Which car?

[DownwardDog]

They're pretty good these days which makes my brain fart a bit when I remember how Skodas and Ladas were the butt of so many jokes at school.

They started off really good as they made technically advanced cars before WW2. The subsequent postwar socialist transformation of Czech industry caused them to shift focus to shoddily built rubbish.

The 1934 Skoda Standard has a tubular backbone chassis and all round independent suspension.

 

[likesfish]

i thought you'd be a triumph stag owner to go with white socks and slip on shoes

 

[Mogden]

They started off really good as they made technically advanced cars before WW2. The subsequent postwar socialist transformation of Czech industry caused them to shift focus to shoddily built rubbish.

The 1934 Skoda Standard has a tubular backbone chassis and all round independent suspension.

Oooo I like that. Looks a bit like a VW Fastback.

 

[dessiato]

Skoda Roadster, looks nice, I'd buy it.

 

[Looby]

My friend has a lovely skoda, she's really happy with it. My dad had one at the height of the skoda jokes. If that wasn't bad enough, it was exactly the same maroon as my school jumper and PE kit. [emoji35]

 

[Red Cat]

Now thinking a 2004/5 Honda FrV. Worried about the width, parking, and getting passed wankers that don't move over a few centimetres to give both drivers more space to move.

 

[Red Cat]

2,700 is your goal so 2,500 is your opening gambit. You can't just offer less, you've got to find a reason for offering less. I usually say the wheel bearings have gone and tracking is obviously out - whether it is or not. Describe it as the biggest pile of shit you've ever seen but you'll cut your own throat and take it off his hands because you like him for 2,500.

Yeh, not sure I can do that when I'm buying a car that's just been serviced.

I'm also not going to say that's the biggest pile of shit i've seen, I couldn't pull that off, especially when it isn't.

Any more ideas? Is £2500 what most people would offer?

 

[Red Cat]

I've been buying Hondas and driving them until they die for the last 20 years or so.
The first was a Civic that I bought at 90k miles and got rid of when it had done 210k miles!
We only got rid of it because it needed too much bodywork to get it through theMOT - the engine was still sound.

Yes, parts can be expensive, but I've driven many hundreds of thousands of miles without breaking down so I haven't really spent much on any of them.

Our current car is a CR-V (bought last year because someone drove into our previous CR-V) and we had no problem with buying one that had already done 130k miles.

Sometimes the windows can let them down so if you are buying one make sure that all the windows go down and back up again!

I spoke to a workmate yesterday who has a 10 year old Civic that's currently 200,000 +.

Will look up CR-V.

 

[ChrisFilter]

CR-V running costs are high. You're better off with a Civic unless you're after a 4x4/SUV.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Now thinking a 2004/5 Honda FrV. Worried about the width, parking, and getting passed wankers that don't move over a few centimetres to give both drivers more space to move.

If you mean CR-V, they're dead easy to drive and it's lovely being high up. We have a Qashqai and being in a normal height car feels a bit shit now. They don't take up much more space than Golfs, etc.

 

[Red Cat]

Can't afford it, insurance and tax too high, and I wasn't looking for a 4x4 really.

I like the look of the FR- V, more like a car, with space.

 

[Red Cat]

If you mean CR-V, they're dead easy to drive and it's lovely being high up. We have a Qashqai and being in a normal height car feels a bit shit now. They don't take up much more space than Golfs, etc.

No, the FR-V, discontinued in 2009, got good reviews.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Not sure about a dashboard mounted gear stick, even if it does buy you an extra seat up front.

 

[BoatieBird]

Not sure about a dashboard mounted gear stick, even if it does buy you an extra seat up front.

Our current CR-V has a dash mounted gear stick, I was a bit sceptical at first but it took me abut 10 minutes to get used to it and it's absolutely fine.

Sorry Red Cat , I wasn't suggesting you get a CR-V as it would be too big for your needs. I was just bigging up Hondas in general.

 

[not-bono-ever]

the fr-v is a killer for fuel iirc- nice 3 person front seat though

our cr-v diesel does 40mpg full loaded for camping on the autoroute at 70mph in 6th

pretty sure the cr-v isnt full time 4wd, just when the back begins to need it, otherwise, it drives as a chunky fwd car

 

[Red Cat]

Our current CR-V has a dash mounted gear stick, I was a bit sceptical at first but it took me abut 10 minutes to get used to it and it's absolutely fine.

Sorry Red Cat , I wasn't suggesting you get a CR-V as it would be too big for your needs. I was just bigging up Hondas in general.

No, it looks really good and not too big really, but I looked at the insurance and tax and it would be getting too expensive for our needs really.

I hired a small van with a dash mounted gear stick and it was fine after a few minutes. I can't work out where the hand brake goes though.

 

[ChrisFilter]

the fr-v is a killer for fuel iirc- nice 3 person front seat though

our cr-v diesel does 40mpg full loaded for camping on the autoroute at 70mph in 6th

pretty sure the cr-v isnt full time 4wd, just when the back begins to need it, otherwise, it drives as a chunky fwd car

See I'd say that 40mpg is really poor. My diesel Qashqai averages 53mpg and sits at about 65mpg at 80mph on the motorway.

Plus CR-V tax is comparatively high.

 

[not-bono-ever]

yup, we checked out the quash and it is significantly higher mpg, but the headroom isnt good for me and I struggle to sit in the back.

Im happy with 40 mpg for a 2 ton car at cruise control speed for long journeys - even with my seat fully back, the kids can stretch out their legs and there is a few years growing room for them in the car

 

[ChrisFilter]

Yeah, for sure. They're different cars. The Qashqai is useless at anything remotely offroady. More of a comment on the mpg.

 

[Pickman's model]

Yeah, for sure. They're different cars. The Qashqai is useless at anything remotely offroady. More of a comment on the mpg.

i always read it as cash cow as i think it's probably hideously expensive to run

 

[blairsh]

i always read it as cash cow as i think it's probably hideously expensive to run

They sold fucking tonnes of them, think it may have been most popular selling car in this country a few years back, fucking hideous thing.

 

[Pickman's model]

They sold fucking tonnes of them, think it may have been most popular selling car in this country a few years back, fucking hideous thing.

the metricks have won

 

[blairsh]

I'm an idle typer. Pedant.

 

[Dr. Furface]

i always read it as cash cow as i think it's probably hideously expensive to run

No idea if they're costly to run but that's what I've always called them too cos of the name. Similarly the Nissan Juke, a name which surely got lost in translation.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Especially if said in a Northern Irish accent.

Great cars. Exceptionally popular for a reason. Really economical, tonnes of fun to drive, very safe, very reliable. And, whilst tastes differ (Blairsh!) I think they're very handsome cars too.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

My mate had a Juke and while it was comfy in the front, the back was horribly cramped for adults and the boot is tiny considering the cars size.

 

[Looby]

We looked at a Juke and I was really surprised at how small the boot was. I really like the Qashqai and would love one for my next car. The boot was a good size for camping stuff and my dogs but it's not ugly like a lot of estates and people carriers. I think I need an automatic next time too because of my dodgy knee.

 

[Mogden]

Well given this had opened up a bit has anyone driven a Nissan Figaro? I'm still terrifying myself with the idea of learning to drive and I do so love them. I'm not after speed so much as a little A to Ber. Much as I'd love a Morris Minor, they're not exactly reliable so it's a Figaro top of my list.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Well given this had opened up a bit has anyone driven a Nissan Figaro? I'm still terrifying myself with the idea of learning to drive and I do so love them. I'm not after speed so much as a little A to Ber. Much as I'd love a Morris Minor, they're not exactly reliable so it's a Figaro top of my list.

At least you can repair a Moggy yourself (v. simple engine and transmission, easy to replace panels etc), whereas anything new, you're looking at computer management and the expense that entails!

 

[Mogden]

At least you can repair a Moggy yourself (v. simple engine and transmission, easy to replace panels etc), whereas anything new, you're looking at computer management and the expense that entails!

I know and I'd love to but I've no skills. I should be humping my way round the great DIY experts of Derbyshire to get my tuition on exchange but I'm too moral and not tasty enough. I'd love a VW Fastback too but the same problems apply. I'm just a geeky bird who knows what cars she likes but doesn't know how to service them.