Discussion
Just got the 2nd service done. No issues, reasonable price (£205) and very nice service.
I like to replace my cars frequently but I'm really struggling to find anything that I can replace the DS9 with. Nothing else has the same sense of theatre. It spoils you after a while and you find yourself wondering why other cars are so boring.
The Peugeot 408 and Citroen C5X come closest I guess. The 408 definitely has the wow factor of the DS9 both inside and out, but the quality of the switchgear is a clear step down IMHO. Probably not a deal breaker. The C5X is a gorgeous design but the interior is lacking theatre and again the quality is not as good. Plus in both cases you are looking at the 1.2 Puretech engine, which is a step down from the 1.6. There are approved used C5X with the 1.6 engine available, but they are generally lacking in spec.
I like to replace my cars frequently but I'm really struggling to find anything that I can replace the DS9 with. Nothing else has the same sense of theatre. It spoils you after a while and you find yourself wondering why other cars are so boring.
The Peugeot 408 and Citroen C5X come closest I guess. The 408 definitely has the wow factor of the DS9 both inside and out, but the quality of the switchgear is a clear step down IMHO. Probably not a deal breaker. The C5X is a gorgeous design but the interior is lacking theatre and again the quality is not as good. Plus in both cases you are looking at the 1.2 Puretech engine, which is a step down from the 1.6. There are approved used C5X with the 1.6 engine available, but they are generally lacking in spec.
I just swapped the Guilia out for a Ghibli so we’ll see how that goes..!!
Received a weird e mail from the official DS dealership asking if I was sure it’s DS9 I want as we have loads of DS7s ready to go and the 9’s had been sitting for a while ,appreciate the honesty but not sure what they expect to do with them…!!!
Received a weird e mail from the official DS dealership asking if I was sure it’s DS9 I want as we have loads of DS7s ready to go and the 9’s had been sitting for a while ,appreciate the honesty but not sure what they expect to do with them…!!!
AmitG said:
I love the Ghibli 
How old is yours? They improved that car a lot over its lifetime.
When I bought my DS9 a year ago there was an E-Tense version sitting in the showroom. I got an email from the DS dealer last week saying it's still here, do you want it...
Loving the Ghibli as it’s very rare and really comfy although gets a bit unsettled on the 20’s with our roads. How old is yours? They improved that car a lot over its lifetime.When I bought my DS9 a year ago there was an E-Tense version sitting in the showroom. I got an email from the DS dealer last week saying it's still here, do you want it...
I can still see me going for DS 9 at some stage ,keeping on the lookout for a 4x4 Espirit de Voyage if one is ever sold in the UK , still haven’t seen one on the roads in any spec…
Just thought id give an update on mine AmitG.
Changed the battery a month ago, going for a drive to the coast and back this weekend and hoping for 50mpg+ with the freewheeling now working again. The front bumper has now been properly sorted too by the dealership although the heater matrix problem is not done, the part hasn't arrived yet.
I looked at shocker options, nothing possible. I'd love the KYB's as fitted to the C5 Aircross as they are now available aftermarket and cheap. I have checked and they only do them for that car and the DS5.
When it gets warmer I really want to sound deaden the wheel wells, if you put your hand to the side of the wheels and tap the plastic surround it just sounds like a plasticky drum with nothing on it. I think i'll do this myself...... I have been quoted £650 from a garage. I'll also go into the boot sidewalls and go over the wheelarches too.
Where did you get your service done? great price. Im loathe to pay twice as much for the DS dealership to do it.....I don't rate them.
Agree with the sense of theatre, the C5X while a well rounded car drops off a lot internally, and I can't quite get to grips with the styling of the 408.
I did notice motor point have one like ours on at £24k, and despite saying pearl white (yours) it looks crystal (mine). 22 reg, 295 miles. After that there's a 72 reg 500 mile E tense Rivoli for £31k advertised in the blue colour which I think looks good.
Kuwahara - i could envisage a Ghibli riding on 20's being a bit challenging.
Changed the battery a month ago, going for a drive to the coast and back this weekend and hoping for 50mpg+ with the freewheeling now working again. The front bumper has now been properly sorted too by the dealership although the heater matrix problem is not done, the part hasn't arrived yet.
I looked at shocker options, nothing possible. I'd love the KYB's as fitted to the C5 Aircross as they are now available aftermarket and cheap. I have checked and they only do them for that car and the DS5.
When it gets warmer I really want to sound deaden the wheel wells, if you put your hand to the side of the wheels and tap the plastic surround it just sounds like a plasticky drum with nothing on it. I think i'll do this myself...... I have been quoted £650 from a garage. I'll also go into the boot sidewalls and go over the wheelarches too.
Where did you get your service done? great price. Im loathe to pay twice as much for the DS dealership to do it.....I don't rate them.
Agree with the sense of theatre, the C5X while a well rounded car drops off a lot internally, and I can't quite get to grips with the styling of the 408.
I did notice motor point have one like ours on at £24k, and despite saying pearl white (yours) it looks crystal (mine). 22 reg, 295 miles. After that there's a 72 reg 500 mile E tense Rivoli for £31k advertised in the blue colour which I think looks good.
Kuwahara - i could envisage a Ghibli riding on 20's being a bit challenging.
This was the second service and it was done by DS Maidstone about 30 miles away. There is a DS dealership closer to me but I preferred to go back to the place that I bought it. Very reasonable price and nice service.
I originally took the car to them in January but the oil filter suddenly went on back order and was not available until this month! Very surprised at that, an oil filter for the 1.6 engine is hardly an exotic part, that engine was used in loads of PSA cars.
Out of interest what was the problem with the front bumper and heater matrix?
I originally took the car to them in January but the oil filter suddenly went on back order and was not available until this month! Very surprised at that, an oil filter for the 1.6 engine is hardly an exotic part, that engine was used in loads of PSA cars.
Out of interest what was the problem with the front bumper and heater matrix?
AmitG - That does sound very reasonable for the service, I hope when my time comes in July I can get a similar price.
The oil filter thing sounds fishy.... but I have prior knowledge with mine. When i first reserved a DS9 last summer they were waiting on an oil filter then, I thought it sounded weird so cancelled the car and got another cheaper. Then in the post delivery service on the 2nd car they had the same issue....waiting for an oil filter. So what sounds dodgy is actually genuine.
The front bumper is an after sales campaign by DS and it's on their system from 11/01/2023 . Call DS and quote the JNJ reference with your reg and they'll be able to advise. It's not the bumper as such but that strip above where the badge is..... on the drivers side they arent 100% secured and have a bit of play in them. The dealer will fix free of charge under warranty. To be honest it's no big deal, if my car was out of warranty I'd have just left it as it was.
The heater matrix was just a faulty part and is on back order, the dealer will to call me when it arrives.
Kuwahara - Personally there is a lot to like about the car but in a way you have to be coming at it from an older persons angle. If you prioritise snazzy infotainment and bling then it's not the right car. It's a good old school quality saloon, I still marvel at the way the doors open and close with a solid thud, in that respect it's like a merc from the 1990s.
What I don't like with mine is the ride comfort, and I know it's a lot better on the PHEV models, it might be the extra 330kg of the batterys that help. The overkill Michelin Pilot sport 2 tyres don't help too, about the most expensive on the market. It'd be better on comfort tyres.
Apart from that I just wish they'd have gone further with soundproofing, in areas it's good like the doors but in other places like wheelarches and the boot it just needs a bit more. I can sort a lot of that myself. That reminds me part of that summer project I will be getting one of these https://www.dodomat.com/products/dodo-bonnet-liner it seems to measure up allright.
I think by adding maybe 30kg-50kg of sound deadening I can maybe get the noise down 4-7db at motorway speed which would be great.
I'd get one again. Like ive said before for the price I paid it was the same as a 1.0l auto Skoda Octavia. No comparison.
The oil filter thing sounds fishy.... but I have prior knowledge with mine. When i first reserved a DS9 last summer they were waiting on an oil filter then, I thought it sounded weird so cancelled the car and got another cheaper. Then in the post delivery service on the 2nd car they had the same issue....waiting for an oil filter. So what sounds dodgy is actually genuine.
The front bumper is an after sales campaign by DS and it's on their system from 11/01/2023 . Call DS and quote the JNJ reference with your reg and they'll be able to advise. It's not the bumper as such but that strip above where the badge is..... on the drivers side they arent 100% secured and have a bit of play in them. The dealer will fix free of charge under warranty. To be honest it's no big deal, if my car was out of warranty I'd have just left it as it was.
The heater matrix was just a faulty part and is on back order, the dealer will to call me when it arrives.
Kuwahara - Personally there is a lot to like about the car but in a way you have to be coming at it from an older persons angle. If you prioritise snazzy infotainment and bling then it's not the right car. It's a good old school quality saloon, I still marvel at the way the doors open and close with a solid thud, in that respect it's like a merc from the 1990s.
What I don't like with mine is the ride comfort, and I know it's a lot better on the PHEV models, it might be the extra 330kg of the batterys that help. The overkill Michelin Pilot sport 2 tyres don't help too, about the most expensive on the market. It'd be better on comfort tyres.
Apart from that I just wish they'd have gone further with soundproofing, in areas it's good like the doors but in other places like wheelarches and the boot it just needs a bit more. I can sort a lot of that myself. That reminds me part of that summer project I will be getting one of these https://www.dodomat.com/products/dodo-bonnet-liner it seems to measure up allright.
I think by adding maybe 30kg-50kg of sound deadening I can maybe get the noise down 4-7db at motorway speed which would be great.
I'd get one again. Like ive said before for the price I paid it was the same as a 1.0l auto Skoda Octavia. No comparison.
No problem.
I had the same with my Fiat's. Got a 500 and the doors sounded great (albeit not as good as the DS9), then when we changed to a 500x they sounded light horrible and tinny.
I expect some of the lack of soundproofing these days is car companies chasing lighter weights, better environmental stats and better mpg. I'd happy forfeit 1 or 2 mpg for a car that feels more solid and is quieter and it'd be far easier to apply this at the manufacturing stage.
They say the only real difference between the VAG Skoda and Audi's is the latter probably has 50kg's more soundproofing. But I suppose that extra refinement causes differentiation and appeals to a different market.
I had the same with my Fiat's. Got a 500 and the doors sounded great (albeit not as good as the DS9), then when we changed to a 500x they sounded light horrible and tinny.
I expect some of the lack of soundproofing these days is car companies chasing lighter weights, better environmental stats and better mpg. I'd happy forfeit 1 or 2 mpg for a car that feels more solid and is quieter and it'd be far easier to apply this at the manufacturing stage.
They say the only real difference between the VAG Skoda and Audi's is the latter probably has 50kg's more soundproofing. But I suppose that extra refinement causes differentiation and appeals to a different market.
I would agree with that regards soundproofing,when I had lease Audis(cheaper option not my first choice) they were really well insulated from exterior noise especially in heavy rain,Skodas did not seem to fair as well but they were a bit cheaper (not so much now).
I remember that the Passat B5 had a slim piece of dense foam on the back of the door handle so that the first tactile contact you had with the car gave the impression of quality,which tbf they were great cars…
I’ve always preferred luxury over sportiness for the most part with the exception of the Guilia so the DS would probably suit me…
I remember that the Passat B5 had a slim piece of dense foam on the back of the door handle so that the first tactile contact you had with the car gave the impression of quality,which tbf they were great cars…
I’ve always preferred luxury over sportiness for the most part with the exception of the Guilia so the DS would probably suit me…
A slight bugbear with the DS9 is there seems to be a lack of headling soundproofing and that with the glass roof make it sound loud at low speed when it rains heavily. But like the Passat you mention it definitely passes the car door test, the way the handles expose themselves and the quality of the mechanism is top class.
It's a shame cars arent overengineered like they were before around the turn of the century when they started to drop off. My dad had a 97 merc C class, followed by an 04 C class, the difference was night and day in terms of build quality. But I have said in the past that the DS9 does bring a bit of that back for me, it generally feels very well built.
I'd love a Guilia QF, what a great car, But the 280hp version I expect wouldn't be bad too.
It's a shame cars arent overengineered like they were before around the turn of the century when they started to drop off. My dad had a 97 merc C class, followed by an 04 C class, the difference was night and day in terms of build quality. But I have said in the past that the DS9 does bring a bit of that back for me, it generally feels very well built.
I'd love a Guilia QF, what a great car, But the 280hp version I expect wouldn't be bad too.
Edited by 500x on Thursday 28th March 09:49
I can envisage the 280 being more than enough for anyone. But like you say it aint the 3/4's of the twin turbo Ferrari engine in the QF.
I dont think a 375 one will ever be considered. It is very toppy hp for a 2 litre, and detuning the 2.9 would diminish the market for the QF.
You'd think 4wd would add to the QF's appeal yet they dont seem to think that about the Stelvio, perhaps because it's a high riding SUV.
I dont think a 375 one will ever be considered. It is very toppy hp for a 2 litre, and detuning the 2.9 would diminish the market for the QF.
You'd think 4wd would add to the QF's appeal yet they dont seem to think that about the Stelvio, perhaps because it's a high riding SUV.
Just a random note. I spent maybe 3-4 hrs of the weekend driving around as a front seat passenger in a friends Mercedes GLB 200. Just a few observations vs my DS9 and vs my old car, a Fiat 500x.
Pro's: Generally good interior space. A decent value car for size/ space. The 1.3 161hp engine seems capable enough at low speed. Snappy infotainment and graphics. The 7sp auto changes smoothly even though some reviewers don't like it. Good visibility. Decent visual appeal to the dash.
Con's: Doesnt feel that wide inside. The seat bases feel a bit narrow both ways and are hard. I don't think material quality inside was good. Hard plastics are easy to reach. Doors didnt close with a reassuring thud. Engine definitely noisier at speed vs the DS9.
The ride comfort was a thing I focused on as it's something I think my DS9 fails a bit on. My feeling is the ride in the GLB probably wasnt much different from mine but the noise from it was more well suppressed. I do wonder if SUV's in general with the wheels situated further down from the driver just sound quieter as you are further from the road. It's given me optimism though, and I wonder when I finally get around to sound deadening my wheelarches in the summer if this will solve much of my annoyance.
Pro's: Generally good interior space. A decent value car for size/ space. The 1.3 161hp engine seems capable enough at low speed. Snappy infotainment and graphics. The 7sp auto changes smoothly even though some reviewers don't like it. Good visibility. Decent visual appeal to the dash.
Con's: Doesnt feel that wide inside. The seat bases feel a bit narrow both ways and are hard. I don't think material quality inside was good. Hard plastics are easy to reach. Doors didnt close with a reassuring thud. Engine definitely noisier at speed vs the DS9.
The ride comfort was a thing I focused on as it's something I think my DS9 fails a bit on. My feeling is the ride in the GLB probably wasnt much different from mine but the noise from it was more well suppressed. I do wonder if SUV's in general with the wheels situated further down from the driver just sound quieter as you are further from the road. It's given me optimism though, and I wonder when I finally get around to sound deadening my wheelarches in the summer if this will solve much of my annoyance.
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