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HDi fun · 05-01-2008, 11:08 AM

Fiat 127 1.3 - suprisingly little rust for a '82 Fiat. I got it with 35,000 on and sold 2 yrs later with 93,000 on it. Went well, handled well, stopped well. Cramped (I'm six foot four and sixteen stone) and noisy. Crap brakes.

1986 Montego 2.0 HLS - strange car, nicer than Sierras and Cavaliers but reliability patchy. Big and comfortable but noisy on the motorways. Took this one from 40,000 to 118,000 miles

1989 Montego 1.6 HL - Piece of junk, inherited it with 34,000 on the clock. No PAS, no elec windows, central locking failed. Had problems with carb based engine management and cold starting a nightmare. Got rid of it with 85,000 on the clock.

1998 Primera 2.0i SLX - Got this with 12,500 miles on the clock. Utterly dependable. Good quality four speed + O/D auto. Nicely kitted out with ABS, air-con, decent speed sensitive PAS (not like the Montego's fingertip crap) etc. etc. Discs all round. Handled like a track car. Nice Japanese 16 valve DOHC engine with about 150bhp. Ran this to a silly 178,000 miles with NO ISSUES at all - honestly, it was that reliable. P/Xed for Renault Laguna (in a very weak moment - see below).

Renault Laguna II 1.9 dCi Sport wagon - bought with 72,000 on clock. Piece of junk. Nothing worked except the fault display and voice that told you all the things that didn't work. Turbo cut out half way past a lorry on uphill section of the A5 so the bloody thing nearly killed me. Took back to supplying dealer with under 73,000 on the clock and parked it right across their main entrance until they issued me with a refund - 45 minutes stand off but I got all my money back!! In fairness it wasn't the dealer's fault; he did offer to rectify everything at his own expense but reckoned it could take a couple of months!!!!

Peugeot 406 2.2 GTX HDi - Got with 34,000 on, now at 97,000. I like this car nearly as much as the Nissan. Loads of kit, elec seats, cruise control, rain sense wipers and more. Very spacious, comfortable and quiet. Servicing is pricier than the Nissan - I think this is a diesel thing, they're just so bloody complicated. Sting in the tail is a remap to 192bhp with over 400Nm torque that could pull a house down so yes, it's plain quick, not just for a diesel. Plan to keep it until things start going wrong. Don't mind servicing and replacing consumables but when we get into the realms of everything wearing out it'll go.

Next - probably Toyota Yaris or such like. Tiny thing with tiny engine and sod all power but at nearly five quid a gallon already I'll give in and get a cheap-to-run thing.

05-01-2008, 11:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
HDi fun Moderator The Torque Meister Car: Peugeot 406 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SOUTH EAST Posts: 1,776	Re: How many cars have you owned? Fiat 127 1.3 - suprisingly little rust for a '82 Fiat. I got it with 35,000 on and sold 2 yrs later with 93,000 on it. Went well, handled well, stopped well. Cramped (I'm six foot four and sixteen stone) and noisy. Crap brakes. 1986 Montego 2.0 HLS - strange car, nicer than Sierras and Cavaliers but reliability patchy. Big and comfortable but noisy on the motorways. Took this one from 40,000 to 118,000 miles 1989 Montego 1.6 HL - Piece of junk, inherited it with 34,000 on the clock. No PAS, no elec windows, central locking failed. Had problems with carb based engine management and cold starting a nightmare. Got rid of it with 85,000 on the clock. 1998 Primera 2.0i SLX - Got this with 12,500 miles on the clock. Utterly dependable. Good quality four speed + O/D auto. Nicely kitted out with ABS, air-con, decent speed sensitive PAS (not like the Montego's fingertip crap) etc. etc. Discs all round. Handled like a track car. Nice Japanese 16 valve DOHC engine with about 150bhp. Ran this to a silly 178,000 miles with NO ISSUES at all - honestly, it was that reliable. P/Xed for Renault Laguna (in a very weak moment - see below). Renault Laguna II 1.9 dCi Sport wagon - bought with 72,000 on clock. Piece of junk. Nothing worked except the fault display and voice that told you all the things that didn't work. Turbo cut out half way past a lorry on uphill section of the A5 so the bloody thing nearly killed me. Took back to supplying dealer with under 73,000 on the clock and parked it right across their main entrance until they issued me with a refund - 45 minutes stand off but I got all my money back!! In fairness it wasn't the dealer's fault; he did offer to rectify everything at his own expense but reckoned it could take a couple of months!!!! Peugeot 406 2.2 GTX HDi - Got with 34,000 on, now at 97,000. I like this car nearly as much as the Nissan. Loads of kit, elec seats, cruise control, rain sense wipers and more. Very spacious, comfortable and quiet. Servicing is pricier than the Nissan - I think this is a diesel thing, they're just so bloody complicated. Sting in the tail is a remap to 192bhp with over 400Nm torque that could pull a house down so yes, it's plain quick, not just for a diesel. Plan to keep it until things start going wrong. Don't mind servicing and replacing consumables but when we get into the realms of everything wearing out it'll go. Next - probably Toyota Yaris or such like. Tiny thing with tiny engine and sod all power but at nearly five quid a gallon already I'll give in and get a cheap-to-run thing. Last edited by HDi fun; 11-01-2008 at 07:42 PM.