What car - please help me!

[RevoEvo7]

I'm looking for some helpful advice. I've managed to buy the past 9 cars myself (over 7 years of driving) currently 26yo but struggling with this one - although I do have some suggestions see below.

First the criteria :
I do approx. 25k miles a year 12k of which is business miles which I get 45ppm.

I do roughly 80% rural country road driving A & B roads and the rest driving in towns. Never if rarely touch a motorway but do do odd dual carriageway. Also note I enter farms quite often and the odd rough road.

I like German, Italian and British cars although open to others.

The priority for me is comfort and refinement - despite my age - as while it's rural back roads I spend a lot of time in it. It's sort of my office so a good interior is also nice and reliability followed by the obvious handling and performance.

The cars I've considered are ;

Alfa Romeo 159 / GT / Brera (JTD)
Audi A6 Allroad 2.5 TDI
BMW X3
BMW Z4 2.2
BMW 320i E90 Saloon
BMW 525d E60
Lexus IS220d
Mercedes CLK 200 Komp
Mercedes C180 Komp W204
Mercedes CLS 320 CDI (at a stretch)
Porsche Boxster 2.7
VW Phaeton 3.2
VW Touareg 2.5 TDI

Now I realise that's quite a diverse lot and a mixture of petrol and diesel and large and small engined cars, however I'm toying between sensible and heart.

So what would you choose? With a max budget of £5k could be stretched to 7k for the right car.
I don't like conventional hatchbacks. I have enough back for maintenance and running costs.

Thanks

[The Jolly Todger]

Any BMW with a straight 6 is where my money would go.

[dowsett]

slightly similar situation as myself.

ive been finding cars recently only to dive deeper in to them and find something wrong with it or major problems with certain things.

You seem to have a longer list than i do but then again im quite picky.

Id say for you, a BMW 320d efficient dynaminics. Your probably on the limit at 7k, maybe with a bit of haggeling.

You'd make your money back on the 12k business miles though!

Id go for one but they are out of my budget and i dont do enough miles.

[RevoEvo7]

The Jolly Todger said:

Any BMW with a straight 6 is where my money would go.

I thought this might be the answer. I've had an E46 before however it was the only car that left me stranded by the road due to coolant and overheating problems. I know that's a general fault with BMWs but is it common on the E90 3-Series?

I had looked at the 320i 4-cyl as it gives adequate performance and claims to do high 30 to low 40 mpg, however I would also look at a 325i (not interested in a 320d)

Anyone know what the reliability of the E90 is like or is it a case of research!?