The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XIV)
Discussion
Went out looking for sensible family cars today. Two options in my mind as we're not quite as minted as most on PH seem to be!
1. Sell Elise, try and keep the 205 GTI and get something interesting. 208 GTi has just been released, so we went to see that:
First place we went were dicks, so we went to a better one. They only stopped fawning over the 205 so we could take the 208 for a spin!
Anyway, it feels like a real quality item. Very nice plastics and leather on the dash, seats were great. Only thing not quite so great was the rear load room. Seats don't fold flat so getting a bike in and out could be an issue. They're not sure if the Peugeot roof rack fits it either, so are checking for me.
To drive, it's not noticeably a turbo. On a dual carriageway I pulled out to pass a truck, floored it from 60 in 6th and it pulled quickly up to 90 just fine. Overtaking anything else on a B road is just effortless. I found myself doing triple digit speeds far too easily.
The steering has that automatic weighting thing. Finger touch light at low speeds for easy parking and manoevring around town, but weights up when it gets faster. I tried getting it to lift off oversteer on a roundabout, but the traction control kicked in just as it began to understeer. For a modern car it's very fun to drive. Feels light but solid, chuckable but grippy. Could definitely corner faster the my 205 and would destroy it in a straight line as well. Not quite as grin-inducing though?
2. Second option is keep the current fleet and add to it with something like this:
Yep, it's a Dacia Sandero. This one was a 1.2 75bhp Laureate - top of the range trim. You know what, I was expecting it to be flawed, but forgivable for the price. It's actually a really good car. It went OK (I've asked them to get me in the new 0.9 Tce turbo job which makes 90bhp, might be a bit more fun), handled ok, soaked up the bumps and felt very comfortable. The salesman handed us the keys with 5 miles on the clock, we took it back with 32!
The interior was sort of 2000-era Clio quality. Not great, but by no means terrible. I certainly wouldn't feel too bad about one of the kids spewing everywhere - everything seemed easily wipe clean! I could easily chuck a muddy bike in the back and not worry. I'd be able to leave it outside the Joiners and not worry about it. The wife wouldn't be terrified of dinging it. The only thing I could find wrong with it was this vent:
But it's nothing 10 mins with a craft knife wouldn't solve. Am I mad that I think I actually want to buy a Dacia Sandero?
1. Sell Elise, try and keep the 205 GTI and get something interesting. 208 GTi has just been released, so we went to see that:
First place we went were dicks, so we went to a better one. They only stopped fawning over the 205 so we could take the 208 for a spin!
Anyway, it feels like a real quality item. Very nice plastics and leather on the dash, seats were great. Only thing not quite so great was the rear load room. Seats don't fold flat so getting a bike in and out could be an issue. They're not sure if the Peugeot roof rack fits it either, so are checking for me.
To drive, it's not noticeably a turbo. On a dual carriageway I pulled out to pass a truck, floored it from 60 in 6th and it pulled quickly up to 90 just fine. Overtaking anything else on a B road is just effortless. I found myself doing triple digit speeds far too easily.
The steering has that automatic weighting thing. Finger touch light at low speeds for easy parking and manoevring around town, but weights up when it gets faster. I tried getting it to lift off oversteer on a roundabout, but the traction control kicked in just as it began to understeer. For a modern car it's very fun to drive. Feels light but solid, chuckable but grippy. Could definitely corner faster the my 205 and would destroy it in a straight line as well. Not quite as grin-inducing though?
2. Second option is keep the current fleet and add to it with something like this:
Yep, it's a Dacia Sandero. This one was a 1.2 75bhp Laureate - top of the range trim. You know what, I was expecting it to be flawed, but forgivable for the price. It's actually a really good car. It went OK (I've asked them to get me in the new 0.9 Tce turbo job which makes 90bhp, might be a bit more fun), handled ok, soaked up the bumps and felt very comfortable. The salesman handed us the keys with 5 miles on the clock, we took it back with 32!
The interior was sort of 2000-era Clio quality. Not great, but by no means terrible. I certainly wouldn't feel too bad about one of the kids spewing everywhere - everything seemed easily wipe clean! I could easily chuck a muddy bike in the back and not worry. I'd be able to leave it outside the Joiners and not worry about it. The wife wouldn't be terrified of dinging it. The only thing I could find wrong with it was this vent:
But it's nothing 10 mins with a craft knife wouldn't solve. Am I mad that I think I actually want to buy a Dacia Sandero?
Yep, I've driven the 208GTi and Fiesta ST and there really is no comparison.
I drove the 208 first and you could be forgiven for liking it. It does have some nice elements to it.
But then, 5 mins in an ST and its game over for the Pug. Astounding body control, exquisite steering, stunning handling balance, I could really see myself driving one and I thought I was long past by hot hatch days.
I drove the 208 first and you could be forgiven for liking it. It does have some nice elements to it.
But then, 5 mins in an ST and its game over for the Pug. Astounding body control, exquisite steering, stunning handling balance, I could really see myself driving one and I thought I was long past by hot hatch days.
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