Our "own" car reviews

You cant change rear brake pads yourself on a Phaeton without upsetting the computer. Same for battery (it'll mess up the EMS) so whatever you want to do you can forget about doing it yourself. Enjoy your future service bills :D

Here's a W12.

https://pic.armedcats.net/k/kn/knarkas/2009/10/18/W12fullybuiltup.jpg
 
^yes those are cool,but we never said "cheap" was a factor here :p
and W12 is just about the coolest layout you can have for an engine IMO, so that trumps pretty much everything else
 
More of a magazine review from me as I'm really interested in automotive journalism

The cheap french car

Something like the title above would have sounded horrible in the past but we're living different times, even with this low point in the economy right now. The car I'm talking about, the smallest French car you can get today(and the cheapest, we're in a crisis remember!) is the Citroen C1. Although it's not as French as it seems and most certainly not as bad as the past cars made by our wine-enjoying friends. Peugeot and Citroen teamed up with Toyota and made the trio that survived for the last four years in every crowded European city, the C1, 107 and the Aygo. And to add to the lack of its French origin it's built by some Czechs in a town called Kolin. Designed by the current chief designer at the brand with the prancing horse, the C1 is not bad to the eye and can even be considered pretty, especially considering how small it looks in traffic, amongst the bigger and more menacing autos.

Speaking of size, the Citroen has a way of looking way smaller that it really is, convincing me that the Fiat Panda, its main rival in this price range, is bigger. This lead to arguments with some people, eventually convincing me to check my facts. To my shock, the Panda is way smaller and the optical illusion is created, I'm sure, by the fact that it has a third window after each passenger door and is significantly taller. Also the Panda manages to have a bigger boot than the C1, leaving little space for those that can fit in the rear of these super-minis. The C1's boot is surprisingly small and narrow but fitting for a true city car. It seems that the Citroen forces you to choose from going out with your friends out in town of taking someone special on a longer trip with all the luggage stuffed on the rear seats.

The glass hatch is a testament of the clever design used in this car. It's a single pane of glass with no metal rim whatsoever and a wiper if I remember correctly. The minute rear shelf is held by one piece of string and the whole assembly is kept in place by only one damper. The interior also show that cost-cutting doesn't always mean cheaper parts but in this case is clever use of better materials. For example, in this 5-door model the front and rear door panels are identical, minus the window crank in the rear because that small window can only pop-up on the outside, again simplifying things.

The dash in this low-spec C1 was simple with manual AC, the regular ventilation commands and just a big round odometer in front of the steering wheel. The wheel is well proportioned, covered in a nice material but the horn is way too big and covers the spokes, leading to you unintentionally honking it while taking a sharp corner or parking. The driving position is nice but as any small car, a 6'2" person will always need some time to get used to how far the driver's seat can go an how it can be adjusted. The clutch is easy to use, the brakes are firm and efficient(if needed) or smooth if you don't need to stop in a couple of feet. The throttle seemed a little too sensitive but that might just come down to my relative lack of experience in driving cars. The 5-speed gearbox is precise with its short first and second gears more suitable for getting quickly up to town speeds. The 1-liter 3 cylinder engine from Toyota is, to be honest, noisy but it pulls nicely and smooth, all the noise probably coming from a lack of sound-proofing. Also the VVT-i engine is frugal returning an impressive 61.4 mpg. Good job Toyota!

The ride is another matter. The suspension seems unreasonably hard, having to slow down to about 6 mph just to go over speed bumps will make you regret any potholes you hit. Thinking about it, it might just be the tiny wheels, but again it probably is the suspension. Inside noise really depends on the speed you're going at with some vibrations at lower speeds but again, most likely the tires are to blame. But these really are the worst parts of the car as I can tell, and they're far away from the old French cars everybody dreaded.

At night and during bad weather the odometer lights up in a nice glowing red colour and the single windshield wiper might seem awkward at first but you get used to it as it is enough for this small car's reasonably sized windshield. Also remember that the 190E Mercedes-Benz had a similar setup!

Returning to the city, this car's playground, the rear visibility isn't perfect but the short rear and front make parking this car a joy. The power-steering helps a lot during parking but feels a little light during driving, lacking in the sensations that an unassisted steering would return, besides giving you the arms of Popeye the Sailor.

In the end this small, fuel efficient, cheap and easy to park car seems to be the perfect urban cruiser or indeed the ideal first car for a beginner or teenager. Surprisingly enough it makes you like it even more every time you drive it, proving it has character, something lacking in a lot of cars today but very appealing to potential buyers.
 
Spotted a clean-looking 1997 Mazda 323F/Forte for sale. I drive a previous generation F, so I was eager to see what the newer model felt like to drive. This one was a 1.5i GLX, and it had 145k on the clock. Metallic silver, A/C.

2va1kbm.jpg


So, know that feeling when you have a favorite film and see there's a sequel or a re-make coming up, and you sort of want it to live up to your expectations? Well, I just returned from the theatre with popcorn on my clothes and I'm crumpling the admission ticket.

Walking up to the car at the new Nissan-Ford-Peugeot dealership, it looked pretty enough amidst all the cumbersome newer cars, all low-slung and '90s. I sat in the blue-hued cockpit and looked at the service documents, which seemed good enough. It was a bit worn inside; the front seats felt a bit saggy and rocky, even if the cloth hadn't worn through like they do in the BG F. The steering wheel's rubber had come off the rim structure, so that it could be twisted like a bike's throttle. In the back, the car sported a big black tow bar. Yeah, who buys a Forte to haul stuff?

Looking at the bodywork, it seemed straight enough. The documents indicated it had had a dent in the hood at some point, and sure enough, it had been resprayed. There wasn't any rust visible outside, but checking the door bottoms, I found the rear doors had started rusting under the seals and would need some attention soon. Kneeling and checking the underbody, I noticed the exhaust looked gnarly and would need to be replaced soon. The rear axle was very rusty, but otherwise it wasn't as rotten as it could have been. Nevertheless, it would need some spending on the bodywork.

I got the keys and took it for a half-hour test drive. And really, within the first 100 metres I could tell there had to be something fundamentally wrong with the car, by design. The steering was dead. It felt hesitant, cynical and curiously heavy, even if it was power-assisted. The joie de vivre that is present in the old model's steering and handling was gone - trying to chuck the car around just resulted in squirming, not anything resembling actual handling. Add in the dreadful-feeling steering wheel and I could mark two out of five stars for the handling department. Why two? Well, it went straight.

So, could the DOHC engine provide some kicks, if the chuckability factor was lost? Sadly, there weren't any to be found. It just didn't have any grunt. It wasn't eager to rev, and when booted it sounded coarse. Switching the A/C off had no effect; the lump felt like a poor 1.3-litre. The BA F weighs 200kg more than the BG F, and this one had its summer alloys in the back, but still it felt very, very restricted. The gearchange felt pleasant enough, as it does in mine, but this was not a car in which you can hoon around. With a non-cooperating engine and lifeless handling, there was little to recommend it. The car just felt annoyingly Korean. I'd imagine the 1.8-litre or the 2.0 V6 would stir things up a bit, though.

I returned the Forte and did some sales talk. The 4500 euro asking price came down to a reasonable 3750 euro, without a trade-in, but you would have to shell out the 750 euro again to get rid of the rust and to replace the exhaust. The car would have to be inspected in March, and I don't know if it would pass with the current one.

Pros:
- Frameless windows
- A/C

Cons:
- Beginning stages of rust
- No fun to drive
- Lacks grunt
- Looks ruined by tow bar

In closing, this was a sequel I'd deny they ever did.
 
It's become a car made after 1995.

Seriously, as I got back to the helm of my old F, I was chuckling as I chucked it around. And the throttle response is completely different.
Put in Texas Menstruates by Cex, head into the blizzard and you're grinning more than the 2009 Mazda3 does.
 
2008 Nissan Versa SL. Six-speed manual gearbox.

Bought at 9,938 miles. Currently has 12,2xx miles.

Originally I was going to purchase a new Subaru Impreza but the insurance is far too expensive right now. A GM dealership, at which I used to work, suddenly had this Versa in the used car section. Given that it had very low mileage for a used car and one built in 2007, I was pretty interested. It's the only car in its' class to offer a six-speed manual as standard equipment, possibly at all (someone can correct me on that). The dealership took a good $2000 off the price for me so I made out very well on this car.

DSCF8203.jpg

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Good points:
Not a bad looker in my opinion. Relatively fast and lively with the six-speed.
Overall decent gas mileage as long as you don't hammer it. I normally get 30-32mpg.
Incredibly roomy interior. I was able to carry four pairs of skis and equipment inside the car and still had room for three people inside.
The seats have 1/2'' thick memory foam inside, so it's also very comfortable.
Shifter feel is great. The car handles very well with the tires currently equipped.
It has a timing chain. Enough said.
The SL model is very well equipped.
Surprisingly quick and it even has a nice engine sound for a small four-cylinder.
Too early to say for sure, but it should be very reliable.
For being a cheap car, the interior does not feel cheap at all.

Bad points:
If you drive it in a spirited manner all the time, expect around 23mpg. Like I said, take it easy and you'll get 30-32mpg.
Even in sixth gear, the RPMs at highway speeds could be lower. Would probably get better fuel mileage as well.
It came with Sentra SE-R rims mounted with some really nice tires. However, they are all but useless in the snow. The fact that the car has the god-awful TPMS means getting snow tires will be a pain.
 
I've always hated the new 323F's...

They've become really popular in Bulgaria with pseudo-tuners and street racers. These people used to worship the Mk2 and Mk3 Golfs, but now they've switched to the 323F and think that the 16V is mighty fast...lol.
 
I can imagine the amount of shit tints, neon lights and sprayed interior plastics one can foist on a F. With a proper engine, they might be reasonably quick, but if the driving dynamics are that lacklustre, I'd say they're best kept on a straight-line drag strip.
 
Was over at my mom's house and saw that she bought a new car...
malibu.jpg


2010 Chevrolet Malibu 2LT

Just some general impressions:
  • I think it looks good for what it is.
  • I don't like the feel of the interior plastics.
  • The leather of the steering wheel feels good.
  • Didn't hear any squeaks or rattles while driving.
  • I think it feels underpowered with the I4(169hp).
  • It holds its gear in manual mode until you change it with the paddle shifter. Meaning you decide when to change gear instead of the car taking over.
  • It doesn't lean as much in the corners as the last generation Malibus.
 
mrafma.jpg


Went to check another Mazda 323F/Forte, to see whether the earlier, unimpressive one was a fluke. This one was also a 1997, but without A/C. Full dealer service history, some dings, 134k on the clock which is nicely low for a '97 car. Two owners, the last of whom was a 50+ lady (who seemed to have had some trouble inserting the key to the door lock judging by the numerous scrapes next to it). The interior was clean, and the dealership had dumped dozens of cans of Cargoline on the plastics so everything, even the rubber mats were squeaky and shiny.

I then took a look at the underbody.

2w5mu1l.jpg


rmsd8y.jpg


dq3ju0.jpg


The state of the rear axle was unspeakable. It honestly looked like it could fall off the car at any minute. The exhaust too was rotten, and pretty easily replaced, but I gasped as I looked at the axle. 134 000 km and careful ownership, and this looks like it belonged to the Titanic.

16hl1uh.jpg


The outside of the car had minor rust, and the rear arches could pretty easily be fixed. But on a 4900 euro, seemingly well-maintained car, I'm not accepting underbody rust issues this scale.

So, no Forte for me.
 
Thought I'd review my car.

2003 Honda Civic Si :

Exterior:
- Looks a bit like a shrunken minivan, but the lines are pretty clean.

Interior:
- Dash shifter looks odd at first but is really good.
- Occasionally hard to shift into reverse
- A pillars have a tendency to obscure visibility when cornering on a tight road
- Bit awkward seating for taller drivers (I'm 6'0")
- Good room in the back for adults (I fit fine) though getting in and out is a pain
- Front seats are good. Not spectacular, but good.
- Ergonomics of all the switchgear are top notch with regards to placement
- Interior isn't great and isn't cheap, it's 'decent'

Engine/Drivetrain
- 1 => 2 shift takes a bit of care to be smooth in
- Transmission really needs a 6th cog for the highway (80mph is 4400 rpm or so)
- At least on my car, the clutch is *really* forgiving
- Engine revs willingly to 6800rpm redline
- Torque band is good for everyday driving
- Would like to see more revs and about 40 more hp.
- Normal driving can yield about 30mpg. Spirited driving has yielded me ~14mpg.
- Corvette fuel economy without corvette torque
- Minimal torque steer (you need torque to see torque steer :p)

Brakes:
- Good for normal use
- Doesn't seem like it would hold up to track use
- In summary, needs to be upgraded for the track

Chassis/Steering:
- Feels really good overall
- Steering is communicative for the most part
- Car responds pretty willingly to driver input
- Road feel is good
- Ride comfort is adequate, can be poor on really badly maintained roads
- Understeer at the limit

Other:
- Sounds ok, not too loud which is nice
- Reasonably practical
- Could do with a little better visibility all around
- Put a huge smile on my face on mountain roads

In summary, I think it's decent.
 
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Let's *bump* this thread with the Definitive Old Finnish Car Absolutely Everybody Drives Around Here: The 7th gen Toyota Corolla (E100). Belongs to my gf's grandmother. Model year unknown (she couldn't remember, let's go with 1993), engine size unverified (couldn't be bothered to check, seems to be 1.3 XLi), 262k on the clock.

t02sgp.jpg


Walking up to the car, it's clear this thing is just supposed to take you somewhere in reasonable time, with a reasonable amount of fuel. It's the sort of teal-gray hue that blends into its surroundings completely, it's got black bumpers that absorb little scuffs and marks like they belong on them, it's got a gray cloth interior with zero equipment. No rev counter, just a light that says ECONOMY and turns green when you're being reasonable. The Corolla is dirty and dusty, there's rust here and there (driver's side rear arch looked especially sad) and a couple of dents. The steering wheel has a funny old leather strap around it, and the cassette player has a Nylon Beat tape in it. No air-con, so the air inside the car is rather stagnant and smells... of a Toyota Corolla. This car embodies the Finnish summer.

I start the car and drive off. The gearchange is very workhorse-like; long, uncertain throws and wobbly feel. Clutch works fine, engine does its job but feels gutless (compared to the 1.3-litre 323 I had). As the car gathers speed, the unassisted steering that feels heavy when parking, instantly loses all feel and becomes about just as useful as the MS Office Paper Clip. "You seem to want to keep the car going straight." But then I come to an intersection and turn... and woah, turn some more. I last had this feeling when trying out a Lada 2105; simply offering a direction to the car isn't enough, you need to turn quite a bit more than you deemed apt. I chuckle aloud, cue a look from her - "Yeah, this is how it is."

Coming off the tarmac, crawling to the parking lot of a waterfront cafe, the car picks up every object on the gravel road and delivers strong vibrations via the steering column. Something feels loose up front and everything rattles and squeaks. Classic 20-year old Japanese, but I'd prefer it to be less rough. If I'd compare this to my 1988 Bluebird with similar mileage, I'd say the sofa-esqueness of the tired old Nissan gave it an advantage on rough surfaces; it just sort of hovered on the gravel, and having a bigger tire size/profile must have helped. When we continue our trip and visit a creepy old manor by a lake, it's impossible to drive the posted 40 km/h limit on the gravel road, since there's just too much jitter. None of the Japanese econoboxes I've owned or driven have felt this unhoned.

So, as an appliance, it's very good, since you really do not have to give a damn how you treat it or where you park it. It swallows a reasonable amount of gear, it probably lives up to be 25 years old before the tin worm eats it completely, and nobody will ever have any qualms with you driving a Corolla. But if you want a '90s Japanese 4-door saloon, I'd really rather recommend the BG 323 sedan / Proteg?; whilst being a bit boxier and looking a bit smaller, it's a lot better to drive, offers more underhood punch and generally makes you want to like it. The Corolla is too cynical for the long run.
 
I think the black bumpers fit the car nicely. How does the economy-light look?
 
It's just two little lights next to each other, a light green and an amber one.
 
Could be worse.

https://pic.armedcats.net/k/kn/knarkas/2010/05/17/2630133923_f949720222.jpg

(KIA Picanto)
 
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You know you're at the rock bottom when you don't even get a temp gauge.
 
Tachometers seem to be pretty standard over here nowadays, even though we all drive automatics. The only car I've driving without one was a 1988 K5 Blazer (auto).
 
Wow, that is spartan. On the other hand, there's a seatbelt warning light...
 
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