Cars the way we remember them.

[mercrocker]

I'll go along with Bub's post too. The only caveat is when something fucks up beyond my limited poke-level and starts costing stupid money to track down unobtanium. Things like the dizzy on my 190E for example and I dread to think what the Chrysler is capable of throwing at me.

Until then, though, rock-solid stuff with all the engineering that was available to designers but not a tad too far for sensible useability.

[Hooli]

I agree too. I think about the best level of tech/common sense I've had on a car was my '92 Sierra. The only thing it'd need today to be a great car was the optional aircon as I've got used to that since then.

[bub2006]

The focus is rather primative too in it's technology. Has a near useless engine malfunction light that didn't even detect a misfire when an ht lead went down or when the MAF sensor was left unplugged to trace an issue it had. Didn't even register a code on forscan. The focus,like the astra also doesn't have canbus and has simple relays and fuses whereas Citroen and Peugeots of the focus age has a bsi and steering wheel module. A common fault when the steering module goes down on the PSA products is indicators flash 3 times then cancel and switch on the sidelights so to get round it you leave sidelights on permanently and also main beam goes erratic and refuses to turn off. I've had both issues happen to me.
The Vectra C had a cim module too and that's what wrote off my wife's 2003 Vectra. It started playing up on holiday where the key would turn,dash lights come on but wouldn't engage starter. Later that night it just refused to recognise key and put a padlock picture up on the dashboard.
Was a long day for me. Up at 8 am in the morning to enjoy a nice day out,car went down at 8 pm,she got a cab back to caravan while I waited for recovery. Recovery took me from Yarmouth to Norwich,dropped me and car off then another recovered me back to Ripley in Derbyshire. Unloaded the car,jumped in my Citroen c2 and drove back to Yarmouth. I was knackered getting back.
I've said to my wife I refuse now to have another PSA car as much as I like French stuff unless it's pre 2002.
To me,I need a car that is cheap to buy,cheap enough to run and in the case of a takeaway hack especially,if I have a bump one night I can get a wing,bumper and headlight from a breaker and be back on the road the next night. The focus does that task great in that parts are available,it's been damn reliable with a proper auto box. I couldn't replace it like for like with condition and mileage now for what I paid for it which was 600 quid. The astra is slow but reliable and economical. It's not too big for takeaways like the focus is but it's not too small like the Ignis was which means it can be also used as a replacement vehicle if the focus comes off the road for maintenance.

[Warren t claim]

Speaking from experience of owning dozens of the things, the petrol Mondeo Mk1/2 was probably "peak car".

[mercrocker]

I really cannot be doing with shit that breaks other stuff to let you know something completely unrelated (and usually not needed) is also broken.

[SiC]

I agree. Bub's mk4 astra is a perfect example. Virtually rot proof, piss easy to work on and very reliable.
The diesel version was bomb proof too. I did 100k in a van 1.7td with no ftp and I can't remember it ever having a service. Hammered everywhere too.

The 1.6 had a lot of issues at the time with the ECUs failing. Would kick up random codes and misfire. Basically an internal fault in them which caused quite a lot to be scrapped due to the large cost of replacing an ECU. They appear to be fixable nowadays.
https://www.actronics.co.uk/ecu/delphi- ... i-2-x-hdrc
https://www.actronics.co.uk/ecu/siemens-simtec-71-serie

Likewise the 1.7TD had ECU problems as well. These could be fixed without replacing the ECU though.
https://www.ecutesting.com/common-fault ... di-ecuedu/

Then the Astra G was the overheating issues they had when the separate fan controller ECU failed too.

[bub2006]

The fan controller is in a stupid location to be honest. I remember a bloke I know with an 80 bhp 1.7 and he said the control mounted on top of the engine was a known issue. I know the 16v models can have issues but haven't heard similar about the 8v except for oil usage and smoking issues which mine doesn't have for now at least. I'm happy to be corrected though.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

From a modernish car I need air con and ABS over and above lecky windows and stuff like that. Cruise is nice, bordering on essential.

A decent FM DAB radio can be fitted for peanuts these days.

[treehugger]

Absolute radio (Virgin radio) said it's soon leaving AM frequency, only to be heard on DAB. So I won't be hearing that at home then. Pillocks.

[Hooli]

Absolute radio (Virgin radio) said it's soon leaving AM frequency, only to be heard on DAB. So I won't be hearing that at home then. Pillocks.

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