New Car For SWMBO (RX-8, or a ???)

[Bush Tucker Man]

Does anyone have any experience of living with one of these on a day to day basis?

SWMBO is losing her company car ('04' plated Mondeo Ghia TDCi) in July, instead they're offering a cash sum per year to fund your own car
A fuel card will be provided, the servicing costs are still under discussion as far as I know.


So, we've been looking around.
She had a short-list of possibles, it was so much easier, when she was told what she could have (ie; Focus or a Mondeo)

We've looked at;
Mazda RX-8
Ford Focus CC (in second place, at the moment)
Vauxhall Astra Twin-Top  (I'm not too keen, but she's test-driving tomorrow morning)
Renault Megane CC(?) (instant dislike to it upon a close inspection)
Volvo V50 (I like these, a lot, but she wasn't too keen. Sadly!)

I did also try to persuade her into a Ford Mustang, but to my disappointment, she's not too keen (the 4.6 V8 version would have been nice)



We test-drove a RX-8 (the '231' model) this morning, at the Mazda main-dealer in Wakefield.
We were both surprised by the ride over broken surfaces, it was a lot more supple than I certainly expected, no 'crashing' even over the very broken road surface I intentionally drove along.

Forward visibilty was good, if a little restricted for rear-seat passengers.
Very communicative steering, positive gear-change, quiet when at normal speeds.
It also picks up very quickly through the gears for overtaking (red-lined at about 8,300??)
A good turning circle, with decent mirrors - for reversing.


I think we're both quite smitten with it, plus we found an insurer that quoted less than £350 F/Comp for the both of us, with Business Cover included! :shock:



My only gripes are;
1. With the seat set correctly for me, the steering wheel was a bit too close, as it's not reach-adjustable 
2. I doubt I could get my Cyclo-Cross bike in the boot :doh:
3. The potential cost of a replacement (correctly speed-rated) 225/45 x 18 tyres ("Ker-Ching!!")
4. The apparant 'thirst' for oil (circa 1litre/1000miles. Allegedly)


So, over to you........................... see the opening line.

[Thrasher]

Fuel economy - or lack of it. I know 2 people with these things, and one of them reckons he's seen 13mpg ....  :shock:

[Bush Tucker Man]

Fuel economy - or lack of it. I know 2 people with these things, and one of them reckons he's seen 13mpg ....  :shock:

The secretary at Amelias school has one & reckons on getting 22-25MPG, but it's like any vehicle really , it's all down to the driving style used, as much as the vehicle.

[strapping young lad]

all i know is that the engine uses oil due to its unique design (not going to use its correct name for fear of giggles!)

mazda provides your first bottle of oil, maybe you can negotiate said replacement bottles :)

dont think it drinks it but it needs topping up at least every 1k miles i believe.

[muddysteve]

can we even say wankle on here?  :-$

[pux]

I would go with the focus BTM im very impressed with these i have drivin a few as hire cars brought in at work from the tdci sport etc and think there brilliant and well thought out

[Disco Matt]

From what I've heard they're fine so long as you can keep up with the servicing, oil, and fuel consumption.

I did hear an interesting tale about the old RX7 and aftermarket alarms causing engines to blow up. The theory seemed to be that messing around with the ignition circuits led to a poorer spark, thereby damaging the engine. Ones that haven't been meddled with are fine though.

[MudRat]

engines need rebuilds after a while due to the nature of the engineering, and fuel consumption is cr*p, sit in traffic and watch the needle fall, Focus every time, or the astra is also good.

[stuvy]

can we even say wankle on here?  :-$

lol thats funny  :P :P :P

I drove a tuned and standard RX-8 at brands hatch, drives lovely but, if the fuel isnt an issue alone the gear box is, the box is horrible!!

I would go with the ford just for re-sale value alone, it will also stay together for longer than the renault too lol :oops:

[old joe]

we pick up a Ford Focus CC3 57 plate with 51miles on the clock next saturday nearly 5-7 k of the marked price.

Its got all the toys straight of the show room.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/ford/focus-coupe-cabriolet-2006.aspx

Will let you know what's like

the sales staff are desperate for the deals you tell what payments and they will match it.

Dazza :lol:

[alaric]

I would certainly suggest staying away from Renault.

I had a 51 reg Laguna 2 Sport Tourer from brand new. I had a long list of mostly minor problems that I had no end of trouble getting fixed. The customer service was awful.

I ditched the Laguna after 2 years, just after the turbo had died, been replaced by the dealer and died again 20km later! That's when I got my 9 year old Pajero and had less trouble with that than the new Laguna.

It wasn't just me, either - a couple of colleagues had a Y and a 52 reg Laguna 2 Hatch and they had a similar catalogue of problems.

When the turbo went, Renault refused to provide a courtesy car for the week it took them to complete the work. When the car went in for service/warranty work prior to that, if they did provide a courtesy car I had to arrange my own insurance cover for it!

I could go on and on, but you'd all fall asleep  :|

Alaric.

[clodhopper]

don't go near the renault megane. i have one as a company car. absolutely DREADFULL. i even have to take it to the dealers to change the headlamp or front indicator bulb. and don't get me started on the dealers. :-# worst car i have ever had.

[Disco Matt]

I would certainly suggest staying away from Renault.

I had a 51 reg Laguna 2 Sport Tourer from brand new. I had a long list of mostly minor problems that I had no end of trouble getting fixed. The customer service was awful.

I ditched the Laguna after 2 years, just after the turbo had died, been replaced by the dealer and died again 20km later! That's when I got my 9 year old Pajero and had less trouble with that than the new Laguna.

It wasn't just me, either - a couple of colleagues had a Y and a 52 reg Laguna 2 Hatch and they had a similar catalogue of problems.

When the turbo went, Renault refused to provide a courtesy car for the week it took them to complete the work. When the car went in for service/warranty work prior to that, if they did provide a courtesy car I had to arrange my own insurance cover for it!

I could go on and on, but you'd all fall asleep  :|

Alaric.

We had similar problems with an 02 Laguna saloon (1.9 TD). My Dad had it as a company car, it was a great vehicle when new (endless grip and enough grunt to scare BMWs) but the electronics were rough. After a while it started randomly flashing up "Fuel Injection Fault" and going into limp home mode. The only way to clear this was to pull over, switch off, remove the key, reinsert the key, then restart. After four years of reasonably careful use it began to look very tired (things like the seatbelts wearing a groove in the plastic trim around them) and developed a series of annoying buzzes and creaks. It also needed a new cylinder head after a glow plug welded itself to the old one.  Luckily as it was a company car this was all paid for.

Dealers tended to be very evasive about the fuel injection fault, to the extent that I suspect Renault knew very well what the problem was but didn't want to put a recall or a fix out as it would have cost them too much. Our local dealer responded to it with "Never heard of that before" when a quick web search 5mins later found whole forum threads devoted to it. I wouldn't buy one with my own money.

Have you considered a Saab? An '06 9-3 1.9TiD Saloon replaced the Renault and has proved a lot more reliable. I would definitely consider the same engine in the convertible if funds allowed. Make sure you buy the 150bhp version as it's an absolute hoot to drive and returns just under 50mpg!

[Bishops Finger]

Avoid Renfaults.....

[Bush Tucker Man]

The odds have changed somewhat.....................

She's driven the Astra 'Twin-Top' this morning (I was at work)
She liked it, but it has faults for her.

Then........... went to an 'independant'/used 'prestige' car-dealer with her father to look at another RX-8.

Then they spotted a car I wouldn't expect her to like, but she rang me at work to enthuse about it!!

A Volvo S40, which given her turning down of my suggestion of the estate varient (the V50) surprised me
The one she saw was a 2.4SE (pity it's not a T5)

[Disco Matt]

For goodness sakes don't buy the diesel S40, the one I had a brief go in a couple of years ago was slower than my Disco on the highly scientific "floor it in 3rd from 30" test!

[pux]

so far i have got the T5 i like upto £26k :shock:

[KingWolf]

A few years ago a friend of mine had an RX-8. It was when they first came out. Anyway the first one only lasted 6 weeks before the engine destroyed itself..!!! He kicked up a real fuss and ended up with a new car, as said before they drink oil and he was using a litre ever couple of weeks or so. Also at that time tyres were a problem as they were a unique size with only one manufacturer making them (think it was Bridgstones) - they cost a fortune and were a special order but I don't know if this has changed.

It did go like the clappers though and I still think they look fantastic.

Mark.

[Bush Tucker Man]

For goodness sakes don't buy the diesel S40

It's a 2.4 5-cylinder, with the 5-speed manual

Also at that time tyres were a problem as they were a unique size with only one manufacturer making them (think it was Bridgstones) - they cost a fortune and were a special order but I don't know if this has changed.

It did go like the clappers though and I still think they look fantastic.

Everyone I've seen has Bridgestone Potenza in a 225/45 x 18"

'Black Circles' offers quite a few in that particular size

[Bush Tucker Man]

For goodness sakes don't buy the diesel S40

It's a 2.4 5-cylinder, with the 5-speed manual

Sorry :oops:

2.4litre 5-cylinder petrol

[Bush Tucker Man]

Mmm, interesting :-k



http://www.rotaryengineillustrated.com/wankel-engine-animations/2-rotors-in-motion.html

[Bush Tucker Man]

Well................ I got in at 22:15, & she tells me she's seen another car this afternoon

Something different this time..................

A Jaguar XK8 :shock: :shock: :shock:
(oh please let it be a 'R' derivative [-o<)

And was I interested in going for a look


The 'car saga' continues :roll:

[ChrisV8]

Been through all this, remember that the allowance will be taxed before you get plus the nice little fiddle with NI contributions. However you do save on your tax you are paying on the car now and can claim money back from Mr Darling if you pay for your own fuel, I usually get about £600.00 back in a nice lump about August time. I reckon I am about £2k a year better off going down the cash route.

If you are buying be careful of resale values remember you are paying the depreciation ! The Masda looks pretty, absolutely gollops fuel, we have two guys with them averaging 20 - 25mpg if they don't boot them ! oil consumption is also huge, tyres are very vulnerable too and cost a lot to replace.

My advice is be very careful and really work out what the costs of depreciation, servicing etc are going to cost, fuel consumption is becoming a biggie as well. I initially thought about a D3 or a RR Sport but £30.00 a day depreciation makes them a total non starter in my book !!! Work it out a 5 year old £60k RR for £15k now !!! Servicing costs at the main stealer were also a large chunk of money to be paying out and with the RR replacing diffs and gearboxes out of warranty are humungous costs.

Personally I have gone the "odd" route my last one was a PT Cruiser, bought a year old with very few miles on it, 2 years and 40k later got a good deal on my Patriot which is superb. VW engine so 100%, superb economy unlike the Freelander with enough bits to keep me happy and it will do gentle greenlanes. Not everyone's choice as it's ugly as sin !

[Bush Tucker Man]

We didn't go to test-drive the S40 (or the RX-8 he had)


We went elsewhere, & she's 'signed on the dotted line' for something else :-#

Hopefully, with a pick-up at the end of next week :-k

[old joe]

Well!!!!!

What is it then????

Dazza :D

[Bush Tucker Man]

Well!!!!!

What is it then????

Dazza :D

Something I never envisaged, or considered!

[Bush Tucker Man]

Well!!!!!

What is it then????

Dazza :D

Something I never envisaged, or considered!

This is on the driveway as I speak

[old joe]

SNAP :D

Picked ours up today had the full leather pack a certain grin factor to it  :P :D

Just have to read the manual know

Dazza :D

[Bush Tucker Man]

I didn't say it was hers, just that it was on the drive at the time of posting

Did I forget to mention that it belongs to a work-collegue?, & was there whilst the pair of them were in Paris.

Nope, she's got something entirely different!!  :-k





We were in Wakefield this morning, so decided to go and visit the dealer, just to look at it again.
The price has been removed from the windscreen, but it's still on the forecourt (at the back though)

Still looks a damn fine motor though (& it's not a RX-8)



Should I wait to 'spill the beans' until I can post a picture of it on our drive?


I've got a couple of images of it, but it's still on the previous owners 'private' plate at the moment
So, it needs re-registering, but Joanne has seen a registration that she wants for it

 

[thermidorthelobster]

Not a Ssangyong Rodius is it?

Talbot Matra Rancho?

Tata Safari?