[aro-rat]

Hello, I am new to the forum and wanted some help.

I am looking to buy a 2008 Allure either 1.6 e-HDi with EGC or 1.6 VTi with the 4 speed Auto.

Driving will mainly be local plus couple of trips every year to Scotland from London.

I like the e-HDI but know the downside of the DPF, I am hung up on the EGC issues and on the petrol side concerned if the 4 Speed auto has sufficient gearing !!

Can anyone help with EGC vs full Auto ?

 

[haligary]

Hi

I think a few of us have wrestled with this one.

I opted for the new(ish) 1.2 Vti egc and you will see I have commented on its quirky nature elsewhere i.e. the egc. My driving environment is unusual, constant 'town' conditions and everyone I asked warned me Hdi would be a mistake. As it happens I had test drives in an HDi egc and would say the drive 'style' is replicated in my car.

The egc goes through the higher gears quite smoothly in full auto mode but it is quirky between 1st and 2nd in particular. I have ended up driving it with the paddles and/or gear shift which I find permits smoother gear changes and is quite enjoyable in not having to worry about a clutch! But there is definitely a knack to it and I can't say I have completely mastered it after 2/3 weeks.

I couldn't say whether I'd make a different choice with hindsight but probably not. The 1.6 Vti lags the egc fuel consumption by some distance and I read a lot of comment about the engine being strained at speed. Obviously its impossible to say whether this latter factor would have been an issue for me and I don't see anyone on the forum saying this - maybe its just one of those things the 'experts' say that have little meaning in the real world?

Where I live the driving is constantly stop, start, slowing down, rarely overtaking or exceeding 40mph so I'm not really a good source of info for you. But with these conditions in mind I can say the car is very perky and zips around nicely when you need it. The smaller engine is ideal for my environment but I imagine you have already discounted this model as underpowered for your needs? I haven't taken the car away yet and tried it on a 'real' road so can't say if the performance continues at higher speeds but I see no reason why it shouldn't.

I appreciate the above won't be a great help to you but hopefully some of it will. Overall I really like the car which is an Allure with a few extras, had to have leather seats!

 

[burty]

Comment deleted as somehow it ended up in the wrong thread. Edited by: burty

 

[aro-rat]

Hi Haligary

Thanks for a detailed reply, your post is a great help and nice to know the real life facts from some using EGC.

We looked at some alternatives as well, including the new Qashqai, but the interior is too dark and materials not as nice as 2008, in reflection the Qashqai is too big for our needs as we have a 4x4.

The reason I mentioned the 1.6 engines were for more power, but I have not given up on the 1.2, we are test driving the 1.6 Vti and will request a test drive in the egc, ideally 1.2 to see the difference. I smiled reading your note on "expert" opinions, I read that too.

I am hung up on the return milage on the 1.6 VTi vs the future costs of DPF and the issues with EGC in Auto, the test drives will be useful.

Other than this are you happy with the day to day use of the 2008? I think heated seats are normal with leather ? what other extras did you go for ?

 

[haligary]

Good luck with the decision making process, I'm shocking when it comes to this. I sometimes wonder if we get derailed by the abundance of information available.

My Allure was kitted out with the cielo sunroof, sat nav + 2nd usb and leather seats. I'm not fussed about wheels in general and was happy with the standard Hydra. You do get the heated seats with the leather option and I also have the aluminium door sills but not pedals which I'm not sure are a good idea anyway - could they be slippy?

I like the car a lot, I wanted something in the same vein as my previous car (RAV4) but a little more compact. At the risk of sounding mildly pathetic one of the first things I consider in a car is getting my golf gear in. With my RAV the boot was my locker as the clubs fitted with the backs seats left up. The compromise with the 2008 is the clubs won't fit without the seats down. The bonus is how easy they flip over and give you a big flat space. It means its not a performance to put in and take out my kit - sad I know.

I need to carry a ladder from time to time so I bought the peugeot roof bars which are ideal and easy to attach so they can come off in a flash when not needed.

I enjoy the drive and have no issues with the small steering wheel, it feels right. So just the egc gear change thing is my only question mark and as time passes it bothers me less and less. The touch screen doesn't always do what i expect but I suspect its just a matter of getting used to it. I've worked out the radio & bluetooth (for phone), I've plugged my ipod in succesfully use and the trip screens. I'll delve more into the SatNav when I get away somewhere. I'm sure it does lots of other things but like many high tech devices I stop once I've got what I want, I suspect I am not alone on this score.

All the best with the selection process!

 

[aro-rat]

Thanks, too many choices out there but that is not a bad thing, perhaps car options should be simpler.

This may sound odd but surprisingly we have a Rav4 too and guess what, we carry small ladders in that for the property business and on occasions have carried our golf kit !! The Auto box in the Rav has slight problems with gear selection, we have had the ECU fixed but the car is being kept for property use and make trips to the dump yard with dry goods.

We will px the fiat 500, which is also used for carting our golf gear - with both seats down Some Fiat event today in Croydon so off there to check
the500 MPW again but I am not convinced with that, luckily they have the Jeep franchise so will try to find out the new
Cherokee
pricing.



2008 Test Drive tomorrow now. Not too sure about sat nav but keen on leather seats, parking and sunroof.

 

[haligary]

Well not quite parallel lives but interesting coincedences! To add to it my wife runs a Fiat 500!

My RAV was 10 years old with 70k on the clock and only let me down once - which was my own fault for ignoring signs that the battery needed replacing. I almost kept it and bought a little runaround but it seemed a bit excessive for what was involved.

I'd be interested to know what you go for in the end

Cheers

 

[aro-rat]

The test drive in the 2008 Allure1.6 VTi Auto was very good, this is a great car to drive, medium sized anamanageable. We went around a fewlocalroads maybe hit 40 mph maximum, don't think the car went into 4th gear which I checkedcouple of times bygoinginto tiptronic mode. The engine was a bit noisy and we did not (could not) test the gearbox/engine at motorway speeds. The px for our car isn't excellent also the 2008 in stock does have leather, which we (I) would like, we need to get a few things sorted before we place an order.


The 2008 is on top of the list, I think we will just pay the final payment on our car and hold back for a month or so perhaps tillAutumnand see if we can get the 1.2 THP with a full auto box.

 

[allan40alt]

You may find this thread of interest:

http://www.2008ownersclub.co.uk/forum/egc-auto-manual_topic101.html#.UzPrEKh_tNw




Not the extra cost of the VED for the petrol version!

Al.