Evening all - is it safe to return to the fold?

[fat controller]

Evening all,

Been a while since I have been around these parts............

As many of you know, I departed into Nissan Qashqai ownership, which was a reasonably successful move in some respects, but in the past few months its French DNA has slowly bubbled to the surface and it is showing itself to be the 5hitBox that it actually is. Manufacturers warranty ends next week, and I currently have a Stop/Start System fault (as of Thursday) caused by a duff FIAMM AGM battery, a mysterious hollow metallic knock from the rear at low speeds (intermittently), various electronic gremlins intermittently. as well as door rubbers popping off, paint that is **** thin and door rubbers that keep popping off the back doors.

Better still, booking in the car for its service with the Nissan dealer and declaring the Stop/Start System fault and the knocking noise at the same time, drew the sharp intake of breath and the words "well, the warranty is really strict, and we can't see the car until the 19th, by which time it will be out of warranty......... we can try for goodwill..."

So, a widely known defect, reported under warranty but cannot be fixed under the warranty because the dealer is too busy and it is going to lead to a battle. Suffice to say, the service manager was given a flea in his ear and informed that this was my first, and last, foray into the Nissan brand and in not so many words was told where he could shove his dealership.

I am tied to this box of bolts until next summer, by which time I should hopefully have reached the stage in my finance deal where I can whack it in and get something else. I have started looking already, and there are a few on my shortlist so far:

Audi A6 Avant Ultra TDI
Audi Q3 (no specific model in mind)
Audi Q5 (or even a 7 if I happen to strike gold and get one at an uber-bargain price!)
VW Touraeg
Jaguar XF estate
BMW 5-Series estate
BMW X3
Skoda Kodiaq (if I can afford one!)

and at the opposite end of the spectrum....

Kia Sorento
Kia Sportage
Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai Santa Fe

mainly because of the 5 / 7 year warranties, and the fact that they actually seem to give a damn about customers.

However, my heart lies with VAG (despite being bitten with BKP engines and crappy DMF's!), so they are on the top of my list. So guys, what is good and what is not in the current VAG stable?

[Gazwould]

Welcome back .

The Cashcow is infamous , but uninformed peeps keep on buying , last month it outsold the Ford Fester .

[Crasher]

Qashqai may be fragile but it gives British chaps jobs as does a Jag and if I was buying new I would have the Jag.

[fat controller]

Evening gents

Aye, it does seem as though the MK2 has a whole load more issues than the MK1 did - I still think that part of that has to be due to the tie up with Renault........ never did rate French cars.

My original intention was to keep this one for 5 years, then purchase something brand new thereafter, but I doubt that I will stick it for that long, so its replacement is likely to be used. Fair point about the jobs Crasher - we've lost far too many in this country over the years. I would like to be able to add the Jaguar F-Pace to that shortlist, but I seriously doubt I could afford one of them.

What about the VAG stable - any stand out motors in terms of reliability or performance?

[Gazwould]

The 3.0 quattro tdi or petrol supercharged are nice .

[fat controller]

Much as I would love a petrol supercharged, I think my bank might complain as the fuel bills rolled in......

3.0 quattro tdi is more like the thing - does it appear in the Q3?

[Crasher]

Diesel is dead, move on....

What about the VAG stable - any stand out motors in terms of reliability or performance?

I think the Skoda Superb L&K 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 is untouchable, fully loaded it costs less than the competition and can be remapped and modified to silly near 400PS levels and it cleans the air from the nasty diesel in front of it, tailpipe emmisons can be less than those which go into the intake.

[fat controller]

Diesel is dead, move on....



I think the Skoda Superb L&K 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 is untouchable, fully loaded it costs less than the competition and can be remapped and modified to silly near 400PS levels and it cleans the air from the nasty diesel in front of it, tailpipe emmisons can be less than those which go into the intake.

Fair point about diesel being dead - I just wonder how long it will take for the manufacturers to catch up, as many of them still have the bulk of their ranges diesel powered.

Now that Skoda DOES sound interesting - I have a VERY soft spot for Skoda (we have had a good few in the family, and all have been nothing short of outstanding), and even at 280PS that would be more than enough for me. I have recently driven a friends A1 1.4TSI and have to admit that it was very impressive - a motorised rollerskate with a bit of grin factor thrown in. The chances of finding one of those used at less than a year old is going to be a tough call though? Particularly in estate guise? Mind you, I have a year at least to play with.... Hmmmmmm.....

What year did they start with that model Crasher?

[Gazwould]

Electric is dead too..

Electric car ban warning - London air pollution sees call for crackdown | Cars | Life & Style | Express.co.uk


The solution .

[french_audi]

That sounds a bad issue made worse by poor dealership service. I must say I thought Nissan were supposed to be in the top of reliabilty tables. Promise them you'll buy another Nissan to get it sorted and then 'change your mind' and not by another.....

I live in France but would never have a French car. The older ones here seem to go on for ever but the newer ones always seem to have electrical issues and it is generally dry here. I think they get people in and the French car makes look jazzy and interesting for not as much as other makes. Two years down the line they seem to be not so good. Still the French keep on buying French makes -

I didn't know the Nissan French tie up but it seems to be a bad thing.

Moving on to your list of next cars. You have some models mentioned and then say a Skoda Kodiaq (If I can afford it). Were the others on your list 2nd hand choices as the Audi A6 would be more than a Kodiaq.

If looking at an A6 the updated model comes out next year so you'll get a good deal on run-out/used A6 Ultra diesels.

I liked the look of the new Skoda Karoq - on a much cheaper budget. It is well equipped and I was evern going to go look at one. Then I found there will be no petrol 4X4 (as of yet). Still it does look not too bad - worth looking at anyway?

My father bought a Huyndai Tuscson. He bought the 2L diesel auto 4X4. It drives okay but nothing exciting at all. Handling predicatable. Fuel consumption isn't great. The interior plastics are stutrdy enough but don't look special. It has a GPS but I think it is way dated. No start/stop or electronic handbrake or radar controlled cruise control option - a bit behind the times then. Comfort in the back was good. So far he has had no issues. He paid £27K after discounts and I think that is too much for what the car offers. He likes it though.

You certainly have a wide range of models and makes on your list.

I have just ordered a new A4 Allroad. If the budget doesn't stretch a good 2nd hand Allroad model might tick the boxes?

Good luck with your issues and hope you get back to motoring Nirvana soon....

Regards, Mark