*******Motors Chat - Round 7*******

darn its hard to get a quote on a Japanese car nowadays, lots cant quotes, First Ireland said I need 5 years NCB to go with AXA, I may have found somewhere for €1390 but will wait and see.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime wrote: »

Just got a call from dublin bus .... attend a medical !

Great news mr bus driver.

Dord wrote: »

Another no show timewaster...

I seriously can't understand what problem people have with just sending a simple "not coming" text or quick call.
They seem to think that sellers will burst out crying on the phone or become irrate.
Dickheads.

Just booked a flight to Dublin for next Friday, I seriously hope that Saab isn't sold

Looks like I'm going to view a 525i M-Sport tomorrow, no NCT since January or so and needs a small few bits but it's owned by a mechanic with a ramp so I can see everything, seems pretty genuine and goes to my college too, all the spec I want too.

pred racer wrote: »

On the motorway you might actually do it, I've driven one of the lower power models and 5th/6th gear are so tall they are useless anywhere else.

I have the basically the same engine (only 150 tho)and I can pootle along at 90km/hr in 6th, in the insignia it was struggling at that speed in 5th maybe yours with the extra ponies can manage?

Other than that I found it quite a nice car to drive, even if it is a bit wallowy in the bends.

Even in the lighter GTC with the 165bhp version of that engine wasn't happy in 5th until at least 100kph, only ever worth using 6th on the motorway then. Not at all light on juice either - GTC averaged 44mpg, the FR with more town driving is close on 55mpg. Just did Cork to Waterford there and it did 64 and from my calcs the trip is never more than a few decimal places out. That Fiat/Opel engine needs to be retired. It's happening soon.

Also with the nights drawing in my 3 pet hates are noticeable again:

3. Toyotas with full beams on because the lights are so shyte.
2. One eyed bandits.
1. Dip****s with poor headlight alignment...really hate those guys.

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Will you let us know if you had to call the fire brigade?

Thankfully, no "thermal incident" occurred :pac:

R.O.R wrote: »

Opel have left us with a rather nice Insignia Elite 163ps, so I've zeroed all values, and I'm going to see if their fantastic fuel consumption claims (4.3L/100km - 66mpg on this model) bare any resemblance to real world usage.

I doubt the 20" wheels are going to help, and I'm going to leave the chassis setting in Touring, and the distance cruise off.

Will report back in the morning if I remember.

Not fantastic, but not too bad either.



The initial Stop/Start part of the journey home was a bit heavier than usual, and trip was showing over 10L/100km by the time I hit the M50 - shows how inefficient a diesel is on short hops from cold (and it had been used a couple of hours before I set off, so wasn't even that cold). Pic above is after I pulled in to the drive - 4.8L/100km over 60km's at average speed of 61km/h - woo hoo, only took me 59 minutes!



Friday traffic was thankfully quite light this morning, so pic above is after parking at the office, and is a combination of way home and way back in. Down to 4.7 L/100km over 120km.

Further away from the stated 4.3 than I would have liked, but not a million miles off.

Here's the car in question:


The new model is so much better the drive than the recent versions. This will pull from just over 60km's in 6th - not that happy about it, but doesn't have the horrific clutch shudder that you'd get on previous models from anything under 100. Even managed the hills in Julianstown in 5th whereas previous versions would nearly stall if you tried that, and would even struggle in 4th.

Had a bit of an argument with the voice controlled Nav. Found my estate on the way home, but was giving totally random results when I tried to find the house number / road. Worse on the way back in this morning - results it was coming up with for the area of the office were places I'd never heard of, and didn't really bare any resemblance to what I was saying. Found it by manually programming the system though.

Didn't use the various driver aids fitted to this model. Opel Eye gives you the speed limits on the dash - picks them up from the road signs, and actually works very well. Could be very handy if you are in an unfamiliar area and don't want to get caught speeding. Lane departure warning works. I don't really like blind spot assist - from the corner of your eye the flashing yellow light in the wing mirror looks like the car next to you, indicating to come in to the side of you, and it activated a few times on the M1 this morning even though I was in the outside lane (overtaking) - must have been picking up the hedge in the central median.

Used the distance cruise on the previous loaded demo we had, and it does work very well. Left it off for economy this time, and suspect it doesn't go quite as well with the manual version as it did with the auto we had before.

Engine / gearing is much better than it has been on the Insignia's of recent times. Lot fewer gear changes required than previous versions. Was pleasantly surprised by the ride comfort - I've driven many Insignia's and running on the 18's that most came with, they were a bit crashy even on motorways, so thought the 20's would make it terrible, but actually seemed a little better. Definitely on par with my 5 Series M-Sport (non-runflats) and possible a little better. Sports Seats probably helped - they are very good.

Sorry lads for dragging this out but does anyone know what to look out for on a 93 Sportwagon? The one I posted on the previous page.
I'm having difficulties finding much on Google except that the radio is absolutely terrible.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Grrrrrrrr. :mad:

So my ex was putting Mazda through nct and booking was still on my name. They got a stupid system where they ask your CC details for charge. I told her to try and pay on the spot, so they would not charge me.
So I know she got nct sorted last week and today I see, that I got charged 55eu and she never told me a thing. I hope she did not payed 55eu on the spot and now they took another 55eu off my account.

Or she used your card without permission so she wouldn't have to pay.

id be getting new account and cards if it was me !

Speaking from an nct point of view.... no way possible they took payment twice

New car sorted

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Pics!

Won't be picking it up for another 2/3 weeks when it's serviced, rocker gasket repaired and gotten an NCT for a year.

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Nice! What colour is it?

Black!

Body has some small issues but for a car that wasn't used for a while it's in good nick. Small bubbling on boot lid which is a common problem, small crack below the driver side foglight and a long scrape and small dent below the passenger door trim, not sure what hit it to make a scrape as long as it is but it's not too noticable, a friend of mine could sort these out easily enough.