Getting rid of the Superb, what next...

[Bigeater]

5 minutes ago, KeteCantek said:

This absolutely. Unless you want to spend big bucks, you won't get near the ideal car of sporty and roomy. Even then, with big bucks budget, you can sacrifice roomy for even more sport. It's a never ending cycle as they are conflicting requirements. 

 

@TheBinarySheepGet a semi banger cheap MPV for family lugging then a fun car. Or take a brave pill and find an older E63 AMG estate (within your budget) keeping in mind you want a pot of emergency funds if it goes wrong. Upside is that will have you sorted. Just don't complain about fuel economy!

How about 2 grand for front brake discs alone. I know because i looked before buying my superb. Oh - And the fact that they're not type approved for towing chalked it off my list of possibles.

[KeteCantek]

1 hour ago, Bigeater said:

How about 2 grand for front brake discs alone. I know because i looked before buying my superb. Oh - And the fact that they're not type approved for towing chalked it off my list of possibles.

Never knew they aren't supposed to tow but that isn't one of OP's requirement so maybe it's OK. 

 

Agree that parts will be pricey, not to mention servicing. 

 

Reality is, for the power/interior space/running cost/purchase price ratio, it is quite difficult to beat a superb 280. And with that, there are still obvious compromised because the perfect car doesn't exist. One just have to weight the requirements and pick one that suits best. 

 

I'd still recommend @TheBinarySheep to consider the Kia Stinger 3.3. My take is OP wants interior space, good power, better than average dynamics, some peace of mind for reliability, image that car projects. 

 

The Kia does all of that except the last point. Which is exactly the same as a Skoda, but in my books better in almost all the others. I ended up with a 280 only because the Stinger 3.3 wasn't in my budget. Would have gone for that, no brained. 

[TheBinarySheep]

I don't really the like the Kia Stinger. It doesn't look too bad on the outside, but the dashboard to me looks dated. I find this the same for most Kia's and Hyundia's. The dash is too curvy rather than full of of sharp, modern edges. 

 

The next car needs to address some of the shortcomings of the Superb, and I don't think the Kia does that.

 

There's also the fact that it's a Kia, the brand does nothing for me. I've always been a fan of Skoda. As child my mother always had Skodas like the Estelle, Felicia, and the Fabia. Plus, we all know that when you buy a Skoda you're really just buying a cheaper VW/Audi. You're getting VW/Audi engines, running gear, electronics and so on. With a Kia, you're not buying a cheaper version of an upmarket product, you're just buying a cheaper product that doesn't share it's underpinnings with any upmarket brands.

[TimothyT]

6 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

I don't really the like the Kia Stinger. It doesn't look too bad on the outside, but the dashboard to me looks dated. I find this the same for most Kia's and Hyundia's. The dash is too curvy rather than full of of sharp, modern edges. 

 

The next car needs to address some of the shortcomings of the Superb, and I don't think the Kia does that.

 

There's also the fact that it's a Kia, the brand does nothing for me. I've always been a fan of Skoda. As child my mother always had Skodas like the Estelle, Felicia, and the Fabia. Plus, we all know that when you buy a Skoda you're really just buying a cheaper VW/Audi. You're getting VW/Audi engines, running gear, electronics and so on. With a Kia, you're not buying a cheaper version of an upmarket product, you're just buying a cheaper product that doesn't share it's underpinnings with any upmarket brands.

This again is a matter of perspective, you are creating positive relations with one brand (Skoda) while creating negative links with the other (Kia & some others).

Think of it this way: When you buy the Stinger you are buying a car which had its' interior designed by the person behind the previous generation of Audi models, which were absolutely beautiful and the chassis and performance side developed by the man who was responsible for the best generation (argueably) of BMW M cars. In terms of pure driving performance it is head & shoulders above what Skoda offers in stock forms.

 

I don't know what MY your Superb is, but I would say that the dash is on par with most versions of the Superb mk 3, unless you had the virtual cockpit + most up-to-date center screen. The virtual cockpit is obviously something that will be hard to beat in terms of functionality.

 

Go drive the few cars you've been thinking of and don't rush into making a decision.

[Ootohere]

If you like the quickest Skoda that they produce but want more then just go drive an Audi which is new or nearly new and choose the fuel you will use and the power you want and gearbox that suits your need and then sit comfy and go as quick or slow as you want to with the car as it comes as standard.

They really are not more expensive than the other VW Group brands and come in many flavours.

Edited 14 February, 2021 by e-Roottoot

[KeteCantek]

7 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

I don't really the like the Kia Stinger. It doesn't look too bad on the outside, but the dashboard to me looks dated. I find this the same for most Kia's and Hyundia's. The dash is too curvy rather than full of of sharp, modern edges. 

 

The next car needs to address some of the shortcomings of the Superb, and I don't think the Kia does that.

 

There's also the fact that it's a Kia, the brand does nothing for me. I've always been a fan of Skoda. As child my mother always had Skodas like the Estelle, Felicia, and the Fabia. Plus, we all know that when you buy a Skoda you're really just buying a cheaper VW/Audi. You're getting VW/Audi engines, running gear, electronics and so on. With a Kia, you're not buying a cheaper version of an upmarket product, you're just buying a cheaper product that doesn't share it's underpinnings with any upmarket brands.

Can't comment on interior look as that is subjective to each individual. I personally think the stinger's interior is nice, not fantastic but nice. 

 

As for underpinnings from upmarket brand, I did mention Genesis. They are upmarket, just not sold in Europe. However, I fully understand the feeling as far buying is also emotional. Most people have been conditioned to believe one way or another wrt to branding and image. 

 

One common example I find (funny to me) is someone will happily call out a Lexus as just a fancy Toyota but never have any issues with Audi being 'just a fancy Skoda'. In fact , most seem to understand some Skodas/Seat/VW as value for money since they share parts with Audi and that makes them good. But still a Toyota is a Toyota but not a Lexus...  Blows me mind. 

 

I wish you good luck in your search, gonna be hard to beat a 280 on a budget, we know because we have the same car! 

[TheBinarySheep]

My wife and I had a discussion over the weekend, and I think we're going to settling for a 2019 330i M Sport Plus.

It's slightly down on power compared to the Superb, but just as quick (I'm assuming it's lighter). The boot is big enough for most things, and we'll have roof bars anyway to carry bikes, so we'll just get a roof box for holidays. It'll have plenty of kit, the exhaust at least sounds half decent without being too quiet or too loud, and I'm sure the handling will be far better than anything we've had before. There's the added bonus that it'll still be under warranty where as some of the Audi's we were looking at were 2 year old than this.

I think given our budget, it's probably the best choice. It might not have the outright power of something like an Audi S5, but hopefully it'll make up for that in handling.

[budster]

I went from a 1.4 TSI Superb to a D4 V60. 

Before settling on the diesel, I test drove a T5 V60 and I was a bit underwhelmed with it. Coming from my 150bhp 1.4 TSI, I was expecting it to feel significantly faster and feel like a "fast" car but it didn't. It was definitely more responsive than the DSG in the Superb (I suspect that there have been some software updates to improve the responsiveness compared to the initial press reviews) but there was no way it felt like it had an extra 100hp.

I got in the D4 and it actually felt faster, I'm guessing due to the higher torque from lower down the revs from the diesel lump.

Overall, I'm really happy with it, as you say, one of the best looking cars on the road at the moment but it is definitely setup more for comfort (which is what I was looking for) so I think you've made the right choice in that regard with the BMW.

[newbie69]

Tech wouldn't matter to me so much in a hardcore sports saloon/estate, (apart from Android Auto and CarPlay) that would reward in different ways but in a daily car like the Superb/3-series/C-Class for example, I wouldn't have it any other way because that's a big plus of why I like to spend time in it, all the stuff that keeps me busy and interested like messing with the digital dash, infotainment, ambient light, drive modes etc. has to be there.

G20 is a great looking car, love it, and as explained above, the fact that it's modern and with all the latest gadgets gives it quite an appeal over the competitors. Between the ones you mentioned, i think the 330 would also be my choice  

Also, If you're idea of fun is around corners it'll be far more entertaining than your current car no question about that. Performance wise though and straight line speed, only because I know you were tuned before, prepared to go back to a stock 280 level of performance in terms of rolling acceleration and even worse from a standstill or low speeds. The way any remapped 280 pulls away is hard to match by the majority of stock cars, and even when the power is matched, if it lacks AWD that instant and care-free setting off at full speed under any conditions is something that you might miss.


I've recently driven a bucket list car for me, and the man math shows it's probably going to cost me a similar loss over 3 years running costs and depreciatiations taken into account as the Superb so I am wondering whether i should go on with such a YOLO move that a few years back would sound crazy even to spit it out. Point is, despite its incredible driving qualities and more than healthy amout of power (a fair more than the Superb), below 80km/h it didn't really feel any faster than my current car, and that was only when it managed to hook...  Anything above that speed it would obviously start to leave the Superb behind and that's before even tuning it but IF, the thrill, G's, and effectiveness of instant floor-n-go is high in the priorities list for someone then it's hard to beat a nearly 400bhp AWD car.

That been said, a latest G20 has several ways to appeal, so if you can just push the raw power/performance craving to the back of your head I don't think you'll look back.

[TheBinarySheep]

2 hours ago, newbie69 said:

Tech wouldn't matter to me so much in a hardcore sports saloon/estate, (apart from Android Auto and CarPlay) that would reward in different ways but in a daily car like the Superb/3-series/C-Class for example, I wouldn't have it any other way because that's a big plus of why I like to spend time in it, all the stuff that keeps me busy and interested like messing with the digital dash, infotainment, ambient light, drive modes etc. has to be there.

G20 is a great looking car, love it, and as explained above, the fact that it's modern and with all the latest gadgets gives it quite an appeal over the competitors. Between the ones you mentioned, i think the 330 would also be my choice  

Also, If you're idea of fun is around corners it'll be far more entertaining than your current car no question about that. Performance wise though and straight line speed, only because I know you were tuned before, prepared to go back to a stock 280 level of performance in terms of rolling acceleration and even worse from a standstill or low speeds. The way any remapped 280 pulls away is hard to match by the majority of stock cars, and even when the power is matched, if it lacks AWD that instant and care-free setting off at full speed under any conditions is something that you might miss.


I've recently driven a bucket list car for me, and the man math shows it's probably going to cost me a similar loss over 3 years running costs and depreciatiations taken into account as the Superb so I am wondering whether i should go on with such a YOLO move that a few years back would sound crazy even to spit it out. Point is, despite its incredible driving qualities and more than healthy amout of power (a fair more than the Superb), below 80km/h it didn't really feel any faster than my current car, and that was only when it managed to hook...  Anything above that speed it would obviously start to leave the Superb behind and that's before even tuning it but IF, the thrill, G's, and effectiveness of instant floor-n-go is high in the priorities list for someone then it's hard to beat a nearly 400bhp AWD car.

That been said, a latest G20 has several ways to appeal, so if you can just push the raw power/performance craving to the back of your head I don't think you'll look back.

 

The 330i is 0.2 seconds slower to 60 than the Superb, so I'm hoping it's not too noticeable. I'll probably miss four wheel drive in damp/cold cold conditions, but then rear wheel drive brings a different driving experience. I was just keen not to return to front wheel drive as I know how difficult it can be to get power down in the damp.

 

For the past few weeks I've been driving my wife's 192hp Mini Cooper S, so I'm currently more used to it's power output than I am the Superb. I've only drove the Superb once since I got it back, and even then I don't dare push it given the work that's just been done.

 

The Superb is booked back into the garage tomorrow to have the map and Koni Actives removed. I was going to leave the Koni's on, but removing them costs £280 and I reckon I could sell them for £500 so it makes sense to take them off and make a couple of hundred quid back.

 

I'm looking forward to getting the 330i (once I've chosen one). I'm going to make sure I get one with the M Sport Limited Slip Differential, as apparently that improves handling and helps throw you out of a corner. I may look at fitting a tuning box as some point because at least the warranty will be maintained. It's one thing I regret about the Superb, I should have got a JB4 and at least then I could have removed it and had the turbo replaced under warranty.

 

 

Edited 16 February, 2021 by TheBinarySheep

[amateurdad]

5 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

 

The 330i is 0.2 seconds slower to 60 than the Superb, so I'm hoping it's not too noticeable. I'll probably miss four wheel drive in damp/cold cold conditions, but then rear wheel drive brings a different driving experience. I was just keen not to return to front wheel drive as I know how difficult it can be to get power down in the damp.

 

For the past few weeks I've been driving my wife's 192hp Mini Cooper S, so I'm currently more used to it's power output than I am the Superb. I've only drove the Superb once since I got it back, and even then I don't dare push it given the work that's just been done.

 

The Superb is booked back into the garage tomorrow to have the map and Koni Actives removed. I was going to leave the Koni's on, but removing them costs £280 and I reckon I could sell them for £500 so it makes sense to take them off and make a couple of hundred quid back.

 

I'm looking forward to getting the 330i (once I've chosen one). I'm going to make sure I get one with the M Sport Limited Slip Differential, as apparently that improves handling and helps throw you out of a corner. I may look at fitting a tuning box as some point because at least the warranty will be maintained. It's one thing I regret about the Superb, I should have got a JB4 and at least then I could have removed it and had the turbo replaced under warranty.

 

 

I might be interested in the Konis... 

[newbie69]

6 minutes ago, TheBinarySheep said:

 

The 330i is 0.2 seconds slower to 60 than the Superb, so I'm hoping it's not too noticeable. I'll probably miss four wheel drive in damp/cold cold conditions, but then rear wheel drive brings a different driving experience. I was just keen not to return to front wheel drive as I know how difficult it can be to get power down in the damp.

 

For the past few weeks I've been driving my wife's 192hp Mini Cooper S, so I'm currently more used to it's power output than I am the Superb. I've only drove the Superb once since I got it back, and even then I don't dare push it given the work that's just been done.

 

The Superb is booked back into the garage tomorrow to have the map and Koni Actives removed. I was going to leave the Koni's on, but removing them costs £280 and I reckon I could sell them for £500 so it makes sense to take them off and make a couple of hundred quid back.

 

I'm looking forward to getting the 330i (once I've chosen one). I'm going to make sure I get one with the M Sport Limited Slip Differential, as apparently that improves handling and helps throw you out of a corner. I may look at fitting a tuning box as some point because at least the warranty will be maintained. It's one thing I regret about the Superb, I should have got a JB4 and at least then I could have removed it and had the turbo replaced under warranty.

 

 

Not sure why you keep comparing to a stock Superb despite you were running a stage 1 in yours that makes a huge difference but yeah, stock for stock they are practically just as quick, at least on the dry, so if you can go back to that level of performance no issue.

Driving wise it will definitely be a more rewarding car, just a matter of priorities. To some, straight line speed and point-to-point effectiveness is everything, i know a few people who would take a Golf R over an M2 every due to the fact it's the same car every day of the year and even with very light mods, little cars can reallistically touch it on a public road. However in terms of driving experience the M2 is a few leagues above the Golf.

Truth be told I'm getting full of that cold-blooded but dull effectiveness of a powerful AWD car so my next car will be something a little different i think.

In any case i hope you have a much better luck than you had on the Superb, real pity as the ones that go are only a very small fraction, and even then they don't cause the additional damage that occured in yours from the attempted turn-overs. Keep us posted!

[TheBinarySheep]

11 hours ago, newbie69 said:

Not sure why you keep comparing to a stock Superb despite you were running a stage 1 in yours that makes a huge difference but yeah, stock for stock they are practically just as quick, at least on the dry, so if you can go back to that level of performance no issue.

Driving wise it will definitely be a more rewarding car, just a matter of priorities. To some, straight line speed and point-to-point effectiveness is everything, i know a few people who would take a Golf R over an M2 every due to the fact it's the same car every day of the year and even with very light mods, little cars can reallistically touch it on a public road. However in terms of driving experience the M2 is a few leagues above the Golf.

Truth be told I'm getting full of that cold-blooded but dull effectiveness of a powerful AWD car so my next car will be something a little different i think.

In any case i hope you have a much better luck than you had on the Superb, real pity as the ones that go are only a very small fraction, and even then they don't cause the additional damage that occured in yours from the attempted turn-overs. Keep us posted!

I'm comparing to the stock Superb because I was happy with its stock power, I just got greedy and wanted more. In the real world, 280hp was for than enough. I could fit a tuning box to the new car for a little more power, and be able to take it off for warranty claims, so I cant entirely rule out getting a little more power.

[newbie69]

4 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

I'm comparing to the stock Superb because I was happy with its stock power, I just got greedy and wanted more. In the real world, 280hp was for than enough. I could fit a tuning box to the new car for a little more power, and be able to take it off for warranty claims, so I cant entirely rule out getting a little more power.

Beyond a certain point which to me is set around 5.0" for 0-100km/h and like 14.0" for 100-200km/h. straight line performance is more of an addiction, rather than a "need" in the real world, unless engaging often in racing activities. Cars doing those numbers are plenty fast to overtake and tackle most daily duties.

But the extra G's and the feeling you are tasting some of the acceleration/performance level of much more hardcore machines is something not everyone can ignore... Well at least I know I am not that strong to resist it (maybe i need to grow older  ).

It's great if you can get over that, it would save you quite some money, time and potential worries.

Removable tuning boxes could be almost a win-win situation if they are the right product for the right car.

[TheBinarySheep]

The Superb has gone. 

 

We've stuck a deposit down on a BMW 330i M Sport Plus. Hopefully getting delivered this week. While it's down on power, it's an ex demonstrator so it's got all the kit, including all of the M Sport upgrades (wheels, brakes, lsd), along with electronic tailgate, laser lights, tri-zone climate control, heated seats + steering wheel, virtual cockpit, Harmon Kardon upgrade, reverse assist, adaptive suspension, rear charge points, heads up display, unlock and start the car with a digital key on your phone phone, leather interior, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay. There's probably more I've forgot.

 

I'll miss the Superb, but we'll move on.

 

 

[boydeee]

@TheBinarySheep That sounds fantastic. (I resisted saying superb there 😉)

 

All the best with the new car 👍

[shyVRS245]

Congrats on finally resolving the situation. Sounds like it has more toys than Hamleys. Did it fall in the over £40,000 Luxury Tax bracket for VED and the extra £325 per year for the first 6 years and did they take the 280 in part-ex? Sorry for all the questions and good luck with the BMW.

[TheBinarySheep]

19 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Congrats on finally resolving the situation. Sounds like it has more toys than Hamleys. Did it fall in the over £40,000 Luxury Tax bracket for VED and the extra £325 per year for the first 6 years and did they take the 280 in part-ex? Sorry for all the questions and good luck with the BMW.

 

Funny you should mention about the tax. I read a thread on another forum asking a similar question which prompted me to look it up. I had no idea there was an increase in tax for vehicles with a list price of over £40k, as Autotrader shows tax as £150 and that's what I'd been going off. I didn't read the small print at the bottom of the Autotrader popup as it's chopped off the bottom of my screen!

 

So yep, it seems my tax is going to be £475 per year. What an absolute rip off. The car has more or less the same engine as my wife's Mini (134g/km vs 190g/km), and we'll be paying £325 more for tax on one car than the other.

 

Well, it is what it is, nothing I can do about it now.

[Bigeater]

Good luck with the new motor TBS - don't break it

[ahenners]

On 22/02/2021 at 09:17, TheBinarySheep said:

The Superb has gone. 

 

We've stuck a deposit down on a BMW 330i M Sport Plus. Hopefully getting delivered this week. While it's down on power, it's an ex demonstrator so it's got all the kit, including all of the M Sport upgrades (wheels, brakes, lsd), along with electronic tailgate, laser lights, tri-zone climate control, heated seats + steering wheel, virtual cockpit, Harmon Kardon upgrade, reverse assist, adaptive suspension, rear charge points, heads up display, unlock and start the car with a digital key on your phone phone, leather interior, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay. There's probably more I've forgot.

 

I'll miss the Superb, but we'll move on.

 

 

 

Lovely cars the new 3 series. 330i seems to be an excellent balance of economy and performance too. Be a cracking car that and hopefully one you have better luck with.

[SkudMissile21]

So come on and answer the question we all want to know, how did the 280 get sold and does the new owner (dealer or private) know the full history since your ownership??? And was it ever properly fixed before being disposed of or is that someone else’s timebomb now?

[TheBinarySheep]

11 hours ago, SkudMissile21 said:

So come on and answer the question we all want to know, how did the 280 get sold and does the new owner (dealer or private) know the full history since your ownership??? And was it ever properly fixed before being disposed of or is that someone else’s timebomb now?

The car was sold to a business and documents relating to the turbo replacement and crank bearings were supplied, nothing was hidden and the car was considered fixed. The price we got for the car reflected its history. We only bought it last year, and I've worked out that it's cost us almost £13k in repairs and depreciation in 12-13 month. We simply were not willing to take the risk that the vehicle would need more money pumping into it at some point in the future.

Lesson learnt, we're sticking with non-modified vehicles now, under manufacturers and then extended warranty to be on the safe side.

 

 

[newbie69]

Was looking at one of these a while ago as the looks and overall package of the G20 is very attractive but prices were at 52-56K EUR a year ago when they first rolled out. Today, 12 month old examples with as little as 5-10K km are 25% down at around 410K, shocking depreciation (at least in Sweden).

Anyway the price drop works for me   and this thread made me consider one tbh so I was checking the performance potential of the B48 last night.

It's probably the TSI ea888 gen3's willingness to gain horses at a rate of almost 100bhp with a simple remap that has spoiled me and makes the 330i rather disappointing in that aspect. Barely hitting 310bhp for a stage 1 (up from 258 as stock) and then around 340-350 for a stage 2 costing ~2.5K EUR, only to be able to complete the 100-200 run slower than a stage 1 Superb/Golf R...

I don't know if the 330i comes with a rather small-ish and limited turbo? or there is some other limitation in terms of fueling or thermal management as those numbers are on the low side for a modern, 2.0 turbocharged engine from a premium German manufacturer, the flipside though is that for those who don't mind it makes tuning temptation more resistible when weighing gains vs. cost and risk.

Too bad the M340i is such a big step up in price....

[shyVRS245]

57 minutes ago, TheBinarySheep said:

The car was sold to a business and documents relating to the turbo replacement and crank bearings were supplied, nothing was hidden and the car was considered fixed. The price we got for the car reflected its history. We only bought it last year, and I've worked out that it's cost us almost £13k in repairs and depreciation in 12-13 month. We simply were not willing to take the risk that the vehicle would need more money pumping into it at some point in the future.

Lesson learnt, we're sticking with non-modified vehicles now, under manufacturers and then extended warranty to be on the safe side.

 

 

Thanks for sharing and being so honest.

[Bigeater]

51 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Thanks for sharing and being so honest.

Isn't 'we buy any car' a business?

only saying............