What car do you drive and would you recommend it?

hywelg

I've had some terrible cars. Vauxhall Viva, Austin 1100, Datsun120Y, Triumph Dolomite Sprint. And then I started buying Fords. Cortina Estate, kept that for 8 years IIRC, Sierra 2.0i hatch 8years, Sierra 2.0 Ghia Estate, 10 years, and now a Ford Galaxy 1.9TDi Ghia(11years and still going but not for much longer I fear).

I like having the space to carry stuff, guitar gear, windsurfing kit, tools and stuff for work and the Galaxy is ideal as you can take all 5 rear seats completely out. Unfortunately theres nothing around now that will allow you to do that, apart from a VW Caddy Maxi Life and they're dear to buy and service.

thomasross20

The new Focus is a lot smaller

Cirrus

Nunogilberto said:

14 plate Mondeo Zetec Business 1.6tdci, as a company car.

Quiet, comfortable, drives smoothly and pulls well for a 1.6 (115hp). I average around 53mpg. Huge boot.

My only annoyances are as follows:

1. Service Interval Limp Home Mode. The last couple of times I've got to within 5k of a service and just happen to creep over 2500rpm, a warning will appear on the dash screen, and the car will go into limp home mode until you eventually restart the engine. It seems like a cheap ploy by Ford to get you to commit to a service early. Unless of course I just have a shonky car...

2. The clutch isn't the strongest I've ever had. Reversing up hill can sometimes be a bit of a struggle.

Otherwise, it's nice enough.

The limp home thing isn't some scam to get you to pay more services, something is up with your engine! My '06 tdci 1.6 did the same thing after 120k or so, it's a relatively common fault with those engines though they never fixed it on mine. Iirc from reading up at the time, egr valve sticking or something along those lines.

Jez6345789

My best car ever was my 2004 mondo lx bought it 2nd hand when I started my company as my repping car as it was just me for 4K with 30k on the clock took it all the way to 340k on  1 clutch tyres brakes and tesco value oil. 

It it still had the original exhaust when it was scrapped. Everything was shall we say lose but it still ran fine.

it was the gift I needed and did 50k a year and never let me down. Doubt we would of ever got the company off the ground in hard times without the frugal mondeo.

i know run an E Class which I thought was a real old mans car I am that these days but it eats the miles and is super easy to drive and has been solid and easy on juice amazing engine fuel consumption for a big car

Nunogilberto

@Cirrus ;

Yes, I thought that might be the case - it would have seemed a bit of an odd thing to do for Ford to allow their cars to dangerously cut the power once you rev over 2500rpm

Mine started doing it around 35k miles, but stops doing it once the service has been carried out. It's going back next April anyway so some other bugger can worry about it...

Garthy

Honda S2000- just fantastic, intended to keep it 12 months yet I still have it 5 years later. 

Sporky

Nunogilberto said:

Unless of course I just have a shonky car...

Well... it is a Ford.

I think I've solve my seat problem by reversing the headrest. Slightly longer trip today so we'll see...

Teetonetal

Dacia duster. Great car. Cheap, reliable easy to maintain, roomy, economical and does the job.

TheMarlin

Sporky said:

Nunogilberto said:

Unless of course I just have a shonky car...

Well... it is a Ford.

I think I've solve my seat problem by reversing the headrest. Slightly longer trip today so we'll see...

The seats in mine are actually really comfy.  I've got all the options ticked on mine, so maybe the seats are different. 

My my sister has a base mondeo.  Different seats. 

octatonic

2016 BMW M135- 325hp and it fits a drum kit. Bit thirsty.
Just ordered a 4 series convertible which turns up in a month.

Had beemers for the last 10 years and they are reliable and fun which is all I need from a car.

Sporky

TheMarlin said:

The seats in mine are actually really comfy.  I've got all the options ticked on mine, so maybe the seats are different. 

The electric ones are definitely different. The standard ones don't even have adjustable tilt on the base, so your knees are always higher than your hips.

speshul91

Sporky said:

TheMarlin said:

The seats in mine are actually really comfy.  I've got all the options ticked on mine, so maybe the seats are different. 

The electric ones are definitely different. The standard ones don't even have adjustable tilt on the base, so your knees are always higher than your hips.

In my punto to get my knees and hips even close to level my head would hit the roof. I am 6ft 2 though. 

Sporky

Most cars seem to have very poor ergonomics to be fair.

joneve

richardhomer said:

Ford Focus 1.0L Ecoboost.

Bought it new 2 years ago, when a career change involved handing back my company car.

Its quiet, surprisingly good fun on twisty roads, cheap to run and faster than you might think 125bhp would be.

No faults (though the Ford dealerships I've dealt with aren't great). I'd definitely have another and definitely recommend it.

Does it have the ridiculous boy racer Black and red paint job that my cousin's 1.0 eco boost has too? 

Nice cars though. As you say, nippy as fuck. 

stickyfiddle

Speaking of ergonomics, I had a serious leg/arm length differential problem in a Fiat 500. It was great to drive but a nightmare for comfort. The pedals are set, quite understandably, for their average buyer, who is presumably a 5'6" girl, and not a 6" bloke, so by the time I had the seat far enough back to get my knees away from my ears the steering wheel and gear lever were too far away. It was a shame as it was otherwise a great little car.

sinbaadi

Fiesta Zetec S ecoboost.
Plus points:  Great handling for an economy car.  Nice enough steering and pointy front end.  Plenty of grip.
Nicely screwed together inside, no rattles, things work and feel OK.
Strong engine, significantly quickly car than the 2.0tdi rep-mobile stuff.
Looks nice without the chrome bits (black honey comb grill)
Good paint
Spacious enough for me at 6ft5 (easily, I can get my knees to touch, I don't have the seat all the way back and have the steering wheel adjusted all the way out)
Cheap lease deal
Tax free
Reasonable fuel economy

Negatives:
Not so nicely screwed together outside.  Bumper fit is not perfect, sideskirts too.
5 speed gearbox- way too long gearing. 70mph in 2nd, 100mph in 3rd.  Doesn't make the most of the engine.
High list price, would not buy new when the ST is not so much more expensive.
Fuel economy is only reasonable.  Do not believe the claims.  60mpg is an old-lady's pipe-dream.  I get 42 tops.

Had a few fun cars in my time, but my 106rallye S2 was the best by miles.  Awesome little thing.

bloodandtears

Hyundai i30 13 plate.. deffo...

paulk

Currently an Audi Q5 which I like well enough. Very comfortable drive. However I'll be changing to a Volvo XC90 in a few months because it is the absolute dogs' bollox.

joneve

stickyfiddle said:

Speaking of ergonomics, I had a serious leg/arm length differential problem in a Fiat 500. It was great to drive but a nightmare for comfort. The pedals are set, quite understandably, for their average buyer, who is presumably a 5'6" girl, and not a 6" bloke, so by the time I had the seat far enough back to get my knees away from my ears the steering wheel and gear lever were too far away. It was a shame as it was otherwise a great little car.

I had the same problem with my Fiat Seicento...Italians must have long arms and short legs? 

joneve

paulk said:

Currently an Audi Q5 which I like well enough. Very comfortable drive. However I'll be changing to a Volvo XC90 in a few months because it is the absolute dogs' bollox.

Ha! The new ones are fucking lovely aren't they?