One of our neighbours who is a good friend has had a 500 twin air for several years now. It sits in the street most of the time and sounds like a right old bag of nails when started from cold. They are not "car people" but even so decided to ask their servicing garage if anything was wrong with it. They were told no, nothing wrong, they all pretty much sound like that to a greater or lesser degree. I'm often in my garage with the up and over door open so hear cars coming and going in the street and it's very noticeable how much quieter it is when fully warmed up. Still sounds a bit "rough" though compared to many twin cylinder motorcycle engines for instance.
I think the indirect control of valve timing offered by the hydraulic system (Uniair, Multiair and, I believe now the new Firefly Global engine family) is a very clever innovation which, in theory, offers many advantages. Unfortunately, in practice, it seems that it delivers on most fronts until something goes wrong with it whereupon it can quickly make your wallet weep with the pain. I endorse what's said above about engine oil. The oil has a very tough job to do in this engine - more than any other standard or turbocharged road going engine I can think of - so is likely to go "out of spec" more quickly than in a simpler engine and, because of the hydraulic valve actuation, is likely to affect running amongst other parameters when it does. Personally, if I owned one, I'd use only the recommended Selenia oil (as I understand the spec was developed with them?) and never add any "witches brews" to it. Changing it before the recommended interval probably won't hurt either.
When I think on the reports of problems with the D/M flywheel. Although it will have been specifically designed for this 2 cylinder engine I can't help wondering if a D/M design is a poor choice for any twin. My thinking is that the power pulses on a multicylinder, be it 4, 6, 8 or whatever, will be much more smoothly delivered to the flywheel than it is with a twin. Anyone who has ridden a twin cylinder motor cycle, especially an old British one, will know about the vibrations twins can suffer from. All right, now we've got balance shafts - the twin air has one doesn't it? and these devices will undoubtedly reduce vibration but won't do anything to smooth power pulses. So, I'm not at all surprised when I read reports of early D/M failure on these.
Our Becky - 169 Panda with the 1.2 FIRE engine - is getting very long in the tooth now and it's becoming a bit of a trade off as to whether keeping her running is worth the expense of replacing bits of her when they fail - for instance the rear axle - now I'm too old and decrepit to do the job myself or just buying a newer car to replace her. If we are to replace her with another Panda it would have to be a 1.2 FIRE, which is a pity as Mrs J, who is by far the main driver, (she hates my "big" car) would love another Panda but I'm not prepared to consider the Firefly or in fact anything other than the 1.2 FIRE. Thought The fates were acting on my behalf the other day when I walked past Peter Howard Johnston's garage on my way to the library and saw this on the forecourt:
https://www.howard-johnston.co.uk/u...lgrip-euro-6-ss-5dr-edinburgh-202605192527936 It is quite a bit more money than I was thinking of but I know this dealer well and he has an excellent reputation for only trading the very best of vehicles. On past experience there may be a possibility of some haggling bearing fruit too. BUT, then I noticed it's AWD and, although the Suzuki system does have a good reputation for being trouble free, it's a complication I'd rather do without. A lower spec 2WD is really what fit's our requirements better anyway. Mind you, it's going to take a very big lever to prise Mrs J away from her Panda when there is no alternative.
Edit. Murdo, you must let me know how you find McLennan's. I've heard good things of them, and my son nearly put his Audi in there a year or so ago (before his friend, who owns PME took over servicing it for him). PME is very handy for him being, just, within walking distance of his home in Gorebridge if the worst come to the worst.
