What used car?

[Shiny Side Up]

Thinking about changing my current car but at a loss what to go for. Here's the criteria:

1. Must be able to get a couple of mountain bikes inside it or 4 people
2. Available with a diesel engine (sorry, I know...) with some power
3. Have 4 wheel drive, but must be a car not an off roader
4. Comfortable and decent quality

Budget not critical, but I'm thinking normal cars here, no Bugatti Veyrons! Would be looking for something where I can pick up a used one about a year old.

Audi are an obvious option, any othre suggestions?

[PaulB81]

Diesel Legacy? http://subaru.co.uk/vehicles/legacy/20d-smanual/

[va1o]

F25 X3?

[RobCrezz]

What's your budget?

[Shiny Side Up]

@PaulB81: A Legacy's probably a bit bigger than I had in mind nad they don't do a diesel Impreza as far as I know.

@va1o: The X3 is a bit close to being an off roader for me, I'm definitely after something that's just a car with 4x4.

@RobCrezz: As I said, it's not critical, but practically speaking it'd be around £20k so a 2nd hand A3 or A4 Avant is within reach (standing by to be told that an A4 Avant is bigger than a Legacy...).

[alfaeagle]

Shiny Side Up said:

they don't do a diesel Impreza as far as I know.

Oh yes they do...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

There are a fair few of them on Autotrader.

[Deerfoot]

Skoda Octavia Scout?

[Matt UK]

Audi A4 / A6 Avant Quattro with the 2.0tdi / 3.0tdi
Audi Allroad / Volvo XC70 estate if you need some ground clearance - both come in diesel flavour

[y2blade]

Matt UK said:

Audi A4 / A6 Avant Quattro with the 2.0tdi / 3.0tdi
Audi Allroad / Volvo XC70 estate if you need some ground clearance - both come in diesel flavour

I was going to shout the same as those^^^

[Shiny Side Up]

alfaeagle said:

Oh yes they do...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

There are a fair few of them on Autotrader.

Thanks alfaeagle, have they stopped? I checked Subaru's website and the Impreza was petrol only

[zaphod42]

Matt UK said:

Audi A4 / A6 Avant Quattro with the 2.0tdi / 3.0tdi
Audi Allroad / Volvo XC70 estate if you need some ground clearance - both come in diesel flavour

All good.

The Audi Allroad if you want better ground clearance, but avoid the 2.5tdi. The 2.7 and 3.0 are better.

[alfaeagle]

Shiny Side Up said:

Thanks alfaeagle, have they stopped? I checked Subaru's website and the Impreza was petrol only

That's a very good question, I see what you mean about there only being a choice between the various sizes of petrol engines, but the banner at the top of the page refers to "Subaru Boxer petrol and diesel engines".

I doubt that they'd have introduced a diesel engine to plug a glaring gap in their range and then binned it after so short a time. Maybe it has something to do with supply problems from Japan following the earthquake, perhaps they are working to replace the domestic market before resuming exports.

Whatever the reason, it seems as though nearly new diesel Imprezas are your only option at the moment.

[zaphod42]

alfaeagle said:

That's a very good question, I see what you mean about there only being a choice between the various sizes of petrol engines, but the banner at the top of the page refers to "Subaru Boxer petrol and diesel engines".

I doubt that they'd have introduced a diesel engine to plug a glaring gap in their range and then binned it after so short a time. Maybe it has something to do with supply problems from Japan following the earthquake, perhaps they are working to replace the domestic market before resuming exports.

Whatever the reason, it seems as though nearly new diesel Imprezas are your only option at the moment.

http://subaru.co.uk/vehicles/impreza/#engineering
Shows the diesel engine?

250 Subaru diesels in the approved used site in the UK and several ex-demo Impreza diesels in that mix?

[briSk]

..am i being blind.. where's the budget..?

personally i like octavia scouts for what they are. much simpler than something like an allroad too.

4wd alfa 159?

a3 'sport' 'wagon' 4wd?

kuga?

you'll struggle for anything fun and all your requirements so i guess as well as budget you ought to say where the compromises must lie.

i think the Scout may do the job you want..

[Zwoelf]

Shiny Side Up said:

1. Must be able to get a couple of mountain bikes inside it or 4 people
2. Available with a diesel engine (sorry, I know...) with some power
3. Have 4 wheel drive, but must be a car not an off roader
4. Comfortable and decent quality

All of the above and within budget.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/2988279.htm




Plenty of space, reasonably efficient and torquey diesel engine (30-35mpg from 185PS/400Nm), capable in moderate off-road use (yes I have driven one under such circumstances, including down a 45 degree sheet of steel both with and without Hill Descent Control (standard) switched on), feels like a car - a V70 with a softer ride to be specific - on the road rather than a 4x4, unbeatable Volvo comfort and extremely well built as you'd expect.

ETA: That one also has the switchable "Four C" chassis, so you can decide on the degree of comfort/sportiness to the ride - and you really can feel the difference between all three modes. In "Advanced", with spin control switched off (you can't fully disable DSTC on any Volvo other than the S60/V70R) and with space to play, they can handle themselves admirably. i.e. you can slide them a little bit.

Edited by Zwoelf on Friday 1st July 12:47

[alfaeagle]

zaphod42 said:

http://subaru.co.uk/vehicles/impreza/#engineering
Shows the diesel engine?

250 Subaru diesels in the approved used site in the UK and several ex-demo Impreza diesels in that mix?

There are eleven nearly new and used diesel Imprezas on the approved used list from Subaru UK, but there doesn't seem to be an option to specify a brand new diesel Impreza on the Subaru web-site, which is what Shiny Side Up is asking about.

It might just be a problem with the web-site, or it might be a supply problem, I was only speculating as I don't know why this should be.

[y2blade]

Zwoelf said:

Shiny Side Up said:

1. Must be able to get a couple of mountain bikes inside it or 4 people
2. Available with a diesel engine (sorry, I know...) with some power
3. Have 4 wheel drive, but must be a car not an off roader
4. Comfortable and decent quality

All of the above and within budget.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/2988279.htm




Plenty of space, reasonably efficient and torquey diesel engine (30-35mpg from 185PS/400Nm), capable in moderate off-road use (yes I have driven one under such circumstances, including down a 45 degree sheet of steel both with and without Hill Descent Control (standard) switched on), feels like a car - a V70 with a softer ride to be specific - on the road rather than a 4x4, unbeatable Volvo comfort and extremely well built as you'd expect.

I like that

[Zwoelf]

briSk said:

..am i being blind.. where's the budget..?

In the OP's second post.

Shiny Side Up said:

..around £20k

[zaphod42]

alfaeagle said:

There are eleven nearly new and used diesel Imprezas on the approved used list from Subaru UK, but there doesn't seem to be an option to specify a brand new diesel Impreza on the Subaru web-site, which is what Shiny Side Up is asking about.

It might just be a problem with the web-site, or it might be a supply problem, I was only speculating as I don't know why this should be.

Ahh - sorry - I see.

I did test one a while back and they are OK but a little agricultural. I'm sure they will be bullet proof and very capable, but they lack the smoothness of comparable Volvo/Audi/BMW/Honda units.

[briSk]

Zwoelf said:

briSk said:

..am i being blind.. where's the budget..?

In the OP's second post.

Shiny Side Up said:

..around £20k

yep seen it now hidden in the rob crezz bit..!

__________

the volvos have a lot of kerb appeal.