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Off Topic Two out of three ain't bad

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Off Topic Two out of three ain't bad

Just read in today's Eastern Daily Press that our local (and well-respected) Suzuki dealership has been taken over by our local (and lousy) Fiat dealership. Oh well.
 
Awful news, it's my dealership.

Still, they sell Nissans too, but I'm not over the moon about the service there. Having said that, the service at Desira got better, it was the cars that drove me away.

I'll go and have a word...

I've checked. It seems they have taken over the Lowestoft dealership. That deals in Peugeots too. I thought you meant Norwich. So I'm safe for a while then :)
 
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It's not underpowered, you just have to rev it to get the performance. If you are used to cruising on the torque crest of a turbo diesel or petrol it will be strange to have to take the engine above 4000 rpm to get the best out of it. That said, it is unburstable and will last forever.
 
Ulpian said:
It seems they have taken over the Lowestoft dealership. That deals in Peugeots too. I thought you meant Norwich. So I'm safe for a while then :)
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Yep, Lowestoft's my nearest dealer. The dealer in BSE also gets good write-ups, so I may point my missus in their direction (although she's been out for a test drive in an X1 :LOL:rive today, and reckons the new model is much better than the mk 1 that her sister has :()
 
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The figures I saw yesterday showed petrol sales up a lot more than diesels in March.

And I really meant no rational person who bothers to read. A colleague recently replaced her diesel with the updated diesel version, on a PCP. She never goes near a large city, and I dare say the final value guarantees included in the plan will cover her should used values dip.

I'd be surprised if many people who buy for cash or take bank loans are buying diesels. Turkeys of course ;)
 
gar074 said:
Yep, Lowestoft's my nearest dealer. The dealer in BSE also gets good write-ups, so I may point my missus in their direction (although she's been out for a test drive in an X1 :LOL:rive today, and reckons the new model is much better than the mk 1 that her sister has :()
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Yes the service department used to be good at DBS (I've not used them in some years now). I stopped going back (and took a break from Fiat altogether) when (a) the salesman was rude and patronising (b) I knew more about the cars than he did.
I was looking at Suzuki but unfortunately their range of cars didn't really suit my needs - small Panda sized Ignis (too expensive, Marmite styling - love the front really dislike the rear), Celerio (too cheap and cheerful and felt it - also not sold on looks). Their were some deals on the Swift but it's an outgoing model and I couldn't get comfortable behind the wheel. I really like the larger models but they are too big for my needs and way out of my league price-wise. I will definitely have a look again in 3 years time though. I like the dealer but they've not been Suzuki for long and still seemed to be learning about their range of cars. By then, Fiat may have updated their ageing, hotch-potch range of cars - or my boat will have come in and I can finally afford the Alfa I've always wanted...
 
Ulpian said:
And I really meant no rational person who bothers to read. A colleague recently replaced her diesel with the updated diesel version, on a PCP. She never goes near a large city, and I dare say the final value guarantees included in the plan will cover her should used values dip.
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As we've found out recently, the GFV is in relation to the finance.
You want to buy it at the end, that's what to pay.
Hand it back to the finance company and it's in the right condition, you've nothing more to pay (except a collection charge).

Trade it in for a new car/deal with any dealer, the dealer will value it as any trade in.

If you're lucky it might be worth more, if not you take the hit (if that's the case, hand it back to the finance company).
 
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Well the Lounge has gone.

The mother in law was honored when the Mrs took it for a clean before dropping it off .
The first time she'd visited a car wash in 12 years, though the same could be said for a feckin' petrol station!

Got to bum off work early tomorrow for a test drive or as it's now known, a visit to the dentist :D
 
Goudrons said:
Well the Lounge has gone.

The mother in law was honored when the Mrs took it for a clean before dropping it off .
The first time she'd visited a car wash in 12 years, though the same could be said for a feckin' petrol station!

Got to bum off work early tomorrow for a test drive or as it's now known, a visit to the dentist :D
Click to expand...
Did it have a knotted handkerchief tied to a stick as it disappeared over the horizon...?

I always feel sad when a trusted steed has left the fold... [emoji20]
 
After seeing what my Parents Datsun Juke is like, I'd be inclined to go for another Fiat if the Suzuki ends up being a no-go. Our Juke absolutely drinks oil (over 3 litres in less than two years / 20,000 miles) on top of a couple of other niggles (handbrake innoperative from new, glovebox lid falling off in my hands, rattly turbo at 30mph in 3rd gear, front doors dropping on their hinges). The niggles aren't so much of a concern but that sort of thirst for oil on a new car smacks of a complete lack of engineering integrity to me. I've seen the mention of it being a known problem, yet the age-old 'can't find anything wrong with it' is all we've got when presenting it to the Nissan dealer, as seems to be the case with every problem we've mentioned to them.

Yes it's a fairly stressed engine (1.2 litre, 115bhp) but our 500 TwinAir with 85bhp wasn't exactly having an easy time and that used all of 750ml of oil in over 3 years / 35k. The two only other faults we had with the Fiat (knocking front suspension at 3 years & front washers dribbling when using rear window washer) were also both correctly diagnosed & fixed under warranty with no trouble. Fiat get a bit of a rough ride on here at times, and occasionally it's fully justified, but having seen both my Parents experience with other brands like Nissan and friends with Vauxhalls, Porsche's, VW's, Hyundai's, I think I'd take a Fiat/Alfa with a bit of loose trim over the other brands with their fundamental mechanical faults anyday.
 
JTD_Liam said:
After seeing what my Parents Datsun Juke is like, I'd be inclined to go for another Fiat if the Suzuki ends up being a no-go. Our Juke absolutely drinks oil (over 3 litres in less than two years / 20,000 miles) on top of a couple of other niggles (handbrake innoperative from new, glovebox lid falling off in my hands, rattly turbo at 30mph in 3rd gear, front doors dropping on their hinges). The niggles aren't so much of a concern but that sort of thirst for oil on a new car smacks of a complete lack of engineering integrity to me. I've seen the mention of it being a known problem, yet the age-old 'can't find anything wrong with it' is all we've got when presenting it to the Nissan dealer, as seems to be the case with every problem we've mentioned to them.

Yes it's a fairly stressed engine (1.2 litre, 115bhp) but our 500 TwinAir with 85bhp wasn't exactly having an easy time and that used all of 750ml of oil in over 3 years / 35k. The two only other faults we had with the Fiat (knocking front suspension at 3 years & front washers dribbling when using rear window washer) were also both correctly diagnosed & fixed under warranty with no trouble. Fiat get a bit of a rough ride on here at times, and occasionally it's fully justified, but having seen both my Parents experience with other brands like Nissan and friends with Vauxhalls, Porsche's, VW's, Hyundai's, I think I'd take a Fiat/Alfa with a bit of loose trim over the other brands with their fundamental mechanical faults anyday.
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Agreed. The engineering of the oily bits is usually pretty robust. But they get slammed for short-lived exhausts and suspension, weak door handles, electrical niggles etc. But if you look at WD Fiats are off the road less than most brands and cost less to fix too - they can be niggly cars (as a dealer once said to me during a moment of frankness) but usually they are minor and easy to fix - the assembly lines have improved - most issues seem to be cost-cutting in the manufacture of certain (not all) parts. If you intend on keeping your Fiat a long time then replace those parts with better quality versions when they reach the end of their life. (e.g stainless steel exhausts).
 
I think I mentioned that Renault engine in an early post and due to it's problems we dismissed everything it's fitted to.

Renault/Dacia call it the 1.2 TCE.
Nissan call it the 1.2 Dig-T.

It comes in a few different outputs around the 120 and 130hp mark, but it's basically the same thing.

From what I read they suffered from some build issues and a inherent problem with inlet pressures that effects oil consumption.

It may sound odd to some (but perhaps not to some 2 stroke bike owners), but machining pistons and bores isn't always as precise as they's like.
Pistons are usually available in slightly different size, often it's just a few mircons difference in size, but they (are ment to) match the piston to the bore.

If saves a lot of time and effort measuring, honing, remeasuring each and every bore perfectly.
It means they can just measure the bore once and fit the appropriate piston. (hopefully)

Seems Renault fecked it up and fitted what was to hand!
Most ended up with too large a bore clearance.

Also the inlet pressures at certain loads have been causing the oil control rings to "flutter".
This allows oil to pass them into combustion.

They have tried to adjust this inlet pressure by altering the fueling software, but it's like putting a bandaid on a severed head!

They can't quite seem to stop the rings moving and it sucking up oil, reports suggest up to a litre every 600 miles can go up in smoke!

Quite a few owners have ran them almost dry, first signs of damage are timing chain rattles.

We looked at the Qashqai and quite frankly it's build process worried me.
A Japanese car with a French engine, nailed together in Sunderland is just a recipe for a dogs dinner!
 
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Goudrons said:
I think I mentioned that Renault engine in an early post and due to it's problems we dismissed everything it's fitted to.

Renault/Dacia call it the 1.2 TCE.
Nissan call it the 1.2 Dig-T.

It comes in a few different outputs around the 120 and 130hp mark, but it's basically the same thing.

From what I read they suffered from some build issues and a inherent problem with inlet pressures that effects oil consumption.

It may sound odd to some (but perhaps not to some 2 stroke bike owners), but machining pistons and bores isn't always as precise as they's like.
Pistons are usually available in slightly different size, often it's just a few mircons difference in size, but they (are ment to) match the piston to the bore.

If saves a lot of time and effort measuring, honing, remeasuring each and every bore perfectly.
It means they can just measure the bore once and fit the appropriate piston. (hopefully)

Seems Renault fecked it up and fitted what was to hand!
Most ended up with too large a bore clearance.

Also the inlet pressures at certain loads have been causing the oil control rings to "flutter".
This allows oil to pass them into combustion.

They have tried to adjust this inlet pressure by altering the fueling software, but it's like putting a bandaid on a severed head!

They can't quite seem to stop the rings moving and it sucking up oil, reports suggest up to a litre every 600 miles can go up in smoke!

Quite a few owners have ran them almost dry, first signs of damage are timing chain rattles.

We looked at the Qashqai and quite frankly it's build process worried me.
A Japanese car with a French engine, nailed together in Sunderland is just a recipe for a dogs dinner!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads-up on that. My sister's got a car with that engine and she's not a great one for checking the oil on anything!
 
Ulpian said:
The figures I saw yesterday showed petrol sales up a lot more than diesels in March.







I'd be surprised if many people who buy for cash or take bank loans are buying diesels. Turkeys of course ;)
Click to expand...



I think given that 43% of new cars are diesels it's very wrong to make any assumptions about how people are buying them or paying for them or indeed who is buying them, fleet buyers will buy petrol and diesels. People paying cash or in finance will also pick from the choice of engines.

Sales from all categories have increase petrol and diesel and yes petrol sales are up more than diesel however alternative fuel vehicles have shot up 31% in the last year destroying any increase in petrol or diesel buyers.

By the end of the decade I think there will be a considerable shift away from both petrol and Diesel engines
 
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Interesting reading.

Contemplating replacing my Trekking which ends its agreement in October.

Currently one car is high up my list.

1_6_E_tor_Q_Longitude-webauto_detail_lightbox-a8b.jpg


Yes I want one in Hyper Green.

:)
 
kingchris said:
Interesting reading.

Contemplating replacing my Trekking which ends its agreement in October.

Currently one car is high up my list.

1_6_E_tor_Q_Longitude-webauto_detail_lightbox-a8b.jpg


Yes I want one in Hyper Green.

:)
Click to expand...
Saw some at the showroom today in a variety of colours - I think the bright colours suit this shape. I also like the interior - seems like a comfortable and pleasant place to spend the miles in - possibly more interesting than the 500X (depending on spec). The base engine spec is a 1.6 NA petrol - anyone got any experience of this? Is it a FIRE engine?
 
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