Cars Bought And Sold in 2006 ?

Preferably one that's cheaper to run and maintain.

I've only just read the whole thread. I'm pretty sure we've done this, repeatedly, recently heh. The mistake is asking the opinions of people in here on which car you should buy, as you'll seldom get agreement heh.

Carl - Just buy a Mondeo V6 - they handle well and are reliable, and grunty enough for the commute.

I don't see the point - he already has a decent, reliable, respectable looking car. All he'd gain out of a Mondeo V6 is a doubling of fuel bills.

Indeed.

Inline six pot BMWs bought on a shoestring are far more reliable. ;-)

You are joking, right???

They're juicy, not all that quick (given the size of lump etc.), and prone to head problems.

If you must go down that route, you're better off looking for a decent V6 Cavalier - a lot more poke, more economy and less prone to going expensively wrong... just fix any leaking rocker cover gaskets unless you like shelling out for new alternators every few weeks. ;-)

I believe it's not unheard of for them to snap at 90k.

I have heard a recommendation that the tensioner is replaced early, but wasn't aware of them snapping so early - unless that's because the tensioners have given up the ghost.

"Pete M" wrote in message news:emriog$4v6$ snipped-for-privacy@registered.motzarella.org...

Made an essex 3 litre one and it was far from easy! Also made a MK5 3 litre essex one (same engine) and it was a pig too! Should have just stuck a R V8 in it fits easier goes better as I did to 2 sierras and a freind did to hyundai cortina copy thingy.

Any popcorn left?

How expensive a job is it to get done? I'm a bit shocked, in that I'd not (until now) heard of any chain driven engine that had a specific mileage interval that was recommended to get it changed - AFAIKnew most were a simple case of leave it alone and chances are it'll outlast the bodywork, unless it starts getting noisy, in which case "do something quick".

I think it was more a case of "we've got all these Mk3 shells kicking about, how can somehow repackage them to get shot of them without turning them into scrap metal", to be honest. At a guess, they were a decent amount cheaper than the Mk4, but still "new" for all intents and purposes. I say this as I've seen N reg Mk4 Fiestas about, but Fiesta Classics (Mk3.5) as new as P reg.

Although, looking at Autotrader, I could pick up the best 4wd ever made for £1595 with an LPG conversion:

Ford Explorer 4lt Auto LPG Conversion

I mean, you can't complain, can you, given that the Explorer is better off-road than a Humvee, faster than a Ferrari in a straight line and will out-corner an M5.

Most modern V6s are not much longer than an I4 - hence the popularity in transverse apps. Loads of room around the KV6 in my 75.

Any /real/ alfisti wouldn't care about it. The V6 is worth it.

I think the local Ford dealership parts guy thought that when I rattled off the part code for some LSD additive for the 2.8i Special.

I'd fix the leak if you've needed the part number for the LSD fluid so often that it's engraved on your memory.

And Ford And Vauxhall And Rover (RIP) And Hyundai And others no doubt. Lots of yank junk.

Naah, you want an Alfa Passat you do, best car the italians ever made

fluid? thought it came in tablets

It wasn't. I'd come across it when researching a banging noise I was getting on cornering.