Most relaxing car you've owned?

[AnotherClarkey]

Merc W123 230E. It was almost like you didn't have to drive it - you just slumped into the sofa-like seat and arrived at your destination without any conscious effort. Strangely my current Prius reminds me of it, far more so than any current Mercedes.

[Cotic]

8 pages in, and has no-one posted 'Rover 75'? Easily the best ride I've experienced in a car, with definitely the best ventilation system; and this includes Jags, Range Rovers and my current Disco.

However not so relaxing on account of having to sniff the air constantly for any sign of leaking anti-freeze.

[Valgar]

For me it was a 2001 Subaru Legacy 2.0 Estate, by far the largest car I've owned, and despite having only 130ish bhp it was surprisingly effortless. Comfortable and very spacious, god I miss that boot...

[Lugy]

It would probably be my old W140 S class, 235/60/16 tyres, uber comfort suspension, double glazing, bright and airy interior, superb stereo and even though it was only a 320, enough power to stick at 'German' speeds. A huge tank meant a decent range too. It just felt really good to be in, slightly better than my 7 series, though the 7 beats it in pretty much every other way!

[anonymous-user]

Pagoda1966 said:

Slk55 AMG - maniac when you wanted it to be, brilliant long distance cruiser when you needed to be. 3000 revs at 70mph and 30+ mpg.........

3krpm at 70mph - is that not a bit high for a cruiser?

[Mike22233]

OpulentBob said:

3krpm at 70mph - is that not a bit high for a cruiser?

I think so
my 540 is a good bit lower

[insideimsmiling]

Always have a comfortable car to go with the sports car and have had a few jaguar xj which were great but my old triumph 2000 wins with lots of space a relaxed 6cyl and big soft seats. Great for long distance journeys and always got a good reaction from other drivers.

[keith2.2]

Whilst at on the motorway in normal driving, the road, wind and engine noise mean it's not exactly a relaxing cruiser, my work hack - a new Hybrid Auris, is unsurpassed in stop start traffic;

1) CVT gearbox means it never jolts or delays at low speeds and never feels like it's fighting against itself
2) EV mode at those speeds mean there's no noise or vibration whatsoever
3) The seats are really comfortable

The only way I could possibly improve it in that situation is to be able to drift off to sleep and let it drive itself.

Of course the CVT and terrible petrol engine mean it's bloody awful for normal driving...

[Dominic H]

Most relaxing car I've owned? Easy, the 2007 BMW E65 7 series. Either to drive or be driven in, it does exactly what you'd expect from a large exec saloon. Still have a hankering for another....

[baddawg]

Most relaxing my old W208 CLK55amg had the pace when needed but you could just cruise in comfort put 25k a year on it commuting and managed 32mpg with the cruise set @ 75mph although when you got on it you could reduce that into single figures! One of only 2 cars i've owned that I regret selling on.

[MadDog1962]

It would have to be my father's old Daimler Double-Six. Eventually it died a slow death (its nemesis being replacement by a 300E W124 - which was also very good), but it was a nice car for the 5 or 6 years my Dad ran it for.

[JD PH]

One of the most relaxing cars I've driven in recent times is the new M-B SL400, as reviewed by our very own Mr Dan Trent here: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-driven/mercedes...

It was just plain comfy, effortless, enjoyable and...well... relaxing. It definitely changed my opinions on the SL, and if you had a long cruise ahead of you, preferably somewhere sunny, then it would be the weapon of choice*

• especially if it had a V8 in it

[mackie1]

Toss up between C63 or Monaro. Both did not have a wafty ride at all but the Merc had such a refined drive-train in "C" mode and it was a pleasure to pootle about in.
The Monaro would do 70mph at about 1600rpm and had the comfiest seats of any car so was a pleasure to drive long distances in.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

In all seriousness, my TVR Chimaera 450 is the most relaxing long-distance car I've ever owned. Sure, it's not the quietest motorway cruiser, but the seats are lovely, the driving position is perfect, the engine is effortless and the ride quality is extraordinarily good. I finish long journeys in it feeling fresher than any of my other cars. It isn't even too terrible on economy - 25mpg at a constant motorway cruise is typical.

And of course, it can change mood in an instant if you want it to become a hooligan. It's a great all-rounder!

[SPMX5]

Skoda Yeti.

Feels solid and planted on the road, just high enough to offer that SUV view but small enough to maneuvre and not worry about it. Everything about the car seems designed to be just about right.

[hiscocks]

Used to be this

EPSN3182 by Christopher Hiscocks, on Flickr

But now I have an E39 520i and I have to say it's almost as good and better in some areas, such as wind noise.

[Mr E]

Mike22233 said:

I think so
my 540 is a good bit lower

I think the E500 is about 1700rpm at 70mph.

[Lowtimer]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Those are numbers arguments and this is a thread about relaxation, which is not measured by fuel consumption, CO2 emissions or number of gear ratios.

If I needed to get to Spain on one tank in the middle of the night range would be a bigger issue for relaxation and peace of mind. But I don't, and any car that will do 500 miles on a tank now has enough range for me. I have lots of experience of the BMW four-cylinder diesel and I know a modern 520d or A6 or E-class equivalent really can almost keep up with an old NA petrol straight six in a straight line, but why would that bother me?

If I want to use less fuel, or if I want to go faster, I take a different car. But if I want the most comfortable and relaxing long haul drive it's the E39 every time. Even the fact that after 15 years it's externally somewhat scratched and shabby helps the relaxation factor. I never worry about it being parked at the airport or supermarket or out on the street somewhere on a Friday night while I'm at the theatre or cinema. It's almost invisible, no-one else even notices it. Despite having sunk a fair mechanical refurb budget into it I don't have to worry about what it owes me either, nor do I never have to think about finance or depreciation.

[hiscocks]

Lowtimer said:

Those are numbers arguments and this is a thread about relaxation, which is not measured by fuel consumption, CO2 emissions or number of gear ratios.

If I needed to get to Spain on one tank in the middle of the night range would be a bigger issue for relaxation and peace of mind. But I don't, and any car that will do 500 miles on a tank now has enough range for me. I have lots of experience of the BMW four-cylinder diesel and I know a modern 520d or A6 or E-class equivalent really can almost keep up with an old NA petrol straight six in a straight line, but why would that bother me?

If I want to use less fuel, or if I want to go faster, I take a different car. But if I want the most comfortable and relaxing long haul drive it's the E39 every time. Even the fact that after 15 years it's externally somewhat scratched and shabby helps the relaxation factor. I never worry about it being parked at the airport or supermarket or out on the street somewhere on a Friday night while I'm at the theatre or cinema. It's almost invisible, no-one else even notices it. Despite having sunk a fair mechanical refurb budget into it I don't have to worry about what it owes me either, nor do I never have to think about finance or depreciation.

Nicely put; it sums up my E39 ownership also, although I'm still a bit protective of mine! It still surprises me how well balanced the car is; great fun driving around the lakes last weekend including some 'off roading' and a lovely relaxing drive there and back (6 hrs one way)

Honister Pass, Lake District, England by Christopher Hiscocks, on Flickr

[Lowtimer]

Mine was scratched and shabby (though free from structural corrosion) when I got it, so the scruffiness is not on me, otherwise I would be a lot more protective! I gradually do up cosmetic bits and pieces over time but I think I'm unlikely ever to put the money in to do a proper glass-out interior-out body restoration, at least not in the next five or ten years. As long as it's not rusty and everything works it's actually more valuable to me at the moment being the car that doesn't matter if it gets a bit of a pounding.

Maybe in 10 years I will chuck a lot of money at it cosmetically to match the mechanical refurb but if I do that I'll need another no-worries car!