SHED Estate "what car?" to replace Alfa 156 V6
Discussion
Our 9-5 was excellent. Full bore in 3rd gear from about 40mph was genuinely startling. The Alfa wouldn't have seen which way it went.
Alfa interior looked much nicer. Saab seats were more comfortable. Alfa had a better gearbox and *that* engine. The Saab was probably a more complete and useful car.
Ours was cosmetically scruffy at the end of it's life, but only let me down once (and even then, it just started leaking coolant; it didn't actually fail to get us anywhere).
I'm embarrassed to say I was forced to trade it in rather than sell it (I simply had no time to deal with a sale).
Alfa interior looked much nicer. Saab seats were more comfortable. Alfa had a better gearbox and *that* engine. The Saab was probably a more complete and useful car.
Ours was cosmetically scruffy at the end of it's life, but only let me down once (and even then, it just started leaking coolant; it didn't actually fail to get us anywhere).
I'm embarrassed to say I was forced to trade it in rather than sell it (I simply had no time to deal with a sale).
Mr E said:
Our 9-5 was excellent. Full bore in 3rd gear from about 40mph was genuinely startling. The Alfa wouldn't have seen which way it went.
Alfa interior looked much nicer. Saab seats were more comfortable. Alfa had a better gearbox and *that* engine. The Saab was probably a more complete and useful car.
Ours was cosmetically scruffy at the end of it's life, but only let me down once (and even then, it just started leaking coolant; it didn't actually fail to get us anywhere).
I'm embarrassed to say I was forced to trade it in rather than sell it (I simply had no time to deal with a sale).
Is that the estate?Alfa interior looked much nicer. Saab seats were more comfortable. Alfa had a better gearbox and *that* engine. The Saab was probably a more complete and useful car.
Ours was cosmetically scruffy at the end of it's life, but only let me down once (and even then, it just started leaking coolant; it didn't actually fail to get us anywhere).
I'm embarrassed to say I was forced to trade it in rather than sell it (I simply had no time to deal with a sale).
I think my main problem with the saloon alfa is that it is hard to use all of it's space (no folding rear seats). I think even folding seats in a saloon would give me much more useable space (which I think they do in the Saab)
Zad said:
Mondeo V6 estate. Preferably the 3.0 ST220, but the 2.5 has plenty of grunt and a really nice induction noise. Drives better than all the above FWDs too.
A lot of love for the mondeo! I will have to go see one, can't help but feel it may feel a bit 'ordinary' on the roads after having the alfa (maybe that's me being too picky!)OpulentBob said:
The mondeo 6 isn't a patch on the busso. Possibly more power but nowhere near as nice and silky IMO. Alfa 6 speed is a nicer unit too.
if i could find a 156 sw in spec then i'd have it away! Can't get enough of the noise and the currently slipping clutch only allows me to hear it even more To my ears, there's only one mainstream V6 that beats the Mondeo on sound. Yeah. You guessed it.
Anyway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu7kgDjJXno
I suppose its cheating that the microphones outside the cabin so you hear the induction better, but you'll hopefully see/hear for yourself.
Anyway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu7kgDjJXno
I suppose its cheating that the microphones outside the cabin so you hear the induction better, but you'll hopefully see/hear for yourself.
A tempting possibility:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
Not ideally located for me so will have to see if i'm down South any time soon to view.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
Not ideally located for me so will have to see if i'm down South any time soon to view.
martin mrt said:
I'd also recommend an ST220 Estate.
A boot measuring in square acres, lovely recaro interior, cheap to fix, reliable, chain driven V6 and not at all common on the roads.
Nice steer too, a very underestimated car
A quick looks doesn't turn up many for SHED money though. Will certainly have a look!A boot measuring in square acres, lovely recaro interior, cheap to fix, reliable, chain driven V6 and not at all common on the roads.
Nice steer too, a very underestimated car
Another vote for the Saab 9-5.
Go for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Great interior and surprising characterful to drive too - not great dynamically but still fun.
One of the safest cars on the road in its' time. I always found the iron girder like B pillars very reassuring whenever I reached for the seat belt.
I even like the styling.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
Go for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Great interior and surprising characterful to drive too - not great dynamically but still fun.
One of the safest cars on the road in its' time. I always found the iron girder like B pillars very reassuring whenever I reached for the seat belt.
I even like the styling.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
Maldini35 said:
Another vote for the Saab 9-5.
Go for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Great interior and surprising characterful to drive too - not great dynamically but still fun.
One of the safest cars on the road in its' time. I always found the iron girder like B pillars very reassuring whenever I reached for the seat belt.
I even like the styling.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
Just waiting for one to come up Looks like a lot of car for the moneyGo for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Great interior and surprising characterful to drive too - not great dynamically but still fun.
One of the safest cars on the road in its' time. I always found the iron girder like B pillars very reassuring whenever I reached for the seat belt.
I even like the styling.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
Maldini35 said:
Another vote for the Saab 9-5.
Go for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
This isnt a car you'd buy for economy though, or is it? What's the 2.3T like on a run? Go for the 2.3 Turbo or above. Lovely mid range shove as has been mentioned and another 30-40bhp is buttons if you crave a bit more.
Hmmm maybe I need another one.
Manual Aero is reasonably economical if you want it to be. Automatic less so. Long term average for our manual is 29mpg. With the cruise set to 70mph, it will get close to 40mpg on a run. Obviously with 250bhp under your foot, economy plummets if you start using the performance, but you can make adequate progress driving it gently and get decent fuel consumption in return. Or you can clog it in 3rd
otolith said:
Manual Aero is reasonably economical if you want it to be. Automatic less so. Long term average for our manual is 29mpg. With the cruise set to 70mph, it will get close to 40mpg on a run. Obviously with 250bhp under your foot, economy plummets if you start using the performance, but you can make adequate progress driving it gently and get decent fuel consumption in return. Or you can clog it in 3rd
way better than I see from the Alfa then.....especially with a slipping clutch!klunkT5 said:
andy-xr said:
I keep looking at Volvos but they seem to sit at mega money for the age vs miles compared to other stuff out there. An average V70 is twice the price of an Ford/Vauxhall/Citroen type similar car and I'm not sure they're twice the car.
They are twice the car, Superbly engineered, Well built and dont rot like the above do, I would go as far to say the build quality is slightly better than German stuff of the same era. I was in the motor trade for 30+ years and have owned, Worked on and driven alot of cars, I have 2 850's (855's), A TDI for lugging stuff and economy (Audi AEL engine BTW) and a T5 on a classic policy, Though all this is just my opinion.Edited by klunkT5 on Monday 30th March 20:16
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