'm surprised there aren't many around in Austria, I'd have thought Swedish cars would be >> popular in that climate. >> They're thin on the ground. There have never been more than a dozen or so dealers covering the whole of Austria which hasn't helped. Anyway a quick update. Having crunched information for a whole bunch of cars into a spreadsheet, and discussing the situation with SWMBO plus a friend, we've decided that buying new via leasing (very popular here) is the way to go. We went to the local VW dealership today to nose around a few options, and were a little surprised to find ourselves drawn to a Golf SV (unfortunately called a Sportsvan here). The salesman was very helpful, listening to what we wanted, our budget constraints, and suggested that we might find it interesting. There are good deals on the Tiguan, as it's being replaced next year, but it didn't really appeal. We looked at the Golf estate, which seemed disappointingly small inside based on my previous recollections, and the Passat, which was roomy enough but a little expensive. The Sportsvan felt roomy, and with the flexible seating plus the reasonably expansive boot, means that it might well fit the bill. We've brought the brochures home to digest, but I think it's likely we'll take a test drive of the 110PS 1.6TDi in the next couple of days. The 150PS 2.0TDi is available in the Sportsvan, but it's over 2500 euros more expensive. The pricing for the Sportsvan includes the DSG. The other quite different possibility is the Mondeo estate, compromising on a manual transmission in a 150 BHP 2,0 diesel. Whether we look at it remains to be seen, I need to look at a few more figures first. Our decision is partly influenced by the local mechanic who has recently fettled our Saab, expressing the opinion that the Japanese/Korean cars have potential issues with the winters here, leading to rusting underbodies from the salt on the road. An i40 might be worth a look. |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 09:20
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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| Er, what's a Golf Sportsvan if it isn't a Golf estate? A Golf Plus? A Touran? Not a Caddy is it? What do they market them as in the UK? |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 09:27
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Focusless
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I was wondering that... www.topgear.com/car-news/review/first-drive-vw-golf-sportsvan This is the new Golf Sportsvan. Which is, in every tiny particular, a Golf, but a bit bigger. Like your lymph nodes when you get a cold. Last edited by: Focusless on Tue 4 Aug 15 at 09:28
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 09:37
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Alanovich
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Ah. A SEAT Altea. I considered one of those once but the boot wasn't big enough. That's when I bought a Touran. Bit surprised by your choice Mike I must say - what is the boot like on one of these in reality? |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 13:06
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> Bit surprised by your choice Mike I must say - what is the boot like >> on one of these in reality? >> For our purposes it looks fine - see my other post re flexibility. Only slightly smaller than a Golf estate. |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 09:39
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - sherlock47
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"At the moment, you’re looking at a £1245 premium compared with a five-door Golf with like-for-like spec. But that’ll come to around £1100 when the Golf gets those new engines. So, for the diesel, that’s a starting price of £25,400" Seems a lot of money for a Golf! This makes for interesting reading www.topgear.com/car-news/insider/explained-vw-groups-mqb-platform |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 09:47
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Focusless
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>> Seems a lot of money for a Golf! Rival small people carriers are cheaper. :) www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/golf-sv-2014/ |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 11:57
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - legacylad
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| Talking of people carriers, my CA friends have just bought a Toyota Sienna. Sorry, no link. A 7 seater AWD ' minivan' as they refer to it. It is the very base spec, so no leather, panoramic roof, seat back video screens etc just cloth seats but the usual AC, with lovely smooth 3.5 V6 auto box. In a not very popular colour, light metallic blue, which they call Pearl. My friend is keeping his 10yo Toyota Tundra so no part ex, and he paid $19k plus tax, which equates to about £14k Third row of seats out, middle seat from second row removed, so plenty of space for four dogs. We used it for river trips... Two hard shell kayaks, two inflatable kayaks plus other gear swallowed with ease. So far the electric side sliding doors are working fine! Cheap interior plastics compared to top end German stuff, but fancy sat nav & media player included with a more than acceptable sound system, and all for a knockdown price after a substantial discount off the new in stock vehicle. Apparently, top spec with factory order and expensive options would be double that, and the AWD system makes it perfect for ski trips up the road. |
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New Tue 4 Aug 15 12:34
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> "At the moment, you’re looking at a £1245 premium compared with a five-door Golf with >> like-for-like spec. But that’ll come to around £1100 when the Golf gets those new engines. >> So, for the diesel, that’s a starting price of £25,400" >> >> >> Seems a lot of money for a Golf! >> Yes, I've been reading around yesterday evening, including HJ's comments, and I'm not planning to put in an order without more research on price, and possible alternatives. It was a bit of a result gettng SWMBO into something this size rather than Passat or Mondeo! Re prices, the SV (Sportsvan here) that we priced up is at 31,345 euros. With various discounts, the price drops to 26,622 euros. The total lease price per month over 5 years is 364 euros per month, inclusive of road tax & insurance, leaving only consumables, servicing and fuel to pay for. It includes a warranty extension to the end of the lease period, so would in theory provide worry free motoring. Regarding space, it has more legroom than the Golf estate. The load space is a little smaller, but the boot floor can be raised or lowered to provide more room, but interestingly the rear seats can be slid forward to also increase the boot space space. We don't even need the versatility of a people carrier, but the car as a whole, particularly the rear leg room and general feel, appealed. This afternoon, we are visiting a Ford dealer to look at a C-Max and a Mondeo estate - bizarrely, the Mondeo looks like being not a million miles away in monthly costs to the SV, and the lease price I obtained online includes a 5-year warranty, not sure whether that's standard on Fords in the UK. If we've time, we'll look at an i40 in the nearby Hyundai dealership. TBH, we are cutting our cloth in line with what we can afford. In an ideal world, it would be a 170bhp Passat, Superb or an Octavia vRS TDi. But we are clear on two main things - worry-free motoring, and how much we can afford each month. At the VW dealership, this car ticked those particular boxes |
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New Sun 9 Aug 15 11:35
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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Well, Wednesday morning saw us at the local Honda dealer. My intention was to look at the Civic tourer, but we also checked out a CR-V. SWMBO didn't like the Civic because of it's very short low front end, so that took all of 5 seconds to decide. Then we poked round a new CR-V. We were immediately struck by the huge amount of space both for passengers and luggage. Slightly shorter than the Saab, almost identical width outside. So we booked a test drive for Friday (yesterday). Unfortunately, we were looking at the 1.6 i-DTEC 2WD with 120PS, but the only car available was a 160PS 4WD /the 4WD only being on demand, so effectively a 2WD most of the year). Friday afternoon saw back-to-back test drives of the SV and CR-V. The SV felt sportier on the road, not a particularly smooth ride, but as is fashionable it was fitted with larger wheels and low profile tyres (17s against the standard 15s) which probably didn't help. It had the 1.6 110PS diesel, and was a 5-speed manual, not the 7-speed DSG we would have bought. Part of our planned test drive took us on a winding uphill road, and dynamically it felt solid, well planted, and easy to position. However, it kept bogging down and needed plenty of gear changing (partly due to being unfamiliar with the car, but still showing a tendency to need to keep it on the boil). On the flat, it showed a distinct lack of urge in top gear until it hit the rev band, so down on points for perceived flexibilty. We then took the CR-V over the same route. In terms of comfort, the CR-V was for us definitely ahead, and so much more flexible - I didn't take it out of 6th very often on the main road despite slowing down and speeding up regularly, in situations where the SV needed to be dropped to 4th. Having pored over test reviews I was expecting a total failure over the uphill winding twisty bit, but not so. It was bigger, and not so much fun to drive faster, but it took them in it's stride and kept its composure. On the normal main road, it was a much smoother ride, and felt like the bigger car it was. Regarding monthly cost for us, the SV and CR-V stack up almost identically here in Austria - the SV is slightly cheaper on tax due to the 110PS engine by 5 euros, the CR-V cheaper on insurance by 4 euros. The difference will only come down to fuel consumption. We decided after driving the CR-V that, for our purposes, it was a no brainer in favour of the CR-V. Less deposit, and the lease is only 4 years as opposed to the 5 of the SV. It feels a big car, which was one of SWMBO's priorities. So tomorrow will see us visiting the Honda dealer to place our order. Last edited by: Mike H on Sun 9 Aug 15 at 11:36
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New Sun 9 Aug 15 13:30
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Clk Sec
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>> Unfortunately, we were looking at the 1.6 i-DTEC 2WD with 120PS, but the only car available was a 160PS 4WD Do you think it might be worth having a further CR-V test drive, but this time in the 120PS model that you are intending to buy, rather than the more powerful 160PS that you tried out on Friday? However, an interesting post for me, as the CR-V is a possibility when we eventually get around to replacing our current 13 year old barge. |
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New Sun 9 Aug 15 13:47
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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>> Do you think it might be worth having a further CR-V test drive, but this >> time in the 120PS model that you are intending to buy, rather than the more >> powerful 160PS that you tried out on Friday? >> Would have been nice, but no, there doesn't seem to be one available. The salesman assures me (well, he would, wouldn't he) that the 2WD with the less powerful engine feels pretty much the same as the 4WD with the 160PS engine, due to the fact that the 4WD is heavier, given that it has to lug the weight of the 4WD gubbins around for the 99% of the time it isn't using it. And c.55mpg looks achievable with the smaller engine. It would also have been nice to try the SV with the DSG, but it wouldn't have made any difference to the decision. SWMBO felt that the SV was a bit of a pensioner's wagon, and she felt like a little old lady in it. I pointed out that she was in fact 64, and when I recovered consciousness we agreed that the CR-V was for us ;-) What really swayed it was that the CR-V just felt right after the Saab, it didn't feel like we were downgrading, whereas the SV felt a step backwards, if you get my drift. |
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New Thu 13 Aug 15 22:13
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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| Just a final note. We ordered our CR-V on Monday. I was a bit surprised at the price difference between the UK and here in Austria. The approximately UK equivalent model to the one we have ordered is the SE Navi 2WD with metallic paint, which in the UK has a list price of £27,290. Ours has a list price of 32,678 euros, which at an exchange rate of 1.4 equates to £23,341, and we are actually paying 29,383 euros, which equates to £20,987. Quite a big difference. |
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New Thu 13 Aug 15 22:17
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Armel Coussine
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| Where do people get all this bread at reasonable rates of interest? |
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New Thu 13 Aug 15 22:33
Time to replace our Saab 9-5 - Mike H
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Ours is on a lease deal, admittedly we have to stump up 8,500 euros in advance but it's only 200 euros per month. The lease is 4 years, but interestingly there is no mileage (kilometreage?) limit, although the residual was set based on our projected figures. It's the only way we could afford to replace our car at a reasonable price, but it still means that, taking everything into account, we'll be saving c.50 euros per month. So the answer is, we don't have the bread for an unplanned change of car! |
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