I feel a change of name coming on, as the Bora is once again running like a three legged donkey suffering an asthma attack, and i regret buying a car where you have to undo 6 bolts, 3 pipes, replace 2 gaskets and remove half the inlet manifold just to replace the number 2 spark plug
I like the ride, the solidity, the level of performance, the quiet appearance
I don't like the unreliability, the inability of the dealers to come up with a permanent fix. in fact, I don't like the dealers full stop.
I dont like the fact that it only returns 30 mpg and uses 1/2 litre of oil every 800 miles on a 30 mile a day journey
So what should I be looking at ? It has to have 4 doors, not me a mini/supermini size, preferably have a boot, must be a good car to drive (a drivers car ?), and have a good 'feel of solidity'
When I bought the Bora, it was a toss-up between that and a Honda Civic 1.5 vtec, and I went for the VW because the Honda appeared under-equipped (too many blanks on the dashboard) and you had to push it a bit to get the benefit of the VTEC but I could concede I made the wrong decision
I drive 15 miles each way to work but then might well put a couple of hundred motorway miles in at a weekend, and at a push want something that's going to take me to Innsbruck in relative comfort, which is why I don't want a small car
I eagerly await your opinions....
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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I recommend a pug 306 1.9 turbo diesel as a former driver of the dreaded bora i ve never looked back since i bought my 306 it'll do 50+ mpg at 70mph and has the juice to do a lot more very fun to drive and comfy best of luck
Fae Fester
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Budget? My first suggestion would be a C3 HDi 16v - I'm really starting to warm to them.
And why not a small car? C3s are probably about as big inside as the Bora, although not as good on the boot...
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David - I'd written the c3 off as to small - I need to accomodate 4 adults after walking trips occasionally, but I might take another look
ta
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Vauxhall omega or if you're feeling brave an alfa romeo 156, maybe a 147 if you don't think it is too small. Perhaps a late mazda xedos but I don't know when they stopped making them so they may not be new enough. Accord Type R if they do one with a boot. MG ZT and a toyota corolla to drive when you're waiting for replacement parts.....
teabelly
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How about a saab 9-5?
In fact how about mine (see classifieds)
Great car, feels very solid, will do 40mpg on a motorway cruise. All the toys, large boot etc etc.
Jonathan
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What's your budget? Was just wondering if you could stretch to a used Lexus 200 or Mazda 6? Both of these sound like your type of car. Cheaper options are a well specced Nissan Primera or Honda Accord perhaps.
Baz
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Jonathan - i'm a bit of a saab fan (had 2 96-v4's), but the 9-5 is probably to big for my needs. Now a 9-3 or 900 - don't really know, you keep getting the impression they are not as good a drive as they should be
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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You could get a 9-3 & have the suspension sorted by Hirsch (expensive), Trent Saab (Eibach, supposed to be excellent) or Abbott (cheaper). The engines are good, the cars solid but not over-roomy in the back (possibly similar to the Bora?).
Interested that you drive to Innsbruck a lot - so do we as we love Austria as much as my wife hates flying! I'd be interested in your comments on what you reckon are the quickest & the nicest routes.
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Interested that you drive to Innsbruck a lot -
a lot --- if only !
I've been about half a dozen times, but plan to go again. We've been into Austria 3 different ways -
Bodensee/Sankt Anton, (very picturesque, but not fast)
Kempten/Nesselwang (pretty in parts, faster, unless you pick the weekend when all the gastarbieter are going back home - we got caught last time and the traffic jam lasted for three days)
Munich/Inntal - faster but frightening if foggy, and another nightmare if it is busy. We flew to austria for the millenium and every bavarian was trying to get home when we were trying to get to the airport. The coach was so late the driver was driving through motorway service station car parks because it was faster
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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9-5 is basically a 9000 right? mother's boyfriend has one of these, 150k or something, neglected N reg bought for £800. Still a very nice car, quick too.
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T - Omega probably a bit too big for me, Alfa - i want something reliable. I did think about a xedos when i bought the bora, but there are no dealers nearby.
Type R ,civic or accord - yes please
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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It may be a bit too old, but there was a very nice Mazda 323 V6 2 litre ("the five door coupe") and there are several around here looking very well.
Tomo
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Without knowing your budget, it is hard to say.
But a car that meets all your requirements, especialy "must be a good car to drive is the BMW 5 series. >>>
(a drivers car ?), and have a good 'feel of solidity'". <<<
Just one exception to your needs, the 2.5litre gives 28mpg overall, 35mpg on M-ways. Check out the GTC web site for prices of 4 or 5 year old examples of the 523. At that age, they are out of warranty so you can DIY the servicing. There are many dedicated web-sites offering help in that respect.
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I recommend a nice Citroen Xantia, TDi not HDi of course ..........
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156 JTD or Omega TD. Both will give you what you want and I'm now getting 40mpg from the Alfa since I chipped it.
'slovely!
:o)
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Loads of things to think about here, thanks very much. As for budget, I haven't thought about that seriously yet
who knows - they might fix the bora (again)
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Thanks for all the suggestions, but whatever it is I am looking for is unlikely to be any bigger than the Bora
now I must get some work done...
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Have you thought about going down the Subaru path. They seem to be relatively well priced new and second hand and always seem to do well in the reliability stakes. I know that the interior sometimes leaves a bit to be desired and the indicators/wipers columns are the opposite of many cars, but..
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CM
Nice cars, but I want something that I can get serviced either near to work or near to home, and there are no dealers in the area...
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Focus Zetec if you like the hatch, or maybe a Ghia if you want a saloon?
Nice car, my only actual real world experience though is my nana's which is a Zetec hatch, it feels very well put together, doesn't rattle, and the seats are sooooo comfortable. The Zetec is very well equipped for toys, and the Ghia is even slightly better again.
Haven't sat in Ghia seats though so don;t know what they're like...
I can't wait to buy one! :-)
Blue
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Haven't sat in Ghia seats though so don;t know what they're like...
I have. SHMBO has a one and it's great for her (quite short as she is).
I'm 6 ft tall and I'm all over the seat trying to get comfortable after ten miles, having adjusted everything in sight.
My problem stems from the angle my foot sets up with the accelerator, my leg doesn't rest on the seat. A real pain.
Great car though.
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>A real pain. Great car though.
100% agree. Had a Focus TDCI 115 Ghia estate for the w/e on test
Great great car, but got severe pain in throttle ankle after an hour despite much seat twiddling.
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Best take a test drive first then, I find my gran's suprememly comfortable to sit in, but haven't actually turned the key and driven it for any length of time, she finds it great though.
I suppose I would probably be OK in the Focus though 'cos I can drive my Fiesta for hours without any pain. Surprisingly good seating position for a small car, my dad doesn't have a problem either... it's just the back seat passengers who moan. :)
Try the Focus, only a Ghia or Zetec though, apparently these are much better than the LX or CL models in terms of comfort. I bet you love it.
Blue
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I had a drive in a Bora 115 TDI and thought it was good.Nice to look at in Magic Black and went like the clappers.It was not noisy and the interior was very nice.Excellent fuel economy too!
Thats the answer,a Bora 130 TDI Sport !
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I had a drive in a Bora 115 TDI and thought it was good.Nice to look at in Magic Black and went like the clappers.It was not noisy and the interior was very nice.Excellent fuel economy too! Thats the answer,a Bora 130 TDI Sport !
I had one as a courtesy car when the dealers hadn't fix mine in time, and I can't say I was that impressed.
Then again, the dealer had failed to fix the car when they said they would, left it till the last minute to tell me and said there was a courtesy car waiting, then in the 10 minutes it takes to walk from work to the dealers, they'd used the courtesy car to run somebody else home so I had to wait 45 minutes, so I wasn't in pro-VW mood
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Borasport,do you post on the FOC-U website ?
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Borasport,do you post on the FOC-U website ?
I can't even guess what it means - enlighten me !
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Fazer Owners Club _ Unofficial
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Fazer Owners Club _ Unofficial
now I know even less !
would you like to tell me what a Fazer is ?
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Yamaha Fazer FZS600 motorcycle
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Strange my neighbour has the new A4 2litre he likes the car but has to topup with oil as you do. The Bora is the ideal size car if you don't tow, space for four and a good boot.
Have you considered the A4, you haven't mentioned new or second hand, but as a second hand purchase for e.g. my A4 1.8T Quattro Avant is a lot of car for not much money, after three years the cars like new to drive and unless it starts to get unreliable i intended to keep it for some years, if you target the 2000 year model all the previous problems have been sorted, and the car really has everything you need, prices should be around 10-13k.
During the first year i had to top up with half a pint of oil, since the second service non, to get a spark plug out requires three half turns to remove engine cover, remove two m5 Allen cap screws and unplug the ignition unit, a 10 min job max,also ive had no problems with these modules this was on all vw products from 2001-2002. Mpg is over 30 on the motorway around 25 round town. insurance a high 17, but you could target a diesel.
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Well as of this morning, the Bora has a complete new set of Magnecor 8.5mm silicone HT leads, a complete set of new spark plugs and a new lambda sensor, and appears to be running sweeter than ever.
The garage that did the work, an independent that specialises in VAG cars, was of the opinion that the lambda sensor and plugs were all original, which is odd as the dealer claims to have replaced them under warranty !
If it's still fine in a few weeks, there may not be a change of identity after all, and there will be a new addition to the recommended garages in the directory.
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Well it's now a nearly a month since the work was done, and apart from resolving the uneven running (fingers crossed), my records show that over the past four weeks the car has been returning an average 32.7 mpg compared with 30.5 in the preceding five months, so it looks like a repreive and no identity crisis
p.s. - Jud, have you got a vag-com lead yet ?
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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p.p.s - I have recommended the garage for the Good Garage guide, but in the meantime if anyony is looking for an independent VW/Audi specialist in Bolton, they can email me
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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