This is my first diesel car but it won't be my last. It is a company car which I have had from new since July 2001. I have travelled 56000 miles including several 2500 mile round trips to Sweden with my wife, two boys (both under 9) and dog. One of the good points about the car is its economy - a long-term average of over 40 mpg and an indicated 19 mpg at top speed (118 mph!) on the Autobahns. It is comfortable to drive over long distances and although its 0-60 mph speed is rather slow - about 12 seconds - because of the high torque from the turbo-diesel engine it has good overtaking acceleration making it a good motorway and A-road car. It has seven seats but with them all in there is very little luggage space so it is usually driven with the rear two seats removed. These are quite heavy and take up a lot of space in the house so this car loses out against the more modern competition with seats that fold flat into the floor.
The mechanicals of the car have been reliable apart from the airconditioning heat exchanger needing replacing at about 35000 miles, the alternator at about 45000 miles and the airco condenser at 54000 - I am sorry but I can't tell you what the repairs and servicing cost as I don't pay the bills.
The car was fully loaded - I chose leather interior (very easy to keep clean - useful with my muddy boys and dog), heated seats (wonderful in winter and cold summer nights), electrically heated front screen (a real-life saver as it demists all over at once - not just from the bottom of the screen upwards), alloys, climate control, metallic paint and Xenon lights. The latter have not proven to be worth the money - you only benefit from them when they are on main beam and how often can you use main beam on our crowded roads? Additionally - much to my disgust when going abroad for the first time I discovered that it was not possible to convert them for driving on the Continent without removing half the front of the car. The local VW garage quoted £150 for performing the work! They advised that stick-on beam converters would not work due to the high temeprature of the lamps melting the glue, so I compromised by sticking duct tape over half the lamp lenses - rather defeating the purpose of having those lamps!
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Strange that people who don't need a seven-seater at all get one provided and paid for by their company, while people who really do (four large kids) can't afford one. One of life's little ironies.
Bollinger28 29.06.2005 20:50
Hello and welcome to Ciao - Lexy
Handonheart 29.06.2005 20:28
An interesting point about the lights, something I probaby wouldn't have thought of.
ABS Brakes, Air Conditioning, Alarm Fitted, Alloy Wheels, Automatic Transmission, CD ... more
Player, Diesel, Electric Windows, Immobiliser, Metallic paint, Multiple Airbags, Power Steering, Reverse Parking Aid, Trip Computer, Remote Central Lockin..and more
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