Best of the Bargain Basement Vol. 2
Discussion
charltjr said:
The conventional autos are generally pretty good in terms of reliability, on a par with other brands.
The Geartronic box doesn't have such a positive reputation.
Evidence of fluid changes is a good thing on both of them. Check either box works as it should, there should be no harsh changes at any point.
What does a Geartronic box do differently that makes it unreliable compared to the std auto?The Geartronic box doesn't have such a positive reputation.
Evidence of fluid changes is a good thing on both of them. Check either box works as it should, there should be no harsh changes at any point.
Emeye said:
charltjr said:
The conventional autos are generally pretty good in terms of reliability, on a par with other brands.
The Geartronic box doesn't have such a positive reputation.
Evidence of fluid changes is a good thing on both of them. Check either box works as it should, there should be no harsh changes at any point.
What does a Geartronic box do differently that makes it unreliable compared to the std auto?The Geartronic box doesn't have such a positive reputation.
Evidence of fluid changes is a good thing on both of them. Check either box works as it should, there should be no harsh changes at any point.
Now you tell me. 
Oh, I bought mine at night. Was too lazy to properly check the bodywork. Whilst it's clearly been waxed, there are dinks and scrapes all over it. The corner of the rear bumper sticks out on the offside. Fortunately, I bought it for the supermarket stockcar race aka the weekly shopping trip. Also, I paid £700 for it with 12 month's MOT. If I paid £5k for it, I imagine I'd be miffed. As it is, I sit in the driver's seat and feel like I've got more than a £700 car!
I particularly like the seats. Covered in leather and they seem quite sporty with side bolsters and an "integrated" headrest. Nice 3 spoke steering wheel, too.
The only annoying bit is the fact that I can't lock the boot (I have a lock button on the door, so that will do) and the stereo can't accept USB sticks. I've had to dust down my old CDs.
Oh, I bought mine at night. Was too lazy to properly check the bodywork. Whilst it's clearly been waxed, there are dinks and scrapes all over it. The corner of the rear bumper sticks out on the offside. Fortunately, I bought it for the supermarket stockcar race aka the weekly shopping trip. Also, I paid £700 for it with 12 month's MOT. If I paid £5k for it, I imagine I'd be miffed. As it is, I sit in the driver's seat and feel like I've got more than a £700 car!
I particularly like the seats. Covered in leather and they seem quite sporty with side bolsters and an "integrated" headrest. Nice 3 spoke steering wheel, too.
The only annoying bit is the fact that I can't lock the boot (I have a lock button on the door, so that will do) and the stereo can't accept USB sticks. I've had to dust down my old CDs.
Edited by Hoofy on Thursday 5th February 16:42
charltjr said:
It's a different gearbox to the standard one, not just the standard box with a tiptronic switch added. For whatever reason it just doesn't seem to be as reliable.
They are both the same AW55-50 gearbox. I've heard this but struggle to believe it's inherently less reliable - most of them are probably never used in semi-auto mode and the gear lever and control software are the only differences. It is literally just a different (and IMHO more annoying) way of manually selecting a gear with an automatic than the older style D-4-3-2-L style gate.It's more likely to be because the higher spec cars with bigger engines came with Geartronic boxes so put more stress on the gearbox itself, a D5 or T5 is putting a lot more torque through the gearbox than a flaccid 2.4 NASP car.
Edited by dme123 on Thursday 5th February 16:45
Well, I've bought myself a bargain basement car today. It's a Y plate Rover 75, a black 2.0 V6 in Club spec. Felt lovely on the test drive, very smooth.
It's £995, which is a little pricey, but:
- It's an auto
- It's getting a fresh MOT, service (including the brakes) and battery
- It has a CD changer
- It's low mileage at 85k
- It has FSH at a Rover MG specialist
- It's been owned from new by an old couple
It's £995, which is a little pricey, but:
- It's an auto
- It's getting a fresh MOT, service (including the brakes) and battery
- It has a CD changer
- It's low mileage at 85k
- It has FSH at a Rover MG specialist
- It's been owned from new by an old couple
M
If you do end up with a cracked bulkhead they can be sorted for £150, so not the end of the world.Depends entirely on the damage, they are all old now and generally not worth the cost
ZiggyNiva said:
2013BRM said:
GeordieInExile said:
So, within thread budget I have the following as my shortlist for my new car.
BMW 520/525
Volvo S80
Saab 9-3 (either the Cavalier-based hatch or Vectra-based saloon)
Saab 9-5
Rover 75
Vauxhall Omega
Honda Accord
My criteria are auto, comfy and quiet on motorways, reasonable to drive, and well specced - leather, AC and cruise would be nice, and plenty electrically operated things. An electric sunroof would be a boon.
Anything else I should be looking at? I'm 27, had a licence for a year and a bit (I know, I know), and my insurance quotes haven't been *too* dreadful.
if you do plump for a 9-3 do your homework on bulkhead cracks...caught me outBMW 520/525
Volvo S80
Saab 9-3 (either the Cavalier-based hatch or Vectra-based saloon)
Saab 9-5
Rover 75
Vauxhall Omega
Honda Accord
My criteria are auto, comfy and quiet on motorways, reasonable to drive, and well specced - leather, AC and cruise would be nice, and plenty electrically operated things. An electric sunroof would be a boon.
Anything else I should be looking at? I'm 27, had a licence for a year and a bit (I know, I know), and my insurance quotes haven't been *too* dreadful.
BorkFactor said:
Its only the cavalier ones that had the bulkhead problems isn't it?
Vectra ones are very cheap now, meant to be very good.
Cabrios, as far as I know, are the most susceptible due to the lack of rigidity, increased weight, better grip and increased bhp. Since being stung I have become much better aware than I should have been previouslyVectra ones are very cheap now, meant to be very good.
charltjr said:
It's a different gearbox to the standard one, not just the standard box with a tiptronic switch added. For whatever reason it just doesn't seem to be as reliable.
No, it isn't. It is the exact same AW50/51 gearbox with a different controller on the central console. Neither is more reliable or unreliable than the other.Edit: Apologies, just noticed someone has posted the exact same thing above.
GeordieInExile said:
Well, I've bought myself a bargain basement car today. It's a Y plate Rover 75, a black 2.0 V6 in Club spec. Felt lovely on the test drive, very smooth.
- It's been owned from new by an old couple
You might want to rethink using that as a reason to buy!- It's been owned from new by an old couple
My dad is the only old person I know who causes less damage per trip than a younger driver would. Every car journey I've made with my FIL for example made me feel very sorry for his car. He blamed everyone else for this. It was Europe (who had obviously made some rule that resulted in the car being rubbish) or the "youth of today" who built and serviced the car. It was not him kerbing it or leaving the sun roof half an inch open all winter or grinding the gears or skimping on maintenance.
I'm feeling really smug about my £700 purchase. Volvo S60 2.4 litre turbo, tiptronic gear option, winter pack option (heated seats, headlight wipers, stability control), uprated hifi (4 CD changer), telephone option, full leather interior option, sunroof option, plus the usual a/c, cruise control, electric seats, electric windows. 100k miles, 12 months MOT.
Daren't think how much the original buyer paid for all the options. Mental.Certainly not my first choice of car but when I saw it advertised, I realised it was a bargain.
Downsides: brake pads are low, slight grumble from front wheel bearings. Cheap to fix, mind.
Looks modern, if boring. Certainly, looks and feels like I paid more than £700 for it. My old Golf with a very basic spec (manual roof!) cost me about £700. Although, that was more enjoyable in summer.
Edited by Hoofy on Monday 9th February 11:48
Hoofy said:
I'm feeling really smug about my £700 purchase. Volvo S60 2.4 litre turbo, tiptronic gear option, winter pack option (heated seats, headlight wipers, stability control), uprated hifi (4 CD changer), telephone option, full leather interior option, sunroof option, plus the usual a/c, cruise control, electric seats, electric windows. 100k miles, 12 months MOT.
Daren't think how much the original buyer paid for all the options. Mental.Certainly not my first choice of car but when I saw it advertised, I realised it was a bargain.
Downsides: brake pads are low, slight grumble from front wheel bearings. Cheap to fix, mind.
Looks modern, if boring. Certainly, looks and feels like I paid more than £700 for it. My old Golf with a very basic spec (manual roof!) cost me about £700. Although, that was more enjoyable in summer.
Edited by Hoofy on Monday 9th February 11:48
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