Boring Car Advice £3-£4.5k

[elster]

Right so the time has come to get rid of my trusted van, as quite simply I dont use it as a van any more.

I am looking to spend very little.

I want more mpg than I am currently getting 23mpg on average, I am 6'4'' so I dont want to look like a clown. I have only really had larger cars apart from my leon.

• 30+mpg at the least. Ideally 40mpg
• Large-ish boot (so not a mini)
• Ideally 4 door saloon/estate
• No more than £4.5k, ideally lower end of the budget
• Not too many miles of abuse <100k if possible
• Smooth styling, I don't like boxy styling (my girly side)
• Not Ford or French

I've been thinking things like these:

VW Passat

Audi A6

Mazda 6

Any help and pointers are gratefully received.

[corvus]

Honda Accord 03-08. Will fit most of the criteria above.

[chriscoates]

E46 320i. Should meet your mpg requirements and you can get an example with half the miles for £4.5k compared to the diesel.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3670078.htm

[carmadgaz]

Boring car - Ford Mondeo, can get a diesel well within budget, 40mpg+ and not bad to drive (prefer my Focus though)

ETA Sorry you said no Fords (must learn to read). Very happy with our two though (The Focus was a 'temp' car that has lasted 9 months)

Edited by carmadgaz on Wednesday 7th March 20:50

[elster]

Thanks will add those two to the list to look through an then try out.

Sorry about fords just had bad experiences with them and them failing.

[carmadgaz]

elster said:

Sorry about fords just had bad experiences with them and them failing.

No need to apologise mate, Fix Or Repair Daily is what it stands for

Mums Sierras and Mondeos have had a bit of a chequered past but my 2 Escrots were alright and the Focus has been kept alot longer than planned cos it is a great car (and when the alternator went we fixed it ourselves with no problems )

[Mr E]

We've just bought a Saab for nowhere near budget. Cheap, ugly, well equipped, vast and bloody quick.

30mpg might be a bit of a stretch....

[andye30m3]

My Merc C-class C220 diesel would probably do most of what your looking for.

I paid £3.5k for a 95k mile car that looked like new bar the odd mark on the wheels and bodywork, returns 40-50mpg incredibly boring but it's been in the family for years and always been a good car.

When I was looking I also considered a jag X-type, seam to remember they don't have a dpf, tales of replacement cost for dpf's on other alternative diesel estates were starting to put me off diesels all together

[otolith]

Mr E said:

We've just bought a Saab for nowhere near budget. Cheap, ugly, well equipped, vast and bloody quick.

30mpg might be a bit of a stretch....

I reset the trip computer on ours and then deliberately drove it economically (but not slowly). Did about 60 miles of motorway/dc with the cruise set to 70 and about 50 miles of A and B road over a couple of days, after which it was showing 34mpg.

The wife has now done three days of commuting in it, and it's down to 31mpg - she'll have it back to 26mpg again in no time!

[elster]

I used to have a C270 and liked the car, definitely would go back there. Will have a look at the C220's


The S60 is not something I thought of at all, from the front it is boxy, but the side profile looks nice.

[GreatGranny]

That A6 looks expensive and will struggle to average 30mpg IMO.

I would have a serious look at the S60 especially the D5. Very good engine and they are not expensive to buy 2nd hand unlike diesel VAG cars.

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

[sday12]

GreatGranny said:

That A6 looks expensive and will struggle to average 30mpg IMO.

Less thean 100 k miles
Will do 40mpg all day long.
Under budget (by £5)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

[edward1]

I recently bought a mazda 6 petrol 2.0 and that gives around 35 to the gallon. I personally wouldn't go for the 1.8 as that would be a bit slow and through working the engine harder will probably end up less economical. Good ride and handling with plenty of space. Look out for wheel arch rust on earlier cars and worn seats

The volvo D5 is a good diesel and the s60 a nice place to be and a pleasant drive.

Personally although the 1.9 VAG unit will give good mpg and cope with high miles, I always think they are overpriced second hand and with your budget will be lookng at a quite old vehicle or high miles. At the age you will be looking the handling of these cars will be pretty poor. Think sofa on wheels.

[LayZ]

sday12 said:

Less thean 100 k miles
Will do 40mpg all day long.
Under budget (by £5)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

No hope of 40mpg unless 60mph motorway cruise on these. Auto + 2.5TDI is not a recipe for huge economy.

As other poster mentioned you'll struggle to do better than a mk3 Mondeo at this money imo.

Mk1 Skoda Superb is a great car for big people too, worth a look. Just make sure its not been a taxi.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3677950.htm

[Podie]

elster said:

*Not Ford or French

I've been thinking things like these:

Mazda 6

Not a Ford, but a Mazda is OK?

[.:ian:.]

GreatGranny said:

I would have a serious look at the S60 especially the D5. Very good engine and they are not expensive to buy 2nd hand unlike diesel VAG cars.

This. Ticks all the boxes (except perhaps the high mileage one, but mines done 120K and has been cheap to own so far)

[.:ian:.]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

didnt see that
Seems too cheap, but then its a petrol and just a 2.4 not a T5, is an S rather than an SE, manual seats (electric memory ones are awesome), basic stereo, rather than the 9 speaker prologic system.

Better to get a leggy SE D5 with all the toys IMHO.