£6k to blow on a car - 700 miles a week use

BMW timing chain failure anyone? Eroding nickasil bores? Swirl flaps being ingested and writing off engines? Bimmer have had more than their share of significant recurring faults over the years. Simply buying by brand in the expectation of getting a long lived and durable car is fraught with danger.

highlandsflyer":11yifaje said:

So are mud huts.

Can't see past a nice late model Merc or Beemer for this application. Class, comfort and cool.

Spending that much time in a vehicle is a fair chunk of life, you deserve a nice place to spend that time.

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I present the Northstar engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northstar_engine_series

To summarise, ally block, chain driven quad quam 32v V8, distributorless wasted spark ignition, it's no pushrod motor

Is that the one that use the long life oil at £100 or so a litre? Clever stuff.

VW CC 138bhp does this mileage with ease. It looks good and does 55mpg all day long.

Pyro Tim":59a9gnsy said:

brocklanders023":59a9gnsy said:

Pyro Tim":59a9gnsy said:

VAG diesel for me
Audi A3 Sportback,

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Fine until you need a service, MOT etc. Have mentioned before that I have 4 or 5 friends with 53 to 06 reg Audi's and all seem to get hit for at least £500 every time they even look at a (non Audi) garage. It's put me right off unless I had the money for a new one.

Always found Fords reliable and have been driving them for 14 years. Cheap too.

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Just rubbish. On my Leon TDI it's £125 for the small service, and £250 for the big service at the main dealer. Never had to pay anything extra, other than tyres, and brakes when they've worn out due to the number of miles I've done. I took it to an independent last time, and it cost me more than the main dealer!

Ford stands for fix or repair daily. Cheap, but horrid to drive, uncomfortable and low spec

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Read what I put again before you get your knickers in a twist. I took out VW, Seat and Skoda to flag up AUDI and gave examples of people I know with AUDI's. My friends AUDI's cost at least £500 each time they look at a garage. I'm glad you like your Seat.

Say what you want about Fords but they have been well known for their class leading handling for years, even if some of the other parts are not of the quality of VAG. It is you that's talking 'just rubbish' this time friend.

Posted that before I'd seen the thread explode :shock:

I don't always say this but listen to Chopper LGF, if he's worked on cars as long as he says he'll know more then the rest of us about the good and bad. Defo agree with his point that the life the car's had means more then the car itself when you're looking at 5 years old and above.

gtRTSdh":1bo9vae0 said:

highlandsflyer":1bo9vae0 said:

So are mud huts.

Can't see past a nice late model Merc or Beemer for this application. Class, comfort and cool.

Spending that much time in a vehicle is a fair chunk of life, you deserve a nice place to spend that time.

Click to expand...

I present the Northstar engine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northstar_engine_series

To summarise, ally block, chain driven quad quam 32v V8, distributorless wasted spark ignition, it's no pushrod motor

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Cool! I would always prefer a large engine given the option.

I have pretty extensive experience of spannering older cars, but I don't touch moderns. I do drive them though, and have done a fair bit of buying and selling them.

Someone noted on another thread of this ilk a while ago, that there is much less difference between all the main players nowadays, and that it is hard to buy a bad car if you are careful.

LGF has the skills to check things out thoroughly so at the end of the day I guess he will get what he likes and fits the job.

6k buys a nice motor, middle aged with low miles or newer with average miles. You really can't go wrong.

My friend recently bought a 2000 Skoda Octavia and it has by far the worst seats I have ever experienced, the lumbar support was adjustable between "one breeze block in the kidneys" and "three breeze blocks in the kidneys". That's something to watch out for if you are going to do a lot of miles.

brocklanders023":2vbpnak8 said:

Read what I put again before you get your knickers in a twist. I took out VW, Seat and Skoda to flag up AUDI and gave examples of people I know with AUDI's. My friends AUDI's cost at least £500 each time they look at a garage. I'm glad you like your Seat.

Say what you want about Fords but they have been well known for their class leading handling for years, even if some of the other parts are not of the quality of VAG. It is you that's talking 'just rubbish' this time friend.

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It's exactly the same engine in all of them Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda. So my point was valid.

I've driven enough Fords to know that on the whole they are horrid to drive, uncomfortable and low spec.

Pyro Tim":1o3jj6gs said:

I've driven enough Fords to know that on the whole they are horrid to drive, uncomfortable and low spec.

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I really can't understand why anyone would sum up Fords in that way. Their offerings in the last dozen years especially have been right up there. As far as spec goes, they offer a range in each model, competitively priced. I wonder which models in particular you are basing your remarks on.

All makers have upped their game the last half dozen years, and Ford are no exception. SEAT seem to be better put together now than a dozen years ago, but they have to be. Ford raised the bar and other makers have had to keep up.