OK folks need advice on replacing the daily charger

[stanwan]

GT2man-2 said:

Get a diesel Phaeton, excellent cars

Hmmmm, thanks for reminding me. I was actually looking at high mileage V10Tdi phaetons a while ago - might be worth revisiting. It is blimmin huge though!!!

[alphonso]

What about the newer c-series Merc (cdi)? I like the retro agressive styling on the front grille and lights...
http://www.boyztoyzlondon.co.uk/7066/boyztoyz_stoc...

[hartley]

Grant3 said:

hartley said:

Softroader heap ....I protest Sir - particularly as your suggestions would only appeal to a hairdresser and a commercial traveller ....where's your Aston breeding man !!

Said by the man who has a Boxster 2.5, Merc CLK convertible & a DB9 Volante in his current on-line stable.... & then adds a Lexus 4WD thingy for effect.... the tears are rolling down my cheeks As ever each to his own & I respect your opinions about lardy 4WD heaps................ even if they are wrong

P.S. Not being derogatory about your fleet by the way, its very nice, just find your hairdresser jibe rather leaves one open to retort

Edited to add.... Incidentally if you have cabriolets on a ratio of 3-1 why is my gem like suggestion for StanW to get himself a great soft-top a bad idea You should know better than others the true benefit of having a rag top as part of your stable
I have always had coupes until recently & the Mrs has always had a soft-top, they have been the perfect combination for best family pleasurable driving enjoyment without a 4WD in sight

Edited by Grant3 on Monday 6th April 22:58

Right - common ground first - Aston = good , soft top = good , deisel = cr---p
CLK Conv is admittedly in hairdreser territory but it has a 3.2 litre engine and is driven by the
wife - it's not there as a family green machine which I gather is what we are being asked.

The 3 litre petrol in the Lexus is a gem which revs like a sportscar ( nothing like a diesel ) and it does the limo or the family hold all equally well - it is far lighter than a Range Rover and handles pretty well for a big car.

Audi convertible ( unless you are talking RS4 )are well made terminally boring cars with poor ride.
BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image but it didn't sound as if
the brief was for something green with more space.

Why not just wait for a Rapide ? ;)

[Grant3]

hartley said:

Right - common ground first - Aston = good

Hartley your not all bad a tad misguided on the softroader front but an all right sort of guy

Anyway I thought the brief was for a four seater family style car not a green icon, hence my thoughts that a good four seater soft top makes a great second/family car with a fun twist.. I'm open to other suggestions

[GT2man-2]

stanwan said:

Hmmmm, thanks for reminding me. I was actually looking at high mileage V10Tdi phaetons a while ago - might be worth revisiting. It is blimmin huge though!!!

Actually the V10 tdi is the worst of the range. W12 petrol is smoothest, fastest. The 3.0 diesel (as found in Q7s etc) is frugal and light.

No need to look at high milers, I bought an 08 Phateon with 3k on the clock for under £18k

[AMD1]

"Audi convertible ( unless you are talking RS4 )are well made terminally boring cars with poor ride."

Agreed

"BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image"

BMW run flats are not the best, but piece of mind if you have the family in the car. Also, the diesel is noisy, the 3.0 Merc diesel is quieter and more refined, especially with the 7 speed gear box.

Must go, have to refine my t----er image!

[Captain Beaky]

AMD1 said:

"BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image"

Can't you just change to normal tyres at your first tyre change (or before) ?

No help for the image, of course. And I should know

[stanwan]

GT2man-2 said:

stanwan said:

Hmmmm, thanks for reminding me. I was actually looking at high mileage V10Tdi phaetons a while ago - might be worth revisiting. It is blimmin huge though!!!

Actually the V10 tdi is the worst of the range. W12 petrol is smoothest, fastest. The 3.0 diesel (as found in Q7s etc) is frugal and light.

No need to look at high milers, I bought an 08 Phateon with 3k on the clock for under £18k

But back to the Jag XF......

I was given one ascar by he dealership and I have to admit that I was very impressed by it - very refined with some interesting design touches. The Audi and BMW just felt dull to sit in. Dynamics aren't really an issue as the car will be mooching around on cruise control or crawling along the North Circular...

Maybe my impressions are skewed after being given an S-Type the last time I was there (which broke down on the easter weekend resulting in a 12 hour haul to Lancashire...).?

Or maybe I'm just getting on a bit.....?

[AMD1]

I am sure the XF is a fine car, comfortable, smooth, good build, strange front lights, nice ar*e. Sounds like you have made your mind up and have the golf clubs, slippers and pipe packed ready to go in the boot.

I bought a BMW 745i a few years ago, what a fine piece of engineering, but what a bore, it was like driving a hovercraft. I got rid after 6 months and went back to a 5 series. Could this happen to the XF?

What about a Merc CLS 3.2 cdi with a Brabus chip. Coupe shape, 4 doors, quirky style?

[Grant3]

Okay Stan my man, if you aren't heeding my (very good) advice on a four seater cabriolet as your "fun cruiser" & if it must be a diesel ( ) then although the XF is getting fabulous ratings surely you have got to love this....


Broadspeed have £4k off the A5, so £29k for the 3.0 litre TDI

Edited by Grant3 on Wednesday 8th April 18:19

[AMD1]

....surely the Beemer 335d is a better drive? How about the 335d convertible hardtop?

Stan are we getting warmer?

[hartley]

What's the budget ? What's the min mpg ? what's the min size ? What's the max age ?
Answer these questions and we will all magically arrive at the right answer - maybe - (unless the answer is a diesel and your name is Grant )

[sadlerj]

hartley said:

BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image

Keep up with the times, the t---ers have now moved onto Audi's leaving beemers for us who like to 'drive' (-:

I find my Pilot Sports RFT OK I dont know what all the fuss is about, but then again I am used to a really un-necessarily hard ride as our old family wagon was an Audi!

[Tonto]

stanwan said:

I feel that having cars with contrasting characters will be ultimately more enjoyable and help me appreciate the qualities of both my motors......

Its contrasting all right! Can't go wrong for 20K!

Edited by Tonto on Thursday 9th April 13:39

[hartley]

sadlerj said:

hartley said:

BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image

Keep up with the times, the t---ers have now moved onto Audi's leaving beemers for us who like to 'drive' (-:

I find my Pilot Sports RFT OK I dont know what all the fuss is about, but then again I am used to a really un-necessarily hard ride as our old family wagon was an Audi!

You've been listening to Clarkson again - dare I say you may not be entirely impartial on the subject of BMW drivers ?

[sadlerj]

hartley said:

sadlerj said:

hartley said:

BMW - great car if you can live with the run flats and the t-----er image

Keep up with the times, the t---ers have now moved onto Audi's leaving beemers for us who like to 'drive' (-:

I find my Pilot Sports RFT OK I dont know what all the fuss is about, but then again I am used to a really un-necessarily hard ride as our old family wagon was an Audi!

You've been listening to Clarkson again - dare I say you may not be entirely impartial on the subject of BMW drivers ?

I had come to my own conclusions a while ago (then bloody clarkson said it too), then I decided to get rid of my Audi and get a Beemer. I had been fighting against the beemer thing for years but finally I had to get one.

[stanwan]

Just had a go in one of the newer 3.0 Diesel S XFs - I am rather impressed. So much so, that I was for a moment considering swapping both the vantage and the Civic in for an XFR........

Then sense took hold and slapped me back to reality!!!!

So a Diesel jag it is then. Question is, do I stump up for the Diesel S at 40k or go for a second hand 2.7D? Dealers are not making much effort to discount either...

[Grant3]

Some discounts here

http://www.broadspeed.com/new-jaguar-xf.shtml


& here ...............
http://www.broadspeed.com/new-audi-a5.shtml

Edited by Grant3 on Friday 17th April 15:02

[stanwan]

Grant3 said:

Some discounts here

http://www.broadspeed.com/new-jaguar-xf.shtml


& here ...............
http://www.broadspeed.com/new-audi-a5.shtml

Edited by Grant3 on Friday 17th April 15:02

FOOOURRRRR DOOORSS GRANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

444444444444444444444444!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



On another note, have you used broadspeed before? How reliable are they at securing a deal? The Jag Dealer was a little dismissive when I brought up the names of these deal brokers...

Jag Manchester told me to go via the broker as they can't match 10% off!

Edited by stanwan on Friday 17th April 15:19

[AstonZagato]

stanwan said:

AMD1 said:

What ever you do, don't sell the Aston, you WILL regret it!

Have you cosidered the RRS TDV8?

PS

The XF V6 diesel twin turbo = 20 mpg
The BMW V6 diesel twin turbo = 37 mpg

Edited by AMD1 on Sunday 5th April 15:06

The combined consumption on the diesel Xf is 37 mpg too! The new 3.0TT diesel achieves 45 mpg and shoves the XF to sixty in six secs - all without wifey noticing...

As for your suggestion on the Range Rover Sport - my Eco-wife would probably poison my supper and fellow Londeners will probably try and stone me to death!

And I was going to suggest a full fat Range Rover 4.2S/C



Seriously great cars and worth about 42p second hand.