Sics Consolidated Faded Moderns Thread - 2006 Golf Mk5 GTI & 2004 BMW Z4 2.2

[AutoshiteBoy]

16 miles, uphill, cross country. Diesels take an age to warm-up and anything with a DPF would choke-up. The return is downhill all the way.

I've just checked: it's a 270m climb. That makes it 2 degrees colder than where I live.

[SiC]

I'd think you'd get 30mpg reasonably easily then.

I've been pricing up a MAF (£79 on eBay for Bosch with a reputable seller but I'll wait for a discount code) and also I need to check the thermostat with the diagnostic tool. Thermostats appear they should open at 87c. This sits around 80c indicated on a run and 90c+ in traffic. I have no idea if Merc lie on their instrument cluster gauges, hence I'll check real value with the scan tool. Febi thermostat is about £25 (again same eBay seller) and then I guess a jug of premix coolant if I can't find any correct stuff in the garage.

MAF I'll look through the history and see if it's ever been changed. In my experience they age with miles and the earlier aged units aren't as robust. So if original then possibly might give a decent MPG boost. I haven't seen any MOT emissions sheet in the history as that might give some indication too. The MAF is mounted vertically so I do wonder if might be more susceptible to getting dirt and grime on it.

All of which may or may not improve MPG/be a waste of money...

[FhakeConcern]

 
Now for the bad news. Mrs SiC didn't mind the car as a passenger and was quite comfortable sat there. 

So we swapped sides and I let her drive it. Bit of a mistake.

She's a very good driver and doesn't mind jumping in anything to pilot. However it's flipped her view and cemented her dislike for it. Found it was a pain to park and manoeuvre around. Basically thinks it's too big, bulky and pointless owning another big car. FFS

"I thought you was going to get a Z4 coupé" was the questioning and subsequently "it doesn't matter as you'll get bored of this and sell it on". (She really likes the Z4 Coupé...) I'll still get a Z4 Coupé but they're £6k+ for a nice one, so was waiting.

So perhaps this won't be a keeper after all. While in some cases I don't care, a useful wagon like this helps to have buy-in from the other half. 

I do fancy another Merc though as I really do like this one. Perhaps a smaller but similar aged C-class/CLK/similar. Right now though I'll carry on using it while ignoring the moaning.

Back when we only ran one car, I bought a Volvo V70 T5 auto, now Mrs Concern always prefered smallish cars and the Golf GTI we had before was kind of as big as she wanted ever. However after a few weeks (she drove it much more than me as I cycled to work) it was the best car she'd ever had, comfy, fast, can put anything in it etc. so could be the same for you with this Merc. I have no idea how this compares to a V70, buit thinking it's the same sort of thing

[SiC]

 
Now for the bad news. Mrs SiC didn't mind the car as a passenger and was quite comfortable sat there. 

So we swapped sides and I let her drive it. Bit of a mistake.

She's a very good driver and doesn't mind jumping in anything to pilot. However it's flipped her view and cemented her dislike for it. Found it was a pain to park and manoeuvre around. Basically thinks it's too big, bulky and pointless owning another big car. FFS

"I thought you was going to get a Z4 coupé" was the questioning and subsequently "it doesn't matter as you'll get bored of this and sell it on". (She really likes the Z4 Coupé...) I'll still get a Z4 Coupé but they're £6k+ for a nice one, so was waiting.

So perhaps this won't be a keeper after all. While in some cases I don't care, a useful wagon like this helps to have buy-in from the other half. 

I do fancy another Merc though as I really do like this one. Perhaps a smaller but similar aged C-class/CLK/similar. Right now though I'll carry on using it while ignoring the moaning.

Back when we only ran one car, I bought a Volvo V70 T5 auto, now Mrs Concern always prefered smallish cars and the Golf GTI we had before was kind of as big as she wanted ever. However after a few weeks (she drove it much more than me as I cycled to work) it was the best car she'd ever had, comfy, fast, can put anything in it etc. so could be the same for you with this Merc. I have no idea how this compares to a V70, buit thinking it's the same sort of thing

She used to daily drive our 2010 A4 Avant which is a big car and currently dailies a 2015 Civic Estate (slightly smaller but still long). So she is used to driving big cars.

I think it's more she dislikes that it's a) old, b) not a Z4 Coupé, c) spending money on something that we don't really need (unfortunately and fortunately she's a sensible type).

[FhakeConcern]

Oh shame about that I can't help then. The V70 was two years old when we got that, but the Modus she has now (and loves) is 19 years old so no accounting for what a spouse will want!

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[AutoshiteBoy]

The Civic estate is all the car you'd ever need.

[FhakeConcern]

The Civic estate is all the car you'd ever need.

Who's side are you on?

[SiC]

It is. But people do seem to assume you'll drive under the speed limit everywhere. Also it's a naturally aspirated Honda engine. This means simple and solidly reliable. It also means you have no low down torque and need to rev the fuck out of it to get the power. But she likes it and is happy so that all which matters.

She has said she will still drive the Merc if she has to - i.e. on a long journey. But she wouldn't nip to the shops/work/etc out of choice with it.

The W211 is a very large car. Even against our old A4 B8 which is a pretty long thing:
https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compar ... 06-estate/

[SiC]

Cheapest E class estate on Autotrader. 4 pot with EML on and 11 previous owners. At a grand more than I paid for this.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309182090754

While mine has a short MOT (10th Jan), tyres need replacing as perished, rear view mirror dicky and drivers wing mirror heated glass doesn't work, that's incredibly minor compared to what that heap likely needs.

[SiC]

Looking through the literature the E240 is slower and uses more fuel than the E320. Almost pointless even existing, apart from £5.5k less.

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