pokey, discreet family car for under £10,000

[mark2012]

Hi all,

I would apprciate you thoughts and recommendations on the below.

I currently have a 330ci M Sport that drinks a lot - looking to relace with:

1) Family sized saloon or hatch
2) Manual only
3) A bit of poke
4) Reasonable running costs
5) Understated and discreet
6) Ideally 07 or younger
7) £10k maximum

My initial thoughts - BMW 5 Series 520d SE, Audi A4??

Thanks

[Robb F]

Fabia Vrs estate?

[GPS M-Jet]

Mazda 3 MPS?

[mat777]

I'd say a Subaru or some sort - legacy or impreza wagon

[danneth]

GPS M-Jet said:

Mazda 3 MPS?

This

Fits the bill perfect, ok the tax is in the higher band, but for the purchase price you can get them for and the year, spec, performance hard to ignore.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3599119.htm

[mark2012]

Thanks

trying to keep the Fuel consumption (urban) above 45mpg though

The subuaru and Masda are worse on fule that my BMW

[danneth]

ahh fair enough, i don't think the MPS will be worse then the 330ci though, mines mapped and im getting round 30mpg round town in sheffield, and can get 44mpg on a run if i want to coast somewhere

[thinfourth2]

Spending 10 grand to save on fuel costs

[Dave Hedgehog]

danneth said:

GPS M-Jet said:

Mazda 3 MPS?

This

Fits the bill perfect, ok the tax is in the higher band, but for the purchase price you can get them for and the year, spec, performance hard to ignore.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3599119.htm

very expensive for an 08, they have normally crashed a lot more than this

and you have to consider the expense of paper bag consumption whilst owning it, especially with a large family, that's a lot of heads that need covering before you can be seen in public

[mnkiboy]

Leon Cupra. Better mpg than the Mazda, 07-08 plates creeping under £10K now.

[kamilb1998]

BMW 330d or a 520d? Or possibly an Alfa 159 Sportwagon 3.2 JTS V6?

[Devil2575]

Above 45mpg urban, a bit of poke, newer than 07 and all for under £10k.

Forget either the 45mpg or the bit of poke and there are plenty to choose from.

IMHO cars with a bit of poke don't tend to get that kind of fuel economy

[E38Ross]

thinfourth2 said:

Spending 10 grand to save on fuel costs

Makes sense,

[easter]

golf gt tdi 2005+ ideally 4 motion as is rare as f!

[pthelazyjourno]

325D, 330D, something like that.

[VB]

Leon FR170 TDi or the Octavia vRS 170 TDi. But I don't expect it to be cheap to run.

You need to factor in repair costs (and the amount of times it's likely to break down) too. I wouldn't touch a 5 year old dag dag again with a barge pole.


130i would be my choice. Stuff worrying about what it costs you at the pumps, it'll average out over a year when you factor in breakages IME.

[300bhp/ton]

mark2012 said:

Thanks

trying to keep the Fuel consumption (urban) above 45mpg though

The subuaru and Masda are worse on fule that my BMW

How many miles are you doing, what type of roads and what's your driving style like? Seriously averaging a real 45mpg in a large heavy car that still has some poke is somewhat self deluding IMO.

[veevee]

typical PH.... OP says he has a 330i, wants to save on fuel costs. Cue lots of recommendations for sub 30mpg cars!

e46 330d touring and lots of change?

[mark2012]

OK maybe I am being a little picky and could reduce the poke to semi fast. I drive from Reading to North London every day and am starting a family. Need something reliable, economical and good looking.

I like the 520d 2.0L but my 330 is high on servicing and parts. Do you think that will go down with the 520D?

[Chrisw666]

What is the 330 worth?

How much will you be spending to swap from a 30mpg car to a 45mpg one?

How much fuel and servicing would the difference pay for?

How long will it take you to save what you spend to change by using less fuel?

If you want to start a family buying a new car seems an odd way to save up for it.