The more I look the less I find...

The more I look the less I find...

Author
Discussion

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
Its getting worse.

The more threads I read on here, about cars, bangers, 4k cars...etc, the less I know what I should be going for.

I started out looking for a 7 seater 4x4 in the £6k price range because I really like 4x4s. Then i started looking and asking questions and got extremely disappointed with what was available and its quality.

I now find myself looking at £2k 15 year old BMW 5 series tourers. But I really don't think I can take a risk like that.

So now I have literally no clue how much I should be spending, or the age or mileage I should be targeting, or even what type of car I now want. It seems that I can spend anywhere in the range from £250 to £6000 with no guarantee any car will be behaving itself at either price bracket or anywhere inbetween. I can get a 50k miler that is old or a 150k miler that is newer and I'm unable to decide which is the better option. Economy seems awful on everything except another bloody Mondeo.

HELP ME!!! smile





Pebbles167

3,417 posts

151 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
Cars are a gamble, welcome to vehicle ownership.

Use your head, buy stuff in good condition that's been looked after and you'll usually do OK. Other than that there's not a lot that anyone can tell you. In time you'll work out your own way of doing and spotting things.

driverrob

4,687 posts

202 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
So: you want an economical 5-seater (at least), fairly cheap to buy and maintain.
Any other priorities - performance, stability, crash safety?
Camping or fishing trips, dogs, child restraint fittings ... ?

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
I came in here really wanted a nice 4x4. Big, robust, mean looking mutha. Then I looked at how much fuel they use, and the fact that the 10 year old 4x4s don't really look big, robust or mean.

Then I looked at MPVs and hated all of them because they look like vans.

So then I looked at older higher quality (at the time) estates like the beemer 5 series, but another 'normal car' is not really what I wanted in the first place. I carry my kids bikes and my own so its got to be pretty big. And 15 years ago I'm sure the wooden dash trim was top class but now it just looks old fashioned.

I went from driving my dads proton to a Rover 400 to a Vauxhall Astra to a Ford Mondeo over the past 17 years. Now I want something better not worse.



Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 30th August 21:33

Pebbles167

3,417 posts

151 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
Buy a shogun sport?

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
Pebbles167 said:
Buy a shogun sport?
Exactly the type of big truck look I really love. But 27mpg....I would be doubling my annual fuel costs. Its so frustrating.

hman

7,487 posts

193 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
big car = big mass + 4x4 transmission = big fuel consumption. and st dynamics typically.

Unless you need a 4x4 get an estate car if you need the load lugging ability.


danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
hman said:
big car = big mass + 4x4 transmission = big fuel consumption. and st dynamics typically.

Unless you need a 4x4 get an estate car if you need the load lugging ability.
The new 4x4s manage 40+ mpg. Cant afford them. In the same way as my 12 year old mondy gets 45mpg which is not bettered (by much) on the modern version, I didn't expect such a gap down to these 4x4 mpgs from the modern lot.

What I really needed was 7 seats. And 4x4 >>>>>>>> MPV in the looks department.


And even if I didn't want a 4x4, I don't see anything special about any of the hatchbacks or estates I'm looking at. I think in comparison to the truck look which I love, any estate is going to look dull. Even the old BMW's I'm looking at have pretty poor mpg's so I'm not winning here either.


I feel as if I could go out and spent £6k and, other than it being newer, the new car would have nothing over and above my current car.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 30th August 22:19

sparkythecat

7,898 posts

254 months

Sunday 30th August 2015
quotequote all
Pebbles167 said:
Buy a shogun sport?
Mitsubishi Shogun Sport 2.5TD

114BHP
177ft.lbs Torque
Average MPG 27.2
0-60 16.8 Secs
Top Speed
93MPH

I don't think so.




Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
danlightbulb said:
The new 4x4s manage 40+ mpg. Cant afford them. In the same way as my 12 year old mondy gets 45mpg which is not bettered (by much) on the modern version, I didn't expect such a gap down to these 4x4 mpgs from the modern lot.

What I really needed was 7 seats. And 4x4 >>>>>>>> MPV in the looks department.


And even if I didn't want a 4x4, I don't see anything special about any of the hatchbacks or estates I'm looking at. I think in comparison to the truck look which I love, any estate is going to look dull. Even the old BMW's I'm looking at have pretty poor mpg's so I'm not winning here either.


I feel as if I could go out and spent £6k and, other than it being newer, the new car would have nothing over and above my current car.

Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 30th August 22:19
So maybe just keep your current car??...At least you know what you've got!

noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
I'm going to stick my neck out here and suggest the very non-PH Kia Sorrento 2.5 diesel. But only because I'm confused about whether you need or want 7 seats.

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
So maybe just keep your current car??...At least you know what you've got!
Its most likely going to fail its MOT next month. Previous MOTs have been costing me 3 to 4 hundred each time, and things have been going wrong inbetween MOTs as well. The thing is only worth 6 or 7 hundred at best.


noell35 said:
I'm going to stick my neck out here and suggest the very non-PH Kia Sorrento 2.5 diesel. But only because I'm confused about whether you need or want 7 seats.
Looked closely at it and like it, cannot find a 7 seater in the used market. Think that may have been a later addition to the range?

Hyundai Santa Fe by far the best option so far, but hardly any to choose from in the used market.

It would be simple if I just wanted another Mondy. But I want something better in some way, to upgrade in some way, something that I'll enjoy owning.




bearman68

4,642 posts

131 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
If it's any help, I have similar requirements (not 7 seats), but want something to tow a caravan, comfy, not ruinous to run, refined on the motorway, not too bad on the twistys - you know the thing.

Ended up with a short list of a 3.0 petrol Subaru Outback at about 4k, or a Lexus. Both have superb reputations.

Now in discussion with Mrs, she says she wants a 4WD (Apparently the Scooby is not 4WD because it isn't high enough (still trying to work that one out), so it's a Lexus - Prob a RX 3?? thingy.
However 20 MPG is not attractive, so it has to be LPG converted - another 1.5k - so that's where the 5.5k is.

Should be OK - for a big 4*4 truck - looks comfy - a bit like an X5 but reliable.

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
XC90

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Mumsnet - PH don't do that sort of cr*p (hopefully)!

Or buy a proper car FFS!

PorkRind

3,053 posts

204 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
danlightbulb said:
I came in here really wanted a nice 4x4. Big, robust, mean looking mutha. Then I looked at how much fuel they use, and the fact that the 10 year old 4x4s don't really look big, robust or mean.

Then I looked at MPVs and hated all of them because they look like vans.

So then I looked at older higher quality (at the time) estates like the beemer 5 series, but another 'normal car' is not really what I wanted in the first place. I carry my kids bikes and my own so its got to be pretty big. And 15 years ago I'm sure the wooden dash trim was top class but now it just looks old fashioned.

I went from driving my dads proton to a Rover 400 to a Vauxhall Astra to a Ford Mondeo over the past 17 years. Now I want something better not worse.



Edited by danlightbulb on Sunday 30th August 21:33
Get on car&classic - loads of ropey old american pick ups for naff all - might need a mortgage to pay the fuel bills,however !

Ghost91

2,964 posts

109 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
£1500 on an old mean looking 4.0 petrol jeep Cherokee and the ther £4,500 for fuel over a couple of years? That's got to be better than driving some POS mum bus

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
Mumsnet - PH don't do that sort of cr*p (hopefully)!

Or buy a proper car FFS!
What proper ph car can i get for 6k? All i see are the same old hatches and saloons. Thousands of the same cars.

And re the ropey old american pickups. I dont want a ropey old pickup. I want a modern reliable car that looks nice. I have to drive my kids and missus round in this. I have to commute 12k miles a year on motorways.

I saw a jeep cherokee a few weeks back. Like the look but it was way too small inside. I need something larger than average.

Large and spacious.
Good fuel economy.
Modern and good looking.
Comfortable on the commute.



Edited by danlightbulb on Monday 31st August 09:47

DoubleSix

11,691 posts

175 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
danlightbulb said:
Mr Tidy said:
Mumsnet - PH don't do that sort of cr*p (hopefully)!

Or buy a proper car FFS!
What proper ph car can i get for 6k? All i see are the same old hatches and saloons. Thousands of the same cars.

And re the ropey old american pickups. I dont want a ropey old pickup. I want a modern reliable car that looks nice. I have to drive my kids and missus round in this.
530i Touring

danlightbulb

Original Poster:

1,033 posts

105 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Ive been looking at those. For what i can spend it will be older than my mondeo, fairly high mileage, and wooden dash trim that is out of the 70s. Fuel economy not very good and ive been scared off by reports of expensive repair bills.