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New Car suggestions

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Malc2098 » 25 Dec 2016, 10:22

Twice my 2.2 X Type went through EGR failures. First time after 18 months, still in warrantee, second at 3 and a half years.

The explanation from the main dealer was that I was too gentle with the car! E.g. first set of brake pads replaced at 95k.

So occasionally and in any case before a long run, I give it a blast though the gears up to the red line to clear all the rubbish out. Seems to have worked since the last EGR failure. Only trouble is 3rd gear gets me to 70 and there's 3 more gears after that!
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby RogerS » 25 Dec 2016, 10:33

Malc2098 wrote:.....
So occasionally and in any case before a long run, I give it a blast though the gears up to the red line to clear all the rubbish out. ....


LOML tends to drive the Wee Beastie and she also pussy-foots about the place. So, like you, whenever I get in the car I'll take it up to the red line at 9000 rpm. :D
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Malc2098 » 25 Dec 2016, 10:49

P.S.

He said keep an eye on the temp gauge and try and keep it warmer rather than not. Mine seems to run best just under half.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Commander » 25 Dec 2016, 14:52

May I just pitch in and say that all the elec-trickery really does make a difference, not only do they make the vehicles more comfortable but also easier to drive, more powerful more frugal and easier on the environment, and yes there are more bits that can go wrong, but in my honest experience if a car is well maintained (and yes I make a point of doing as much as possible myself and where not possible to build up a relationship with my dealer/independent mechanic) it will keep going for a long time with minimal failures. Yes there are bad cars and bad batches, but if you do your homework before buying you should be able to have a fairly trouble free ownership experience.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby RogerS » 25 Dec 2016, 18:55

Commander wrote:May I just pitch in and say that all the elec-trickery really does make a difference, not only do they make the vehicles more comfortable but also easier to drive, more powerful more frugal and easier on the environment, and yes there are more bits that can go wrong, but in my honest experience if a car is well maintained (and yes I make a point of doing as much as possible myself and where not possible to build up a relationship with my dealer/independent mechanic) it will keep going for a long time with minimal failures. Yes there are bad cars and bad batches, but if you do your homework before buying you should be able to have a fairly trouble free ownership experience.


I'm not sure that that is necessarily so. What is it that makes the car ore comfortable or easier to drive, for example? More powerful more frugal..surely that is as much to do with the actual engineering as opposed to anything else and engine management units have been around for ages. It's the unnecessary add-ons vis the EGR we were discussing where I think manufacturers have lost the plot.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby tracerman » 25 Dec 2016, 19:20

People - a big thanks to all who chipped in re my EGR problem on my Kia . Looks like I'm going to have a good ponder under the bonnet and see if I can remove the EGR to clean it , or give a good bit of welly first and see if it clears itself . Anyway I appreciate the comments offered .

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Commander » 27 Dec 2016, 22:37

RogerS wrote:
Commander wrote:May I just pitch in and say that all the elec-trickery really does make a difference, not only do they make the vehicles more comfortable but also easier to drive, more powerful more frugal and easier on the environment, and yes there are more bits that can go wrong, but in my honest experience if a car is well maintained (and yes I make a point of doing as much as possible myself and where not possible to build up a relationship with my dealer/independent mechanic) it will keep going for a long time with minimal failures. Yes there are bad cars and bad batches, but if you do your homework before buying you should be able to have a fairly trouble free ownership experience.


I'm not sure that that is necessarily so. What is it that makes the car ore comfortable or easier to drive, for example? More powerful more frugal..surely that is as much to do with the actual engineering as opposed to anything else and engine management units have been around for ages. It's the unnecessary add-ons vis the EGR we were discussing where I think manufacturers have lost the plot.


Regarding gadgets that make a car easier to drive I would list items like radar cruise control, auto head light/wipers, lane assist, parking cameras/PDC/auto parking, etc. Then there are the features that are simply convieninet like keyless go, Bluetooth/voice control, etc. even simple things like the turn signal that flashes 3 times at a light touch to indicate a lane change or the whipers that whipe 5s after cleaning the windscreen to catch any residual water drops. Maybe these items aren't critical and maybe the aren't items that would stop me from buying a car, but they certainly are handy and I tend to get used to and use most of the "gadgets" on my car often. I have also never had any of them go wrong on me.

Regarding the EGR that you mention, I have no specific background on this in particular, what I am pretty sure of is that there are only a hand full of reasons why a manufacturer would change a particular part, the 2 foremost is cost and emission (and maybe performance increase). So either the electronic version is much cheaper to manufacture (I can't say either way really) or it makes a diffirence to the emissions, which is probably the reason for the change.

The main advantage of an electronic system over a purely mechanical system is the ability to specify specific reactions to sepcific conditions, which is probably why the electronic EGR would perform better in a sepcific emissions test (I'm speculating, so I may be completely off the mark).

I'm not picking a fight Roger, I'm simply elaborating on my view. :obscene-drinkingcheers:
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 27 Dec 2016, 23:52

I used my radar controlled cruise control today for the first time and was quite impressed with it.
There are long term road works for many miles on the M3 and a camera based average speed limit of 50.
Simply setting the cruise control to 50mph the car automatically maintains a safe distance of about 25-30m behind the car in front by slowing down where needed and not exceeding 50mph when there is no one in front in range of the radar.
Unlike previous cars I had, the cruise mode stays engaged when you change gear on this one which a useful improvement too.

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Andyp » 28 Dec 2016, 11:07

Cool.

Try as I do I cannot get my missus to use the cruise control on our Caddy. I find invaluable for preventing sore bum syndrome on any motorway journey lasting more than about one hour. And even locally I use it a lot to ensure I stay at or below the speed limit.
I am sceptical about some of the claims made for the fuel efficiency gains by using cruise control though.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Robert » 28 Dec 2016, 11:21

I'm guessing you have the same cruise control I do Bob, in which case you will have traffic jam assist too. Just turn on the cruise control in a traffic jam and let it start, stop and brake as necessary. Does make my leg ache a little though as I can't bring myself not to have my foot hovering above the brake pedal just in case :)
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 28 Dec 2016, 11:27

Andyp wrote:Cool.

Try as I do I cannot get my missus to use the cruise control on our Caddy. I find invaluable for preventing sore bum syndrome on any motorway journey lasting more than about one hour. And even locally I use it a lot to ensure I stay at or below the speed limit.
I am sceptical about some of the claims made for the fuel efficiency gains by using cruise control though.



There must be a degree of fuel saving by travelling at a smooth steady speed compare to accelerating up hills and haring down the other side but with the proviso that the engine does not labour in the process. Cruise control and automatic transmission should in theory be a good combination if it were not for the overall reduction in mpg due to the auto transmission.
I do like the fact that this car allows gear changes during cruise operation. The dash display does suggest when to change gear. I don't know if this is on engine speed alone but it seems to suggest down shift below 1200 rpm which to me is a bit low and rather too close to point at which the diesel engine can bog down if you try to accelerate. This was my first long journey so too many things to try to draw conclusions from.

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 28 Dec 2016, 11:30

Robert wrote:I'm guessing you have the same cruise control I do Bob, in which case you will have traffic jam assist too. Just turn on the cruise control in a traffic jam and let it start, stop and brake as necessary. Does make my leg ache a little though as I can't bring myself not to have my foot hovering above the brake pedal just in case :)


I think mine must slightly different as I don't think it applies the brakes. At one stage yesterday it beeped and told me to apply the brakes in a situation of bunching on the motorway. As soon as I did, the cruise control dropped out of course.

Mine is a manual transmission not DSG which could make the difference?

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Robert » 28 Dec 2016, 12:15

I can beat cruise control for MPG. Cruise does well but it does not allow the engine to coast which mine does in 'eco' mode and it will apply power to maintain speed uphill where you could decide to coast to the brow and let speed pick up down the other side.

I'm getting around 50 - 55MPG on cruise and nearer 60 if I'm driving (and trying to be economical). Not bad for a powerful 2L huge car.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Andyp » 28 Dec 2016, 12:24

9fingers wrote:
Andyp wrote:Cool.

Try as I do I cannot get my missus to use the cruise control on our Caddy. I find invaluable for preventing sore bum syndrome on any motorway journey lasting more than about one hour. And even locally I use it a lot to ensure I stay at or below the speed limit.
I am sceptical about some of the claims made for the fuel efficiency gains by using cruise control though.



There must be a degree of fuel saving by travelling at a smooth steady speed compare to accelerating up hills and haring down the other side but with the proviso that the engine does not labour in the process. Cruise control and automatic transmission should in theory be a good combination if it were not for the overall reduction in mpg due to the auto transmission.
I do like the fact that this car allows gear changes during cruise operation. The dash display does suggest when to change gear. I don't know if this is on engine speed alone but it seems to suggest down shift below 1200 rpm which to me is a bit low and rather too close to point at which the diesel engine can bog down if you try to accelerate. This was my first long journey so too many things to try to draw conclusions from.

Bob


It is the labouring up hill that I try to prevent. I am quite happy to keep the engine revs constant but reduce speed on an incline, something the CC can't do. I will happily pause and resume the CC as required. On the motorway I will even use pause and resume on the CC to slow down behind a car while traffic in the outside line passes then speed up to overtake.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Rod » 28 Dec 2016, 12:25

Have you checked your speedo against your Sat Nav - mine is 3mph high so if possible I set the CC to 53.
I suppose if I risked the 10% + 2 = 57 theory, could set the CC to 60?
White vans often seem to follow this rule!

My car is automatic, though I can switch to manual and use the floppy paddles but I can't see the point. I find the roads normally too busy to drive with CC (though I know folks who use it all the time) - the only time I use CC is under Average Speed conditions or when the traffic is very light. Perhaps if it was radar controlled I'd use it more.
It's very easy to accidentally exceed the speed limits in my car so I have set the visual and audible warning alarm to 80mph - the speed you are most likely to receive a hefty fine.
My sat nav (I use a Garmin one on my phone rather than the car's own) indicates the speed limits and turns the speed you are driving at red when you are exceeding it.

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Rod » 28 Dec 2016, 12:35

My cars got an automatic headlight system where in effect you drive on full beam zenons - the system lowers, twists etc each light beam independently when it recognises vehicles in front - for example it might dip the right hand beam but keep the left one on full.
So far I've not been flashed but my fingers hover over the off switch all the time - perhaps in time I'll learn to trust it?

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 28 Dec 2016, 13:12

As we have wandered into speed limits, Robert does your car have the Amundsen sat nav fitted?

Mine does and whilst it indicates the speed limit on the map screen, I've not found how to make it give me an alert if I exceed the local limit.

I've got used to this functionality in my Tomtom and have come to rely on it.

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Andyp » 28 Dec 2016, 13:39

Being as you have a VW (by proxy ;) ) I suspect you have an MFD (multi functional display) on the dash. I suspect that there is a speed warning alert in there. I use mine all the time and much to the glee of the kids I am always resetting so that it triggers whenever the wife takes them to school.
Of course if she would only read the manual she would know how to turn it off. :D
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 28 Dec 2016, 13:54

Andyp wrote:Being as you have a VW (by proxy ;) ) I suspect you have an MFD (multi functional display) on the dash. I suspect that there is a speed warning alert in there. I use mine all the time and much to the glee of the kids I am always resetting so that it triggers whenever the wife takes them to school.
Of course if she would only read the manual she would know how to turn it off. :D


I do have the multifunction display as you suggest but because you say you can reset it then it is not what I'm looking for.
I require a dynamic speed limit warning driven by the sat nav as it knows the speed limit for each (most) roads and displays it on the map.

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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Commander » 28 Dec 2016, 15:03

Robert wrote:I can beat cruise control for MPG. Cruise does well but it does not allow the engine to coast which mine does in 'eco' mode and it will apply power to maintain speed uphill where you could decide to coast to the brow and let speed pick up down the other side.

I'm getting around 50 - 55MPG on cruise and nearer 60 if I'm driving (and trying to be economical). Not bad for a powerful 2L huge car.


I also find that I can beat the CC, that being said I try to use it as often as possible as I find it keeps my speed more constant (and more under the posted limit :? ). I am very impressed with its operation, it doesn't disengage on changing gears (manual transmission) and it will also apply the brakes on steep down-hills (if simple coasting doesn't keep the speed in check) it is not equipped with radar, a function which I think would work better in conjunction with a auto box (but with the gear shift indicator it already has you should be able to know which gear the car wants to be in, so it should work).
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Andyp » 28 Dec 2016, 16:07

9fingers wrote:
Andyp wrote:Being as you have a VW (by proxy ;) ) I suspect you have an MFD (multi functional display) on the dash. I suspect that there is a speed warning alert in there. I use mine all the time and much to the glee of the kids I am always resetting so that it triggers whenever the wife takes them to school.
Of course if she would only read the manual she would know how to turn it off. :D


I do have the multifunction display as you suggest but because you say you can reset it then it is not what I'm looking for.
I require a dynamic speed limit warning driven by the sat nav as it knows the speed limit for each (most) roads and displays it on the map.

Bob


I see, on the way back from Calais on Xmas eve (we had a 3 hour delay in Folkestone Eurotunnel) I had the the sat nav (Co-Pilot) on my phone just to help keep me awake. With beeps from the MFD and the Sat Nav speed warnings too I managed not to nod off too often.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby RogerS » 28 Dec 2016, 18:40

Scotsman's Fifth..excellent for improving MPG but not fitted to CC as standard !

Out of curiosity, where do you guys put your right foot when using CC ? I tend to put mine flat on the floor which isn't a great idea, I know but hovering it over the brake pedal seems to be a bit of a strain. Mind you, I only have CC on when I know I can drive with sensible gaps between the car in front.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Malc2098 » 28 Dec 2016, 19:12

As you say, Roger, only with sensible gaps do I use CC. I let my right leg relax like the left one is, and I find the long journeys from Devon to Cheshire and Aberdeen a lot less tiring because that one leg is not in tension all the time.

However, I've always got my thumb on the CC Off button on the steering wheel, and looking far ahead all the time, anticipating the movements of others ahead, as I was taught, I'm ready to switch off much quicker than braking or changing gear. Much the same as lifting off early, rather than braking late.

It's the only real toy have in this car, but used judiciously, I find it makes long journeys far less tiring.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby Robert » 28 Dec 2016, 19:36

9fingers wrote:As we have wandered into speed limits, Robert does your car have the Amundsen sat nav fitted?

Mine does and whilst it indicates the speed limit on the map screen, I've not found how to make it give me an alert if I exceed the local limit.

I've got used to this functionality in my Tomtom and have come to rely on it.

Bob


I have the Columbus unit which I believe is the top model. No idea if it can do speed alerts as I rarely drive fast enough to worry about them these days. I do have a speed camera database loaded that chimes on approach in case I wasn't checking if say a 40 had dropped to 30. No flashes so far.

There are 2 ways you can have speed displays on the nav map - map data figures or traffic sign recognition done by camera. I have the camera but not sign recognition paid extra but I know it could be coded to do it.
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Re: New Car suggestions

Postby 9fingers » 28 Dec 2016, 20:07

Thanks Robert.
From what I read the Amundsen and Columbus architectures quite different and adding extras is much easier on the Columbus.
I don't have TSR either and not something I'm worried about to be honest. Since enquiring on Briskoda, it seems that speed info cannot be used to create an alert.

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