new car time

[swampy]

Right then the wife has decided its time to change the 156 for something a bit bigger.

So over the last week we have looked at
320d m sport e90

Saab 9-3 1.9 ttid aero sport 180, found a lovely on a mine from home, but in the two hours it took the wife to decide she liked it they had sold it

Alfa 159 1.9 jtdm our 156 big brother but do I want to go down the alfa route again

Audi a4 tdi 170 s line, loved driving these in my time at Audi but for the money I can get one for the Milage is galactic compared to the other cars

Is220 sport , hard find a nice one but the plus side is I can get cheap servicing at work

Also looked at 525d m sport but she decided it was a bit too big
So ideas / suggestions?

[madwelshman]

My choice would be the Saab, but then, I just love Saabs.
Anyhow, I have heard that they are a bit disappointing low down. I've never driven one mind, so can't comment from personal experience.

[1616six]

I've only been in a 156 a long time ago but surely a 156 isn't much smaller than the e90? They are both 4dr saloons aren't they?

I wouldn't go for a saloon again but that's just a personal thing I guess.

Your suggestions all seem decent, only others I can really suggest would be the other vags, Octavia VRS derv, Passat 170 highline.

How about an Accord?

The Saab would be a good choice, twin turbo & a remap makes them a complete animal

[madwelshman]

From what I've been told about the lag on the 9-3, if a re-map would sort that, then it would definitely be my choice.

[swampy]

To be fair until we stumbled up on the Saab yesterday the e90 was winning hands down

The bmw isn't that much bigger overall but it's how the package it up.

[Ruan]

Saab - I heard you like EGR valves? But not a bad car by any means.
Alfa - you know it'll break down, the 2.4 20v with DPF is pretty horrible on fuel.
Audi 170 TDi - goes wrong all the time, heads crack and leak water into cylinders, oil pump chains fail, chronic DPF issues - and as said, galactic mileages.
BMW 320d - OK, but overpriced for what they are and everything is nuts expensive.
LS220 - know nothing about, will be reliable but is the Toyota motor which supposedly isn't great to drive, but meh.

Mondeo 2.0/2.2?

I'm biased, but S40/V50? Seems to be about the size you want and prices aren't too bad?

[madwelshman]

S40/V50 is a Mondeo in disguise anyway isn't it. The last Mondeo I drove (57 plate admittedly) was HORRIBLE. Back end shimmied like the old mk3 Cavaliers on 13" rims used to. Cruise was TERRIBLE. On a hill, the speed would drop a couple of mph, then suddenly it would decide, ah, hang on and give itself a bootfull and shoot past the set speed then lift right off until it got back to set speed, then repeat the whole process again.
It could have been a one off and just that particular car, but I hated the thing and couldn't wait to give it back.

[Niall]

I spent a lot of time looking into a IS220 Sport a few years back and drove one. Not quick by any means but super smooth engine and ride and from what i read, very very reliable.
Im a massive Saab fan so out of the lot, personally would go for the 93. Early ones have an issue with a SID loosing most of its pixels....easily fixed for about £50. Like Ruan says, EGRs are hardly reliable and the early TTiDs had turbo issues so i read but most should of been changed by now.

[madwelshman]

I believe SID panels were better from around 2007 on. Like you say, they aren't overly expensive to sort out.
Get yourself on UKSAABS.co.uk and ask peoples opinions on there would be a good bet.

[306Dan]

Is220 is a lovely motor, has a knack of clogging the egr and manifold port, quite easy to clean only takes 10mins

[madwelshman]

I think part of the EGR problem with sooooo many newer cars is that because they produce so much torque so low down (especially with VNT/VGT turbo technology), people don't rev them because they don't need to and therefore not revved enough to keep them clean.
Personally, I'm a firm believer of giving a diesel a good blast from time to time, just to keep things clean and give them a good clear out. Touch wood, so far I've never had any emissions issues at MOT time.

[DavidA]

Out of your selection I'd pick the Saab. I found myself really disappointed with the build quality of an A3 I had recently so I've been slightly put off the Audis. BMWs have a bit of a stigma attached to them, and while Saabs are often seen as sandal wearing geography teacher's cars they're just that little bit less common. Plus you can't complain about 180bhp and still 60mpg (if figures are to be believed).

[Ruan]

S40/V50 is a Mondeo in disguise anyway isn't it. The last Mondeo I drove (57 plate admittedly) was HORRIBLE. Back end shimmied like the old mk3 Cavaliers on 13" rims used to. Cruise was TERRIBLE. On a hill, the speed would drop a couple of mph, then suddenly it would decide, ah, hang on and give itself a bootfull and shoot past the set speed then lift right off until it got back to set speed, then repeat the whole process again.
It could have been a one off and just that particular car, but I hated the thing and couldn't wait to give it back.

Nah, Focus underneath... I find mine great tbf - people will vouch for it being a pretty nice place to be and not horrific in the corners.

And to be fair, it's done a hundred'n'something thousand, other than the electrical fault which simply appears to be caused by an incompetent garage, it's been reliable as hell... I've done 30k or so and other than it's hiccup with the electrical fault, it's not put a foot wrong. Only items I've replaced are oil, tyres and a wheel bearing which was £55 and 3 hours to change it myself.

[1616six]

BMW 320d - OK, but overpriced for what they are and everything is nuts expensive.

I've always heard this but I've now had an E36 compact, E46 coupe and the e90.. never noticed anything that was any dearer than other brands to be honest.

The water pump went on the E46, I think it was under £30 all in from ECP & 4 bolts to change.

Servicing costs can be expensive at dealers but a decent indi seems very reasonable if you're going down the garaging service route (I need to, to keep the value up on mine as it's full dealer stamped history so far)

I'm obviously biased as will Ruan be with the volvo, and others are with other cars.

I'd personally go for an E91 over an E90, but then again if the saloon suits your needs then I can't really fault it, handle great, power is decent (177bhp 7.6 0-60), I am averaging mid 50's MPG wise.

There are other cars I would choose if I went back with my budget now (Only on practicality) but the car does the job fantastically in all honesty.

[swampy]

Well the saab is now in the lead.

Off to look at a one owner full service history , just had cambelt dive saab 93 aero sport tomorrow!

180bhp
295 ft lb torque
60 mpg on a run
£130 a year to tax

All win

[1616six]

Sounds good. I have a friend with a petrol one which has got hirsch is it, and Abbott racing work in it, absolute machine.

Saabs make for good sleepers.

Good luck with it!

[DavidA]

Saabs make for good sleepers.

My wife had the 9-5 3.0 V6 when I first met her, looked like a plain old saloon car from the outside but when you planted tour right foot it took off like a scalded cat...had some fun with it many times.

[toseland]

S40/V50 is a Mondeo in disguise anyway isn't it. The last Mondeo I drove (57 plate admittedly) was HORRIBLE. Back end shimmied like the old mk3 Cavaliers on 13" rims used to. Cruise was TERRIBLE. On a hill, the speed would drop a couple of mph, then suddenly it would decide, ah, hang on and give itself a bootfull and shoot past the set speed then lift right off until it got back to set speed, then repeat the whole process again.
It could have been a one off and just that particular car, but I hated the thing and couldn't wait to give it back.

Nah, Focus underneath... I find mine great tbf - people will vouch for it being a pretty nice place to be and not horrific in the corners.

And to be fair, it's done a hundred'n'something thousand, other than the electrical fault which simply appears to be caused by an incompetent garage, it's been reliable as hell... I've done 30k or so and other than it's hiccup with the electrical fault, it's not put a foot wrong. Only items I've replaced are oil, tyres and a wheel bearing which was £55 and 3 hours to change it myself.

had the D5 SE Sport AWD, with the 18s... tiny tiny bit stiffer than maybe it should have been but handled like a dream, and was mega comfy.. the difference in ride was solely due to the fact that i was running 45 profile tyres on the 18s... 17s as standard are perfect methinks but dont look quite as nice

At least, if you get one go for the 2.0 or the D5 diesel, both are nice engines, 2.0 is the ford unit with the lovely 6speed box

[swampy]

Saab was very nice to drive, ticked all the boxes but was not with out issue.

Some random stuff like the aux in port in the glove box had a screw wound in to it!
Drivers seat the leather was all scuffed on the center of the base.

Not in a real rush so will keep looking

[madwelshman]

Saab was very nice to drive, ticked all the boxes but was not with out issue.

Some random stuff like the aux in port in the glove box had a screw wound in to it!
Drivers seat the leather was all scuffed on the center of the base.

Not in a real rush so will keep looking

If time is on your side, then as you say, keep hunting for the best you can find/afford. It usually pays in the long run.

[swampy]

Well the saab won!

Paid a deposit tonight on a two owner 80k Mile 08 plate tonight

Ttid 180bhp aero model
Full leather, all the nice bits.

Is cheaper to tax and insure than the alfa is!
Should also give slightly better mpg aswell

Will be picking it up early next week as got to replace the rx8 engine this weekend

[DavidA]

Jealous...hope you enjoy it.

[Toms306]

You should probably get a more decisive wife... You'd would already have had the Saab and had no need for this thread.

Where are the pics then?

[swampy]

Yeah the one we missed out on was nice but the one we are getting is mint on the outside, just had the cambelt and water pump done so that's good for longer than we will keep the car!

Don't pick the car up until mid week so pictures will be up next weekend so long as I can get it clean

[swampy]

Picked the car up last night.
Very impressed so far.

Far quieter to drive than the alfa, handles better ( it's the vector model so has uprated suspension)
Drove to Kent and back today ,a little over 220 miles door to door averaged 63 mpg

Needs some leather treatment on the seats and a good cost of wax

[DavidA]

Enjoy !

[Piggy]

What is the turbo lag like? Much umph?!

I upset a middle aged man in one the other day thinking he was all that

[Seb_Ryan]

What is the turbo lag like? Much umph?!

I upset a middle aged man in one the other day thinking he was all that

Piggy you plonker, its a little turbo and a big one so no lag, not in the one ive been in lol

[Piggy]

I had heard of lag issues though also

[swampy]

No lag at all, as said this is ttid which has twin turbo type set up
Pulls nice and brisk from very low down

Some of the lower spec, they also do a120bhp and 159 only have a single turbo so is assume they don't have much get up and go.