New Motor.

[eno]

We are finally getting rid of our Citroen Picasso .... YAYYYYYY!!! I've never really liked them but Mrs eno was rather set on them. I've finally persuaded her ..... along with the fact that we have to tighten our belts

[Craig.]

Good choice mate. Been looking at the baby volvo myself. The new designs are brilliant. Add in the safety side you cant go wrong.

[MWISimmer]

I was looking at them, albeit second hand, this time last year when I eventually settled for my Mondeo.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.. and whilst I'm happy with the Ford, looking at the pictures I feel I missed out  8-)  :P

Enjoy, eno

[C]

As Craig knows I was looking at a Ford group product last year. Shame they don't do auto 2.0L diesels, which would have made the X-Type Jag/Volvo V40/Ford Mondeo far more attractive.

No wonder you see so many VW group products on the road.

[todayshorse]

Interesting...as it happens, my 'better' half is also entitled to a vehicle through the motability scheme, and our first 3 years is up on march 2nd this year. We therefore had the difficult choice of choosing our next car in december, although this time our budget was virtualy nothing, unlike 3 years ago, when money really wasnt the issue it is now, and we plumped for a (at the time) top of the range Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia...

My other half has severe back related problems, so the car we choose has to have certain atributes, a saloon is best for lifting of the boot and an auto would be heaven - but it seems saloons are out on the motability scheme, and autos are always

[Mictheslik]

Wasn't this JC's coolest car ever

Anyhow, we'll also be getting a new car soon....99.99% probably a VW Polo bluemotion 2 ....available in black, off black, or silver

.mic

[Craig.]

[quote]Interesting...as it happens, my 'better' half is also entitled to a vehicle through the motability scheme, and our first 3 years is up on march 2nd this year. We therefore had the difficult choice of choosing our next car in december, although this time our budget was virtualy nothing, unlike 3 years ago, when money really wasnt the issue it is now, and we plumped for a (at the time) top of the range Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia...

My other half has severe back related problems, so the car we choose has to have certain atributes, a saloon is best for lifting of the boot and an auto would be heaven - but it seems saloons are out on the motability scheme, and autos are always

[eno]

[quote]Interesting...as it happens, my 'better' half is also entitled to a vehicle through the motability scheme, and our first 3 years is up on march 2nd this year. We therefore had the difficult choice of choosing our next car in december, although this time our budget was virtualy nothing, unlike 3 years ago, when money really wasnt the issue it is now, and we plumped for a (at the time) top of the range Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia...

My other half has severe back related problems, so the car we choose has to have certain atributes, a saloon is best for lifting of the boot and an auto would be heaven - but it seems saloons are out on the motability scheme, and autos are always

[todayshorse]

indeed, we had no idea the 6 was so cheap on the deposit - vauxhall was really a last resort, id driven a friends CDTI Vectra, and although im personaly no fan of vauxhalls it wasnt as bad as i had feared - but with the dealer not letting us have a drive in a 1.8 (admittedly the most powerful 1.8 out there at over 140bhp, it has VVTi) it was a no-no. I got the impression the dealer took the view that as we were getting it for 'free' then it didnt really matter. But as your aware, its certainly not free! And theres no way we would commit to a three year deal without even sitting in one let alone driving one....the interior i feel is the vauxhalls biggest low point, its not nice really!

Mazda couldnt have been more helpful - i was quite suprised! They were a little reluctant to reveal just how much ford is actualy underneath, far more then they were letting on im sure as driving it revealed it to be very 'ford' like in the way it handled and general overall 'feel' - and i havent driven a new mondeo (yet) but our focus gave me enough understanding as to where ford are at and the mazda was very similar.

I really really wanted a diesel but our budget just couldnt stretch to one, and in all honestly we dont do a lot of miles so its not really an issue - maybe next time, as they do a 6 with a 2.2 diesel or somthing, with all the bodykit and extras - looked superb in the showroom!

[beaky]

Excellent choice!  you will love it.
From what I hear, Volvo is still doing things right. Aside from the 1800 (which I like the looks of but do not really enjoy driving), they wisely worked hard within the confines of "boring" to produce some excellent daily drivers, and just about perfected the concept. And yes, they're a little sportier now, but the old philosophy seems to still be there.

My dad was a Volvo salesman for many years, and my childhood was filled with family outings in Volvo showroom demos: the 544, the 122, the 164 the 1800, all the 200-series sedans... he also drove and sold Renaults, Audis, Saabs, and Subarus, but the Volvos were his faves.

I've owned a 1971 164 and a 1986 242; both well-aged when I got them, but until they died (mostly due to neglect before and after I got them... and poverty) they served me very well. Great cars for winter or any extreme weather; nice ergonomics, quality materials and good fit'n'finish. Say what you want about those old boxes, but that 164's tractor engine always started easily, the worn-out leather seats still felt great to sit in, and that thing was unstoppable in snow! I drove it home once in a blizzard through 2-foot drifts, passing spun-out SUVs and Jeeps the whole way. I miss that old gal, leaky Strombergs and all.

If I had the ducats and didn't live in Crack Zombie Central, I'd probably be driving a new Volvo now.