The PM

And a TSi isn't?! In your opinion, not in mine... Petrol engines are getting there, but not quite there yet...

You don't need to do anywhere near 15/20k pa before considering a diesel... Just do your sums and see which works out best... On a secondhand car a diesel can work out better on a lot less miles as the purchase price difference with petrol is less and therefore paid off quicker with the fuel economy advantage... However quite what diesel/petrol price difference will be over the next few years is anyone's guess, over the last few days I've seen everything from 6p to 12p!! 1.9PD TDi = excellent engine! 'Nuf said....

Yes... the comment was meant to point out that whilst diesel emissions can often be seen and have issues which is pointed out all the time by the anti diesel brigade, petrol isn't a "clean" fuel either even though they seem to think it is... Benzine being one prime example of some rather nasty emissions...

Since when has anyone said that? The most common "con" to use your words on page 2 is that unless you do large miles then diesel isn't worth having... What most of us who run diesels say is to look carefully at the figures and then take into account your driving style and which you feel more comfortable with... That way you get the car that suits you best that could even be diesel at low miles, it worked for me a few years ago... The big "con" is the tax on fuel... (BTW we won't mention benzine in petrol when talking about poisoning our offspring, eh! )

The "quadricycle" designation should be banned or safety rules brought up to the same standard as a normal car... With a pedestrian, cycle or scooter/motorbike there is always a good chance you can get yourself out of trouble... With a GWizz you are stuck and will get squashed as that unfortunate person did recently...

Wait until the current crop of turbo'd and supercharged petrols start going wrong... a diesel will seem cheap in comparison! The only new thing in your list is the DPF and there are several types, some seem to do better than others but I've not had any problems with the others on that list... As for turbos in diesels going wrong, I understood that they have an easier life than those in a petrol engine (lower temps, lower rpm), so it doesn't bode well for the future on both fronts, does it! Bring back normally aspirated engines, eh!

How long did it take to loosen up, Lemonvrs?

That's my whole point, one or other could be cheaper, even on low mileage, so its best to go with what you like... But I hate the sweeping statements such as "only buy a diesel if you do mega miles" as its just not true but one peddled by many so-called car journos who should know better! Re the gears, I used to have a 1.4TDi 80 Fabia estate and found the gearing very frustrating as it was so low... I test drove the Golf 1.6 which has that high gearing, I found that you just have to adjust to using a lower gear than you would have in your old car... If anything what they should do is use a 6 speed box, but that would involve more gear changes and probably affect the test results...

Ok... having just changed mine for a Golf, I would make the following points, technically the Roomie if a class below the C-max, so I'd check its got enough space for you... Having said that if you are also looking at the Focus estate you should be ok... I test drove all the small medium estates (Golf/Focus size) and found the best were the Golf and the C'eed, the C'eed being the biggest inside, the Focus was, to my mind, far too blingy inside and didn't drive as well as the other two... Re MPG, I think its fair to say that the 1.6TDi needs to be run in before giving its best so a test drive of an unregistered car wouldn't tell you a great deal... The main problem with the Roomie is its bulk and at high speed on motorways it suffers, on the autobahns at 80mph I was only getting 42mpg... Hence I've changed for a\ lower car... If most of its work is local roads, A & B roads and town work then its fine... I get around 55mpg from the 1.9TDi on a 20 mile commute of A,B and built up roads... One thing to add, compared with the conventional estates its much more flexible, that part was the most difficult when changing...

That is just so wrong... There are so many other things to be taken into account than just purchase price and mileage... The only way to find out if diesel or petrol makes sense is to take into account all costs, running, depreciation, type of driving, the list goes on... For some people where they only pay for fuel then diesel even makes sense for a low annual mileage... (Sorry to sound a bit harsh, but I've been running my own diesel cars for many years and rest assured I would not if it didn't make financial sense, even on 10k or less pa).

Fabia too small and no DSG/diesel combo and Octy too expensive... Roomie also didn't have DSG/diesel... Close call for the Roomie, though...

We'll have to agree to differ, then... I don't think it particular matters what test you put in as long as all cars are tested the same way, which they are on this one or the old one... This set of tests is better than the old "speed" ones and I've always found that the combined figure is attainable... As for gearing, as I said the higher gears suit my driving so I'm all for them... Perhaps you need to change you driving style?! Regards, Blair

After three years sterling service the Roomie has gone back to the dealers to be replaced by a Golf Estate... As with the previous two Skodas we've owned we have had no problems at all with it... Its done just under 44000 miles and is nicely run in, should make a good buy for someone... Apart from 4 services the only other items needing replacement were the two front tyres at 19k, they are just due for replacement now, so whoever gets it will have to get a couple more... the back ones have miles of life in them and the spare's never been used... MPG has been about 55 in the summer and 53 in the winter... We've never had to top up the oil between services... I have the back cover for the gap between the back seats and load cover, as we paid for it I've taken it with me, not much use in the Golf though! It still has the door wind deflectors as I didn't think I should try and remove them! As its a level 3 spec it also includes the panoramic sunroof, which is probably the thing we'll miss most... The flexible seating is a damn good feature too! Perhaps in three years time if they've revamped it with the DSG 'box with the diesel we'll get one again... We'll have to see! So, bye, bye Roomie, you've been a good little car!

Lee, if you think they are fiddling it have you expressed your views to they authorities? I doubt they are, it'd ruin the reputation of the company if they were caught... They may be changing things on the engine/gearing to suit the tests though, which is not the same thing as cheating as long as its also in the production cars... At the end of the day its just a test to allow buyers to compare like for like and I still feel that it does the job its intended... The only problem comes is when people start expecting to get the extra urban figures in real life driving... Which was no different to the old tests where everyone expected the 56mph one! TBH I feel that if it was not for these tests we would not have the economical cars we have today... MPG is miles (!) better than it used to be when i started driving in the early 70s... Re the gearing, they've done the same on the Golf with the 5 speed box as well, persoanlly i prefer it, it suits my style of driving and i do get better economy... I think the Fabia Greenline is similar gearing? What would be better is if they stuck a 6 speed on and let the 6th be the "long" gear... Anyhow I collect the Golf estate with 7 speed DSG today so I'll see how I get on with that... New learning curve methinks!

You are ok if the local garage is only a mile or two from home, it shouldn't have warmed up too much by then... Best bet is to get a separate tyre pressure gauge, I wouldn't rely on the ones on the pump (either yours or the garage's!), they never seem to be accurate on the ones I've used...

The figures are just there so people can compare different cars and engines and get a better idea which could be more economical in real life... These are the tests... http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/AdviceOnBuyingAndSellingAVehicle/CalculatethefuelconsumptionCO2andtaxcosts/DG_195297 Quite frankly we need some sort of independant test and this one isn't too bad, like others i reckon to get near to the combined figure and that what i use when looking round... The problem is not the tests but the drivers and the way they drive a car... Its taken many so-called motoring journos like those on TG many years to realise that you need to drive a diesel engine in a totally different manner to a petrol to get the best results (whether mpg or acceleration)... I used to cringe sometimes when watching Clarkson and Hammond making a complete mess of driving a diesel and then blaming it on the car... Even engines using the same fuel are different, the Vauxhall 1.5TD was a very different engine in power delivery to their 2.0Di for instance... Only thing to do is get as many test drives as you can and compare... If its got an on board computer then just remember to reset it before setting off!

I had the Mk1 1.9 TDi with discs front and back (the back ones needed replacing at 20k for some reason!), but the 1.4 TDi which replaced it had drums on the back, tbh I didn't notice any different, mind you I'm not heavy on my brakes anyhow... With a titchy 1.2 TDi I doubt it would ever need the power of discs on the back unless its being rallied, in which case the 1.4TSi might be better!

Sounds like you are like me and can tell when the tyre pressure is wrong, even by only a few degrees... The car just doesn't seem to handle as well with wrong pressures in, even though I don't flog it I tend to corner quicker than many people and its there that i notice it... Mind you when i raced a car we always used to check the pressures right after the race ready for the next one!!

Should only be a few percent, mine normally drops from mid 50s to early 50s... Not noticed anything yet, though, its not been cold enough!

Half my daily commute of 20 miles is in the sticks, just I've always found that they only help if it is really foggy and I'm going really slowly, what most people who use them when its not foggy don't realise is they actually worsen your distance vision when used incorrectly as they brighten the road near to the car and darken the road lit by the normal dipped beams beyond the reach of the fogs... Ah well, I know that no-one is daft enough to misuse them on this forum as we're all good drivers!

Never used them in the last three years for their intended (and only, according to the Highway Code!) purpose, just to signal to other drivers that theirs are on when they don't need to be! My new Golf hasn't got them and I can't see any reason to fork out for some... Everyone to their own, I suppose!

We always had any items in at the end of the journey, so check if Hounslow's got a lost property office and give 'em a ring... The other alternative (if it was found later) is that it was cleared out at depot and will end up wherever they send such stuff... I doubt that as an unattended rucksack could quite easily cause a major alert these days... Reckon someone's nicked it myself... Sorry!

And "some(not all) but most" car drivers are so much better?! Talk about generalizations! I see plenty of bad driving and most of it comes from solo car drivers rather than those towing or driving goods vehicles or PSVs... Someone towing and making a mess of things will certainly stand out more, but if you look carefully most "issues" with slower vehicles tend to be caused by impatient (and thus bad) driving by car drivers rather than the driver of the slower vehicle... I would agree with Lee that caravans (and trailers) should be tested and their owners have some sort of test/course before being allowed out, but ordinary car drivers should also be made more aware of what to do when encountering long vehicles, from the basics of keeping back if they are not overtaking so others can make progress and being aware that those vehicles can, and do overtake, and allowing for that when planning to overtake them... A few bikers could do with learning that last one when overtaking cars...

If driven correctly they are no better and no worse than any HGV driven the same way... Many years ago when I used to tow I found that most of my problems were caused by inconsiderate car drivers who then caused problems for those behind me... I'd get the blame, no doubt, but in most cases it wasn't me! Anyhow caravans were on the roads long before cars so they have more of a right to be there!!

But frightening that idiots like that may share the road with us...