Rolls Royce of small cars
Discussion
I’m after a small used wafter to commute in < £10K. If VW did a Polo or Golf sized Phaeton I reckon it would be just about perfect.
For my dull and boring commute (two straight motorways with a single left turn in a feeder lane) I don’t need a car with razor sharp handling as shear comfort and lack of noise will be paramount along with, I hate to say, decent fuel economy. Fuel is just one cost but with me doing 20-25K miles a year it’s a large % so has to be considered.
Performance isn’t a big concern either, I’ve just sold my Caterham and looking at Monaro’s, but I will want this car to be confident overtaking.
So what’s the Rolls Royce of small cars or hatchbacks?
For my dull and boring commute (two straight motorways with a single left turn in a feeder lane) I don’t need a car with razor sharp handling as shear comfort and lack of noise will be paramount along with, I hate to say, decent fuel economy. Fuel is just one cost but with me doing 20-25K miles a year it’s a large % so has to be considered.
Performance isn’t a big concern either, I’ve just sold my Caterham and looking at Monaro’s, but I will want this car to be confident overtaking.
So what’s the Rolls Royce of small cars or hatchbacks?
Buy the best Mercedes 190e 2.6 you can find (one of the late ones with aircon and leather) for £5k. Delight in the fact that, if looked after it will only appreciate and spend the other half of your budget on coke and hookers/a new outfit for your wife/school fees/dementia care for your folks (delete as applicable for your life stage)
ClaphamGT3 said:
Buy the best Mercedes 190e 2.6 you can find (one of the late ones with aircon and leather) for £5k. Delight in the fact that, if looked after it will only appreciate and spend the other half of your budget on coke and hookers/a new outfit for your wife/school fees/dementia care for your folks (delete as applicable for your life stage)
This is where my head is right now - go the old Merc barge route. Haha! Where I am right now in my life I could take the first 3 items on your list!Chr1sch said:
If say an SE spec 120/123d with plenty if toys but I suspect you'll struggle for less than 10k
Potentially a 170bhp Golf GT?
For that money I'd be inclined to spend say £6k on a real wafter and to hell with the size of the thing...
I don't need toys. I have a 6 month old Merc C-Class estate AMG Sport with all the toys and in no way does it add anything to the drive!Potentially a 170bhp Golf GT?
For that money I'd be inclined to spend say £6k on a real wafter and to hell with the size of the thing...
Considering a small car because we already have a saloon, an estate and with maybe a Monaro or some what bizarrely a camper coming a small car makes sense. At least in what little way adding a small car to the list makes any sense.
A real wafter, say Merc W124, is growing on me.
But it did surprise me there doesn't really seem to be any luxurious hatchbacks. Manufacturers appear to have filled every niche there is for a car bar this one. Something like a Golf with plush interior, softly sprung with loads of sound deadening and a nice lazy V6.
V8forweekends said:
Depends what you mean by "Rolls Royce" in this context. VW and Audi small cars can have nice interiors and loads of toys (but as usual for Germans cost a fortune to spec highly), but Audis in particular have terrible ride quality in my experience.
I mean the air ride quality you get and a sumptuous interior with a lazy, effortless engine. I want a Phantom like ride, serenity, comfort in a hatchback or small car.Edited by Agent Orange on Monday 1st September 10:41
The first gen Volvo S60 was meant to have a very comfy ride and Volvo's seats are some of the most comfortable in the business.
How about one with the 2.0 litre turbo engine? Meets all the boring commuter comfort criteria and those below have cruise control and auto boxes. They are fast enough to give unstressful overtaking and cheap enough (£2K & £4K) that the economy issue is dealt with.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/volvo/s60/volvo-60-series-t-s-2003/2766966
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/volvo/s60/volvo-s60-s-t/1842291
How about one with the 2.0 litre turbo engine? Meets all the boring commuter comfort criteria and those below have cruise control and auto boxes. They are fast enough to give unstressful overtaking and cheap enough (£2K & £4K) that the economy issue is dealt with.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/volvo/s60/volvo-60-series-t-s-2003/2766966
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/volvo/s60/volvo-s60-s-t/1842291
Agent Orange said:
I mean the air ride quality you get and a sumptuous interior with a lazy, effortless engine. I want a Phantom like ride, serenity, comfort in a hatchback or small car.
Then what you need is a Citroën GSA Pallas, a bit like this:
Howmany left says there are about 10 of these piles of rust left, plus about 50 other versions of GS/GSA. It's economical, too...
doogz said:
My best mate just sold one of these.
We're both in agreement that the 13 year old V70 2.4 he's just bought for £500 is a comfier car to sit in, drive, be a passenger in etc.
Also, for some reason, has an absolute belter of a stereo.
Not suggesting the answer to this small car question is a Volvo estate, obviously. Just suggesting a Golf isn't the answer IMO.
Volvo's all have amazing stereos. Old people can't listen to classic FM on tinny speakers!We're both in agreement that the 13 year old V70 2.4 he's just bought for £500 is a comfier car to sit in, drive, be a passenger in etc.
Also, for some reason, has an absolute belter of a stereo.
Not suggesting the answer to this small car question is a Volvo estate, obviously. Just suggesting a Golf isn't the answer IMO.
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