Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: horsecow on 07 December 2012, 19:01:48
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As stated the wife is looking to change her car. Currently driving an 03 diesel avensis which is still going grand but she says it doesnt handle well in the frost/snow and she thinks it rather sore on fuel so looking something easy on fuel and good when slippy basically. Was thinking of going with skoda, have heard they are great motors, not sure how economical though. All advice much appreciated. TIA
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avensis is not a lightweight car.. needs good quality winter tyres and good geometry setup.. all will effect on frost/snow..
besides diesel torque doesnt help either..
however if changing is necessary :-\ another japanese car (small ) will be a good choice imo.. all big/heavy cars on frost/snow requires experience..
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Skodas are good on fuel. My partner has a Fabia which did 55mpg. A mate has an Octavia which gets on average a little above 45mpg. Both easy to drive - Fabia gutless. Octavia - nice car and very long service intervals
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Just looking on ebay at skoda'a here, hard to get one with less than 100k but there are loads with upwards of 300 and 400k which surely is a good sign of reliability. Thinking fabia would be good but I'm wondering if any1 has experience in slippy conditions in one??
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I have the Seat version of the Fabia. The Ibiza. It's 60 plate 1.6 TDI Sport. Being a saint I've managed 76 MPG but realistically 55-60 is the norm. Great car very very sure footed and nippy enough to keep things interesting. Build quality is excellent. Oh and it's for sale ;)
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too much money for my mrs doz, way too fresh lol
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Just looking on ebay at skoda'a here, hard to get one with less than 100k but there are loads with upwards of 300 and 400k which surely is a good sign of reliability. Thinking fabia would be good but I'm wondering if any1 has experience in slippy conditions in one??
Had winter tyres fitted on ours in the slippery seasons. No issues with it. It had ABS, ESP and was FWD. So, all was fine as could be in winter. TBH, the winter tyres make that extra difference, especially in snow.
Be aware the 1.4 diesel is gutless. Is fine as a second car, and my partner was ok with it, but certainly lacked power. Was very very reliable, functional car. Not exciting, but functional. Had ABS, ESP, cruise, elec front windows, not bad sound system. The only thing we had was it went through headlight bulbs at an alrming rate. But it is VW based, so kinda expected. You can pop a voltage regulator on anyway to combat that.
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A driving course may be worthwhile. Nothing will stop any car from skidding on ice.
Winter tyres and 4wd help, but if she thinks its a solution, she'll quickly be parking it in a ditch
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Your probably right there mate but being a typical woman she knows everything and never heeds advice lol!!! I do fancy a skoda though as ''HER'' car!!
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A driving course may be worthwhile. Nothing will stop any car from skidding on ice.
Winter tyres and 4wd help, but if she thinks its a solution, she'll quickly be parking it in a ditch
Indeed. Skid pan course been suggested in this household due to the RWD only policy. It didn't go well. :-X
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Indeed. Skid pan course been suggested in this household due to the RWD only policy. It didn't go well. :-X
suggested for you or her ?
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My eldest son has a Fiat Brava 1.6 diesel. around 50-55 mpg, built on the Astra Floorpan and £30 a year to tax it.
keith B
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Indeed. Skid pan course been suggested in this household due to the RWD only policy. It didn't go well. :-X
suggested for you or her ?
Her. ;D After she swapped ends of the MX5 in the snow. I have no problem with such training being mandated. Great fun. ;D
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I suggest a 1.3 litre 75 BHP limit for the ladies. :)
Also automatic transmission. New clutches every 5,000 miles don't come cheap. :y
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fiat panda. small, cheap to run, some cool functions and skinny tyres to help in snow
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A Raleigh Grifter.
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I suggest a 1.3 litre 75 BHP limit for the ladies. :)
Also automatic transmission. New clutches every 5,000 miles don't come cheap. :y
;D :-X
Dont forget the compulsory reversing sensors and extra large makeup mirror ::) ;D
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Sister bought a new panda few yrs ago and from what I remember it gave her nothing but trouble, cant remember what it was though but I know she hated it and didn't keep it a year. Prob wont matter what we go for anyway she'll still insist its no good in the snow/ice. As suggested a lot of it is down to the driver and when the driver doesn't heed advice its hard to help lol
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What about a 4x4 :-\
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fiat panda. small, cheap to run, some cool functions and skinny tyres to help in snow
what about a 4x4 panda??
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4x4 would prob be the best option I guess but she'd prob consider it too big for her and wouldn't be able to park it anywhere lol
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4x4 would prob be the best option I guess but she'd prob consider it too big for her and wouldn't be able to park it anywhere lol
subaru 1.5..
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4x4 would prob be the best option I guess but she'd prob consider it too big for her and wouldn't be able to park it anywhere lol
subaru 1.5..
must add though although its a 4x4 , its desperately slow and avg fuel consumption very close to omega :-\
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Did the Mrs indicate anything that she wanted?
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fiat panda. small, cheap to run, some cool functions and skinny tyres to help in snow
what about a 4x4 panda??
:D
Do they still make those ;D
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fiat panda. small, cheap to run, some cool functions and skinny tyres to help in snow
what about a 4x4 panda??
:D
Do they still make those ;D
Yep, I was behind a brand new one the other night! Even the girlfriend said "What on earth would you want a 4x4 Panda for?" ;D
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If she cant drive her current lower powered front wheel drive diesel in the snow then nothing out there is going to be better
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Yep, I was behind a brand new one the other night! Even the girlfriend said "What on earth would you want a 4x4 Panda for?" ;D
I followed one of those over a mountain pass in Italy in the Omega once. Proper little mountain goat, it was.
I suspect it was being beasted to within an inch of its' life but it wasn't the obstruction I thought it would be. Maybe the Italian driving style and the fact that it was narrow enough not to worry about what's round the next bend was assisting it. ;)
One of the gliding clubs I used to fly at used one to tow gliders round a muddy airfield too. Ideal for that. Wasn't much of the bodywork left but it didn't seem to matter. ;D
Finally, a mate of mine had a Sylva jester kit car onto which he grafted panda 4x4 running gear and a breathed-on Uno Turbo engine. Seriously ugly car, and not the world's most reliable but at a "run what you brung" drag race at a kit car show I attended he was up against £60K Caterhams and all sorts. He set the fastest time of the day ;D.
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Finally, a mate of mine had a Sylva jester kit car onto which he grafted panda 4x4 running gear and a breathed-on Uno Turbo engine. Seriously ugly car, and not the world's most reliable but at a "run what you brung" drag race at a kit car show I attended he was up against £60K Caterhams and all sorts. He set the fastest time of the day ;D.
I'd have paid to see the faces of the Caterham owners after that ;)
To be fair, I did explain to the girlfriend that they have their place - I remember one being tested on Top Gear/Fifth Gear/some car program vs. a 'proper' 4x4 to see which could get out of a quarry fastest, and the Panda was far from woeful.. I seem to recall it won, in fact.
Still.. the one I was behind was being driven at precisely the predictable pace ;D
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Sister bought a new panda few yrs ago and from what I remember it gave her nothing but trouble, cant remember what it was though but I know she hated it and didn't keep it a year. Prob wont matter what we go for anyway she'll still insist its no good in the snow/ice. As suggested a lot of it is down to the driver and when the driver doesn't heed advice its hard to help lol
I bought one for SWMBO in 2009 and it has been completely faultless :y :y I also know of another 3 people with them who have also had no trouble whatsoever :y
The only thing was a driver's window regulator (changed under warranty) and the LCD backlight for the dash display is tempremental ::) ::)
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fiat panda. small, cheap to run, some cool functions and skinny tyres to help in snow
what about a 4x4 panda??
:D
Do they still make those ;D
Yep, I was behind a brand new one the other night! Even the girlfriend said "What on earth would you want a 4x4 Panda for?" ;D
(http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad227/kaytee_13/Icons/Emoticons/smiley_shock.gif)
Really shocked they still make those , all i remember of those old ones is that they were full of rust .
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She hasn't a clue what she wants really (which is nothing new) and whatever we go for it'll prob be wrong anyway lol. Maybe I'll just let her tear away herself n then I cant be to blame lol!!!
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If she cant drive her current lower powered front wheel drive diesel in the snow then nothing out there is going to be better
Except maybe the same on winter tyres...
...but then again, maybe not
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I really like the Marauder but I guess mpg would be a problem. ;)
(http://chivethebrigade.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/marauder-500-0.jpg?w=500&h=332)