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Grande Punto Moving on from my Grande Punto...What to choose?

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Grande Punto Moving on from my Grande Punto...What to choose?

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your replies. Noticed a few of you mentioned that I didn't put much info about the type and use of the car I'm going for.

I'd mainly be using the car for normal road driving but occasional motorway/dual carriageway use.

I'm looking for a car with under 50,000 miles on the clock (my current grande punto has 55k so I don't want anything older really).

I would preferably want a car registered in 2008 (08 plate) which shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I'm 6'1" in height and although the Grande Punto is good for space, leg room has been a bit of a problem even with the steering wheel adjusted. So I was thinking of aiming for a car larger than a hatchback but smaller than a full-blown saloon shape (thats why the Jetta came to mind).

Any further suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Mjet220 said:
20mpg eek
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No body should be worrying about that under the age of 30, when we were that age we had Twin turbo GTO,s supras, M3's RS Turbos, hell my skyline would happily eat £100 a week in fuel, on full boost with the variable cam kicked in it could red light a full tank in 60miles.
 
Last edited:
Mjet220 said:
Anything vag
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Anything not VAG!

Whilst walking around town today I saw a 57 plate touran making some very strange noises whilst attempting to start, when it finally did the engine sounded like a socket set in a tumble dryer. Then I walked past a 2002 a6 with a front wing so badly rusted away I could have put my hand through it and then a recent golf (mk 6 or 7 - who can tell the difference anyway?) came past hissing like a cobra and pumping out black smoke (split boost hose I guess). Fiat and Alfa get torn aspart for this sort of thing but because vw's marketing department have been brainwashing the public for decades, and Audi's have some nicer plastics in the dash, they have this reputation for reliability and quality. Its all rubbish and just a placebo.

Sounds like the op would be better off with a petrol engine as diesels don't take well to short journeys. There are plenty of 1.4 and 1.6 turbo petrol cars in the focus / astra / golf class. I'd avoid the bravo, it wasn't exactly a class leader when launched and is quite old hat now (though looks great in sport form). Equally the Peugeot 307/308 and Citroen c4 aren't up to much, the focus is a good drive but looks tragic and the astra is just tragic. The Mazda 3 is supposed to be very good (it's a focus in prettier cloths) but I don't think it comes with the petrol turbo engine you want. The Alfa 147 is very very old and has terrible crash safety and I'm not sure you can stretch to the newer Giulietta. Hmm, think you are falling into a good car black hole. I Hate to say it, but a mk 5 golf with a 1.4 tsi might be the best you can do.
 
For that price you can get a tidy Mondeo. I know it's not an exciting car, however sounds like it would be ideal, also reliable and good to drive.

Probably get a 2.5 turbo for that price!
 
jameshobiecat said:
Anything not VAG!



Whilst walking around town today I saw a 57 plate touran making some very strange noises whilst attempting to start, when it finally did the engine sounded like a socket set in a tumble dryer. Then I walked past a 2002 a6 with a front wing so badly rusted away I could have put my hand through it and then a recent golf (mk 6 or 7 - who can tell the difference anyway?) came past hissing like a cobra and pumping out black smoke (split boost hose I guess). Fiat and Alfa get torn aspart for this sort of thing but because vw's marketing department have been brainwashing the public for decades, and Audi's have some nicer plastics in the dash, they have this reputation for reliability and quality. Its all rubbish and just a placebo.



Sounds like the op would be better off with a petrol engine as diesels don't take well to short journeys. There are plenty of 1.4 and 1.6 turbo petrol cars in the focus / astra / golf class. I'd avoid the bravo, it wasn't exactly a class leader when launched and is quite old hat now (though looks great in sport form). Equally the Peugeot 307/308 and Citroen c4 aren't up to much, the focus is a good drive but looks tragic and the astra is just tragic. The Mazda 3 is supposed to be very good (it's a focus in prettier cloths) but I don't think it comes with the petrol turbo engine you want. The Alfa 147 is very very old and has terrible crash safety and I'm not sure you can stretch to the newer Giulietta. Hmm, think you are falling into a good car black hole. I Hate to say it, but a mk 5 golf with a 1.4 tsi might be the best you can do.
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Lol haters italy have no say in car manufacturing
 
middo85 said:
Mondeo's are great if you avoid the 2ltr diesel.

Drive lovely and as well built as anything German, just a crap image.
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I'd have expected that to be the best bit. It's a Peugeot engine and I had one in my 407; much of that car was pants, but the engine was a peach.

I maintain that the modeo is ugly, as is every ford since the puma and mk1 focus (inc facelift).
 
jameshobiecat said:
I'd have expected that to be the best bit. It's a Peugeot engine and I had one in my 407; much of that car was pants, but the engine was a peach.

I maintain that the modeo is ugly, as is every ford since the puma and mk1 focus (inc facelift).
Click to expand...

The engine in ours (2006 zetec) was noisy, unrefined and unreliable. I got rid of it with only 75k on the clock.

They are prone to EGR issues, DMF failures and eating turbo's and injector rails all of which are very costly repairs.

To be fair though my dad had a 2007 (last of old model) as a company car and put 150k on it in 3 years and it was faultless (although still tractor like).

We have some 2007 current shape 2.2tdci ones at work which are good and the interiors last much better than the BMWs and Volvos we have
 
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