[skyship007]

Originally Posted by anton differing

I have a D3, and for my gentle style of driving, I don't think I'd want anything more powerful. It has enough oomph to get away quickly (I had to learn to be careful not to squeal the tyres) and cruises pleasantly, so, for a non-performance orientated driver, it would be ideal.

The other plus point (in my opinion) is that it comes with the six-speed automatic, which I believe is a traditional torque converter type. This means that it will be a bit thirstier, but on the other hand such transmissions oilare virtually bombproof, whereas there are some questions against the durability and/or maintenance costs of the dual-clutch types.

I would only buy a car with a dual clutch auto box if it has a real good warranty. They are very, very expensive to repair.

The recent drive for ultimate fuel economy figures has resulted in the use of some very thin box oils. Those oils contain high levels of anti wear, friction modifying and extreme pressure additives. If the previous owner has topped up with non OEM standard oil (We used to call them hydraulic fluid, but they are more similar to an engine oil in base stock terms), or simply omitted to change it, the results are bad news. Electronic faults with the TCU (Transmission Control Unit) can also run up a serious bill if it needs to be replaced.

I would tend to stay away from the bigger engine models in the UK, as the 70 mph speed limit on the motorway does tend to result in them failing to burn their cylinders and exhaust system clean. Obviously this is more of a factor if you get stuck in traffic of short trip a lot.