Bought the polar opposite of the Z for daily duties...

[stuartinzg]

I needed to replace my ageing/dying Astra, which has served me well over the years. It's too tatty and in need of too much work now for me to consider keeping it. It could plod on... but I don't want to import it here, so am going for something "local".

Had to be practical, fit under the N1 criteria (which means I can claim back all the VAT + fuel, expenses, insurance, etc under the company) and pay very little extra tax. My options here are extremely limited, since the government requires cages/grids in all cars/vans and then you end up with 2 or 3 seats. Not practical enough.

They are also disallowing pickups as they are considered cars now.
This leaves me with very few options.... or so I thought. Then I stumbled across this beauty which is N1 without a cage :evil: .
Well I say beauty, it's ugly like a new born baby, except as it got older, it stayed ugly. However, as my girlfriends father said... "I don't know why, but I really like it" My girlfriend has a Suzuki Swift, we can use that if we have to park in town.

It's the top of the line 2.0 JTD Multijet II with 135 hp standard + lots of optional extras. I negotiated with the dealer to do a complete service before I take delivery and fix one ding on the passenger wing. I will pay the extortionate FIAT prices for parts, in return I'll get a 3 year warranty on all the work done and free labour. It will have oil, filters (oil, fuel, pollen, micro, cabin, etc), anti freeze, cambelt/waterpump/cambelt tensioner, all other belts, new winter tyres and full geo.
I'll look to get thule roof rails and a roof box next spring and may get a remap done for some fun (180 hp)...

First job is a proper detail and clean - especially the interior which has a few stains, but nothing serious. Won't be doing the ceramic protection like I did on the Z mind you! A few coats of wax once it has been corrected and clayed. May get the optional 16" alloys but probably no point with these roads, and especially with winter tyres.

Here is she is all her fugly glory, pick her up next weekend. Is it strange that I can't wait?
I have a heap of rubbish on the balcony I need to take to the skip and a garage to clear out ... the seats push right forward, it can take a huge amount of luggage and has C rated tyres (expensive, but heavy load) and can carry 750 KG

 

[Grumpyowl]

I like that,it would make a great dog car

 

[john-e89]

I want to say congratulations but I don't fancy a smack in the chops Stuart... :lol:

To be fair I bet it'll be spot on for what you need given the limited options. It'll make getting out in the Zed that much sweeter.

 

[buzyg]

I was thinking you must have bought a big old barge. But I reckon that's going to be a lot more frugal and a lot more use.

and as long as it never breaks, you'll never have to Fix It Again Tomorrow. :wink:

 

[stuartinzg]

I like that,it would make a great dog car

That was on the agenda in the next year or so...

 

[stuartinzg]

I want to say congratulations but I don't fancy a smack in the chops Stuart... :lol:

To be fair I bet it'll be spot on for what you need given the limited options. It'll make getting out in the Zed that much sweeter.

I know, I know.

The mockery has just begun

When I paid the deposit and came home, I did have to sit in the Z in the garage for a while as I had immediate buyers remorse :lol: .
Softly speaking to him whilst stroking the dashboard... "More money for you now my beauty"

My best mate did comment that my car choices often mirror my choices in women ... at first I laughed, then I thought, oi, cheeky git ...

 

[pvr]

I don't know, it really looks quite similar to an E89 though

 

[stuartinzg]

I don't know, it really looks quite similar to an E89 though

I think I could park my E89 in the back !

 

[stuartinzg]

I was thinking you must have bought a big old barge. But I reckon that's going to be a lot more frugal and a lot more use.

and as long as it never breaks, you'll never have to Fix It Again Tomorrow. :wink:

I was thinking about an old 5 series touring, but they're just too old and tatty now. This has 20k mile service intervals (but I would service much more often than that). I can use it and hopefully, if i'm not fixing it again tomorrow, just use it and go anywhere, do anything...etc. We want to do a European tour and often go to the coast and need to take people with a lot of luggage. Should suit the purpose

 

[Ewazix]

Anyway the headlights look good, squint a bit and they look like Porsche or Alfa 4C :wink:

 

[mattyp]

sensible choice to keep miles off the Zed

 

[Mr Tidy]

Interesting choice OP, but I realise there are financial reasons to choose this - I just hope they are compelling! :laugh: OK, so I see they are (thankfully)!

I needed something vaguely practical after I bought my first Z4, so I ended up with an E46 325ti! Not quite the whole truth, as I had a 1996 Mazda 323f 1.5 litre with only 2 previous owners and 62K miles for 6 months before that.

I thought it made perfect sense as with that age and engine size RFL was cheap, it had a non-interference engine so no need to worry about the cam-belt until it broke, but it was just so miserably boring to drive I hardly used it if I could avoid it (which rather defeated the purpose)!

I used to go to work on an A road with a long uphill section that had an overtaking lane, but even carrying plenty of speed around the roundabout at the bottom of the hill and burying the pedal in the carpet the Mazda tended to be overtaken by the inside lane!
Realised I would never enjoy something as gutless as that, so went to Plan B as I just found using it such a miserable experience!

As I still needed something a nonagenarian parent could get in (and out of) I put a search on A/T for a 325ti and found the Sport model I have now - wonderful, could easily overtake on the uphill road going to work, still had straight 6 soundtrack and fun handling (2 x Band K RFL wasn't quite so wonderful, but it was a small price to pay)! Reminded me of the 2.8 Injection Capris I used to own but better in every way, and at about 20% of the price of a Capri what's not to like?

If there is a downside it is that because the 325ti is great fun maybe I don't use the Z4 enough, but every time I do it still feels really special!

Sorry for the long-winded post, but I have realised I can't drive sensible! :lol:

 

[paulgs1000]

I love vans and squared off cars so this looks a great choice to me. I also like having a vehicle that can be used for anything - from furniture removals to dog duties and trips to the tip. That looks spot on and a great find - nice one. (I also like 'odd' choices and vehicles that are not the 'expected')

 

[freemadw]

I had this for four years, read all sorts of horror stories before I bought it but I never had a moments trouble with it:



Cheers, Dave

 

[stuartinzg]

sensible choice to keep miles off the Zed

I thought so

Interesting choice OP, but I realise there are financial reasons to choose this - I just hope they are compelling! :laugh:

I needed something vaguely practical after I bought my first Z4, so I ended up with an E46 325ti!

It's effectively a free car as the profit is offset against depreciation and all my VAT is claimed back. I won't pay (personally - of course it all comes from the same pot), much for fuel/insurance, etc. I don't need to be a snob for my daily snotter, but I'll let my friends mock me while spending £500 a month of their taxed personal income on their diesel generic Audi's

I love vans and squared off cars so this looks a great choice to me. I also like having a vehicle that can be used for anything - from furniture removals to dog duties and trips to the tip. That looks spot on and a great find - nice one. (I also like 'odd' choices and vehicles that are not the 'expected')

Yes, the more people that come in contact with it, the more like the idea

I had this for four years, read all sorts of horror stories before I bought it but I never had a moments trouble with it:



Cheers, Dave

Great choice Dave - I hope you don't mind me saying, but this is possibly the only car uglier than mine! They can sit together in the car park

 

[freemadw]

The good thing was that when you were driving it, you couldn't see the outside...

I think these had it beaten for ugliness though:




Cheers, Dave

 

[Mr Tidy]

Just when I thought Fiat had the ugliness market all sewn up after the demise of the original Hyundai Matrix, freemadw you come along and prove me wrong! :lol:

You have found a couple of real horrors there - well done!

 

[stuartinzg]

Got my insurance quote through, not bad - around £550 (used to be £450!) once exchange rate factored, I don't have any NCD here and this is fully comp with no excesses with Allianz. The work has started, hopefully pickup this weekend or early next week once he has been re-registered. It's insured for up to 16k euros (if replacement necessary).

 

[stuartinzg]

Picked up the Doblo a couple of days ago, it's really quite fun to drive - such a high position and it's comfortable and reasonably refined. With 135 hp standard and a lot of torques it really pulls well, up to 100 mph no problem! People tend to get out of the way, unlike when I'm in the Z!

Have a few items on the agenda already:

Detail+wax, pull out a couple of minor dents and carpark dings
Leather steering wheel (the plastic is just nasty)
Leather gearshift knob+gaiter
Bigger pedals from Fiat
16" alloys with summer tyres (but won't do that until spring, plenty around second hand)
Wind deflectors (http://www.climair.de/shop/index.php/cat/c16052_4-5-door--2010-.html)
Brodit clip+cables (already ordered)
Remap (yes I know, can't help myself, but it promises to improve responsiveness and be less van-like)
Tinted windows for the rear (keeps it much cooler in the summer over here), currently 0 tint, this thing will be like a greenhouse
Retrofitted front/rear parking sensors
Cargo net for the back with bungees and extra bungees for strapping things down
Thule roof box and roof rails
Rear seat LCD screens for long journeys powered by Pi's (like my BMW! will be cheap as it's totally DIY with £40 screens)
Upgraded sound system, since OEM is totally rubbish, going to look for something on the local ads