Shall I risk a small diesel automatic?

[demag]

I'm still running round in my Kia Venga (spit! ) . In actual fact it's not too bad, just a bit slow with crashy suspension. It's still got one year left on the warranty but Kia aren't really interested in my rattling suspension and knocking steering. I think all manufacturers are similar, unless you have a major fault they don't want to know. To be fair the power steering started to fail and they were over it like a rash, they replaced the whole lot which they said was £2k.
Any way I fancy a change to something quieter and softer/smoother and I would possibly like a small auto. Price limit probably about 5 grand max. From what I can see it's going to be a diesel Nemo/Qubo/Tippee type thing or a Reno Grand Modus. I like the Nemo styling and I like the higher seating position and I'm assuming the 1.4 8 valve hdi is ok, or the later 1.3 multijet which is the Fiat engine. My fear is the auto box which I think is the Sensodrive. I have read real horror stories about them on here and elsewhere. What does the team think, should I steer clear? There are some really cheap low mileage ones on AutoTrader. And that also poses a question, why are they all low mileage, because of gearbox breakdowns?

My other choice is the Grand Modus. I know it should be in the other forum but that hasn't been busy for a while and for simplicity I might as well keep everything in this post if that's ok with the mods.
I had a Modus before with the 1.5 diesel. A cracking engine with phenomenal mpg and a good turn of speed as well. Unfortunately the car I had was a bit of a nail but it was a nice car and I wouldn't mind another with the extra few inches of the Grand. The auto box is the QS5 and I can find absolutely zilch about it on the net apart from the usual love/hate things on various forums but nothing else. Optimistically some of those for sale have higher mileages in the region of 40-70k. Does anyone know anything about these boxes, any common faults?

There are other diesel autos I'm looking at ie: Kia Soul, I test drove one once with the six speed auto box. Very nice but back with the crashy suspension again, apart from that though a lovely motor.
Then there's the Chrysler Delta, wow! What a motor but slightly out of my price range Unless I could get a real good deal and mega rare as well. They use the Fiat 2litre diesel and 6 speed auto box.
I'm looking to keep road tax low and get good mpg. Can anyone suggest anything else?

[Peter.N.]

Can't really help you as all my cars are about 15 years old. The only thing I would say is that unless an auto is essential get a manual, you will get better mpg and the tax will likely be cheaper because of the lower emissions, also if an auto box fails it will likely write the car off.

Peter

[Stickyfinger]

Petrol for anything under 1400cc and doing local runs, times are changing soon regarding oilers.

[qprdude]

Had a look at a Chrysler Delta. Very nice. How about a Pug? Seem to be lots on the market at decent prices.
Have to agree with Sticky, small engines deserve petrol, and again, the future of diesel engine cars is a bit iffy as regards running costs.

[demag]

Dunno, small auto petrols don't seem very economic and tax is usually higher. And just at the moment there's not much on the market, I suppose it's boom time mid summer for selling. I really don't know what to do, just fancy a change. I popped into a Pug dealer yesterday to see a manual C3 Piccaso actually but it was out of my price range. He offered £3.5k for the Venga which left too much to find.

[qprdude]

Give it a couple of years and the tax on diesels will rocket. The "greens" have got us in their sights Dave. Wish I would get offered £3.5k for my C5.

[Sloppysod]

I am on the side of automatics, but, you must choose a car/engine/gearbox to suit your driving wants...
If you make long journeys you need a relaxing car with a reasonably sized engine, anything bigger than 1.6 and the longer the wheelbase the better.
However, if you are like my wife who does less than 2,500 a year mostly around town then a smaller engine is the way to go.
If you sit in traffic often, then I think an auto is a must and not think about the Fuel, however, our 1.4 Corsa gives about 30 mpg, which I do not think is too bad.

Personally I would stay away from the PSA Semi-auto, they need looking after, and as you are buying 2nd hand you wont know if it has.

As Sticky & qprdude have said, diesel vehicles will get clobbered in a couple of years time, Road fund tax will go up and values will go down even further, they blame the particulate soot on cars even though they burn much cleaner than some trucks & buses, but as they do not have an alternative for the diesel truck yet (on sale) the car will get it.

[Bob L'eponge]

they blame the particulate soot on cars even though they burn much cleaner than some trucks & buses, but as they do not have an alternative for the diesel truck yet (on sale) the car will get it.

That might be true if by 'some trucks and buses' you mean an old Routemaster or some such but, overall, commercial diesel units have been way ahead of cars when it comes to controlling diesel emissions. For example, 'AdBlue' systems are standard on trucks and have been in use for over 12 years, but are only now being introduced on cars.

What the authorities should be doing is taking serious steps to take all the diesel cars off the road that are being used illegally due to them having their ERGs blocked, Faps removed and so on. These vehicles create a hugely disproportionate amount of particulates and NoX (way more than any modern truck) and the filth they throw out is picked up by the monitoring stations, encouraging legislation that affect everybody, even diesel users with fully-functioning EGRs, Faps and AdBlue systems!

[demag]

So what are peeps thoughts on the egs box? Or the Renault QS5? I often wonder if some of the probs are caused by bad driving technique as I read you have to adjust your driving.

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[Stickyfinger]

For town driving and short runs, the most BASIC of automatic gearboxes are best for long life and easy when in traffic (IMO)

(+ you do not want to change gear with your burger eating hand do you ! )

[Ocellia]

Nice Figaro? I loved my S-Cargo! (It WAS a 2CV hommage!)

[demag]

S-cargo. Well err its certainly different!

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