High MPG medium sized automatic car wanted
- Thread starter Stephen7372
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
I was under the impression this was behind them but that doesn't sound too good!
Soldato
[TW]Fox;10829663 said:
I think it is a Nissan derived box but it still seems to play up. Even the replacement box has started a low level whine which it's got to go back into Ford.
Worrying really.
- Joined
- 26 Oct 2002
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- 1,737
What's DSG ? 
Direct Shift Gearbox. It's got two clutches and 'preselects' the next gear you need before you change gear. It's main strength is performance and not, as Cyberpunk correctly points out, wafty smoothness. It's quicker than a normal autobox and better on fuel but it's not as smooth at shifting.
Mercedes C Class C220 or C270 CDI.
Hard seats....tick!
High mpg....tick!
Automatic....tick!
Reliable....tick!
If you wanted something smaller that's easy to get in and out of (OAP), an A Class might be worth considering. It won't ride that well though with the heavier diesel engine, uprated suspension and bigger tyres.
Odd that you have £12,000 budget but then want to save a few £s on fuel though. You'd be better off spending less on the car and buying one with average mpg.
Hard seats....tick!
High mpg....tick!
Automatic....tick!
Reliable....tick!
If you wanted something smaller that's easy to get in and out of (OAP), an A Class might be worth considering. It won't ride that well though with the heavier diesel engine, uprated suspension and bigger tyres.
Odd that you have £12,000 budget but then want to save a few £s on fuel though. You'd be better off spending less on the car and buying one with average mpg.
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Yeah C class' values are dropping like a stone, so you can get some good bargains, seems to have a better image than the 3 series, whilst not being as good to drive enthusiastically, its a very comfy car to drive, weve had a couple in the house and i havent been able to fault the petrols, unlike our 3 series.
Avoid the A class like the plague, rubbish cheap and nasty, and horrendously overpriced.
Avoid the A class like the plague, rubbish cheap and nasty, and horrendously overpriced.
Problem with the previous model C class though is that it was conceived, designed and built right in the middle of Mercs well publicised quality nightmare so it really isn't very well built.
There is a sticky on one of the MB forums about common rattles for the C class and their fixes. It's many pages long..
There is a sticky on one of the MB forums about common rattles for the C class and their fixes. It's many pages long..
Associate
Another vote for the S60 here, love mine to bits however i can't compare it to a saab since ive never drove one.
Associate
- Joined
- 30 Dec 2002
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- 738
Sorry, but while the changes are very quick, they just aren't that smooth. I think that a lot of people have only ever driven cheap nasty automatic Vectras or whatever, in which case DSG seems brilliant. However, compared to a good automatic (and for £12,000 there are a lot of good automatic cars around) DSG pales in comparison.
DSG is perfect for the boy racer who lost a leg in a nasty street racing accident, the changes are quick, you don’t lose any performance and the manual mode means it’s much more involving. But if you want to waft along in comfort, completely unaware that your car even has gears then a standard high quality automatic beats it every time.
I have the DSG box and I wouldn't say it is for boy racers especially since most have a Corsa 1.2 budget.
I find it more pleasant to drive than an auto Jaguar/BMW, the BMW had slightly rougher changes than the Jag but I still rate the DSG better. The reason is the changes are smooth I really don't feel them, the response in D mode is totally dedicated to fuel economy and S mode is optimized for best performance, which by no means is a disadvantage.
Vectra.... only kidding.
The passat is a lovely car and the diesel engines are great in them, remapped might bring you better MPG aswell.
Not sure on the gearboxes as never used one, the mondeo is also a nice car.
I just prefer the looks and build quality of the Passat.
The passat is a lovely car and the diesel engines are great in them, remapped might bring you better MPG aswell.
Not sure on the gearboxes as never used one, the mondeo is also a nice car.
I just prefer the looks and build quality of the Passat.
I call my first witness to the stand for this one. Merlin!!
VW seem to have given up a bit on build quality with this generation - neither Golf nor Passat are up to the standards they set with the previous models. What grated me most about the Passat was the expanse of really cheap scratchy feeling plastic around the interior.
No, actually, I lie. What grated me most about the Passat was the STUPID ******** ***& & & ** ** ** * * * electronic parking brake!!!
Associate
Agreed, the handbrake is utter ******* *****, cannot see a reason for it, I really can't
Caporegime
how old is it though? not sure at what point the newer box went into the mk3's, the mk2's were horrific.
ford do do good autos when its not the rubber band ones.
i have had 2 focus autos which have been perfect in regards to the gearboxes.
Soldato
No, the Passat is a nasty, nasty car, the diesel engines are unrefined and noisy (thanks to the PD technology that VW have now given up on).
The new model isn't built well and it looks ugly
Soldato
High MPG automatic, easy, just avoid anything with a torque converter. Many manufacturers offer a manual gearbox controlled by a computer, a Robotised Gearbox.
I'd get a 1.9 Diesel from Alfa personally.
I'd get a 1.9 Diesel from Alfa personally.