What car do you Drive?

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (Alfashark @ Feb 26 2009, 09:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, while I'm here... Little over a month ago, we decided to set Jodi's (the wife) '96 Mk3 Golf out to greener pastures - just getting to the age and mileage (260,000) where things were bound to go expensively wrong (she does about 50,000km a year). Test drove a new Suzuki Swift Sport, not bad at all, especially for the money... but ideally the new car would be Euro

'06 Skoda Fabia vRS WRC edition - the ex-Redbull promo car to be exact
Kit supplied by SkodaAuto (the works team) and is all GRP - no metal in the front guards at all.
1.9 turbo diesel, 6sp manual and goes like hell!!! So far zipping around Hamilton and Tauranga, as well as hauling down to Taupo/Turangi, its averaging out about 5.2L/100km And thats with us being boost-happy

Champion! Was that at the A1GP? Walked past it in the carpark and made a comment to Trolly that I wanted one If it wasn't that Skoda, it was an identical one (same kit, wheels, colour etc).

How good is that fuel consumption! Our Octavia vRS does 7/100km after a good rally over the Rimutakas (including passing the odd hick in his Commodore SS doing about 25l/100km and wondering why his brick won't go round corners..)

I'm now very envious of two of the beasts that live in your driveway, but I do have to say- Clean those wheels man!

[Alfashark]

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Feb 26 2009, 10:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Champion! Was that at the A1GP? Walked past it in the carpark and made a comment to Trolly that I wanted one If it wasn't that Skoda, it was an identical one (same kit, wheels, colour etc).

How good is that fuel consumption! Our Octavia vRS does 7/100km after a good rally over the Rimutakas (including passing the odd hick in his Commodore SS doing about 25l/100km and wondering why his brick won't go round corners..)

I'm now very envious of two of the beasts that live in your driveway, but I do have to say- Clean those wheels man!

That would have been it As far as I'm aware there are only 1 or 2 other WRC editions floating around NZ...
Fuel consumption will drop even lower soon... Eyeing up a Revo stage II chip, these take it up to around 150bhp and somewhere in the order of around 400-425nm of torque - surprisingly this DROPS the fuel consumption to around 4L/100km.
Shame they never produced a 4wd version for the public, as this thing is a pig to get moving, even in the dry... mass amounts of tyre frying with no effort

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (Alfashark @ Feb 26 2009, 10:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would have been it As far as I'm aware there are only 1 or 2 other WRC editions floating around NZ...
Fuel consumption will drop even lower soon... Eyeing up a Revo stage II chip, these take it up to around 150bhp and somewhere in the order of around 400-425nm of torque - surprisingly this DROPS the fuel consumption to around 4L/100km.
Shame they never produced a 4wd version for the public, as this thing is a pig to get moving, even in the dry... mass amounts of tyre frying with no effort

Yeah I've been eyeing up a chip too, 171 to 205hp and 369 to 425NM. Gota persuade mum first..

You'd think considering they have access to VW's 4motion drivetrain (in the Octavia Scout) they'd put it in the sports model? The little Octavia will break traction at 40km/h in second once the turbo kicks in just below 2k rpm.. We just had the tires rotated so I think I'll have to bald the new front ones down a bit to match the rears..

[kiwibarguy]

I bought the Vigor for $5000 in 2002. For a 1992 she has only done 167,000km which is quite low and she runs like a dream. Great acceleration, comfy and low which i like and has been well looked after. Although i love to make fun of her, i hope that she can continue to run for a few more years just to see out the other tardy looking vigors around.

So far so good!

[Alfashark]

QUOTE (kiwibarguy @ Feb 27 2009, 08:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I bought the Vigor for $5000 in 2002. For a 1992 she has only done 167,000km which is quite low and she runs like a dream. Great acceleration, comfy and low which i like and has been well looked after. Although i love to make fun of her, i hope that she can continue to run for a few more years just to see out the other tardy looking vigors around.

So far so good!

Hard to find in reasonable nick, so with regular oil, coolant and filter changes it should see you past the 300,000km mark assuming tin-worm and/or an accident doesnt get in the way
Think I may as well post up some pics of the rest of the Vehicular Zoo at our place...

[brownbox]

my old car had....issues.
So its out with the old, and in with the


1996 Toyota Curren 2.0L 5 Speed Manual

[Alfashark]

Nice car mate Currens are basically a Celica with a nicer (in my opinion) body.

As promised, a few pics of the zoo around here...


My CGT, looking a bit dirty

Jodi's Skoda Fabia vRS, genuine Skoda-Auto kit (all the guards are GRP)

Our mini - one piece f/glass front end, prelude seats, twin tanks, 1275 engine breathing through a Dellorto 32/36 carb. (shortly to have MG Metro turbo running gear swapped in)

Donor Skoda 120, freshly built 1300 almost ready to slot back in.

Flatmates Skoda 130T project. homegrown turbo conversion, taken him 3yrs to get running... hand fabricated intake and exhaust setup (these engines were never made as injected, or turboed) and custom ECU to control it all (again, homegrown, not adapted from an existing ECU or chip)

Donor Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT, now sold and being gutted and caged for circuit use.

Flatmates Skoda Octavia 1.8T

Flatmates mint Alfetta GT.

Somewhere in amongst all of that theres also a Ninja 250, and the possibility of a Mk2 Golf GTi arriving soon

[Gavin Conroy]

Boy there are a varied selcetion of cars on this thread.

[Naki]

QUOTE (Alfashark @ May 24 2009, 08:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As promised, a few pics of the zoo around here...

Flatmates Skoda Octavia 1.8T

Somewhere in amongst all of that theres also a Ninja 250, and the possibility of a Mk2 Golf GTi arriving soon

Hmm an Octavia - maybe a replacement later for my very reliable and very high mileage but oh so boring Accord...how reliable are Octavias - any issues? Been keen on a Golf but these appear cheaper for the age and mileage and guess they are the same underneath.

On trademe there is a manual 2 litre in West Auckland - $10,000 ..and 1.8 turbo for $12,000..

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (Naki @ May 25 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm an Octavia - maybe a replacement later for my very reliable and very high mileage but oh so boring Accord...how reliable are Octavias - any issues? Been keen on a Golf but these appear cheaper for the age and mileage and guess they are the same underneath.

On trademe there is a manual 2 litre in West Auckland - $10,000 ..and 1.8 turbo for $12,000..

I guess you could expect me to say they're good cars, but I wouldn't be lying.

Skoda have won numerous surveys (and I think some awards) for reliability, and as you say are basically a VW underneath. An Octavia has a huge number of parts froma VW Golf including chassis and engine (all variants are VW engines) even down to things like the indicator/wiper stalks. If you go diesel you'll be looking at 6-8l/100km in everyday driving conditions, with more torque (which means more driveability as you have more 'pull' from lower revs) and only slightly less power. Even with Road User Charges added into the equation diesel is generally cheaper than a comparative petrol. Unfortunately there aren't many around for less than $15k as they also have a low depreciation rate compared to other makes.

[Alfashark]

QUOTE (Naki @ May 25 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm an Octavia - maybe a replacement later for my very reliable and very high mileage but oh so boring Accord...how reliable are Octavias - any issues? Been keen on a Golf but these appear cheaper for the age and mileage and guess they are the same underneath.

On trademe there is a manual 2 litre in West Auckland - $10,000 ..and 1.8 turbo for $12,000..

Great cars Naki, very strong and quite reliable... aside from the usual VAG niggles (people using "regular" coolant as opposed to VW's G12 brew - if even a few drops of the two types mix, they create a god awful sludge that sets like cement and blocks water galleries in the block).
Dollar for dollar, you end up with a higher spec'd car with a Skoda as opposed to say, a VW Passat or Audi A4 - the Octavia in the pic is a 2006 and was purchased for $12k, full climatronic climate control, heated seats, 3-point belts for all three back seats, a HUGE boot and runs like a dream.
The other big plus with a Skoda, is assuming that it hasnt been in an accident, or had any panel repair work done on it, the entire body has a 10yr anti-corrosion warranty - if it rusts, the offending panel will be replaced or if it is in multiple areas, the whole shell will be replaced with your existing running gear swapped in

[Naki]

Thanks for the info guys ..might be a while yet as the wife wants new lounge suite, TV, fridge, freezer etc etc

I noticed a few posts back about 18 months ago that I said I was going to get a Previa - ended up with a V6 Mazda MPV - actually quite a hoot to drive and very practical whne you have 3 young kids .

The Citroen has now gone (thank god) and I have replaced it in the meantime with the ex family Accord - I also stated I was going to get a Focus ST170 (too expensive not enough doors) - dont think that will happen now but an Octavia looks possible.

Here's a couple I found on trademe

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-211417530.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-219875396.htm

[Alfashark]

I'd go with the 1.8T for that money, no doubt the 2L NA version there is a great car - but it is a sizeable beast and with any more than 2 people on board, you can hear the engine working for its food

1.8 20vT, 1.8 L (1781 cc, 109 cu in) 4cyl DOHC, 148 hp/110 kW @5700 rpm 210 N·m (155 lb·ft) @1750–4600 rpm AGU/ARZ/ARX/AUM engine codes
2.0 8v, 2.0 L (1984 cc, 121 cu in) 4cyl SOHC, 113 hp/85 kW @5400 rpm 172 N·m (127 lb·ft) @3200 rpm AZJ/AZH engine codes

The 1.8T has a very usable 40 odd Nm advantage over the NA version, but never feels like a turbo... just good solid pulling power from almost right off idle, and wont let up until you're well over double the NZ limit
Overtaking say from 80ish is a piece of ####, no downshift required to bring up a good head of steam, just point and squeeze - no fuss, just quick, safe acceleration.

[BigBird]

I've got a '94 Nissan Skyline GTS25. 5 speed with 235,000km. Have owned it for 9 years now and besides the airflow meter crapping out a couple of months back, I have had no majors with the car.

It also tows my boat like a dream and being rwd, it's great for getting up slippery boat ramps.

Used to own a 1979 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade about 15 years ago. That was a beast. Had a 4.2L straight 6 in it. Totally unreliable though. Still, I miss her!

[danieljrm23]

I've got a little runaround.

91' Honda Civic EG4. Got a little 1.4L in it ^^,

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (Naki @ May 25 2009, 09:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info guys ..might be a while yet as the wife wants new lounge suite, TV, fridge, freezer etc etc

I noticed a few posts back about 18 months ago that I said I was going to get a Previa - ended up with a V6 Mazda MPV - actually quite a hoot to drive and very practical whne you have 3 young kids .

The Citroen has now gone (thank god) and I have replaced it in the meantime with the ex family Accord - I also stated I was going to get a Focus ST170 (too expensive not enough doors) - dont think that will happen now but an Octavia looks possible.

Here's a couple I found on trademe

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-211417530.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-219875396.htm

There's also a 2.8 V6 Superb here for $16k- a bit more expensive but much bigger/more powerful. Not sure what they're like, Alfashark might know?

[Naki]

mm nice - much like a Passat no doubt - probably a bit big and expensive for me.

85kw isnt much for the 2 litre Octavia - I agree the turbo would be the one to get.

or I could get an Octavia like this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-220002736.htm

[Njbb1995]

Whats wrong with that??

[Alfashark]

Superb = Huge value for money. Based on a long wheelbase VAG platform (Audi A6) they are a massively comfortable car
Rear legroom is best in the class (with the front seats as far back on the rails as possible, a 6'+ person can sit quite relaxed, and there's room enough for a box of your favourite drop between your feet without feeling cramped at all )

Each rear door contains a Skoda-Auto umbrella in a slot that can only be accessed once the door is open a fraction (not sure about the second gen, but definately standard fitment on all first gen.) once you've dashed back to the car, close the umbrella and poke it back into its hole where it will be dried off ready for next time
The 2.8 V6 petrol is a fair match to the car, roughly 190hp - but it is hauling around quite some weight... Pick of the litter would be the 2.5V6 diesel, 160hp but a mountain of torque that really makes the car effortlessly quick.
Pop into the dealership on Hewletts Rd and see if they have a first gen demo in there Naki, take it for a spin and you really wont want to get out

[Timmo]

Well Ive decided to get a convertible for the summer so this is it! Half the power of the MR2 and definitely more 'feminine'.....but all the positive reviews about this car are correct. Great fun.