XR4x4

I don't think the Activa came with a diesel; either V6 or 2.0cT Turbo, IIRC, and I might be wrong about the V6 or Turbo!

I think the PSA head gasket issue is age related, rather than mileage. I knew a P-reg 405 with 250K on, no worries, and a G-reg 205 with 70K and a blown head gasket. Our Xantia and ZX both went at 130K, but also, both at around 10 years old.

Richard

Both, to be honest. Thrashed, I'd suspect that the XUD might even be more economical - my mate's old '93 Rover 218 TD (pug lump) averaged 46mpg, being driven very hard, 100+ (as much above 100 as one of those goes, heh) a lot of the way on a long trip. That's quite impressive to me. He used to regularly get a good 55-60 from it in normal use. OTOH, ISTR PeteM saying he got a 406HDI down to 17mpg! And the earlier TDs have a much nicer smoother power delivery.

I'm thinking the earlier XUD TDs - I suppose that, if comparing to an Octavia, then the HDI would be the one to compare, as the TDs are all a bit old now.

Maybe the HDIs aren't known for HG problems, but I do seem to hear more stories about VAG TDIs being run to silly mileages than HDIs. But maybe I'm just not listening hard enough. Or maybe, just maybe, the rest of the car in Pugs/Cits, particularly the fragile gearboxes, isn't as good as the engine, so they don't get kept for as long. And a car that'll happily run to 300k without major issues, has a per mile depreciation cost of roughly half as much as one that can only be really relied on to run up to 150k without major issues, assuming they're roughly the same price new, and the difference in price between a 3-year-old 150k ex-taxi Pug and a 6-year-old ex-taxi VW/Skoda isn't much more than a couple of grand, tops.

My point is you slag off "old" cars, which by your definition are anything over than 5 years old, then go and buy them (or something that's at least that old in terms of design).

My point is, £8k for a 3-year-old tarted up repmobile is a hell of a lot to pay, especially as it's a Peugeot (which should be cheap), and the model's just been replaced, which should push prices down further.

/SteveH mode/

......and when you could get a Stilo Abarth for about £4.5k at only a couple of years old.

But Nom is ALWAYS bitching about my cars whether I ask for an opinion or not, which i couldnt care less about, but doesnt mean I cant respond and defend my choices. And I'm not bitching about people having opinions, meerly argueing to justify mine. Me and Nom will never see eye to eye on cars, and that's that

You're saying I slag off anything over 5 years old ? Patent nonsense, considering the cars I always *choose* to buy are around that age !

I certainly do.

So ?

I'll do what the f*ck I like, with MY money thanks.

Why do you think I care ? Are you under the impression that I'm some sort a pikey with no disposable income ? If fanance was a concern, I'd be tootling around in a bangernomics car.

And it would have been A. underpowered, B. not a repmobile, and C. Italian. Infact, everything I don't want in a car. Buying that to save a few quid, would be rather stupid.

Do you think I should have gone on Holiday to Blackpool instead of New York, just because it would have been a bit cheaper ?!?

So don't waste your time replying then !

For f*ck's sake, if you don't like my posts then USE YOUR KILLFILE ! That's what it's FOR !

You hadn't made a choice - hence the whole reason for your original post ! "Here's my list of three. Help me choose". I offered my opinions - the Beemer was best, the 205 was in the middle, and the Volvo was shit. That's genuinely what I think ! If you'd already decided the Volvo was best, then why were you asking ?!?

Yep, exactly what I seem to be spending far too much time doing, lately !

I have NO clue why people car what car I choose to spend MY money on ! Why the HELL do you all care so much ?!?!

Why shouldnt i? Its funny winding people up.

See above

Because I made my choice after I posted. I ummmed and arrrghed over Steve's Alfa recommendation, but decided against it mainly because of the lack of MoT, and no one else made and suggestions that appealed to me so I went back to my original list and chose the Volvo. TBH i your opinions on the matter are kind of irrelevant since you dont get the same sort of pleasure from cars that I do. However there are people on this newsgroup that understand my way of thinking so my question was directed more at them.

Why do it then? Its quite simple - dont post, just ignore!

I dont care, spend your money on whatever you want. Doesnt mean people cant have an opinion on it. You do exactly the same to others.

My point is that you contradict yourself. You go on and on about wanting something modern and up to date, then you go and buy something with a 6/7 year old design that you yourself consider to be old.

You go ahead

No, but I reckon you're some sort of tight Northerner that can't afford a spell checker :-)

No, you should have gone to a Hoseasons static home park. :-)

Pah !

Double-pah !

Pah, pah, and pah !

Well it's a public forum, so you get a public response. I shall continue to reply to your posts, irrelevant or otherwise :)

I can't back down. Ever. Sorry :)

I did.

Agreed.

But people saying it was the wrong decision, gets on my wick. It clearly wasn't the wrong decision *for* *me*, otherwise I wouldn't have made it :)

Yep, it's all sorts of fun :)

I've never said that, i dont think. TBH I havent been reading much of this post - too many replies when I got in from work, so didnt bother reading them all :)

My God, have you got your sense of humour back?

Heh, you reckon ;) ?

You don't seem to have any interest in modifications either though Nom...

I suppose it's the better Focus, but now the V50 is available there's an even better Focus.

I think we're going to get the bigger Focus (Mazda 5) in December - so if I swap my S60 in for a C70 next year we'll be a two Focus family!