Touran Touran and other MPV's

We had one of the first Tourans in the UK. The lights filled with water, the alarm didn't work properly, the cooling system kept emptying itself, ad the turbo pipe came off at 60mph. Not good. The lease company rejected it and we got a golf instead. That said, when it worked (about two days out of the month we had it) it was very nice. We had the 140bhp TDI, which is probably the best at a sensible price. We currently have a Mazda 5 143bhp diesel, which looks a lot better and drives well, and is cheaper too. It's definitely worth looking at, though the build quality is not up to the Touran's. Mazda came top in some reliability study or other, and when they do go wrong spares and repairs are cheaper than VW.

Nigel

I've driven a Ford C-Max and S-Max and both really are very tolerable. Ford's reliability ratings are pretty high now across the range. Don't forget the new Mondeo, the estate version is huge.

I should say my brother is a Ford exec-hence I get to see these cars as they rotate through his garage. Never bought one myself though!

Try the Grand Scenic or regular Espace before deciding.

Forget the old tosh about German cars being better than French, my Modus is far better screwed together than my mates Touran.

Plus unless you and your wife are tall you will look like midgets in the bath driving a Touran.

Jono

Honda FRV?

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Originally posted by Jono 13:



Plus unless you and your wife are tall you will look like midgets in the bath driving a Touran.

Jono

I'm no a short mon

Thanks chaps. The What Car website is also very good and has video reviews of lots of cars. As ever they all seem to have pro's and con's.

Diccus

We have just sold our Touran 2.0 TDi (140) after a year.

It was really good, no faults, good fuel economy and could reach 125mph (autobahn only!!).

Plenty of space, excellent storage compartments all over and comfortable for driver and passengers on long journeys.

quote:

"We had one of the first Tourans in the UK. The lights filled with water, the alarm didn't work properly, the cooling system kept emptying itself, ad the turbo pipe came off at 60mph. Not good." ........ "We currently have a Mazda 5 143bhp diesel, which looks a lot better and drives well, and is cheaper too. It's definitely worth looking at, though the build quality is not up to the Touran's."

I found that a little confusing - you had a car with rubbish build quality (ergo, it was falling to pices and failing within a month of new), and you replaced it with a vehicle that you say has a lesser build quality, and effectively recommend it?!

The french cars on our fleet are rubbish. They feel like they are made of plastic ,those stupid bloody card ignition systems some have, the seats and adjusters are awful. Peugot can't even put the fuel fillers on the same side of all their models. One car you have to open the passenger door to be able to move the bonnet opener, OK if you have a RHD car and the drivers door is open.How these cars get 5* safety approval beats me the secondary safety is crap the number of times I scratch and cut my self on sharp pieces is amazing.
OK VAG cars aren't perfect but we get more special request for them them (and Fords) than any of the others.
Don't have Tourans but the VAG diesel engines are great.

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My W reg Passat

This finally gives me the opurtunity to ask what 'W reg' (or any other letter) means on British car's?

JohanR

See
more than you ever wanted to know

We have a Touran which we bought to replace a Zafira about a year ago.

I think it is a pretty good vehicle for 5 of a family and we've had no issues mechanically, electrically or otherwise.

Graeme

quote:

Originally posted by JohanR:

quote:

My W reg Passat

This finally gives me the opurtunity to ask what 'W reg' (or any other letter) means on British car's?

JohanR

Johan

It means it is like me - old and knackered

quote:

Originally posted by Rico:
I found that a little confusing - you had a car with rubbish build quality (ergo, it was falling to pices and failing within a month of new), and you replaced it with a vehicle that you say has a lesser build quality, and effectively recommend it?!

Understand what you are saying Rico. It is contradictory.

There is a difference between perceived build quality and actual reliability. Quite a few Mitsi's for example seem to be cheaply build with lower perceived quality but they run a millions miles with little problem! And vice versa

Hmm - I see what you mean about my post. The particular Touran we had was a lemon - hence it was rejected. The Mazda has never gone wrong, but doesn't give the impression of being of such high quility as the VW. Which may make sense. Or not. The Mazda does look better though - it's probably the best looking of all the small family buses.

Nigel

I looked at several including the Touran and ended up with a Zafira GSi which we've had for 3 years now. I doubt there is a lot between them; we're very happy with ours. To be honest, the deciding factor was the dealership. I had a Passat before and got fed up with the dealer - they have a good product and seem to be very complacent. Vauxhall have a fairly poor reputation and seem to try a lot harder to keep their customers happy - at least at my local dealership. Over the 3 years, we've been very happy with the Zafira. Goes like stink too which is amusing.

it's interesting eh; we're all interested in cars, yet the same terms mean different things.

eg - a headlight on a new car filling with water to me means build quality; to Jay it appears to mean reliability (breakdown).

I see build quality as "is it well built (does it fall to pieces, and is the fit and finish good). Reliability is "do components fail ahead of expectation, or does the car simply fail to take me where I want, when I want?". The caveat is of course, when serviced regularly.

I guess it's like hifi, sort of.

And Nigel - I did understand your post!

I think people talk about 'build quality' when they mean perceptions of surface finish, solidity etc. It is often misleading.

My wife is on her second Honda. The first had a rather brittle and shiny looking interior, the sort that car reviewers call 'poor quality'. The doors clanged tinnily when they shut and the controls felt cheap. After 6 years it still had a brittle and shiny looking interior-but it had all worn exceptionally well and the car had worked absolutely perfectly with only basic routine maintenance. That is true quality and her newer one is no different.

Because I am far too shallow I buy cars that look and feel nice, and then flog them before they fall apart*. My Audi is apparently beautifully made-but I doubt it would surpass the Honda for real durability.

Bruce

*The exception to my rule was my last Alfa. it looked and felt nice but fell apart before I could get around to selling it; ie more or less immediately.

If it were my money I would be thinking of a Japanese car, which in my experience may look a little basic compared to there European eqivalents, are far less hassle to own.

If you really want to MPV there's the Mazda or Honda FRV.

Or if you just need to lug a few kids and their stuff around my choice would be the Subaru Legacy Tourer or the Forester XC or XT. The Legacy is great to drive, feels very 'planted' and safe, is huge and can be picked up for around £13k if you know where to look (say SGT in Maidenhead...) .

I own a Forester XT which is a 'stealth ballistic brick',goes like a rocket, handles very well and runs like clockwork. The XC is same thing with a smaller thirst for fuel and less of an ability to keep pace with Porsches. Subaru dealers are great too.
Good luck.

Forester oh yes please! I;d love one but the company car scheme (I do too many miles not to have a company car) doesn't allow one. I drove a couple at a Subaru / Prodrive driving day a few months ago (skidpan and offroad - as well as Legacies and Imprezas on track) and it is the top of my list of cars I'd like to have - but I cannot afford the fuel costs. It just feels right to drive...

There's also the Toyota Corolla and Avensis Verso...just avoid the Yaris Verso, looks like a Pope-mobile!

..or for something completely different, try a seven-seater new model discovery!

Chaps

The range is £15,000 with good fuel economy and pref 7 seats (tho will mainly use 5)

Some crackin posts here. Love Bruce's admission of Shallowness. Hey your a man it's allowed. The Alpha's are generally beautiful and very tempting.

Keep it up

Diccus

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Originally posted by Diccus62:
Chaps

The range is £15,000 with good fuel economy and pref 7 seats (tho will mainly use 5)

Some crackin posts here. Love Bruce's admission of Shallowness. Hey your a man it's allowed. The Alpha's are generally beautiful and very tempting.

Keep it up

Diccus

In almost all things I'm a cool, analytical and vaguely cynical purchaser. However when I walk into a car showroom it tends to go all pear-shaped.....

Bruce

quote:

..or for something completely different, try a seven-seater new model discovery

Then you can have eveyone thinking you are a complete twat as you drive by.

Nigel