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@Armoured_Bear I was surprised how well mannered the car handled in the snow. I tried to power slide it at low speed and I did manage it, but it required a fair bit of coercion. With ESP, traction control, a gentle right foot and good winter tyres you won't have any problems. Worst case, just bring a set of chains. Back when I was starting to drive (early 90s), and when we actually used to have lots of snow during winter (50cm+), I swore by FWD and manual gearbox (not that I had the funds for anything else!), and RWD cars back then used to be a pain going up a snowy steep road; but technology has improved so much in the meantime I don't think it's remotely as problematic nowadays. |
The Car Advice Thread
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elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoDefinitely consider a 3 series over a 1, not that much bigger externally but much more spacious and comfortable inside. Plus you can get AWD with the 2l motors. My old 1 series was fun but regretted it as soon as I got into my current 3 -
nudistpete 1,273 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 4 years agoDrStrangelove wrote:
Has anyone actually got a DSG (or equivalent dual clutch transmission) and actually likes it? We've got a car with a Ford Powershift DCT and while it's great in 3rd-6th gears, in the lower gears it feels like you've handed over control of the car to a drunk learner driver. I'm genuinely interested whether any of them are decent since I've only ever heard people IRL moan about them.
Haven't had one myself, but I've also read and heard a lot about problems with VW engines and transmissions. Cam chains, TSI engines, DSG etc. -
retro74 3,798 posts
Seen 15 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoMy Golf has a DSG box and it's fine, I keep it in full auto the majority of the time
With it being an R it's incredibly quick no matter which method you choose though -
nickthegun 87,711 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoI put about 80k miles onto a Leon FR with a DSG and 99% of the time*, it was fine. It selected the appropriate gear and went about its life with minimum fuss. I would have one again over a manual any day.
* The other 1% of the time, it occasionally shat itself and put itself into neutral when moving off, which isnt great on hill. -
PatrickEwing 2,553 posts
Seen 23 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoGot a gti with DSG, 170,000 miles and it’s still perfect. Service as per schedule and you’ll go well. -
brokenkey 11,128 posts
Seen 12 hours ago
Registered 20 years agoMy '86 is auto with paddles (is that DSG?). It's great. Snow button, Sport button, full* manual control, kickdown when in auto mode.
*it will auto down-shift when slowing down, and if you hit the rev limit it stops accelerating, which feels like someone's hit the brakes.
Edited by brokenkey at 11:53:36 18-07-2018 -
nickthegun 87,711 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoHow is the '86 for fuel? The last NA, 200bhp car I had was a CTR and that was a thirsty little bastard. -
brokenkey 11,128 posts
Seen 12 hours ago
Registered 20 years ago'86 Auto is listed as doing 39.8mph in economy driving. I can't really comment on that because I don't get to drive it much (commute into London each day on the train), and so when I do I hammer it like a nutter.
I think my average (never zeroed over 25,000 miles) is around 29mph. -
brokenkey wrote:
Does the police ever pull you over for being too slow?
'86 Auto is listed as doing 39.8mph in economy driving. I can't really comment on that because I don't get to drive it much (commute into London each day on the train), and so when I do I hammer it like a nutter.
I think my average (never zeroed over 25,000 miles) is around 29mph.
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watto 35 posts
Seen 20 minutes ago
Registered 7 years agoI have a Seat Cupra with DSG. It's the first auto car I've ever owned and I felt slightly dubious having only ever driven manuals before. I honestly doubt I'd go back now. It has paddles that can be useful to downshift when overtaking but otherwise is driven in full auto all the time. It's so good you completely forget about the concept of gears!
You can flick it into sport mode if you want to go loud (and ruin the fuel consumption). -
Salaman 24,162 posts
Seen 6 days ago
Registered 17 years agoAlfa Romeo Guilia, my colleague just took delivery of one last week. I;d go for that to replace my current company car (BMW3) if I could. -
challenge_hanukkah 14,394 posts
Seen 26 minutes ago
Registered 8 years agoI've got an Austin Ambassador Y reg. -
elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoWhat would you replace the Alfa with when it goes in for work the week after -
nudistpete 1,273 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 4 years agoInteresting to hear people's positive perspective on dual clutch transmissions. FWIW the Ford one has such a bad rep that they gave everyone a ten year warranty on it, so I suspect we'll trade in ours before that expires. -
nickthegun 87,711 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 16 years agochallenge_hanukkah wrote:
Don't keep asking me 'why, reg?', it just happens to be that year.
I've got an Austin Ambassador Y reg. -
elstoof wrote:
The Giulia is a lovely car, but yeah I wonder if the latest models improved on their terrible reputation. Check out the state of 5-10 year old Alfa's, they've not aged well at all - not so much in terms of style, but man they mostly look like they're about to fall apart if you look at them the wrong way.
What would you replace the Alfa with when it goes in for work the week after -
elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoAuto transmissions are so good now that I don’t know why anyone would want a manual for their daily driver -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoKnuttinAtoll wrote:
Yep, the Guilietta still looks nice but not sure I'd trust my hard earned on it.
elstoof wrote:
The Giulia is a lovely car, but yeah I wonder if the latest models improved on their terrible reputation. Check out the state of 5-10 year old Alfa's, they've not aged well at all - not so much in terms of style, but man they mostly look like they're about to fall apart if you look at them the wrong way.
What would you replace the Alfa with when it goes in for work the week after -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agobrokenkey wrote:
34 years old, I doubt that!
My '86 is auto with paddles (is that DSG?). It's great. Snow button, Sport button, full* manual control, kickdown when in auto mode.
*it will auto down-shift when slowing down, and if you hit the rev limit it stops accelerating, which feels like someone's hit the brakes. -
nudistpete 1,273 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 4 years agoelstoof wrote:
I'd day the fact that the DCT's aren't that smooth (see my previous comments), the servicing costs are expensive (some of the wet clutches can cost £300+ for an oil replacement which is needed every 3 years) and they can be stupidly expensive to fix (the dry clutch systems used for the smaller cars are fully sealed meaning you need to replace the whole transmission). Also there are still plenty of CVT's out there and people don't like their engine making the same hornets net noise irrespective of how fast they're going.
Auto transmissions are so good now that I don’t know why anyone would want a manual for their daily driver
Of course once we're all driving hybrids and electric motors we won't have a choice... -
elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoI mean proper autos like the ZF8, bloody amazing. Never driven a DSG -
nudistpete 1,273 posts
Seen 11 hours ago
Registered 4 years agoWell most people can't afford a newish car with a proper slushbox, and others aren't prepared to take the dip in fuel consumption over a manual. -
Well, there's auto's, and there's auto's.
My first automatic was a 2007 CLK, 5 speed. Absolutely terrible.
Current one is an 8 speed (indeed the ZF8 elstoof mentioned, I believe), you don't even notice the changes, and frankly it's the most fuel efficient car I've ever driven. 5-5.5l/100km, regardless of driving conditions/style (bear in mind this is a mid sized car with a 184bhp 2l engine).
And yes I reckon the next car I'll buy will be at least a hybrid if not fully electric. Until that happens I'll drive my car until it either falls apart or the government tells me it's not road legal anymore.
Edited by KnuttinAtoll at 12:40:18 18-07-2018 -
nickthegun 87,711 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoYeah, my mrs only has an auto license, so ive driven quite a few.
By far the worst was in her corsa. Worst car ive ever driven and the 'box was so bad, it was actually dangerous. Awful, awful piece of shit. -
Fake_Blood 11,093 posts
Seen 17 hours ago
Registered 12 years agoAre cars really cheap in the uk or are you all rich cunts? Because Golf R, Cupra, those are all high powered small cars that are virtually impossible to own in Belgium because of taxes.
My 184bhp seat leon is the fastest car we have at our company for example. -
Pierre2k 1,466 posts
Seen 12 hours ago
Registered 9 years agoArmoured_Bear wrote:
Not such a fan of the current Alfa range, albeit, I think they're "nice", but I always wanted a Brerra, or its soft top Spider variant. In the style department, I still they are automotive porn. Unfortunately, the license to use the pininfarina design expired and they had to cease making them, and I'm not sure if trust an old Alfa.... Still want one though...
KnuttinAtoll wrote:
Yep, the Guilietta still looks nice but not sure I'd trust my hard earned on it.
elstoof wrote:
The Giulia is a lovely car, but yeah I wonder if the latest models improved on their terrible reputation. Check out the state of 5-10 year old Alfa's, they've not aged well at all - not so much in terms of style, but man they mostly look like they're about to fall apart if you look at them the wrong way.
What would you replace the Alfa with when it goes in for work the week after -
Armoured_Bear 31,233 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 10 years agoFake_Blood wrote:
Which taxes?
Are cars really cheap in the uk or are you all rich cunts? Because Golf R, Cupra, those are all high powered small cars that are virtually impossible to own in Belgium because of taxes.
My 184bhp seat leon is the fastest car we have at our company for example. -
elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 9 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoI don’t see any more high powered cars here than I do in France or wherever -
Pierre2k wrote:
In my younger days I was pretty keen on a Lancia Delta, a second gen Alfa Spider, and an Alfa 145 and later, the 156. Having driven in these cars (either myself or as a passenger), engine notes aside, made me see the light. Atrocious build quality all round but looks and sound wise they are tasty motors. Owning one though, no thanks - I'll rather limit myself to driving them in pooter games
Armoured_Bear wrote:
Not such a fan of the current Alfa range, albeit, I think they're "nice", but I always wanted a Brerra, or its soft top Spider variant. In the style department, I still they are automotive porn. Unfortunately, the license to use the pininfarina design expired and they had to cease making them, and I'm not sure if trust an old Alfa.... Still want one though...
KnuttinAtoll wrote:
Yep, the Guilietta still looks nice but not sure I'd trust my hard earned on it.
elstoof wrote:
The Giulia is a lovely car, but yeah I wonder if the latest models improved on their terrible reputation. Check out the state of 5-10 year old Alfa's, they've not aged well at all - not so much in terms of style, but man they mostly look like they're about to fall apart if you look at them the wrong way.
What would you replace the Alfa with when it goes in for work the week after
There's a Brera parked in the neighbourhood here - I was never a fan to be honest but yes same problem - the car just looks really tired already.
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