[Cloudbase]

Hello everyone,

I've owned an 07 five seat manual for about 3 months now. Previous car was a Xsara Picasso 2.0HDI that I owned for 10 years.

Generally pleased with the Carens, though not as versatile as the Picasso, which had easy removal of rear seats and a lower rear floor for bulky items.

Carens engine pulls very strongly though, which makes it a much better tow-car in my opinion. It's a much better long distance cruiser too, though not as economical. Over the three months, my average MPG on shortish journeys I estimate at 42 MPG, improving to just over 50 on longer motorway trips. I live at the top of a big hill in the Cotswolds though.

My present concern is with a developing knocking/clunking, apparently from the front suspension. This is most obvious on minor roads with an undulating surface. I've searched in vain on this forum, but note a reference to 'front stabilizer links' on the international forum (relating to Rondo).

Wondered if any members have experience of the above?

 

[Supacabby]

Yep, replaced under warranty on both my Mk3's (& out of warranty on all my Mk2's) & also make a note that the rears will probably need doing at some stage if you tow a heavy caravan or similar, the rubber bushes are manufactured of $hite material!

 

[ADW116]

I have hadone front stabiliser link and both rearsreplaced as my Mk3 had developed a knock,I would guess the rears were as supercabby mentioned, as the previous owner had towed with the car.

 

[Quiltman]

Had both my drop links replaced under warranty at 40,000miles. Had taken vehicle in for service and service manager took it for run to check the EGR problem had gone and he came back and said they needed replacing - I hadn't even noticed it!

Supacabby - see you're still esconced in Turkey - I've just come back from a month in Cebu,Phillipines, Xmas by the ocean, 30 degrees, English dinner and jet ski'ing!Are you going to stay there now you've sampled "proper" life there?

 

[Supacabby]

Hi Quiltman,

Coming back to the UK at the end of Feb for a week then off to Jamaica for 2 weeks "proper" R&R then I've got to back to work to pay for next the next winter break which will probably be a weekend in Blackpool if the economy is still the same!

Turkey has been great fun, would love to retire here but long term plans would be in another 5 years or so, only think I haven't liked is the storms, been horrendous here for the last 3 days with no running water nor electricity, I thought I was back in Brighton lol.

 

[Quiltman]

Looks like back to the grindstone for a few months then!Hope taxi business in Brighton is better than round here. In the Phillipines taxis are approx £1 at flag fall then roughly 50p a mile! mind you, diesel is only 65p a litre!!!Conversly a motor cycle trishaw cab is 50 pesos, 75p, anywhere in Cebu city! They carry up to 6 people - no health & safety there!

Sympathise re the rain etc, we caught the tail end of the tropical storm that killed 1000 people on Mindanao - we were worried so god knows how the poor devils in Cagayan must have felt with the full fury of the storm.

 

[Cloudbase]

Thanks for the replies.

The car is booked in this Friday at Wessex Kia in Gloucester. I hope they don't say "they all do that"!!! Oh, and the clutch is beginning to judder.....

 

[Supacabby]

Clutch judder: Had this problem too, I think it was under 20,000 miles from memory, new flywheel (dmf) fitted under warranty.

 

[Cloudbase]

A test drive and inspection on the ramp at Wessex Kia in Gloucester today confirmed the cause is wear in both stabiliser links on the front.

To be replaced under warranty, together with a couple of 'recalls' not yet undertaken on the car: ECU update, and anti-corrosion treatment to the rear underside somewhere.

Very good service from the garage, I thought.

 

[Supacabby]

& the clutch judder???

 

[Cloudbase]

There was little evidence of the clutch judder on the test drive. The advice is to monitor it over the next couple of months. I will do just that, as the warranty expires in May.