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

[AutoshiteBoy]

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

Who's side are you on?

Sorry, but whatever the question, Honda is the answer.

[SiC]

I wish they put the 2.0 type-r engine in the estate.

[Eddie Honda]

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

Who's side are you on?

Sorry, but whatever the question, Honda is the answer.

HONDA HONDA HONDA HONDA

[AMCrebel]

Some of the odd engine sizes are due to taxation classes in some places.

[AMCrebel]

I am a confirmed fan of these - they are much much better than I expected, although they have their faults like anything.

[SiC]

They're phenomenal value for money. Yes they are complicated compared to similar aged cars but that means it has dated much better inside than them.

While SBC is a liability, it does have its big benefits like Hold and Stop functions. I think on mine the SBC is really the only big liability on the car. Even the self leveling rear air suspension can be cheaply and easily fixed now with Chinese springs and pumps.

[AutoshiteBoy]

Last time I checked SBC was fixed for free by M-B, as already mention by Rev Bluejeans. Have you contacted your local, friendly* dealer to see if there is goodwill available on this safety critical item?

[SiC]

As everything is currently very happy in the SBC department, I feel inclined to neither fiddle or let anyone else fiddle with it. Just have a look and see if anything has been touched on it since leaving the factory.

[SiC]

I definitely want this car to be a keeper. Despite what Mrs SiC currently thinks. 

It reminds me very much of the Saab 9-3 I had. The drive position and control responsiveness makes me so much calmer and less stressed when driving. Like I can't be bothered to overtake a dawdler. I could but can't be bothered. Likewise if someone is right up my arse, I'll pull in and let them go. 

It's such a middle class, middle aged car. I don't think I've owned one that screams holidays driving to the Dordogne and sampling wine to carry in the boot than anything else. Radio 2 or Classic FM depending on how much tweed you've got on. 

However I really would like to do everything to improve this. 


Reading up more on the gearbox, it appears it's pretty lax in its use of the torque converter lockup. Presumably when fuel was cheap in the 90s/00s, Mercedes priority was for slushy gear change comfort over direct drive lockup fuel efficiency. It barely uses lockup unless you're at high revs. Otherwise it lets it slip or not use at all. 

I do think the gearbox would appreciate a service. Had no real problems but occasionally I have noticed a slight weird operation. Not that anyone normal that would notice but stuff that makes me go "hmm that's not quite right". Like when I went off on a roundabout earlier it didn't really like that and was a slight pause before it did something accompanied by some vibration as it was trying to do something. I believe these older boxes are quite easy to service - pan drop and refill using a dipstick. Versus a lot of modern boxes that have fill holes that you need the right temperature and stuff. 

If the weather holds out today, I'm going to give it a good pressure wash to remove all the moss from the seals and give that cataract headlight a good polish. Also might pull the MAF and give it a spray + wipe with Electrical Contact cleaner. 

[Scruffy Bodger]

https://ofgear.dk

Is it that gearbox? That system offers adjustable lockup.