New car advice

[David13]

Flaggie
Come on, Robin is a classy guy. He cannot be seen riding around in some old junker, which will probably break down regularly.
Money is nothing to him. He needs to keep up appearances, that stealing from the rich and giving to his poor self is working.
dc

[Robin Hood]

Skoda is Czech, but owned by VW.
Very reliable, solid, well built and good off-road.
Despite my aversion to German cars, I did have a close look at the new BMW X1 the other day. It was ok but I can't justify the extra expense. The Kuga (Escape) does everything the Beemer does, and more.

So the decision has been made.
We're going for a Ford Kuga 2.0 turbo-diesel 180bhp Titanium X 4x4.
Also, I'm going to trade in my Toyota Yaris for a good quality used Skoda Yeti 4x4.
And I'll sell the Renault to a privare buyer; probably get £500 for it at most.

Looks like I'm going to be busy!

Next on the list:
I have a building plot for sale.
Anyone fancy moving to Yorkshire?
£150,000.

[David13]

I don't think you could get me to live in Yorkshire if you paid me 150k Ls.
Besides, I thought you were in Nottingham.
dc

[Robin Hood]

I don't think you could get me to live in Yorkshire if you paid me 150k Ls.
Besides, I thought you were in Nottingham.
dc

I'm Nottingham born and bred (born in Sherwood), but live in North Yorkshire these days, not far from Robin Hood's Bay.
Heather moorland, beautiful dales, spectacular coastline, forests and fields. It's a snip at £150,000 David! You know it makes sense ;)

[Robin Hood]

All done.
Just ordered the Ford Kuga (Escape).
Hate spending this kind of money, but it's only money at the end of the day.

In the end the decision was made easier by Brexit, funnily enough.
There have been such howls of vitriol coming from the EU countries following the referendum last week, that it put me off doing business with them. I know it sounds daft, but there you go.
So decided not to buy European. Therefore no VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Fiat, Seat, Dacia, Volvo etc. Can't afford British ie. Aston Martin, Land/Range Rover, Rolls Royce etc, and the newly launched MG range is a bit of an unknown quantity at present. That just left the Japanese, Koreans and Americans...... and you guys seem really nice so Ford it is. ;)

[Sandinista]

I hope you enjoy you're new car. Just about any car today is light years ahead of what they were 20 years ago, except that the normal person can't work on them without all sorts of expensive equipment. But still much better.

In my 47 years of driving since I got my license when I was 16 I've purchased over 40 cars. Really, one of the grandkids was asking me about it last Sunday and we added them up! (46 to be exact). About half were new cars (always paid cash), about half were used. Some never did run (like the 1957 MGA that I spent a whole lot of money on that I never did get finished!). Some were 4X4s (actually a lot were 4X4s!). Some were really expensive, some were cheap.

My wife is on her second Chevy Silverado 4X4 (just got it last month, hence the question from the grandson), and that is after driving a Chevy Suburban for years. She just likes trucks! At the end of the day I liked them all, even the three Volvos I've had, several Mazda's, a couple of Toyota's and Isuzu's, Jeeps galore, Chevy's, MGs, a couple of Fiats, Porches, Jags, Hyundai's, BMW's, VW's, Ford's, a Renault Le Car (that is a story in itself!)and way more too many mention. There is a connection those of us gearheads make with a piece of machinery that is hard to explain, but it is undeniable!

But I have to say the car I liked the most, and that I missed the most was a 2013 Ford Mustang 5.0L GT. Wow that was fun to drive! Too bad it got totaled by a 18 year old kid driving his grandmother's Pontiac (had a couple of those as well) texting while he blew right through a red light and t-boned me. Saddest day of my life!

[David13]

I had a burgundy 2007 Mustang 5.0 GT with a stick, special suspension and low profile tires.
I sold it.
I can't see how I never got a handful of tickets with it.
It was a Ford. The speedo was invisible in sunlight, so I never had any idea how fast I was going.
dc

[Ezra]

All done.
Just ordered the Ford Kuga (Escape).
Hate spending this kind of money, but it's only money at the end of the day. To

In the end the decision was made easier by Brexit, funnily enough.
There have been such howls of vitriol coming from the EU countries following the referendum last week, that it put me off doing business with them. I know it sounds daft, but there you go.
So decided not to buy European. Therefore no VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Fiat, Seat, Dacia, Volvo etc. Can't afford British ie. Aston Martin, Land/Range Rover, Rolls Royce etc, and the newly launched MG range is a bit of an unknown quantity at present. That just left the Japanese, Koreans and Americans...... and you guys seem really nice so Ford it is. ;)

Totota and Honda kick fords butt in both reliability and resale.

[Robin Hood]

All done.
Just ordered the Ford Kuga (Escape).
Hate spending this kind of money, but it's only money at the end of the day. To

In the end the decision was made easier by Brexit, funnily enough.
There have been such howls of vitriol coming from the EU countries following the referendum last week, that it put me off doing business with them. I know it sounds daft, but there you go.
So decided not to buy European. Therefore no VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Fiat, Seat, Dacia, Volvo etc. Can't afford British ie. Aston Martin, Land/Range Rover, Rolls Royce etc, and the newly launched MG range is a bit of an unknown quantity at present. That just left the Japanese, Koreans and Americans...... and you guys seem really nice so Ford it is. ;)

Totota and Honda kick fords butt in both reliability and resale.

Yeah, I took a good look at Honda (especially as they are built here in England). The latest incarnation of the CR-V is pig ugly in my view, with ridiculous weird shaped bits of plastic sticking out at all angles on the front end for some reason. Agree about Toyota; I have one at present. Not particularly keen on the Rav4 though.

I test drove:

Volvo XC60
Mitsubishi ASX
Nissan Qashqai
Hyundai Santa Fe
Kia Sportage
Nissan X-Trail
Skoda Yeti
BMW X1
Vauxhall Mokka
Fiat 500X
Peugeot 3008
Honda CR-V
Renault Kadjar
Ford Kuga

So I was very thorough and the Ford did well to beat off the competition; mostly because it offered the best driving position for Maid Marian.

[David13]

Totota and Honda kick fords butt in both reliability and resale.

That's true here (Southern California).
But a guy has to get what he wants.
dc

[Robin Hood]

Totota and Honda kick fords butt in both reliability and resale.

But a guy has to get what he wants.
dc

Every Robin Hood has to look after his Maid Marian. ;)

[Teancum]

At the end of the day I liked them all, even the three Volvos I've had, several Mazda's, a couple of Toyota's and Isuzu's, Jeeps galore, Chevy's, MGs, a couple of Fiats, Porches, Jags, Hyundai's, BMW's, VW's, Ford's, a Renault Le Car (that is a story in itself!)and way more too many mention. There is a connection those of us gearheads make with a piece of machinery that is hard to explain, but it is undeniable!

What did you do with the Le Car? Push it everywhere you went? I suppose you could have given it a good shove and then ran and jumped on.

My favorite ride was my dad's 1914-1917 Model T Ford. He would have to stop the car, grab the bucket of water off of the running board, and run up to the front, open the radiator cap and pour in the bucket of water (sometimes while the thing was still moving!). Fun, exhilirating, terrifying, nastolgic, and embarassing all at the same time! Try getting that kind of emotion out of a new car!

[Robin Hood]

I remember my dad starting our old Rover with a starting handle.
Sometimes the old ways were better. Nowadays we are too dependent on technology.

[gclayjr]

Robin Hood,

I'm sure that nobody would ever hit Britain with an EMP attack!

I'm also sure that you have a good understanding of the ECM, Electronic fuel injection (and for the new Fords, we are actually not just talking about simple fuel injection, but Direct Injection (called Eco Boost here in the states...isn't it interesting how the marketers make everything sound so ecologically friendly), which is much more sophisticated, and occurs under much more pressure than simple fuel injection, electronic ignition, various traction control control systems (such as anti-lock brakes, or traction control), and have the proper diagnostic tools to diagnose and repair anything that goes wrong

Regards,

George Clay

[Robin Hood]

Robin Hood,

I'm sure that nobody would ever hit Britain with an EMP attack!

I'm also sure that you have a good understanding of the ECM, Electronic fuel injection (and for the new Fords, we are actually not just talking about simple fuel injection, but Direct Injection (called Eco Boost here in the states...isn't it interesting how the marketers make everything sound so ecologically friendly), which is much more sophisticated, and occurs under much more pressure than simple fuel injection, electronic ignition, various traction control control systems (such as anti-lock brakes, or traction control), and have the proper diagnostic tools to diagnose and repair anything that goes wrong

Regards,

George Clay

Not having the eco boost engine.
Going for a turbo diesel instead. Get's around 54 miles to the gallon on the combined cycle.

[gclayjr]

Robin Hood,

Yea, that's right. We actually have more stringent clean air standards than you do. So we can't have most diesels. If given the option, I think I would go for the diesel too, although I don't know enough about them to know how much they have been computerized and digitized to make what should be a straightforward engine more complex than it should be, and therefor more risk for failure.

Regards,

George Clay

[David13]

The diesels are limited here to the new improved non sulphur diesels which probably do have more gizmos, but if the are done right, they probably will do as well as any gas engine, or at least the average gas engine.
They are not popular here, and never were.
Most people don't like the idea of a car that sounds like a truck.
And with the old ones, that blew a huge cloud of black smoke.
Also, they tend to be good for low end torque and steady heavy hauling power. Ergo, good for trucks.
dc

[Robin Hood]

Diesel technology has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years. They are now very quiet and smooth for the most part. Some of the French and German diesels are almost indistinguishable from petrol versions.
My daughter has a Nissan Qashqai diesel which has plenty of power, is really quiet, and returns 74 miles to the gallon.
However, I think for the forseeable future hybrids are the way forward. But when the plug-ins (Nissan, Tesla etc) have resolved range and recharging issues they will become the norm in my view.

[Sandinista]

At the end of the day I liked them all, even the three Volvos I've had, several Mazda's, a couple of Toyota's and Isuzu's, Jeeps galore, Chevy's, MGs, a couple of Fiats, Porches, Jags, Hyundai's, BMW's, VW's, Ford's, a Renault Le Car (that is a story in itself!)and way more too many mention. There is a connection those of us gearheads make with a piece of machinery that is hard to explain, but it is undeniable!

What did you do with the Le Car? Push it everywhere you went? I suppose you could have given it a good shove and then ran and jumped on.

My favorite ride was my dad's 1914-1917 Model T Ford. He would have to stop the car, grab the bucket of water off of the running board, and run up to the front, open the radiator cap and pour in the bucket of water (sometimes while the thing was still moving!). Fun, exhilirating, terrifying, nastolgic, and embarassing all at the same time! Try getting that kind of emotion out of a new car!

Funniest story I had with the LeCar is that since no one would buy it from me I tried to get it stolen. My wife and I were going to go on a vacation to the Caribbean and were flying out of the Newark, NJ airport. So we drove the LeCar, parked it in the worst possible neighborhood we could find near the airport, left the keys in it in plain sight with the doors unlocked and were sure it would be gone when we got back a week later. It wasn't!

[Robin Hood]

Never heard of Renault LeCar so just googled it.
Looks like an old Renault 5 from the early '80's. I don't think they were ever popular.... even in France!

The French do make some, shall we say, interesting cars. I've had Citroen, Renault and Peugeot in my time. These days they're generally loaded up with gizmo's and tech that you never use. Citroen are quite cutting edge and are not afraid to bring serious innovation to the market. It's usually quite ugly though. Actually the phrase "vomit inducing" would be more accurate.

[Robin Hood]

Update.
Had the Ford Kuga (Escape) for a while now.

No problems to report. Very pleased.
Maid Marian loves it.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

[Matchmaker]

At the end of the day I liked them all, even the three Volvos I've had, several Mazda's, a couple of Toyota's and Isuzu's, Jeeps galore, Chevy's, MGs, a couple of Fiats, Porches, Jags, Hyundai's, BMW's, VW's, Ford's, a Renault Le Car (that is a story in itself!)and way more too many mention. There is a connection those of us gearheads make with a piece of machinery that is hard to explain, but it is undeniable!

What did you do with the Le Car? Push it everywhere you went? I suppose you could have given it a good shove and then ran and jumped on.

My favorite ride was my dad's 1914-1917 Model T Ford. He would have to stop the car, grab the bucket of water off of the running board, and run up to the front, open the radiator cap and pour in the bucket of water (sometimes while the thing was still moving!). Fun, exhilirating, terrifying, nastolgic, and embarassing all at the same time! Try getting that kind of emotion out of a new car!

Funniest story I had with the LeCar is that since no one would buy it from me I tried to get it stolen. My wife and I were going to go on a vacation to the Caribbean and were flying out of the Newark, NJ airport. So we drove the LeCar, parked it in the worst possible neighborhood we could find near the airport, left the keys in it in plain sight with the doors unlocked and were sure it would be gone when we got back a week later. It wasn't!

That story about the LeCar is so funny! :)) You made my day! I used to work in Newark, NJ. I know how crime-ridden it is.