Car advice

[Sweet Pete]

Tried rolling all the windows down and turning up the heating, but still hear the ticking. It's like everything I know is a lie.

[Arthur daley]

4 hours ago, Sweet Pete said:

Question for those in the know: my Ford transit is making a ticking sound that increases or decreases in direct correlation to the acceleration. When it was happening last autumn the garage said it just needed an oil change with its MOT in December and that solved it at that time. Is it likely to be the same thing again? Should it need an oil change every 3 to 4 months?

Daft question but have you checked it’s not low on oil ? 

[thistledo]

Anyone got any recommendations for cars with rear seat room that can fit two rear facing car seats without compromising driver legroom? Bonus if it doesn't make me look like I have given up hope on life and my existence & personality is based solely around my children. 

[TxRover]

4 hours ago, Sweet Pete said:

Question for those in the know: my Ford transit is making a ticking sound that increases or decreases in direct correlation to the acceleration. When it was happening last autumn the garage said it just needed an oil change with its MOT in December and that solved it at that time. Is it likely to be the same thing again? Should it need an oil change every 3 to 4 months?

The common causes are low oil, as arthur mentions above, low oil pressure, an exhaust leak or an ignition issue. A sneaky one is the EVAP purge valve…but given an oil change helped before, that seems unlikely., I’d see if the oil isn’t very slightly low, perhaps your transit is more sensitive than usual, maybe the oil pump is dodgy?

[die hard doonhamer]

1 hour ago, thistledo said:

Anyone got any recommendations for cars with rear seat room that can fit two rear facing car seats without compromising driver legroom? Bonus if it doesn't make me look like I have given up hope on life and my existence & personality is based solely around my children. 

Nissan x-trail. Loads of room in the back so should have plenty for that not to be an issue. I have a 2016 one and love it, really solid car that I’ll run for years yet. 

[Sweet Pete]

2 hours ago, Arthur daley said:

Daft question but have you checked it’s not low on oil ? 

Not yet as the sound only resurfaced yesterday and been running about daft for work. I'll check oil level in the morning. Thanks.

[beefybake]

On 06/03/2023 at 10:36, madmitch said:

If it was me I would buy a Mazda 3 over a Corolla every time. Depends on how you view cars. I like them to be fun or at least engaging to drive.  That's where the Corolla falls down for me it's as dull as dishwater to drive. All Mazdas seem to be better driver's cars. Also, nowadays Mazda are just as reliable as Toyota and often cheaper to repair.  The clincher for me is the quality of the interior of the Mazda. If you are going to be spending a lot of time per day in your car. The Mazda is a far nicer place to be. With some notable exceptions, Toyota are the masters of mediocrity for me.

Except that as the years go by, the Mazda will likely need more repairs than the Toyota.

Specifically, brakes and suspension.

Mazda are well known for their price competitiveness, in addition to being more enjoyable driving machines than typical Toyotas.

Mazdas tend to rust more too, they have long skimped on the rustproofing side of things. 

Course, if you're buying new, and only keep for a handful of years, that may not be a concern.

[madmitch]

4 hours ago, beefybake said:

Except that as the years go by, the Mazda will likely need more repairs than the Toyota.

Specifically, brakes and suspension.

Mazda are well known for their price competitiveness, in addition to being more enjoyable driving machines than typical Toyotas.

Mazdas tend to rust more too, they have long skimped on the rustproofing side of things. 

Course, if you're buying new, and only keep for a handful of years, that may not be a concern.

Fair points. Can't argue with you on brakes and suspension. However, Mazda tend to stick to tried and tested drivetrains. So no CVT/DCT transmissions and most cars have naturally aspirated engines. The 2003 Mazda MX5 that I sold in 2015 is still going strong today with only drop links being required since the new owner has had it.  On the rust front all Mk2 MX5's get rusty sills.  Two years ago I bought a 1999 Mazda Premacy it had no rust on it. Similarly I just sold a 2007 Mazda 5, again zero rust on it.

[TxRover]

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

Fair points. Can't argue with you on brakes and suspension. However, Mazda tend to stick to tried and tested drivetrains. So no CVT/DCT transmissions and most cars have naturally aspirated engines. The 2003 Mazda MX5 that I sold in 2015 is still going strong today with only drop links being required since the new owner has had it.  On the rust front all Mk2 MX5's get rusty sills.  Two years ago I bought a 1999 Mazda Premacy it had no rust on it. Similarly I just sold a 2007 Mazda 5, again zero rust on it.

For all that people moan about CVTs, it’s mostly good now IF you ignore the stupid recommendation to change fluid at 60k miles. Do it every 2-3 years/30k and the CVTs will run just fine. Nissan is still a wee bit iffy on the CVT, but the rest have it nailed. The first generation were saddled with the insane suggestion they were lifetime fill and need never be touched…the results of that were bad.

I’m looking at cars for the kid right now, I’d back a Mazda for a 150-200k lifespan, a Honda for 200-250k and a Toyota for 300k…all as long as proper maintenance was done.

[pub car king]

New(ish) motor has arrived just in time for the snow 🫣

But anyway isn't it shiny and clean for the time being. As the last one was over 10 years old I wasn't quite up to date as to how cars had evolved. f**k me this thing does everything, electric heated seats and steering wheel, automatic lights, wipers and wing mirrors, touch screen everything, wireless charging for the phone. It keeps you in the correct lane, you can speak to it and it parks itself which was somewhat unnerving for the first time. 

Would recommend.

[Empty It]

On 08/03/2023 at 21:36, beefybake said:

 

Mazdas tend to rust more too, they have long skimped on the rustproofing side of things. 

I have a 1990 MX5 and I can absolutely confirm this

[The_Kincardine]

3 hours ago, pub car king said:

New(ish) motor has arrived just in time for the snow 🫣

But anyway isn't it shiny and clean for the time being. As the last one was over 10 years old I wasn't quite up to date as to how cars had evolved. f**k me this thing does everything, electric heated seats and steering wheel, automatic lights, wipers and wing mirrors, touch screen everything, wireless charging for the phone. It keeps you in the correct lane, you can speak to it and it parks itself which was somewhat unnerving for the first time. 

Would recommend.

My 2010 Audi A4 was battered by a 'School run maw' in a Qashqai and written off by the insurers.  I replaced it with a 2009 Saab 9-3 2.8 which does none of these things.  Not the fastest but a V6 is always a delight.  Plus it's as near to analogue as you can get.

Would recommend.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, pub car king said:

New(ish) motor has arrived just in time for the snow 🫣

But anyway isn't it shiny and clean for the time being. As the last one was over 10 years old I wasn't quite up to date as to how cars had evolved. f**k me this thing does everything, electric heated seats and steering wheel, automatic lights, wipers and wing mirrors, touch screen everything, wireless charging for the phone. It keeps you in the correct lane, you can speak to it and it parks itself which was somewhat unnerving for the first time. 

Would recommend.

Send it back, it can't park straight.

[beefybake]

3 hours ago, Empty It said:

I have a 1990 MX5 and I can absolutely confirm this

Yes, mines a 1993 MX5.

And owners of the most recent version of the MX5 have been aghast when the amount of bare paintwork

on the underside of their cars was pointed out to them.

[alta-pete]

18 hours ago, The_Kincardine said:

My 2010 Audi A4 was battered by a 'School run maw' in a Qashqai and written off by the insurers.  I replaced it with a 2009 Saab 9-3 2.8 which does none of these things.  Not the fastest but a V6 is always a delight.  Plus it's as near to analogue as you can get.

Would recommend.

Would commend those that like cars to heed my learned friends advice. 5/6/8 cylinder engines are now in terminal decline due primarily to emissions targets. But if a nice drive makes you smile, you need to get one before they’re confined to weekend classics. 4 cylinders are indeed more efficient but they have nothing like the charisma. Mind you, the 3 cylinder in the boy’s Mini Cooper is a peppy wee thing. 

[ScotiaNostra]

Just had new brake pads fitted recently, I noticed they are squeaking still though a different squeak 

I presume this is normal for new brake pads and should disappear in a short time?

[Arthur daley]

1 hour ago, ScotiaNostra said:

Just had new brake pads fitted recently, I noticed they are squeaking still though a different squeak 

I presume this is normal for new brake pads and should disappear in a short time?

Yeh it’s fine ,just the new pads bedding in

[TxRover]

7 hours ago, alta-pete said:

Would commend those that like cars to heed my learned friends advice. 5/6/8 cylinder engines are now in terminal decline due primarily to emissions targets. But if a nice drive makes you smile, you need to get one before they’re confined to weekend classics. 4 cylinders are indeed more efficient but they have nothing like the charisma. Mind you, the 3 cylinder in the boy’s Mini Cooper is a peppy wee thing. 

IDK, the 4 in my Giulia was an enchanting engine…powerful and lovely sounding…just need to outsource the exhausts and tuning to the Italians, and keep them away from the ergonomics and building stuff.

[alta-pete]

56 minutes ago, TxRover said:

IDK, the 4 in my Giulia was an enchanting engine…powerful and lovely sounding…just need to outsource the exhausts and tuning to the Italians, and keep them away from the ergonomics and building stuff.

Granted. But the Italians are very much the outliers. If they could build the rest of the car to German/Japanese standards they’d be world beaters. I think that’s indeed why Audi bought Lamborghini.  

[TxRover]

37 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

Granted. But the Italians are very much the outliers. If they could build the rest of the car to German/Japanese standards they’d be world beaters. I think that’s indeed why Audi bought Lamborghini.  

That’s why you keep them the hell away from the ergonomics and reliability. The Giulia has, as Clarkson noted, the door in the wrong place…you always rubbed this or nicked that getting in and out. At least it lacked the classic Ferrari bus steering wheel position. The Italians, for all we slag them, might be onto something though…they may go through Governments like tissue paper, but they’re enjoying the f**k out of life and their buses and trains run on time.