[2i30s]

but if you press in the clutch with my seat all the way back my foot falls short of the floor,pretending my wife's cw is a manual and pressing my foot against the floor with her seat all the way back,my leg is bent and all the way to the floor,if that makes sense. 

[rustynutz]

That's cos' there's less legroom! 

[mjt57]

Check to make sure the cruise control is factory fitted.

Going by the photos I'd say that it is factory (it has the controls on the steering wheel, like mine).

Check to see if it has Bluetooth, too. It's a minor gadgety thing but for me it'd be a deal breaker.

I test drove the 5 speed diesel before settling on mine (6 sp). I think that extra gear makes a difference, but that's me.

As for the shiftwork and public holidays, I'm hearing ya! I work 2x12 in the power industry and am dayshift tomorrow and Sunday, nightshift Monday and Tuesday nights. Because of how the roster falls on the calendar I don't get the P/H rates...

[rustynutz]

No Bluetooth fitted back in those days, Martin...

[beerman]

And there are non genuine cruise controls that use the genuine steering wheel fitting too...

[rustynutz]

Pretty certain the "cruise" was standard fitment in the SLX from day one....

[Doggie 1]

Pretty certain the "cruise" was standard fitment in the SLX from day one....

Not on the diesel manual. It came in late 2008 from memory.

[mjt57]

And there are non genuine cruise controls that use the genuine steering wheel fitting too...

How's this done? Do they go out and my a steering wheel with the controls fitted or are there blanks which are punched out and genuine controls fitted?

Anyway, if CC was introduced in 2008 then it should be genuine as it's a 2009 MY model. Shouldn't it?

[2i30s]

most genuine parts are available over the dealers spare parts counter.    eBay even sell genuine parts. 

[fbvisitor]

Okay,

We called in to the caryard on the way home after a couple nights in Hobart and took the car for a spin. 

Certainly drives OK but I have to admit its well down on power after a couple of days in the Focus but I expected that.  On the plus side, with 3 adults and 2 kids in the car the fuel average was showing 5.1 with an even mix of highway and town stuff (admittedly over not many k's but I did reset it before I took off) where the Focus managed 5.24 with 80 to 90% highway work (usually hovers around 6 normally).

Now all is OK with the car bar a couple of scuffs on top of the rear bumper bar and a small dent on top of the passenger door frame above the window but SWMBO throws a spanner in the works by having a reasonably huge dislike to the colour.

The yard is giving the usual blurb about "losing money" on this one at this price but the colour thing has thrown me. 

I decided to go home and sleep on it.  After a bit of a chat, we've come up with a price we will offer and if they say no then so be it.

On a side note about the cruise control discussion that partially hijacked the thread, I had it fitted to a VL back in 89' (Vacuum operated) and consequently removed and refitted myself (its a a piece of p##s) to several cars in the ensuing years (including a Tarago of all things) and if you can get past the non OEM thing, I'd recommend fitting an aftermarket job.  My old Peugeot 405 happily bops along with a Supercheap AP60 CC kit I fitted 6 or 7 years ago for $200.

Cheers

[Doggie 1]

Thanks for the update, fbvisitor.
Colour really is a personal preference type thing and as they say, happy wife, happy life.
Good luck with it.

[Dazzler]

That's interesting, Trish isn't a fan of Vivid blue (I quite like it) 

[Lakes]

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Lakes, I work at a cement manufacturing plant and lets just say that the paintwork cops a pizzling from time to time plus the fact that I live on a bit of acerage with a couple of hundred meters of gravel driveway, my days of looking after a car meticuously are past me so I couldn't see myself spending much more at all although the new i30's are very nice and I understand where you are coming from about the extra gear as the Focus we have is a six speed and is just a fantastic little thing.  In fact I can't wait to compare the two as it is an amazing little car although I understand I wouldn't exactly be comparing apples with apples.

One thing I might ask, I'm 6'3" in the old scale.  How will I go fitting in these things?  I have driven a couple but only briefly and they felt alright but I'm wondering about over the longer distances.  I don't think it would be an issue but opinions anyone?

Cheers

ps  May contact you at some stage Dazzler just to pick your brains.

My mate got the new old model FD very last of old style, he is same hight as you i asked if he was compy he said he was,
can understand where your coming from with a dirt road & concret dust,  my mate had a 2010 focus 6 speed diesel did 170,000k in it loved it but only points i could see were focus was better than my i30 CRDi was interior quality a bit better on Focus, ride quality on dirt road better on Focus ( i30 no good on rough dirt roads shit hard ride ) also the 2.0 diesel Focus more power. but the i30 leaves the focus for dead in economy also the i30 more grunt right down low it never needs clutch riding don't stall, the focus stalls easy if you don't ride clutch starting off. the i30 also has a much better fuel filler & can take high flow diesel pumps much easier than focus to fill to top, the i30 CRDi has a much longer range on one fuel tank than the focus & both have same size tank. the i30 comes with a full size spare mag wheel not the space saver like the Focus. i looked at the two new took the i30 CRDi

[mjt57]

The yard is giving the usual blurb about "losing money" on this one at this price

Yep, usual line they use.

Rest assured, they will kill the sale if it means losing money. Nay, they will kill it if it doesn't make them the minimum profit required to sustain the business.

And it's rubbish if they "give" the car to you and make up the difference on the next sucker through the lot. To them, every sale has to meet a min figure, otherwise they'll go out of business. And every salesman knows what each car needs to sell for. He doesn't have to go out back to talk to his manager. Oh, maybe he does, perhaps to put in his footy tips or to find out what time they're going to the pub after work...

Anyway, good luck with your purchase. Remember, you're the one with all the power in this negotiation. He wants YOUR money, remember. You DON'T need to buy HIS cars...

[Dazzler]

  mostly.. in extreme cases they will cut their losses on a car (but unlikely to do it on an i30 CRDi)

I wouldn't expect to get it much cheaper.. I reckon it is good value at the list price 

[Lakes]

Well well, i was re reading your post saw you have a stable of oilers with pedigree  , my mate loved his wifes 2010 Focus Diesel 6 speed manual always telling me how well it performed & i road in it and yest indeed they do out perform the i30 CRDi, they did 170,000k no trouble from new & sold the car for $15,000 to first person to look. they got a new 2.0 diesel Focus Titanium but could only get auto its thirsty. but goes ok. what i was interested in was your old Pug i have driven one turbo diesel myself was good. then i looked a the new Pugs ( thats what google does to you 
& i spot the new 208 sport 6 speed manual 1.6 turbo petrol its got 115KW of power ( not that important ) but its got 240NM TQ @ 1,400 rpm now thats impressive from a 1.6 turbo petrol can average 5.8L/100K overall not bad but will need 95 octane or better. i got full tank of diesel (BP ) @ $1.41 per L last night & 95 octane was $1.50 but if i was in the market for a new one i would look at that as $29,000 drive away puts it below the Vellosta and looks like a little pocket rocket too
cheers

[fbvisitor]

For those interested,

After multiple phone calls and crying poor from the yard, (and numerous price drops although they were already losing money in the first place, ha ha), its come down to 400 bucks, and as mjt57 said, they want my money and I don't actually need their car, so we shall see but I feel as if its one step too far for them. It's just a shame about the colour as I'm sure I could have persuaded them to meet me halfway.

Ah well, the 405 will need to faithfully serve me for some time yet.

Thanks to all who shared the knowledge, good, bad or indifferent.  I shan't be so absent in the future as I've learnt a bit about this little car I didn't realise (6 speed FD comes to mind).

Now I must go and find those sales brochures I got sent out to me a few years back.

Cheers.

[Dazzler]

Cheers for the update....

[Lakes]

good luck.

[fbvisitor]

I've officially joined the ranks.

A deal has been done, but not on the aforementioned car, but on a private sale from the south of the state.

09 SLX CRDI manual
90k
White......SWMBO now happy
Mud flaps
Rear spoiler

We've only had it a couple days but all in all seems to be an OK car.

I guess I'll be lurking around this site a bit more often than in the past.  Too many helpful hints and tips not to.

For those interested, the best price the yard would do on the blue i30 was $12500.

Cheers.

[Phil №❶]

 

Just getting run-in. 

[Doggie 1]

Congrats! That's great.   

[rustynutz]

  

[Dazzler]

  

I wouldn't mind checking it out in the flesh some time and helping you with advice face to face Jason 

PM me if you want to catch up for a cuppa when you are not busy 

[Doggie 1]

Can I come? 

[Dazzler]

Can I come? 

You can have the slops Dave

[Doggie 1]

Can I come? 

You can have the slops Dave

Gee, where have I heard that before? 

[Just Rick]

That's interesting, Trish isn't a fan of Vivid blue (I quite like it) 

we liked it that much we bought two