Ive discovered that by buying a car with very decent handling and addictive performance, all other cars feel awful and massively slow.
To compound this, its easy on fuel and practical, nor expensive to insure or tax.
This creates a problem because one day I will want to buy something else, but having tasted such a blend of virtues, will I forever be bound to the yearning for power and sheer drving fun which until now id managed to avoid since my teenage years.
I pose this really because today I was overtaken by a Punto, 1.2, nout special which I was doing 65 on an NSL road so he must have really been on the limit to get past me given how slow the tyke executed his move.
Following the long straight, there was a series of S-bends, the kind of which the Ignis excells at making seem rather easy when I know from other cars they are not and thus the Punto who had screamed past me earlier was suddenly looking in his mirror and seeing my manic expression as I dived into the bends with no fear whatsoever, powering through them while him in front braked deep into them without much stability despite straight-lining them as much as he dared - he still had no chance at all to match the speeds I can carry through, he was floundering until it straightened out.
I did these bends at 60 when in my old cars 35 would have been all I could do.
Will I ever be able to replace it with something less able or am I now forever in the thrall of sporty hatchbacks? It could be a real problem...
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You should try a diesel Mondeo next Stu... Last night I found myself doing an effortless 70 on a part of my commute where the Escort would be comfortable at no more than 55 - this thing's so long-legged I have to really watch its speed in lower limit zones.
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>> Ive discovered that by buying a car with very decent handling and addictive performance, all
>> other cars feel awful and massively slow.
>> To compound this, its easy on fuel and practical, nor expensive to insure or tax.
>>
Try a BMW 1 series diesel. I got given one as a courtesy car about six months ago and was amazed how well it went. Sips fuel, excellent torquey engine, and handles extremely well. On the SE version the ride is OK too.
The boot may be a tad small for you, but the new version out approximately next year, will be larger and more practical according to BMW. Rather intriguingly FWD versions are being considered, for those of us who are nervous of RWD in bad conditions.
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Much as I love diesels in many ways, for sheer fun, the throttle response and noise of a sorted petrol engine easily outstrips a bit of torque and the extra weight at the front end wouldnt make for such a sharp turn in which makes the Ignis so easy to drive fast.
In my mind, a Clio or Colt are perhaps options for the future, but ive driven neither.
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Yep, that's the problem with the FocuST and why I might buy it from the lease company.
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Cheddar your company provided ST has had some serious problems. Are you really going to buy it?
And before you do, test drive some modern turbo diesels ;-) And I don't mean your old Mondeo. The Mazda6 I got was smoother and more powerful. The VW 140PS diesel in this weekends test car is smoother and more refined still.... might lack a bit of torque but there is the 170PS.
I sense you want to buy what you have already (better the devil you know) but this has had major work including the recent fix which may or may not work.
Stu, by the time you are ready for replacing this there will be lots of 3 cylinder turbo petrol cars to consider ;-) Frugal with a bit of get up and go.
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Rtj, the ST had a new engine at 35k, a bonus in my mind, less than 40k on the engine, new drive shafs 10k ago and a new steering rack, it is now well sorted.
I have driven lots of TDs, the VW CR compares well with Mondeo though does not pull smoothly from 1000rpm in the same way however one that does is the 2ltr 150bhp Renault unit.
My choice is the devil I know ST or a 1 Series for perhaps £5k more which could well be a diesel.
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It's not a problem stu because at the end of the day there are faster and more nimble cars than your current one, so don't despair!
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Oh I dont know about that Zero, remember, ive worked in the trade for a long time and consequently have driven a huge variation of cars inc many hot hatches and I have not driven anything short of an Elise with the lightness at the front end which is what makes it so great to drive.
Ive driven faster cars - the MG ZR 160 and R200 BRM are pretty good fun, but they still feel nose heavy in comparison. Also driven a few fast Fiestas which still dont have the turn in sharpness of the Ignis aswell as one of those Lupo Gtis.
Im sure there is a car out there, the Clio is in my mind as one to watch ( they are even quite reliable so far ) but its going to be a task to up the game without loosing the sheer chuckability of a lightweight car, weight being rather fashionable these days.
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If you can't think of a car which betters a Suzuki Ignis you have my sympathy. :-)
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Not as easy as it sounds. The cooking models are rather mundane if competant. The Sport is a rather different beast - ive driven my car up against the standard model of same year and it may aswell be two different models such is the difference.
Its much like saying if you cant get a better car than a Lancer and having Zeros car in mind while saying that to someone with the Evo.
The Sport is one of the few cars ive driven where the 'Sport' badge isnt just a position in the model range but signifies a car very far removed from the standard car not in just performance but the whole package.
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I remember feeling the same way when I handed the keys to my Peugeot 306 XSi back.
Still have yet to drive a FWD 5 seater that can match its fluidity, balance, steering feel, throttle adjustability and sheer composure when pressing on.
The game has moved on in so many ways, but not in these respects, sadly. Kerbweights and packaging of components for crash safety purposes have, I suspect, had much to do with this.
Sigh......
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I always remember a bend near where i live that every car i owned i took it to the maximum to see if it had better handling than the last one
i stopped doing it when plod demolished the side of the house trying the same stunt late one night
these days all cars drive reasonably good depending on whether they are bread and butter shopping trolleys (hello ted) or set up for my elk test,theres always payback though somewhere unless you get into really sorted motors and even these can numb after a while
me? these days dont care so long as it looks clean,starts and returns good mpg
leave the elk tests to kids and olders that should really know better than go looking for accidents on our busy roads
saw 2 accidents in the services on the M1 last week,beat that........
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>> If you can't think of a car which betters a Suzuki Ignis you have my
>> sympathy. :-)
>>
Very underrated cars IMHO.
ON have you driven one in the last 5-10 years?
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>> Very underrated cars IMHO.
>> ON have you driven one in the last 5-10 years?
>>
No, not big enough for my requirements.
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No, not big enough for my requirements.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
try sitting in the back then with drivers seat removed ;-)
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I have worked in a submarine, I am three feet tall and have six foot long arms. :-)
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Its much like saying if you cant get a better car than a Lancer and having Zeros car in mind while saying that to someone with the Evo.
You've gone too far now ! :-)
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>> I have worked in a submarine, I am three feet tall and have six foot
>> long arms. :-)
You need an Alfa then, well suited to the Italian ape driving position.
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>> >> Very underrated cars IMHO.
>> >> ON have you driven one in the last 5-10 years?
>> >>
>>
>> No, not big enough for my requirements.
>>
Well.. again IMHO for the money, I think they are better than many think...
A few years back I worked for a Suzi dealer, and was pleasantly surprised with the cars...
Iggie Sport is a joy to behold!
Last edited by: swiss tony on Sun 27 Mar 11 at 13:23
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>>Iggie Sport is a joy to behold <<
It is indeed. Im a car guy but these things had totally passed me by. Ive had my eye on maybe one of those 4wd Turbo Sirions or YRVs in the past but I think they may feel slightly crude after the Ig.
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>> Im sure there is a car out there, the Clio is in my mind as
>> one to watch ( they are even quite reliable so far ) but its going
>> to be a task to up the game without loosing the sheer chuckability of a
>> lightweight car, weight being rather fashionable these days.
Clio 172 might be one to think about in the future, but watch the reliability.
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One of my neighbours had a 500 Abarth parked outside the other day. Mmm. think there will be an estate version...?
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Keep your eye open for the Giardiniera edition. Wouldn't hold your breath though.
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I saw a car that peaked my interest today.
It was a Seat Ibiza TDi Cupra on an 07 plate, looked nice, any good? Looks fast and economical on paper. Not cheap mind even older ones and rare at that.
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>> I saw a car that peaked my interest today.
>>
>> It was a Seat Ibiza TDi Cupra on an 07 plate, looked nice, any good?
>> Looks fast and economical on paper. Not cheap mind even older ones and rare at
>> that.
I drove the 100 sport version just to see what they were like, but I was interested in the FR with the 130bhp engine and six speed gearbox. I liked driving it, surprisingly fast, especially good on the motorway at cruising speeds - it gets up to speed very quickly. Quite a hard ride though with lots of road noise, and the engine dominates being quite a heavy lump in the front of a small car. I can imagine that the FR would be a stonker. I think the Cupra is the 160bhp version. That sounds like it might be a bit stressed. A lot of them are owned by boy racers now, and chipped, so finding an unmolested one might be tricky since they are quite rare anyway. Fun to drive though.
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Pfft.
Forester 2.5XT.
Great handling, insane acceleration, Q-car looks (ie. every ned in a Corsa isn't trying to race you like they would if you had a 'preza).
As far removed from the cooking Forester as the Iggy Sport is from the geriatric cooking Ignises (Ignii?)
Too risky on the licence perhaps.
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>> I saw a car that peaked my interest today.
Downhill from here then ;-) Or, at the risk of sounding like a pedant, should that be piqued :-)
I'd imagine it shifts OK with the 130PS 1.9 PD though, and as I averaged mid 40's mpg in an A4 with that engine over 40k miles (going back a few years though) it must be economical too. A 6 speed box might help too; I only had 5 IIRC
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Its the 160 ps on the Cupra. I expect its not a great ownership prospect but a curious mix of performance, boy racer vibes and economy.
I may have to go diesel next time, and around about 2005-2007 is what will be in my price range in a few years.
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One of the diesel Seat Leons is a better prospect, the slightly bigger car handles the weight and power of the diesel lump better.
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I knew someone with a Golf TDi 130, which I believe is closely related to the Leon? After a long line of 7 Golfs, this was the car that turned her off VW for good such was the unreliability ( although her previous Golfs werent exactly great either ).
Im not sure I could risk a VAG car, id be kicking myself if it turned out how they have turned out for people I know ( almost universally iffy and expensive ). But on paper, I like the idea alot.
Aside from that, I dont want a bigger car again, Im happy with superminis these days, so ill ef be looking at the faster TDi superminis next time around, 20 months to go before Im allowed to change.
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I chose a Fabia vrs over an Ibiza 130 as the Fabia was the only one available with 5 doors.
Fantastic engine in a fantastic car.
Still miss it. sob sob
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Stu, of the 7 VAG cars (including the Ford Galaxy with VAG 115 TDi engine) I've had since 2003, none have provided me with a significant problem or bill. 3 have been 1.9 TDi PDs, 1 a 2.0 TDi PD, 1 a 1.6 petrol and 2 1.2 petrols.
I think the good experiences with VAG would probably outweigh the bad, it's probably just a case of you only hearing the bad as people don't usually talk about the good, they just take it for granted.
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I was about to say the same; a rough calc shows that we've probably done around 300k miles in the last 15 years in VAG cars (80k in 1.9TDIs, 140k in 1.8Ts, 40k in a 2.0T and 40k in a bog standard 1.6) and the only warranty claims I can recall are for a replacement number plate light unit in the A4 convertible, a replacement shock absorber in the A3 (slight misting noticed when it was MOT'ed) and a free goodwill repair to the A/C in a 5 year old A4 1.8T.
Mind you we've probably done half that mileage in various Renaults and Citroens with even fewer problems - a failed electric folding mirror on a Megane and a coil pack IIRC.
The cars that have needed the most warranty work were a Lexus IS200 (various electrical faults), though I'm not going to conclude that Lexuses are unreliable, followed by a then new MINI in '02 (gearbox linkage and power steering I think)
The only car that has left me stranded in the last 20 years was a Nissan Almera hire car back in 2000 - that had a failed clutch, but again I don't think it was representative of Nissan quality, but more of the amount of abuse hire cars are subject to!
Peter
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I dont deny that some people have reliable VAG cars, but this lady I know has had 7 in a row.
She had two MK2s which she said were fantastic, she had a Colour Concept MK3, again, great, then she had a boggo GTi MK3 and the rot set in.
She was saying the other day, £3.5k in total in 3 years of ownership, so she replaced it with a MK3 convertible which needed a replacement gearbox after a few weeks. Then she went to a GTi 2.0 MK4 which after a few months developed an engine management fault that nobody could trace, so she then went to a MK4 TDi 130 and suffered a christmas tree of warning lights after a few weeks.
You could say oh its unlucky, but seriously, she went for different years, models, engines and never seemed to get ahead.
True, she buys cars over 5 years old but then so do I. She now has a Daihatsu and has put on 20k in a year. Its needed two tyres....
To add to the irony, she saw a lovely GTi Golf, low miles, immaculate cond at local dealer. They said here, drive it for the day, you will love it. She got 6 miles down the road before the dash lit up and the usual xmas tree display started up.
Ive not owned a VAG car since I was 17, but having seen what she has been thro, I dont know that I could take that risk because its real, its been an on going joke.
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You must be J Bonnington Jagworth - I recognise the writing style.
Perhaps a Boggs Super Oaf is what you are looking for ? :)
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Nope, ive been many but not that.
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I found a problem with my car... - Dave_
