The Car thread

[Costock_Fox]

Nearly a year since my Golf GTI got stolen, what a gorgeous beast that was.

[tom27111]

7 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Just bought the missus a Volvo V40 hatchback and traded in her 125k miles Hyundai i-30

 

Think we got a decent price and the Volvo dealership were very good to deal with considering all the Covid restrictions.

 

Just feel safe as houses in a Volvo and it also looks the part, is nippy, economical, and has lots of gadgets too.

 

Very pleased.

They are cracking cars. Had a couple as demo's. What engine have you got?

 

The handbrake is weird though if it's a manual one, as opposed to electronic 

 

 

[Countryfox]

16 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Just bought the missus a Volvo V40 hatchback and traded in her 125k miles Hyundai i-30

 

Think we got a decent price and the Volvo dealership were very good to deal with considering all the Covid restrictions.

 

Just feel safe as houses in a Volvo and it also looks the part, is nippy, economical, and has lots of gadgets too.

 

Very pleased.

Nice one Muzzett ...  and don’t forget when mentioning the new car to pronounce it correctly ...   Vollll Vu ! ...  with a strong Scandinavian accent.   If you’re not sure how to say it watch any program on sky Atlantic  ...  

[Izzy]

24 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

They are cracking cars. Had a couple as demo's. What engine have you got?

 

The handbrake is weird though if it's a manual one, as opposed to electronic 

 

Yeah the handbrake on the Volvo is a bit weird compared to the electronic one on my XF . We ended up getting the T2 petrol/manual 2.0l and it's more than enough poke for what the wife needs. Really nice drive and comfy as fvck too.

 

Actually Tom while you're on.....what's your take on getting cars 're-mapped'? My XF is only a 2.0l diesel and I drive like Miss Daisy so ain't too fussed about performance, but all the talk on the XF Facebook page is about getting them re-mapped. Apparently it would take the current BHP from 180 to about 230, increase the torque and reduce lag etc. but I hear it can fail MOT and invalidate insurance if done? 

 

Any views or experience on getting a motor remapped mate?

[Parafox]

11 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Yeah the handbrake on the Volvo is a bit weird compared to the electronic one on my XF . We ended up getting the T2 petrol/manual 2.0l and it's more than enough poke for what the wife needs. Really nice drive and comfy as fvck too.

 

Actually Tom while you're on.....what's your take on getting cars 're-mapped'? My XF is only a 2.0l diesel and I drive like Miss Daisy so ain't too fussed about performance, but all the talk on the XF Facebook page is about getting them re-mapped. Apparently it would take the current BHP from 180 to about 230, increase the torque and reduce lag etc. but I hear it can fail MOT and invalidate insurance if done? 

 

Any views or experience on getting a motor remapped mate?

www.money.co.uk/car-insurance/car-remapping

 

Take a look here mate. Seems positive.

[Milo]

17 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Yeah the handbrake on the Volvo is a bit weird compared to the electronic one on my XF . We ended up getting the T2 petrol/manual 2.0l and it's more than enough poke for what the wife needs. Really nice drive and comfy as fvck too.

 

Actually Tom while you're on.....what's your take on getting cars 're-mapped'? My XF is only a 2.0l diesel and I drive like Miss Daisy so ain't too fussed about performance, but all the talk on the XF Facebook page is about getting them re-mapped. Apparently it would take the current BHP from 180 to about 230, increase the torque and reduce lag etc. but I hear it can fail MOT and invalidate insurance if done? 

 

Any views or experience on getting a motor remapped mate?

 

[Mike Oxlong]

20 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Yeah the handbrake on the Volvo is a bit weird compared to the electronic one on my XF . We ended up getting the T2 petrol/manual 2.0l and it's more than enough poke for what the wife needs. Really nice drive and comfy as fvck too.

 

Actually Tom while you're on.....what's your take on getting cars 're-mapped'? My XF is only a 2.0l diesel and I drive like Miss Daisy so ain't too fussed about performance, but all the talk on the XF Facebook page is about getting them re-mapped. Apparently it would take the current BHP from 180 to about 230, increase the torque and reduce lag etc. but I hear it can fail MOT and invalidate insurance if done? 

 

Any views or experience on getting a motor remapped mate?

 

[tom27111]

16 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Yeah the handbrake on the Volvo is a bit weird compared to the electronic one on my XF . We ended up getting the T2 petrol/manual 2.0l and it's more than enough poke for what the wife needs. Really nice drive and comfy as fvck too.

 

Actually Tom while you're on.....what's your take on getting cars 're-mapped'? My XF is only a 2.0l diesel and I drive like Miss Daisy so ain't too fussed about performance, but all the talk on the XF Facebook page is about getting them re-mapped. Apparently it would take the current BHP from 180 to about 230, increase the torque and reduce lag etc. but I hear it can fail MOT and invalidate insurance if done? 

 

Any views or experience on getting a motor remapped mate?

The 2 litre petrol is very nice on the v40. Deceivingly pokey. Got the suede effect seats too? 

 

I've never had a car remapped, but would do. I'm toying with getting a Golf GTD and would definitely have a stage 1 done to tune it up.

 

As long as you declare it to your insurance, you'll be absolutely fine.

 

Believe it or not, it can also make a car more economical and improve fuel consumption.

 

From what I understand, a stage 1 remap pretty much puts a car in the performance that it was designed to do. A stage 2 pushes it further, some would say too far.

 

 

[Izzy]

24 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

The 2 litre petrol is very nice on the v40. Deceivingly pokey. Got the suede effect seats too? 

 

I've never had a car remapped, but would do. I'm toying with getting a Golf GTD and would definitely have a stage 1 done to tune it up.

 

As long as you declare it to your insurance, you'll be absolutely fine.

 

Believe it or not, it can also make a car more economical and improve fuel consumption.

 

From what I understand, a stage 1 remap pretty much puts a car in the performance that it was designed to do. A stage 2 pushes it further, some would say too far.

 

Nice one Tom, thanks.

 

Yeah the seats in the V40 are the suede/leather effect ones and also heated, which is a right result. I love the diamond cut black alloys on a white car too so all good.

 

I'll have a think about the remap on the XF. Costs around £350 I think but not sure it really 'needs it' tbf. If I was a young boy racer again I definitely would but as an old fart now, I'm more interested in just getting home in one piece 

[tom27111]

The dash display on the v40 is nice too.

 

Lovely touch that you can change it completely and customise.

 

You'd better lay the law down to the kids about the seats and invest in a couple of cans of scotchgard 

 

That's about right for a remap, they'll get it on the rolling road, plug it in to the laptop and optimise the diagnostics. 

 

On a GTD, you'll take the bhp to about the same as as a GTI petrol.

 

Do a bit more digging, mate. At that price, improving the fuel consumption could pay for itself over a year or 2.

 

I don't think this applies to you, but as a warning to others, you will invalidate a warranty by doing it. You'll also get in to trouble if your car is on finance, because it technically isn't yours. 

[Izzy]

54 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

The dash display on the v40 is nice too.

 

Lovely touch that you can change it completely and customise.

 

You'd better lay the law down to the kids about the seats and invest in a couple of cans of scotchgard 

 

I've already read them the riot act 

 

Spent all last weekend doing a proper decon clean, claybar, polish, wax on the outside, and a full valet/protection on the inside - it looks immaculate.

 

Kids and the wife are all shit scared to go in it now though  

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Most remaps are undetectable on the ECU, so unless your insurance company stick it on a rolling road (if the car is still able to do that) after an accident, the chance of them finding out it's been mapped are next to zero.

 

There will be a lot of people driving around in cars that they don't realise have had it done.

[Manini]

3 hours ago, Izzy said:

Just bought the missus a Volvo V40 hatchback and traded in her 125k miles Hyundai i-30

 

Think we got a decent price and the Volvo dealership were very good to deal with considering all the Covid restrictions.

 

Just feel safe as houses in a Volvo and it also looks the part, is nippy, economical, and has lots of gadgets too.

 

Very pleased.

I like the look of those V40s, I like the C30’s too but they stopped making them and all the ones available now are well used. I do like Volvo’s in general to be honest, nostalgia about them as my grandad always had them. 

[Izzy]

1 minute ago, Manini said:

I like the look of those V40s, I like the C30’s too but they stopped making them and all the ones available now are well used. I do like Volvo’s in general to be honest, nostalgia about them as my grandad always had them. 

Yeah it's funny really. The wife's Dad died a few years back and he always had Volvo's. I'm convinced that played a huge part in her choosing one this time.

 

Nostalgia eh? It ain't what it used to be 

[tom27111]

15 minutes ago, Manini said:

I like the look of those V40s, I like the C30’s too but they stopped making them and all the ones available now are well used. I do like Volvo’s in general to be honest, nostalgia about them as my grandad always had them. 

 

12 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Yeah it's funny really. The wife's Dad died a few years back and he always had Volvo's. I'm convinced that played a huge part in her choosing one this time.

 

Nostalgia eh? It ain't what it used to be 

 

Because Volvo are the ultimate pioneers in car safety, since as long as I can remember, their headlights were always on. The majority of cars are the same now. 

 

Every time a Volvo drove towards us, my grandad used to say "Must be dark where he came from" 

 

And my mum had an XC90 when I was a teenager, complete with TV screens in the headrests!

 

Always been underrated cars.

 

The current XC90's are outstanding. They put a Range Rover to shame, in both design and reliability. 

[Izzy]

10 minutes ago, tom27111 said:

 

Because Volvo are the ultimate pioneers in car safety, since as long as I can remember, their headlights were always on. The majority of cars are the same now. 

 

Every time a Volvo drove towards us, my grandad used to say "Must be dark where he came from" 

 

And my mum had an XC90 when I was a teenager, complete with TV screens in the headrests!

 

Always been underrated cars.

 

The current XC90's are outstanding. They put a Range Rover to shame, in both design and reliability. 

What blew my mind about this V40 is that it also has a 'pedestrian' airbag 

 

If you hit a pedestrian, a big fvck off airbag comes out from the top of the bonnet so if they hurtle towards the windscreen the airbag saves them.

 

Incredible stuff really

[tom27111]

Just now, Izzy said:

What blew my mind about this V40 is that it also has a 'pedestrian' airbag 

 

If you hit a pedestrian, a big fvck off airbag comes out from the top of the bonnet so if they hurtle towards the windscreen the airbag saves them.

 

Incredible stuff really

 

Jesus! I didn't even know that existed!

 

I kind of want your Mrs to run me over.

 

Sounds fun 

[tom27111]

As this thread has come up again in the last few days, a couple of my ex colleagues are now back in the industry.

 

If anyone is looking for something, by all means give me a shout, might be able to talk to them and find you a decent deal.

 

Mainly the used car market, cars up to 5 years old.

 

I'm hoping to get back into it in the coming months too, once the pandemic eases, they've indicated there'll be positions that they want me for 

[ozleicester]

2 hours ago, tom27111 said:

As this thread has come up again in the last few days, a couple of my ex colleagues are now back in the industry.

 

If anyone is looking for something, by all means give me a shout, might be able to talk to them and find you a decent deal.

 

Mainly the used car market, cars up to 5 years old.

 

I'm hoping to get back into it in the coming months too, once the pandemic eases, they've indicated there'll be positions that they want me for 

Good luck... amazons loss

 

[Bellend Sebastian]

Mondeo being phased out.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56526468

 

May not be surprising, but this obsession with SUVs is inexplicable to me

[The Bear]

I hate SUVs, absolute nonsense. No-one NEEDS them that size and high. They're also more dangerous if they hit someone because of how high the front bumpers are. 

Edited 25 March 2021 by The Bear

[Bellend Sebastian]

4 minutes ago, The Bear said:

I hate SUVs, absolute nonsense. No-one NEEDS them that size and high. They're also more dangerous if they hit someone because of how high the front bumpers are. 

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

I must admit I've never driven one, but don't they drive like shit compared to a normal car? Heavier and higher centre of gravity.

 

Added bonus of being more dangerous for pedestrians (especially children), needs more energy to make it go, and considering how massive they are, often surprisingly cramped inside

Edited 25 March 2021 by Bellend Sebastian

[Houdini Logic]

31 minutes ago, The Bear said:

I hate SUVs, absolute nonsense. No-one NEEDS them that size and high. They're also more dangerous if they hit someone because of how high the front bumpers are. 

Depends if you're inside or outside of the car tbh. Much more dangerous outside but much safer inside. I imagine that's at least part of the appeal

[tom27111]

41 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

I must admit I've never driven one, but don't they drive like shit compared to a normal car? Heavier and higher centre of gravity.

 

Added bonus of being more dangerous for pedestrians (especially children), needs more energy to make it go, and considering how massive they are, often surprisingly cramped inside

Most of them are quite nice to drive, Qashqai, Sportage, Kuga etc. Are all very comfortable, perform surprisingly well and have all the toys.

 

They seem to be the go to family car nowadays.

 

Gone are the days of mum running the kids about in a small hatch, like a Fiesta.

 

SUV's represent very good value for money. 

 

Then the premium ones like an X5, Q7 or a GLC, offer the luxury and performance nowadays.

 

Much more stylish than an estate and more practical than a saloon.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Yeah these "crossovers" will be the default size family car from now on.