Where would you go next...

Wailin

bazz26 wrote: »

I where the rev/torque range is narrower and revving the nuts out of a diesel engine gets you nowhere.

Not with a remapped 535d! But I think that's what has warped my sense of what's fast in a big saloon. So I'll just have to remap the 540i

Edit: In saying that, any passenger in the car when I opened it up are very impressed indeed. I think I'm desensitised to it having gotten used to it.

Sexual Chocolate

maddness wrote: »

I love it, it’s a lot of fun even at slow speeds. It’s very fast as it is and plenty of drama when you are pushing on too. It’s very hard riding though and not as comfortable as a Golf R in general. It feels special though.I will map it at some stage but it probably doesn’t need it.

Theres a youngfella on YouTube I follow whos had a R and went to a M140i but he's done a fair bit of modifying to it. Appearence wise I wouldnt be keen on what he's done but otherwise seems some yoke.

https://www.youtube.com/c/hampshirephoto

At one stage he was running that and a GT86 at the same time, not bad for 21.

vintagevrs

Wailin wrote: »

Not with a remapped 535d! But I think that's what has warped my sense of what's fast in a big saloon. So I'll just have to remap the 540i

Edit: In saying that, any passenger in the car when I opened it up are very impressed indeed. I think I'm desensitised to it having gotten used to it.

Do you miss the diesel at all? Your car is no doubt one of the best saloons you can get, but reading your posts you do seem a bit underwhelmed/disappointed with it but maybe I'm picking that up wrong?

The B58 gets loads of love, but as you say coming from a real quick diesel, maybe expectations were too high for the petrol?

Wailin

A tough one to answer to be honest. Do I find it underwhelming? I wouldn't say underwhelming, just more of the same.

Yeah I know the engine characteristics are very different. I think what it is is I went from a quick saloon to another quick saloon. And that's just it really, both quick cars but obviously not very sporty.

Don't get me wrong, the B58 engine is amazing, but the N57 twin turbo engine is a cracker too in a different way. Now, if I went from the 535d to a 140i, with that engine in a small hatchback, that would be all the car I'd ever need. But just couldn't work with the size limitations in my case.

The car is too well insulated to make it feel special at normal speeds. It's a reason why I'm considering the m performance exhaust kit but can't justify the cost from bmw for now.

Outside it sounds good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wh2jlEj0qg

bazz26

I get what your saying Wailin. It's one of the reason's why I'll be moving down to a smaller car. I'v been driving big non sporty saloons for a good few years now and changing to another one just seems pointless to me now. Yeah with a smaller car you lose some creature comforts and refinement but you also gain a bit more fun and noticeable engagement with the road.

James Bond Junior

bazz26 wrote: »

I get what your saying Wailin. It's one of the reason's why I'll be moving down to a smaller car. I'v been driving big non sporty saloons for a good few years now and changing to another one just seems pointless to me now. Yeah with a smaller car you lose some creature comforts and refinement but you also gain a bit more fun and noticeable engagement with the road.

We (wife) went from a 116d to a 420d and she was totally disappointed even taking the power jump and increased interior quality into account. I've owned big cars, E60, S60, Jeep Grand Cherokee and I've a small car/hot hatch on my radar in the next while.

vintagevrs

Fiesta ST

hooch-85

bazz26 wrote: »

I get what your saying Wailin. It's one of the reason's why I'll be moving down to a smaller car. I'v been driving big non sporty saloons for a good few years now and changing to another one just seems pointless to me now. Yeah with a smaller car you lose some creature comforts and refinement but you also gain a bit more fun and noticeable engagement with the road.

Did you make up your mind yet on what to go for?

bazz26

Nothing solid yet. I'm have 2 weeks stay cation from next week so might do a bit of window shopping assuming the county doesn't go into lock down.

One thing I've have noticed is that GTis and Cupras for sale don't seem to hang around long. The ads disappear nearly straight away after they are put up. I reckon alot of folks working from home are parting with their diesel commuter wagons for hot hatches now that they ain't doing as much driving.

hooch-85

Yeah i still have my alerts on for Cupra/Golf GTi/R's on donedeal and follow the market, good ones sell fast. Higher VRT is keeping values high as well. There's a nice 192 Cupra for sale by a member on here, might be of interest to you.

I heard of another Golf R theft in these neck of the woods recently too, house broken into and keys taken, there was tracker on the car so the owner got it back but these stories are never welcome when you have one on the driveway.

bazz26

That's been on my mind alright, do I really want the stress and hassle of that? My driveway is a typical semi-d open plan so nowhere to keep it out of sight prying eyes. Fast VAG cars seem to get the wrong type of attention.

hooch-85

I guess there is just as much of a chance of a fancy BMW/Audi/Merc being stolen too.

MarkN

I've a Fiesta ST next week and if I can be convinced, then it's all the car many of you lot will need too :P

vintagevrs

I think a lot on here should test drive one too Mark. I can't believe Ford Ireland don't have any in stock at all. It's well equipped, comfy, cheap to run and a fun thing to give some beans when you fancy it and you don't need to lose the license.

It's the same size as a mk5 gti too, which I think people need to remember as most think a Fiesta is just too small, when it's grown over the years. Quite understated too for the driveway, as it just looks like an ST line, more so than an R looks like an R-line.

hooch-85

Ford weren't bothered with selling the mk7 all that much either. I think less than 50 were sold new here originally. They also seem to be operating system whereby only 'Ford Store' garages seem to be able to stock or sell the ST or RS models.

The price is still a bit much imo, €31k the last time I checked for an ST3, that coupled with poor finance rates from Ford make them just a bit too expensive for what they are, but a year old one around €25k would be a good buy.

For reference I bought my new ST2 for €23,750 in Jan 16 and that was after Ford slashed 5k off the price.

Edit it's 31.5k for an ST3 5 door with metallic and LED headlights

vintagevrs

Yeah they only seem to have one option now and it's a well specced 5 door st3 as you say.

It is expensive, but the issue is every car is expensive. Are there other 200bhp hatches out there for less?

hooch-85

You're right, a Polo GTi is more expensive. There aren't many more options.

Still think if spending that kind of money I'd prefer to spend on a fresh PP GTi or something along those lines. The STs are grand but the build quality will get to you after a while, I know there's been a marked improvement in the mk8 but they are still not near German quality levels.

maddness

hooch-85 wrote: »

You're right, a Polo GTi is more expensive. There aren't many more options.

Still think if spending that kind of money I'd prefer to spend on a fresh PP GTi or something along those lines. The STs are grand but the build quality will get to you after a while, I know there's been a marked improvement in the mk8 but they are still not near German quality levels.

100% with you on this Hooch, as fun as it may be it’s still a fiesta when you are just tootling around. A Golf/Leon is a far nicer place to sit and still fun

Austmcc

hooch-85 wrote: »

Yeah i still have my alerts on for Cupra/Golf GTi/R's on donedeal and follow the market, good ones sell fast. Higher VRT is keeping values high as well. There's a nice 192 Cupra for sale by a member on here, might be of interest to you.

I heard of another Golf R theft in these neck of the woods recently too, house broken into and keys taken, there was tracker on the car so the owner got it back but these stories are never welcome when you have one on the driveway.

Yep, they sell fast. I keep an eye on cupras in particular and they fly out bar one that sticks in mind. Even when I bought mine last year, saw the add on thursday, was first one to test drive it saturday at lunch, after it was prepped, dealer closed for the weekend when I dropped the keys back, deposit went down monday morning. Considering it took me near 6 months to find my previous car, for multiple reasons, when a hot hatch gets you, its gets you fast.

vintagevrs

hooch-85 wrote: »

You're right, a Polo GTi is more expensive. There aren't many more options.

Still think if spending that kind of money I'd prefer to spend on a fresh PP GTi or something along those lines. The STs are grand but the build quality will get to you after a while, I know there's been a marked improvement in the mk8 but they are still not near German quality levels.

True but it's all relative. Buying a fresh fiesta is going to be a lot less expensive than a fresh GTi so like for like a far cheaper car so no doubt the golf is a plusher place to be. I agree the fiesta is still an entry level ford, but the gap has closed. I couldn't deal with the Mk7 fiesta interior. That focus rs interior was behind a Mk5 golf imo. The mk8 fiesta interior is a nice place to be considering all it offers I think.

hooch-85

That's true, I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd rather a 3 or 4 year old low mileage GTi to a 1 year old Fiesta ST.

bazz26

There was a 2018 white Mk8 Fiesta ST3 for sale for ages last year, I think they were looking for 24k/25k for it at the time. It had high enough mileage for a year old car too, think it was around 32k km. Other than that I don't recall seeing many of them for sale here, I don't think Ford really car about selling their performance models here as there doesn't seem to be any marketing effort at all from them.

vintagevrs

hooch-85 wrote: »

That's true, I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd rather a 3 or 4 year old low mileage GTi to a 1 year old Fiesta ST.

Ah but sure what would ye know. Have you ever even driven a fast fiesta or golf?!

hooch-85

vintagevrs wrote: »

Ah but sure what would ye know. Have you ever even driven a fast fiesta or golf?!

Yeah not a notion😀

blingrhino

So take the mrs 520d this morning to get two rear tyres and another Bing/Bong when i start it.
This time it says it needs front break pads. there is 64252km on this 2017 car ,How the feck can it need break pads,i can assure you its not been driven like Tommy Hakikenen !
in july another Bong and a break fluid change required at 62800km and in feb another Bong that it was due an oil change 59885km so another trip to Joe Duffy.

Surely they could all be done at the same time one would think.

Are break pads covered under the Service pack? 3year/100000 miles.

in between the bongs throughout the year for tyre pressure monitor and the bings for batterys in the remote control (2 in a year) this car would drive you crazy.

hooch-85

64k is nearly 40k miles, i would have thought that was a reasonable enough time frame to get out of a set of front pads especially in a reasonably heavy car like a 520d? Unless they were changed already?

bazz26

Brake pads can wear out quickly depending on the driver as well as the quality of the pads used. These cars are also heavy on brake pads and discs. They wouldn't be included in the service pack I'd imagine and I'd wager that the dealer will recommend changing the discs also, be sitting down when you get that quote. Brake fluid is recommended to be changed every 2 years and should be included in the service pack. BMW use condition based servicing so not all these things will be due replacing at the same time but you can check in the car's idrive computer when things are due.

blingrhino

I had 94000 kms on the golf r and it was driven like tommy hakikinen but never changed the break pads.

i hear ye about the discs,Any point in refusing and just get the pads or get a second opinion ?

Wailin

blingrhino wrote: »

I had 94000 kms on the golf r and it was driven like tommy hakikinen but never changed the break pads.

i hear ye about the discs,Any point in refusing and just get the pads or get a second opinion ?

I've had my pads done on the old f10 and they never mentioned discs. You can tell yourself anyway if they've a very pronounced lip on them. A heavy automatic car like the 5 series will go through pads handy enough and 40k miles is certainly an average.

hooch-85

By contrast, my Golf R had new brake pads all round at 35k miles and i've recently replaced the rear discs and pads at 65k miles. The front discs and pads will probably be changed at next service.

And its Tommi Makinen by the way:)