24th May 2013, 03:58

Hi there on the other side of the world!

You might be right re build quality - I hope so for NZ's sake! But the panel fit (here in GB) really isn't good enough wherever it's built. Reminds me of 70's British Leyland!

I think all models (of car) vary as to tyres. What's quiet on an Auris may be noisy on a i30, and vice versa. I'm going to watch the forums to see what the general consensus of opinion reveals! Certainly road noise might be a consideration when buying, but here in GB most road surfaces are OK. Yes, they're pot-holed, but they don't cause the drone we're talking about, do they?

In answer to your question, this i30 has multi-link rear suspension, but it's never going to be a Merc E series. Can't expect that!

Generally though, still trying to find things to moan about!... Only thing that springs to mind is that, in certain lights the dashboard top reflects onto the windscreen - can be a bit distracting. But with modern heavily raked screens, this is common and not a fault as such. It's like the usual thick 'A' pillars - you just have to learn to look round them very carefully.

On a few days away in a particularly hilly area last week, got just over 35 MPG over 333 miles. For a car with only 1400 on the clock, up hill and down dale, that's not bad, and similar to the last two 1.6 petrol autos I've had. It'll do more on normal roads, but I'd reckon on this as a 'worst' figure.

Cheers - Peter.

24th May 2013, 05:21

Hi Peter - I believe the coarse chip seal on country roads here is due to the sometimes tropical-like rainfall, to help drain the road quickly. Perhaps other people aren't quite as bothered with the drone, but especially because I drive alone, it does affect me. I appreciate the difference in noise insulation in different cars, but certainly the tyres are a factor, after my experience in swapping from Yokohamas to other brands.

At least you have the multi-links. From what I know, our i30's have a suspension tuned specifically though for Australian and NZ conditions, so hopefully that compensates. I haven't heard of any reviews that say the suspension is bad or a backward step, plus several similar cars here now have the torsion beam - such as the Holden (Chevy there) Cruze, which provides also competent handling, though again tuned specifically for this part of the world.

33 MPG is realistic - in the real world, well, here at least - winding, hilly roads and barely a flat section anywhere, people are getting pretty much the same mileage, well below those optimistic EU ratings. I'm sure if it was less hilly here, like, say, many parts of Sydney, Australia, the mileage we get would be better.

Keep us posted!

Tony

11th Aug 2013, 05:07

OK, we're a few months on and I've just turned 3,000 miles in this i30. Not much to report, except...

(1) The remote locking has played up a couple of times. For no apparent reason (so far, outside my house only) neither key will work at all. You can press what you like, but absolutely nothing happens! No, it's not the batteries. It's been back to the dealer, who's greased the ignition barrel, but it's done it since then.

The old i30 occasionally had a similar problem, which was usually cured, but at present it's so rare on my car that I'm waiting to see if it gets worse. I'm confident that the dealer will fix it, though, if necessary.

(2) A slight rattle from the RNS corner is present under about 20mph. Again, the old model had an occasional damper fault so it's probably the same thing. I've advised the dealer, but am happy to leave it until servicing or the next time it goes in for something.

Other than that, the car continues to satisfy. 'Range' on the trip computer has risen to 400 miles after filling the tank, so it's presumably learnt my driving style. That's pretty good for an auto, though.

I made the mistake of cleaning the dash with Back To Black, leaving shiny smears which had to be painstakingly cleaned off with meths! Have now done it over with Poorboys Natural Look, which I can recommend for matte surfaces. Fantastic stuff! All this of course is no fault of the car!

Tyre noise hasn't improved, but then you wouldn't expect it too. On most surfaces it's OK, but the next car I buy will certainly be quieter on the road. I have to say engine and wind noise are negligible, though. Perhaps when I wear these Hankooks out I'll be able to get something quieter - the forums are a good source of info.

The car hasn't used any oil or water and has been totally dependable so far. Let's hope it continues!

11th Aug 2013, 16:52

The key remote issue you describe is common with many cars and may be due to interference on the same frequency that your keys are set at.

If it happens in the same place frequently and not in others, this is the likely suspect. I'm no electronics expert, but have had a few key remote issues myself, and after checking the system thoroughly, dealers suggested it was due to interference - as stated in the owner's handbook.

Try leaving your mobiles away from the car? I had a company car a few years back that would not lock if I had my phone near the keys.

We had a 2008 Fiat Panda, which the elderly man next door seemed to take great interest in; any hour of the day or night he came outside to see us going into the house from it. Turned out our key remote operated his doorbell... We reset his doorbell onto a different channel by opening up the pusher and main unit, and the problem was solved.

18th Aug 2013, 09:13

Yes, good thinking!

As it has so far only happened on my driveway, I did wonder about some form of interference. I'm waiting to see if it happens elsewhere and does it often. Otherwise the dealer isn't going to have much of a chance - although with only 'poke & hope' as a game-plan, they rarely do.

You're not the chap who had the pair of Myvi's, by any chance, are you? I had an auto Sirion about the same time! If not, you have a very similar writing style!

Thanks - Peter.