Affordable used all-wheel-drive 4-door saloon?

[Dapster]

Do you want sports car or barge?

If it's the latter, then there's nothing better.




http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=...

[talksthetorque]

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

[twoblacklines]

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

That is not AWD.

[talksthetorque]

twoblacklines said:

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

That is not AWD.

Happy to be corrected, and I know that dealer ads can be wrong, but just going on info I saw.
Type the reg in to ECP and you can buy front and rear drive shafts for it. Plus this:


Damn you thumbsnap logo

[schmalex]

talksthetorque said:

twoblacklines said:

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

That is not AWD.

Happy to be corrected, and I know that dealer ads can be wrong, but just going on info I saw.
Type the reg in to ECP and you can buy front and rear drive shafts for it. Plus this:



Damn you thumbsnap logo

The 2.5 and 3.0 petrol were 4WD. If I remember correctly, the 2.0 petrol and 2.2 diesel were front wheel drive only

[s m]

twoblacklines said:

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

That is not AWD.

It is AWD - 3-litre

[Jimmy Recard]

twoblacklines said:

That is not AWD.

Do you think it's broken?

If it's not broken, it certainly is all wheel drive.

[T16OLE]

If you buy something German, you'll have a lot more choice and likely to find a better example by shopping around

[V88Dicky]

s m said:

twoblacklines said:

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

That is not AWD.

It is AWD - 3-litre

I had a 3.0 manual for over three years and it performed faultlessly. Excellent rear-biased grip ( 65-35 ish), and with all-season tyres was absolutely brilliant in those rough winters a few years ago.

I actually regret selling it

[culpz]

J4x4K said:

InitialDave said:

Mazda 6 MPS?

Why not German?

High maintenance costs.

All-wheel-drive versions not affordable unless in bad condition.

Edited by J4x4K on Wednesday 26th October 22:15

What do you mean by high maintenance costs? You mean a fluid change every few years at a couple of hundred quid?

Also, I think you could be pleasently surprised at what you could get for your money if you looked.

[kambites]

Is the Octavia big enough? They've done various Haldex versions of that (it's a hatchback but then so is the Vectra you mention in the original post).

[Agent XXX]

Jag X type.

(should read end of thread. D'oh!)

[J4x4K]

Dapster said:

Do you want sports car or barge?

If it's the latter, then there's nothing better.




http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=...

A 4-door sports car?

In a serious note, I would not mind a sports-saloon or super-saloon as they are called. But it doesn't have to be.

The problem with the Honda and pretty much all the Japanese cars suggested is that most people outside of continental Europe don't realize Japanese cars are nowhere as common here as they are in Australia, the U.S. or even the UK. Maybe in Sweden and the rest of northern Europe. But not in central or south Europe.

Specially cars of that vintage. You need to keep in mind that I need affordable, which will mean 10+ years old.

I can go weeks or months without seeing a Honda or Toyota and even Nissan on the road. Mazda is a bit more common but still. And when I see Japanese cars on the road they are only the newer cars and basic models like Nissan Micra, Mazda 3 or 6 etc. A Honda and Toyota are like unicorns. This means it's hard to find one to buy, specially a 10+ years old. And if I find it won't be the AWD versions. Just the basic versions. And even if I would find a AWD version, it means who bought it is a huge Japanese car fan. Nobody else would pay the money for one here. So he will want a lot for it because in his mind he has something very special. And then after all that, even if you buy it and something goes wrong with it, you are out of luck. Forget about walking in any shop with it and having it repaired. You are tied to the official dealership network, which means £££££££££.

This is why Japanese cars here have no value. Buying a new one is a waste of money because 2nd hand they go for peanuts. Because nobody wants them really. This is why most of them are also only the basic versions. They are bad investment. If it's a sporty one the fast and furious crowd may want. But only for peanuts too because they are young people without money. If they are the more expensive AWD luxury cars, the owner will want to much for it and one would be crazy to pay because of the depreciation.

[J4x4K]

Zad said:

Vauxhall Insignia 4x4? I hate myself for thinking it, but still...

I said affordable. . This will most likely mean 10+ years old. The Insignia is too new and expensive.

[J4x4K]

davepoth said:

Is German, so out.

bigvanfan said:

Opel are German

Well, Opel is German in name only really. It's GM and the maintenance costs are not as high as VW, BMW, Audi or Mercedes. So I'm fine with Opel.

[J4x4K]

SWoll said:

I thnk you're probably going to have to accept that some sort of Quattro model Audi is your best bet from an availaility standpoint. I doubt they're any more expensive to run than an equivalent Volvo or Alfa TBH anyway, and you'll have far more choice available to pick a good one.

Well, I'm not buying an Alfa. Don't fancy being under my car every weekend.

[J4x4K]

culpz said:

What do you mean by high maintenance costs? You mean a fluid change every few years at a couple of hundred quid?

Also, I think you could be pleasently surprised at what you could get for your money if you looked.

I had a VW Passat before. You are right. Engine is pretty reliable. fluid change etc and you are fine! But PRAY nothing else goes wrong. I had a suspension problem and had to leave my left arm at the dealership to pay for it. Never again.

[J4x4K]

talksthetorque said:

How about something British?
Despite Royal connections and the cars on most suburban driveways, British isn't actually German.....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

Ps I know it's based on a Mondeo, which was a bit German.

Edited by talksthetorque on Thursday 27th October 00:19

But is it reliable? I have heard horror stories about it and if it breaks, well, it's a Jag!££££££

[J4x4K]

kambites said:

Is the Octavia big enough? They've done various Haldex versions of that (it's a hatchback but then so is the Vectra you mention in the original post).

The Octavia is a hatchback? I thought they came in saloon and estate only?

The Vectra I mentioned is not really a hatchback. It's more of a fastback. The roof slops down and the trunk sticks out. It may not be the technical description of hatchback, but to me a hatchback is like a short estate, like a Fiesta, Golf etc.

[kambites]

J4x4K said:

The Octavia is a hatchback? I thought they came in saloon and estate only?

There has never been a saloon version of the Octavia in the literal sense - the rear glass opens with the boot. But yes, it's shaped closer to a saloon than to most hatches.