Mk2 Arosa 1.4 8v Vs Mk2 Arosa 1.4 16v sport + TDI & other cars

[Dblock]

an 8v only revs to 3100doing 70 my 16v revs to about 3700ish is that right?

[243]

2002 Mk2 Arosa 1.4 16v sport Great at everything except i found myself changing down a bit

[

Agreed

[penry]

Well i can compare a few cars that ive driven:

Corsa C 1.2 SXI: Pulls altogether differently to my 1.0 arosa, seemed to only come alive after 3k revs compared to the arosa where it seems to pull all the way to the limiter (albeit not as quick). Gearchange nice, handles well with good steering. If i was to change i would probably go for one of these in 1.4 SRI though.

2000 Lupo 1.0E: Basically exactly the same as mine, i couldnt feel any noticable difference really apart from my brakes were better (but my pads were a lot newer so thats the explanation).

2002 Saxo VTS: Silly fast, but hated the driving position and pedal box. Nasty dashboard but again made up for by the really good handling. Steering not too bad, engine makes the car really.

2001 Saxo 1.1: Cousins car, took it for a spin and pulled surprisingly well. Brakes were good too compared with mine. But has the sturdiness of a yoghurt and you have to tell everyone that you drive a saxo.

2004 Polo 1.2 Twist: Mothers car, found it to have a lot more low down power than the 1.0 and also awesome brakes. Usual brill VW build quality, i was going to nick it off her before i realised i love the arosa too much!

2002 Lupo GTi 6 speed: Update you after xmas when ive got insurance sorted on it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[The subtle modder]

2002 Saxo VTS: Silly fast, but hated the driving position and pedal box. Nasty dashboard but again made up for by the really good handling. Steering not too bad, engine makes the car really.

agreed the power and handling are the reason there so popular 120bhp in a fag packet style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

the 1.2 SXi corsa is in my oppinion quite a slow car the 1.4 sri or even sxi is how it should be not a rocket but gets you there quick enough

and penry i may be updating on that subject also style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Daood that does sound odd i dont remember it being that high and asi said i found any time i needed to overtake i was changing down style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" />

wayne

Edited December 23, 2006 by The subtle modder

[penry]

and penry i may be updating on that subject also style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Let me know of any updates style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shades:" border="0" alt="shades.gif" />

[Dblock]

thats in 5th aswell

[The subtle modder]

sounds odd style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> if we account roughly for a 500revs drop in each gear so if you droped it into 4th at 70 that would put you at 4200-4300revs then i suppose that doesnt sound so bad as IIRC your wont hit limiter till 6500 revs? whereas mine hits limiter at 5500 revs

wayne

[Dblock]

that sounds right. i actully give driving at 60 a try usully drive at 70ish i use like no petrol at 60 brilliant

[cardaft]

that sounds right. i actully give driving at 60 a try usully drive at 70ish i use like no petrol at 60 brilliant

My 1.0 much preferes to do 60 than 70ish, uses much less fuel

[penry]

Ok so i drove my GTi for the first time (private road i might add as im not insured on it yet). First impressions, WOW! Put my foot down in first and instant smile on my face. From what i remember of the VTS this felt a lot quicker. Great gearbox as you'd expect, and i dont know what it is but it feels more sturdy than the arosa style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> Even though the interior is exactly the same. Anyway, im grinning ear to ear now just got to wait to transfer my plate over, insure it and i'll try to get some pics up style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[db]

Good! I was about to ask you where the hell the pictures were!

[The subtle modder]

sounds good style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> would be impressed if it is quicker than a VTS as they are from my experience (saxo and personally C2) damn quick cars

and get them pics done style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

wayne

[penry]

Sneaky peek:

border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" alt="" />

And no i havent nicked it, the numberplate is off for me to put mine on and clean underneath. Dirty!! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":o" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" />

Looks like ive got a big dent in my bumper too but theres not, must be the reflection of something?

Edited December 30, 2006 by penry

[db]

Very nice, i was suprised how bad the dirt was behind mine when i swapped over to my private plate, a good clean and some paint renovator and it was looking good as new. Your going to love it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[penry]

Ay i hope its as good as ive heard. I think i need cambridge lights though and in that pic ive lowered the front and not the back style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> So it looks a bit nose heavy style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

[The subtle modder]

Mk2 rosa lights clifords ( i think) silver gti looks spot on with them

wayne

[The subtle modder]

Panda 100HP test drive

the first thing you notice the suspension is very stiff NOT harsh but stiff flicking through the gears its pretty good, to be honest the gearbox was no where near as good as for example the Ford sportka, it isnt as quick but is the same price new style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> you cant crusie along in 6th at 30 as said above unlike other 6 speed cars on this it is a crusing gear for low fuel consumption it will happily cruise along in 5th but is best in 4th yet this next part which i feel makes the car but you have to have had something like a cinq etc to realise what im saying here

the modern car is a bit too relaxed for example my dads scenic sport 120 bhp, 60 in under 10 and over 120mhp BUT you dont know your doing it just stamp your foot damp in fifth and it will dow whatever speed you desire but in the panda like the old cinqs you drive it and really feel like your getting somewhere even at low speeds and working it up through the gears i can honestly say ui was having fun although ill admit i was getting carried away in some places style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":whistle:" border="0" alt="whistle.gif" />

i was coming up a dual carriageway and for a minute or two had been cruising in 5th at 40 then it changes to 50 so droped it into third and booted it and was damn impressed as was my dad in the back althouth the sameman didnt look so impressed:innocent: it then has a shap left turn off so slowed down which is when you realise just how extremely over sensitive the brakes are same as the new puntos dropped it in 2nd and booted it hard around this corner (i have test driven four cars on this route so know it well) and it would NOt let go just begged for more

then its back down the 50 zone brake for the 40 then a small round about, then a dual carriageway where it pulls really really well, then best of all a big round about, now this time i was determined so chucked it in the roundabout and kept pushing in second and it wouldnt let go then acclerated of the roundabout (slight cambered hill) and it just gripped like hell it was without doubt as impressive NEARLY as the new mini except you can tell the steering is electrnic but it is so responsive and agile it makes up for it

swaped over to let my dad have a go and he was just as impressed but saids he would choose the sportka straight away

theres two things wrong with it in my eyes

1) its five door, it really should be three but to be fair the tints and shape hides the extra two well

2) £10400 for the above car (metalic paint) no listed discounts

wayne

[penry]

Yeah ive heard loads of good reports about it, EVO loved it too. But i dont know its just doesnt look sporty enough for me. Doesnt have that feel about it its hard to put your finger on it...

[The subtle modder]

thats the thing it does have the sporty 'feel' it really shouldnt but it does its one of them cars you really have to drive and im damn tempted everyone i speak to says whats that looks like another slow fiat its such a sleeper, through a few roundabouts or country lane this thing will leave most small hatches for dead without doubt :evil2:

i have got the pics as a desktop on my phone and its growing on me more and more the rear doors are hidden quite well by the tints and graphite paintwork style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":wub:" border="0" alt="wub.gif" />

wayne

[penry]

Looking at it again, the only colour to have it in is the graphite. Otherwise it looks like a suzuki wagon r, which in the words of jeremy clarkson "should be avoided like having sex with an ethiopian transvestite".

[cardaft]

Well thought i may as well add my 2pence worth, seeing as this seems to be a test drive thread style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> if TSM dont mind style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Peugeot 107 1.0 Urban -

Quite liked them before i drove one. When i started it i thought the exhaust must have been taken off, but no it was still on. So i set off, and it had no where near the pull of the 1.0 Arosa, even though the peugeot has 68bhp or something, and its made out of old tin foil. The Arosa must have more torque as to make any progress in the pug you needed to work the gears. Cheap is an understantment, the doors show metal inside like the lupo/arosa, but its soo tinny. THis one had AC which was effective. THe fuel gauge is really bad, it goes from 2 dots (flipping electrical thing) to empty in 5 miles or so. Loads of road noise, body roll was well controlled and it gripped ok, but the suspension was near non existant, i looked for it on the options list but it wasnt in there either style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> . And it was red and i felt embarrased to drive around in it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Best avoided i think.

Kia Cerato 1.6 Zapp

Not that anyone will buy one, because no one has, and dont let the name fool you, its not zappy, its very slow. Ok it was an ok car, very boring, and just a euro box, didnt handle too bad, but it wasnt brilliant at anything.

Seat Ibiza 1.2 SX

Very nice, my loan car for 3 months. 3 cylinder engine was great, it was the biggher bhp version, although it seemed to drink the fuel quite a bit for a 1.2. Handled very well and gripped well, ride is slightly hard, but not too bad. Loads of space in the boot and the back. Climate control was very nice and a good long distance car for one with a small engine

Seat Corboba 1.4 Reference Very nice car, i prefered this to the ibiza just because i like the look of saloons better. The boot was huge, the engine was ok, but slightly underpowered, but much the same as the ibiza, great handling, nearly bought it when that loan car came up for sale.

Seat Altea 1.9TDi Stylance (X2)

Very good engine, felt quicker than the same engined golf for some reason. Good hanlding, and grip, loads of space, and nice touched like electric folding mirrors and dual climate control and cruise. Liked the looks, but a family car so i wouldnt buy one. I liked where the front wipers parked (along the A pillars) the front was very deceptive as its longer than i first thought. Great engine, and i got 60MPG on the trip once, with just normal driving, but press on and that soon went down.

Seat Leon 1.9 TDi SX

Very nice, i really liked this one, handles superbly i thought, and all was going well until the turbo stopped working and the engine management light came on. Very nice car though, prefer these to the golf mk4.

Seat (new) Leon 1.6 Reference

Again very like the Altea, just with a different driving position. I would recommend the 1.9 TDi over the 1.6 but it was gutsy. Driving position a bit like looking out of a letterbox but very sporty feeling. I like the red lights from the interior mirror which shine down on the gear stick and lower dash, nice touch (altea also had this) but less specced than the altea, and didnt even have alloys.

Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec

Great, handled better than the ibiza, and even better when i pumped the tyre up, fancy giving someone a loan car for a week with a flat tyre style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> it was a superb car though. Interior dash quality lets it down it feels quite brittle. the 1.4 engine liked to be worked hard, but it didnt feel that powerful TBH. Really liked driving it, and i didnt want to give it back style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> . Despite the good handling and grip the suspension was really soft, which supprosed me. There is 4 bigish speedbumps at the top of my road and it was very smooth over those. There was quite a lot of road noise at motorway speeds though.

All of these have been loan cars for atleast a few days so i got to know them and know what they are like to live with. Must have had an altea about 6 times atleast for a few days a time.

Renault megane 1.6 (new shape)

I like the look of these alot, handled well, and i liked everything about it. my parents bought this one, it was really really quick, and it seemed too quick for a 1.6, starting from junctions was done with lots of revs and clutch slip as the revs just flew up at the slightest touch of the throttle. Brakes were very severe, and there was odd things about it, like painted under the front bumper where it should be black, we think it had been in a quite bad accident or something, we later drove another and it was completely different. So not a conclusive test. But we lived with it for a few weeks, but it just wasnt right, so we changed it for:

'rents Renault Scenic 1.9DCI (new shape)

Used their car for a few months over last summer, i didnt like it before i drove it, but once i did i changed my mind. Very good engine, very quick and handles well for an MPV. And you soon forget its an MPV on a good country road, 6 speed box is good, and has immense long motorway cruising ability, very quiet, very economical, and comfy. Not very exciting though, and the gearbox had a tendancy to crunch, its a problem with them all so im told!

Smart fortwo

Fun car, and i wouldnt mind one as a toy for the weekends, but not livable with, felt like a bigger car to drive, but i didnt like the steering much, non assisted. And the gearbox was terrible, i was trying to get out into a busy road and i saw a gap, so i put my foot down, and it had to think about it for a good few seconds before it eventually crawled away, not impressed with that really. But at motorway speeds it seemed quite refined for what it is.

Also looked after one, for a friend of my parnets while they were away, left hand drive one. my mum couldnt quite get the hang of the size or the gears though style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> Good for parking, especially here, slotted in between the other 9 cars quite well really style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Vauxhall corsa 1.2 Club

As expected boring and dull to drive, look at and be in. Although i think it was before the twinport engine. Not a bad car by any means, but didnt do anything exciting.

Renault clio 1.4 dynamique

I liked this, nearly bought it but then decided not too, good handling, suspension but again a bit too ordinary. for my liking

Thers more but that will do for now style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> , dont want to bore people too much style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

Chris

Edited January 18, 2007 by cardaft

[The subtle modder]

Well thought i may as well add my 2pence worth, seeing as this seems to be a test drive thread style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> if STM dont mind style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

dont mind at all i think its a pretty good thread with general views a a wide variety of cars which is always good

Peugeot 107 1.0 Urban -

Best avoided i think.

couldnt put it better myself style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

'rents Renault Scenic 1.9DCI (new shape)

and the gearbox had a tendancy to crunch, its a problem with them all so im told!

our mk2 2001 plate doesnt and dont they all use the same running gear?

wayne

[cardaft]

dont mind at all i think its a pretty good thread with general views a a wide variety of cars which is always good

couldnt put it better myself style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

our mk2 2001 plate doesnt and dont they all use the same running gear?

wayne

Is yours a new shape with 6 speed box?

Well its a problem they have, if its really bad then the gearbox gets changed under warranty, but ours isnt too bad its just an occasional problem.

The new shape has different running gear to the old one i think. New shape scenics and meganes also have a tracking problem at the rear. The tracking toes in and its not adjustable. Ours went through a set of rear tyres in 15K, and they are michelin energys which are hard wearing and the front lasted 18K which is about normal. We took it to Renault and they said its normal and the excuse they gave was to increase handling style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> im sure! All it does is make it jump sideways when hitting large bumps and eat tyres.

Also they said with poor cheap tyres, they can rub the rear tyres off in 7K. They have set huge tollerences on the tracking to cover the fact the rear axel is out. Had quite a few problems with it and also with our last scenic RX4, dont think we will be buying a Renault again for our next family car. Otherwise its a good family car, the new picasso is tempting my dad i think, might be next.

Chris

Edited January 18, 2007 by cardaft

[The subtle modder]

Ours is what you would call the Megane scenic not the new shape though no its a 1.8 16v sports petrol and is a really nice car if as you say you ignore its a mpv etc the handlijgnis pretty good

i was told by a renault dealer theat they use the same engines but you are obviously proving different, our 1.8 unit was dropped due to fuel economy issues (almost same usage as 2.0 apparently) shame as its a damn good power unit 120bhp, o-60 in 10 flat and pulls past 120 for an mpv is damn good and the mid range torque is really good only thing my dad hates is the fact it has a 5 speed box instead of a 6 as it never calms down on the motorway

Only criticism i have against these cars is my dads is now 5 years old and it seems evertything is showing its age all at once now

the new picasso if anything like the old one will be crap we looked at and test drve the old one and can honestly say the daewoo rival at the time destryed it in comparison and it is no contest against out scenic especially after talking to owners who have been less than happy with them in use

wayne

[cardaft]

Oh yes i know the one you mean. 1.8 petrol will be quite quick yeah, we had a 2.0 RX4 before this one and that was really quick for what it was i think they have 144bhp, shame that they didnt fit brakes to it though style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" />

Yeah the new shape scenic is totally different running gear, different suspension gearboxes etc.

The new picasso is a totally different to the old one, the old one was quite bad, we test drove one but didnt like it. So its either a new picasso or a grand scenic as my dad still likes the secnic. Not sure if we really need a family car again though.

Chris