New Front Tyres

[Oxymoron]

Hi,

Just had new Michelin front tyres fitted as the originals were getting a bit low on tread after 32.5k miles.

Was quoted for various other makes, but decided to stick with the same make as before, although I see some new Berlingos have Continentals fitted.

The difference in improved general handling and grip is much appreciated, but the new tyres are much quiter too; especially on the motorway.

The originals were getting bald on the outside edges, but then I do tend to corner quite hard, when the family aren't aboard!!

Cheerz. :P

[DesdinovaUK2]

Yes the outside edges of mine went too - just replaced the fronts for the second time at 49,000. The rears are both still fine.

[pork_pie]

I replaced the front tyres on my COntinentaals on my Saxo and Xsara and got better fuel returns, ride and they were cheaper.

[tronboy]

Contis are great, but they don't last as long as Michies!

 

Hi there pork_pie.... Long time no see!

What's that? A BMW?

How you like?.... Better than my MINI I hope!

[pork_pie]

Glad you agree with the Contis - I myself not noticed any increased wear with them during my time with me Citroens - just cheaper and better on fuel

 

Tronny Indeed its been a good long while. Hows life in sunny Gloucester? Oowah. Have absolutely no problems with the blue prop whatsoever unlike you with your minis. Shocking state of affairs with yours.

 

Touch wood its all good.

 

Handling is fantastic but the ride is a tad harsh.

 

Miss the fun of Citroens.

[tronboy]

yeah, all's good here, Mr.Pie.... It's Cheltenham mind ! Glad to see you back on the board

 

Can't help thinking I should have kept the 2.0 HDi 'Lingo instead of upgrading to the new 1.6.... Great fuel sippin' but not got the torque.

 

I changed to a set of Barum Bravuris on the advice of Auto-Express at one point, but they lasted five minutes! At least the Contis lasted fifteen. I think Barum were a former Commie firm (Czech?... I seem to recall those shite old arse end engined Skodas having them) now owned by Continental.

 

Keep on rollin'

 

TronX

[DickieG]

Can't help thinking I should have kept the 2.0 HDi 'Lingo instead of upgrading to the new 1.6.... Great fuel sippin' but not got the torque.

You surprise me, I find my 1.6 goes picks up much quicker than my old 2.0, no turbo lag with a much lower start to the torque curve. Indeed its so noticeable that even the wife talks about it :D

 

I take it you did get the 92 bhp version :(

[tronboy]

Yeah, it's a 92!

 

I agree about the torque from standstill, but from 60-80mph on the m-way in top it's nowhere near as good.

 

On the plus side it's so much quieter!

 

TronX

[pork_pie]

"yeah, all's good here, Mr.Pie.... It's Cheltenham mind ! Glad to see you back on the board"

 

I have been dipping in and out of this board for a while. Been overtaken by Wozza in the leading poster board.

 

Been Cit-less for nearly 9 months. The BMW forums are no fun. Its full of Americans moaning about fuel prices and saying anything less than 3.0litres is weedy (even in a 1 series ffs).

 

"Can't help thinking I should have kept the 2.0 HDi 'Lingo instead of upgrading to the new 1.6.... Great fuel sippin' but not got the torque."

 

THe 2.0 litre lump was a good engine but did have a few flat spots. 90bhp today from a diesel is an obselete notion now.

 

The installation of the new 1.6 units was long overdue on the Blingo.

 

What is the 75bhp version all about? Be nice if the 110 bhp version was available. I guess its all about staggering demand for their popular oil burning engines.

[tronboy]

What is the 75bhp version all about? Be nice if the 110 bhp version was available.

I think the 75-horse version replaces the old agricultural but reliable 1.9D plant.

 

The 110 would have been a stormer. Even Fiat are supplying the Droblo with a 110bhp diesel choice, so Citroen should get their act together!

[myke]

Listen TronX old son, everyone to their own. Some people actually like those "shite old arse engined Skodas". If you care to think about it, our Berliong's are similar to the likes of the old Skodas in that they do the job abequately, with no frills attached, and at the price we can afford. If we had much more to spend, undoubtedly many of us would by something else Care to mention what cars you like and put your neck on the line? If you knew your facts you would know, of course, that Estelles were once refered to, within the motoring press, as the poor mans Porsche. Much as I like my Berlingo, I have to say that I get more fun out of my trialling Skoda than any other car I have ever owned. Say no more Squire.

[tronboy]

Listen TronX old son, everyone to their own. Some people actually like those "shite old arse engined Skodas". If you care to think about it, our Berliong's are similar to the likes of the old Skodas in that they do the job abequately, with no frills attached, and at the price we can afford. If we had much more to spend, undoubtedly many of us would by something else Care to mention what cars you like and put your neck on the line? If you knew your facts you would know, of course, that Estelles were once refered to, within the motoring press, as the poor mans Porsche.

Good points well made, but in fact I do know my facts.

 

I have also owned and enjoyed a 130 Rapid, and a 1973 100 which was virtually bullet proof. I also used to refer to the Rapid as a 'poor man's Porsche' but used to get laughed at on a daily basis. The thing that the Skoda had in common with the Porsche ( a car I admire greatly for the build quality but not the concept) was a motor sticking out its arse and great handling until it suddenly went into alarming oversteer......something it had in common with the conceptually similar Renault (Rubbish) yes, it was rubbish, Dauphine, 4cv and 8/10/11 sisters. With the Porsche this happens at a slightly or much (depending on model) higher speed. As daily transport at sensible speeds I broadly agree with you, the rear-engined Skoda did a job adequately, but on a wet road at 60mph it could be lethal in the hands of a anybody but a rally driver. If this unconventional layout was actually any good for a daily driver then more vehicles would have adopted it, but its not. In fact it's crap.

 

The VW Beetle which arguably started the layout was *absolute* crap in early form; teetering on tall crossplies and negative dihedral on the rear suspension, it was incapable of going round corners. Not that this mattered, Hitler was trying to ban them by introducing ruler straight Romanesque Autobahns anyway. It wasn't until later incarnations that the suspension was sorted a bit, even MacPherson struts couldn't cure the problems completely but hey, it was better. This still doesn't address the practical problems with the layout: Poor use of interior space, inadequate crash protection from rear end shunts and the frontal positioning of the fuel tank in the driver's lap. To own a truly practical Beetle, you need to buy a Transporter.

 

When it comes to owning cars with deficiencies, I have more personal experience than most, and still own a Trabant (reasonable concept, but built like shite.... and that fuel tank in the lap problem again) a 1965 Citroen DS19 (utterly beautiful, but needs a gallon of red paint-stripper to be pumped around it at high pressure to get most of one of the world's most rust prone structures to function) a 2CV ( supremely practical for potholed roads provided nothing collides with you) and a 1939 Citroen Traction Avant which considering its great age has no real faults at all ;-). Don't get me wrong, I love these motors, but they are all deficient in some area or another, so I'm not too offended if someone insults them!

 

In my time I have also owned a Bond Bug, several Amis (a Super, 8 and three 6s) a Zaporozhets, many modern-ish Citroens, Golf GTIs (and how over-rated are they?) BMW MINIs, Rover P3s... the list covers most bases!

 

As for owning the 'Lingo... Well I *can* afford a much more expensive car, (and with banks eager to chuck money away in the form of loans, so can most people I guess!) but the 'Lingo is actually the only everyday car that anybody actually really needs. Nothing modern under 30k really interests me, and quite frankly for daily use, not much over it does either.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Tron X