A VW or BMW in my future?

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DickieG
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Re: A VW in my future?

Post by DickieG »

I've had a fair amount of experience with run flats, generally speaking provided you drive sensibly you should easily get 40 miles with a fully deflated tyre. It's quite rare for a puncture to destroy the tyre beyond its ability to be re-inflated so the answer on long journeys is to carry a pump to top up the pressure to get you to your destination even if it results in a sort of relay exercise. Due to run flats having stronger sidewalls they appear to be less susceptible to punctures from potholes so it's not all bad.
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Re: A VW in my future?

Post by elma »

Do all cars that lack spares have run flat tyres?
I've assumed you get normal tyres and a bottle of goo on most cars.
I'd probably be happier with run flats as they sound safer however I would still want a spare.
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Re: A VW in my future?

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elma wrote:Do all cars that lack spares have run flat tyres?
I've assumed you get normal tyres and a bottle of goo on most cars.
No, run flats generally don't come with anything as in spare, pump or goo but they hold quite an advantage over standard tyres with goo in that they will get you a fair few miles even with a very damaged tyre after say clipping a kerb etc.

Contrary to what most say when it comes to run flats and punctures, whilst the general word is that they can't be repaired, well that depends upon where you go and who you know etc.
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Re: A VW in my future?

Post by CitroJim »

Run-flats seem and excellent idea to me... I take it they've come a long way now since the days of the old Dunlop Denovo and those semi run-flats fitted to S2 Metros...
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Re: A VW in my future?

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CitroJim wrote:Run-flats seem and excellent idea to me... I take it they've come a long way now since the days of the old Dunlop Denovo and those semi run-flats fitted to S2 Metros...
Oh crikey we are talking chalk and cheese, a very different beast.
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Re: A VW in my future?

Post by CitroJim »

DickieG wrote:
CitroJim wrote:Run-flats seem and excellent idea to me... I take it they've come a long way now since the days of the old Dunlop Denovo and those semi run-flats fitted to S2 Metros...
Oh crikey we are talking chalk and cheese, a very different beast.
Thought we might be Richard :-D

So Mike has nothing to worry about then, having no spare...
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Re: A VW in my future?

Post by xantia_v6 »

Interesting opinions on run flats...

My point was really that I would prefer to down-size the wheels a couple of inches and put on conventional tyres for comfort, but then I would have a car without run-flats, and no spare. There really is no room for a spare in the very small boot.

For anyone that is interested, here are the 3 cars we tested:

Peugeot 308 CC from the dealer:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 923701.htm

VW EOS, Japanese import straight from the wharf
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 226680.htm

BMW E93, private sale, UK import,, (been in NZ 3 years) but looks clean underneath.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca ... 362966.htm
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by DickieG »

Personally I'd go for the BMW, far better build quality and excellent backup by way of info available on the internet from countless forums especially from the US, I'm unashamedly a fan of this brand as a cut above the usual Ford, VAG, GM and PSA etc. Generally speaking BMW are well versed at producing cars that are relatively simple in design but better engineered so easy to fix should anything go wrong. SWIMBO has recently bought a current shape F25 X3 3.0D to replace her E46 330ci and made me quite envious, a lovely car that goes and handles very well (0-60 in 6. something seconds) whilst returning 40 mpg and toys galore. I'm planning to view a 530D tomorrow in place of my C5,,,

Re the run-flats, carry a plug in tyre pump you'll cover just about every reasonable eventuality, I can't see any reason why you couldn't downsize the wheels if you wanted to other than the cost factor, run-flats are now pretty much universally available size wise.

BTW I'm flying to Christchurch just after Christmas staying near Amberley/Leithfield for a few days, BBQ on the beach on New Years Day come rain or shine just out of principle 8-)
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by Stickyfinger »

Bournemouth is good for Kebab Shops as well

Image

:)
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by DickieG »

You little tinker :twisted: better pies available in the southern hemisphere Christchurch :wink:
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

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:)
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by xantia_v6 »

I am still looking for a perfect pie. The bakery that I previously frequented has changed hands and quality has suffered.

You are welcome to drop in and see us if you have time. We are a bit on the other side of town, in Cashmere.
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by elma »

If that was my choice I'd struggle between the BMW and the Volkswagen. I'd have to hear the engines to decide.
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by xantia_v6 »

Both engines sound sweet. The VW feels more highly strung, but the transmission would take a lot of getting used to, particularly if jumping between that and a car with a conventional auto.

We took the same BMW for another drive today. I liked it more, Louise thought that rear visibility was a problem for parking, but it is better than many cars, and has parking sensors. I noticed a couple of creaks from the roof when going over bumps, but proably just due to dry and dusty rubber seals.

We also tried another 308 CC that has come up for sale, a 1.6 HDI. It was lower spec than the previous 308 CC (manual seats and probably missing a few gizmos). I didn't like the noise the engine makes, and it felt a bit agricultural, the transmission seemed to rather late selecting the correct gear at times (and the engine does not have enough torque to hide it). Louise liked driving it, perhaps because the driving position seems a bit higher.
It, like the other 308 CC is rather resonant with the top up (road noise, not exhaust). It made the BMW seem very refined.

It is time to make some decisions, but I don't know which way all the votes will go...
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Re: A VW or BMW in my future?

Post by isisalar »

When I was in the motor trade I worked at a large VW dealership for about 8 years, the organization from VW whether in the parts, service, or sales systems was nothing short of chaos, a perfect example of how not to do it. I moved to a BMW dealership and it was like a breath of fresh air, every system worked perfectly, everything was done in the most efficient way possible and the cars were very very reliable, back up where necessary was faultless.
No brainer for me BMW over VW every time for the ownership experience.
The only downside for me would be the dreadful road manners of a lot of BMW drivers and being tarred with the same brush, to be fair Audi drivers are almost as bad now.
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