The car that the AutoTrader filter choose for me.
Discussion
With a new permie job, and a 23k commute, involving 20% B road, 30% Dual Carriage way 40% motorway, and 1% traffic jam and the rest 40 mph urban with multiple roadabouts and traffic lights. It was decided by the stakeholders in my life that my shedding days were over. The trusty 3.2 V6 omega was deemed not worth an LPG conversion.
A budget was set, and in the process of looking for a replacement was changed up and down. But was about £8k
So the filters which honed the target down to one car.
Must be quicker than a 1.6 automatic Astra J, (wife's car)
Must be more economical that a 3.2 Omega
Must have at least 2 seats
Must be an Auto.
Must have cruise control.
Must be petrol.
Must not be a Mondeo, or any VAG product.
Must have less than 50k on the clock
Must be less than 10 years old
It would be nice if my wife would drive it. (Despite being in the insurance, of my last 5 cars she hadn't ever driven one of them. And this makes long journeys a pain. Either we go in her gutless but perfectly capable Astra and we take turns in driving, or I do all the driving)
Perceived size must be not too small not too big.
A warranty of sorts would be nice as would a service history.
Must not be an SUV or Estate car.
Given that my motoring history has included alot of Vauxhalls, my own bias also started to play a factor.
After visiting 3 different SLKs and deciding that the people selling them were lying b
ds, i
I eventualy honed in on the target.
The only petrol engine less gutless than the 1.6 astra auto, turns out to have a turbo. Unfortunately the requirement for it being an auto means it's a 1.4 turdo and not a 2.0 turbo.
Unfortunately the weird Vauxhall specification tombola means that it's a 3 door in Sri trim, which means silly big wheels, stupidly low profile tyres and firm suspension. I decided I'd live with it.
Second day I had it. My actual first drive other than the test drive (the dealer delivered it) was 130 miles up the A50, A500, M6, M56, and A55 to Ynys Mon, to attend my Dad's birthday party.
That's Snowdonia in the distance.
This picture is the last time I saw the omega. An enthusiast bought it without viewing and then took photos of massive rot in the strut towers that I was totally NOT aware of. And shared those photos on the internet, I felt a slight tinge of guilty but as there was never any advisories at any MOT, and it was very cheap, and he didn't view it before paying me, makes it not too much my problem. I was clear what problems I knew about, and that I couldn't guarantee it would pass the next MOT.
So how does it compare to an omega and my requirements.
Fuel consumption on a long straight run at the speed limit is saying 40 mpg. Compared to the omega which woukd usually hit 28 to 30 on a run.
A week of my commute, has seen it at 35 mpg. Which compares to 24 mpg in the omega.
Comfort ? I can still stand up after 2.5 hours in the driving seat. Compared to the omega it's not comfy at all, but actually it's okay. It's a bit bouncy cross country. The Omega would soak up bumps and potholes and insulation, but this ? Nah. It's a little too hard. I've drive my wife's Astra j on the same roads and that is better (because giffer spec)
Does my wife like it ? She drove it over the weekend and declared that she might like to swap. As it looks nicer and is sportier.
Oh for fks sake. I've been too successful on that front.
So there you have it. I've hung up my shedding boots, bought a car my wife likes, and is actually a little pretentious.
My first real gripe. fking Vauxhall. They have buttons with the word phone and pictures of phones on other buttons, so you'd assume that oh, like my wife's Astra, you could connect the phone, and have hands free. Like fk. Someone would have needed to tick the right options box 6 years ago.
I went back through the advert and it doesn't mention a phone. bds.
A budget was set, and in the process of looking for a replacement was changed up and down. But was about £8k
So the filters which honed the target down to one car.
Must be quicker than a 1.6 automatic Astra J, (wife's car)
Must be more economical that a 3.2 Omega
Must have at least 2 seats
Must be an Auto.
Must have cruise control.
Must be petrol.
Must not be a Mondeo, or any VAG product.
Must have less than 50k on the clock
Must be less than 10 years old
It would be nice if my wife would drive it. (Despite being in the insurance, of my last 5 cars she hadn't ever driven one of them. And this makes long journeys a pain. Either we go in her gutless but perfectly capable Astra and we take turns in driving, or I do all the driving)
Perceived size must be not too small not too big.
A warranty of sorts would be nice as would a service history.
Must not be an SUV or Estate car.
Given that my motoring history has included alot of Vauxhalls, my own bias also started to play a factor.
After visiting 3 different SLKs and deciding that the people selling them were lying b
ds, iI eventualy honed in on the target.
The only petrol engine less gutless than the 1.6 astra auto, turns out to have a turbo. Unfortunately the requirement for it being an auto means it's a 1.4 turdo and not a 2.0 turbo.
Unfortunately the weird Vauxhall specification tombola means that it's a 3 door in Sri trim, which means silly big wheels, stupidly low profile tyres and firm suspension. I decided I'd live with it.
Second day I had it. My actual first drive other than the test drive (the dealer delivered it) was 130 miles up the A50, A500, M6, M56, and A55 to Ynys Mon, to attend my Dad's birthday party.
That's Snowdonia in the distance.
This picture is the last time I saw the omega. An enthusiast bought it without viewing and then took photos of massive rot in the strut towers that I was totally NOT aware of. And shared those photos on the internet, I felt a slight tinge of guilty but as there was never any advisories at any MOT, and it was very cheap, and he didn't view it before paying me, makes it not too much my problem. I was clear what problems I knew about, and that I couldn't guarantee it would pass the next MOT.
So how does it compare to an omega and my requirements.
Fuel consumption on a long straight run at the speed limit is saying 40 mpg. Compared to the omega which woukd usually hit 28 to 30 on a run.
A week of my commute, has seen it at 35 mpg. Which compares to 24 mpg in the omega.
Comfort ? I can still stand up after 2.5 hours in the driving seat. Compared to the omega it's not comfy at all, but actually it's okay. It's a bit bouncy cross country. The Omega would soak up bumps and potholes and insulation, but this ? Nah. It's a little too hard. I've drive my wife's Astra j on the same roads and that is better (because giffer spec)
Does my wife like it ? She drove it over the weekend and declared that she might like to swap. As it looks nicer and is sportier.
Oh for f
ks sake. I've been too successful on that front. So there you have it. I've hung up my shedding boots, bought a car my wife likes, and is actually a little pretentious.
My first real gripe. f
king Vauxhall. They have buttons with the word phone and pictures of phones on other buttons, so you'd assume that oh, like my wife's Astra, you could connect the phone, and have hands free. Like fk. Someone would have needed to tick the right options box 6 years ago. I went back through the advert and it doesn't mention a phone. b
ds. I think a police-spec Omega is definitely cool.
I think a police-spec Astra is definitely not.
But it's a turbo, it's got sports suspension, and, and, erm, it's.. nope. It's gone, sorry.
Snowdonia looks nice.
8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
I've done the same sensible purchasing myself - I had a Renault for just over a week, had an A Class for a while too, then it starts to eat away at you and you crack...
I think a police-spec Astra is definitely not.
But it's a turbo, it's got sports suspension, and, and, erm, it's.. nope. It's gone, sorry.
Snowdonia looks nice.
8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
I've done the same sensible purchasing myself - I had a Renault for just over a week, had an A Class for a while too, then it starts to eat away at you and you crack...
andy43 said:
Snowdonia looks nice.
8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
.
Given the OP's requirement for an auto you'd think he'd he'd be in barge heaven but the less than 10year old /50k requirements rule out a few of the usual suspects. 8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
.
Bin the age/mileage requirement and live on the wilder side whilst still potentially economical in a BMW 335d, mapped of course
Tbh a few of my mates who are not in the least bit interested in cars have ended up buying Astras and there are few complaints. They do the job of providing transport & are far better day to day than a 20+year old Omega that's reaching the end of its economical life.
aka_kerrly said:
Given the OP's requirement for an auto you'd think he'd he'd be in barge heaven but the less than 10year old /50k requirements rule out a few of the usual suspects.
Bin the age/mileage requirement and live on the wilder side whilst still potentially economical in a BMW 335d, mapped of course
Tbh a few of my mates who are not in the least bit interested in cars have ended up buying Astras and there are few complaints. They do the job of providing transport & are far better day to day than a 20+year old Omega that's reaching the end of its economical life.
My wifes family all without exception drive Vauxhalls too and they never complain as an A-B car they seem to do what they are intended for. Bin the age/mileage requirement and live on the wilder side whilst still potentially economical in a BMW 335d, mapped of course
Tbh a few of my mates who are not in the least bit interested in cars have ended up buying Astras and there are few complaints. They do the job of providing transport & are far better day to day than a 20+year old Omega that's reaching the end of its economical life.
I drive Insignia's at work and the same goes for those.
The only Vauxhall I ever owned personally was an old 2.5 (i think) Omega V6 manual, i loved that car, was my first RWD car and I had a lot of fun with it, that was around 15 years ago now.
Cool to see that you found what you were looking for! Do you put your baseball cap back-to-front now? 
You must look few decades younger than in the Omega
Enjoy!
Of course the Omega is cooler, but for 23k per year, it is understandable... At least it is not an SUV and/or a diesel! Which tells a lot about OP
You must look few decades younger than in the Omega
Enjoy!
andy43 said:
I think a police-spec Omega is definitely cool.
I think a police-spec Astra is definitely not.
But it's a turbo, it's got sports suspension, and, and, erm, it's.. nope. It's gone, sorry.
Snowdonia looks nice.
8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
I've done the same sensible purchasing myself - I had a Renault for just over a week, had an A Class for a while too, then it starts to eat away at you and you crack...
A barge petrol auto with an improvment over the Omega consumption, without tragic gearboxes? Not sure....I think a police-spec Astra is definitely not.
But it's a turbo, it's got sports suspension, and, and, erm, it's.. nope. It's gone, sorry.
Snowdonia looks nice.
8 grand budget and 23,000 miles a year and I would have been straight over to the 1-5 barge thread.
I've done the same sensible purchasing myself - I had a Renault for just over a week, had an A Class for a while too, then it starts to eat away at you and you crack...
Of course the Omega is cooler, but for 23k per year, it is understandable... At least it is not an SUV and/or a diesel! Which tells a lot about OP
cedrichn said:
A barge petrol auto with an improvment over the Omega consumption, without tragic gearboxes? Not sure....
Of course the Omega is cooler, but for 23k per year, it is understandable... At least it is not an SUV and/or a diesel! Which tells a lot about OP
I did my diesel experience by owning an AC 1.4D for 5 years and a Honda accord 2.2 cdti for 5 years.Of course the Omega is cooler, but for 23k per year, it is understandable... At least it is not an SUV and/or a diesel! Which tells a lot about OP
One was slow, the other ? The repairs were financially unjustifiable after awhile.
So, having done 15k so far, I'm achieving oh 34 mpg
My driving style has regressed 20 years. The grip, and the handling, encourage erm not bothering to brake for bends.
The best bit?
Wife has actually driven it, sharing the driving on a weekend away (4 hours each way), and for a couple of weeks before Christmas when her car was damaged and she refused to drive the courtesy car, and declared it better than her 1.6 Auto Astra.
Which it is. Obviously.
Still haven't managed to get her to use cruise control on either.
My driving style has regressed 20 years. The grip, and the handling, encourage erm not bothering to brake for bends.
The best bit?
Wife has actually driven it, sharing the driving on a weekend away (4 hours each way), and for a couple of weeks before Christmas when her car was damaged and she refused to drive the courtesy car, and declared it better than her 1.6 Auto Astra.
Which it is. Obviously.
Still haven't managed to get her to use cruise control on either.
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