Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Everyone we know with a Xsara Picasso says they are brilliant mind... could you get a newer one Gary?
Estate car or MPV ?
- Thread starter gary r
- Start date
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mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
I have an irrational hatred of most MPV's and the Picasso in particular. They're just so profoundly devoid of attractiveness.
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
But practical, big and great mpg... and looks the same going backwards or forwards!
Chains still need to be checked and replaced just like on a bike, and if it snaps its the same result as when a belt snaps.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
We had a Xsara Picasso for about five years, & traded it in for a C4 Grand Picasso 2 years ago when our third child was imminent. Very happy with both for family transport. The C4 took four bikes, a roof box, all five of us and our stuff for a fortnight in France last year and came back with all the above plus 48 bottles of wine !
pubrunner
Legendary Member
The longevity of a chain, far exceeds that of a belt; in over 35 years of driving, I've never known of a chain to snap - though they did become quite noisy on a few of the original minis that I owned.
A timing chain will last the life of the engine, whereas a timing belt is a maintenance item requiring replacement every 50 - 70,000 miles
Over The Hill
Guru
- Location
- Ridden off into the sunset
So you need a bit of space in a car. That is a good start point. If you can get a traditional estate it puts that space in a long and not too tall package. Nice and comfortable to drive - long wheelbase, roof not to high up if you load it.
The MPV pacages the same space into a shorter car, better to park but not so useful being taller inside instead of longer. I dont like them too tall as they tend to give a jiggely and choppy ride (sick kids) compared to a lower estate.
I think the estate will generally be better on fuel being less tall.
Ignore the manufacurers label and look at the car size and what you want to do. Why I say this is the pug 308 estate is called a SW (not mpv) but it is almost as tall and has a huge boot. We currently run a 307 and 406 and have had about 20 years trouble free pug ownership between us. I presently run a 12 year old pug estate that is 100% reliable and i trust it on family holidays etc even towing a caravan. I rather like the look of the new 508 in an estate. Personally I dont buy anything newer than 5 years old so not on my own radar yet.
I would not get a Renault as they do have problems but pug and citroen problems have long passed.
The MPV pacages the same space into a shorter car, better to park but not so useful being taller inside instead of longer. I dont like them too tall as they tend to give a jiggely and choppy ride (sick kids) compared to a lower estate.
I think the estate will generally be better on fuel being less tall.
Ignore the manufacurers label and look at the car size and what you want to do. Why I say this is the pug 308 estate is called a SW (not mpv) but it is almost as tall and has a huge boot. We currently run a 307 and 406 and have had about 20 years trouble free pug ownership between us. I presently run a 12 year old pug estate that is 100% reliable and i trust it on family holidays etc even towing a caravan. I rather like the look of the new 508 in an estate. Personally I dont buy anything newer than 5 years old so not on my own radar yet.
I would not get a Renault as they do have problems but pug and citroen problems have long passed.
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
I have had 3 Nissan's from the 90's when they used to make good cars and each had high mileages and never had an issue with the cam chains. Belts are maybe quieter, but I would guess that car manufacturers want another part that needs to be replaced to make more money.
I remember when Vauxhalls had a brilliant design where a clutch could be changed within an hour without the need to remove the gearbox. I changed several myself on my drive, but alas they did away with that feature. Probably to extract more money from the customer
As long as its lubricated properly.
I've had a chain snap, car was scraped.
Over The Hill
Guru
- Location
- Ridden off into the sunset
In most cars they cost £200 to replace (not £2000) and this comes up at 60,000 miles or about 5 years. So £40 per year on average. That is such an insignificant sum within the cost of running a car. Newer better engine will save more than that in fuel.
pubrunner
Legendary Member
For my Touran, all the garages that I contacted, quoted me over £350 - that didn't include a new water pump.
A quick search shows that you'd be lucky to get it done for £200 . .
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/vw-touran-cambelt-t56439.html
http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1178016
http://www.sinclairvolkswagen.co.uk/aftersales/cambelt-replacement/
I'm not sure where you've got the £2,000 bit from ?
When you have to pay out a lump sum, the fact that it is only "X" per year, is scant consolation.
pubrunner
Legendary Member
. . . . . . . that they were very popular with taxi drivers . . .especially, the Bluebird.
akb
Veteran
- Location
- Potton, Bedfordshire
From your list, I'd go for the Passat Estate.
Over The Hill
Guru
- Location
- Ridden off into the sunset
Mr Clutch http://www.mrclutch.com/services/cambelts/cambelt-price-list?gclid=CPbiltDN27MCFW3MtAodCQYAVA
quotes from £179 all inc with most cars being around £205 mark.
The point is perhaps more down to the idea that manufacturers are making cars deliberately that need work to be done on them. I really dont believe this at all. My car (12 years old) is on the original exhaust pipe that is still good as new. I remember a friend trying to get an exhaust for his 3 year old escort back in the 70s. My parents bought a new Cortina in the 60s that lasted 8 years before it was scrapped (full of rust). Again my car is like new with no rust and really could run easily for another 12 years.
Cars are amazingly good now. Engines were good if they went "round the clock", clutches lasted 50k as did gearboxes. Valves were worn out frequenetly. Now we can expect the whole engine to last for the life of the car with no problem. My engine has done over 100k and has not has a single part on it in its life (was father in laws car before mine).
I would buy high milage cars cheap and then never let me down. I have had a few cars well into 250k still on the original engine.
There are probaly about ten times as many parts on a car now as there used to be. Generally i find they dont go wrong. In 4 years all I have replaced is the rubber button on my key fob and some brake pads and tyres.
You can buy a decent and safe car for not much money and it be cheap to run and maintain. I seem to remember spending ages repairing rust and having various parts brake down on cars. Not broken down for about 15 years! Or have I been lucky??
Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Volvo V70 clutch went after 2 years and less than 30000 miles.... the RAC man hinted that it was a fault he'd seen a few times but the Volvo dealer denied it.
