Magna Test Drive

[Taco]

The good: To drive this car is a simple matter which is, i guess, what a lot
of people are looking for. it's a no-brainer. you turn the key and point it
in the direction you want it to go. it does not engage you in the least.
it's definitely not a drivers car but decent enough if you want to get
somewehere and don't care how you do it. Engine-wise, the 3.5 litre V6 is
pretty standard fair, but then i guess its competitors are holden and ford
with their mediocre V6 engines. it doesn't have as much power as i expected
from an engine of quite generous capacity, but it pulls hard when needed and
is quite smoothe. It has plenty of room in the front and back and the boot
is big enough to handle luggage for a weekend away. Really this car is quite
pedestrian, but i guess that's what you're expecting if you're going after
this type of car.

The bad: This model of magna is definitely a step up from the previous one.
having said that however there are still a few niggles that you should keep
your eye out for. If you expect all the little compartments inside the cabin
(i.e. coin compartment, central storage console) to open and close as they
should, give up on this car right now. the finish looks good at first but
after about 10,000 kilometres and average use, things start coming apart at
the seams. to be honest, this took me by surprise because it seemed so
solid. The automatic gearbox works well, but some gears, like second, just
seem like the ratio is too long. if you're on the overtake on the highway
the gearbox doesn't always kick down when you wnat it to thereby making
overtaking a bit scary sometimes. Also, avoid the "tiptronic" model. the
technology employed fo this in the magna is an abortion. The model i drive
is fully optioned with all the electrics and leather seats and these all
work well, although the climate control seems to be a bit off sometimes.

Overall: I've driven the ford falcon, fairmont, holden commodore and calais
and the magna really does seem to sit smack bang in the middle of this group
in terms of driveability, performance and comfort. Do i regret getting this
car? no. it serves its purpose and isn't too bad a drive. would i buy the
next model up? not unless they made a lot of improvements.

[rmcgrice]

"Taco" <taco@taco.com> wrote in news:42bcc758@quokka.wn.com.au:

> The good: To drive this car is a simple matter which is, i guess, what
> a lot of people are looking for. it's a no-brainer. you turn the key
> and point it in the direction you want it to go. it does not engage
> you in the least. it's definitely not a drivers car but decent enough
> if you want to get somewehere and don't care how you do it.
> Engine-wise, the 3.5 litre V6 is pretty standard fair, but then i
> guess its competitors are holden and ford with their mediocre V6
> engines. it doesn't have as much power as i expected from an engine of
> quite generous capacity, but it pulls hard when needed and is quite
> smoothe. It has plenty of room in the front and back and the boot is
> big enough to handle luggage for a weekend away. Really this car is
> quite pedestrian, but i guess that's what you're expecting if you're
> going after this type of car.
>
> The bad: This model of magna is definitely a step up from the previous
> one. having said that however there are still a few niggles that you
> should keep your eye out for. If you expect all the little
> compartments inside the cabin (i.e. coin compartment, central storage
> console) to open and close as they should, give up on this car right
> now. the finish looks good at first but after about 10,000 kilometres
> and average use, things start coming apart at the seams. to be honest,
> this took me by surprise because it seemed so solid. The automatic
> gearbox works well, but some gears, like second, just seem like the
> ratio is too long. if you're on the overtake on the highway the
> gearbox doesn't always kick down when you wnat it to thereby making
> overtaking a bit scary sometimes. Also, avoid the "tiptronic" model.
> the technology employed fo this in the magna is an abortion. The model
> i drive is fully optioned with all the electrics and leather seats and
> these all work well, although the climate control seems to be a bit
> off sometimes.
>
> Overall: I've driven the ford falcon, fairmont, holden commodore and
> calais and the magna really does seem to sit smack bang in the middle
> of this group in terms of driveability, performance and comfort. Do i
> regret getting this car? no. it serves its purpose and isn't too bad a
> drive. would i buy the next model up? not unless they made a lot of
> improvements.
>

Did you put a bag over the front, so you don't have to look at it? :-)

Ron

[OzOne]

On 25 Jun 2005 03:36:51 GMT, rmcgrice <mcgrice@newsguy.com> scribbled
thusly:


>
>Did you put a bag over the front, so you don't have to look at it? :-)
>
>Ron

Question is, did he call in at your house and borrow the one you use
on your wife.....I hear it's big enough.


Oz1...of the 3 twins.

I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.

[kevcat]

> Engine-wise, the 3.5 litre V6 is
> pretty standard fair, but then i guess its competitors are holden and ford
> with their mediocre V6 engines.

Since when has ford used a V6 in the Falcon
and the Falcon since the BA has had a 40L inline 6 with double overhead
cam with VVT and variable intake on the standard models, the XR6Turbo
gets VVT on the exhaust valves as well
it is smoother and quieter right across the rev range than the Holden
pushrod V6(is the VZ still puchrod?)
and at 183KW it's hardly mediocre
and you won't catch a BA XT in any Magna except maybe the AWD in the wet

Kev

[OzOne]

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 10:50:05 GMT, kevcat <kevcat@dodo.com.au>
scribbled thusly:

>
>
>> Engine-wise, the 3.5 litre V6 is
>> pretty standard fair, but then i guess its competitors are holden and ford
>> with their mediocre V6 engines.
>
>Since when has ford used a V6 in the Falcon
>and the Falcon since the BA has had a 40L inline 6 with double overhead
>cam with VVT and variable intake on the standard models, the XR6Turbo
>gets VVT on the exhaust valves as well
>it is smoother and quieter right across the rev range than the Holden
>pushrod V6(is the VZ still puchrod?)

Nope

>and at 183KW it's hardly mediocre
>and you won't catch a BA XT in any Magna except maybe the AWD in the wet

You will when the BA stops for more petrol ;-)


Oz1...of the 3 twins.

I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.

[kevcat]

OzOne wrote:
>
> On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 10:50:05 GMT, kevcat <kevcat@dodo.com.au>
> scribbled thusly:
>
> >
> >
> >> Engine-wise, the 3.5 litre V6 is
> >> pretty standard fair, but then i guess its competitors are holden and ford
> >> with their mediocre V6 engines.
> >
> >Since when has ford used a V6 in the Falcon
> >and the Falcon since the BA has had a 40L inline 6 with double overhead
> >cam with VVT and variable intake on the standard models, the XR6Turbo
> >gets VVT on the exhaust valves as well
> >it is smoother and quieter right across the rev range than the Holden
> >pushrod V6(is the VZ still puchrod?)
>
> Nope
>
> >and at 183KW it's hardly mediocre
> >and you won't catch a BA XT in any Magna except maybe the AWD in the wet
>
> You will when the BA stops for more petrol ;-)
>

sure it uses more fuel
but it looks a shit load better

;)

Kev

[OzOne]

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 12:31:37 GMT, kevcat <kevcat@dodo.com.au>
scribbled thusly:

>sure it uses more fuel
>but it looks a shit load better
>
>;)
>
>Kev
As long as you close your eyes when you get in ;-)


Oz1...of the 3 twins.

I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.

[Fee Fee Mcgrice]

On 25/6/05 4:24 PM, in article m3upb1pvef4f3ctd4ndcf3macm93gl73h6@4ax.com,
"OzOne" <OzOne> wrote:

> On 25 Jun 2005 03:36:51 GMT, rmcgrice <mcgrice@newsguy.com> scribbled
> thusly:
>
>
>>
>> Did you put a bag over the front, so you don't have to look at it? :-)
>>
>> Ron
>
> Question is, did he call in at your house and borrow the one you use
> on your wife.....I hear it's big enough.

Yeah the one for Sylvia he keeps out in the kennel. For a laugh I stopped
outside Ron's house the other day. I was hoping to see the rusting DS420
shell in a skip out the front, alas it was visible in his carport no doubt
waiting the bog and putty knife treatment Ron has given the rest of his
fleet. He couldn¹t swallow his pride and accept the offer of $5000 I gave
him. What a horrible man.

Fee Fee McGrice.

[Richard Fay]

"kevcat" <kevcat@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
news:42BD4D4C.6A076D9B@dodo.com.au...
>
> sure it uses more fuel
> but it looks a shit load better
>

The ford just looks plain... inoffensive.... can't say it is a beautiful
car.

Richard

[Cartman]

Just like the TE-TJ Magna really :)
Oliver Boulay should be hung by the nuts.

"Richard Fay" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:42be056a$1$12266$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "kevcat" <kevcat@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:42BD4D4C.6A076D9B@dodo.com.au...
>>
>> sure it uses more fuel
>> but it looks a shit load better
>>
>
> The ford just looks plain... inoffensive.... can't say it is a beautiful
> car.
>
> Richard
>
>

[Cartman]

"Taco" <taco@taco.com> wrote in message news:42bcc758@quokka.wn.com.au...

>If you expect all the little compartments inside the cabin (i.e. coin
>compartment, central storage console) to open and close as they should,
>give up on this car right now. the finish looks good at first but after
>about 10,000 kilometres and average use, things start coming apart at the
>seams.
Never seen this in any Magna to be honest. The interior quality of the TL/W
at work is far better than the VZ and BA.

>The automatic gearbox works well, but some gears, like second, just seem
>like the ratio is too long. if you're on the overtake on the highway the
>gearbox doesn't always kick down when you wnat it to thereby making
>overtaking a bit scary sometimes. Also, avoid the "tiptronic" model. the
>technology employed fo this in the magna is an abortion.
Never had a problem with kickdown either, nor the "tiptronic" model - it
seemed quite a bit nicer than the Ford implementation. I havent driven a
Commy with it yet so cant comment on that one.

[kevcat]

> Never had a problem with kickdown either, nor the "tiptronic" model - it
> seemed quite a bit nicer than the Ford implementation. I havent driven a
> Commy with it yet so cant comment on that one.


the only problem I have with the manual mode shift in my Falcon is it is
the wrong way around

Having driven a Mercedes Benz Actros and the new Iveco Curser trucks
with semi and full auto shift boxes the Ford seems wrong
pulling the lever back should be for down shifts and forward for up
shifts

I think I'll have a look at changing it around when it's out of
warrenty, not sure but a simple wire swap may be all thats needed

Kev

[TheTaipan]

BMW and Ford decided that a gear change is more logically orientated to
momentum, ie as you decelerate, your body leans forward and you can bump the
stick through the gears, as you accelerate (if the car is fast enough) you
get thrown backward, so you up-change goes with the momentum of the driver.

I guess Mitsubishi, either just wanted to be different, or were thinking
that up changes should go with the momentum of the CAR instead of the
driver - but that only works on an up change, at least my car doesn't go
backwards on a downshift - only in "R"

; )

SL

"kevcat" <kevcat@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
news:42BE9E71.AE19A05E@dodo.com.au...
>
>
>
>> Never had a problem with kickdown either, nor the "tiptronic" model - it
>> seemed quite a bit nicer than the Ford implementation. I havent driven a
>> Commy with it yet so cant comment on that one.
>
>
> the only problem I have with the manual mode shift in my Falcon is it is
> the wrong way around
>
> Having driven a Mercedes Benz Actros and the new Iveco Curser trucks
> with semi and full auto shift boxes the Ford seems wrong
> pulling the lever back should be for down shifts and forward for up
> shifts
>
> I think I'll have a look at changing it around when it's out of
> warrenty, not sure but a simple wire swap may be all thats needed
>
> Kev

[kevcat]

TheTaipan wrote:
>
> BMW and Ford decided that a gear change is more logically orientated to
> momentum, ie as you decelerate, your body leans forward and you can bump the
> stick through the gears, as you accelerate (if the car is fast enough) you
> get thrown backward, so you up-change goes with the momentum of the driver.
>
> I guess Mitsubishi, either just wanted to be different, or were thinking
> that up changes should go with the momentum of the CAR instead of the
> driver - but that only works on an up change, at least my car doesn't go
> backwards on a downshift - only in "R"
>


problem is, if your body moves forward or backwards when doing either
then you are not in control of the car and shouldn't be driving

something else to consider
ever since the floor shift auto was introduced you always pulled the
lever back to go down a gear and push forward to go up a gear

so this reversal is just out of wack with what we have become used to
it just doesn't feel right

and look what way drag racers shift up a gear and they would have far
more Gforces on them than most car drivers

Kev