Second Car Ideas

[TopCat]

I'm still really keen on getting a project track car though, I have needs after all!!

How about a nice '95 GPX as a starting point? I could do you a good price..

[Dave]

It'd have to be a lot less than your asking Tom!

Ah, if I can talk the old man into splitting the costs with me, I'd ideally only be looking at spending 1-2K on something, then just rip it out, and drive it to death! It'd be handy with Mondello being so close to me as well!

[colm_mcm]

Sebs FTO would make a good track car, all the mechanicals/suspension etc. are sound
I'm sure he'd do you a deal

[Dave]

Hmmm, might give him a shout........ Suspension, brakes and tyres are the important ones!

[Bernard]

I'm still really keen on getting a project track car though, I have needs after all!!

How about a nice '95 GPX as a starting point? I could do you a good price..

I like your thinking Tom, Dave has good taste in Feckin cars

[Dave]

don't you mean jeep??

[Myfeckin FTO]

...........Dave has good taste in Feckin cars

"Feckin Cars" (tm pending) would be a good name for an auto business actually.

[CJ]

Old thread revival....

Dave, do you still have the Octavia, how has it treated you during the ownership term?

I'd be interested to hears opinion either way on the RS 2.0 TDI CR DPF (2008, 125 kW) How about alternatives with economy / power / tax in the same price bracket?

CJ

[soc]

Old thread revival....

Dave, do you still have the Octavia, how has it treated you during the ownership term?

I'd be interested to hears opinion either way on the RS 2.0 TDI CR DPF (2008, 125 kW) How about alternatives with economy / power / tax in the same price bracket?

CJ

Have a look on vagdrivers.net - and ask Joe Power about the tuning (ChippedIRE) - he knows his cars so might even be able to give you some general feedback on the Octavia

[Dave]

Hey CJ, yes, still have the Octavia.... I have a bog standard 1.9tdi 105bhp model... it has given me zero trouble, well built and tidy enough interior, plus it does 1000kms to a tank of diesel...

I haven't driven the RS versions though, but on my yoke, I personally hate it! It's a boring drive, no fun at all, bland bland bland, but I suppose coming from what I had been driving before, bland would have to be expected!

In saying that, I would definitely recommend one, they do what they say on the tin, get you from A to B with no hassle and cost feck all to run...

[Dilogoat86]

When i worked for a Skoda place the Octavia TDi had some pretty frequent turbo issues. It seemed to be quite random, but when it happened it was bad. One guy had his turbo replaced 3 times in the space of 3 months.

[colm_mcm]

I'd have a legacy boxer diesel over a vrs. I know its not as nippy

[CJ]

Thanks for the comments lads, it looking like I may have a significant commute ahead of me if everything works out, on that basis, I'll need something frugal to eat up the miles. Re the turbo issue, turbos as a rule can be problematic although I haven't come across anything to indicate that Octavia turbos have widespread problems.

I like the Legacy, its on my list but is somewhat out of my price range right now.....

CJ

[Dragonheart]

What about a newer Caldina or Accord estate, I think they're stunning looking and not many around. Not sure what fuel consumption is though.

[Dave]

Well the Ocatvia is great at being frugal, I do a 90kms round trip and a fill of diesel lasts two weeks, 60-65 to fill, so 30 odd a week in fuel I think is pretty cheap, plus insurance is dirt cheap, I can't imagine the risk of an Octavia being stolen is a whole lot...

Where's the possible new job CJ?

[Muad_dib77]

cant I just throw in a Vectra CDTI for recommendation here.. Not exciting at all..but lovely to drive..and not unlike the skoda, frugal as feck..

[Myfeckin FTO]

If I was looking for a reasonably priced mid sized diesel - I'd prefer a Seat Leon over the Octavia - http://www.carzone.ie/search/SEAT/Leon/ ... annel=CARS

I even quite like the Altea to drive - http://www.carzone.ie/search/SEAT/Altea ... annel=CARS

Or an Alfa 156 with the diesel engine - http://www.carzone.ie/search/Alfa-Romeo ... annel=CARS

My personal favorite for the money - http://www.carzone.ie/search/Saab/9-3/1 ... annel=CARS

though I also have a soft spot for the old school Saabs - http://www.carzone.ie/search/Saab/9-3/2 ... annel=CARS (I reckon this one would suit you CJ).

[Muad_dib77]

This is fairly cheap..very high miles tho..

http://www.autotrader.ie/search/Opel/Ve ... annel=CARS

[CJ]

I don't know what it is about Seats, I could just never see myself owning one. I like your car Janus, possible option. Anyone got experience of the Honda Accord CDTI (2.4)? I'd be talking 800 clicks a week in terms of mileage.

CJ

[colm_mcm]

Had a mondeo old shape 130 ebony as a company car before. They're cheap as chips, nippy, very food handling and well equipped.

Accord i-ctdi worth a look too

[Muad_dib77]

I don't know what it is about Seats, I could just never see myself owning one. I like your car Janus, possible option. Anyone got experience of the Honda Accord CDTI (2.4)? I'd be talking 800 clicks a week in terms of mileage.

CJ

Lemme know if you fancy a belt of it....
Personally Im a big fan of the look of the Accord as well..But I couldn't any tidy ones when I was looking.

[colm_mcm]

The accord 2.2 diesel is taxed as 2.3 (2204cc)

Might get shot for this but an avensis d-4d 150 or 180 might be worth a shot ( another 2.2 that's taxed as 2.3)

Saw an 05 accord diesel with handy miles on carzone for 7500 lately

[CJ]

The accord 2.2 diesel is taxed as 2.3 (2204cc)

Could be an issue alright, I'd need to be opting for a '08 to counteract the big tax but with gas mileage in the region of 50mpg it would still be worthwhile. I'd probably be looking at the Executive model. The Accord and Octavia are my top 2 right now, need to take a closer look at both options....

CJ

[Dave]

A friend of mine has an accord 2.2 diesel, much nicer place to be than the Octavia, better drive as well,plus, does similar economy, 500+ miles to a tank, I'm thinking of picking one up for Jen as she's now doing a bit of mileage herself, the tax is a killer though.....

[Mustang]

CJ I had been considering a longish commute- and a car to do it in recently. I'd set out two criteria, FTO + cheapish commuter box or More expensive and better equipped commuter box.

If I were ging down the cheapish commuter box route, I'd be looking at the usual rep mobiles, vectra, mondeo, avensis, passat, octavia.

For the more expensive -one car only option, I think (for my money) it would have to meet certain criteria.
-Comerfortable (essesntial for a long commute)=> medium to large size car.
-Big low end torue for relaxed driving -no vtec or mivec need apply. Essentially this means (chipped) turbo diesel.
-Nice interior -leather a/c etc.
-Resonable enconomy -mile munching ability.
-Cruise control a nice to have if it's a motorway commute, don't dismiss it as nonsense. Relaxed, better progress, don't need to concentrate on speed, better fuel economy.

Best performance/ tax trade off looks like the 1.9 150bhp and six speed gearbox, (+25 bhp or so with remap) as fitted to the vectra, saab 93, alfa 159.

Boring and all as it is the passat is also ideal for a task. I'd get the 2L 140bhp (and get it mapped)

The octavia vRS and accord 2.2 were my other two choices.

The accord is very good, but there were issues with some early ones ('04) poor mpg etc.
As said above taxed as a 2.3, and it requires fully synthetic oil.0w30 IIRC Combine that with a larger ~6L sump and an oil change will cost you €100 (if you do it yourself).
Penny pinching Irish owners will bring the car to paddy down the road who'll 'service' it for €50, with some mineral/semi synthetic oil. Wrong type and grade of oil leads to turbo failure -full and verifiable service history essential.
The are also fond of rear brake pads -not a huge issue though.

My short list would be Saab 93, alfa 159 (although Irish cars are poverty spec and english ones aint cheap), alfa GT, accord CDTI, Octavia,vRS. The outsiders being BMW 520D, Audi A6.
If engine size isn't an issue then I'd be looking at Volvo S60 D5, Chrysler 300C, BMW 530D

I guess you have similar issues with all of these modern turbo diesels. Correct grade of oil combined with regular changes essential. Turbo failure, swirl flap failure -leading to complete engine failure, expensive exhaust particulate filters, etc.