Tyre rumble @ random points

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, rum4mo said:

One other thing, what did things look like when you removed a 16" VW Montreal from your car, did you spot an adaptor to change the fixing bolt spacing from 5 X 100 to 5 X 11?, I've forgotten the PCD of these Montreal either 112 or 115, and if so, was it a VW specific adaptor that had built into it a bore diameter change to help centre these wheels?

 

Normally when you fit wheels that have a different centre bore, you can fit a "bore changer" into the centre bore of the new wheels and that will then fit snuggly to the car's hub centre bore, but if your car has already got an adaptor on that hub, there probably will now not be an centre bore projection, so that easy fix will not work for you.

 

I was under the impression that Montreals came in 5x100, no?

 

 

[rum4mo]

Not as far as I know, maybe in theory they are listed as being offered, but that was as far as it went.

 

Okay they were offered on the earlier Polo GTI ie 6N last of the true "VW" Polos before the change to the Fabia based Polos, in late 2001/early 2002.

 

Edit:- you will notice that none of the alloys used at factory on 9N Polo are on that list, these seem to be pre "new Polo" wheel options, or even dealer fit post sale options.

Edited 5 April, 2022 by rum4mo

[TMB]

3 hours ago, Tomjones1995 said:

Question about the brake light switch, is that a simple DIY job? I may do it myself if it is.

 

Here's a video for you, Tom....

 

 

[TMB]

And a video of how to take the dash apart to get to the switch....

 

 

[DieselMonte]

11 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

Not as far as I know, maybe in theory they are listed as being offered, but that was as far as it went.

 

Okay they were offered on the earlier Polo GTI ie 6N last of the true "VW" Polos before the change to the Fabia based Polos, in late 2001/early 2002.

 

Edit:- you will notice that none of the alloys used at factory on 9N Polo are on that list, these seem to be pre "new Polo" wheel options, or even dealer fit post sale options.

Montreals were fitted to Mk4 golfs, which are 5x100. Mk5 golf onwards is 5x112.

Pic of Montreals on a Mk4

 

All a fabia is under the skin is a b*stardised Mk4 golf.

[DieselMonte]

Even better, a vRS on the same wheels.

[rum4mo]

The acid test would be to find out what the VW part number is on these rims, I wonder what the centre bore of the Golf Mk4 is, or if it is the same as a 9N Polo, if it is just a centre bore hole in the wheels that is too big, then fitting suitable nylon concentric bore adaptors to these wheels should sort things out.

[Tomjones1995]

31 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

One other thing, what did things look like when you removed a 16" VW Montreal from your car, did you spot an adaptor to change the fixing bolt spacing from 5 X 100 to 5 X 11?, I've forgotten the PCD of these Montreal either 112 or 115, and if so, was it a VW specific adaptor that had built into it a bore diameter change to help centre these wheels?

 

Normally when you fit wheels that have a different centre bore, you can fit a "bore changer" into the centre bore of the new wheels and that will then fit snuggly to the car's hub centre bore, but if your car has already got an adaptor on that hub, there probably will now not be an centre bore projection, so that easy fix will not work for you.

 

Sorry but I'm pretty confident these were fitted from factory.

 

These Polo GT TDI are pretty rare so I've been monitoring them to see when they come up for sale on eBay, Facebook, etc etc to see what mileage they have and what condition they've been kept in, and they all have 16" Montreal alloys, every single one and I must have seen about 50 now. Their also isn't any adapter's either.

 

I've also had the car for 7 years now and only in the last 2 has it been like this so the alloy size isn't the issue in my opinion otherwise it would of been like this for the whole 7 years of my ownership.

 

I am however in agreement that they sold the Polo sport with the 15" Melbourne alloys as you describe but the GT model had Montreal.

 

Thanks for the help,

Tom

[rum4mo]

Fair enough, so back to trickier things causing this, a set of plastic concentric bore adaptors would have been a quick cheap fix, at least that question has been asked - good luck!

[Tomjones1995]

22 minutes ago, TMB said:

 

Here's a video for you, Tom....

 

 

 

19 minutes ago, TMB said:

And a video of how to take the dash apart to get to the switch....

 

 

 

Oh god, I wasn't aware the dash had to be removed. That's a non-starter for me but I'll definitely mention it to the garage and il leave it to them.

 

Thanks for the help as always 🙂

[Tomjones1995]

4 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

Fair enough, so back to trickier things causing this, a set of plastic concentric bore adaptors would have been a quick cheap fix, at least that question has been asked - good luck!

 

Thanks for the suggestion at least, I appreciate you taking the time to help

 

I'll be sure to post any developments.

 

I plan to rotate the wheels once more front to back tomorrow so see if it's the tyres that are noisy and wobbling (would be unusual I know) but at least to rule that out if nothing else.

 

Thanks again

 

[TMB]

5 minutes ago, Tomjones1995 said:

Oh god, I wasn't aware the dash had to be removed. That's a non-starter for me but I'll definitely mention it to the garage and il leave it to them.

 

 

 

Oh heck, I forgot yours is a Polo, so the dash will be a bit different anyway.

 

7 minutes ago, Tomjones1995 said:

Thanks for the help as always 🙂

 

No probs

[nta16]

1 hour ago, Tomjones1995 said:

I would consider 14" to be sensible on a car this size in my opinion.

Oh no, you've dun it now, got me going on a favourite hobby horse - warning miserable git man on soap box!

 

The Polo used to be a small car, but decades back German cars like VWs got very overweight very soon so that was one factor to wheel size.  But the main factors are fashion, wheels have got bigger as part of willy-waving, mine's-bigger-than-yours (penis substitutes for non-male owners) then to be Gangster and "to fill the wheel arches", they must be filled!

 

Depending on the brakes 14" wheels would easily be enough even allowing for VW's excess weight on all models  but how could you possible let people see such a diminutive part, the shame.

 

I took a guess at 2005 for the year of the car and if the website is correct it shows 205/45R16 83V - 6.5J x 16, ET43.  Some of the engine power is need to push these four tractor wheels and tyres against the road surface and they throw off more 'rubber' bits and give their wider hum road noise.  They must be for semi-amphibious use, happily riding on water.

 

For 14" 185/65R14 was the nearest I could get for tyre size, 14" wheels show as 6J1x14, ET43.  The 185 are a little taller (within 3% for speedo) and give nominal 112mm sidewall against nominal 91mm for 16" tyre, a bit more 'rubber' cushioning on the potholes and smaller hopefully sturdier 14" wheel.

 

run4mo (and I) will remember when 185/70 was the low profile for tyres, back in the last millennium, but somehow these skinny balloon tyres kept the fast cars on the road ,we were driving heroes, all muscle from the lack of power steering (other than the pedal under the right foot) .

 

Admittedly the 16" V rated tyres are good for 149mph if the poor old engine has any puff left from hauling the car, the tyre width doesn't seem necessary for power or torque output but good to have plenty of spare margin perhaps.

 

Ahhhhhh,I feel better for that.  Someone put up a photo of an original Mk1 Polo parked next to a Mk4 ,see what a bully it turned into.  😁

 

ETA: You've only spent £4k in seven years(?) I thought you meant months, cumm'n yer not trying now. 😄

Edited 5 April, 2022 by nta16
spelling

[Tomjones1995]

9 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Oh no, you've dun it now, got me going on a favourite hobby horse - warning miserable git man on soap box!

 

The Polo used to be a small car, but decades back German cars like VWs got very overweight very soon so that was one factor to wheel size.  But the main factors are fashion, wheels have got bigger as part of willy-waving, mine's-bigger-than-yours (penis substitutes for non-male owners) then to be Gangster and "to fill the wheel arches", they must be filled!

 

Depending on the brakes 14" wheels would easily be enough even allowing for VW's excess weight on all models  but how could you possible let people see such a diminutive part, the shame.

 

I took a guess at 2005 for the year of the car and if the website is correct it shows 205/45R16 83V - 6.5J x 16, ET43.  Some of the engine power is need to push these four tractor wheels and tyres against the road surface as they throw off more 'rubber' bits and give their wider hum road noise.  They must be for semi-amphibious use, happily riding on water.

 

For 14" 185/65R14 was the nearest I could get for tyre size, 14" wheels show as 6J1x14, ET43.  The 185 are a little taller (within 3% for speedo) and give nominal 112mm sidewall against nominal 91mm for 16" tyre, a bit more 'rubber' cushioning on the potholes and smaller hopefully sturdier 14" wheel.

 

run4mo (and I) will remember when 185/70 was the lower profile for tyres, back in the last millennium, but somehow these skinny balloon tyres kept the fast cars on the road we were driving heroes,  all muscle from the lack of power steering (other than the pedal under the right foot) .

 

Admittedly the 16" V rated tyres are good for 149mph if the poor old engine has any puff left from hauling the car, the tyre width doesn't seem necessary for power or torque output  but good to have plenty of spare margin perhaps.

 

Ahhhhhh,I feel better for that.  Someone put up a photo of an original Mk1 Polo parked next to a Mk4 see what a bully it turned into.  😁

 

ETA: You've only spent £4k in seven years(?) I thought you meant months, cumm'n yer not trying now. 😄

Yeah £4k without servicing, MOT etc. Looking closer to £7k then!

 

I find that the lower profile suits my somewhat spirited driving style, but that doesn't mean to say I wouldn't consider a different tyre size to limit the harshness of the potholes and rough roads I have here in Mid Wales. I used to have an 02 Polo S 1.2 before the GT and that had I believe 14" steel wheels with the trims and it seemed more floaty in comparison to this wheel and tyre combo.

 

 

 

 

[nta16]

It's about the tyre design, construction and compounds rather than just size, plus differences in suspension set up including tyre pressures. I am NOT a good driver but a good driver will have a car with the right tyre size to power moving very swiftly on public roads without breaking the speed limits, holding momentum with balance and handling, reduced braking, keeping the weight right.  One piece of performance and tuning you can transfer to the next cars is driving training.

 

ETA: And it's about having perhaps matching tyres with similar amounts of tread, different makes and models front and rear could give and a slidey ride and more so if one set is near enough new and full tread and other set is old and at bare legal minimum, especially if not on warmed tyres and warmed dry roads.

 

Until Covid I used to drive the Mid Wales and North (Welsh) Wales mountain roads on 145/80r13 tyres or 165/80r14, you can move the cars around more without flipper wide tyres, admittedly cars a lot lighter than third millennium small VWs.  If the internet is right you've got 130? and then 228 of the proper stuff, IIRC my old car on 165/80/14 coped easily with about 190 and 220 of the proper stuff and giving fun at legal speeds rather than needing to worry about how high the dash gauge needles were, it's about how it feels not numbers on guages. 

 

A thousand pound a year - this explains why I'm so poor, if I'd only limited my spending.  This shows how good modern cars are.  An old Volvo advert used to boast that the average age of a Volvo was 17 years.  All these period films and TV shows with very shiny pristine cars proves they not documentaries as many old cars were rusted away in 10 years and a lot earlier despite the constant servicing, maintenance and repairs.

 

Good job you've not got a old over-priced over-valued car (a "classic") or a British car or worst still a old British car, £1k, in which month.  😄

 

Serious point is you don't want to be letting sentiment rule logic, once you've put all your money in the fruit machine you don't want to put your shirt in too because "it must pay soon".

 

Some free advice for you that has cost me a great deal with cars, a lesson I learnt, after multiples of £7k, think of the car's value as zero, then you won't be tempted to throw more money at it to try to regain any value and not worry about getting it's resale value up to get rid of it, think it's worth nothing then whatever you can get shot of it for without paying for disposal of the carcass is a bonus and money you weren't expecting.

 

Only time will tell you what good, extremely expensive, advice that was you were given for free. 😉

 

Edited 6 April, 2022 by nta16
ETA:

[AnnoyingPentium]

9 hours ago, rum4mo said:

Edit:- you will notice that none of the alloys used at factory on 9N Polo are on that list, these seem to be pre "new Polo" wheel options, or even dealer fit post sale options.

 

Ah sorry, I just pulled a Mk4 Golf spec sheet for the alloys from the Golf forums.

[Tomjones1995]

9 hours ago, nta16 said:

It's about the tyre design, construction and compounds rather than just size, plus differences in suspension set up including tyre pressures. I am NOT a good driver but a good driver will have a car with the right tyre size to power moving very swiftly on public roads without breaking the speed limits, holding momentum with balance and handling, reduced braking, keeping the weight right.  One piece of performance and tuning you can transfer to the next cars is driving training.

 

ETA: And it's about having perhaps matching tyres with similar amounts of tread, different makes and models front and rear could give and a slidey ride and more so if one set is near enough new and full tread and other set is old and at bare legal minimum, especially if not on warmed tyres and warmed dry roads.

 

Until Covid I used to drive the Mid Wales and North (Welsh) Wales mountain roads on 145/80r13 tyres or 165/80r14, you can move the cars around more without flipper wide tyres, admittedly cars a lot lighter than third millennium small VWs.  If the internet is right you've got 130? and then 228 of the proper stuff, IIRC my old car on 165/80/14 coped easily with about 190 and 220 of the proper stuff and giving fun at legal speeds rather than needing to worry about how high the dash gauge needles were, it's about how it feels not numbers on guages. 

 

A thousand pound a year - this explains why I'm so poor, if I'd only limited my spending.  This shows how good modern cars are.  An old Volvo advert used to boast that the average age of a Volvo was 17 years.  All these period films and TV shows with very shiny pristine cars proves they not documentaries as many old cars were rusted away in 10 years and a lot earlier despite the constant servicing, maintenance and repairs.

 

Good job you've not got a old over-priced over-valued car (a "classic") or a British car or worst still a old British car, £1k, in which month.  😄

 

Serious point is you don't want to be letting sentiment rule logic, once you've put all your money in the fruit machine you don't want to put your shirt in too because "it must pay soon".

 

Some free advice for you that has cost me a great deal with cars, a lesson I learnt, after multiples of £7k, think of the car's value as zero, then you won't be tempted to throw more money at it to try to regain any value and not worry about getting it's resale value up to get rid of it, think it's worth nothing then whatever you can get shot of it for without paying for disposal of the carcass is a bonus and money you weren't expecting.

 

Only time will tell you what good, extremely expensive, advice that was you were given for free. 😉

 

 

It's knowing whether to spend on what I have or buy another car with a small budget. The issue I have is, as others have mentioned, these cars could be poorly maintained, high mileage examples. Sure they may be a few diamonds in the rough, but finding them in like finding a needle in a haystack and with my current car in the state it's in, time is in short supply for me.

[rum4mo]

10 hours ago, TMB said:

 

Oh heck, I forgot yours is a Polo, so the dash will be a bit different anyway.

 

 

No probs

I've replaced the brake pedal switch twice on a 2002 Polo, for some reason VW never got round to fitting the lower covers on the dash which meant nothing had to be removed to reach that switch.

[Tomjones1995]

19 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I've replaced the brake pedal switch twice on a 2002 Polo, for some reason VW never got round to fitting the lower covers on the dash which meant nothing had to be removed to reach that switch.

 

So, all I have to do is stick my head under the shelf under the steering wheel, roughly where the OBD port is and unplug the old switch and plug the new one in?

 

Is it that simple on a Polo 9N?

 

Because if it is, then that's a DIY job for me

[rum4mo]

10 hours ago, Tomjones1995 said:

Yeah £4k without servicing, MOT etc. Looking closer to £7k then!

 

I find that the lower profile suits my somewhat spirited driving style, but that doesn't mean to say I wouldn't consider a different tyre size to limit the harshness of the potholes and rough roads I have here in Mid Wales. I used to have an 02 Polo S 1.2 before the GT and that had I believe 14" steel wheels with the trims and it seemed more floaty in comparison to this wheel and tyre combo.

 

 

 

 

My wife's previous car, was a 2002 VW Polo 1.4 SE 16V 75PS so that means having the low max power, useless soft torque curve and quite poor fuel economy Polo option - my error, her previous car was a 1.6Zetec engined Fiesta 90PS!

As it was a 2003 MY SE, and I knew that the next refresh of UK was to include 15" Melbournes alloys, as I was doing the "save loads on personally importing", I spec'd it up with them and many other things that these robbers VW UK charge a fortune for.

So, a few severe winters later I bought a set of 14" steels for winter use with winter tyres, it was only then that I realised just how crashy the suspension was in summer time with the 15" alloys on, her current car is a 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and all the previous car's issues are in the past and also, while it has 16" alloys on in summer and 15" on in winter, the difference in "ride" is not really as noticeable as it was with the 2002 Polo.

 

I quite like a "firm" ride from a car's suspension, my old 2000 Passat 4Motion replaced a 1991 VX Cav GSI 4X4, that old Cav GSI 4X4 suspension was firm by compliant enough, the Passat 4Motion felt a lot like you were sitting on top of it and not part of it or in it, now I have 2011 Audi S4 and it feels a lot like the old 1991 Cav GSI 4X4 - which is good, so I finally got back to where I was 20 years previously. VW dealerships claimed that all the Passat "V" models had sports suspension, but that was nonsense, none of them got fitted with the sports suspension option especially when supplied via VW UK. Of course I could have thrown away all the factory fitted suspension and replaced with aftermarket options or VW sourced options, but I could not consider dumping usable parts, so I just tolerated it!

[nta16]

36 minutes ago, Tomjones1995 said:

It's knowing whether to spend on what I have or buy another car with a small budget. The issue I have is, as others have mentioned, these cars could be poorly maintained, high mileage examples. Sure they may be a few diamonds in the rough, but finding them in like finding a needle in a haystack and with my current car in the state it's in, time is in short supply for me.

Yes I totally understand, I'm not trying to persuade you either way, earlier in the thread I put a few suggestions about what to do with your existing car but as understandable most here will be looking favourably on VW products I'm a lot less so and thought I'd show the over side and widen the options.  Small cars used to be light and nippy yours is heavy and needs to power to haul its bulk which might give a solid feel but needs high speeds for any fun or excitement.  Lighter, smaller engined cars with less complicated computer programs (brake lights causing computer problems, it's a bad joke) feel more fun with less weight and power needed to haul it and more chance of keeping the speeds legal.

 

It's all your choices and preferences, I've no idea about small fun cars as the type I like haven't been about for a couple of decades other than perhaps ones you probably wouldn't like given your preference for your existing car.

 

Below is not specific to your choice of cars but what I put recently and gives a general different idea only, you may totally disagree and dismiss it and that's fine, just offered.

 

 

Edited 6 April, 2022 by nta16

[rum4mo]

49 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I've replaced the brake pedal switch twice on a 2002 Polo, for some reason VW never got round to fitting the lower covers on the dash which meant nothing had to be removed to reach that switch.

 

Yes, as I said that Aug built 2002 Polo did not have any covers low down, so it was just getting down and swopping switches.

 

Now, I'd advise that you source a genuine latest version as this switch has been evolved a few times, in that Polo's life time with us, I think that the switch or its end changed colour to denote that a revised version was now fitted, then its design/shape changed and with that second change came a change in method to fit it, though this later one could be "reset" to its original setting/length which it was said the earlier ones might not have been able to do, so messing about after fitting the later version incorrectly is now possible - having replaced the original version with the first improved version, I did end up messing up fitting the second one, so I did need to reset it and refit it.

 

As always, someone will have had an entirely different experience, but such is life!

 

Edit:- there are or used to be many youtube videos on changing these switches, and even some threads in this forum.

Edited 6 April, 2022 by rum4mo

[rum4mo]

I have a very gloomy view of working or resurrecting older cars, ie a hobby/project car, which is really a horrible situation to be in when you like working on cars!

 

If that car was just a selected tin box, bought cheaply and needed to get to work etc, then making choices about its future can be easy if you can fund a replacement.

 

My wife's previous cars were all household tools and required for her to function as a working mother, so when I finally totted up the price for me to get it back to being as reliable as it needed to be, as it needed 4 discs and pads, exhaust, another cam belt and some welding/painting and some other latent or current issues, at 13 years and 105K miles, I considered that having owned it from new, that it had served us well, though its early life was peppered with annoying "should not be happening" costly failures, so it was time to replace it - and we could afford to do that.

 

Your car sounds like it was deliberately looked out for, so it can not be considered to be just a tin box for you - it would be handy if you could grab a horrible cheap tin box to keep you mobile and quietly refurbished this treasured car.

 

I am retired so I could live with having a project/hobby car - but maybe with time that is what my 2011 Audi S4 is becoming, I'm just doing it in a different way, ie buying a pleasant  newish car and keeping it for a very long time, I know that we will replace my wife's 2015 Polo before that S4 gets replaced, just over 11 years old and 27K miles, only used for "trips away" and circumstances over the past 2 years have sort of messed up that!

I have a friend, also retired, he spent his entire working life buying and using well used SAABs, then ended up with a 1974(?) SAAB 96 as a treat/toy while still running quite old high mileage SAAB 9-5s one for his wife, a sedan and one for him an estate, well repeated reliability issues meant both of them ran out of life and were taken away by the local scrappy, to my amazement he then bought a 2 years old VW T-Roc, and then bought another project car, this time a SAAB 900 convertible, which needs serious welding and painting, but he never seems to have enough time to use or work on these classics, you can make life a bummer sometimes, I keep get pestered by ex work retired friends claiming that I need a project car in my life!

[Tomjones1995]

35 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

My wife's previous car, was a 2002 VW Polo 1.4 SE 16V 75PS so that means having the low max power, useless soft torque curve and quite poor fuel economy Polo option - my error, her previous car was a 1.6Zetec engined Fiesta 90PS!

As it was a 2003 MY SE, and I knew that the next refresh of UK was to include 15" Melbournes alloys, as I was doing the "save loads on personally importing", I spec'd it up with them and many other things that these robbers VW UK charge a fortune for.

So, a few severe winters later I bought a set of 14" steels for winter use with winter tyres, it was only then that I realised just how crashy the suspension was in summer time with the 15" alloys on, her current car is a 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and all the previous car's issues are in the past and also, while it has 16" alloys on in summer and 15" on in winter, the difference in "ride" is not really as noticeable as it was with the 2002 Polo.

 

I quite like a "firm" ride from a car's suspension, my old 2000 Passat 4Motion replaced a 1991 VX Cav GSI 4X4, that old Cav GSI 4X4 suspension was firm by compliant enough, the Passat 4Motion felt a lot like you were sitting on top of it and not part of it or in it, now I have 2011 Audi S4 and it feels a lot like the old 1991 Cav GSI 4X4 - which is good, so I finally got back to where I was 20 years previously. VW dealerships claimed that all the Passat "V" models had sports suspension, but that was nonsense, none of them got fitted with the sports suspension option especially when supplied via VW UK. Of course I could have thrown away all the factory fitted suspension and replaced with aftermarket options or VW sourced options, but I could not consider dumping usable parts, so I just tolerated it!

 

My car is currently completely stock except for the cupra bushes on the front wishbone rear which has improved the handling. That made it feel a little more crashy than it once did but I can tolerate a certain amount of crashyness in order to improve the handling on corners a little.

 

21 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

 

Yes, as I said that Aug built 2002 Polo did not have any covers low down, so it was just getting down and swopping switches.

 

Now, I'd advise that you source a genuine latest version as this switch has been evolved a few times, in that Polo's life time with us, I think that the switch or its end changed colour to denote that a revised version was now fitted, then its design/shape changed and with that second change came a change in method to fit it, though this later one could be "reset" to its original setting/length which it was said the earlier ones might not have been able to do, so messing about after fitting the later version incorrectly is now possible - having replaced the original version with the first improved version, I did end up messing up fitting the second one, so I did need to reset it and refit it.

 

As always, someone will have had an entirely different experience, but such is life!

 

Edit:- there are or used to be many youtube videos on changing these switches, and even some threads in this forum.

 

22 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

 

 

I'll have a look on YouTube in that case and see what I can find, thanks for the help

 

39 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Yes I totally understand, I'm not trying to persuade you either way, earlier in the thread I put a few suggestions about what to do with your existing car but as understandable most here will be looking favourably on VW products I'm a lot less so and thought I'd show the over side and widen the options.  Small cars used to be light and nippy yours is heavy and needs to power to haul its bulk which might give a solid feel but needs high speeds for any fun or excitement.  Lighter, smaller engined cars with less complicated computer programs (brake lights causing computer problems, it's a bad joke) feel more fun with less weight and power needed to haul it and more chance of keeping the speeds legal.

 

It's all your choices and preferences, I've no idea about small fun cars as the type I like haven't been about for a couple of decades other than perhaps ones you probably wouldn't like given your preference for your existing car.

 

Below is not specific to your choice of cars but what I put recently and gives a general different idea only, you may totally disagree and dismiss it and that's fine, just offered.

 

 

 

41 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Yes I totally understand, I'm not trying to persuade you either way, earlier in the thread I put a few suggestions about what to do with your existing car but as understandable most here will be looking favourably on VW products I'm a lot less so and thought I'd show the over side and widen the options.  Small cars used to be light and nippy yours is heavy and needs to power to haul its bulk which might give a solid feel but needs high speeds for any fun or excitement.  Lighter, smaller engined cars with less complicated computer programs (brake lights causing computer problems, it's a bad joke) feel more fun with less weight and power needed to haul it and more chance of keeping the speeds legal.

 

It's all your choices and preferences, I've no idea about small fun cars as the type I like haven't been about for a couple of decades other than perhaps ones you probably wouldn't like given your preference for your existing car.

 

Below is not specific to your choice of cars but what I put recently and gives a general different idea only, you may totally disagree and dismiss it and that's fine, just offered.

 

 

 

I didn't think you were trying to persuade me one way or the other.

I appreciate everybody's advice and it's always good to look at a problem from different angles. I had looked at a Honda Civic but I was under the impression they don't make very good diesel engines and that high revving petrol Vtec engines was more their forte which would cost me a lot to run in tax and fuel.

 

You could also say that if it doesn't cost you in repairs, you could save there as opposed to spending wods of cash on repairing and economical diesel, it does balance out.

 

But my Main concern I have with changing the car is that I can only afford high mileage examples which unless they're scrupulously maintained, will have issues of their own.

[Tomjones1995]

8 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I have a very gloomy view of working or resurrecting older cars, ie a hobby/project car, which is really a horrible situation to be in when you like working on cars!

 

If that car was just a selected tin box, bought cheaply and needed to get to work etc, then making choices about its future can be easy if you can fund a replacement.

 

My wife's previous cars were all household tools and required for her to function as a working mother, so when I finally totted up the price for me to get it back to being as reliable as it needed to be, as it needed 4 discs and pads, exhaust, another cam belt and some welding/painting and some other latent or current issues, at 13 years and 105K miles, I considered that having owned it from new, that it had served us well, though its early life was peppered with annoying "should not be happening" costly failures, so it was time to replace it - and we could afford to do that.

 

Your car sounds like it was deliberately looked out for, so it can not be considered to be just a tin box for you - it would be handy if you could grab a horrible cheap tin box to keep you mobile and quietly refurbished this treasured car.

 

I am retired so I could live with having a project/hobby car - but maybe with time that is what my 2011 Audi S4 is becoming, I'm just doing it in a different way, ie buying a pleasant  newish car and keeping it for a very long time, I know that we will replace my wife's 2015 Polo before that S4 gets replaced, just over 11 years old and 27K miles, only used for "trips away" and circumstances over the past 2 years have sort of messed up that!

I have a friend, also retired, he spent his entire working life buying and using well used SAABs, then ended up with a 1974(?) SAAB 96 as a treat/toy while still running quite old high mileage SAAB 9-5s one for his wife, a sedan and one for him an estate, well repeated reliability issues meant both of them ran out of life and were taken away by the local scrappy, to my amazement he then bought a 2 years old VW T-Roc, and then bought another project car, this time a SAAB 900 convertible, which needs serious welding and painting, but he never seems to have enough time to use or work on these classics, you can make life a bummer sometimes, I keep get pestered by ex work retired friends claiming that I need a project car in my life!

 

I had also explored that option of a cheap run around so that I could perhaps slowly restore the Polo in stages but even they are £1,000 plus around these parts. So stupidly expensive to pay through your nose for an old aging workhorse. I would expect to pay around £400 for just a cheap run around which would most certainly be a viable option for me if I could find one near by, if not just to buy me more time to assess my options.