Fun, quick estate for £8-12k

[dern]

Podie said:

ST220 is a good drive, and a depreciation monster... I know people who get 30mpg (unladen) out of their cars, so not as bad as you might expect.

...

Scoob sounds the most "PH" of the lot, but the fun ones are pretty thirsty...

We have a mk2 v6 mondeo estate and a 1999 uk subaru impreza turbo estate. The mondeo is very good (quick and handles well) and very large inside. The impreza is more fun to drive, handles much better (it makes the mondeo feel like a huge dull-witted barge of a car) but has much less space in the boot. The mondeo has a good torquey engine with immediate power whereas the impreza has lag but more power.

On average I'd suggest that the impreza is marginally more economical than the mondeo. On a run I get 28-29mpg from the mondeo and 30mpg from the impreza. They both dip quite alarmingly when repeatedly accelerating and braking.

Parts for the mondeo are dead cheap, subaru more expensive. Don't know about servicing costs as I service my own and the difference between the two from my perspective is that the subaru needs more frequent servicing (7500 vs 10,000 miles), the oil costs twice as much and the cam belt needs regular changes whereas the mondeo doesn't have one.

I'd recommend either but would have the subaru in preference unless I did shit loads of miles and couldn't service it myself.

Mark

[zebedee]

what spec and year mondeo is that? The ST220 has a few more tricks up its sleeve than just a body kit compared with the other V6s I think (it has a few more bhp to start with).

That was a useful comparison though, but perhaps if yours isn't an ST, that might tip the balance

[job38]

zebedee said:

I'm imagining BMW parts are service won't be cheap though - and who said M5 - did they do an M5 estate?

I doubt I could get an RS4 for 12k somehow

E34 M5 Touring, LHD only.

[dern]

zebedee said:

what spec and year mondeo is that? The ST220 has a few more tricks up its sleeve than just a body kit compared with the other V6s I think (it has a few more bhp to start with).

That was a useful comparison though, but perhaps if yours isn't an ST, that might tip the balance

1998 v6 ghia-x estate.

The wife loves it though and despite the offer of bmws and mercs just wants to replace it with another. I suspect that the next one will be a diesel tdci mind.

[hammerwerfer]

I recommend the E39 540i Touring with the 6 speed manual gearbox.

Great car.

[jwyatt]

The ST220 is a valid choice but personally I'd spend less than what you're talking about on them.

To answer your Alfa questions, I've had the 156 2.5V6 saloon and the GTA (3.2) sportwagon. Barring a few little niggles that I've had with all brands bar the japanese, they've been great. The overall ownership and driving enjoyment is a massive plus.

They are quick too - I hate the over-emphasis on standing starts, so tend to memorise 30-70 and 0-100 times. The 2.5 is 6.7/18.6 respectively (i.e. quicker than a new 159 or Brera 3.2) and my GTA is 5.5/15.1 - i.e. about the same as a Boxster 2.7. It goes from 60-100 in the same time as an Impreza STi, and with a much nicer engine overall. I reckon that's fairly fast for an estate . Again, read my Auto-journals reviews for my overall feelings on it, I think they are hugely underated because some of the UK press didn't like them and people here are like sheep.

[david_h]

Maybe not quite as involving to drive, but very fast above 100.

Merc C43 estate.

Again servicing/parts costs won't be cheap.

[Plotloss]

S2 Avant

[Podie]

zebedee said:

what spec and year mondeo is that? The ST220 has a few more tricks up its sleeve than just a body kit compared with the other V6s I think (it has a few more bhp to start with).

That was a useful comparison though, but perhaps if yours isn't an ST, that might tip the balance

Seen a few standard ST220's cars push 240bhp on the rollers...

If you want cheap as chips, then have a nose at the ST200 Estate... from ~£4k... leaves some change for other stuff if you like..?