Advantages: VW reliability and performance
Disadvantages: If you use the performance, fuel comsumption

...She’s black and beautiful and has an Upsolute EMC chip so produces 185BHP with maximum torque at 1750 revs. Well the passat is not a big car but its one of the few into which I can get my 160 Kilos and six foot into! She is skinned inside in a mixture of black leather an suede with Climate Control, Headlight Washers, Cruise control, ABS, Satellite Navigation, multi CD player and radio, power steering with adjustable steering wheel both up and down and in or out. Electric windows all around and alloy wheels. A dog screen and back cover completes the fittings, so most creature comforts. The 2.5 litre V6 powerhouse provides performance that I had upped from the standard 150 BHP to 185BHP by using an Upsolute chip set. With a five-speed geartronic box the spec is complete. What’s it like to drive? Well point and shoot!! The power... Read review

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Advantages: Looks, performance, equipment, style, comfort
Disadvantages: Running costs, availability of spares

...found in the MX6, 626 and some Xedos models. Ive seen people say the Probe is a Mondeo derivative, it is not, the later COUGAR is Mondeo based but the Probe is a Mazda vehicle. If you plan to buy a Probe, go for the V6 model if you can afford the insurance and running costs. There are a few things you should be aware of when looking at one though: 1. Probe sunroofs rust. They rust from the inside out, so try to have a look under the trim if possible. Its not a major problem, fibreglass or carbon replacements can be bought for under 200 quid. 2. Check the driving lamps, if stock driving lamps are present they will probably be rusty (potential MOT failure). Replacement units can be bought for around 30GBP 3. Check for smoke on start up. Blue smoke means the engine is burning oil - bad! Black smoke indicates the engine is running too rich... Read review

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Advantages: Lexus is good looking, jam packed with extras as standard, quite exclusive
Disadvantages: Not as fast as a BMW323, doesn't have quite the Snob Factor

...any extras. - It's extras are second to none (auto headlights, in-dash multiplay cd, 17inch allows, climate control, the list goes on and on). - It has a 2.0 v6 VVTI engine which is very good (but the 0-60 speed is not brilliant). - It is still quite exclusive. To conclude, I now own a W Reg Black Lexus IS 200 Sport - it is a fantastic car, very comfortable! For those who want a bit more speed, Lexus are releasing an IS300 in June 2001 which has the GS300's engine and has a 0-60 of just over 7secs retailing around GBP27,000 - If only I could've waited 1.5yrs, hehe!... Read review

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Advantages: Refined, Head Turning Potential, Superb Handling
Disadvantages: Very Impractical, Thirsty, Expensive to Maintain

...The Clio V6 is a unique driving experience. There's never been a car quite like it before (maybe except the Renault 5 GT Turbo), and I doubt there ever will be again. Renault took a shopping trolley, chucked out the back seats, and fitted a whopping 230bhp 3 litre engine in it's place, and gave it the sort of outlandish styling that means you see dropping jaws everywhere you go - it's just like having Elvis sat on the roof! The first time I saw one of these cars (on the cover of Auto Express in 1998) I knew I had to have one. I've owned 2 Escort Cosworths in the past, and this was the only car that finally gave me something to replace them with! I finally got my hands on one in April 2005. At that time the cheapest Clio V6's were still changing hands for £13k+, but I hunted long and hard and found one lurking in deepest darkest Devon... Read review

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Advantages: power, comfy cruiser, space
Disadvantages: fuel consumption, electrical problems

...dark, Black leather, Black facia etc. Would have been nice with a little colour or a dark grey dash, just for a bit of a change. There is on mine, Wooden inserts on the steering wheel and centre console. these however won't pass close scrutiny. And would defy anyone trying to work out which tree they came from! The controls and dashboard display are very easy to use and read, with everything falling nicely to hand. Stereo controls on the wheel and cruise and Info display controls on each stalk. Interior space is very good. I'm 6ft4 and find it very easy to find a comfy driving position. There is still room enough behind the drivers seat for an adult to fit fairly comfortably. I think however that the centre rear seat is for show only. The rear bench seat is heavily contoured and sitting on the raised part in the middle would leave you... Read review

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Advantages: picture quality
Disadvantages: limited features

...Portable televisions are all very much of a much and sony's entry level box is a little bit above this run of the mill. But to get this slight improvement in picture quality, you will have to pay substantially premium. The entry level tv costs a little over £100 and for this you don't even get teletext. However, you get a decent quality remote control which looks identical to those sold with the more expensive sony boxes. Although the picture quality is good, the sound is only on a par with the cheaper makes. The tv includes only a small sound speaker on the left hand side of the black plastic surround. On the front of the tv, a small number of buttons provide duplication of the remote control functions. The additional price of the sony tv may be justified if you require a scart socket capability or video camera input.... Read review

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Advantages: Good standard equipment,Good handling,Good security and safety
Disadvantages: poor Petrol consumption

...My brother recently brought him self a second hand Jaguar 2.5 v6 x type its on a 51 plate with1 owner from new and 50,000 miles on the clock and full service history he payed £8,999 which considering it cost 22k new is a bit of a bargain When he told me he had brought it i said why a jaguar its a bit of an old mans car and its going to cost you a small fortune to keep it on the road. Personally i wasnt keen on this type of car ive always liked sports cars and hot hatches but after seeing the jag in the flesh its sort of grown on me. My brothers is a british racing green in colour and because its a sports model it gets the bigger alloy wheels which improve the look,The interior is covered in cream leather seats and door coverings the dash is in a walnut wood effect with a black plastic centre control for the stereo/air con/heating etc... Read review

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Advantages: speed, handeling, g-force....
Disadvantages: feul consumption and services...

...Girls sit back, guys boy are you in for a ride, Walking up to the car a silver Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 24v, you look at the back site and the tail light stare at you, through a narrow gap and you wonder…… Those standard looking rims and tyres, hood with a little V-Shaped grill and the AFLA badge on the front of the hood, it looks like Alfa is bragging about something, and boy they can brag about this one. Personally the cars looks aren't the most attractive in the field, but that's just me, the sound of the car when it's idling sounds like a normal 2.0 it idles smooth and calm. Inside the cockpit the black leather seats makes your heart melt as soon as you sit on them, you feel a bit cluttered in the beginning and the pedals are typical sports car, close together and very sensitive. Considering the fact that I am 6 foot 7" my opinion... Read review

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Advantages: Good to drive, front seat space
Disadvantages: Fuel bills, it's a Vauxhall

...Although I don't own one of these I use them at work daily so can give quite a good idea of what they are like to drive and run around in. First of all, and the reason why people would buy one of these, the 3.2V6 engine. To desribe it I will use what one of my colleagues said "It's a beast". Quite true to a point the engine is very good pushing out nearly 210bhp through the front wheels. It accelerates quick enough for road use but as with anything with an engine that size, use the performance and you'll pay for it at the pump. Don't expect more than 16mpg around town regardless of what the official figures say. Curising it's very good and will purr along quite happily at 70mph on the motorway doing about 30mpg so all in all it's not too bad. Interior wise it's very roomy but rear leg room is poor, expecially when compared to it... Read review

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Advantages: Charismatic looks, quiet & smooth, modern interior
Disadvantages: Tyre pressure sensor faults, tyres expensive to replace

...with unlock and lock buttons. To start the car you slide the card into a slot in the dashboard and press a button. You don't have to hold the button in - just tap it and the computer starts the car up for you. There's actually a key hidden inside the card to access the car in an emergency. Be warned that these cards are expensive to replace - 120 pounds. So if you buy a Laguna second hand insist you are given 2 keys from the seller to avoid a significant cost for a spare key. The seats are very comfortable. Much better than my father's 406 V6 3.0L. They are firm which is good for long trips and support you well on corners. I have the black half leather which seems to have shown little sign of wear (it looks new). I looked at 3 year old Alfa Romeo 156s which looked positively tatty inside after 3 years use. The Renault seats seem to wear it well... Read review

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