New Car Update

[Chrispb]

Well been using the Mk3 for nearly 2 months now, the biggest difference I have noticed is the ride and handling, on motorways and good surfaced roads no problem and the electric power steering is light and very precise.
On some of our poor local A roads it can be quite uncomfortable being bumped and jostled about, I suppose some of this is down to the lower profile tyres.
Am also struggling to get into the 40 + MPG it's done 1600 mls now, still early days yet I know, it was so easy on the Mk2 to get into the  mid 40's.
The booster heater is not available in this country but the warm up time is very acceptable for a diesel but does this mean it's not as efficient as the VW engines or are they using glow plugs in the water jacket? will have to investigate.
Although I like the car I'm still not convinced it's a better car than the Mk 2 time will tell

[gregers]

same on my smax m8,but im running 18's on mine.
best mpg ive got out of mine so far is just under 40,but this is only town driving.
i dont think they are as good as the vw engine,but then again as you have noticed it gets up to temp fairly quickly.

[gregers]

On some of our poor local A roads it can be quite uncomfortable being bumped and jostled about, I suppose some of this is down to the lower profile tyres.

think you will be VERY VERY HAPPY M8,that you will not have to pay for replacements.
ive just enquired about tyres on my smax,235/45/r18 98w,and BLOODY HELL for the conti's that are fitted on mine,

                          Ã,£237 EACH holy shit,there expensive.
even budgets are comming in around a Ã,£100 each,
anyone know of a cheap tyre supplier,as there all bloody expensive down my way

[Mirez]

www.blackcircles.com - used them a number of times now, they get sent to a local fitter and you turn up and have the fitted. Easy

[gregers]

think these are the 1s i might be going for,
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m61b872s2057p0/Car_Tyres_-_MPV_Tyres_-_People_Carrier_Tyres_-_18%5C_inch_ACCELERA_TYRES_CAR_ACCELERA_PHI_-_R18_inch_-_235_45_18_235_45_R_18

seems a lot of smax owners are using these,

[Chrispb]

Well for the first time and at 1950 mls have got into the 40+ mpg so hopefully because engine is loosening up now, at least it's going in the right direction, onwards & upwards

[Mirez]

Humm yours should be able to do 47ish so good job its going the right way

Interestingly I did note a substantial drop of 7mpg when I had my new exhaust and cat fitted - took 4K miles to climb back up again. Reading around the net it looks like a new cat is an MPG killer until its bedded in so yours may still have a way to go and MPG to yield

[Chrispb]

Certainly hope so otherwise there data for the car is well out, here's there figures.

[Mirez]

Cool, did that come with the car or is there a site with it on?

[Chrispb]

Yes it came with the car, it has the vin number along the bottom which have folded over

[gregers]

funnily enough we took a little trip to hastings today in my smax,and on the way back driving at about 55 mine averaged about 52 mpg,but mine has 101k on the clock.
last year when we took the missus smax to wales i got NOWHERE near 40 mpg.
hers now has about 12k and hers is still not posting that sort of mpg.
so i wonder how much bedding in needs to be done before you get the so called reported mpg?

[Chrispb]

Hi Greg
Your two S Max's have they the same engine size and power output, Auto/Man box.

[gregers]

yes m8,140 bhp both manuels.
just hers is a zetec mine is titainium.
wondered if any extra kit would make the car weigh more???and mine has 18" snowflakes and hers are standard zetec alloys.but mine is well bedded in